Jason Purcell (Programs Officer, Canadian Literature Centre/Centre de littérature canadienne) enjoys Ocean Vuong's 'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' on The Quad.
Thoughts of textbooks might be on pause for the summer, but it's always a good time to read and learn something new. Whether you need a good read for a plane ride or road trip, for lounging on a beach, or for relaxing on The Quad, we have 10 recommendations from 10 campus bookworms. Happy reading!
The Culture Map by Erin Meyer
"In my role at the Libraries, I was on a team examining how we promote our services to UAlberta's international community. Over the past year, I learned so much from attending HR intercultural sessions, reaching out to UAlberta International colleagues, and speaking with students.
I think this book would be an illuminating and practical read for anyone interested in increasing their knowledge and skills in intercultural communications and would give one some tools for deeper understanding into cultural idiosyncrasies as well as asking the right questions to avoid confusion and assumptions from cultural differences. On a personal note, this book also gave me insights into my family relationships. I have family members from UK and I learned why I sometimes I don't get their jokes."
- Meredith Bratland (Strategic Communications Manager, Learning Services/Library Administration)
The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmundson
"I am reading and finding [this book] very relevant in the age of #MeToo, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, with its emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion. It is about creating psychological safety in the workplace. It calls into question many of the taken-for-granted practices in groups and organizations that are based on outdated beliefs about humans in the workplace and what they want and need to be productive, innovative, and engaged."
- Cynthia Munro (Interim Manager, Leadership & Professional Development, Human Resource Services)
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
"Tara Westover's shocking account of her childhood in an isolationist Mormon family reminded me how privileged my students, my colleagues, and I are to have access to a level of knowledge, freedom, and support that many people around the world are barred from."
- Lucie Moussu (Academic Director, Centre for Writers; Associate Professor in Writing Studies; President, University of Alberta Faculty Women's Club)
The Underground Railroad by Colson WhiteheadThe Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
"This book brings the not-so-distant past into the present as the author takes us on a harrowing journey through mid-19th century America along the route of a (literal) underground railroad that transports escaped slaves, in particular one intrepid young woman, to dubious freedom in the north. An incredibly vivid, beautifully written story of bravery in the face of toxic, institutional racism."
- Donna McKinnon (Communications Associate, Faculty of Arts)
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
"The first novel by acclaimed poet Ocean Vuong undertakes an exploration of that which is inherited by a young Vietnamese American writer in Connecticut: familial trauma, pain, and love, set alongside the realities of class, race, and queerness in America. This autofictive novel sees a young queer man addressing his mother in a language she does not speak or read, rendering visible the often fraught experiment of expression, the places where language succeeds and where it collapses."
- Jason Purcell (Programs Officer, Canadian Literature Centre/Centre de littérature canadienne)
Lethal White by Robert Galbraith
"Over the past few months, I've been obsessed with J.K. Rowling's (writing as Robert Galbraith) detective series, featuring the Private Investigator Cormoran Strike. Starting with The Cuckoo's Calling, to the recent Lethal White, the characters and storylines are unique and interesting. While the crime is obviously front and centre, there's just enough intrigue surrounding the personal lives of the main characters to keep the pages turning."
- Pamela Sewer (Project Coordinator, Faculty of Arts, Office of the Dean)
Tiny Lights for Travellers by Naomi K. Lewis
"Naomi is an incredibly talented writer and the loveliest of human beings. Her words are thought provoking and genuine. This is her story about her journey to learn about her family history. Knowing who you are and understanding where you come from can be a lifelong exploration."
- Andrea Kopylech (Associate Director Advancement, Faculty of Arts)
Conflict is Not Abuse: Overstating Harm, Community Responsibility, and the Duty of Repair by Sarah Schulman
"Essential reading for anyone interested in the ethics of repairing relationships - both personal and political - rather than perpetuating a culture of scapegoating and violence."
- Stephanie Bailey (Communications Associate, Office of Advancement)
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
"All of the graduates of Gold College received a copy of Dare to Lead when they completed the program in June 2019. I chose it because it covers topics that are not normally addressed in leadership literature, but have been covered in the program - vulnerability, resiliency, and courage (not in the traditional heroic models of military and sports leaders, but courage to be present when we are uncomfortable and to have the tough conversations that make the difference between workplaces where people can thrive and workplaces where people hide). It also applies to informal leaders - people who don't have a title, but are influential from wherever they are located in their organization or community. Often leaders feel that they need to take on a persona and hide who they are as they navigate the often unfamiliar waters of influencing others in imperfect systems. Brown encourages leaders to hold on to their values, to speak to them often, and to show up wholeheartedly. I think if more of us experienced this kind of leadership, our institution and our communities could be very different."
- Cynthia Munro (Interim Manager, Leadership & Professional Development, Human Resource Services)
Dear Committee Members by Julie SchumacherDear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
For me, a good summer read should, above all, entertain - and, if you are lucky, also provoke and satisfy - all in a small, quickly devoured package. For a recommendation to Quad readers, where better to look than among the great tradition of campus novels. There, you usually discover a fictional world that gives you the pleasure and fun of recognition along with cringe-worthy, often hilarious, satiric barbs. At only 192 pages, Julie Schumacher's Dear Committee Members delivers on all counts. The sequel, The Shakespeare RequirementThe Shakespeare Requirement, is definitely on my list for this summer.
- Anne Bailey (Executive Director, Strategic Communications, Office of the VP, University Relations)
If you don't take a photo of your books on The Quad, did you really read on The Quad?