2017 Summer Reading List

When Character was King- Peggy Noonan

[No one has ever captured Ronald Reagan like Peggy Noonan. In When Character Was King, Noonan brings her own reflections on Reagan to bear as well as new stories—from Presidents George W. Bush and his father, George H. W. Bush, his Secret Service men and White House colleagues, his wife, his daughter Patti Davis, and his close friends—to reveal the true nature of a man even his opponents now view as a maker of big history. Marked by incisive wit and elegant prose, When Character Was King will both enlighten and move readers. It may well be the last word on Ronald Reagan, not only as a leader but as a man. (Published, 2001; Author, Peggy Noonan).]

The Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde

[In this celebrated work, his only novel, Wilde forged a devastating portrait of the effects of evil and debauchery on a young aesthete in late-19th-century England. Combining elements of the Gothic horror novel and decadent French fiction, the book centers on a striking premise: As Dorian Gray sinks into a life of crime and gross sensuality, his body retains perfect youth and vigor while his recently painted portrait grows day by day into a hideous record of evil, which he must keep hidden from the world. For over a century, this mesmerizing tale of horror and suspense has enjoyed wide popularity. It ranks as one of Wilde's most important creations and among the classic achievements of its kind. (Published 1890; Author: Oscar Wilde)].

  When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

[When Breath Becomes Air is a non-fiction autobiographical book written by Paul Kalanithi. It is a memoir about his life and illness, battling stage IV metastatic lung cancer. It was posthumously published by Random House on January 12, 2016.]

  The Better Angels of our Nature (Why Violence has Declined) - Steven Pinker

[The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined is a 2011 book by Steven Pinker, in which he argues that violence in the world has declined both in the long run and in the short run and suggests explanations as to why this has occurred.]

 

Art that Changed the World

[Art That Changed the World tells the story of every major art style, movement by movement, giving art lovers a visual timeline showing key paintings that sparked each transition and explaining major events that shaped their evolution. Each section features a lavish double-page image of an influential painting that defines each artistic style. Seminal works of genius are portrayed in their historical context, with attention paid to the culture of the time and the lives of their creators. (Published: 2013; Authors: Ian CHilyers, Iain Zaczek, Jude Welton, Caroline Bugler, Lorrie Mack).]

 

Withering Heights - Emilie Bronte

[Wuthering Heights is Emily Brontë's only novel. Written between October 1845 and June 1846, Wuthering Heights was published in 1847 under the pseudonym "Ellis Bell"; Brontë died the following year, aged 30.]