Featuring Favorite Reads of NMH Director of Multicultural   Education and Associate Dean of Students

James Greenwood

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Without hyperbole, this book changed my life.  The imagery and
story-telling really inspired me and I loved how Morrison wove together
both history and fiction.  There’s no wonder why this book won a
Pulitzer Prize.

Sula by Toni Morrison

Okay, I probably shouldn’t put the same author on here twice, but this
was my first book by Morrison.  Without a doubt, she is one of my
favorite authors, and once again, it’s her handling of complex
relationships, but also the exploration of the nature between "good"
and "bad" in this book that really resonated with me.

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

I read this in high school, prior to seeing the movie.  The
relationship and bond between siblings is something that this book
describes better than anything I’ve read.  The Color Purple helped me
think about relationships (both romantic and platonic) in a whole new
way.

Colored People by Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Gates is one of the preeminent scholars in African American history
today.  This was one of the first books I was assigned to read in
college.  There’s something about his coming of age story that I could
really see myself in.   I read this book from cover to cover in a
matter of days.

Featuring FAVORITE READS of
NMH Science teacher
Tabatha Lotze

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Ms. Lotze:  "These stories captivated my imagination as a child and I still love reading them as an adult! They have everything from a wicked witch to a talking mouse. "

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling   
Ms. Lotze:   "I started reading these when I was on deployment in the Persian Gulf.  It was a nice way to escape everyday into a magical world."

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Ms. Lotze:  "I loved the way this story took a event in history and allowed you to feel it on a personal level.  The way the author is able to explain a scene enables you to almost feel the snow falling."

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Ms. Lotze:  "I enjoyed this novel because it showed how difficult it is for people from different cultures understand the motives behind their behavior. 

The Book of Virtues
Ms. Lotze:  "What a great collection of poems, stories, and famous speeches to show us what is really important."

Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking   
Ms. Lotze:  "Gives a short but comprehensive explanation of the world in which we live."

Featuring FAVORITE READS of
NMH Director of Dining Services
RICH MESSER

The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Mr. Messer: "How our eating choices affect not only our own and our children’s health, but the health of the environment that sustains life on earth. My work on NMH’s sustainability task force and with exploring the Buy Local campaign leads me to reading books like this that explore fascinating food related topics – like why the grocery stores are arranged like they are … and how we care for our environment."

The Chef’s Companion: A Concise Dictionary of Culinary Terms , Elizabeth Riely

Mr. Messer: "EVERY culinary term you’d ever hear, or care to know what it means, from sauces to techniques, pronunciations and place of origin."

Feeding the Monster: How Money, Smarts, and Nerve Took a Team to the Top by Seth Mnookin

Mr. Messer: "Fun reading for every die hard Red Sox fan."

Five Acres and Independence: A Handbook for Small Farm Management byMaurice Grenville Kains

Mr. Messer: "A handbook of small farm management, which gives us a chance to look at how to sustain local agriculture and protect farmland too quickly being swallod up for develepmont."

Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life by Tony Dungy

Mr. Messer: "Too many people forget who won the Super Bowl in 2006. This book looks at the how tough times and personal tragedy helps builds strong character and makes life’s rewards that much better to enjoy."

Featuring FAVORITE READS of NMH PIANO STUDIES Director

MARIANNE LOCKWOOD

Couldn’t Keep It to Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters by Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution

Ms.Lockwood: "Wally Lamb teaches writing to women at York Correctional Institution, and this book is a collection of these women’s writings about their difficult lives before they entered prison. They are powerful, distressing and yet hopeful stories."

The Lost Language of Cranes: a Novel by David Leavitt

Ms.Lockwood: "This book is about a young gay man who comes out to his family. Unbeknownst to him, his father is struggling with his own latent homosexuality. The story is raw and painful, and so beautifully written."

Dry: a Memoir by Augusten Burroughs

Ms.Lockwood: "In this biographical account, Burroughs describes his recovery from alcoholism. It is unabashedly honest and also hilarious."

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain

Ms.Lockwood: "Bourdain describes what life is like behind the scenes in the restaurants he has worked in. Absolutely hilarious and sometimes shocking."

Hooked: Five Addicts Challenge our Misguided Drug Rehab System by Lonny Shavelson

Ms.Lockwood: "This book is a doctor’s first hand account of the broken drug rehabilitation system. He follows addicts in various stages of recovery and relapse, and becomes their advocate and often their voice. This book take a while to get into, but as you read further, you become completely involved in the lives of these people, and really begin to understand the complexity of the problems with the system."

Featuring FAVORITE READS of NMH CLASSICS teacher

DAVID DEMAINE

(Click on titles to check availability)

The Iliad of Homer

The Aeneid of Virgil

La Divina Commedia by  Dante Alighieri

Mr. Demaine writes:

I read these every year. Every year I learn  and learn again so many
things from these books. The Iliad seems to come from
nowhere-completely perfect. In the other two, one feels the writer
working. Dante’s greatness is that he achieves perfection, Vergil’s is
that he (and we) struggle to figure it out.

The Aubrey/Maturin Series (Master and Commander) by Patrick O’Brian

The Virgin in the Garden,  Still Life, Bable Tower, and A Whistling Woman by A. S. Byatt

David Demaine writes:

Both multiple volume series (for those of us who hate to see books  end). Both great stories lasting many years, told by story tellers whose pleasure and delight in telling stories adds to the readers’ enjoyment of the plots and characters.

Featuring CUM LAUDE students, Class of ‘07

Ilana ‘08
Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay. 

It’s a great blend of fantasy and historical fiction and the different cultures the author creates are incredible.  Also, the descriptions and the characters are so real, along with real faults and imperfections.  With all of Guy Gavriel Kay’s books I find myself falling in love with the people and becoming personally involved in their struggles and joys for a couple of hours.

George ‘08
The Rights of Others: Aliens, Residents and Citizens by Seyla Benhabib.

The author uses real-word examples combined with political philosophy to explore both humans’ right to migrate across national borders and the rights a liberal democratic society has to regulate their behavior. I liked the way that the author is able to formulate ideas using pure logical thought processes while coming to reasonable conclusions.

Brook ‘08
The Elephant Vanishes: Stories by Haruki Murakami

This bundle of 15 short stories is one of my favorite literary collections! Murakami has a flair for crafting complex characters within the constraints of one paragraph, and then inserting them into a ridiculous situation the next. ‘The Elephant Vanishes,’ is simultaneously dark and humorous, and I’d recommend it to anyone who wants a quick, thought-provoking and slightly absurd read."

Katherine ‘08
Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story by Ben Carson, M.D.

Gifted Hands tells of how Dr. Carson became one of the world’s most famous neurosurgeons.  Dr. Carson’s story is amazing because he grew up in poverty and initially was a terrible student; but with the help of his mother, he was able to bring his grades up and go on complete medical school.  He first gained his fame by successfully performing surgery to remove Siamese twins joined at the head — a risky procedure that no one else would even attempt.    

Emily  ‘08
The Princess Bride : S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure by William Goldman

This book is one I can always come back to and laugh. The details are wonderful, the story is delightful… Though, unlike most good books, the movie is just as wonderful, reading it is a well worth the time. Danger: do not start at night unless you wish to be up until all hours reading it.

.. featuring FAVORITE READS from NMH Dean of Faculty
Hugh Silbaugh

A Short History of Nearly Everything (in print)
A Short History of Nearly Everything (audio recording)
by Bill Bryson

"Fascinating about science, natural history, and things I didn’t know I would be interested in.  Lively, funny, and sharply interesting."

How Doctors Think
by Jerome Groopman

"An exploration of medical training and the challenges of making a complicated diagnosis.  Groopman argues that doctors typically diagnose patients too quickly, too impressionistically, and that routine is the enemy of thought.  I am intrigued by the idea that good questions are more enlightening than quick answers, and that medicine is a practice fraught with uncertainty."

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling

"Better written than the other six, I thought, and I won a bet about what would happen to whom in the book.  No money traded hands."

A Great Improvisation
by Stacy Schiff 

"A great biography of Benjamin Franklin, one of three I read during an American Revolutionary War binge.  Well written, lively, fun throughout."

Team of Rivals
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

"After reading six or eight books about the Revolutionary period, I turned to the Civil War era, and this biography of Lincoln and discussion of his cabinet, formed of political opponents, is wonderful — inspirational, really, especially in light of the sad current state of incivility in American political discourse."

Master and Commander
by Patrick O’Brian

"I’ve read and re-read all twenty-one of these novels about the British Royal Navy before, during, and after the Napoleonic wars, and they’re a guilty pleasure."

.. featuring FAVORITE READS from
FOUR-YEAR SENIORS ...

Grace   The Time Traveler’s Wife  by Audrey Niffenegger

"Once upon a time at a perfect time I read this book.  It is a fragmented, quirky love story that toys with the fantastical -a man whose medical condition causes him to time-travel to different parts of his life. A story for the unscheduled days of summer.  Read it in the non-linear afternoons of late July…"

Jeff    The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth Philip Roth

  “I like this book because it is a historical fiction that explores the outcome of WW2 if Lindbergh was elected president. It is based in fact but tells an interesting alternate reality from the perspective of a young boy. It also explore the race and religious issues of the time and shows how volatile America was during WW2.”

Seth    The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. 

“The Eye of the World is the first book in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, and a must read for anyone who enjoys epic fantasy. I love both the breadth and complexity of the characterization, and the unique setting for the story. The intricate plot twists and abundance of details found in any Wheel of Time book, in my opinion create a reading experience which is unrivaled by any other fantasy series

Rowan    Lolita Vladimir Nabokov

" ‘You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style.’ That is, of course, a quote from the book.

Sheba    The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

“I
like this book because it explores the truth behind the idea of youth
in our society. You also become so engrossed with the book, that you
can’t seem to put it down.”

.. featuring FAVORITE READS from
NMH STUDENT DIRECTORS…

Noah ‘07
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Carson McCullers

"Accessible, frighteningly perceptive, and heartbreaking in its illustration of those things we’ll never reconcile, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was written by Georgia-born McCullers when she was 23.

Thanks to Dave Field for the initial recommendation."

Harry ‘07
Conversation at Midnight
by Edna St. Vincent Millay

"I found a beat up copy of this poetry collection/drama in the basement of Brattleboro Books.  Already excited by the Millay we had covered in Dennis Kennedy’s Junior English class, I sat down and finished most of the book on the floor of that shop."

Dith ‘07
Fahrenheit 451 (in print)

Fahrenheit 451 (ipod audio)

byRay Bradbury

"This book puts a different spin on personal freedoms and
what the government censors from everyday lives. Ray Bradbury looks
into the future and poses the question ‘What if all books were banned?’
Fahrenheit 451 gives an interesting insight on removing offensiveness
from the world by removing information from the people. This book is a
must read for those interested in scary  possible futures for our world."

Sonny ‘07
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
By Max Brooks

"Forget about global warming: let’s talk about some real issues.  Issues like cadavers rising from their earthy tombs and eating our brains.  This book is your key to survival against the hordes of undead who may be stalking you right now without your even knowing it.  The Zombie Survival Guide offers complete protection through trusted, proven tips for safeguarding yourself and your loved ones against the living dead.  It is a book that can save your life."

Sophia ‘07

A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories
by Amy Bloom

"As a series of short stories, this book is great to pick up
and put down as much as you want. Each story is a very touching in its
own way, yet all of them encourage one to dive deeper and appreciate
the bonds created between two people."

featuring favorite reads from the NMH TASK FORCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Becca Leslie

Worldchanging: A User’s Guide for the 21st Century

I spend most of my day exploring the state of the developed and developing nations of the world, as do many of us at Northfield Mount Hermon. The media paint a bleak picture of our environment, leaving little hope for the individual. WorldChanging is a significant volume, arranged by topic (politics, business, community, shelter, etc), with short case studies illustrating the innovative businesses and products which are shifting the paradigm towards sustainability. It is honest and hopeful.

Carla Cevasco ‘07

Wandering Home: A Long Walk Across America’s Most Hopeful Landscape, Vermont’s Champlain Valley and New York’s Adirondacks, by Bill McKibben (Click on title to check availability)

Bill McKibben is by turns humorous, sobering, and insightful. What a journey!

Jahyun Song ‘01

An Unspoken Hunger, by Terry Tempest Williams (Click on title to check availability)

This book helps a reader imagine the lush nature that is still around today. The book has such great imagery that reading one sentence brings the environment before your eyes.

Charlie Tierney

The Foxfire 40th Anniversary Book: Faith, Family, and the Land, edited by Angie Cheek and Lacy Hunter Nix (Click on title to check availability)

I have been a fan of the Foxfire series for several decades.  Perhaps the student-driven aspects of the research, preservation and publishing efforts inspired me a a new teacher.  Or maybe I was struck by the importance of preserving the records of local communities — their histories, stories and lore, crafts and recipes — before the ways of older generations disappeared.

Richard Odman

That Old Ace in the Hole, by Annie Proulx

Looking for a career? Here’s one that is all about deception, naivety, greed and stench all ground together in the dust and dirt of agribusiness hog farming in the Texas Panhandle. You too could be Bob Dollar, somewhat sincere but very much clueless.Towering everywhere over this demise of local agriculture lean staggering windmills which are an ever present mockery of a now unsustainable culture gasping for breath.

Sarah Rebick

Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, by Edward Abbey

There are so many books related to sustainability that I love, but Edward Abbey is one of the writers I admire most. Abbey is brash and raw in his honesty. He doesn’t leave anyone out when it comes to criticism (including himself) and provides gems of insight and instruction about living in an increasingly mechanized world. And Abbey loves the world for what it is, not for some romantic vision of idealized beauty.