The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler--Travel writer Macon Leary, like many of us, spends his life escaping from life. His travel books instruct American business travelers in how to avoid experiencing anything "foreign" while traveling internationally: he is the authority on where to get a McDonald's-style hamburger in Jakarta or Lagos, or how to find the Buenos Aires hotel that feels most like a Holiday Inn. But his comfortable, retreat-oriented existence is shattereed by a tragic event that results in the dissolution of his family. Even his dog doesn't love him any more; and only an eccentric pet trainer can provide him with deliverance from his unhappiness. Tyler specializes in stories of quirky, offbeat characters - wounded souls who find redemption in unexpected places, through the intercession of strange but wonderful people. Skip the uninspired Lawrence Kasdan film version and curl up with this perfect summer read. (Haspel)

The Amateur Marriage: A Novel by Anne Tyler--Tyler's latest novel traces the 30-year marriage of Michael Anton and Pauline Barclay, two unfortunately mismatched people. What makes this novel compelling is not only Tyler's accuracy in recreating the cultural climates of the decades from the 1940s to the 21st century, but also her ability to meticulously nail down the realities of everyday married life, often making us uncomfortable in their familiarity. There are no singular protagonists or antagonists here, just real people who become both. Publisher's Weekly comments that "Tyler intuitively understands the middle class's Norman Rockwell ideal, but she doesn't share it; rather, she has a masterful ability to make it bleed."   Bring your Band-Aids. (Crowe)

At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien--A giant dose of narrative layer mingling and irreverence for the almighty author. Style in its many changing faces guides this hilarious novel about living in the grand manner no matter what the social or mythical or literary station. (Sullivan)

The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty by Caroline Alexander--Author of the New York Times bestseller The Endurance , Alexander retells the story of The Bounty, the mutiny that prompted so much debate and served as the inspiration for several good films. With the help of new evidence, Alexander presents a picture of not only the mutiny, but also of the people involved and their lives before and after the mutiny. She also shows how the mutiny evolved into myth. Although she seems to relieve Bligh of most if not all blame for the mutiny, this is an illuminating look at an event with which many of us are familiar. (George)

Capital Vol. 1 by Karl Marx, Ed. Frederick Engels--Karl Marx's name is familiar to all of us, but few who know his name actually know his work. First published in 1892 (translated into English in 1887), Volume 1 of Capital presents Marx's critique of capitalism, including all of the major concepts that inform Marxist thought and many of the concepts that inform Marxist literary criticism. If you want to know about Marx's ideas, this is the work to read. (George)

Casino of the Sun by Jerry Williams--Read Jerry Williams' stunning first collection of poems, and look for his next two to be released by Carnegie-Mellon. His non-fiction memoir is contracted and forthcoming. (Braniger)

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier--Although this book came out several years ago, the release of the movie this winter inspired me to read it for the first time. I've been obsessed with it ever since. Frazier's recasting of Homer's Odyssey contrasts the savagery of the Civil War with the restorative rhythms of nature. The interwoven stories of the main characters, lovers who barely know each other, build to an inexorable, bittersweet conclusion. (Anne Matthews)

Comfort Me With Apples by Ruth Reichl--In this delicious autobiography, food editor Ruth Reichl blends her life story with her study of gourmet food and fine wine. She lures her reader in with tales of seven course meals, luscious love affairs in France, spicy tales of political intrigue in Maoist China, and the bittersweet story of her journey to become a mother. A fast read filled with stupendous, full-bodied recipes (all of them call for heavy cream!) and an engaging life story as rich as a nice cognac after dinner. (McKenna)

Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga -- In Confessions of a Yakuza , Junichi Saga records the stories of one of the last traditional gang bosses in Japan, Ijichi Eiji. Eiji tells his life story, from his first encounter with a kept woman, to his adventures as a soldier during the 1920s, to his later involvement with the Japanese mob. A true outlaw, Eiji reflects on his life of crime and honor from his deathbed. His reflective oral narrative is captivating. A quick read from an honest, wise voice. (Braniger)

The Counterlife by Philip Roth--The varieties of Jewish identity, from New Jersey to the West Bank to England. Some "postmodern" novels are too clever by half; this one is simply marvelous. It's also a wonderful introduction to Roth's other great novels of the 80s and 90s, including "American Pastoral" and--my favorite--the X-rated "Sabbath's Theater." (Andy Matthews)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon--A warm-hearted novel whose autistic narrator, fancying himself a detective, is a great adventurer. For people interested in autism; for anyone feeling a bit confused.   (Andy Matthews)

A Dog Year : Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me by Jon Katz--Katz writes, "Sometimes, change comes on four legs." Katz writes about being a dog owner and the lessons he learns from them. The flowing writing style and engaging manner of describing the personalities of his four dogs will captivate even reluctant readers. (Dwiggins)

Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz ¾ The story, set in America during World War I, begins with the disappearance of a local woman in a small close-knit community. The discovery of her dead body creates questions about her mysterious death and the events that lead up to it. Schwarz seamlessly moves back and forth between the early days of the woman's death to the fate of her sister, husband and daughter in the 1940s. It is with a slow, deft unveiling of events that the author keeps the reader curious and surprised with each gentle twist. A complex psychological rendering of each of the lead characters makes Drowning Ruth more than just another "mystery." (McKenna)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury--This book was vitally important when it was originally published in the McCarthyite 1950's, and its message of intellectual freedom in the face of censorship only seems to become more relevant, and more contemporary, with the passage of time. In the dystopian setting of this futuristic fable, all books are banned, and firemen have the job of finding and burning any hidden books. One fireman, Guy Montag (whose name bespeaks his status as a regular, Monday-morning kind of guy) finds himself questioning the values of his society, and eventually opening and reading the books he is supposed to be burning. See the fine 1966 film directed by Francois Truffaut as well. (Haspel)

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom--This book by Mitch Albom is both poignant and profound. The book opens with 83-year-old Eddie, the head maintenance person at Ruby Point Amusement Park, who is only minutes away from death. Albom then traces Eddie's world through his tragic final moments, his funeral, and a few days following. Albom then follows Eddie into heaven where he sequentially encounters five key figures from his past. Flashbacks tell his life story. Each soul has a story to tell and lesson to share in which Eddie plays a pivotal part. Through them Eddie understands the meaning of his own life and they, in turn, have closure to theirs. (Dwiggins)

The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels by Thomas Cahill--The author of How the Irish Saved Civilization returns with the story of the Jewish impact on Western society. This is part of a planned seven-volume series entitled The Hinges of History. Cahill's work is excellent popular history without the extensive documentation that many history texts contain. His prose is enjoyable and easy to read, and his analysis of culture is insightful. (George)

Girl with the Pearl Earring By Tracy Chevalier--While the movie is indeed visually beautiful, the story therein is incomplete, and what has been edited is perhaps what is most powerful about this book. Set in Johannes Vermeer's household in the 1660s, a young, newly hired housemaid becomes increasingly intimate with her master, but class, gender, and economic survival make for powerful twists, turns, and a conclusion (different from the film) that says much about what it means to live a life of few choices. (Crowe)

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck--If it has been a while since you picked up this classic, or if you have somehow missed it, Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is a more timely read than ever, depicting a society where the widening gulf between the rich and the poor leads to tragedy, confrontation and calls for social and economic justice. Steinbeck's style is as fresh and vibrant as ever and the irony of our nation repeating the mistakes of the past will be unavoidable to you. (O'Conner)

Haiku: A Poet's Guide by Lee Gurga--An excellent guide to the art of writing and reading haiku in English by the editor of Modern Haiku magazine. This guide is written from a writer's perspective--not a technical how-to, but an aesthetic guide to the art. Several former Millikin students, including Meg Schleppenbach, Matt Eichorn, Kerry Hammergren and Angie Williams are included from haiku workshops Gurga led at Millikin University. (Brooks)

A History of Sexuality by Michel Foucault (Vol. 1)--In A History of Sexuality Foucault looks at the historical relationship between sexual identity and various forms of confession, and challenges standard notions of power relations and sexuality. Foucault presents us with questions concerning sexual identity that western cultures are still trying to address and answer. (Braniger)

Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell--Orwell fights in the Spanish Civil War. A brilliant portrait of political betrayal and confusion. I keep thinking of this book as I hear the news from Iraq. (Andy Matthews)

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn--This Socratic dialogue between a concerned human and a talking gorilla lays the foundation for Quinn's general philosophy on the environmental havoc we are inflicting on our world through unlimited consumerism and population growth. The unique "nonhuman" perspective offered makes us question decisions that we make as a species that affect every other form of life on the Earth. Share this one with a friend because you'll want to talk about it when you are finished. (O'Conner)

The Kiln People by David Brin--This sci-fi thriller proposes a world where people can "Xerox" or "ditto" short-lived copies of themselves. Then all that copy's memories and experiences can be "downloaded" back into the original person's mind. Given this premise, Brin turns to the detective noir genre where multiple co-existing versions of the protagonist spread out in a world of intrigue making for a plot unlike any you have read before. Highly entertaining to sci-fi and detective fans alike. This one's been out for a year, so it is available in paperback. (O'Conner)

The Known World by Edward P. Jones--When I read this, I thought it had to win some big prizes. It won the Pulitzer. A brilliant depiction of slavery in antebellum Virginia, it features African American slave owners. I was almost defeated by the number of characters introduced in the first few chapters. Stick with it; it's worth it. (Andy Matthews)

Life on the Screen by Sherry Turkle--In Life on the Screen , Sherry Turkle examines self/other relationships as these develop, change and evolve by way of engagements with technology. Using case studies and psychoanalytic theories, Turkle examines the multiple identities we develop as we click from window to window, screen to screen. While questioning the impact of technology on social and psychological activities, she expresses a positive perspective on the possibilities opened up (by technologies) for self/other relations. (Braniger)

Midnight Dreary: The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe by John Evangelist Walsh--The story of Edgar Allan Poe's death is a sad and puzzling one. He disappeared in Baltimore for a week and was eventually found in a seedy downtown pub. Wearing clothes that were not his own, and virtually poisoned with alcohol, Poe was delirious and on the edge of death. He died a week later, crying out "Reynolds! Reynolds!" but offering no other clues as to what had happened to him. Walsh engages this true-life mystery, sifts through the available clues, and arrives at some surprising conclusions. Could Poe have been kidnapped and "poisoned" with alcohol while in Baltimore? Who might have wanted Poe out of the way and why? Read this book and find out. (Haspel)

The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break: A Novel by Steven Sherrill--Five thousand years out of the Labyrinth, the Minotaur finds himself in the American South, living in a trailer park and working as a line cook at a steakhouse. No longer a devourer of human flesh, the Minotaur is a socially inept, lonely creature with very human needs. But over a two-week period, as his life dissolves into chaos, this broken and alienated immortal awakens to the possibility for happiness and to the capacity for love. (Frech)

Moneyball by Michael Lewis--For a little variety, fans will not want to miss this study of contrasts between the old-style management of major league baseball teams and the new statistics-driven management style, illustrated by this life story of Oakland A's manager Billy Beane. Lewis' book provides eye-opening insights into the world of major league baseball management, money and trading that will enhance your appreciation of the game and make you question even more than you currently do just what the heck the general manager of your favorite team is doing. This is one of the best baseball books I've read in a long time. (O'Conner)

Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston--This is a wonderful collection of African American folk tales, told to Hurston during her anthropological studies of the south. Hurston not only records these tall tales, songs, voodoo customs, and superstitions, but she also includes descriptions of the people who tell them. The result is a richly-woven narrative of black life in Eatonville, Florida, in the early twentieth century. (Anne Matthews)

Narrative of the Life of an American Slave by Frederick Douglass--Frederick Douglass "stole himself" (as he put it) out of the cruelty of slavery in the antebellum South and rose to become one of the pre-eminent thinkers, writers, and orators of the 19 th century. This book is so brilliantly written that pro-slavery ideologues tried to claim that someone else had written it for Douglass, asserting that no slave could have written so powerful a book. Douglass proved them wrong. Slavery may be gone from American life, but other forms of injustice are still with us. This book provides an important and ever-timely reminder: If everyone is not free, then no one is truly free. (Haspel)

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith--Despite it's cumbersome title, this book tells the story of a South African woman who after years of personal trials decides that her town could use a good private detective. Through her handling of various "cases" the reader becomes aware of the cultural influences that make this lady detective very different from our American image of the detective. The cases are funny and Smith's full figured sleuth keeps us intrigued and entertained. Smith, an attorney from South Africa, assures us that the image of the "shyster" lawyer is the one universal in this culturally rich novel. (McKenna)

Of Love and Shadows by Isabel Allende--As the title implies, this 1984 novel develops themes of love and personal discovery in the shadows of death and suffering. The real force of the novel, however, is its portrayal of the oppressive military regime in Chile after 1973, when the CIA promoted "regime change": from the democratically elected Salvador Allende (the author's uncle) to the brutal, oppressive, and U.S. backed Pinochet. Isabel Allende, like her main character, fled the country and has become active in women's and human rights organizations. (Mihm)

Old School by Tobias Wolff--Clearly the allure here is the notion that, in another time and place, maybe you'd have the opportunity to enter an essay contest your senior year in high school, and your submission would be judged by Hemingway (or Robert Frost or Ayn Rand), and first prize would be a private audience with him (or her). Set in the early 1960s at a private, all male prep school, Old School focuses on the students who vie for the top honor, and Wolff, appropriately enough, says as much about the importance of literature, self-awareness and authenticity in the writing process as he does about competition and hubris. A short and terrific summer read. (Crowe)

The Portable Thomas Jefferson by Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence. Ed. Merrill D. Peterson--Often quoted but rarely read or understood, The Declaration of Independence stands as a pioneering document. It is referenced by liberals and conservatives alike, used as a defense by anarchists, as a model for newly-emerging governments. The edition of the Declaration presented in The Portable Thomas Jefferson gives the text that most of us have read. However, it also gives Jefferson's original text, along with changes made by the committee charged with composing the Declaration and revisions later made by Congress. In this document the reader sees Jefferson's ideas in conflict with those of his contemporaries. (George)

The Professor and the Madman: A Story of Madness, Murder and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester--The true story of Dr William Minor who spent over twenty years doing research for the Oxford English Dictionary from a two room cell in an institution for the criminally insane. The story of the murder and Minor's madness are woven through this tale of the arduous process involved in creating the first comprehensive English dictionary. Despite it's scholarly focus, the author makes the story eminently readable and proves once more that truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction. (McKenna)

Regeneration by Pat Barker--The first novel in a trilogy (also including "The Eye in the Door" and "The Ghost Road") set in England during WW I and featuring historical figures such as the anti-war poets Siegfried Sassoon, Robert Graves, and Wilfred Owen, and the psychiatrist William Rivers (who faces the dilemma of "curing" soldiers so that they can return to the trenches). Billy Pyor--a bisexual, working class officer--is a marvelous creation. (Andy Matthews)

"Secret Window, Secret Garden," in Four Past Midnight by Stephen King--This is perhaps what summer reading is all about--brief, entertaining, not too heavy, an engaging plot, and intriguing characters. Just because you saw the movie doesn't mean you know the story. So, in the spirit of the horror genre, all I'll say is . . . enjoy. (Crowe)

sifting through the madness for the Word, the line, the way: new poems by Charles Bukowski. Edited by John Martin--Linda Lee Bukowski, Charles' daughter, brings to his devoted readers some of his final poems. The poems are part of an archive of unpublished work that Charles Bukowski left to be published after his death. A few lines: "the way to create art is to burn and destroy / ordinary concepts and to substitute them / with new truths that run down from the top of the head / and out from the heart." (Braniger)

The Simpsons and Philosophy by William Irwin--If you enjoy the TV series The Simpsons , you will be intellectually engaged by The Simpsons and Philosophy . Writing specifically to teach intermediate philosophy courses, the authors introduce students to texts by Aristotle, Plato, Nietzsche, Heidegger and others. Rather than presupposing the reader's knowledge of philosophical texts, the authors use the well-known Simpsons TV program to lead students toward correspondence with philosophy. (Braniger)

Songs of Experience: Facsimile Reproduction with 26 Plates in Full Color by William Blake-- Dover presents a facsimile of Blake's hand-lettered, illustrated Songs of Experience . The artwork gives Blake's poetry even more life than it has alone. Perhaps the strangest Romantic poet, Blake's imagination and views leap off the page in this volume. It is a must for lovers of poetry and poets alike. (George)

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison--Though it's been eclipsed in the popular imagination by Beloved , Song of Solomon remains my favorite book by Nobel-Prize-winning Morrison. It tells the story of a young African American man who sets out to look for a bag of gold and ends up finding himself. Morrison's language is luminous and lyrical, and her characters are vivid and unforgettable. (Anne Matthews)

Swarm by Jorie Graham--For those who have read Poetry, Language, Thought by Martin Heidegger, pick up Jorie Graham's book of poems, Swarm , and watch a poet practicing, questioning and showing reverence for phenomenological concerns. (Graham's selected poems, The Dream of the Unified Field, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1996, and she was recently appointed Boylston Professor at Harvard University). (Braniger)

The Tales of Alvin Maker Series (7 titles now) by Orson Scott Card--This series from science fiction author, Orson Scott Card, is set in the pioneer days in the Wabash River valley (early Indiana). Christian civilization is encroaching on the native Americans and on the early settlers who still have certain hidden magical powers, folklore wisdom and repressed beliefs from an their old ways. Ancient cultures in transformation (or on their way to extinction) is the underlying context for a fascinating series on the making of the individual in early American community. Start with the Seventh Son (Tales of Alvin Maker, Book 1) followed by Red Prophet (Tales of Alvin Maker, Book 2). (Brooks)

Tarot by Piers Anthony--From the acclaimed author of the never-ending Xanth series comes a fascinating look into a future where the tarot is venerated, and a planet merges that seems to manifest characters from the tarot deck. This edition is actually all four of Anthony's Tarot novels under one cover ( Tarot, God of Tarot, Vision of Tarot, and Faith of Tarot ). However, don't let that fool you. The four work very well together as one novel. If you like fantasy/science fiction and enjoy a fast-paced story with a touch of intellectuality, this one's for you! (George)

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip by George Saunders--One of the best short story writers of our time, George Saunders tries his hand at children's literature. The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip is a children's story for adults. Always asking the question "what does it mean to be human?," Saunders uses children's literature to explore the flaws, failures, successes and ingenuity of human indecision. Exploring what it means to work, Saunders creates beautiful and thoughtful dilemmas. (Braniger)

Visits from the Drowned Girl: A Novel (will be released on June 1, 2004) by Steven Sherrill-- In this immaculately written, perversely comic novel, Sherrill slyly implies that his readers, along with his protagonist, Benny Poteat, are voyeurs of the worst sort. Benny is perfectly content to view life from a distance, spending his days 200 feet in the air painting towers. Then one day he espies a young woman who sets up a video camera and calmly walks into a river. By the time he scrambles down the tower and makes it to the riverbank, she has completely vanished. He takes the video camera and a series of tapes back to his rundown duplex. When he discovers her identity, he insinuates himself into her family--dating her sister, Becky, who is a midget, and having dinner with the parents, all the while expressing his sympathy for their plight even as he withholds the information they are desperately seeking. Sherrill (The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break, 2000) explores the intoxicating power of secrets and the psychology of the marginalized even as he forces readers to identify with Benny's worst tendencies. Mesmerizing and disturbing. Joanne Wilkinson  (Frech)

Wild Thorns by Sahar Khalifeh--Written immediately after the second Arab war against Israel in 1973, this novel presents the effects of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank on the ordinary lives of ordinary Palestinians. It is decidedly sympathetic to the Palestinian point of view--a view not often heard in U.S. media, and, therefore, perhaps, worth reading. Although written three decades ago, this novel is still timely: the central character is a terrorist who blows up buses (although ironically and strategically those of his own people). (Mihm)