First hour: Rochester and Western New York's favorite books of 2021, part 1
Second hour: Rochester and Western New York's favorite books of 2021, part 2
We continue an annual Connections tradition by talking to community members about their favorite books of the year. Their selections cross a range of genres. Get a pen and paper so you can write a book list for yourself!
Part 1 guests:
- Miriam Zinter, community activist
“The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein - Michael Oberg, distinguished professor of history and director of the Geneseo Center for Local and Municipal History at SUNY Geneseo
“Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion” by Gregory Boyle - Kathleen Blasi, author of "Hosea Plays On," "Milo's Moonlight Mission," and more
“Before She Was Harriet” by Lesa Cline-Ransome; illustrated by James E. Ransome - Adam Frank, Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester
“Leviathan Falls” (the 9th book in “The Expanse” series) by James S. A. Corey - Rachel Crawford, founder and owner of Akimbo Bookshop
“Without a Name” by Yvonne Vera - Annie Murphy, associate development director at Pluta Cancer Center
“Quit Like a Woman: The Radical Choice to Not Drink in a Culture Obsessed with Alcohol” by Holly Whitaker - Kent Gardner, chief economist for the Center for Governmental Research
“The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson
Part 2 guests:
- Shaun Nelms, Ed.D., superintendent of East High EPO, and associate professor (clinical) and interim associate dean for graduate studies at the Warner School of Education
“We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom” by Bettina Love
“Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success” by Christopher Emdin
“I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography” by John Thompson - Linda Sue Park, author of “A Long Walk to Water,” “Prairie Lotus,” and "The One Thing You'd Save," and more
“The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” by Nikole Hannah-Jones
“The 1619 Project: Born on the Water” by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson; illustrated by Nikkolas Smith
“Last Night at the Telegraph Club” by Malinda Lo - Allison Larkin, author of “The People We Keep,” and more
”Catch Us When We Fall” by Juliette Fay - Justin Murphy, education reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, and author of the forthcoming book, “Your Children Are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York”
“A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life” by George Saunders - Shani Wilson, chair of the Rochester Police Accountability Board, physician assistant, and activist
“How the Other Half Lives” by Jacob Riis - Rosa Marie, president of Marvelous Mind Academy
“The Art of Impossible: A Peak Performance Primer” by Steven Kotler
