Honors Book Labs

This Book Lab explores the lived experience of Rebekah Taussig, a disability advocate and writer from Kansas City. Her work introduces students to models and representations of disability and intersects those with personal narratives. With both powerful stories and retellings, her writing is incredibly personal and passionate. Students interested in learning about disability theory through a creative nonfiction lens should sign up for this Book Lab!

This engaging book chronicles the birth of modern cosmology. Cosmology is the scientific study of the universe's origin, structure, history, and future. With cosmology, we ask fundamental questions about how the cosmos began, what it's made of, how it has evolved, and what its ultimate fate will be. In essence, it's the branch of astronomy that examines the universe as a whole. Here Marcia Bartusiak, an author, journalist, and professor emeritus from MIT, reveals the key players, battles of will, clever insights, incredible technology, ground-breaking research, and wrong turns made by the early investigators of the heavens as they raced to uncover what many consider one of most significant discoveries in scientific history.

True leadership is rooted in the ability to deeply connect with others. Understanding the dynamics of human relationships is not just a nice-to-have for effective leadership; it is essential in order to thrive, and even survive, in today's world of work. As machines grow ever smarter, your brain won’t be your differentiator in the workplace of tomorrow, your heart; that is, your ability to authentically relate with others will be....Readers will learn to: 1. Think relationally rather than individualistically 2. Identify and measure their relational levels with people inside and outside of work 3. Map and score the relational field of their organizations 4. Assess the relational strength of their organizations across the four dimensions of behavior, attitude, structure, and community 5. Break through surface-level interaction and foster deep connection 6. Eliminate silos and overcome division in their communities.

I listened to this as an audiobook on a road trip last year, and I can't help recommending it to everyone I talk to. Written by a blogger who was famous for playing around with neural networks to come up with funny lists of names, this book talks about what AI does well and what it does poorly, with lots of humorous examples. The book eased my anxiety with the message that worrying about a hostile AI taking over the world is a little like worrying about overpopulation on Mars—it could happen eventually, but it's not the big threat that the Terminator franchise makes it out to be (with the caveat that this book is from 2019 and slightly predates the explosion of Chat GPT that is ubiquitous today).

I'm absolutely passionate about water! There's nothing I love more than floating, skiing, kayaking, and swimming completely immersed in the aquatic world. Even the sounds captivate me: the gentle drip, the rushing race down mountainsides, the thunderous cascade of waterfalls. This deep fascination has led me to the Water Heritage Anthropological Project, where we explore the entanglements between water and humanity. In this Book Lab, we're diving into the extraordinary world of water scholarship! In Blue Mind, marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols reveals something remarkable: proximity to oceans, lakes, rivers, even a simple bath, can profoundly transform our mental and physical well-being. Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and biology, Nichols introduces us to "blue mind," a unique state of calm and focus that water triggers in our brains. It's the perfect antidote to the anxious, overstimulated "red mind" of modern life. Being near, in, on, or under water reduces stress, sparks creativity, strengthens social bonds, and even enhances athletic performance. Through captivating stories, rigorous research, and personal reflections, Nichols shows how water shapes our emotions, creates lasting memories, and awakens our sense of wonder. Get ready to immerse yourself and discover why water calls to us so powerfully!

This is the graphic novel retelling of Congressman John Lewis’s first-person experience in the campaign for civil rights, and specifically the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where the young Lewis received life-threatening injuries. These books were written to help newer generations experience these heated days some of the bloodiest of the battle for civil rights and are presented in comic book format with beautiful artwork. Our first discussions will center around the birth of the student-led lunch counter protests. Next, we will talk about the students’ next step: forming the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the violent, deep South and teaming up with Dr. King for the March on Washington; and, finally, we will follow the student leaders as they plan a series of innovative and aggressive campaigns, concluding in Salem.

This book has become one of the most popular self-help books of the last year. Why is it SO popular? Where does this framework fit with our understanding of human behavior and emotional wellness? Should we take advice from those who have lived experience or those who have credentials? This book re-packages the concept of "radical acceptance" from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) as an actionable tool of change for a general audience. The concept of "let them" gives readers ideas about how to let go of what we cannot control so we can spend our energy on what we can control. This group will discuss the application of, research behind, and barriers to this "let them" theory.

This book is an engaging and accessible guide to mental health that blends psychology with practical strategies for everyday life. Instead of abstract theory, Smith distills years of clinical expertise into clear, relatable insights related to the challenges of managing stress, anxiety, and motivation. This makes it an ideal choice for an Honors Book Lab, where students can engage in meaningful conversation about resilience and self-awareness, building on ideas first introduced (at USU) in the Connections course. I think you'll find this book compelling because of Smith’s approachable tone and emphasis on everyday applications. She breaks down complex psychological concepts into tools that readers can immediately practice. For example, she includes a chapter on dealing with criticism and disapproval, and in the chapter, she offers bullet points on nurturing your self-worth and people pleasing. For Honors students, who often balance high performance with heavy expectations, these conversations are not only relevant but vital. The book invites reflection on both personal growth and broader cultural conversations about mental health, which you can carry into your studies, relationships, and future careers.

I was drawn to this book because it is about the environment, and what we can do to save the planet. Foer is a great writer and he does terrific research; I really enjoyed his novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which tells the story of a boy trying to find out what happened to his father following the 9/11 attacks. In We are the Weather, he focuses on the personal dilemma of when and how to act in a crisis, and he delves into the overwhelming feeling of despair that can come from paying attention in a crisis. There are fascinating literary references, as well as the author's own personal reflections on living in ways that do or do not align with his values. In the first part, no particular solution to this climate problem is mentioned, but then, somewhat dramatically, the second part of the book turns the focus toward industrial-scale agriculture and argues that this industry's impact on the planet is something we can actually influence—by what we choose to eat at breakfast. Foer intertwines his personal stories with the broader topic and ends by addressing his own future grandchildren.

The writing of George Orwell in the mid-twentieth century is very relevant for today. In an age in which truth is fluid because history is being reconstructed, we need to reflect on the intersections of language, nationalism, and ideology in the construction of public thought and the legitimization of dictatorships or other forms of politics that negate democracy. George Orwell is an iconic and seminal thinker along these lines. 1984 is a story of state power--specifically, the ability of the state to construct a particular truth. The book helps us understand history and truth as elements of political control. 1984 may help us think about how to resist the creation of falsehoods as truth. But it also poses a much more problematic question: Do we actually want Big Brother?

This book is the companion to The Creation of Patriarchy, which I have been discussing in an Honors Book Lab this semester. Together, the two volumes chart the legal and symbolic establishment of patriarchy as the dominant mode of European culture and the siring tide of feminist resistance to oppression. The second volume particularly discusses case studies of proto-feminists who wrote and thought against the grain of male dominance. The books, originally written at the end of the Second-wave movement in the 1980s and 90s are classics of intellectual history and especially important in the present moment. Lerner, a woman of Jewish decent and resistance fighter who escaped Austria during the spread of Nazism, has a clear and authoritative scholarly voice and her research is still relevant today.

A work of dystopian fiction that is both horrifying and hopeful, the book imagines a state of hypersurveillance where anyone convicted of a crime is given an extra shadow, making them visible to all, and deprived of many civil rights. Kris is one such "shadester"; grieving the loss of her wife, she is struggling to raise their newborn daughter and maintain her dignity despite the discrimination she and the child - who carries a shadow herself, Kris's wife having died in childbirth - face on a daily basis. While the premise of this book is bleak - and it is indeed a powerful meditation on crime and punishment - it is also a beautifully written and hopeful book about love, resilience, and found family.

This book lab will explore how design shapes the stories we experience every day through Ellen Lupton’s Design is Storytelling. Together we’ll examine how spaces, objects, and interfaces communicate meaning, activate emotion, and influence behavior, often in ways we don’t consciously recognize. As we discuss key ideas from the book, we’ll connect them to everyday examples from the apps we use to the architecture around us. In the last week, we’ll engage in a collaborative design tour through a location the group selects, analyzing how the environment tells stories through layout, materials, signage and interactions. This group is ideal for curious students from any major who want to sharpen their observational skills, think critically about the designed world around them, and discover how storytelling is woven through the spaces we inhabit.

This is a beautifully written and exceptionally witty book that explores the nature of the good life through the lens of game-like activities. A classic in both the philosophy of sport and the philosophy of games, it is also a delightful read, written in the form of a dialogue featuring the characters from Aesop’s fable "The Grasshopper and the Ants." Filled with jokes, wordplay, and puzzles, the book is both intellectually stimulating and entertaining. I can think of no better introduction to using philosophical tools to reflect on how to lead a more meaningful life.

Creating a life that is fulfilling and meaningful can seem quite daunting, especially when so many college students are unsure about their future plans or even choosing the "right" major while in school. An easy and enjoyable read, this book will test your limits to find your own personal joy, especially in relation to finding fulfillment within a career. Through thought-provoking questions, map designs, and more, this book will require some vulnerability to allow you to dive deep into your backgrounds and interests. Through this book and its prompts, you will learn more about yourself and how to create a life you love.

Jim Crow laws were overturned in the 1960s, but racial discrimination and targeting has continued by way of the War on Drugs and the high rates of incarceration in the United States. Michelle Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow, takes a research-based, in-depth look at how systems of crime control and incarceration continue to deny civil liberties and effect generations of Black and African American families and communities. This is a timely discussion that will consider not just how these practices affect the criminal justice system, but all systems and residents of the United States. This is a book that every American should read, and will spark many important discussions about civil and human rights, crime and punishment, race, society, and community.

What if one of the basic necessities of life suddenly evaporated. New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman and his son Jarrod imagine a world where water taps run dry. This dystopian novel with the calculated title, Dry, feels all too real when an incongruent group of young adults race to survive the social chaos that ensues as a California drought tests the fragile, collapsing systems that sustain life. As physical effects of dehydration rise intensify, the story functions as both a thriller and cautionary tale. Lines of moral ethics blur through shifting narratives of characters making decisions between cooperation and self-preservation. Conversations about these issues will feel particularly relevant for students living in a desert state.

James is the retelling of Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by New York Times best-selling author Percival Everett (author of Erasure). In this literary masterpiece, the point of view shifts from Huck Finn to our new main character, Jim, an enslaved man who learns that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans. While hiding out to formulate a plan, he meets Huck Finn, who has faked his own death to get away from a violent household. An adventure begins where both Jim and Huck are forced to rely on each other on their journey down the Mississippi River. This is an engaging and thought-provoking work of literature that helps provide an additional account of just what happened between Jim and Huck. Currently, the book is being developed as a feature film to be produced by Steven Spielberg.

Join Drs. Susan Grayzel and Molly Cannon in this Book Lab on The Good War, Studs Terkel’s unforgettable collection of oral histories from the Second World War. Through more than 100 powerful interviews, Terkel captures the voices of soldiers, nurses, workers, and everyday people whose lives were forever changed by the Second World War. As one reviewer noted, the book is tremendously compelling, somehow dramatic and intimate at the same time, as if one has stumbled on private accounts in letters long locked in attic trunks. Together, we’ll uncover these stories, make connections to our world today, and explore how wars are justified, narrated, and remembered. Come ready to read, reflect, and share in the conversation!

Discover the surprising, hopeful side of conservation in "Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife Recoveries That Change How We Think About Animals", an exploration of species that have defied extinction and reshaped our understanding of the wild. Christopher Preston takes readers across farms, prairies, rivers, forests, and oceans to reveal how animals like bison and whales have rebounded in ways once thought impossible, challenging us to rethink whatâ??s possible for ecosystems in the American West and beyond. Through gripping stories from researchers, Indigenous communities, and land stewards, Preston shows that recovery isnâ??t just ecologicalâ??itâ??s cultural, ethical, and deeply human. His engaging narrative invites us to explore themes of resilience, coexistence, and environmental imagination. This book lab offers a compelling look at how wildlife comebacks can inspire smarter decisions and renewed hope in a rapidly changing world.

What is a deep religious community like? And what if your values differ from the community? What responsibilities do our histories teach us? What drives the war in Gaza? What is the history of modern Israel? Who are the Palestinians, and why are they there? What were the outcomes of the Soviet era? These are the sorts of questions that can emerge from a discussion of Asher Lev (and other works of Potok.). The book, though a bit dated, has much to teach us about how we got to where we are today.

In his Pulitzer Prizeâ??winning book The End of the Myth, historian Greg Grandin explores how Manifest Destiny and the promise of continual expansion have shaped American domestic life, culture, and politics. Grandin argues that this romanticized vision of expansion repeatedly diverted attention from conflicts at home, including racial injustice, economic inequality, and political division. As expansion no longer promises the prosperity it once did, the 21st century has left the nation grappling with unresolved domestic tensions and economic crises, fueling reactionary populism and racist nationalism focused less on extending American influence than on restricting who can participate in the American dream. In this Book Lab, students will examine how national myths shape public life and political debate, discussing contemporary issues in a historical context while reflecting on how these narratives influence their communities and civic responsibilities.