An unusual 2017 summer reading list

Each summer I publish a summer edition of great reading with recommendations from college admissions counselors and deans, compiled by Brennan Barnard, director of college counseling at the Derryfield School in Manchester, N.H., and a contributor to this blog. Here is a unique list of 50 fiction and nonfiction books with some titles that can appeal to just about everybody.

By Brennan Barnard

If you are like me, the pile of unread books has once again reached a tipping point, and the titles and subjects are broad and deep. Every year at this time I like to take this opportunity to suggest a few books for graduating seniors who will be starting the next chapter of their educational lives. The theme of my book list is mindfulness; in a world where we are increasingly distracted — we run from one commitment to another, often connected to a device but not ourselves or each other — it is important to pause and be aware of the experience of living. But if mindfulness doesn’t interest you, there is, too, a longer list of fiction and nonfiction books recommended by college admissions counselors and deans from around the country. Enjoy!

“Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People ” by Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald

Recommended by : Michele Koenig , associate director of college counseling, Proctor Academy, N.H.

For the full list, click here .