Summer is usually the time when we can relax and enjoy some time off. That provides us an opportunity to read and take in some of our favorite shows.
Reading is a wonderful activity because it not only stimulates the brain, but it can transport us to different places. It can spark the imagination. So, we can enjoy a vacation without the hassle of planes and long lines.
It has also been proven that people who read, especially fiction, can develop more empathy and understanding since it develops the ability to share in the feeling of others.
It is always fun to see a list of recommended reading. Join in and share some of your favorite books here. A list will be compiled and shared later.
News@TheU talked to several members of the University of Miami community to see what they were reading and watching this summer.
What are you reading and watching?
This summer, I’m reading two books that speak to different sides of Miami, a city that’s always felt full of stories. “Oye” by Melissa Mogollon is a funny, heartfelt novel about a Colombian American teen navigating family, language, and identity in Miami—it feels so real, like overhearing someone’s deepest thoughts through a bedroom wall. At the same time, I’m diving into “Covert City: The Cold War and the Making of Miami” by Vince Houghton and Eric Driggs, a fascinating nonfiction look at how Cold War politics quietly reshaped the city behind the scenes. One is fiction, the other history, but both help me see Miami in a fuller, more complex way—past and present, personal and political.
I’m binge-watching “The Studio” because it pulls back the curtain on how stories get made—and who gets to tell them. It’s not just the drama that hooks me, but the questions it raises about power and the messy process of creating culture in real time.
- Amanda Moreno-Schroeder, Esperanza Bravo de Varona Chair and director of the Cuban Heritage Collection
What are you reading and watching?
Currently I am reading Karen Russell's “The Antidote.” My summer reading will then include Lawrence Wright's “The Human Scale,” and Dave Barry's “Class Clown.” I am a longtime fan of each of these authors, having read several of their previous books.
Current shows I am watching: “Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light”; “The Residence”; and “Sirens.” Each of these includes phenomenal acting performances, clever writing, and quality production.
- Karin Wilkins, dean, School of Communication
What are you reading and watching?
I’m reading “The Raging Storm” by Ann Cleeves, author of the “Vera” and “Shetland” series. “The Raging Storm” is the fourth installment in the Detective Matthew Venn series set in North Devon, UK. The first installment, “The Long Call,” was the basis for a great BritBox television show in 2021, and after viewing it, I got hooked into reading the entire series.
I am also reading “What I Saw: Reports from Berlin 1920-1933.” It is a compilation of articles published in various newspapers written by correspondent Joseph Roth during the period leading up to the Nazi assumption of authoritarian power in Weimar Germany.
I am watching “MobLand” (because of the acting prowess of Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren, and their supporting cast). And really enjoyed the second season of “Andor” (a Star Wars spy thriller). In short, a (mostly) escapist summer so far.
- Charles “Chuck” Eckman, dean and University librarian, Otto G. Richter Library
What are you reading and watching?
I’ve been in a sci-fi mood lately, prompted, I think, by the conversations surrounding AI. So, I’m finally reading Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” which inspired the film “Blade Runner.”
As for television, I’ve been completely wrapped up in the series "Andor," which is also sci-fi, but more interestingly, the story of how revolutions are built. It’s grounded in realism, despite the Star Wars setting, tells an original story, and is artistically compelling.
- Chantel Acevedo, professor, writer, and senior associate dean for academic affairs, College of Arts and Sciences
What are you reading and watching?
It is around this time of year I start to feel nostalgic for my hometown, as I usually visit family in Seattle at some point in the summer. To prepare for the trip, I plan to read an older (2009) novel about unrequited love, set in the city during a particularly poignant time in history: “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” by Jamie Ford.
I try to read books that help me understand nuanced perspectives of current contested issues. As such, I am hoping to finish a memoir I borrowed from my son’s English class (after he was done with it, of course): “Solito” by Javier Zamora, who migrated from El Salvador to the U.S. at 9 years old, and also, I have started Noa Tishby’s very digestible “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth” to be better able to counter historical misconceptions.
To try to understand how we got here, and in preparation for a multiply authored piece about Black women’s experiences in higher education, I am rereading (may she RIP) Toni Morrison’s collection “Mouth Full of Blood: Essays, Speeches, Meditations,” which informed my Ph.D. advisee Guerdiana Thelomar’s featured presentation at the American Psychological Association conference last summer.
Finally, given that the issues represented by all of the above, coupled with my advanced age, can lead to a stultifying lack of sleep, upon recommendation of my network of women dean friends I purchased Jade Wu’s “Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications.” I will let you know how it goes.
I literally and very seriously only watch news and sports, though I took a vacay from the news for a bit.
- Laura Kohn-Wood, dean, School of Education and Human Development
What are you reading and watching?
I am reading Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s “Abundance,” which urges the Democratic Party to focus on delivering tangible policy outcomes like affordable housing, mass transit, and clean energy. The second book is Jonathan Levy’s “Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States” traces the development of America’s political economy. Finally, Benjamin R. Teitelbaum, “War for Eternity: The Return of Traditionalism and the Rise of the Populist Right” explores the background of Steve Bannon’s political ideology.
I am watching “Andor,” season 2. I am a Star Wars fan, and this is a show about resistance to authoritarianism and also Severance & Friends and Neighbors (both on Apple TV; both explore the uneasy economic life of modern America.
- Gregory Koger, professor of political science, College of Arts and Sciences
What are you reading and watching?
I generally like to read something about the country or city I’ll be visiting, but this is also the summer of reading about classical antiquity. I’ve just finished Robert Graves’ “I, Claudius” and next will be reading Marguerite Yourcenar’s “Memoirs of Hadrian,” which is written in the form of a letter from the emperor Hadrian to his successor, Marcus Aurelius.
I’ve binge-watched the BritBox series “Ludwig,” about a hapless puzzle designer who goes undercover as a (fake) detective as he tries to solve the disappearance of his twin brother (who is a real detective). As you can imagine, “stuff” happens. Now I can’t wait for the movie version of Richard Osman’s wonderful, hilarious first installment of “Thursday Murder Club” series. I’ve read them all and can’t wait for the next one.
- Cristina Favretto, head of Special Collections, Otto G. Richter Library
