As we deal with the challenges of spending hours at home this Spring Break — and beyond — one great way to cope with the uncertainty and stress is with a good book. We asked several Tech staff members for recommendations, which range from a memoir by Godmother of Punk Patti Smith to a collection of new poems by Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker.  

Just Kids

By Patti Smith, Ecco (2010)

“Poet and Godmother of Punk Patti Smith writes about her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The memoir captures a significant moment in American culture — the art and music scene in New York City during the late 1960s and early 1970s — while Smith and Mapplethorpe are struggling to make it as artists. Smith vividly recounts her encounters with other ’60s icons such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Andy Warhol. Her memoir is part adventure and part coming of age as an artist; however, it’s mostly a story about how love shows up in unconventional and unexpected ways. Even if you’ve never heard Patti Smith’s work, you’ll appreciate her evocative prose and storytelling. Just Kids won the National Book Award for Nonfiction and was selected as the One Book, One New York winner for 2019.”

 —Rachel Watts, training generalist, Human Resources

Circe                    

by Madeline Miller, Little, Brown & Company (2018)

“This fantasy fiction book tells a familiar tale of Greek mythology, but from a very different and realistic point of view. It offers a glimpse into what it must be like to be born into power, yet not have any. To be surrounded by beauty, but not see it in yourself. Circe does find power and beauty, but in the least likely of places.”

 —Kaleitha Johnson, professional development and recruitment coordinator, Department of Housing and Residence Life

Station Eleven

By Emily St. John Mandel, Vintage Books (2014)

“Twenty years after the ‘Georgia Flu’ wipes out much of civilization, a traveling theater troupe makes their way across the country. As the novel moves from the days just before and after the epidemic, it reveals strange connections among the characters, and how each of them responded to the destruction of their world. This novel proves that post-apocalyptic literature can still warm the soul with beauty. It also revels in how powerful and important art can be in our world. Art carries the stories that we tell ourselves, and maintains our sense of identity and community in the face of terrifying changes.”

 —Aaron Shackelford, director, Georgia Tech Arts

Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart

By Alice Walker, Simon & Schuster (2018)

“Published just months shy of the esteemed author’s 75th birthday, Taking the Arrow Out of the Heart fits perfectly among other seminal works of Alice Walker and, at almost 70 poems, could easily be confused as a retrospective volume, not an impressive collection of new works. The comfortable familiarity of intense, occasionally idyllic verses on life and purpose present an almost unbearable irony, reflecting not on Walker, but on society’s departure from the beautiful, meaningful pieces of daily life. We’re reminded of our responsibilities during climates of indifference and uncertainty, but also of the debt owed ourselves to live magically and free. Allow this book to serve as your welcome message to a new season.”

 —Jerrold Mobley, information associate, Georgia Tech Library

Redhead in a Blue Convertible

By Ivan Scott, 303 Publishing (2019)

“I read this book last fall and enjoyed the many facets of it. There is romance, mystery, and a sense of passion for life. Plus, it takes place in Atlanta, so I recognized several of the locations where the characters go, which added to my enjoyment of the story. It was intriguing because the book tells the story of the beauty of life, but from two different perspectives: one from the young and one from the old. They both see the same thing but what they see is felt much differently.”

 —Scott Sergent, video producer and director, Georgia Tech Cable Network (GTCN)

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

By Bryan Stevenson, Spiegel & Grau (2014)

“What started with law and public policy degrees from Harvard became an internship with the Southern Prisoners Defense Committee in Georgia, and then the founding of the Equal Justice Initiative. This heart-wrenching memoir follows Stevenson’s quest for justice and mercy while giving you a glimpse into the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community: death row inmates. Stevenson writes, ‘Even when we are caught in a web of hurt and brokenness, we’re also in a web of healing and mercy.’ I urge you to read the book, see the movie (justmercyfilm.com), and, most importantly, head south on I-85 to Montgomery, Alabama, to visit the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.”

 —Anne Lynch, communications manager, Denning Technology & Management Program, Scheller College of Business

Editor’s Note:

The Whistle is always on the lookout for good books. Have you read something recently that you really enjoyed and you'd like to recommend to others? Let us know!

Send an email to editor@comm.gatech.edu and include the following:

-Your name, title, and department

-The book’s title, author, publisher, and publication year

-75-100 words describing the book’s plot (no spoilers!) and explaining why you recommend it.