The Bible – “Hands down, you can’t beat it for narrative, for storytelling, for drama. It has been frequently suggested that Christ’s story of the prodigal son and the father’s unrequited love is the greatest story ever told. I’ve been strongly influenced by Christ’s parables in terms of how I try to teach. I try to tell stories that illustrate the point I’m trying to make. Think about it: what do you remember of what someone says to you? You likely remember an apt story that was told to you,” DePaul journalism program director Dr. Bruce Evensen said.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac – “The first time I read it, though I wouldn’t say it was life-changing, it was mind-blowing. It’s a book I can always come back to. I like the way Kerouac uses his distinct style to depict the characters. Some people love it, some people hate it,” DePaul sophomore Ryan Witry said.

Beloved by Toni Morrison – “Toni Morrison’s ‘Beloved’ was one of those books for me. I had never read anything like it.  It was the experience of reading it as much as the story itself. At first, it felt like I was reading in a fog and couldn’t figure out what the story was about. Gradually, it felt like I could see figures in the fog, but I said to myself, ‘no it can’t be what I think it is.’ Then, suddenly, the fog lifted and I remember thinking, ‘oh, dear God, that’s exactly what this is.’ I won’t say more. It’s a book that has to be experienced. And then reread. Often,” DePaul President Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, C.M. said.

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincer0 – “After reading this book early in my senior year of high school, I started looking at things differently. I stopped comparing myself to others, I gained some confidence and tried to put things that happened into perspective. It’s an easy read, and even if you’re past the age where a silly self-help book can change your outlook on life, it’s entertaining at the very least,” DePaul Democrats President Jack McNeil said.

Safekeeping by Abigail Thomas – “‘Safekeeping’ is a memoir written in very short, very spare chapters, almost like a collection of prose poems. It’s written in response to the death of her second husband, with whom she shared a child and from whom she’d been divorced for many years. When the book opens she is remarried and happy, but also utterly grief-stricken by the loss of a man who had become a very close friend after the end of their marriage. The book is beautiful, poignant, insightful, very funny and an absolute delight to talk about with students,” DePaul writing and publishing program director Dr. Michele Morano said.

The Democrats: A Critical History by Lance Selfa – “In an election period when the Democratic party is running one of the two least popular presidential candidates of all time (the other being Trump), gaining a better understanding of the Democrats’ history is essential to assessing the role of the Democrats today (…) it is a must read for all those who are witnessing this debacle of an election develop,” DePaul Socialists president Sam Peiffer said.