Faculty & Staff Reading Ideas: Hammond Edition

By Bailey Hammond

• Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek. While studying abroad in Greece during college, I quickly learned how loved this masterpiece is by modern Greeks. This text will make you yearn for the lively shores of Crete and inspire you to dance – seriously, one of the most famous Greek dances derives its name from Zorba. 
• Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian is the first McCarthy text I’ve read, and it did not disappoint. Blood Meridian explores the nihilistic bloodthirst that stained the American southwest borderlands in the 1800s. 
• Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov has been on my list for many years, and this summer I decided to finally tackle it. I was delighted to learn that a few of our students will be reading this text in the Fall for their Philosophy and Literature class. I hope to join a few of their seminars!
• Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man. My husband and I intend on reading this classic together. Many friends and professors have recommended it to us over the years, so we are excited to dive into its rich exploration of the black identity in 20th-century America. 
• Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye. I am so excited to re-read this fantastic book. I first read it for a literature class in college and fell in love with Toni Morrison’s writing style. I’ve made it a goal to read all of Morrison’s novels this year. Next on this list is Beloved and Song of Solomon.