subject: Five Books A College Freshman Should Read [print this page] College administrators often assign incoming freshmen a book title to read before showing up for their first day of classes. These books, separate from the material they will be required to read for their courses, are simply meant to break the ice and prepare students for an increased level of learning and thought process. Even if your college hasn't made this assignment, why not start your college career off right by exceeding expectations? Here are the most popular nonfiction titles this fall:
"The Soloist" by Steve Lopez. A homeless violinist, Nathaniel Ayers, is befriended by L.A. Times columnist Steve Lopez. After discovering that Nathaniel was once a promising young Juilliard student before schizophrenia caused him to drop out, Lopez involved doctors and musicians alike in getting his new friend off of Skid Row and onto a stage. This is a story with equal parts heartbreak and hope that will spread the message of courage to all who read it.
"Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers. This tragic story of a New Orleans Hurricane Katrina survivor whose situation goes from bad to worse when he is accused of belonging to Al-Qaeda. Although the author didn't experience the hurricane or its aftermath firsthand, his portrayal of his subject's experience is intimate and emotional. This example of "great narrative" (according to the New York Times) is a great read for all readers.
"This I Believe" (Jay Allison and Dan Gediman, editors). It was a National Public Radio program hosted by Edward R. Murrow in the 1950's and the present-day version of it hosted by Jay Allison that inspired this essay collection. Everyday American authors share what personal credos they live by, usually by way of an anecdote that molded their value system. Included are essays by Gloria Steinem, Warren Christopher to name just a few.
"The Omnivore's Dilemma" (Michael Pollan, author). The American food chain is less of a chain and more of a direct link from corn farm to fossil fuels to your plate according to this eye-opening look at what it takes to feed American families today. Industrial farming, as well as the growing popularity of organic fare is detailed and compared to the ingenuity of hunting and gathering food sources on one's own.
"Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario. After being left behind in Honduras at the tender age of five, the subject of this harrowing story illegally immigrates to the United States when he's 17 to reunite with his mother. If you know anything about the quality of HBO original programming, you'll likely be even more moved to read this title upon learning that it's the basis of an upcoming HBO series.
