Summer 2025 Reading from MIT

By Scott Austin Tirrell, director of administration and finance at the Art, Culture, and Technology Program

A fantasy novel that follows 11-year-old Mishal, a gifted yet troubled boy inducted into the secretive Order of Thanatos. Set in the grim and mystic realm of Lucardia, the story is framed as a first-person memoir chronicling Mishal's initiation as a novice psychopomp - one who guides the dead across the Threshold into the afterlife. As Mishal navigates the Order's rigid hierarchy, academic rigor, and spiritual mysteries, he begins to uncover unsettling truths about death, the soul, and the hidden agendas of those in power. Haunted by a spirit he cannot abandon and burdened by a forbidden artifact, Mishal must decide whom to trust and what to believe as his abilities grow - and as the line between duty and damnation begins to blur.

By Thomas Levenson, professor of science writing

For centuries, people in the West, believing themselves to hold God-given dominion over nature, thought too much of humanity and too little of microbes. Nineteenth-century scientists finally made the connection. Life-saving methods to control infections and contain outbreaks soon followed. Next came the antibiotic era in the 1930s. Yet, less than a century later, the promise of that revolution is receding due to years of overuse. Is our self-confidence getting the better of us again?

By Alan Lightman, professor of the practice of humanities

Nature is capable of extraordinary phenomena. Standing in awe of those phenomena, we experience a feeling of connection to the cosmos. For Lightman, just as remarkable is that all of what we see around us - soap bubbles, scarlet ibises, shooting stars - are made out of the same material stuff and obey the same rules and laws. Pairing 36 full-color photos evoking some of nature's most awe-inspiring phenomena with personal essays, "The Miraculous from the Material" explores the fascinating science underlying the natural world.

By Arthur Bahr, professor of literature

In this book, Bahr explores the four poems and 12 illustrations of the "Pearl-Manuscript," the only surviving medieval copy of two of the best-known Middle English poems: "Pearl" and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight." He explores how the physical manuscript enhances our perception of the poetry, drawing on recent technological advances that show it to be a more complex piece of material, visual, and textual art than previously understood. By connecting the manuscript's construction to the text's intricate language, Bahr suggests new ways to understand the power of poetry.

By Andrea Campbell, the Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science

Most Americans want the rich to pay more to fund government, yet favor regressive over progressive taxes. Why this policy-preference gap? In this book, Campbell describes how convoluted tax code confuses the public about who pays and who benefits, so tax preferences do not turn on principles, interests, or even party. Instead, race and racism play large roles, and tax skepticism among Americans of all stripes helps the rich and anti-tax forces undermine progressivity.

By Volha Charnysh, the Ford Career Development Associate Professor of Political Science

Each year, millions of people are uprooted from their homes by wars, repression, natural disasters, and climate change. In "Uprooted," Charnysh presents a fresh perspective on the consequences of mass displacement, arguing that accommodating the displaced population can strengthen receiving states and benefit local economies. With rich insights and compelling evidence, the book challenges common assumptions about the costs of forced displacement and cultural diversity and proposes a novel mechanism linking wars to state-building.

By Fotini Christia, the Ford International Professor of the Social Sciences; Graeme Blair; and Jeremy M. Weinstein

How can societies reduce crime without exacerbating adversarial relationships between the police and citizens? Through field experiments in a variety of political contexts, this book presents the outcome of a major research initiative into the efficacy of community policing. Scholars uncover whether, and under what conditions, this influential strategy for tackling crime and insecurity is effective. With its highly innovative approach to cumulative learning, this writing represents a new frontier in the study of police reform.

By Jana Dambrogio, the Thomas F. Peterson Conservator at MIT Libraries, and Daniel Starza Smith

Before the invention of the gummed envelope in the 1830s, how did people secure their private letters? The answer is letterlocking - the ingenious process of securing a letter using a combination of folds, tucks, slits, or adhesives such as sealing wax, so that it becomes its own envelope. In this book, Dambrogio and Starza Smith, experts who have pioneered the field over the last 10 years, tell the fascinating story of letterlocking within epistolary history, drawing on real historical examples from all over the world.

Edited by Jonathan Gruber, the Ford Professor of Economics and head of the Department of Economics, and Kathleen McGarry

As formal long-term care becomes unaffordable for seniors in many countries, public systems and unpaid caregivers increasingly bear the burden of supporting the world's aging population. "Long-Term Care around the World" is a comparative analysis of long-term care in 10 wealthy countries that considers the social costs of both formal and informal care -which is critical, given that informal unpaid care is estimated to account for one-third of all long-term care spending.

By Ian Kumekawa, lecturer of history

What do a barracks for British troops in the Falklands War, a floating jail off the Bronx, and temporary housing for VW factory workers in Germany have in common? The Balder Scapa: a single barge that served all three roles. Through this one vessel, Kumekawa illustrates many currents: globalization, the transience of economic activity, and the hazy world of transactions many call "the offshore," the lightly regulated sphere of economic activity that encourages short-term actions.

By Ruth Perry, Professor Emeritus and Ann Fetter Friedlaender Professor of the Humanities

In "The Ballad World of Anna Gordon, Mrs. Brown of Falkland," Ruth Perry details what we know about the ways folk ballads were created and transmitted; how Anna Gordon came to know so many; the social and political climate in which they existed; and why these songs meant so much in Scotland and elsewhere in the Atlantic world.

By David Thesmar, the Franco Modigliani Professor of Financial Economics and professor of finance, and Augustin Landier

Two economists examine the interplay between our desire to be good, the personal costs of being good, and the point at which people abandon goodness due to its costs. Aided by the results of two surveys, they find that the answers to modern moral dilemmas are economic, and often highly predictable. Our values may guide us, but we are also forced to consider economic costs to settle decisions.

By Bruno Perreau, the Cynthia L. Reed Professor of French Studies

How can the rights of minorities be protected in democracies? The question has been front and center in the U.S. since the Supreme Court's repeal of affirmative action. In Europe too, minority politics are being challenged. The very notion of "minority" is being questioned, while the notion of a "protected class" risks encouraging competition among minorities. In "Spheres of Injustice," Perreau demonstrates how we can make the fight against discrimination beneficial for all.

By Kathleen Thelen, the Ford Professor of Political Science

This book traces the evolution of U.S. retailing from the late 19th century to today, uncovering the roots of a bitter equilibrium where large low-cost retailers dominate and vast numbers of low-income families now rely on them to make ends meet. Thelen reveals how large discount retailers have successfully exploited a uniquely permissive regulatory landscape to create a shopper's paradise built on cheap labor.

Chapter by Danielle R. Wood, associate professor in the program in media arts and sciences and associate professor in aeronautics and astronautics

In her chapter, "The Expanding Sphere of Human Responsibility for Sustainability on Earth and in Space," Wood proposes a multifaceted definition of sustainability and explores how the definition can be exercised as humans expand activity in space. Building on the tradition of consensus building on concepts of sustainable development through United Nations initiatives, Wood asserts that sustainability for human activity in space requires consideration of three types of responsibility: economic, social, and environmental.

By Ned Wolfe, marketing and communications assistant at MIT Libraries

"Victorian Parlour Games" is a beautifully designed and compact hardcover volume full of the classic, often silly, games played in the late 19th century. The Victorians loved fun and played hundreds and hundreds of party games. This endlessly delightful party games book collects some of the very best for your reference and pleasure.

By Dimitris Bertsimas, vice provost for MIT Open Learning, Boeing Leaders for Global Operations Professor of Management, associate dean for business analytics, and professor of operations research; Agni Orfanoudaki, and Holly Wiberg

Analytics is transforming health care operations, empowering medical professionals and administrators to leverage data and models to make better decisions. This book provides a practical introduction to this exciting field. The first part establishes the technical foundations of health care analytics, spanning machine learning and optimization. The second part presents integrated case studies that cover a wide range of clinical specialties and problem types using descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics.

Edited by Joseph F. Coughlin, senior research scientist and MIT AgeLab director, and Luke Yoquinto, MIT AgeLab research associate

Populations around the world are aging, and older adults' economic influence stands to grow markedly in future decades. This volume brings together entrepreneurs, researchers, designers, public servants, and others to address the multifaceted concerns of aging societies and to explore the possibility that certain regions will distinguish themselves as longevity hubs: home to disproportionate economic and innovative activity for older populations.

By Munther Dahleh, the William A. Coolidge Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS)

Harnessing the power of data and artificial intelligence (Al) methods to tackle complex societal challenges requires transdisciplinary collaborations across academia, industry, and government. In this book, Dahleh, founder of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), offers a blueprint for researchers, professionals, and institutions to create approaches to problems of high societal value using innovative, holistic, data-driven methods.

By Ja-Naé Duane, academic research fellow at the MIT Center for Information Systems Research, and Steve Fisher

This book describes how we're at the end of one 200-year arc and embarking on another. With this new age of intelligence, Duane and Fisher highlight the catalysts for change currently affecting individuals, businesses, and society as a whole. They also provide a model for transformation that utilizes a holistic view of making radical change through three lenses: you as a leader, your organization, and society.

By Greg Epstein, humanist chaplain

Today's technology has overtaken religion as the chief influence on 21st-century life and community. In "Tech Agnostic," Epstein explores what it means to be a critical thinker with respect to this new faith. Encouraging readers to reassert their common humanity beyond the seductive sheen of "tech," this book argues for tech agnosticism - not worship - as a way of life.

By David Mindell, the Dibner Professor of the History of Engineering and Manufacturing and professor of aeronautics and astronautics

Climate change, global disruption, and labor scarcity are forcing us to rethink the underlying principles of industrial society. In this book, Mindell envisions this new industrialism from the fundamentals, drawing on the 18th century when first principles were formed at the founding of the Industrial Revolution. While outlining the new industrialism, he tells the story of the Lunar Society, a group of engineers, scientists, and industrialists who came together to apply the principles of the Enlightenment to industrial processes.

Edited by Nick Montfort, professor of digital media, and Lillian-Yvonne Bertram

The discussion of computer-generated text has recently reached a fever pitch but largely omits the long history of work in this area - text generation, as it happens, was not invented yesterday in Silicon Valley. This anthology aims to correct that omission by gathering seven decades of English-language texts produced by generation systems and software, long before ChatGPT and Claude.

By Lotte Bailyn, the T Wilson Professor of Management, Emerita and professor emerita of work and organization studies; Teresa M. Amabile; Marcy Crary; Douglas T. Hall; and Kathy E. Kram

Whether they're one of the 73 million baby boomers reaching their full retirement benefit age or zoomers just entering the workforce, at some point most working Americans will retire. The optimal approach to retirement is unique to each person, but this book offers wisdom and anecdotes from more than 120 people and detailed interviews with 14 "stars" regarding their retirement transitions.

By Phil Budden, senior lecturer of technological Innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management; and Fiona Murray, associate dean for innovation, the William Porter Professor of Entrepreneurship, and professor of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management

Leaders in large organizations face continuous pressure to innovate, and few possess the internal resources needed to keep up with rapid advances in science and technology. But looking beyond their own organizations, most face a bewildering landscape of external resources. In "Accelerating Innovation," leaders will find a practical guide to this external landscape. Budden and Murray provide directions for navigating innovation ecosystems - those hotspots worldwide where researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors congregate.

By Jovi R. S. Nazareno, learning science and education outreach specialist at MIT Open Learning; Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa; and Christopher Rappleye

Writing is the highest form of thinking, as evidenced by neuroimaging that shows how more neural networks are activated simultaneously during writing than during any other cognitive activity. This book will help teachers understand how the brain learns to write by unveiling 15 stages of thinking that underpin the writing process, along with targeted ways to stimulate them to maximize each individual's writing potential.

By Erin L. Scott, senior lecturer of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management; Scott Stern, the David Sarnoff Professor of Management of Technology and professor of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management; and Joshua Gans

Building on more than two decades of academic research with thousands of companies and MIT students, Scott, Stern, and Gans have developed a systematic approach for startup leadership. They detail four key choices entrepreneurs must make, and "four strategic approaches to find and frame opportunities."

By Georg Rilinger, the Fred Kayne Career Development Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and assistant professor of technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic management

The California electricity crisis in 2000 caused billions in losses and led to bankruptcy for one of the state's largest utilities. More than 20 years later, the question remains: Why did the newly created electricity markets fail? In "Failure by Design," Rilinger explores practical obstacles to market design to offer a new explanation for the crisis - one that moves beyond previous interpretations that have primarily blamed incompetent politicians or corrupt energy sellers.

Chapter by Judith Barry, professor in the Art, Culture, and Technology Program, with Kelli Anderson

This collection of essays reveals the depth and complexity of the sculpture of American modernist Tony Smith, placing his multifaceted practice in dialogue with contemporary voices. Barry's chapter, "New Piece: Elective Geometries," describes the transformation of Smith's sculpture into the form of a flipbook and centerpiece "pop-up."

Edited by Natalie Bell, curator at the MIT List Visual Arts Center

Accompanying the related exhibition at MIT List Visual Arts Center and Buffalo AKG Art Museum, "Steina" brings renewed recognition to Steina (b. 1940, Iceland), tracing her oeuvre from early collaborative works with her partner Woody Vasulka to her independent explorations of optics and a liberated, non-anthropocentric subjectivity.

Chapter by Marissa Friedman, marketing and communications manager in the Art, Culture, and Technology Program; Jenna Clark Embry; Robin Goldberg; Gabrielle Hoyt; Stephanie Kane; Alix Rosenfeld; and Marissa Shadburn

Produced by the Alliance for Jewish Theatre, this guide was created to help non-Jewish theaters produce Jewish plays with authenticity, cultural awareness, and care. Friedman contributes a chapter on dramaturgy, exploring how the primary role of a dramaturg is to support a playwright and production team in articulating their artistic vision, and setting forth an ideal model for the dramaturgy of a Jewish play, with both a theatrical dramaturg and a Jewish dramaturg.

By Samuel Jay Keyser, the Peter de Florez emeritus professor of linguistics

Leonard Bernstein, in his famous Norton Lectures, extolled repetition, saying that it gave poetry its musical qualities and that music theorists' refusal to take it seriously did so at their peril. "Play It Again, Sam" takes Bernstein seriously. In this book, Keyser explores why we enjoy works of poetry, music, and painting, and how repetition plays a central part in the pleasure.

By Peter B. Kaufman, associate director of development at MIT Open Learning

Video is today's most popular information medium. Two-thirds of the world's internet traffic is video. Americans get their news and information more often from screens and speakers than through any other means. "The Moving Image" is the first authoritative account of how we have arrived here, together with the first definitive manual to help writers, educators, and publishers use video more effectively.

Chapter by Henry Lieberman, research scientist in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), and Christopher Fry

Lieberman's chapter, "Citizen Centered Cities: User Centered Design for Cooperative Cities," explores user-centered design principles for creating cooperative cities that prioritize citizen needs. The work demonstrates how design-focused approaches can address urban challenges by placing residents at the center of city planning and development processes.

Edited by Raafat Majzoub SM '17, visiting lecturer at the Art, Culture, and Technology Program; and Nicolas Fayad

This book explores the renovation of modern architecture in the Global South as a tool for self-determination and community-building. Focusing on the Oscar Niemeyer Guest House in Tripoli, Lebanon, Majzoub and Fayad examine heritage as a political and material process. Through case studies, visual essays, and conversations with architects, artists, and theorists, the book addresses challenges of preservation, gaps in archiving, and the need for new forms of architectural practice.

By Lawrence J. Vale, the Ford Professor of Urban Design and Planning and associate dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning; and Zachary B. Lamb

Too often the places most vulnerable to climate change are those that are home to people with the fewest economic and political resources. And while some leaders are starting to take action to reduce climate risks, many early adaptation schemes have actually made preexisting inequalities worse. In this book, Vale and Lamb ask how cities can adapt to climate change and other threats while also doing right by disadvantaged residents.

By Lindsay Bartholomew, exhibit content and experience developer at MIT Museum, and illustrated by Sequoia Bostick

How much can you love someone? Higher than you can reach? Longer than a river? Bigger than the sky? The real answer - bigger than everything that's big!

By Kaija Langley, director of development at MIT Libraries, and illustrated by TeMika Grooms

A great-grandma imparts the wisdom gained over her 100 years to an eager little girl in this tender picture book tribute to family and living a long, purposeful, beautiful life.

By Taylor Perron, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, and Lisa Varchol Perron, and illustrated by David Scheirer

It's no secret that children love rocks: They appear in jacket pockets, on windowsills, in the car, in their hiding places, and most often, in little grips. This book is an appreciation of rocks' versatility and appeal, paired with the presentation of real types of rocks and their play-worthy attributes.