Take a summer break with suggested reading and movies from President Doti

Before Chapman University students went away on their summer vacations, Chapman President Jim Doti, Ph.D. followed his longstanding tradition of sending them a letter listing some of his top reading recommendations (and a few films) to fill their hours on the beach or on the couch at home.

President Doti’s literary and cinematic picks for summer 2012 include:

• The New Confessions by William Boyd: “While our film students, I think, will particularly like this book because of its homage to the passion for filmmaking, I believe Boyd’s epic story of the extraordinary life of John James Todd will resonate for all readers.  And if you enjoy this one, another Boyd novel to consider is Any Human Heart.”
• A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron: “Maybe it’s because I lost my dog, Roxie, this year that I really identified with this book.  I believe, though, that you’ll find the book’s theme about finding one’s purpose in life to be especially timely, since I suspect you are beginning to spend more time thinking about your future and what you want out of life.”
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson: “A truly compelling historical work by this Pulitzer Prize-winning author.  Wilkerson brilliantly personalizes the story of the great migration of African American families who fled the south from 1915 to 1970 to seek a better life in northern and western cities.”
• The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt: “A National Book Award winner, this is a thought-provoking history and adventure story that connects the ideas of Greek and Roman civilizations with the modern world.  It may even inspire you to read Lucretius’ amazingly prophetic philosophical epic On the Nature of Things.”

He also adds two movie recommendations: “A 2008 flick I’m sure you missed is Jan Troells’ Everlasting Moments. I can’t recommend enough this beautiful story of a woman’s life that poignantly illustrates how every life is special in its own unique way.  I also highly recommend The Chorus, a wonderful film that captures so well the transformative impact that a great teacher can have on the hearts and minds of students.”