It’s time to refresh your to-read lists with another Persephone writer’s choices for the very best books to give to someone else.
1. Which book would you give to a potential significant other?
Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible because the family dynamic reminds me a bit of my own growing up and I think it could help explain where I’m coming from to a new boyfriend.
2. Which book would you give to a high school senior?
A Room With a View! My sister gave me this book my freshman year of high school with the note “Never let anyone tell you who you should be.” It’s still a book I return to when I’m feeling a little lost.
3. Which book would you give to your political representatives?
united states by Thomas L. Dumm. Dumm is a political theorist who I first read in undergrad and whose writing really helped me translate my political views into a coherent statement. His observations about American life and culture were invaluable to me and I hope they would make an elected official more critical of political culture.
4. Which book would you give to a former teacher?
Not a book, but I would give my middle school religious studies teacher a copy of my MA thesis. Many of the reasons why I became interested in political theory had to do with the moral and ethical lessons that she taught me and I would like her to see where her guidance led me.
5. Which book would you give to your best friend?
A signed, first edition of Everybody Poops. Somewhere down the line, people started giving her this book and other books dealing with bathroom functions as a joke, and I think that would be a fitting addition to her collection.
Wanna play? Send me your answers to the above five questions (selena at persephonemagazine dot com) with the subject line 5 Books, or use the contact form at the top of the page.
