What to read, what to read …

Lehigh University is about to begin it’s eighth year in their annual Freshmen Reading selection. Each year they ask for recommendations, and later will ask for faculty and staff to assist with the process by reading the book and agreeing to engage freshmen in discussions about it. The first year I was involved, we read Freedom in Exile by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in preparation for his visit to Lehigh University. Fast forward to Summer 2010 – the students will read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (really?). What do you think they should read in 2011?

Past Selections include:
(2003) Nickel & Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
(2004) Copenhagen by Michael Frayn
(2005) The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
(2006) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
(2007) Freedom in Exile by The Dalai Lama
(2008, 2009) Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
(2010) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

Selection Process: The book is chosen by the Book Selection Committee which consists of faculty, staff and students. The following criteria will be considered when making the final selection: relevance to the student community and society as a whole; extent that the book explores multiple perspectives, ideas, backgrounds, or cultures; appeal to a wide audience across the colleges; opportunities for students to be engaged through the book themes and follow-up discussion; and general readability and literary quality.

Check out the Lehigh University First Year Experience