Summer Reading, vol. 9: Abigail Chewning

If you’re a student employee at Candler School of Theology, you’ll probably recognize this week’s contributor to the summer reading recommendation series! Abigail Chewning not only coordinates student employment at Candler, but also performs admissions data analysis and CRM system management among other duties. Abigail gives us a great mix of suggestions that that appeal a variety of interests.

Abigail’s first recommendation is “a quick and easy read that will honestly make you laugh and cry with every page turn.” Born a Crime by South African comedian, political commentator, and television host Trevor Noah is a New York Times bestseller. This collection of stories follows Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show that began with a criminal act: his birth. Emory users can access this audiobook through Overdrive or purchase in another format online

Another book Abigail “couldn’t put down” this summer is Susannah Cahalan’s Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness. Also a New York Times bestseller, this book reads like a nonfiction thriller and is written by the victim of a rare and terrifying disease who miraculously survives. Read or listen to her harrowing story online through Emory or through your local public library.

Abigail’s third suggestion, A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America by Ronald Takaki, was “hailed by critics and academics everywhere as a dramatic new retelling of our nation’s past.” This book engages the voice of non-Anglo peoples of the United States, and consequently Abigail deems it a “mandatory reading for all Americans.” Find this book on the shelves at Emory at your local library, or online for purchase.

Among all her suggestions, Abigail’s “all-time favorite book” is the acclaimed The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls. Remaining on the New York Times bestseller list for over seven years, this memoir documents a fight by the children of Rex and Rose Mary Walls to carve out a successful life on their own terms. Find this book at Emory, or watch the story unfold in the 2017 major motion picture.

For those who like to laugh and learn about new and unique topics, Abigail concludes her suggestions on a lighter note with the podcast Getting Curious by Jonathan Van News. This American hairdresser, podcaster, and television personality invites the listeners to ask those questions they’ve always wondered about in a variety of fields, from political theory to amphibiology. Jonathan engages with experts weekly to explore all things under the sun, and you can too through Apple Podcasts and other audio platforms!

Stay tuned for next week’s recommendations from Director of the Library, Richard (Bo) Manly Adams, Jr!