Are you looking for a summer book recommendation? Check out what some of us at IEA are currently enjoying!
The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey
“During a time when I needed some inspiration in my life, this book, and the conversations Oprah shares, provided great insight into life lessons that some of the most brilliant leaders and visionaries have learned throughout their lifetime. I felt like a fly on the wall as I read through chapters about mindfulness, intention, fulfillment, love and connection.” – Niña Abonal, Senior Program Coordinator
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
“The Great Alone explores a wild and sparsely populated Alaska in the 1970’s, when a Vietnam War veteran moves his wife and 13-year-old daughter from Seattle to the very rugged frontier of Alaska to begin anew away from city life and war memories. The book is an insider’s examination of the harsh realities and lush beauty of life in Alaska that I knew little about, set against a troubled family’s story of survival over the course of several decades. The book deals with adult themes but is well-plotted with engaging characters.” – Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
“I reread The Things They Carried every year. To me, no other work so perfectly captures the camaraderie that exists under the most trying, confusing and challenging circumstances. Though fiction, it is grounded in historical truth and humbling to imagine what these characters went through so far from home. O’Brien doesn’t mince words, but his descriptions have a gripping gentleness that makes you feel more than think. I get lost in each vignette that eventually weaves together into a larger narrative.“ – Hillary Jade, Program Manager
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
“A unique coming-of-age story that follows Eva (and the food she loves) from birth through adulthood, told almost exclusively through the viewpoints of those she encounters along the way. It would be accurate to say I devoured this book. Not only was Eva’s journey compelling, but the vivid descriptions of the food that defines each stage of her life made me want to host my own elaborate, biographical feast. A great read for fiction lovers and foodies alike.”-Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
“I had read A Walk in the Woods but never thought to pick up another Bryson book until this one was recommended by another IEA staff member. This travel book about Bryson’s journey through Australia is a delightful cross between a page-turning beach read and informative historical commentary. I found myself laughing even while learning about the ecology, anthropology, history, geography and culture of this fascinatingly unique continent. You may even end up moving Australia up on your list of travel destinations!”-Nicole Endacott, Program Coordinator
The Revenge of Geography by Robert D. Kaplan
“Though dense in historical examples, this book shows how many of our current tensions—from the Syrian Civil War to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions—stem from monolithic geographical features. I particularly enjoyed the last two chapters, where Kaplan points at America’s demographic transition and concludes that geography, more often than not, determines the fate of nations. ”-Mark Blekherman, IEA EXPLORE Extern
Want more book recommendations? Check out what we were enjoying in 2017, 2016 and 2015.
What books have you been enjoying this summer? Let us know in the comments!
Like this post? Sign up for our email newsletter to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.
What We’re Reading: Summer 2018
July 24, 2018
Are you looking for a summer book recommendation? Check out what some of us at IEA are currently enjoying!
The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations by Oprah Winfrey
“During a time when I needed some inspiration in my life, this book, and the conversations Oprah shares, provided great insight into life lessons that some of the most brilliant leaders and visionaries have learned throughout their lifetime. I felt like a fly on the wall as I read through chapters about mindfulness, intention, fulfillment, love and connection.” – Niña Abonal, Senior Program Coordinator
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
“The Great Alone explores a wild and sparsely populated Alaska in the 1970’s, when a Vietnam War veteran moves his wife and 13-year-old daughter from Seattle to the very rugged frontier of Alaska to begin anew away from city life and war memories. The book is an insider’s examination of the harsh realities and lush beauty of life in Alaska that I knew little about, set against a troubled family’s story of survival over the course of several decades. The book deals with adult themes but is well-plotted with engaging characters.” – Bonnie Raskin, Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship Manager
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
“I reread The Things They Carried every year. To me, no other work so perfectly captures the camaraderie that exists under the most trying, confusing and challenging circumstances. Though fiction, it is grounded in historical truth and humbling to imagine what these characters went through so far from home. O’Brien doesn’t mince words, but his descriptions have a gripping gentleness that makes you feel more than think. I get lost in each vignette that eventually weaves together into a larger narrative.“ – Hillary Jade, Program Manager
Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal
“A unique coming-of-age story that follows Eva (and the food she loves) from birth through adulthood, told almost exclusively through the viewpoints of those she encounters along the way. It would be accurate to say I devoured this book. Not only was Eva’s journey compelling, but the vivid descriptions of the food that defines each stage of her life made me want to host my own elaborate, biographical feast. A great read for fiction lovers and foodies alike.”-Nicole LaChance, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
“I had read A Walk in the Woods but never thought to pick up another Bryson book until this one was recommended by another IEA staff member. This travel book about Bryson’s journey through Australia is a delightful cross between a page-turning beach read and informative historical commentary. I found myself laughing even while learning about the ecology, anthropology, history, geography and culture of this fascinatingly unique continent. You may even end up moving Australia up on your list of travel destinations!”-Nicole Endacott, Program Coordinator
The Revenge of Geography by Robert D. Kaplan
“Though dense in historical examples, this book shows how many of our current tensions—from the Syrian Civil War to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions—stem from monolithic geographical features. I particularly enjoyed the last two chapters, where Kaplan points at America’s demographic transition and concludes that geography, more often than not, determines the fate of nations. ”-Mark Blekherman, IEA EXPLORE Extern
Want more book recommendations? Check out what we were enjoying in 2017, 2016 and 2015.
What books have you been enjoying this summer? Let us know in the comments!
Like this post? Sign up for our email newsletter to receive more stories, information, and resources about gifted youth straight to your inbox.
Author:
IEA Staff
Category:
About IEA, Blog, Gifted Information, Gifted Resources, Programs & Services
Tags:
Alaska, anthropology, Australia, Bill Bryson, book recommendation, connection, ecology, EXPLORE, food, foodie, fulfillment, geography, History, IEA, In a Sunburned Country, informative historical commentary, intention, J. Ryan Stradal, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, Kristin Hannah, love, Mark Blekherman, mindfulness, North Korea, Oprah Winfrey, Robert D. Kaplan, Seattle, Syrian Civil War, The Great Alone, The Revenge of Geography, The Things They Carried, The Wisdom of Sundays, Tom O'Brien, Vietnam War, Washington, Washington state