The Penn Stater Magazine

Fifth in a series: All this week we’re sharing lists of books we’re reading this winter. We were inspired by the faculty reading list in our Jan/Feb issue. Make sure to check back next week for some more picks from The Penn Stater staff, and don’t be shy—let us know what you’re reading this winter.

What I’m Reading Now: In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, by Michael Pollan. For some reason, I’ve been on a kick of reading books about food and our relationships with it. Eric-Michael MacCionnaith, an integrative arts instructor at Penn State Hazleton, recommended this book in our Jan/Feb reading list, and I thought I’d see what it was all about. I’m just about halfway done, and I can’t wait to finish it. Next up for me will be one of Pollan’s other books, The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

Favorite Books of the Past Year: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire, by Stieg Larsson. Larsson pretty much packed in everything you could ask for in the first two books of his detective trilogy. He also created one of my new favorite characters, a 24-year-old computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander, who has zero social skills or tact, and always comes across as a badass.

This brings me to The Book I Can’t Wait to Read: The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest, by Stieg Larsson, which is the third and final book in the series. Unfortunately, I will have to wait until it comes out in May.

Guilty Pleasure: The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. I had to read each book from beginning to end without interruption. I was a bit obsessed with the series. Rowling is such a great storyteller. I could read those books over and over.

Obscure Book I’d Recommend: A Voyage for Madmen, by Peter Nichols. The author does a great job recounting the story of nine men who set out to be the first to finish a solo, nonstop, round-the-world yacht race that took place in 1968-69.

Other Recommendations: Tales of a Female Nomad, by Rita Golden Gelman. This book details Gelman’s journey to the alternative lifestyle she lives now. She has not had a permanent address since 1986 and has been traveling around the world experiencing and participating in many different cultures. This is one of my favorite travelogues, my apologies Eat, Pray, Love.

Jessie Knuth, graphic designer

Coming Monday: Associate Editor Amy Guyer’s picks.