__________________________________
The History of Cartography, Vol. II, Bk. III, Cartography in the Traditional African,
American, Arctic, Australian, and Pacific Societies
D. Woodward and G. M. Lewis (Eds.)
This book is a significant contribution to knowledge in two fundamental ways. It is the first
comprehensive treatment of indigenous maps and mapmaking—a topic that has been largely neglected by
geographers and historians of cartography who focus almost exclusively on “Western” maps. Second,
this work expands the definition of a map to include spatial representations found in dances,
songs, gestures, scarification, sculpture, pottery, textiles, and tattoos. These understudied
mappings tell us much about the secular, spiritual, and spatial worldviews of indigenous
peoples.
Thomas J. Bassett
Geography
__________________________________
Advanced Synergetics: Instability Hierarchies of Self-organizing Systems and Devices
H. Haken
This book played an important role in the development of my research interest in dissipative
systems, and in providing a connection between inert and living systems.
Pascal Bellon
Materials Science and Engineering
__________________________________
Fault Detection and Diagnosis in Industrial Systems
L. H. Chiang, E. L. Russell, and R. D. Braatz
This was my first textbook, and was the first textbook on fault detection and diagnosis that
provided broad coverage of the field. Shortly after publication, the book was favorably reviewed by
a senior expert in the field, which gave a nice pat on the back after several years of effort.
Richard D. Braatz
Chemical Engineering
__________________________________
Community Colleges: Policy in the Future Context
Barbara K. Townsend and Susan B. Twombly (Eds.)
The book I have chosen is edited by two of the most respected author/scholars in my field,
community college education. The edited book contains a collection of chapters on some of the most
critical policy issues in the community college field authored by leading scholars. Fortunately, my
own writing appears in this book as I am a co-author with one of my closest colleagues, Margaret
Terry Orr, who is an Associate Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.
Debra D. Bragg
Educational Organization and Leadership
__________________________________
An Unquiet Mind
Kay Redfield Jamison
I selected this book for personal reasons.
Mary Susan Brewer
Food Science & Human Nutrition
__________________________________
Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention
Lee Reich and Vicki Herzfeld Alein
I like unusual fruits.
Jared Bronski
Mathematics
__________________________________
Devices of Wonder: From the World in a Box to Images on a Screen
Barbara Maria Stafford and Frances Terpak
Its author, Barbara Stafford, has been an intellectual inspiration ever since I first met her at
the University of Chicago, where she was also a mentor. This book in particular concerns
technologies of vision that are crucial to my own research in Chinese art history.
Anne Burkus-Chasson
School of Art and Design
__________________________________
Phenomenological Theory of Linear Viscoelastic Behavior
Nicholas W. Tschoegl
This book provides an excellent introduction to vicoelasticity, and I have found it to be a
comprehensive teaching tool in my early years at the University of Illinois. The material provided
herin has also served as an excellent foundation for my past and present research in characterizing
the tim-and temperature-dependent behavior of asphalt materials.
William Buttlar
Civil & Environmental Engineering
__________________________________
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Edward R. Tufte
This book was influential in my early graduate career when I was learning how to publish
scientific articles. As an experimentalist, presenting my data figures honestly and clearly is just
as important as writing the text honestly and clearly.
David Cahill
Materials Science and Engineering
__________________________________
The Goal
Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox
This book makes the concepts of process management fun, memorable, and easy. The lessons can be
applied to an industrial setting, service business, or personal life. Smooth flow (of widgets,
information, or life) requires identification of bottlenecks, prioritization, and focus; sounds
commonsense but requires persistence.
Dilip Chhajed
Business Administration
__________________________________
Reapportionment Puzzle
Bruce E. Cain
Wendy K. Tam Cho
Political Science
__________________________________
Blue Highways: A Journey into America
William Least Heat Moon
The message of this book is captured at the end, with the author standing on the Outer Banks of
North Carolina: in the face of unstoppable change, one needs not stability, but balance. This is a
pretty important insight for one’s life. I’m also a “life scientist,” and I believe this insight
can even illuminate the interior workings of individual cells.
David F. Clayton
Cell and Structural Biology
__________________________________
A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision (3rd ed.)
Bennett Reimer
Previous editions of this book (1970, 1989) played a key role in shaping the philosophical basis
for music education in the United States. Professor Reimer continues to distinguish himself as a
leading figure in the profession and alumnus of the University of Illinois.
Gregory DeNardo
School of Music
__________________________________
Advice for a Young Investigator
Santiago Ramon y Cajal
Santiago Ramon y Cajal (1852-1934) was one of the greatest neuroanatomists of the 15th century.
His beautiful drawings of nerve cells still inspire. I use techniques developed by Ramon y Cajal in
my own research. The advice given in this short book is still fresh today, except for the views on
women in science. I feel proud to have proved him wrong!
Susan Fahrbach
Entomology
__________________________________
Hermann Broch
It addresses in a most spectacular form the role and nature of art, love, and life. I have
chosen it as the focal story for an operatic work in progress.
Guy E. Garnett
Department of Music
__________________________________
The Rumen and its Microbes
Robert E. Hungate
I encountered this book by chance while browsing in the bookstacks of the D. H. Hill Library
when I was a sophomore majoring in pre-med at N. C. State University. I was overwhelmingly
intrigued with the complexity of the intestinal microbial ecosystem described in the book. This led
me to find a laboratory on campus that was conducting research on a related topic. So began my
research career. I never considered applying to medical school and am conducting research in a
related area now, 25 years later. In addition, our laboratory is now housed in the space formerly
occupied by Professor Marvin Bryant, who was elected to the National Academy of Sciences while a
UIUC faculty member. Professor Bryant began his career as a dishwasher in Professor Hungate’s
laboratory in the state of Washington. I met Professor Hungate when he attended the symposium held
at UIUC in honor of Professor Bryant’s career. Professor Hungate was 90 years old at the time, and
he resides now in Davis, CA.
H. Rex Gaskins
Animal Sciences
__________________________________
Samuel Johnson: Rasselas, Poems, and Selected Prose
Bertrand H. Bronson (Ed.)
As an undergraduate at SUNY at Buffalo in the ‘70s, I was introduced to exciting new ways of
thinking about film, literature, and culture. In reading feminist analyses of gender,
psychoanalytic theories on literature and film, and ethnic and racial revisions of history, I
learned innovative, politically astute methods of apprehending culture and cultural artifacts. I
was deeply enamored with my own critical sophistication. My reading of Dr. Johnson in an
introductory English course revealed a past that I had dismissed as hopelessly old-fashioned and
unselfconscious. Dr. Johnson possessed a capacious intelligence, sad, sometimes dark, always
engaged. He faced hard truths head on, reporting them with a rigor that was somehow kind, in
perfectly rounded sentences that seemed to make each observation an aphorism. This book began my
love affair with his writings and his century. His thoughts tempered mine. Through him, I came to a
far better understanding of the uses and significance of the later theories. His evaluation of my
occupation has helped me more than once to deflate any inclinations toward pomposity and
pretension: “every man can exert such judgment as he has upon the works of others; and he whom
Nature has made weak, and Idleness keeps ignorant, may yet support his vanity by the name of
Critick.”
Pat Gill
Institute of Communications Research
__________________________________
The Logic of Chemical Synthesis
E.J. Corey
The author, E.J. Cory, served as one of my research advisors. This book details a portion of his
many seminal accomplishments in synthetic chemistry, provides insights into his creativity, and
serves as an inspiration in my scientific career.
David Gin
Chemistry
__________________________________
Geographies of Latinidad
M. Garcia, a. Valdivia and M. C. Ledger (Eds.)
Geographies of Latinidad represents my journey and the journey of Latina-Latino Studies at
the University of Illinois. The book grew out of an informal reading group for Latina-Latino
Studies faculty and later a graduate seminar and national conference developed jointly by faculty
and sponsored by the Center for Advanced Study in which interdisciplinary perspectives were brought
to bear on topics such as gender, race, class, identity, and education. Although only a portion of
the participants of that seminar and conference contributed chapters to the book, the spirit of all
of us from that first reading group (many who were at the time assistant professors) is grounded in
this book. In this sense,
Geographies of Latinidad stands for not just me and where I see my research moving, but
for the journey taken by my “familia” in Latina/Latino Studies. I am proud to have a chapter in a
book with good friends and respected colleagues such as Angharad Valdivia, Alejandro Lugo, and matt
Garcia as well as leading scholars in Latina/o Studies such as Gloria Anzaldua, Ian Haney Lopez,
and Frances Aparicio. It represents all of the bonds I have and help I have received in terms of
getting tenure, but also the crossroads in helping me move beyond a traditional/conservative
research perspective in mathematics education for which I was trained and to which I belong, into a
more interdisciplinary and global perspective on the ways in which mathematics and democracy
relate.
Rochelle Gutierrez
Curriculum and Instruction
__________________________________
Concerto for viola Pomposa and Orchestra
Rudolf Haken
I chose this work in order to promote my favorite instrument, the viola pomposa.
Rudolf Haken
School of Music
__________________________________
Ville di delizie o siano palagi comparecci nello stato di Milano
Marc’ Antonio Dal Re
This book is a facsimile edition of selected rare prints of 18th century Lombard villa compound,
which formed the basis for my dissertation research and first sole-authored book. Without this
book, I would not have had ready access to the prints and accompanying texts since they are located
in archives and rare book collections.
Dianne Harris
Landscape Architecture
__________________________________
Sur la terre comme au ciel: Jardins d’Occident a la fin du Moyen Age
Marion Mangnon and Marion Tenbusch (Eds.)
In my teaching and research, I am interested in the relationship between medieval art and lived
experience. This exhibition is a wonderful example of this type of exploration. It juxtaposed
objects that ranged from high culture (for example, illuminated manuscripts or panel paintings) to
low (for example, watering cans), and through careful consideration successfully revealed how an
understanding of the physical experience of medieval gardens helps clarify our visual, literary, or
allegorical experience of them in the arts.
Anne D. Hedeman
School of Art and Design
__________________________________
Prolongation of Life
I Metchnikoff
He was a Nobel Lauate and was one of the first to note the influence of diet and the
prolongation of life.
Bill Helferich
Food and Human Nutrition
__________________________________
Medically Important Fungi: A Guide to Identification, 4th ed.
Davise H. Larone
I selected this book because of its high quality and utility. Teaching mycology to the
veterinary students has been an integral part of my life as a faculty member at UIUC. This book
will help future students in their studies of infectious disease and pathology.
Lois L. Hoyer
Veterinary Pathobiology
__________________________________
The Story of the Group of Seven
Lawren Harris
I wanted to choose a book that related to my academic or personal interests, and yet was not
likely to go out of date. Moreover, I wanted something that would be new to UIUC. As my academic
interests are in information technology, not only was it difficult to choose a book that would not
(soon) be out of date, but also one not already held by UIUC. So I turned to my personal interests.
As a Canadian whose experience of the U.S. has been rooted in the corn and soybeans of central
Illinois, what better choice could I make than something relating to the great Canadian landscape
artists of the Group of Seven, whose founding members included Lawren S. Harris, J. E. H.
MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Frederick Varley, Frank Johnston, Franklin Carmichael, and A. Y. Jackson
(Tom Thomson, often considered a member of this group drowned in Algonquin Park in 1917, before the
first show by the Group of Seven in 1920). I have grown up with their landscape and their
paintings, images that still take my breath away.
I have not seen the book that I have requested. In keeping with the information age, I found the
book online as well as the rare books store that has it for sale. I have conveyed the request for
the book to the library electronically and realize that I may see it for the first time at the
reception for newly tenure and promoted faculty. In the meantime, it has been a pleasure and a
delight to revisit the Group of Seven, and I hope the book will inspire others to explore these
painters and the land they painted.
Caroline Haythornthwaite
Library and Information Science
__________________________________
Foc’s’le and Glory-hole
James C. Healey
This book is by my grandfather, who went to sea as a cabin boy at a young age. He later worked
his way through Princeton and then earned a Ph.D. in sociology, starting a tradition of academic
inquiry in our family. I am proud to be the third generation to follow that path.
Paul D. Healey
Library Administration
__________________________________
Flatlands: A Romance of Many Dimensions
A. Abbott
This book captures a poignant but simple relationship between mathematics and the spiritual
underpinnings that many people seek. It provides a lucid explanation of how God may exist, and the
human limitations that prevent us from fully understanding his power, using fundamental and basic
mathematical principles. It captures a concept that is near and dear to my heart.
Sheldon H. Jacobson
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
__________________________________
Soil and Water Conservation Engineering (4th ed.)
Glenn O. Schwab, et al.
I use this as a textbook for two classes. This is one of the most prestigious books, and it has
been used all over the world as a textbook for Agricultural Engineering students. This book covers
the fundamentals of soil and water resources engineering with excellent examples. In the
5th edition of this book (that will be published within the next two years), I will be a
co-author of this book.
Prasanta K. Kalita
Agricultural Engineering
__________________________________
Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame
This book teaches the following lessons: the value and responsibilities of friendship; the
importance of community; the joy found in everyday activities; and the beauty and ferocity of the
natural world. I still read it when I need to be reminded of what matters most.
Julia Kellman
School of Art & Design
__________________________________
Lend Me Your Ears—Great Speeches in History
Selected and Introduced by William Safire
The speeches in this book, drawn from all of documented history, express an extraordinary
collection of ideas on a range of topics. Taken together, they teach, please and never fail to
inspire.
Jay P. Kesan
College of Law
__________________________________
Classical Acting
Malcolm Morrison
Written by one of my mentors in the theatre, this book is a brilliantly concise guide for actors
attempting classical texts.
Henson Keys
Theatre
__________________________________
Strengthening Family Resilience
Froma Walsh
Wish I had written it! Froma Walsh does a wonderful job of describing what family resiliency is,
what resilient families look like, and how we can adopt a strengths-oriented perspective to help
families manage life’s challenges. The book is a wonderful model of how research knowledge,
theoretical frameworks, and practice perspectives can be integrated to develop effective
interventions that support families. Froma Walsh will be the featured speaker for the Spring 2003
lecture of The pampered Chef Family Resiliency Program.
Laurie Kramer
Human and Community Development
__________________________________
Computer Vision: A Modern Approach
David Forsyth and Jean Ponce
Jean Ponce, an author, was responsible for bringing me to UIUC, and it honors him well.
David Kriegman
Computer Science
__________________________________
Lutyens Abroad: The Work of Sir Edwin Lutyens Outside the British Isles
Andrew Hopkins and Gavin Stamp (Eds.)
Edwin Lutyens was one of the greatest architects of the 20th century; yet because he rejected
the tenets and visual forms of the Modern Movement, much of his work remains unfamiliar or
relegated to a minor niche as “Arts and Crafts” design. This book introduces scholars and general
readers to an array of important Lutyens buildings from France to New Delhi and from Washington, DC
to Rome. For my own studies of late 19th and early 20th century architecture, I greatly welcome
this significant addition to the literature on Lutyens.
Paul Kruty
School of Architecture
__________________________________
Mechanics of Motor Proteins and the Cytoskeleton
Jonathan Howard
The mechanical properties of cellular components and of proteins that act as motors in biology
are of enormous importance for living systems. This highly readable textbook introduces students to
the molecular mechanics of biological molecules. Several important fundamental concepts are
introduced and described in a way that is accessible to undergraduates, graduates, and researchers
new to the field. The breadth of topics presented should also be of interest to a wide variety of
faculty on this campus, including physics, cell biology, physiology, chemical and biomolecular
engineering, and chemistry.
Deborah Leckband
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
__________________________________
Multiphase Fluid Dynamics
S. L. Soo
I selected
Multiphase Fluid Dynamics in remembrance of Professor S. L. Soo who was one of my mentors.
I always remember how he taught me to be a good professor. He was a world-renowned researcher and
was the graduate advisor of many prominent professors, including President James J. Stukel of the
University of Illinois and Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien of UC Berkeley. It was a great honor for me
that he asked me to manage his laboratory and eventually inherit his laboratory after his death in
1998 due to old age. I deeply appreciate the kindness and care from him and his wife, Mrs. Hermia
Soo.
Chia-fon F. Lee
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
__________________________________
D-brane Primer
Clifford Johnson
This book is a review of D-branes, which are important objects in string theory. They were
originally discovered by myself and collaborators.
Rob Leigh
Physics
__________________________________
Precedence and Arrow Networking Techniques for Construction
Robert B. Harris
This book was written by my mentor, Robert B. Harris, who was instrumental in my decision to
pursue a career in Construction Engineering and management. An inspiring teacher, a dedicated
researcher, and a pioneer, Harris wrote the book with passion, clarity, and an excellent balance
between theories and practical applications.
Liang Y. Liu
Civil and Environmental Engineering
__________________________________
Oh, the Places You’ll Go
Dr. Suess
It is a seminal discourse on the expectations, perceptions and reality of the journey of today’s
young adults within the American culture; oh yeah, and it has really neat pictures!
Eric Loth
Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
__________________________________
The Making of the English Working Class
Edward P., Thompson
E.P. Thompson’s
The Making of the English Working Class is, in my opinion, one of the best academic
books of the twentieth century. The book’s honest and rigorous examination of England’s industrial
revolution has not been surpassed. The book is a very serious reminder of the importance of
understanding the everyday life of working class peoples everywhere, especially in relation to the
larger economic and political forces that continue to impinge upon them today.
Alejandro Lugo
Anthropology
__________________________________
The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics
Gary Zukav
With superb clarity and insight, this book explains to the non-expert the strange concepts of
modern physics, in such areas as quantum mechanics and relativity. There are many books which
endeavor to provide such popular introductions, but this one is truly exceptional in the sense of
wonder it conveys. It approaches physics from a philosophical perspective, inviting the reader to
ponder the deeper implications of what we have learned. The counterintuitive discoveries of modern
physics are compared in a running metaphor to the mind-expanding suggestions of Eastern mysticism,
showing how both disciplines ask us to question our preconceived notions of the nature of things. I
was greatly inspired by this book when I read it as an undergraduate student, and it still serves
as a reminder that science should always be approached with an open mind and a sense of wonder.
Naomi C. R. Makins
Physics
__________________________________
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Dogs and Cats
Frank J. M. Verstraete (Ed.)
I am a veterinary surgeon and dentist with a special interest in maxillofacial surgery in dogs
and cats. This book will be the first book ever published in the world devoted to the art of
maxillofacial surgery. This book will contain 59 chapters written by over 40 specialists with
expertise in various aspects of maxillofacial surgery. I am proud to be a contributing author to
this book which will serve as the goal standard for maxillofacial surgery in dogs and cats for many
years.
Sandra Manfra Marretta
Veterinary Clinical Medicine
__________________________________
Modern Quantum Chemistry
A. Szabo and N. Ostlund
This is the book which first piqued my interest in electronic structure theory.
Todd J. Martinez
Chemistry
__________________________________
The Applause First Folio of Shakespeare in Modern Type
Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s First Folio stands as one of the greatest literary achievements of all time. This
new edition is the first time the plays have been printed in modern type. Thereby making this
monumental work of art more accessible too any reader. It is the cornerstone of all dramatic
literature, and it continually informs all of my work in the theatre.
Robin McFarquhar
Theatre
__________________________________
Religious Ambiguity and Religious Diversity
Robert McKim
I wrote it.
Robert McKim
Program for the Study of Religion
__________________________________
The Man Who Once Was Whizzer White
Dennis J. Hutchinson
This biography of Justice Byron White is an example of excellent contemporary legal scholarship.
It offers an insightful and nuanced account not only of Justice White’s remarkable life, but also
of the ways in which personality and human experience shapes the development of law.
David Meyer
College of Law
__________________________________
Words on Words: A Dictionary for Writers and Others Who Care about Words
John B. Bremner
Narrowing the list to just one book was surprisingly difficult. My first thought was fiction and
my favorite political-intrigue novel,
Seven Days in May. Then I thought more journalistic:
All the President’s Men. Or more personally relevant: Jim Lehrer’s
We Were Dreamers. Or more academically relevant: Edward Tufte’s
Envisioning Information. Or more classical philosophical:
Meditations on the First Philosophy.
In the end, if I had to limit my choice to just one book, either for this honor or for
accompanying me onto a desert island, it would have to be a reference work. That gave me the
obvious choice: John Bremner’s
Words on Words, a psalmist’s concordance to the English language, evocative of my eternal
memories of the zealotry of the larger-than-life Australian war hero turned priest turned
journalism professor who committed the words to paper and committed me and thousands of others
worship at the altar of our language.
Eric Meyer
Journalism
__________________________________
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter is an engineer who has directed his problem-solving skills beyond the technical
horizon and is a great example and inspiration for all of us.
Jimmy Carter’s rural roots remind me of my own upbringing. It is a way of life that is
disappearing, but one worth remembering.
Ty Newell
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
__________________________________
City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi
Harper Collins
This is a beautifully written, fascinating introduction to a country and a society I knew little
about. The book brilliantly interweaves insights into Delhi’s rich culture and turbulent history
with social and political commentary and with glimpses of present-day society and attitudes.
City of Djinns is often poignant, often humorous, but fundamentally respectful. My former
post-doctoral mentor recommended this rewarding book to me, and it’s a pleasure for me to recommend
it in turn.
Peter Orlean
Biochemistry
__________________________________
A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There
Aldo Leopold
It is a classic in the field of Conservation Biology that all should read and heed. As Leopold
states, “Like wind and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away
with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher ‘standard of living’ is worth its cost
in things natural, wild and free.”
Ken N. Paige
Animal Biology
__________________________________
Hayek and After: Hayekian Liberalism as a Research Programme
Jeremy Shearmur
Friedrich Hayek was one of the greatest economists of the 20th century. It would be good for the
library to have a more complete collection of writings on and about him.
Neil Pearson
Finance
__________________________________
Hearing Gestures: How Our Hands Help Us Think
Susan Goldin-Meadow
Susan Goldin-Meadow, the author of this book, was my graduate advisor. She, more than anyone
else, has influenced my career and my scholarship. I am delighted that I can recognize her
influence by placing her book in UIUC’s library in honor of my promotion.
Michelle Perry
Educational Psychology
__________________________________
Robert M. Rauber, John E. Walsh and Donna J. Charlevoix
I wrote it and its publication coincided with my promotion.
Robert M. Rauber
Atmospheric Sciences
__________________________________
The Classic Hundred Poems: All-time Favorites
William Harmon (Ed.)
For several years, I have found delight, wonder, and sober reflection in this anthology of the
most-printed poems in the English language. These poets, from ancient to modern, use their artistry
to probe the universal human experience of searching for meaning and purpose in every aspect of
life.
Sam Reese
School of Music
__________________________________
Pattern and Growth in Personality
Gordon W. Allport
It is one of the classics in my field of study. It has influenced my thinking and research
greatly, and I hope to write a pale facsimile of it in the coming years.
Brent W. Roberts
Psychology
__________________________________
Chusei no chi to gaku: chushaku o yomu
Mitani Kuniaki
This is an invaluable work concerning the intellectual horizons and forms of textual annotation
during the medieval era in Japan. We can gain great insight into the milieu in which all manner of
textual production was occurring, including a variety of arenas, and especially indicating a close
connection between the religious and seemingly non-religious spheres of Japanese society.
Brian O. Ruppert
East Asian Languages and Culture
__________________________________
Democracy and Disagreement
Amy Gutmann and Dennis Thompson
This book influenced my thinking on how to conceptualize evaluation theory and practice.
Katherine Ryan
Educational Psychology
__________________________________
R. T. Rockafellar and R. J. B. Wets
It intersects a great deal with my current research interests and is a fantastic book.
Nick Sahinidis
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
__________________________________
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors and the
Collision of Two Cultures
Anne Fadiman
I happened upon this book in Barnes and Noble quite by accident just as I was about to begin a
major new research initiative looking at the health impacts of environmental contaminants in Hmong
refugees. It opened my eyes to Hmong culture, helped me to understand how Hmong people
conceptualize health and disease, and, perhaps most importantly, caused me to stop and reflect on
what it means to be an American.
Susan L. Schantz
Veterinary Biosciences
__________________________________
Design for Environment
Graedel and Allenby
As a person concerned about the environment, but also very aware of the need for engineering
projects, I selected a book that would enable engineers and other scientists to think about the
impact on the environment and ways they can help solve some of the problems.
Mary C. Schlembach
Library Administration
__________________________________
Vitamin P: New Perspectives in Painting
Barry Schwabsky
Rosalyn D. Schwartz
School of Art and Design
__________________________________
V
Thomas Pynchon
Like great food, Pynchon writes books that can be experienced again and again without losing
their appeal. The many plot threads in
V are definitely secondary to the writing itself, which (at least for me) forms a
fascinating ocean of words that I never tire of diving into, sometimes floating near the surface
and sometimes descending into the murky depths.
Mats Selen
Physics
__________________________________
The Killer Angels
Michael Schaara
Killer Angels is about the Battle of Gettysburg. The movie
Gettysburg is based on the novel. Most of the movie was filmed near my home in
Pennsylvania. The U.S.A., as we know it, may have ceased to exist had the Battle of Gettysburg and
the Civil War had different outcomes.
Jim Shriner
Special Education
__________________________________
The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity
Jurgen Habermas
Mirjana Soltirovic
Journalism
__________________________________
An Introduction to Composite materials, 2nd Edition
Derek Hull
Nancy R. Sottos
Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
__________________________________
Concrete, 2nd Edition
S. Mindess, J. F. Young and D. Darwin
I am selecting this book because it is a new edition of a textbook we have used for many years
in teaching here and because one of the authors, J. F. Young, was a valued colleague here for many
years.
Leslie Struble
Civil and Environmental Engineering
__________________________________
The Gift Relationship: From Human Blood to Social Policy
Richard M. Titmuss
Titmuss’ imaginative investigation of voluntary and commercial systems of blood collection
inspired me to take up the study of foster care to address a basic question of social policy: Are
human needs better met by applying the economic principles of the marketplace or by instilling in
people the social values of altruism and reciprocity?
Mark Testa
School of Social Work
__________________________________
Up from Puerto Rico
Elena Padilla
I selected
Up From Puerto Rico because Elena Padilla’s work and life constitutes part of an
intellectual legacy in the discipline of Anthropology and Puerto Rican Studies that has been
overlooked in the academy. Her recognition in the field is long overdue.
Arlene Torrres
Anthropology
__________________________________
The Gift
Vladimir V. Nabokov
Set in Berlin in the late 1920s,
The Gift is a love letter to Russia, Russian literature, and the woman who became
Nabokov’s wife. I first read it (in English) in 1977 and learned Russian just so that I could read
it in the original. A masterpiece.
Aaron Trehub
Library Administration
__________________________________
Design and Performance of Road Pavements
Paul Croney, David Croney
Erol Tutumluer
Civil and Environmental Engineering
__________________________________
Jules Verne
Books by Jules Verne made a lasting impression on me. I must have read this particular book a
dozen times at least (although in my native language) as a kid. Perfect combination of science and
fiction. These books got me thinking about science and engineering.
Nitin H. Vaidya
Electrical and Computer Engineering
__________________________________
The Primrose Path
Bram Stoker
The first novel published by Bram Stoker, the author of
Dracula,
The Primrose Path has just recently been rediscovered and reissued, and the UIUC Library
as yet has no copy. In my recent study, Dracula’s Crypt, I provide the first critical reading of
this novel on record and establish its importance as an expression of Stoker’s Irish
self-image.
Joseph Valente
English
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Factotum
Charles H. Bukowski
Bukowski summarizes the relationship between the individual and society in
Factotum, chronicling the enervating effect of most work on our humanity. From the
disconnection he formulates a philosophy of endurance: those who endure [society] and ultimately
prevail [at anything] gain a freedom that separates them from others.
Eric R. Vimr
Veterinary Pathobiology
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David O. Slauson and Barry J. Cooper
The book I selected has been in many ways a handbook for my teaching career. I read the first
edition from cover to cover when preparing for the veterinary pathology board examination and found
the book’s exquisite organization yet easy going style to fit my style of learning like a hand in
glove. Accordingly, I have used the second and third editions as the text for my course in General
Pathology, taught to second year veterinary students. I follow in general its organizational scheme
and have emulated its easy going style. General Pathology has been transformed from a course that
was formerly dreaded to one that is anticipated.
Matt Wallig
Veterinary Pathobiology
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Chained in Christ: The Experience and Rhetoric of Paul’s Imprisonments
Craig S. Wansink
The author is one of the most inspiring professors I know. He inspires not only through his
research and service but also in the way he impassions his students. This book shows how a 2000
year old topic can be made as fresh and interesting as tomorrow’s news. Oh, yes, he’s also my
brother.
Brian Wansink
Business Administration
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Clones and Clones: Facts and Fantasies about Human Cloning
Martha Nussbaum
Nussbaum is such a marvelous writer and thinker. Her words make you think and because she is so
accessible, she reaches many and challenges others to think.
Lynn Wiley
Library Administration
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The Education of Blacks in the South, 1860-1935
James D. Anderson
Arlette Ingram Willis
Curriculum and Instruction
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Fohrer Gronlandfahrer
Erich Riewerts and Brar C. Roeloffs
This book chronicles my mother’s rich heritage dating back to the 16th century. My ancestors
were sea captains and farmers from the German Island Fohr. I was struck by how greatly my family
was influenced by strong, dominant women, who ran the farms while the men were away at sea.
Brenda Anne Wilson
Microbiology
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Time Series Analysis: Nonstationary and Noninvertible Distribution Theory
K. Tanaka
This book is a very good text with coverage at an advanced level of limit distribution theory
for unit root models and small cointegration systems with a focus on the Fredholm approach to
characterizing the distribution of functionals of stochastic processes like Brosonian motion.
Zhijie Xiao
Economics
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Kingsley Amis
This book describes the trials and tribulations of a bumbling young scholar’s quest to join the
faculty of an academic institution in post-war England. It’s a tragic-comical story that pokes fun
at the self-absorbed seriousness of academic life. I thought of this book frequently during my time
as assistant professor, and it helped me keep work, family and competing outside interests in
perspective.
Greg Youngen
Library Administration
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J. Y. Wong
This book provides the fundaments of the off-road equipment engineering which is the area I’m
working on.
Qion Zhang
Agricultural Engineering
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Statistical Theories of Mental Test Scores
Frederic M. Lord and Melvin R. Novick
Theory exploration and development are always at the research core in any discipline. In
educational and psychological measurement, there are two major testing theories today: classical
testing theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT). Statistical Theories of Mental Test Scores by
Lord and Novick (1968), with contributions by Allan Birnbaum, is the best classic book describing
both theories, I believe. The book helped me a lot in understanding both theories and it is one of
the references I used more frequently when I built my line of research in IRT and Kinesiology. I am
building a Kinesmetrics (measurement and evaluation in Kinesiology) doctoral program at UIUC now
and this will be a required book for my doctoral students to read.
Weimo Zhu
Kinesiology