Read Like A Longhorn: Book Recommendations

Recommended by Pranjal, UT grad student​: This is pretty much the best book on Van Gogh I've ever read. Theo Van Gogh's character is just perfectly crafted by Stone. For people who are fans of semi fictional biographies or books about art/artists, Lust for Life is a must read.

Recommended by Gina, UT Libraries staff: Did you know that 17th astronomer Johannes Kepler's mother was tried as a witch? I didn't either. But boy, I loved this fictionalized novel told from her perspective through the trial. It's a fascinating trip back in time, and Katharina Kepler proved to be my favorite protagonist of any book I read last year.

Recommended by Katie, UT staff: On the small island of Jeju, South Korea there lived a girl named 영숙 (Yeong-Suk) whose mother was a Haenyeo, a diving woman of Jeju Island. The story follows her life, from childhood, through the devastation of Japanese Occupation, World War II, and the Korean War, to present day. This story spoke to me because I lived on Jeju Island for several years. The matrifocal culture of the Haenyeo is beautiful, interesting and important but missing from conversations on the global stage. This book does a beautiful, heart wrenching job of telling a story that centers life on Jeju Island and what life was like as a Sea Woman.

Recommended by Gina, UT Libraries staff:Take a dectective story in early 20th century Manchuria. Add ancient fox spirits causing chaos and drama while in human form. Mix in a late-in-life love story, mix-ups on a boat, and a mansion on fire. I'll stop there, but that is just some of the action in The Fox Wife, my favorite book of 2024!