Fiction:
The Martian, Andy Weir
Not just for sci-fi fans. Fun, exciting, and interesting story about what it would be like to survive on Mars.
Sold, Patrica McCormick
The story of a 12 year-old Nepalese girl who is sold into slavery in the sex trade of India. Based upon true accounts. Tough to read, but important to read as well because human trafficking is a real, and growing, problem.
Non-fiction for Fun:
The Boys in the Boat, Daniel J. Brown
Great story and some very interesting history.
An Army at Dawn and The Day of Battle, Rick Atkinson
The first two books of the Liberation Trilogy will teach you a lot about the evolution of our involvement in World War Two.
About School, Thinking, Teaching, Learning, etc.:
Why Children Don’t Like School, Daniel Willingham
Lots of neuroscience well-connected to the life of school, teaching, and learning.
Make it Stick, Peter Brown, et al.
More neuroscience but a deeper dive into how we (and students) can “forget less” if we make some changes to our behaviors, routines, and assessments. Our faculty read this past summer.
Leadership, Innovation, and making things work:
The Hard Thing about Hard Things, Ben Horowitz
How successful start-ups and innovators work.
Things a Little Bird Told Me, Biz Stone
Twitter Founder writes about his journey -- a great read for any teenager or parent of one.
