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Want a Good Read?

Find out what folks at MHCC are reading!

This page was created in Spring 2001 by members
of the Mt Hood community for your reading pleasure.

FACULTY	Book Recommendation
Kathleen Hannigan-McNamara Instructor, Nursing	One of my recent favorites is Kitchen Table Wisdom by Naomi Remen, M.D. This is a collection of short stories related to being a patient or a caregiver, and it teaches us about connecting with our hearts. It is a wonderful book, and I have shared it with students, family, and friends. It is a "must read" for those in the helping professions but worthwhile for all.
Dr. Catha Loomis Counselor	One of my favorite recent books is On Celtic Tides, by Chris Duff. It's a wonderful travel memoir of a man's solo kayak trip around the entire island of Ireland. I enjoyed it for several reasons: it's beautifully written, very vivid in detail, and, at times, almost poetic; it gives you a feel for the journey and for Duff's personal experience, as well as for the land and people of Ireland; while Duff's experience involved a great deal of personal risk and enormous skill and fitness, he has written without the self-indulgent "bravado" that is often found in tales of skill and risk; it's as much about self-discovery and an awakening awareness of his own roots as it is about the feat he accomplished. I'm planning a trip to Ireland and plan to read the book again. It's that good!
Eric Hoem Instructor, English	I am reading Still Here by the Buddhist Ram Das. Known for his book Be Here Now of some years ago, Das had worked with terminal patients and begun writing the present book when he suffered a stroke which left him a paraplegic. Still Here includes personal reflections on adjusting to the awareness of one's own mortality. I have found its perspective moving and useful. A reader does not need a background in Buddhism to understand and appreciate Still Here; it has been written for the general reading public.
Dr. Janet Campbell Instructor, Political Science	A great book is No Future Without Forgiveness, by Desmond Tutu, about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa. Tutu headed this commission, which was designed to reveal the "victims'" side of apartheid. The greatest thing about this book was that the meaning of victim is quite expansive--including members of the South African Security Forces who actually carried out torture. These folks were viewed as "victims" in the sense that the system not only allowed this sort of behavior to become legitimate but actually encouraged it. These hearings were not trials, but were meant to expose the "truth" of what happened in an effort to begin to heal the country of its wounds. As Tutu is a bishop, the book gets a bit preachy at times, but even the non-religious can draw lessons from it. To get the most out of the book, one should know what apartheid was, but it's not necessary.
Dr. Mike Russell Instructor, Chemistry	Here are two of my favorite books, both of which are by Robert Pirsig: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Lila: An Inquiry into Morals. Both moved me deeply when I read (and re-read!) them. Zen combines a cross-country motorcycle journey by "Phaedrus" and his son with a detailed investigation of the term "quality." Lila combines a sailing trek by the narrator and a "loose" woman from New York with a discussion of what makes morals "good" or "bad." Both novels can be taken as either light or heavy reading, depending on the mood of the reader, and I cannot emphasize their value adequately in words.
David Wright Instructor, English	My summer reading reached its peak with Vladimir Nabokov's Pale Fire. I love this book because it's never clear who is on shaker ground--the dissembling narrator, his glorified poet, or the reader, mesmerized by the exuberant prose and off-beat humor. Zany, ornate, beautiful, and bizarre, this work might be a bit confusing at first for the novice reader, but it's well worth the effort.
Sally Skelding Instructor, Early Childhood Education	I have just finished 1,000 White Women: the Journal of May Dodd, edited by Jim Fergus. This is a fascinating story, and there is probably a grain of truth in it--in some lost sentence in some archive! The book deals with the U.S. exchanging 1,000 white women for 1,500 horses from Indian tribes. This idea was put forth to help the tribes in the process of assimilation into American society. As one can imagine, the usual madness of inhumane treatment of the Indians occurs. A very interesting read!
Lynne Wolters Adjunct Instructor, Computer Applications/ Webmaster Program	Here's a great book: Tao Mentoring: Cultivate Collaborative Relationships in All Areas of Your Life, by Chungliang Al Huang and Jerry Lynch. This book was the winner of the 1996 Athena Award for excellence in mentoring: "Tao mentoring is a two-way circular dance that provides opportunities for us to experience both giving and receiving without limitations and fears. If limits and fears are placed on either the giving or the receiving of this gift, the process comes to a halt."
Terry Folen Instructor, Physical Education	One of the best books I have read lately is Where the Heart Is, by Billie Lettes. It's the story of an 18-year-old woman who is penniless and pregnant and who gets ditched by her boyfriend in a little Midwest town. She lives in the town's Wal-Mart until her child is born. She meets folks, and lives become interchanged; she grows up making a difference in the lives of those who helped her.
Jack Fassel Instructor and Program Coordinator, Electronics	I go for humorous midlife stuff, so I recommend Jimmy Buffett's A Pirate Looks at Fifty. This is must reading for anybody who thinks that life is too short, one hasn't accomplished anything, parenting is tough, and who is looking towards the future. This is all related and funny (or maybe I was just lost in Margaritaville). Also, Tim Allen's I'm Not Really Here is typical "toolman" stuff. If you liked the "toolman," you'll like this. Consider Tim's opening concern: "Quantum physicists say that unless certain conditions are met, subatomic particles don't actually exist . . . ; [if] we're just a bunch of quantum particles, I hope this doesn't mean I'm not really here!" An untypical midlife crisis journey.
Dr. Celia Carlson Instructor, English	Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson, is a beautiful, sad, poetic novel about love, loss, and longing. Two young sisters' mother commits suicide, and their aunt Sylvie comes to take care of them in an isolated Idaho town marked by tragedy. Sylvie's last name is Fisher, and she becomes an odd kind of Christ figure who teaches the older sister Ruth a contemptus mundi that is mystical. The final line--"No one watching this woman smear her initials in the steam on her water glass with her first finger . . . could know how her thoughts are thronged by our absence, or know how she does not watch, does not listen, does not wait, does not hope, and always for me and Sylvie"--is pure poetry.
Marilyn Pitts Adjunct Instructor, Developmental Education; President, Part-Time Faculty Association	I recommend The Leopard Hunts in Darkness, by Wilbur Smith. Smith has written over 25 novels which are based in Africa, where he was born and raised. His books explore the texture of Africa within an exceedingly well written storyline. I remember that when I read this book, I had to put it down at one point because the chase scene was causing my heart to beat too quickly. I was "there"!
Jonathan Morrow Instructor, English	One of the most illuminating books that I've read recently is Deborah Willis's history of Black photographers, Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers from 1840 to the Present. This work not only offers a narrative of a marginalized group's contributions to the medium, but it also places these people, photographers and subjects alike, in their changing historical contexts. Whether or not they all intended to, many of the photographers successfully undermined the sterotypical representations of African Americans of their day, displaying in their subjects humor instead of menace, pride instead of poverty, confidence instead of awkwardness, and self-awareness instead of stupidity. This is a stunning collection.

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STAFF	Book Recommendation
Robin Cash Worksite Placement Specialist, Steps to Success	I am currently reading A Widow for One Year by John Irving. I do love Irving's books; I think he is a great story teller. He has many provocative ideas, which is what I look for in fiction. This book is about, among other things, writing, and I think it would be especially interesting for people interested in become writers. However, I think Irving uses his character, Ruth Cole, to present radical feminist views that I think are exaggerated. I would not say Irving is exactly sexist, but I think he has hostile feelings about feminists. Nevertheless, I think this book is really autobiographical in that Irving discusses criticisms of the main character's books that I think he must have heard about his own books. In general, this is a good story that offers many things to think about and opportunities for good discussion.
Pamela Russell CASS Coordinator	Les Misérables, the full, fat, unabridged edition, is fantastic! Even the three-plus chapters on the Paris sewer system--actually, especially those! Also, Ivan Doig's Dancing at the Rascal Fair is wonderfully written, with lots of great details about settling Montana.
Dee Murphy Financial Aid Coordinator	I recommend How to Think Like Leonardo daVinci by Michael J. Gelb. Through step-by-step exercises and lessons you learn how to master life-changing abilities such as: problem solving; creative thinking; self-expression; enjoying the world around you; goal setting and life balance; harmonizing body and mind. I have found this book absolutely enthralling.
Pat Evans Budget Analyst	I like East of the Mountain, by David Guterson, the author of Snow Falling on Cedars. It's a good choice for more mature people; it probably wouldn't be of interest to those under 50, but maybe. The story is about a gentleman coming to grips with his life-ending situation. I found it insightful as well as enjoyable.
Ginny Christian Workforce Development Specialist, Steps to Success	One of my favorite books is Welcome to my Country, by Lauren Slater. It is the account of a young psychiatrist's work in Mental Health. Her approach is inspiring and refreshing, and I'm sure somewhat controversial. Slater's writing is extroardinary, and her insights are very powerful. I think this book would be interesting and important to anyone entering the mental health field.
Chrissy Bloome, RN Health Coordinator	A great book I just read is The Singing Creek Where the Willows Grow: The Rediscovered Diary of Opal Whitely, presented by Benjamin Hoff. This book is the childhood diary of Opal Whitely, born in 1897 near Cottage Grove, OR. At age 6, she began to keep a diary in which she described her home, her elaborately named plant and animal friends, her cathedral among the trees, and the singing creek where the willows grew. Upon its publication in 1920, The Story of Opal became an immediate best-seller, only to be discredited by skeptics' reports. You can go to the U of O Library and look at the remains of her belongings in the archives, which I plan to do!
Gary Novak MHCC Webmaster Networking Specialist	If I could select only one book, that book would be Thomas L. Pangle's translation of The Laws of Plato. I like this book so much that the cover is long gone, the edges are all beat up, and you can hardly read the title of the book on the spine. What sets The Laws apart from other books? It is, after all, supposed to be the last work of the old, disillusioned Plato. Even the interlocutors are all (grumpy?) old men. Who could possibly like such a thing? The Laws is a book written for people who love to think. It deals with nearly all the great questions: justice, rule of law, the origin of cities; Plato was the first to coin the word "theology." The first line reads: "Is it a god or some human being, strangers, who is given the credit for laying down your laws?" Plato puts a critique of the existence of gods into the mouths of young men who are guided by passion (thumos) and makes temperate old men defend the gods. What is at stake? Only your soul: only the decisions you make as to the best way to live, only your choice of justice versus injustice, obeying the laws versus not obeying the laws. Plato's Laws has the power to shake your assumptions, convictions, and understanding right to the very core. If that doesn't make a good book, I don't know what does!

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STUDENTS	Book Recommendation
Elizabeth A. Pitts Major: Elementary Education	I recommend Emma, by Jane Austen. This book has a wonderful plot and is not very difficult to read. As soon as you put it down, you can't wait to pick it up again! I find myself re-reading it every year!
David Harrison Major: Agriculture or Fish and Wildlife	Radigan, by Louis L'Amour, is a great western that emphasizes the old west idea of life, and always, always the good guy wins and gets the girl.
Rochelle Gurusinghe-Thorpe Major: Undeclared	Sherman Alexie has written three great books: Indian Killer, Reservation Blues, and Toughest Indian in the World. Excellent author. Poetic. Interesting insights to the American Indian experience. Beautiful prose. Characters you are interested in and care about.
Shawn M. Cardwell Major: Political Science	On Liberty by John Stuart Mill opens up students to higher thoughts on liberty, tolerance, and the freedom of open discussion.
Zack Veselik Major: Undeclared	I recommend The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, because many people have really great questions about Christianity and Jesus but never seek answers to their questions. Here is a non-fiction book where the author deals with his own questions. He finds no other explanation for life but God, and salvation through the person of Christ (Jesus).
Jennifer Galeski Major: Psychology	I like A Child Called "It", by Dave Pelzer. It is an autobiography, and the message is powerful. It talks about a boy named Dave who is treated like a slave in his own house. His mother and father are alcholics. His mother abuses him physically and verbally. She calls him "it," not Dave, because she thinks he is not deserving of being called by his name. If you are interested in psychology, this is a great book. It is the first of a series of three; the second and third are A Child Searching for Love and A Man Named Dave.
Laura Sandgren Major: MAT, Education	William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury is wonderful. The story is told from three different perspectives, and you gain a different insight into the same story as it develops. You are left wondering how the same incident can have so many diffent interpretations. It is a great way to see that not everyone interprets the same incident the same way. The book dealt with several important issues before it was kosher to do so: incest, mental retardation, premarital sex, suicide, and racial prejudice. Excellent.
Tiegan Tidball Major: Undeclared	The Long Walk by Stephen King is not scary, and the impact of the simple ending is mind-blowing in the way it affects everything before it.
Tad Davis Major: Liberal Arts	The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, is excellent literature; the author has a great grasp of literary devices, and the book is well written. It's an intriguing first-hand look at the human condition in light of the atrocities of World War II, and the book really illustrates how joy can survive in suffering when a person has come to resolve the question: "What is the chief end of man?" Ten Boom was a Jewish sympathizer during the war, and she and her family worked with an organization called the Dutch Underground to hide Jews. She and her sister Betsie were later caught and imprisoned. They both endured severely harsh treatment, and her sister eventually died in prison. Through it all, however, Ten Boom came to realize that God was in control of human events, and by trusting Him and yielding her will to His, she allowed God to make her and her sister vessels of mercy to other prisoners.
Brandilee Schwark Major: Veterinary Medicine	Josh Harris's I Kissed Dating Goodbye teaches the basis of "pure" dating. If you are a young (maybe) or early 20's dater, then this book points out the do's and don't's of dating: how to handle dating in a mature manner, and the way God wants you to date and treat the other person. Not only that, this book gives growing Christians insight into God's love for us.
Andreea Toma Major: Business Administration	Jacqueline Briskin's The Naked Heart is very suspenseful; it keeps you on your toes. You will not know what is going to happen next. The action takes place in Europe in the 1930's, the time period when World War II was going on. It is an awesome book. You will laugh and you will cry, but you will not be able to put the book down.
Irene Fassel Major: Electronics Technology	I love King Arthur stories and stories from around that time. Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon as well as some others is written from the woman's point of view. It's very descriptive, and it really sucks the reader into the storyline.
Tage Smith Major: Undecided	Günter Grass's The Tin Drum mixes the historical and the surreal in treating the city of Danzig (Gdansk) during World War II.
Elliot Reynolds Major: Physical Therapy	I like J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, because it is very well written.
Dani Hunter Major: Youth Worker/ Counselor	Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg, is a truthful bit of reality, told through the life of someone who broke all the boundaries of gender stereotypes. It is a heartwarming tale of strength and courage in the face of adversity.
Aaron Sale Major: Communications	The River God, by Wilbur A. Smith, is an Egyptian adventure story that takes place during the age when pharaohs ruled Egypt and conquered much of Africa.
Julie Grochowski Major: Education	The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley, is the story of King Arthur from the point of view of women. Told from Morgan's point of view, the story reveals the women around King Arthur: Guinevere, the Lady of the Lake, Morgause, Morgan herself. A different perspective into the King Arthur story.
Susan Arthur Major: Business/ Office Technologies	Mark Q. Sutton's Introduction to Native North America gets into the daily life of each culture. Lots of interesting ideas and lots of facts about how the different Indian cultures lived. I liked the VIP profiles in each chapter. Sutton takes each culture from a prehistoric view to modern day; he gives descriptions of each tribe's environment and their clothing and the tools they used. Every chapter follows the same format; this can get a little tiresome, but the information is great.
Tony Whipps Major: General	Prophet, by Frank Peretti, has an excellent story line and is very intense. The book keeps you guessing up through the last page. It gives some interesting looks behind the scenes of news stations and abortion clinics. The book includes a strong dosage of Christian morals and challenges you to think about what you believe and why.
Natalya Demyashkevich Major: Physical Education	I like Sergey: The Story of My Love, by Ekaterina Gordeva, because it is so connected to my life; I think it is very close to what I have in my life. Anyway, it is a wonderful love story, which made me cry more than once. Also, it is a neat inside look into the lives of professional athletes.

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ADMINISTRATORS	Book Recommendation
Carol Foster Assistant Director, Workforce Development	I like Wayne Dyer's Wisdom of the Ages. He has collected writings, poems, and sayings by many of the wisest people of the past 25 centuries and has added his original thoughts in brief essays that give us ideas about applying these teachings to our modern lives. Dyer is good about how to deal with the everyday things we encounter in our lives, and in sharing how to practice and attain such behaviors as serenity, calmness, detachment from outcomes, and really trying to get to our higher selves, where we can truly focus on giving.
Dr. Joe Dunlap Dean, Industrial Technology	I recently read The Leadership Challenge, by James Kouzes and Barry Posner, for a leadership course. It's an excellent book. Its purpose is to assist individuals in furthering their abilities as leaders; in other words, it is a field guide. The book is not about defining leadership; rather it is about how leaders get extraordinary results in organizations through their behaviors. The focus of the book is "personal-best cases," instances where people have led, not "managed," projects to a plateau beyond traditional expectations; these are experiences in which "everything came together." This book combines keen insights with practical applications and captures both why and how leadership is everyone's business.
Dr. Bill Becker Interim President, MHCC	I read Moby Dick and Billy Budd over and over, just because I love the way Melville uses English. But a book I really enjoyed for the fun of reading it was Dancing at the Rascal Fair by Ivan Doig. It provides a wonderful description of the settling of the Montana frontier and the struggles of a smitten young man.
Dr. Valerie Ward Dean, Evening/Weekend Program	I have been working my way through Allison Weir's historical fiction series on the British monarchy: Henry VIII, The Wives of Henry VIII, The Children of Henry VIII, and Elizabeth.
Dee Ann Melland Supervisor, Office for Community Service Campus Information	The book I have recently enjoyed most is Blackbird: A Childhood Lost and Found, the autobiography of Jennifer Lauck, who lives in Portland. It is the story of a little girl who, despite the odds, manages to survive to her twelfth year of life in modern-day America. Lauck's mother died when she was young (in the book she watches her mother's physical and mental decline), and then her father died while she was still an adolescent. Her step-mom had a mental illness of some sort and could not care for her. The insight and clarity this little girl shows for her everyday surroundings and for the physical and mental illnesses she observes are amazing. Lauck is currently working on the sequel, and I am most eager to read it. I don't think I've enjoyed a book so much since reading Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes.
Peggy Redmond Director, Registration and Records	I loved Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt. The writing style is something unique that I don't think I have ever read before. It is captivating and funny and down to earth.

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