From the Bookshelf: Favorite Reads from the ND Law Community
As National Reading Month comes to a close, Notre Dame Law School invited faculty and staff to share the books that have inspired, challenged, or stayed with them. Their responses span genres and perspectives, from compelling literary fiction and mystery to thought-provoking works exploring history, free speech, and the human condition.
Together, these selections offer a glimpse into the ideas and breadth of interests shaping our community beyond the classroom, reflecting both intellectual curiosity and the joy of reading. We invite you to explore their recommendations and perhaps discover your next great read!
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Recommended by Professor Rick Garnett, Paul J. Schierl Professor of Law and Director of the Program on Church, State & Society
“Ishiguro is a wonderful writer: understated, even sparse. He's brilliant with unreliable narrators who don't necessarily know themselves what is going on. Along with Remains of the Day and Klara and the Sun, these might be my three favorite books by someone not named Cormac McCarthy or Fyodor Dostoyevsky.”
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
recommended by Joshua Kuiper
Recommended by Joshua Kuiper, International Visitors & Initiatives Program Manager
“Tolkien's masterwork of fantasy fiction is, at its heart, a story about holding on to hope amidst dark times. While there is much to savor in Tolkien's rich language, and his ability to sculpt a deep and believable fantasy world, I most enjoy the book's characters and the ways both big and small that they rise to protect the people and communities that they love. It is an enduring classic, and for good reason.”
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Recommended by Beth Ferrettie, Office Coordinator
“I think most people have heard of the author Kristin Hannah and her popular books like The Nightingale and The Women. Winter Garden is one of her books I don't hear mentioned as much but it is such a great read that has stuck with me long after I read it.
This story is about family and the relationships between sisters and the bond between mother and daughters. It’s a very emotional read going back and forth between stories of the past living through WWII and the present time.”
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
recommended by Beth Klein
Recommended by Beth Klein, Library Assistant III at the Kresge Law Library
“The trilogy follows Kristin’s life and explores its complexities over several decades. Kristin is a dutiful (and not) daughter, an adventurer, a lover, a wife, a mother, a hardy soul, and a survivor.”
The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny
Recommended by Professor Kari Gallagher, Associate Teaching Professor
“The Beautiful Mystery is the eighth in a series. I love the characters. Also, the writer is Canadian, and I learn something about Canadian history and culture with each book I read. Start with the first, Still Life, so that you can appreciate all of the story lines.”
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Recommended by Professor Kari Gallagher
“Atonement is both a page-turner and one of the most thought-provoking books I have read. (Don't watch the movie. Read the book.)”
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
Recommended by Patti McLaughlin, Program Director of Professional Development Initiatives
“The Book Club for Troublesome Women is a group of women in 1963 who read The Feminine Mystique. It is a time when women generally were expected to stay home and it is interesting. It explores the frustration without man bashing (except two characters who were horrible)."
You Can't Kill a Man Because of the Books He Reads: Angelo Herndon's Fight for Free Speech by Brad Snyder
Recommended by Professor Ed Edmonds, Professor Emeritus of Law
“This is the story of a teenage Black Communist Party organizer who was arrested in 1932 and imprisoned and later charged with 'attempting to incite insurrection.' His long legal struggle produced the landmark Herndon v. Lowry decision, a 5-4 Supreme Court case that overturned a Georgia Supreme Court decision because the conviction violated Herndon's first amendment rights of freedom of speech and assembly. That, however, is only one part of a fascinating life story well written by Georgetown Professor Brad Snyder.”
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Recommended by Associate Professor Grace Mills, Associate Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Intellectual Property Clinic
“The book chronicles the lives of seven generations of the Buendía family in a town, Macondo, founded by the family's patriarch, José Arcadio Buendía. Macondo is initially isolated, aside from once-a-year visits by Melquíades, who shares discrete scientific discoveries from the rest of the world. But eventually, Macondo is invaded by everything from strangers and political movements to supernatural events, pushing the Buendía family to change — or not. Keep the provided family tree handy as you read this one!”
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
Recommended by Marisa Simon, Director of Law School Admissions
“I'm currently reading this book from a recommendation, and the research and advice are helpful for parent-child relationships at every stage. Furthermore, the themes could be applied in many other conversational or problem solving settings.”
The Seven Primal Questions: Take Control of the Hidden Forces That Drive You by Mike Foster
Recommended by Jonathan Bailey, Web & Social Media Specialist
“The premise is there are 7 basic primal questions that everyone develops as a child. As we grow into adults, the more we cling to the question we weren't consistently able to answer with a ‘yes’ as a child and find different ways to get that answer to a ‘yes.’ When we are in an unhealthy state, we tend to use unhealthy means (vices, codependent relationships, etc.) to answer that question with a ‘yes.’ This book helps you not only discover your primal question, but what it looks like when we unhealthily search for our ‘yes’ and how to answer that question in ways that are productive and constructive.”
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
recommended by Professor Susan Azyndar
Recommended by Professor Susan Azyndar, Senior Associate Director of the Kresge Law Library
“In this novel, master storyteller Louise Erdrich takes inspiration from her grandfather’s role in resisting Indian termination policies of the 1940s-1960’s, weaving a vivid portrait of Ojibwe life with a rich political backdrop.”