January 18 – CSW Reading Spotlight with Wren Rearden ‘22 & more
EXPLORE
The CSW Library occasionally asks members of our community (faculty, staff, and students) what they are reading, love to read, and a bit about their reading life in an effort to share recommendations and to engage with our wide community of readers. Each feature includes a Q & A with the community member and a series of recommended titles.
For Wren Rearden ‘22, so much of reading is about finding books that will have some personal, lasting resonance with the reader. They sagely note that “reading, and the relationship between a book and its reader, is completely in the hands of the reader. books have the power to change people, but only if their reader is willing to be changed.” Wren offers up a nicely blended list of recommendations that include young adult literature, LGBTQ+ themes, sad love stories, and some classic reads that wrap you up like a comforting, old friend.
Want to be featured in a CSW Reading Spotlight? Email library@csw.org or reach out to Jenna directly at jwolf@csw.org. We’d love to hear from you.
READ
Each week, the CSW Library will highlight one new title to our collection in our BOOK OF THE WEEK feature to help you choose (or not choose) your next read.
THE CONTRADICTIONS by SOPHIE YANOW
QUICK TAKE
Sophie is young and queer and into feminist theory. She decides to study abroad, choosing Paris for no firm reason beyond liking French comics. Feeling a bit lonely and out of place, she's desperate for community and a sense of belonging. She stumbles into what/who she's looking for when she meets Zena. An anarchist student-activist committed to veganism and shoplifting, Zena offers Sophie a whole new political ideology that feels electric. Maybe consider this title for the 2021 CSW Reading Challenge: a book with images!
GOOD TO KNOW
WHERE TO CHECK IT OUT
CSW—a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12—is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.