Harvard University
Summer Reads
We’ve got recommendations from the Harvard community, titles from Harvard authors, and a glimpse inside some new releases.
The characters are beautifully drawn, the writing is exquisite, and the relevance vis-à-vis what’s going on in Ukraine is painful but poignant.”“The Moon is Down” by John Steinbeck
Recommended by Sarah Whiting, dean and professor of architecture, Harvard Graduate School of Design
This book would be a great read for DIB educators and enthusiasts.”“We Want To Do More Than Survive” by Bettina Love
Recommended by DeAnza Cook, Ph.D. candidate, Harvard Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
A rich novel perfect for those looking for a summer read that will take them to the shore, and offshore.”Spartina by John Casey
Recommended by Al Powell, senior science writer, Harvard Gazette
‘Living a Feminist Life’ is vital summer reading for all willful subjects!”“Living a Feminist Life” by Sara Ahmed
Recommended by Carolyn Bergonzo, coordinator of academic programs, Harvard Radcliffe Institute
Grab a seat (or a hammock)
Meet the authors
Check out the latest titles from these Harvard authors.
Todne Thomas
Set in two Afro-Caribbean and African American evangelical congregations, “Kincraft: The Making of Black Evangelical Society” examines spiritual enactments of family among church members.
Sílvia Benedito
“Atmosphere Anatomies” examines the relationships between landscape architecture, urbanism, and atmosphere as design media for sensory and physiological well-being.
David Cheng Chang
“The Hijacked War: The Story of Chinese POWs in the Korean War” depicts the struggle over prisoner repatriation that dominated the second half of the Korean War.
Kevin Young
The lyrical picture book, “Emile and the Field,” follows a young boy as he experiences changing seasons at a beloved local field in his neighborhood.
Erica Chenoweth
“Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know” explores what civil resistance is, how it works, why it sometimes fails, how violence and repression affect it, and the long-term impacts of such resistance.
Arthur Brooks
In “Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life,” readers learn how letting go of past glory can open the possibilities of life’s “second curve.”
Who is your favorite literary hero or villain?
As readers, we have our favorite characters: the fictional heroes and heroines we’d love to befriend in real life, and the villains we long to see fail.
Read an excerpt
Get an inside look at these books with excerpts from The Harvard Gazette.
Looking for more…
Find out which books Harvard faculty and staff are recommending this summer.