SMU Freshmen Have One Book in Common

All incoming students at SMU will be reading The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine this fall. The book by Moneyball author Michael Lewis is about who knew the Great Recession was coming down the pike and why they were unable, or unwilling, to do anything about it.

Apparently, this “common reading” initiative has been going on for years at SMU. From the press release:

Past SMU common reading books include Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil Postman, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman, How to Be Good by Nick Hornby,The Devil’s Highway by Luís Alberto Urrea, Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama, Zeitoun by Dave Eggers and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

I’ve read the first two on that list. Does anyone recommend any of the others?

8 thoughts on “SMU Freshmen Have One Book in Common

  • August 6, 2012 at 11:05 am
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    Nickel and Dimed is drivel.

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  • August 6, 2012 at 3:56 pm
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    The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was one of the best books I’ve ever read.

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  • August 6, 2012 at 4:06 pm
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    I second the Henrietta Lacks book. Great read!

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  • August 6, 2012 at 8:53 pm
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    for pete’s sake, the “#1” (in salt lake city) bestseller
    “Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games”
    by willard mitt romney didn’t make the list?!?
    what about equal time for the other major candidate
    in the presidential election?
    before the semester starts, the administration is
    trying to turn these students’ brains to mush.

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  • August 6, 2012 at 9:29 pm
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    The Purdue freshman class last year had to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. This year it is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

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  • August 7, 2012 at 11:34 am
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    @HPHS Parent – The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a fantastic and inspiring book. It made my day that people are still reading it!

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  • August 7, 2012 at 11:57 am
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    or they could all just borrow 50 Shades of Grey from their moms…

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  • August 8, 2012 at 3:42 pm
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    In the eighties is was “The Official Preppy Handbook” because Park Cities was mentioned in detail. Anybody still have their old “Do You Belong in Highland Park?” poster?

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