Just read!
Summer is a time for relaxing and recharging. It's also a great time to catch up on some reading! In this guide, you'll find books recommended by UHS students and faculty and the reasons they think you might enjoy them too! Of course, these are just suggestions and maybe none of them are your cup of tea. If you'd like more recommendations, come and talk to one of the librarians. The public library is such a great resource - you can read as many books as you like, all for free. It's very easy to get a library card if you don't already have one - just go to a library and they'll sign you up.
Have a great summer! Come and tell us in the Fall about the books you read over the break and collect a bookish sticker.
Realistic Fiction
All the King's Men by It is a novel about populist political movements and a very compelling politician and his demise in the 1920s. I think many will find it resonant today! (in the library)
All the Light We Cannot See by Historical fiction about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Recommended by Anabel Hamill, 10th. (in the library and ebook)
Cold Girls by After witnessing the death of her best friend, Rory is forced to confront her grief. A heart-wrenching story of friendship, trauma, and recovery. Recommended by Cove Johnson Rabidoux, 12th, (in the library)
Emma by A fun, light-hearted, almost comical read, with the kind of strong, self-willed female protagonist Jane Austen is known for. Recommended by Jana Kumar, 10th. (in the library and ebook)
Family Lore by I read this book as part of my book club and loved it! Folklore and reality intertwine in this breathtaking family saga. Recommended by Dara Northcroft BTSB. (in the library and ebook)
I Make Envy on Your Disco by A guy tries to make a new life in Berlin, which is as much a character as any of the quirky and interesting people he meets. Recommended by Chrissy, science instructor. (in the library)
James by A stunning re-imagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim the slave. Recommended by both the librarians. (in the library, ebook, and audiobook)
Midsummer Night's Dream by Like many of Shakespeare's plays, it is fun, comical, and full of drama and unfortunate mishaps. Recommended by Jana Kumar, 10th. (In the library and ebook)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by The unfolding story of Charlie's 10th grade year, told through a series of letters. This was published 25 years ago but still holds true. Recommended by Anabel Hamill, 10th. (in the library and ebook)
Nonfiction
Burn Book by Swisher is a renowned technology reporter who has witnessed that world from close range. According to Booklist, in this book, "she spills so much tea that several napkins will be needed to mop it all up." As well as scathing portraits of the "man-boys" of the tech world, she is incisive about past and future technology and its impact on global society. Recommended by Nicole, librarian (in the library)
An Epidemic of Absence by This book explores the dramatic increase in allergies and autoimmune diseases in the modern world. The book proposes a controversial idea that our heightened hygiene and sanitation practices have inadvertently eliminated beneficial microbes and parasites that once kept our immune systems balanced. Recommended by Nelson Funes, Science Instructor (in the library)
Everything Is Tuberculosis by Perhaps the subject of this book might catch offguard people who are familiar with Green's previous (and incredibly popular) YA novels. But this is a human story as well as a work of science non-fiction, and it's beautifully written and highly engaging. And feels incredibly pertinent in our current political moment which feels increasingly anti-public health. Recommended by Jacob Barrett, 12th (in the library)
Horror for Weenies by I'm not sure why, but reading the plots of 25 iconic horror movies from the last 60 years is so much less scary than watching them. Perhaps it's the author's occasional snarky interjections? For each movie, she also includes the iconic moments and smart things to say at a party. I'm still never going to see The Blair Witch Project though. Recommended by Hayley, librarian (in the library)
No Time to Lose by Dr. Piot is a pioneering virologist who co-discovered the Ebola virus and dedicated his career to combating deadly infectious diseases, most notably HIV/AIDS. Recommended by Nelson Funes, Science Instructor (available from SFPL)
The Sixth Extinction by Investigates the five major extinction events in Earth's history and argues that we are currently in the midst of a sixth, driven by human activity. Recommended by Nelson Funes, Science Instructor (in the library)
A Walk in the Park by Kevin and his friend Pete are completely unprepared for a through hike of the Grand Canyon, but that doesn't stop them. After a disastrous and nearly fatal first leg, they regroup and, with the help of a team of more knowledgable people, manage to complete the hike. Woven into this story are the stories of many of the Indigenous people who live there and descriptions of the often unique flora and fauna. Recommended by Hayley, librarian. (in the library)
