{"id":581107,"date":"2010-05-27T09:00:53","date_gmt":"2010-05-27T13:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/?p=47734"},"modified":"2010-05-27T09:00:53","modified_gmt":"2010-05-27T13:00:53","slug":"what-they%e2%80%99re-reading","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/581107","title":{"rendered":"What they\u2019re reading"},"content":{"rendered":"

A survey of top Harvard faculty shows what books they\u2019re reading and enjoying on summer\u2019s edge.<\/em><\/p>\n

Cherry A. Murray<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences<\/a>, and John A. and Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and professor of physics<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Siege of Krishnapur\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI am a huge fan of historical fiction. In \u2018The Siege of Krishnapur,\u2019 J.G. Farrell, an Irish writer who had a rather short life, crafted a stylish novel echoing (well, mocking) the British colonial novel style. It\u2019s written from the perspective of colonists living in a remote outpost (a fictional town in India). It pokes incredible fun at the British, and it was one of the first books to send up the absurdity of colonial arrogance. Farrell goes into great detail in describing the native personalities and invites the reader to watch as a once prim Victorian outpost devolves into chaos during a siege. Incredibly funny, with good character building.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Crobuzon trilogy<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMy daughter and I have swapped our way through China Mieville\u2019s New Crobuzon trilogy (\u2018Perdido Street Station,\u2019 \u2018The Scar,\u2019 and \u2018Iron Council\u2019) of science fiction \/ fantasy books (and I just finished \u2018Iron Council\u2019). The sheer inventiveness of Mieville is astounding, from all different civilizations and cultures to the mosquito-like creatures and the entire cast of \u2018remades\u2019 (mixed up mechanical and biological life forms). His writing has a definite atmosphere about it. I found the idea of an entirely movable, floating city of interconnected ships in \u2018The Scar\u2019 (called the Armada) to be very cool. While the ending of the series is incredibly frustrating, the sheer breadth, amazing wordplay, atmosphere, and energy make the ride worthwhile. And don\u2019t worry \u2026 our bioengineers will not be doing this type of thing!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations\u2019 by Dietrich D\u00f6rner is a management book that has relevance to engineering design. A German psychologist with an interest in early game theory, D\u00f6rner basically asked why some leaders fail. By using a \u2018paper\u2019 version of SimCity, he concluded that what leads to failure is when a leader asks a whole lot of questions, but never makes any decisions, or when a leader has a preconceived notion of what is right and does it regardless of what anyone else says. I\u2019ve taken D\u00f6rner\u2019s insights to heart with my own strategic planning for SEAS. To be successful, you need to ask a few questions, pick a track, and then monitor how things are going (getting feedback as you go). You also have to be very clear about how you define success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charles Ogletree<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, and director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cGwen Ifill\u2019s \u2018The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama\u2019 charts the progress of the new African-American politicians, all born following the early years of the Civil Rights struggles, and how this new generation of leaders emerged.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama\u2019 by David Remnick traces President Obama\u2019s path to the White House and how he overcame a host of challenges during the campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKnown to Evil\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWalter Mosley has written many mysteries, and I have probably read them all. In \u2018Known to Evil,\u2019 he introduces us to Leonid McGill, a new character in New York City who\u2019s trying to track down a mysterious woman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lene Hau<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics<\/em> and of Applied Physics<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Selfish Gene\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cRichard Dawkins\u2019 \u2018The Selfish Gene\u2019 is one of these rare gems of a book that leaves you with a different perspective of the world after you\u2019ve read it. Dawkins presents a convincing case for his claim that all species of life seem optimized for one purpose: survival of their DNA. Many of the statements in the book at first encounter seem ludicrous, but Dawkins then goes on to present a wonderfully surprising and convincing argument for his point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind\u2019 by Eric Kandel describes the history of neuroscience and the amazing discoveries made over the past century. We learn how studies of the workings of the mind moved from psychology over biochemistry to gene manipulation and single neuron measurements. It is really by putting all these measurements and observations together that a real understanding of memory function \u2014 how memory is formed and recalled \u2014 is achieved. Such studies might lead us more broadly to some understanding of consciousness: how we think and behave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018The development of women\u2019s status, options, and possibilities in society over the past 50 years is chronicled in \u2018When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present.\u2019 Author Gail Collins describes the great progress that\u2019s been achieved, but also how we are currently, in some ways, moving backward. She reminds us that achieving equal opportunity for women requires women\u2019s actual inclusion in the workplace community rather than just an increased number of women hired. Whereas the latter is important, continuous attention must be paid to the former. Collins writes about these issues with great insight and a sense of humor that I just really enjoy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alan Dershowitz<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cStart-up Nation: The Story of Israel\u2019s Economic Miracle\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c \u2018Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel\u2019s Economic Miracle\u2019 by Dan Senor and Saul Singer tells the story of how Israel changed from a second economy based on agriculture and tourism to a first-world economic superpower, based completely on high-tech innovation. It\u2019s a story that will inspire students, faculty, and alumni.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c36 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cRebecca Goldstein\u2019s new novel, \u201836 Arguments for the Existence of God: A Work of Fiction,\u2019 is poignant, funny, and brilliant. It\u2019s about the clash between religious fundamentalism and intellectual skepticism, but is about much more as well. A great read!\u201d<\/p>\n

Diane Paulus<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Artistic director, American Repertory Theater<\/a>; professor of the practice of theater<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOdysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cJonathan Shay\u2019s study of Homer\u2019s \u2018Odyssey\u2019 is inspiring me to think about all the ways the ancient Greek texts can speak to the experiences of active-duty soldiers, veterans, military families, and civilians today. \u00a0As I plan the A.R.T.\u2019s Greek festival for the 2010-11 season, I am programming productions, readings, and panel discussions that will give audiences many opportunities to participate in civic dialogues about the challenges our nation and world are facing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile rehearsing \u2018Johnny Baseball,\u2019 the new musical about the Boston Red Sox, I\u2019ve been reading \u2018Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston,\u2019 a powerful book by sports journalist Howard Bryant. \u00a0A detailed analysis of racial prejudice in major league baseball, \u2018Shut Out\u2019 examines critical moments in Red Sox history, including the decision not to sign Jackie Robinson in 1945 and the team\u2019s signing of Pumpsie Green in 1959. A fascinating exploration of the history of a baseball team, a city, and the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mohsen Mostafavi<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Dean of the Graduate School of Design<\/a>; Alexander and Victoria Wiley Professor of Design<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Indian Bride\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI usually have numerous writing deadlines, and so my reading tends to be very instrumental, focused on what I am going to write. But, like most people, I also read to switch off \u2014 to get away from the stress of deadlines. Detective stories seem to do the trick best. I recently read \u2018The Indian Bride,\u2019 an Inspector Sejer mystery by the Norwegian writer Karin Fossum. It takes place in an isolated village where a quiet agricultural machinery salesman decides to travel to Mumbai to bring back an Indian bride \u2014 hence the title. Fossum\u2019s subtle description of the Norwegian landscape, the humility of the main character, and the guardedness of the members of the community against all outsiders are chillingly revealing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIll Fares the Land\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cLike many people, I\u2019ve been riveted by the incredible short pieces in the \u2018New York Review of Books\u2019 by the British historian Tony Judt, who is paralyzed from the neck down with Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease; he is able to speak but not write. Judt has an astonishing capacity to construct such concise sentences, actually whole articles, in his head. He has just published \u2018Ill Fares the Land,\u2019 a book based on the NYR articles. Judt\u2019s reminiscences deal a lot with his life in England, and having spent a large part of my life there too, I am very sensitive \u2014 almost nostalgic \u2014 about many of his period pieces, such as the ghastly description of the hovercraft, which I remember taking to a cold and remote school on the Isle of Wight as a boy in the 1960s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Country Formerly Known as Great Britain\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe to get over the sense of nostalgia, or just to extend it, I am now reading \u2018The Country Formerly Known as Great Britain\u2019 by Ian Jack. Jack, who now writes for the Guardian newspaper, used to edit the literary magazine Granta. There are certain parallels between these last two books in their consideration of a time gone by, of a Britain that now exists only in memory. Jack\u2019s writing is always such a pleasure to read.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Arts of Industry in the Age of Enlightenment\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cOn the work front, we have recently announced a new graduate program at the Graduate School of Design on art, design, and the public domain. In part, inspired by this topic, I have started reading Celina Fox\u2019s impressive new book, \u2018The Arts of Industry in the Age of Enlightenment.\u2019 \u201c<\/p>\n

David Gergen<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Public service professor at Harvard Kennedy School<\/a>, and director, Center for Public Leadership<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cChurchill\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIn times like these, my reading often turns to leaders of the past who have led democracies out of peril. Of late, I have been tackling a brace of new books about Churchill, and enjoying them all. Paul Johnson\u2019s biography, \u2018Churchill,\u2019 is the best of the lot: insightful, concise, and graphic \u2014 enough so that I have sent it to friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMeanwhile, I\u2019ve been struggling with a stack of books about the roots of our economic turmoil. Michael Lewis has once again weighed in with one of the most readable, \u2018The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine\u2019; Andrew Ross Sorkin\u2019s \u2018Too Big To Fail\u2019 looks like a must \u2014 and yet is forbiddingly long. I have found refuge in thinking more about where we go from here. Even if a bit repetitive, I found some provocative answers in Richard Florida\u2019s new work, \u2018The Great Reset.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cSusan\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the most satisfying books of the season are by dear friends. Warren Bennis has just completed his memoir, \u2018Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership.\u2019 And when it appears in print soon, readers will find it a delightful intellectual romp through the flowering of social science \u2026 after World War II, as well as a meditation on leadership. The other is a soulful work, beautifully written and inspiring, by Susan Tifft. She waged a noble struggle against cancer, captivating legions of friends old and new with her blog entries on CaringBridge.org. At her services at Memorial Church, her husband Alex Jones gave a bound copy to each of those who filled the pews. It is titled simply, \u2018Susan\u2019 and, like her, is a treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A survey of top Harvard faculty shows what books they\u2019re reading and enjoying on summer\u2019s edge. Cherry A. Murray Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and John A. and Elizabeth S. Armstrong Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and professor of physics \u201cThe Siege of Krishnapur\u201d \u201cI am a huge fan of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4175,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-581107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4175"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581107\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=581107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=581107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}