NYC Gazette

Summer brings opportunities for travel, rest, and reading. NYU News consulted five university librarians for book recommendations to suit various summer activities.

Talya Cooper, research curation librarian for Data Services, suggests "Your Face Belongs to Us: A Tale of AI, A Secretive Startup, and the End of Privacy" by Kashmir Hill (Random House, 2023). The book examines the rise of facial recognition technology through the lens of Clearview AI. “It’s about tech ethics and surveillance,” Cooper says. “What does the advent of facial recognition mean for those who think our lives are private?”

Jane Excell, assistant director of Collection Development, recommends "The Morningside" by Téa Obreht (Random House, 2024). The novel features a mother and daughter moving into a high-rise in Island City. “It has a kind of strange familiarity,” Excell says. “If you live in or have visited New York City, it’s especially engaging.”

Gaby Garcia, EDI student success librarian, endorses "Blue Laws: Selected and Uncollected Poems, 1995-2015" by Kevin Young (Knopf, 2016). This collection serves as a retrospective of Young’s poetry career. “He uses language like a playground,” Garcia notes. “I read him because it makes me want to write.”

Amanda He, STEM instruction and engagement librarian, recommends "Chemistry: A Novel" by Weike Wang (Knopf 2017). The story follows a female Chinese American PhD student dealing with academic pressures and personal expectations. “It's kind of a coming-of-age book for those who are in college or graduate school,” He says.

David Ratzan, head of the Library at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, suggests "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness" by Jonathan Haidt (Random House, 2024). Haidt explores how increased smartphone use among children correlates with rising mental health issues. “It’s close to essential reading for parents [and] educators,” Ratzan asserts.