Summer is the best time to get in some reading, but the question remains–should I focus my reading around professional development, or let my mind wander off campus? Here are four books to satisfy either inclination:
Fiction
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson will make you feel bright and whole. It’s narrated by the elderly Reverend Ames. Initially, Ames decides to write down his “begats” for his young son, but he is increasingly distracted by current events. His godson Jack has returned to the town of Gilead and his unsettling presence leads the Reverend to reflect on the town’s history and its very personal consequences.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is a book you can sink your teeth into. It’s got more history (and less tropes) than your typical historical fiction, and will help you sympathize with your students next time you assign them a challenging book. It focuses on the career of Thomas Cromwell, the man who engineered Henry VIII’s break from the Catholic church. It’s dense and well written–you know what’s going to happen, and you want to keep reading anyway.
Nonfiction
Permission to Feel by Marc Beckett will constantly confirm what you already know–so many “learning” or “behavior” issues stem from an emotional source. Marc Beckett walks you through the ways in which we ignore our feelings to our detriment, and explains how we can do better. He’s particularly conscious of the emotional lives of teachers and students, so this is a great book to read with your kiddos in mind.
Proust and the Squid by Maryanne Wolf will fill you with awe at the reading brain. This challenging book surveys the evolution of reading and writing, and illustrates the interplay between the brain, written language, and culture throughout history. You’ll leave this book feeling amazed that anyone can read at all, and you’ll be proud to be part of an ancient and evolving process.
What are you reading this summer?
