Resources

In a humorous, candid memoir, McCurdy details the struggles and consequences of being a child actress as well as her relationship with her abusive mother. There is a lot of triggering content and issues are tackled head-on, making it hard to read at times, but it is very well-written and completely sucked me in. I loved this book a lot and would 100% recommend.

5/5 stars

Rec. — Eden Chuang

This book was fantastic—so fantastic that I went MIA for an entire weekend but nonetheless, it was worth it. Kingsolver never fails to write beautiful descriptions, delivers incredibly fleshed out characters, and drops in life-altering twists just when you need it. She’s clearly done an immense amount of research on the Congo as well, and really does its history justice alongside an epic story.

5/5 stars

Rec. — Taylor Tam

I absolutely love this book and finished it in a day and a half while painting Ivy’s nursery. In particular, I just love how Neil Gaiman is just so fast with his prose, and yet has such gorgeous, incredibly short images that build to an experience rather than merely a visual […] these creepy, magical unknown lands […] seem to have so much depth behind them.

5/5 stars

Rec. — Mr. King

One of the best reads of the year (even though it was a slow start). I particularly enjoyed the linguistic/etymological details embedded throughout, and how the magic was both realistic and also so wonderful. Magic as linguistic technology is just SO cool. Huge fan of the character development. […] it deftly portrayed an ideal student life […] what a wonderful ride.

5/5 stars

Rec. — Mr. King

11/22/63 is a book about love, time travel, and most notably: John F. Kennedy’s assassination. 11/22/63 is also one of the most fun stories I’ve read in a long while. It’s not a particularly profound book, but I’d suggest 11/22/63 to those who have a lot of time and want to read without using their brain too much.

3/5 stars

Rec. — Ryan Li

A collection of short stories that show people making sense of a fantastical and maddening reality. Ma does a really great job of portraying the fever dream element of her stories. Give the fact that it’s a collection of short stories, some of them are more interesting and impactful than others. Funky summer read.

3/5 stars

Rec. — Natalie Jinbo-Davis

Sanderson (an awesome contemporary fantasy author) puts his lecture series (from BYU) all online for free. He talks about everything from how to start outlining/drafting to how to develop characters vs. plot. His advice is thoughtful, easy to listen to, and just all around pretty compelling stuff!

Rec. — Mr. Oscar King IV

This book is an immersive retelling of the Odyssey from the refreshing perspective of the goddess, Circe.

Rec. — Sophia Chen

They Say, I Say does an awesome job of teaching students how to add to a discussion as opposed to participating in an echo chamber. This book is particularly helpful for argumentative writing fo a variety of different disciplines, and helps students to think more deeply.

Rec. — Ryan Li

The Big Short is a highly informative book highlighting the 2008 housing crisis and the story of a few people who shorted the market and made a ton of money. The book does a fantastic job of explaining and introducing various economic reasons behind the crash, and helps to inform readers of how future crashes could occur.

Rec. — Sam Virsik

Author Ruth Ozeki of My Year of Meats and A Tale for the Time Being talks about her new book and how her identity as a Buddhist priest influences her writing and her world view. Ozeki is a wonderful author with some of my favorite books and incredibly refreshing to listen to, perfect for anyone who wants to broaden their world view and read some beautiful writing.

Rec. — Natalie Jinbo-Davis

Bringing Down the House is an absolutely crazy true story about a MIT card counting team. It's a page turner and packed with action, I'm pretty sure I finished it in a couple of sittings. It navigates the innerworkings of casinos in Vegas and how a small group took over the blackjack scene.

Rec. — Eden Chuang