Reading is something many of us are guilty of not doing enough of and with the advent of the New Year, it’s the perfect time to get nose deep into a new book! Take a page from some of the students in the Honors Program and pick up some of our recommended reads! (We promise we aren’t making money from any of these).
Shani, Class of 2026, Psychology
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
More Than Just A Pretty Face by Syed M. Masood
Why did you decide to read it?
The main character is a Pakistani Muslim American who has to prove that he’s more than a class clown and learns about his culture.
Why did you like this book?
The main character, Danyal, proves his intelligence by learning about Indian history and the evils attributed to Winston Churchill. Danyal shares his research experience in a funny, lighthearted way while also diving into the depth of injustices faced by Brown people.
Who would you recommend this book to?
To people who want to learn more about Muslim culture and enjoy a very funny love story.
Shaiana Taylor, Class of 2026, Psychology
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
American Royals by Katherine McGee
Why did you decide to read it?
The plot is sooo interesting. Like “what if America had a monarchy instead of a democracy?” And America got our own royal drama!”.
Why did you like this book?
The storytelling, the DRAMA, the characters! The book focuses on different perspectives or royals, and not-so-royal characters. All female perspectives! And female leadership is so powerful in this story.
Who would you recommend this book to?
Anyone who likes the British Royal Family, romantic fiction, and book series!
John banta, Class of 2026, neuroscience
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
A Child of Hitler by Alfons Heck
Why did you decide to read it?
With current political times and Nazis referred to by both sides of the political spectrum, it seemed fitting to read a book from someone that believed and eventually threw off that allegiance.
Why did you like this book?
I liked the rawness of it, the explanation from a youth of what they did, only occasionally mentioning regret for actions that very much warranted it. It forced me to confront my moral assumptions as I could rarely anticipate the shocking moments. As a result, my reading was punctuated with moments where I was forced to stop and reflect on what I just saw in my minds eye.
Who would you recommend this book to?
Anyone that thinks that Nazis aren’t real today, and/or that they can’t be Nazis themselves.
Adam Tsao, Class of 2026, Biomedical Sciences
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Why did you decide to read it?
I saw the movie adaptation back in 2019, and only recently found out that it was a book series. Enjoyed the movie, and the books even more.
Why did you like this book?
Annihilation does a really good job of building suspense and giving the reader just enough details to keep the imagination running wild. The author intentionally keeps so many questions unanswered, making for a nerve-racking first-read; and an even more exciting second-read!
Who would you recommend this book to?
Anyone who loves sci-fi, cosmic horror, all wrapped into a delicious, biology-themed mystery burrito.
Julia ko, Class of 2026, Biomedical Sciences
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Why did you decide to read it?
Adam recommended it to me.
Why did you like this book?
Annihilation struck me as a work so consumed with its own atmospheric strangeness that it never stops to confront how its narrative choices echo longstanding patterns of exclusion and erasure. The near-total absence of meaningful queer or non-male-centric interiority reads, to some readers, like a retreat into familiar heteronormative and patriarchal storytelling, especially disappointing in a text supposedly devoted to breaking boundaries. Its treatment of the all-women expedition has also been criticized as inadvertently reinforcing sexist tropes by reducing its characters to nameless archetypes rather than complex individuals. Meanwhile, the novel’s deployment of the “unknowable, dangerous environment” draws on imagery that some interpret as entangled with colonialist and racialized fears of the Other. Annihilation’s refusal to interrogate these dynamics makes its world feel not subversive or radical, but unsettling in all the wrong, unexamined ways.
Who would you recommend this book to?
Everyone!
Julia ko, Class of 2026, Biomedical sciences
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Why did you decide to read it?
One of my favorite things to do while I was in Cambridge for my research internship was to go to the charmingly quaint Harvard Book Store, which was conveniently very close to my dorm. On one of my days off, I went in planning to just browse and look at the pretty and weird knickknacks bookstores tend to have, but a book with the most striking cover caught my eye. The cover was a mix of a beautiful burnt orange and mustard-yellow (and I typically hate those colors so that’s really saying something). The paper was uniquely thick and coarse, and it felt so, so good in my hands. This first impression alone convinced me to give it a read. Needless to say, I spent the next few hours reading it from start to finish.
Why did you like this book?
If you haven’t read The Alchemist, it’s about a shepherd boy who travels from Spain to Egypt, leaving everything behind, to find the treasure he saw in his dreams and follow his “Personal Legend.” Reading about his journey, where he learns to listen to his heart and figure out what he truly wants with his life, felt so apt in that period of my life. I also loved Coelho’s simple, poetic, and warm style of writing, and reading it while being surrounded by books, wooden architecture, and a new city felt surreal.
Who would you recommend this book to?
INFJs
Arthur Kimbrough, Class of 2027, Sociology
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Why did you decide to read it?
I read while trying to stick to healthier habits in high school.
Why did you like this book?
It actually gives a lot of very clear, highly effective advice as well as underlying theory on habit formation.
Who would you recommend this book to?
Honors freshmen especially, although I believe anyone who has a lot on their plate or is looking to shake bad habits will find value in it.
Ema ludwig, Class of 2027, Biochemistry
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Why did you decide to read it?
It was a gift when I graduated 8th grade so that’s why I read it.
Why did you like this book?
And I liked it because the narrator was so honest and it felt like someone’s real thoughts and understandings. I would recommend to any girl in college or high school
Who would you recommend this book to?
I would recommend to any girl in college or high school.
eddie nguyen, Class of 2026, biological sciences
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
The Flight of the Intruder by Jake Grafton (PDF Link)
Why did you decide to read it?
My favorite airplane museum was having a huge book sale and they were selling this hardcover book for like $2. I decided I needed to buy at least one proper book because all I was buying were magazines, so I decided to pick it up.
Why did you like this book?
I initially had no idea what this book was about because there was no summary on the back and I was too lazy to look it up. It felt like a realistic, gritty version of the movie Top Gun, which I love since I’m really into fighter aircraft. I thought the storytelling was also very good and I used to love reading books in the action genre when I was younger, so it was right up my alley
Who would you recommend this book to?
I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller/action book. The physical copies are a little difficult to find, but I believe there was also a movie made based on it (I haven’t watched it). Also if you like fighter aircraft, are an A-6 Intruder fan, or are interested in the Vietnam War!
eddie nguyen, Class o…You Get the Deal
What book have you read recently that you enjoyed, or what’s one of your favorite books?
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn by Herge
Why did you decide to read it?
My mom loved Tintin when she was younger and so she bought me a few volumes when I was younger. I’ve been reading and re-reading these comics since I was in third grade and I still enjoy them quite a bit today! Funny side note: I stumbled across an entire 7 volume set of Tintin books at an antique store in Malaysia last year (which I promptly purchased), which really re-sparked my Tintin craze!
Why did you like this book?
Herge’s artwork is beautiful and the universe of Tintin is extremely immersive and brings you into the early Twentieth Century. I really enjoyed watching the Indiana Jones movies growing up, and the Tintin comics have very similar themes in being a light-hearted, mystery/action series. I will preface with a warning that certain volumes of Tintin have very dated depictions of certain ethnic groups, but anything offensive has been banned in the U.S.
Who would you recommend this book to?
I would recommend these books to anyone who loves mystery/action or comic books! If you would like to borrow a copy, I have some available if you promise to keep them in good condition! There was also a movie made in 2011 for Tintin, which was very good and based on The Secret of the Unicorn which you should totally watch!