David Baldacci, Strangers in Time:
“This is a remarkable story about the power of friendship in the most dangerous situations, which provides hope for better times.”
Jay Farr, Public Safety & Justice
Derek Thompson, Hit Makers and Abundance:
“Both books offer a deeper understanding of what is going on in the present environment as well as a bright future for everyone.”
Michael Fischetti, Procurement & Contracts Management
Jamil Zaki, Hope for Cynics:
“I’m finding this book especially helpful as we navigate challenging social and political times in our nation. Zaki argues against cynicism and suggests that hopeful skepticism offers a promising alternative. The book is a great blend of social science research and personal reflection by Zaki, and I especially enjoy reading it alongside UVA Batten colleague Dr. Kyle Dobson and my good friends Dr. Liz Tomsich and Dr. Iish Ryaru in California (also educators). We’ll meet online for a bicoastal book chat in August!”
Sara McClellan, Public Administration
Mohsin Hamid, Exit West:
“My ‘Great Books in Globalization’ class this summer is reading the fiction book Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. It's an imaginative novel about love, migration, and the search for home in an unsettled world. We follow the main characters as they flee their war-torn city through mysterious doors to new lands. Hamid blends magical realism with super timely social issues and insight in a fairly compact novel. Really challenges us all to think about borders, identity, and human connection, and it pairs beautifully with the documentary 'Human Flow,' which we're also watching as part of the class.”
Peter Ronayne, Interdisciplinary Studies
R.F. Kuang, The Poppy War trilogy:
“The Poppy War trilogy is a dark epic fantasy inspired by Chinese history. Emotionally insightful, imaginative, and full of heart-wrenching personal and political choices, The Poppy War deserves all of the accolades it has received.”
Michele Wucker, Public Safety & Justice
Wiley Cash, A Land More Kind Than Home:
“This story has a Faulkneresque complexity of character which mirrors the human condition so aptly.”
Charlotte Matthews, Interdisciplinary Studies
Ryan Holiday, Courage is Calling:
“Courage is Calling is part of the Stoicism series. Stoicism focuses on four virtues: Courage, Temperance, Justice, and Wisdom teaching us how to live a better life.”
Tom Eller, Procurement & Contracts Management
Andrew J. O’Shaughnessy, The Illimitable Freedom of the Human Mind:
“While I thought I know a lot about Thomas Jefferson, until I read this book, I had no idea how much he really did. The breadth and depth of this man’s knowledge is beyond my comprehension; truly a great read for everyone at his University."
Gordon Graham, Public Safety & Justice
Stephen Macedo and Frances Lee, In Covid’ Wake:
“With In Covid’s Wake, Macedo and Lee offer the first comprehensive—and candid—political assessment of how our institutions fared during the pandemic.”
Brett Hood, Accounting
Patterson et al., Crucial Accountability:
“I appreciated how the book offers straightforward, practical strategies for tackling tough conversations—whether in the workplace or in daily life. It’s an empowering and accessible guide to holding others (and yourself) accountable with empathy and clarity.”
Rudy de Leon Dinglas, Public Administration
Claire Keegan, Foster:
“Keegan’s subdued voice and quiet wisdom is like having a friend over for a tall glass of sweet tea on a windswept porch.”
Charlotte Matthews, Interdisciplinary Studies
Hernan Diaz, Trust:
“This is the best book I read this summer and, even though it is set in the early 20th century, it is very prescient. The novel centers on the rapid rise of Andrew Bevel, a fictional Wall Street tycoon, as he becomes one of the wealthiest men in America. The novel is set in four parts, with each section detailing Bevel’s rise from a different perspective and with a unique narrative structure. The book is incredibly fun and also makes you think about the role that perspective plays in our acceptance of social narratives.”
Cyrus Webb, Student Success
Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture:
Pausch is a former UVA computer science professor who passed away in 2008. The book focuses on the last lecture he gave at Carnegie Mellon after being diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. However, he somehow managed to stay positive throughout the last few months of his life, and that positivity is conveyed in the book. It's the ultimate example of ‘make the best out of a bad situation.’”
Melissa Reifert, Financial Aid
Barbara Kingsolver, Demon Copperhead:
“Tragic and witty, Demon Copperhead is a thought-provoking exploration into life in Appalachia, and the struggles inherent in poverty-stricken areas. You may find yourself forever changed after reading this book!”
Susannah Fuller, Communications
Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures:
“Remarkably Bright Creatures captivated me with its beautiful writing and heartfelt exploration of grief, self-discovery, and the power of unexpected friendship—no spoilers, but the premise of this book is truly special!”
Kaitlyn Emerson, Recruitment
Taylor Jenkins Reid, Daisy Jones & the Six:
“This is a fictional story about a fictional rock band in the late 70's, which is told entirely in spliced-together interviews.”
Jeff Martin, Recruitment
Octavia E. Butler, Kindred:
"This is a novel about a Black woman who time travels inexplicably between 1976 L.A. and an 1819 Maryland plantation."
Jeff Martin, Recruitment
W. Timothy Gallway, The Inner Game of Tennis:
“I have quickly started to recommend this book to a lot of the high school track athletes I coach. While Gallway wrote this legendary book in 1974, it remains the single most important and accessible sports psychology book ever written. Gallwey set out to write a book about mastering the mental side of tennis and he ended up writing a book that NFL coaches like Pete Carroll routinely assign to professional athletes in sports about as different from tennis as humanly possible. It has been a game-changer for me.”
Cyrus Webb, Student Success
Percival Everett, James:
“In retelling the Adventures of Huck Finn from the perspective of Huck's "sidekick," the escaped slave Jim, Everett crafts a moving, funny, and often terrifying adventure story that's as much about race in 2025 as it is about race in 1825. It's the best book I've read in a decade.”
Josh Katz, Communications
Lori Gottlieb, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone:
"A funny, witty look into the world of a therapist that reinforces my belief everyone should have a therapist. Life coach, feelings coach, whatever you call it, life is complicated, and you need all the people in your corner you can muster."
Shannon Dion, Public Safety and Justice
Jacinda Ardern, A Different Kind of Power:
"Ardern is my new hero. After she describes her childhood and path to public service, she proves that leading with kindness and from a place of love (not fear) is a superpower."
Shannon Dion, Public Safety and Justice