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Looking for something to read this summer? North Shore Country Day’s faculty and staff offer a few of their favorite reads.

Don Laackman, Mathematics Teacher  
I absolutely love the book “Anathem,” by Neal Stephenson. It presents an alternate reality with a somewhat different perspective on learning and technology, through the point of view of a group of students who need to try to save the world from itself. It dives into the philosophy of knowledge and truth in a way that keeps me coming back to it every couple of years, and even has what I think was a very good prediction of the impact of AI on human communication and the internet.

Tim Curren, Social Studies Teacher
I submit for consideration “Station Eleven,” a novel by Emily St. John Mandel. Kiernan introduced it to me back in 2020, and I find myself thinking about it often. 

It's set in the Great Lakes region after a devastating pandemic has wiped out more than 90% of the global population. A major narrative thread focuses on a group of musicians and actors who call themselves the Traveling Symphony, who travel between small settlements of survivors to deliver concerts and perform Shakespeare. The climax of the novel centers on the main character, Kirsten, playing the lead role in a production of Hamlet. 

This novel sticks with me because it confirms the crucial role that art plays in our lives. In “Station Eleven,” it's how they start rebuilding civilization. 

Natasha Itkin, Science Teacher
Even though it is a young adult novel, I recently read “A Wizard of Earthsea” by Ursula LeGuin, and my son, Sam, is currently reading it now under my recommendation. It is a coming-of-age story about a boy training to be a wizard. On the surface, it reads like a fantasy novel, but it is so much more. It's a story about learning humility, the importance of friendship and cultivating positive relationships, coming to terms with one's demons and facing one's fears and shortcomings to grow as a person.  

Drea Gallaga, Humanities Teacher
I loved reading “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir that the 2026 blockbuster movie was based on. It has all the intrigue, drama and emotion of the movie, but even more of all of it. Plus, author Andy Weir goes much deeper into the science and communication systems that the movie didn't have time for. It's a fun and fast-paced read with a hopeful message.

“Babel, or the Necessity of Violence” by R. F. Kuang fed the nerdiest corners of my etymology-loving brain. Within the real setting of 19th century Cambridge, England, characters live in a magical world where silver bars bring words to life through their meanings and translations. The story critically examines language's role in imperialism and revolution in a dramatic and fantastical way. The text is also full of footnotes about the history of words and their connections to other languages. If you, like me, get easily sidetracked when you are looking up a word in the dictionary, I recommend this fascinating novel.

Sue Downing, Director of Finance
“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus is just a good reminder of the double standard that exists for women, particularly during that time frame, but one that still exists today. It’s also a testament to what we will do to support our loved ones in the face of adversity.

Catalina Rincón-Bisbey, Spanish Teacher
My recommendation is “Catalina” by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio. The novel is about an undocumented Latina who goes to Harvard as an undergrad and deals with the secret of her migratory status and the fear of having her grandparents deported. She also deals with the struggles of living with her grandparents and the abandonment by her parents. I like how Cornejo Villavicencio shows the many issues that develop from the character's life experiences, such as patriarchal family dynamics, mental health struggles, social mobility through education and the issues of accessibility to and elitism of higher education. I also like the structure, one chapter dedicated to a season, which is like reading Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

Patrick McHugh, Athletic Director
“Heartland: A Forgotten Place, an Impossible Dream and the Miracle of Larry Bird” by Keith O'Brien is the untold story of how Larry Bird almost disappeared from basketball entirely in 1974 but then was rescued by coaches at Indiana State. I loved the writing, and it captures a part of the Larry Bird story that is rarely told. 

The quarterback position in football may be the most powerful position in sport. “American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback” by Seth Wickersham is a biography of many of the great ones as well as some recent stars. What does it take to be great at this position? It is an interesting combination of physical talent, character, coaching and luck. 

“The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented and Reinvented Baseball” by John Miller tells the story of the Orioles manager who won more games than anyone else  from 1968 to 1982. In a pre-money ball era, he collected and utilized data in visionary ways that laid the groundwork for later data-driven teams but he was also an inspiring teacher of the game and leader. 

Through the lense of the 1979-80 Portland Trailblazer season, “The Breaks of the Game” by David Halberstam describes a very different NBA than we know today, one that is much grittier. He explores the high pressure world of a league that is about to be transformed by new stars but is also still burdened by issues of race and class. This is often considered the greatest sports book of recent times. 

Jack Kinder, English Teacher
“Say Nothing” by Patrick Radden Keefe opens in an apartment in Belfast, Northern Ireland (or, the north of Ireland, depending on which side you're on) with the brazen abduction of a 38-year-old widow — right in front of her 10 children. What unfolds is a history of The Troubles, its major and minor characters and its close-range, improvised sectarian violence. This book is about what neighbors do to each other when there's no middle ground. It's about power and desperation. Patrick Radden Keefe is a great researcher and storyteller, and this work of nonfiction reads like a thriller. In our own troubled times, 1 in 5 American adults have come to believe that political violence is justified. Let them read this book.

Kathy McHugh, English Teacher
I had a hard time choosing because I love many, many books, so I decided to pick two that I had read recently and really enjoyed.  

While I wouldn’t go quite as far as The New York Times reviewer who said, “I would crawl across a field of glass to get my hands on a new Tana French book,” I definitely head straight to The Book Stall as soon as one comes out. French is one of my favorite mystery writers, and “The Keeper” is the third book in her series set in the Irish village of Ardnakelty, where former Chicago cop Cal Hooper has settled and a young woman has gone missing. You don’t need to have read the first two books in the series, The Searcher and The Hunter, to enjoy this one, but they’re wonderful reads, too. French creates memorable and complex characters as her intriguing plot unfolds, and the village dynamics and setting are equally fascinating.  

“Flashlight” by Susan Choi is a mystery of a different sort. If you’re a historical fiction aficionado, this one’s for you. When Louisa is only 10 years old and walking on a beach in Japan with her father, he disappears. Years before, his parents had moved their family from Korea to Japan. As we follow the years-long search for him, Choi beautifully weaves together the powerful story of one particular family with dangerous geopolitical forces.

Kim Diorio, English Teacher
“Babel” by R.F. Kuang is a historical fantasy novel set at Oxford University in the 19th century. It's a clever, funny page-turner and a good example of the "Dark Academia" genre. I also love R.F. Kuang's other books!

“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler was written in 1993 but is extremely relevant today. It's a dystopian novel set in California that examines the impacts of climate change. The protagonist has "hyperempathy" and goes out into the world to share a new philosophy with the people she encounters. 

Joan Ryder, Science Teacher
It's been a few years since I've read “The Great Believers” by Rebecca Makkai, but I remember being struck (and somewhat haunted) by the fact that, beyond the science, I knew very little about the AIDS crisis and its impact on families and community. The characters in this novel experience abandonment and many losses and traumas, but they also experience so much love. We can all learn so much from the chosen community they create by showing up for each other. Also, Rebecca Makkai is just a really great storyteller. 

I read “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman a couple of months ago. I think I'm just realizing that I might have a type when it comes to books; it's a totally different story than “The Great Believers,” but the same themes of abandonment, loss, and chosen community/family are there. It tells the story of four friends (including an artist who will eventually become famous for his work) growing up in less-than-ideal conditions, but their relationships with each other provide a constant anchor well into adulthood. As adults, those friendships also provide the template for how they'll support a homeless teenager who, like their friend, is an incredible artist. 

Arturo Garcia, Computer Science Teacher
I just finished reading “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel. I absolutely loved it! It is beautifully written and deeply moving, and it is about the power of courage, identity and the importance of remembering those that history tried to erase. It has suspense, heartbreak, but also hope, and the story makes the characters feel incredibly real and unforgettable.