Each month, we ask people from across the Brigham to answer a question for our “Look Who’s Talking” feature. This issue, we’re asking what’s on your summer reading list. If you would like to add your voice to the conversation, please submit a comment at the bottom of the page.

“On my reading list for the summer I have Cell Biology by the numbers by Ron Milo and Rob Philipps which presents a quantitative view of the cell, i.e. more of a physicist approach to biology.”
— Olivier Pourquié, PhD, the Frank Mallory Burr Professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology

“With the state of the world today, I am now reading Success Through Diversity: Why the Most Inclusive Companies Will Win by Carol Fulp, the former CEO and President of The Partnership Inc. This book is an informative view packed with impactful references that can help you with the difficult conversation that everyone is trying to learn how to talk about. It’s a blueprint for both workplaces and learning environments.”
— LaKeisha M. Gandy, MBA, Senior Research Grant Manager, Division of Infectious Diseases

“The book Unifying Microbial Mechanisms: Shared Strategies of Pathogenesis by Michael F. Cole is on my summer reading list. My lab is currently working on the development of novel computational methods to guide us design better microbiota-based therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of certain bacterial infectious diseases (such as C. difficile infection and S. aureus infection). I would like to understand if those different bacteria share a similar strategy of pathogenesis. This book attempts to unify different microbial mechanisms, which will be very helpful for our research.”
— Yang-Yu Liu, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine

“So many books to read, so little time! White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism  by Robin DiAngelo is on our floor book club list for the summer. I am determined to read Guns, Germs, and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond and Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell as they’ve  been on my list for so long. I also have to read Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson with my daughter as that’s her summer reading assignment. And she’d like me to read all of the Trials of Apollo books by Rick Riordan with her this summer.”
— Jacqueline Slavik, PhD, Associate Research Associate, Department of Neurology

“I recently finished reading Plutopia: Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, and the Great Soviet and American Plutonium Disasters by Kate Brown. This engaging book tells the parallel stories of the plutonium processing plants that created the material for the American and Soviet nuclear arsenals in Washington state and Chelyabinsk, respectively. The Soviet plant was built as a copy of the American plant. They were staffed by similar privileged, planned communities, and suffered from similar environmental disasters, health effects, and cover-ups.”
— Joseph Hodgkin, MD, Resident, Internal Medicine

“I am reading Louise Aronson’s Elderhood. Even though I am a trained geriatrician, it fascinates me how much ageism is a part of modern culture. Dr. Aronson uses history and stories from her own life and clinical practice to break down stereotypes of aging. To change the culture we need to start a conversation, and this book does just that. While much is appropriately written about childhood, much of our lives is actually spent ageing, and “elderhood” should be embraced rather than marginalized.”
— Ariela Orkaby, MD, MPH, Associate Epidemiologist, Division of Aging

“I am reading The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson – the story of Churchill’s leadership of England through WWII. I have read Larson’s other books, including In the Garden of Beasts, which chronicles the rise of Hitler in 1930s Germany, and always find them fascinating, enjoyable, and informative.”
— Ron Walls, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Brigham Health

“Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is on my reading list for the summer. It was a gift from a fellow female orthopaedic surgeon who I’m friends with, and I’m excited to read about a strong female character.”
— Antonia Chen, MD, MBA, Director of Research, Arthroplasty Services

“History of Strength of Materials by Stephen P. Timoshenko! A classic in the field of deformation and disruption of solids.”
— Gio Traverso, MB, BChir, PhD, Gastroenterologist, Division of Gastroenterology

Home | Look Who’s Talking Archives