Many students at Cal are avid readers. Whether your favorite book is a science fiction classic like “Ender’s Game” or you’re more of a Gladwell type of kid, you will have no difficulty finding someone else willing to discuss your favorite written works with you for hours on end. Even better for book enthusiasts, going to Cal means you are surrounded by brilliant professors who are providing the world with great literature all the time. Often, however, the books you find written by professors can be dense — practically textbooks. We at The Daily Clog have a few suggestions for great books by current professors that are not only readable but will have you turning the page with excitement:
“Supercapitalism” by Robert Reich
Perhaps one of the most famous professors at UC Berkeley, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is active in the literary world, having written more than a dozen books on economics and policy. His work extends beyond the page: He is an active blogger, professor of the popular Wealth and Poverty class and now gaining traction with the film “Inequality for All.” Understandably, his body of work can be intimidating to approach, but a great starting place is “Supercapitalism,” in which Reich presents a nonpartisan argument for the need for separation of capitalism and democracy. Regardless of your political leaning, Reich’s reasoning is hard to argue with, and “Supercapitalism” presents an important — as well as clear and enjoyable — argument.
“Metaphors We Live By” by George Lakoff
A professor of cognitive science and linguistics at Cal, George Lakoff provides insight into how we think in “Metaphors We Live By.” Linguistics, ironically, is not a discipline that gets much attention in college readers’ literary circles. But this book deserves to be read by anyone who is even a little curious about how metaphors have shaped our language and minds. It might just change the way you think about the power of language.
“Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines” by Richard Muller
You might not have known it from your high school physics course, but it turns out physics is actually incredibly interesting — and practical. Physics for Future Presidents here at Cal, a class created by physics professor Richard Muller, intends to correct this public misunderstanding of physics by approaching the science from a qualitative perspective. “Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines” is the approachable reader version of the full-length textbook for the class and is packed with knowledge all future presidents should be equipped with — such as the reality of nuclear power, the future of alternative energy and approaches to space travel.
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Contact Pranav Trewn at [email protected]