In a meeting recently with Joan McDowd (Psychology), she mentioned her book mountain – that pile of books she wants to read that keeps growing taller. She describes the stack(s) of paperbacks as "intimidating, wonderous, and potential".
What better way to procrastinate climbing my own seven summits (yes, I have at least seven book mountains) than to find out more about hers.
There are about 22 books that make McDowd's Peak and she reads one for about every three or four that are added to it. She will likely have the best recommendations for books about:
- aging or older people
- biographies
- race and racism
- community development
The book at the bottom of the mountain is LaRose by Louise Erdrich. Joan doesn't read a lot of fiction, but is a big fan of Erdrich – though this particular book about a tragic accidental death and the fallout for two families has proven difficult for her to open.
The next book to become a crag on this mountain is SUSAN, LINDA, NINA & COKIE:
The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR, by Lisa Napoli, which a friend just texted her about the other day.
Thank you for being our first book mountaineer, Joan!
