Read Like A Longhorn: Book Recommendations

Recommended by Lydia, UT staff:This book on the intersectional feminism needed in data science is a must read! It highlights not only ethical issues in data science, but also projects that are addressing and solving those issues. I especially love how the authors identify their own biases and actively work to platform projects and researchers from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

Recommended by Gina, UT Libraries staff: This delightful romp is about the culture of Bigfooters, the eccentric folks who go out hunting for sasquatches and yetis. Are the mythic beasts real? That remains to be seen, but it was fun riding along with people who are convinced they've seen one!

Recommended by Meryl, UT Libraries staff:​ This book probably invented the True Crime genre. The writing is captivating, and somewhat sympathetic to the killers. There's never any doubt about who did the crime, the question is why did they do it?

Recommended by Shiela, UT Libraries staff: 1860s, a country deeply divided, each "side" convinced that they are right and the nation is at stake. This author is a master at weaving together the biographical and the historical, bringing the time and people to life. I would (have) read anything Larson has written.

Recommended by Dale, UT Libraries staff: In Gaza Unsilenced, Palestinians in Gaza and around the world document and express the cost, pain, and reflections on war. Written long before the 2023 war began, this volume still resonates with today's events.

Recommended by Melanie, UT Libraries staff​: This book is an intimate, fascinating, and easy-to-read series of essays on the author's experiences with nature as someone grounded in indigenous ways of knowing and also formally trained in Western scientific practice. She shares her unique perspective on humans' relationship with the natural world in a thought-provoking and inspiring way through these beautiful and reverent essays. Nature lovers will surely find something new to appreciate in this book.

Recommended by Devon, UT Libraries staff: This book was written by my late advisor/mentor/friend. She passed unexpectedly in 2020. It is a history of Kiowa material culture, artmaking, and identity making during an extremely difficult time for Indigenous people in the US. It's wonderfully written, has important insights for how we consider American history, and her grandma is pictured on the cover! How cool is that.

Recommended by Sarah, UT Libraries staff: This is one of the most compelling non-fiction titles I've ever read. Learning about the Troubles in Ireland can be harrowing, but it is timely as Brexit reopens conversations about the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Plus, if you are a Derry Girls fan like me, this book will add a new dimension to that show.

Recommended by Kiana, UT Libraries staff: An incredibly powerful and moving piece of anthropology literature from a 2017 recipient of a MacAuthor Fellowship. The writing is approachable for a wide range of audiences but is an emotionally-taxing read as it details the excruciatingly difficult and complex decisions made by migrants from Central and South America as they attempt to illegally cross the US/Mexico border. De León places a focus on the efforts by law enforcement, policy makers, forensic anthropologists, and family members to recover and identify the over 300+ men, women, and children who perish each year while traveling through the southwest. This was probably the best, and most significant, book I read while in graduate school and I truly believe it should be required reading for anthropology majors/minors.

Recommended by Meryl, UT Libraries staff:​ The Blakiston's fish owl is the largest owl in the world. It is also endangered and rare. Author and field researcher Slaght spent several years on the coast of Primorye exploring river systems for nesting pairs of fish owls for his PhD research. Ultimately his goal was to learn enough about these owls to develop a conservation plan to protect the owl's habitat, nesting trees, and food sources. This book blends science, fieldwork and conservation in an approachable and non-scientist friendly manner.

Recommended by Tony, library student worker:​ These three books have taught me how to love others unconditionally, helped me experience mindfull peace at an experiential level, offered a glimpse into the pursuit of deep truths of the world, and demonstrated the beautiful fusion of Eastern and Western philosophies. The Bauhaus showed how art and technology could merge in the modern era, paving the way for an aesthetic world beyond the era of religion and science. (Note: In the case of Schopenhauer's book, it is highly recommended to read Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and Critique of Practical Reason, Indian Vedanta, and the few paper works of Leibniz and Schopenhauer beforehand. Also, it is essential to read it twice to decode abstract logics and reconstruct it in your mind, as the theory is structured in parallel rather than sequentially by pages. Which the end helps the first and the first helps the end.)