ARHU Recommends: Summer 2025 Faculty & Staff Media Picks
June 17, 2025
Looking for your next great read, watch or listen this summer?
ARHU faculty and staff have you covered with their smart, funny and thought-provoking media picks for the season. Explore the list to see what is sparking curiosity, inspiring joy and fueling conversation at ARHU.
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Books
“There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” by Hanif Abdurraqib
Recommended by Lauren Johannesson-McCoy
Director of Finance & Administration, The Clarice
Abdurraqib's memoir uses basketball as the lens to tell the story of growing up in Ohio. Many passages took my breath away, especially when he connects his dad's bald head to LeBron James and strength and vulnerability.
“Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe
Recommended by Samuel Aguayo
Ph.D. Student, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
The book proposes an insight about British colonialism in Nigeria. It highlights the internal conflicts of local communities, which are interconnected to religion, ancestry, attachment to old traditions and resistance to European colonialism and the settlement of systemic dominance based on race and ethnicity.
“The Guy She was Interested in Wasn't a Guy At All” by Sumiko Arai
Recommended by Elece Smith
Program Administrative Specialist
The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
This is a manga series that is ongoing through Pixiv but is now available in English (and Japanese). This one is about a popular high school girl who develops a crush on the girl who sits next to her in class after she keeps running into her at her favorite CD shop. The art is so charming and the story is really cute.
“On the Calculation of Volume books I & II” by Slovej Balle
Recommended by Zachary Dorner
Assistant Professor, History
What would you do if your timeline was stuck on a single day? This is a wonderfully written rumination on time, relationships and the self.
“The Long Way to A Small, Angry Planet” by Becky Chambers
Recommended by Gideon Nesbitt
Undergraduate Student Services Coordinator, School of Music
This science fiction novel is the author's debut, and it's a delightful space opera that explores new beginnings and found family while building a science fiction world rich with deeply human stories within extraterrestrial and artificial characters. It's given me a lot of hope lately, and is an optimistic futuristic adventure that made me laugh, cry and think a lot.
“The East Indian” by Brinda Charry
Recommended by Madeline Hsu
Professor, History and Director, Center for Global Migration Studies
This historical novel works from a trace record of an Asian Indian man who landed in 1630s colonial Virginia to recreate a life and journeys of this singular figure. Charry received an award from the Society of American Historians in recognition of her dynamic prose and historical imagination.
“Disorientation” by Elaine Hsieh Chou
Recommended by John Kim
Principal Lecturer, English
“Disorientation” made me laugh out loud and think deeply about how Asian Americans are situated in academia and society in general. It gathers up a lot of threads with a cast of characters that includes sixth-year Ph.D.'s, Asian fetishists, leftist activists and right wing grifters.
“Exordia” by Seth Dickinson
Recommended by Elece Smith
Program Administrative Specialist
The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
In an alternate version of the early 2010s, a young woman makes first contact with a strange serpentine alien in Central Park and is sucked into a mysterious effort to save Earth from the clutches of genocidal alien warlords. There was a little something for every type of sci-fi fan: there's cool pseudo-science, interesting speculative international politics, a frenemy-ship between two men so toxic to one another that you can't help but root for both sides, complicated interspecies relationships and canonically real scientific superhell. I loved this book and haven’t stopped thinking about it.
“Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr
Recommended by Kelsey Klotz
Assistant Professor, School of Music
This book has a little something for everyone. Are you into historical fiction? It's got you covered. Dystopian sci-fi? Check. Some more contemporary fiction? Check. And at the heart of it is a story about connections and centuries-long through lines, and especially, the importance of libraries (and the humanities).
“What You Have Heard Is True: A Memoir of Witness and Resistance” by Carolyn Forché
Recommended by Lauren Johannesson-McCoy
Director of Finance & Administration, The Clarice
Forché's book tells about her political awakening in her late 20s, which intersects with the years leading up to the civil war in El Salvador. Beautifully, hauntingly written memoir.
“The Domestic Revolution: How the Introduction of Coal into Victorian Homes Changed Everything” by Ruth Goodman
Recommended by Max Grossman
Associate Professor and Director, Jewish Studies
Delightful popular history of the British landscape (copsing, pollarding, heath and commons); types of wood, fires and chimneys common before the advent of coal-burning; and then the path of coal through urban, rich and poor homes; domestic cooking technology; pots, pans and plates; changes in diet; and dynamics of cleaning. Her bias is clear: older was better, chimneys were a total bummer after central hearth fires; cleaning with a wood fire is much easier and soap is only necessary when you live in a coal-based setting.
“Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI” by Yuval Noah Harari
Recommended by James Stern
Professor, School of Music
“Nexus” provides a clear exposition of what is happening in America's political landscape right now, and how it is that democracy can naturally and organically lead to populism. What strikes me at the moment is the courage that it takes to be thoughtful and reflective rather than reactive.
“Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space” by Amanda Leduc
Recommended by Phoenix Lion Praxis Sweeney Fen
Multimedia Technician, The Clarice Technology Shop
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
“Disfigured” is a beautiful examination of cultural frameworks surrounding disability. Disability justice is framed through the lens of fairytales of old to Disney princesses to the more modern popular fairytale: superheroes. People with bodies considered disabled have ALWAYS existed. The variable is how antagonistic our infrastructure and culture are. This book is a wonderful foundation on understanding disability and disability justice through the lens of the stories we tell.
“Tierra de la Luz” by Lucía Mbomío
Recommended by José Magro Assistant Clinical
Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Mbomío’s book (in Spanish), about the realities facing female agricultural laborers in Europe exposes new forms of slavery and racism.
“Twenty-Four Seconds from Now...” by Jason Reynolds
Recommended by Lauren Johannesson-McCoy
Director of Finance & Administration, The Clarice
I'll read anything Jason Reynolds '05 writes. This young adult novel was beautiful to read as a parent. It's about Neon's first time with his girlfriend, Aria—all that's led up to this over the past 24 months and all that's going through his head at this moment.
“Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery” by Andrew Shaffer
Recommended by Max Grossman
Associate Professor and Director, Jewish Studies
I picked this up on a lark at the Friends of the Library Bookstore because of the hilarious pulp fiction image of Joe Biden driving a T-top Camaro and Barack Obama standing up in it and pointing, with this tie blowing in the breeze. It was not goofy, as the cover suggested, but was instead a loving fanfic that captured Biden as a seriously moral figure, aware of his fading abilities and his minimal legacy but still Amtrak Joe. Very well written, with an authentic noir vibe and just a treat to read.
“Taiwan Travelogue” by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ
Recommended by Madeline Hsu
Professor, History and Director, Center for Global Migration Studies
“Taiwan Travelogue” explores hybridity and inbetweenness by a Japanese woman born in Taiwan while it was under Japanese colonization. She travels throughout the island with a Taiwanese guide, developing awareness of the shifting ways in which her sense of identity and culture are drawn in multiple directions.
“Hard By A Great Forest” by Leo Vardiashvili
Recommended by Jane Hirshberg
Program Director, Development & Community Engagement, The Clarice
A very compelling read that takes place mostly in Tbilisi, Georgia and informs immigration and refugee experiences from war torn countries.
“The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese
Recommended by Katherine Brandt
Administrative Coordinator for Arts & Programming and Coordinator, Arts for All
Spans three different generations of the same family and you fall in love and are heartbroken by multiple stories and characters. The writing is absolutely beautiful and descriptive.
“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker
Recommended by Colin Brooks
Guest Experience Coordinator, The Clarice
A beautiful, heartbreaking story of a black woman simply trying to survive the circumstances she was born into in rural Georgia in the early 20th century. The conversations of community, faith, sexuality and forgiveness are so impactful and important and are handled in a way that feels completely organic.
“The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief” by Francis Weller
Recommended by James Stern
Professor, School of Music
“The Wild Edge of Sorrow” identifies grief as a vital part of human experience and a gateway into the connection and togetherness that everyone craves whether they realize it or not. In his words, grief is “initiation“ into one's community. In a society that tends to deny grief or pathologize it, I find this transformative. When I think of the mental health crisis that we've been seeing among our undergraduates, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, I reflect that we might be seeing the symptoms of unmetabolized grief. Weller's book could help members of our community become visible to themselves in a way they may have missed.
Creative Works by ARHU Faculty and Staff
Instagram: “Radio Rumi 2.0, Why Poetry Matters”
Fatemeh Keshavarz, professor and director of the Roshan Institute, has started a series of approximately 20-minute Instagram posts which discuss poetry from around the world (particularly from Iran and the U.S.). Her goal is to promote the humanities by showing that literature, particularly poetry, is not just for specialists. Poetry can be fun, playful, challenging and a space for self-exploration. It can help build community, promote equity and build social awareness. She emphasizes the poet's ability to overcome ideological limits and empathize with those who think differently.
Album: “Partituras pa partir fascistas, volumen I and II” by El Meswy
Song: “RabiosoMente” by Nutso and El Meswy
This translingual hip-hop album features explicit anti-racist lyrics over raw, uncompromising beats. El Meswy is the artistic pseudonym of José Magro, Assistant Clinical Professor in the School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Book: “Paint” by Colin Brooks
Colin Brooks, guest experience coordinator at The Clarice, tells a heartfelt coming-of-age story set in Florida. "Paint" follows Tucker as he heads off to college, navigates coming out and discovers the glamorous world of drag. It’s a fun, quick read featuring a messy protagonist figuring out what he wants to do with his life—something many can relate to at any age.
Book: “When We Were Twins” by Danuta Hinc
Danuta Hinc, principal lecturer in English, explores urgent themes of love, war, family, peace and the price of freedom in her novel. Askold Melnyczuk, author of “The Man Who Would Not Bow,” praises the book: “Her imagination revs at full throttle, and we would be wise to go along for the ride”
Movies and Shows
TV Series: “Andor” (Disney+)
Movie: “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (Disney+)
Recommended by Ryan Nock
Graduate Student, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
The show is a masterclass in storytelling and speaks to the current political state of affairs in a manner unprecedented for its franchise and deeply affective towards its audience.
TV Series: “Bugs That Rule the World” (PBS)
Recommended by Jane Hirshberg
Program Director, Development & Community Engagement, The Clarice
This mini-series presents fascinating information about bugs and the hosts are great–one is Sylvana Ross, an urban ecologist who visits Baltimore for one of her projects.
TV Series: “The Capture” (Peacock)
Recommended by Zhiyi Wu
Graduate Assistant, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
This show (especially the second season) demonstrates, in a dramatic but possibly realistic way, how deepfakes and AI could be used to steer the political landscape in different countries, which is quite relevant to our current society with turmoil and uncertainty that are caused by both AI's rapid development and politics.
TV Series: “Hacks” (Max)
Recommended by Colin Brooks
Guest Experience Coordinator, The Clarice
A hilarious dramatic comedy about a fictional Joan Rivers-esque pioneer female comedian and the writer she hires to collaborate with and make both their dreams come true. These characters are complex, sharp-tongued and so easy to fall in love with. It was just renewed for a fifth season, so I definitely recommend giving it a binge-watch this summer!
TV Series: “The Handmaid's Tale” (Hulu)
Recommended by José Magro
Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
This show is about a dystopian future not too far away from our present; feminism and collective action are portrayed as remarkably useful tools for resistance and revolution.
TV Series: “Love on the Spectrum” (Netflix)
Recommended by Ryan Knapp
Director of Operations, The Clarice
What if we all turned down our social filter a little bit and blurted out “I love you“ on a first date! The people with autism featured on this show might not like bread crumbs in the butter dish or loud noises, but who does? I am so inspired by the genuine characteristics of the individuals on this show and their zest for what life has to offer.
Movie: “A Man for All Seasons” (Amazon Prime Video)
Recommended by Brian Sarginger
Ph.D. Student, History
A great movie that is surprisingly witty and clever considering it is about the martyring of Thomas More. Also a timely message about holding to one's conscience in the face of threats.
TV Series: “Mo” (Netflix)
Recommended by Andrew Parayil Boge and José Magro
Boge: “Mo” is an incredible show that features Mo Amer, a Palestinian refugee, living in Houston, TX. The show is semi-autobiographical and blends humor with complex storytelling about the refugee and Muslim experience. Olive oil features prominently throughout the show—a powerful reminder of the cultural significance of olive oil for the Palestinian people as a marker of diaspora/homeland in the face of displacement.
Magro: This TV series presents a hilarious, critical and raw look into issues such as immigration and Palestine.
Mini-Series: “Rivals” (Hulu)
Recommended by Julie Taddeo
Research Professor, History
Sometimes the beach read isn't as good as the TV version, so if you find yourself bored on a rainy summer day, I recommend the mini-series “Rivals” based on Dame Jilly Cooper's 1988 bestselling “bonkbuster.” The premise— competition for an independent television franchise in the British Cotswolds—is set against the “Dynasty”-level glamor of the '80s but without the racism and misogyny. Adapted for a 21st century audience, “Rivals” has plenty of familiar faces like David Tennant (“Dr. Who”) and Aidan Turner (“Poldark”), and while outrageously fun, also offers a serious commentary on the corporate greed of the Reagan-Thatcher years.
TV Series: “Severance” (Apple TV+)
Recommended by Katherine Brandt
Administrative Coordinator for Arts & Programming and Coordinator, Arts for All
Many plot twists and so many fan conspiracy theories! I need someone to watch this show so we can discuss!
Movie: “Sinners” (Apple TV+)
Recommended by Katherine Brandt and Elece Smith
Smith: At this point, if you need me to tell you to watch this movie, you're just being stubborn. Easily the best movie of the year, no matter what the Academy says next winter. A movie that gets inside your brain and makes you want to watch it over and over again.
Brandt: One of the most visually stunning films I've seen. While it's “horror” it has a lot of humor and not a lot of jump scares. I saw it twice! Totally puts a different spin on your typical vampire movie and has great music.
Music
Album: “Clancy” by Twenty One Pilots
Recommended by Ross Angelella
Director, Jiménez-Porter Writers' House
Twenty One Pilots has created a dense, layered, dramatic and electric story over their last few albums about a rebel force going up against a mythical super power. I am relistening to “Clancy” in preparation for the final album in this saga set for release in September titled “Breach.” It’s some of the best modern alt storytelling going. Each song on “Clancy” also has its own music video, each with hidden Easter eggs and references throughout.
Album: “The Dark Side of the Moon” by Pink Floyd
Recommended by Ilai Saltzman
Associate Research Professor, Jewish Studies and Director, Gildenhorn Institute for Israel Studies
For those seeking a timeless blend of musical innovation and philosophical depth, “The Dark Side of the Moon” remains an essential listen. With its seamless fusion of progressive rock, experimental soundscapes and thought-provoking themes—ranging from time and mental health to consumerism—this 1973 masterpiece invites both analytical and emotional engagement.
Album: “Live in New York” by the Doors
Recommended by Ryan Knapp
Director of Operations, The Clarice
This album truly captures what a live concert is like in four recordings over two nights at the Felt Forum in 1970. There are parts of the band tuning their guitars, having issues with audio inputs and talking directly to the crowd which would typically all get cut from an album. I also like that you can hear The Doors play the same song on two different nights which highlights how vastly different the experience can be from concert to concert.
Album: “Melos Kalpa” by Melos Kalpa
Recommended by Zachary Dorner
Assistant Professor, History
The album is a snapshot of artists at the height of their powers completely in sync, improvising in a range of styles. It is music built on collaboration to get lost in.
Performance: “The Cast of Buena Vista Social Club: Tiny Desk Concert”
Recommended by Lauren Johannesson-McCoy
Director of Finance & Administration, The Clarice
I love the original album, which led me to see the show on Broadway this spring. This Tiny Desk concert whisked me away to Cuba for 20 minutes during a rainy day in May.
Album: “racine carrée” by Stromae
Recommended by Katherine Brandt
Administrative Coordinator for Arts & Programming and Coordinator, Arts for All
Even if you've never listened to French/Belgian pop before, blast this in your car for an instant pick-me-up, especially the tracks “Carmen,” “Papaoutai” and “Tous les mêmes.”
Album: “Wild and Clear and Blue” by I'm With Her
Recommended by Jeff Lidz
Professor and Chair, Linguistics
Beautiful harmonies, rich musical texture, surprising rhythms, thoughtful lyrics.
Podcasts
Podcast: “The Black Studies Podcast”
Recommended by Jessica A. Rucker
Graduate Assistant, The Douglass Center, American Studies
I recommend The Black Studies Podcast because it is not only co-created by John Drabinski (English and AAAS) and Ashley Newby (AAAS), but the podcast also makes clear the connection between scholarship and struggle, and between social analysis and social transformation. The podcast epitomizes humanistic scholarship and demonstrates why UMD is an R1. More than this, Dr. Drabinski and Dr. Newby are chronicling a living legacy, and with each episode, I get to be more and more a part of it.
Podcast: “Huberman Lab”
Recommended by Kate Keeney
Associate Professor, Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
Andrew Huberman addresses topics that are relevant to my work, like the creative process, organizational leadership and human behavior, among other “everyday” themes through the lens of neuroscience. I appreciate this more thorough understanding of human nature to help explain the behavior of organizations and societies.
Podcast Episode: “The Journal: The $6 Million Banana's Appeal”
Recommended by Lauren Johannesson-McCoy
Director of Finance & Administration, The Clarice
This is a perfect podcast episode in my opinion. It's about the art world–business, art and meaning-making
Podcast: “No hay negros en el Tíbet”
Recommended by José Magro
Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
An ex-member of my rap group and now radio host joins two afro-Spanish comedians to interview racialized celebrities.
Podcast: “Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!”
Recommended by Katherine Brandt
Administrative Coordinator for Arts & Programming and Coordinator, Arts for All
This is the only way I can digest current news, especially about politics, at this time. It comes with a hefty dose of humor and quick wit! Weekly new comedian and celebrity guest stars.