One of the best things about a college campus is being surrounded by people who love to learn. We asked the NTCC community to share a favorite book they're reading this summer and tell us why they recommend it. The result is a diverse collection of titles that reflects the many interests, experiences, and perspectives that make up our campus community. Have your own pick to add? Send it to jpack@ntcc.edu and it may be featured in our next edition!
Take a look at their recommendations below—you might just discover your next favorite read.
Pick #1: Dungeon Crawler Carl (series of 8) - By Matt Dinniman
Recommended by: Julie Ratliff, Professor of English
"While I'm reading Book seven, This Inevitable Ruin, folks should probably start with the first book in the series because it introduces Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, who are carried off by an alien corporation and forced to compete in a dungeon crawl for an intergalactic reality show program. I read the first volume when Dinniman was still self-publishing through Amazon; Ace has the series now, and you can get them at Books-A-Million. I have a friend who swears the audio version is better than the text version. Don't let the "LitRPG" label put you off trying it. You shouldn't have to be a gamer to appreciate the humor."
Pick #2: Remarkably Bright Creatures - By Shelby Van Pelt
Recommended by: Sheila Eddy, Associate Director of Academic Advising
"A heartwarming novel exploring grief, forgiveness, and unlikely connections. The story alternates between the perspectives of a grieving widow, an adrift young man, and an incredibly intelligent captive giant Pacific octopus. READ it BEFORE seeing the movie on Netflix."
Pick #3: Educated: A Memoir - By Tara Westover
Recommended by: Carolyn Franks, Director of the Whatley Center
"I was captivated from the very beginning. An amazing story. Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education. Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home."
