Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
I read this book on a trip to Washington DC. It is about the work of Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer who represents African-American individuals in jail (mostly death row) in Southern States. The stories are extraordinarily moving and heart breaking. The pain and damage caused by racism is immeasurable. Grade: A
Way Station by Clifford D. Simak
A fictional story about an person that fought in the Civil War and then went on to run a 'way station' used by aliens traveling across the Milky Way galaxy. A little slow but okay. Grade: C+
Tom's River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin
A very lengthy and comprehensive account of the impact of both a Ciba-Giegy dye factory and an unconnected, illegal hazardous waste dump on the people of Tom's River, New Jersey. As a chemical engineer, I think this book is a 'must read' for other chemical engineers. I learned so much about the abuses of a dye plant and illegal hazardous waste disposal on people. There is much in this book that I plan to discuss with my students. Grade: A-
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Dr. Paul Kalanithi was a neurosurgeon that developed and died from cancer at a young age (less than 40 years old). He was a fantastic writer and this book is about his life before and after developing cancer. He talks about life and death in a powerful and insightful way. Grade: A-
