Welcome to "What We’re Reading," a section of Correspondences where writers from various fields reflect on how certain books have impacted their thinking on environmental and ecological issues. In the coming weeks and months, we will feature a wide ensemble of perspectives in this space, as people share gems found in their research, foundational books that have shaped society’s approaches to the environment, or fascinating novels that invite us to imagine new futures and new relationships with the Earth. The intent here is not to provide in-depth, critical reviews of scholarly monographs, but instead to provide seeds for conversations. We want these pieces to be invitations to read along with our contributors, where we can discover new directions in the environmental humanities or re-discover the insights of well-known classics. In order to address the ecological crises that face us, we need to learn from each other and the legacies of the past, and this section represents small but significant glimpses into our libraries. Check back soon!
What We're Reading Articles
Bren Ram – March 10, 2022
Something New Under the Sun: A Novel by Alexandra KleemanPenguin describes Alexandra Kleeman’s 2021 novel Something New Under the Sun as “all-too-timely”—a difficult label for a book to bear when we’ve been living in “unprecede.. READ MORE
Kelly McKisson – October 29, 2021
Ecohorror RecommendationsMaybe you’re contemplating watching Jaws this Halloween season—or perhaps not-watching it, after seeing the New York Times Magazine feature on a rise in shark attacks off the New.. READ MORE
Kelly McKisson – May 11, 2021
Kivalina: A Climate Change Story by Christine ShearerFor Kivalina, a small city on the northwest arctic coast of Alaska, “the rate of climate change is no longer measured in decades, but rather in years, months, or even hours... READ MORE
Bren Ram – April 23, 2021
Leave the World Behind: A Novel by Rumaan AlamThe popular conversation about Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel Leave the World Behind risks exhaustion... READ MORE
Kelly McKisson – April 14, 2021
The Resisters: A Novel by Gish JenGish Jen’s The Resisters might seem a curious book to share in this ENST forum, especially when I tell you that it’s a story of surveillance systems, craftwork prac.. READ MORE