October Staff Reading List

UNP staff members are always reading new books, both within our list and outside of what we publish. Here are some of the books where our noses have been buried.

 

Dracula

Bram Stoker

“I thought it would be fun to theme my reading for the month. Not the best bedtime reading, but definitely an engrossing tale!” —Natalie O’Neal

 

His Bloody Project

Graeme Macrae Burnet

“Presented as documents relating to a triple murder in nineteenth-century Scotland, this might be the best historical mystery I’ve read. A few of the characters are a bit overdone, but it deserved its place on the 2016 Man Booker shortlist.” —Bridget Barry

 

Y is for Yesterday

Sue Grafton

“I can still remember turning the last page of A is for Alibi almost twenty years ago. My reading life has not been the same since.” —Heather Stauffer

 

The Conquest of Bread

Peter Kropotkin

“I started it because I want to be better versed in theory when I advocate anarchism, and as Kropotkin is a foundational anarchist theorist, it seemed like a good place to start. I like it so far; it’s deeply affirming to see rigorous pursuit of true economic equality in political theory, and refreshing and encouraging to read page after page of Kropotkin’s passionate indignation at capitalism’s inherent immorality.” —Grey Castro

 

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

J. K. Rowling

“I’m still on my Harry Potter quest. Almost finished with book five. Umbridge is a cow.” —Rosemary Sekora

 

We Are All Shipwrecks

Kelly Grey Carlisle

“I remember Kelly when she worked briefly at the Press in some capacity about fifteen years ago. Although we discussed things, I never learned her backstory. So when I saw a review of her memoir about her murdered mother, I decided that I needed to read it. And I’m finding that she is a really good writer who pulls you in with exquisite detail and the ability to draw out a story so that you just have to keep reading it.” —Alison Rold

 

Rubbing Elbows

DeMisty D. Bellinger

“I’ve just read former UNP intern DeMisty D. Bellinger’s Chapbook, Rubbing Elbows, twice! It’s a great collection of imaginative poems with music and pop culture themes.” —Erica Corwin

 

The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition

“The bright blue bible of editing and publishing showed up on my desk on August 25 (Christmas in August!), and I’ve been slowly and steadily becoming familiar with its subtle updates and changes. For instance, we now have guidance on how to reference a tweet or facebook post in the notes and bib (14.209), the singular “they” is allowed as is its use by people who do not identify with a gender-specific pronoun (5.48), and Generation X is now capitalized (8.42). Thankfully, some things stay the same, like the table at the end of chapter 7 and the chapters and their order and contents, although a few have been renamed. Finally, the endpapers—they begin and end the book with the alphabet and numbers and cleverly highlight the 1 and the 7, which feeds into my joy at the synchronicity between the edition and the pub year.” —Joeth Zucco

 

Robert Schumann’s Advice to Young Musicians

Revisited by Steven Isserlis

“Stumbled upon this at Heartland Fall Forum last week. It’s so cheerful and encouraging that I actually want to practice my piano.” —Anna Weir