{"id":1992,"date":"2025-05-27T09:01:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T13:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/2025\/05\/27\/turn-pages-with-the-pack\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T00:09:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T04:09:52","slug":"turn-pages-with-the-pack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/2025\/05\/27\/turn-pages-with-the-pack\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn Pages With the Pack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-lead wp-block-paragraph\">You feel the hot breeze and smell the honeysuckle and you know it\u2019s coming \u2014 summertime in North Carolina. Long days. Bright sun. That Southern sizzle. No better time to crawl into the shade and catch up with a good book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good book takes you places. To the future, the past. To that mountain you may climb in a year or to the stars we won\u2019t reach in a thousand. A good book opens your heart and mind, letting you glimpse the world with different eyes. The right book, at the right time, can unlock doors to your deeper self.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But you don\u2019t have to take our word for it. We asked readers of the Pack to recommend books that transformed their thinking and their lives, and to share the scoop on the best reading spots at NC&#160;State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.lib.ncsu.edu\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/catalog.lib.ncsu.edu\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1526699\" alt=\"Students study at tables in the James B. Hunt Jr. Library at NC&#160;State.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Studetns-Studying-in-Library-2.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">The NC&#160;State University Libraries<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">A nexus for learning across disciplines, the Libraries consists of two main libraries, three branches and three affiliated campus information centers. If you\u2019re looking for your next summer read, it\u2019s the perfect place to start.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Check out the <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>catalog&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sally Parlier (she\/her)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Lecturer, First-Year Writing, <a href=\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/\">Department of English<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>The Buffalo Hunter Hunter<\/em> by Stephen Graham Jones<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I finished <em>The Buffalo Hunter Hunter<\/em>, I thought: this is the Great American Horror Novel. But the more I considered it, I wonder how much the &#8220;horror&#8221; qualifier is necessary there. <em>Beloved<\/em>, <em>Moby Dick<\/em>, <em>Blood Meridian<\/em> \u2014 our greatest American novels are horror stories. I think it&#8217;s likely no coincidence that Good Stab, Jones&#8217; Blackfeet vampire protagonist, and The Kid, from McCarthy&#8217;s aforementioned <em>Blood Meridian<\/em>, were both born &#8220;the year the stars fell,&#8221; the Leonids Meteor Shower of 1833.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2025\/04\/d-h-hill-jr-library-closed-for-summer\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2025\/04\/d-h-hill-jr-library-closed-for-summer\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The D.H. Hill Jr. Library<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Reopening in August, this library on North Campus houses the Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection with over 400 popular titles.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Great American story is violent, vicious and haunted, and Jones turns our notions of the Western and the vampire upside down. It&#8217;s an important work. But as a fast-paced tale of revenge with a wild back half, it also makes for an excellent summer read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I&#8217;m away from home I prefer audiobooks, so my favorite spot to read on campus is mobile. If I need a break from my office, I like to pick a new route for a walk and see what <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/ncsu.edu\/ncstatedendrology\/campus-tree-trail\">plants<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/0523d1e89f1347a0bff790d1c8c49d04\">art installations<\/a> I can discover while I&#8217;m listening to my book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Reds-And-Whites-Walking-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Reds-And-Whites-Walking-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"An eye-level shot of the Reds and Whites art installation on Centennial Campus, showing people strolling through the artwork.\" class=\"wp-image-1526679\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Strolling with an audiobook in your ears can be a great way to discover the captivating art, colorful plants and charming places that fill the corners of our campus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tuesday Pil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> 2025 graduate in English and incoming candidate in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>When You Reach Me<\/em> by Rebecca Stead<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a middle-grade writer, I still read and study a bunch of excellent kids&#8217; books, so I would definitely recommend <em>When You Reach Me<\/em> to those who are interested in storylines with soft sci-fi and a contemporary, nostalgic feel. Stead&#8217;s book explores changing friendships, individuality, coming-of-age, class inequality and accepting what you can and can&#8217;t change. It&#8217;s a very short and accessible book, and still packs an emotional punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/graduate\/mfa\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/graduate\/mfa\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xml:space=\"preserve\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M91.5 162.5c0-9.2-6.1-17.4-14.3-19.4v-9.2l-14.3-3.1v13.3c-8.2 3.1-14.3 10.2-14.3 19.4 0 6.1 3.1 12.3 7.2 15.3V283H63v7.2h14.3V283h7.2V177.8c3.9-4.1 7-9.2 7-15.3zM129.3 121.6c4.1-3.1 8.2-5.1 12.3-8.2 17.4-10.2 38.8-17.4 61.3-21.5 6.1-1 11.2-2 17.4-3.1 12.3-1 24.5-2 35.8-2 24.5 0 49.1 3.1 70.5 8.2 21.5 5.1 41.9 14.3 57.2 25.5v18.4l97.1-28.6L256 0 31.2 113.4l98.1 24.5v-16.3z\" class=\"graduate_svg__st0\"><\/path><path d=\"M256 97.1c47 0 91 11.2 118.5 29.6v38.8h-236v-38.8C165 108.3 209 97.1 256 97.1M137.5 174.8v156.3l50 50.1v30.6h138v-32.7l48-48V174.8zM417.5 425.1h-89.9L256 511l-68.5-85.8h-93s-94 0-94 86.9h511c0-87-94-87-94-87z\" class=\"graduate_svg__st0\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Turn your passion for the written word into mastery in this two-year program led by award-winning writers.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rereading it as an older person now, I realized that the novel masterfully utilizes some unconventional prose structures and poignant character-building while slowly revealing the sci-fi element. It is a slow burn for sure, and it changed the way I thought about a story&#8217;s pacing forever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I love to read on the <a href=\"https:\/\/visit.ncsu.edu\/court-of-north-carolina\/\">Court of North Carolina<\/a>, especially in the sunny spring and early fall months. You can lay on the grass or sit on one of the chairs, and there&#8217;s a lot of room to stretch out your legs. I also love sitting under the shade and cloud-watching to rest my eyes. The background noise \u2014 students chattering, birds chirping and cars rolling down Hillsborough \u2014 adds a relaxing element to my reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Court-of-NC-Students-in-Shade-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Court-of-NC-Students-in-Shade-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"A group of NC&#160;State students circle up in chairs under a shade tree at the Court of North Carolina.\" class=\"wp-image-1526677\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students circle up in chairs under a shade tree at the Court of North Carolina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Steven Greene<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Professor and director of undergraduate programs, <a href=\"https:\/\/spia.chass.ncsu.edu\/undergraduate\/political-science\/\">Department of Political Science<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution<\/em> by Cat Bohannon<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I get enough politics in my daily life, so when reading for enjoyment, I tend toward fiction, science fiction and science. <em>Eve<\/em> is a fantastic science book \u2014 engagingly written. All good books \u2014 fiction or non-fiction \u2014 excel at telling stories, and this book tells the story of human evolution through the lens of the female body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">My students from this past semester could even tell you that I was regularly sharing anecdotes and factoids I had learned from this book.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;ve been interested in human evolution since my college days over 30 years ago and have tried to keep up with scientific advances through the years, but I learned so much from this book. I found the perspective of how the female body shaped not just biological evolution, but social evolution, to be truly fascinating. My students from this past semester could even tell you that I was regularly sharing anecdotes and factoids I had learned from this book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Honestly, when I&#8217;m on campus, I&#8217;m reading politics and political science on my office computer. So, I don&#8217;t really have a favorite place to read on campus. If I did, it would absolutely be in the Court of North Carolina, where I love to go and just relax for a few minutes on nice days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-grid\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Reading-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Reading-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two NC&#160;State students relax and read on a couch in Talley Student Union.\" class=\"wp-image-1526695\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Talley Student Union is filled with places that are perfect for poring through some pages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-column\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pride-Center-Book-Stack-2-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pride-Center-Book-Stack-2-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Books sit atop a table in the LGBTQ Pride Center at NC&#160;State.\" class=\"wp-image-1526689\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A stack of books beckons readers from atop a table in the LGBTQ Pride Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Office-Bookshelf-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Office-Bookshelf-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"A closeup of books on a bookshelf.\" class=\"wp-image-1526678\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It&#8217;s a good idea to keep promising reading material close by, whether on a personal device or personal bookshelf.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tim Peeler<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Writer and editor, <a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/\">University Communications and Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>A Confederacy of Dunces<\/em> by John Kennedy Toole<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Desperate for a qualified book to read for an 11th-grade book report, I bought a paperback copy of <em>A Confederacy of Dunces<\/em> at my local Revco drugstore simply because it had a banner that read \u201cWinner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.\u201d Little did I know that the absurdist novel with a tragic backstory would become one of the biggest influences in my reading and writing life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Little did I know that the absurdist novel with a tragic backstory would become one of the biggest influences in my reading and writing life.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its main character, Ignatius J. Reilly, is the most uniquely American literary character since Huckleberry Finn, and Reilly\u2019s adventures in New Orleans left me in stitches, the same way Huckleberry, Don Quixote and Arthur Dent did in books I had previously read. He has been the literary grotesque inspiration for many of the off-kilter stories, columns and books I\u2019ve written through the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I was a student at NC&#160;State, I would meet up with a friend from my hometown at a specific spot on Rocky Branch Creek \u2014 a quiet, wide place in the stream. I haven\u2019t stopped there \u2014 at the tiniest rushing waterfall where we once met \u2014 in ages, even though it\u2019s only a few steps from my office. That was the spot where I decided during the fall of 1984 that I wanted to become a writer instead of a mechanical engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every day I am on campus, I take an afternoon walk along the greenway adjacent to that waterfall. We stroll right by that spot where I spent hours working on writing assignments, reading great works of literature and developing a reporter\u2019s insight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Rocky-Branch-Creek-Waterfall-Closeup-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Rocky-Branch-Creek-Waterfall-Closeup-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Water tumbles down a low dropoff along Rocky Branch Creek on NC&#160;State's campus.\" class=\"wp-image-1526680\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The soft music of water trickling along Rocky Branch Creek provides the perfect accompaniment to a good book.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Charla Blumell (she\/her)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Director, <a href=\"https:\/\/pridecenter.dasa.ncsu.edu\/\">LGBTQ Pride Center<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>All About Love: New Visions<\/em> by bell hooks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>All About Love<\/em> explores the many dimensions of love \u2014 its connection to the heart, community, justice and the self. hooks reveals how love can be both operationalized and weaponized, while also showing its vulnerability, its beauty and its potential to be the very thing we need most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/faq\/where-lgbtq-pride-center-collection\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/faq\/where-lgbtq-pride-center-collection\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The LGBTQ Pride Center Collection<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Located inside Talley Student Union, this collection supplements LGBTQ+ materials available in the general Libraries collection.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a powerful yet accessible read \u2014 one you&#8217;ll likely return to and feel compelled to share. With honesty and vulnerability, hooks invites us to walk alongside her as she reflects on her own intimacies and struggles, always threading her insights with hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My favorite place to read on campus is a quiet outdoor spot on the top level of <a href=\"https:\/\/studentcenters.ncsu.edu\/location\/witherspoon\/\">Witherspoon Student Center<\/a> (weather permitting). It doesn\u2019t get much foot traffic, which makes it easy to get lost in a book \u2014 you can almost forget you\u2019re on campus at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Rooftop-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Rooftop-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two students sit at a shaded table on a terrace outside Talley Student Union\" class=\"wp-image-1526682\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rooftops and terraces at Talley Student Union, Witherspoon Student Center and elsewhere offer readers accessible outdoor quietude.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/campus-life\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/campus-life\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1526691\" alt=\"College of Design students gather in the Tally Student Union on the first day of class for the fall 2024 semester.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-In-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Campus Life<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Reading is far from the only way to enjoy the campus beyond our classrooms. Wherever your interests lie, you\u2019ll find spaces to indulge them and friends to share them with at NC&#160;State.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Make yourself at <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>home&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Addison Selna (he\/him)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> 2025 graduate in <a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/prtm\/\">parks, recreation and tourism management<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Ishmael<\/em> by Daniel Quinn<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This book is what ignited my passion for environmentalism, natural resources and trying to decipher humanity&#8217;s relationship to them. The book dismantles the argument that says humans are in a position of ownership or control over the natural world. It does so in a way that balances eloquence and digestibility while not becoming unnecessarily sophisticated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Each read through of this text has given me new language, perspective and continues to encourage my growth.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each read through of this text has given me new language, perspective and continues to encourage my growth. I highly encourage this book to anyone who wants to better understand the habits of human history that have led to climate change, natural disasters and the degradation of the beauties of the world while never letting go of hope for a reachable change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of my favorite spots on campus to read is the garden in front of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ne.ncsu.edu\/\">Nuclear Engineering Department<\/a>. This spot has always been a space of positive rest and reflection for me. The balance of the beautiful nature and the architecture of North Campus creates a great dichotomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gardner-Arboretum-SolarSpace-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gardner-Arboretum-SolarSpace-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"The SolarSpace, a pergola that provides solar charging and a social space for students at NC&#160;State.\" class=\"wp-image-1526683\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gardner Arboretum, outside the Burlington Engineering Laboratory, includes SolarSpace, where members of the Pack can recharge their devices while reading in the shade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cee Emmanuel (they\/them)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack: <\/strong>2025 graduate in <a href=\"https:\/\/bio.sciences.ncsu.edu\/\">biological sciences<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Bitter<\/em> by Akwaeke Emezi<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a queer, Black person existing in the world, Akwaeke Emezi&#8217;s writing made me feel seen in all my identities, even those which I have yet to name for myself. Before <em>Bitter<\/em>, every book I read felt like participating in a story separate from my own; this story felt comfortably and uncomfortably familiar, as if it had long been woven into my life&#8217;s tapestry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/09\/grounded-in-nature\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/09\/grounded-in-nature\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M287.38 490.81v-92.16a109.71 109.71 0 0 1-22.53-21.09A138.53 138.53 0 0 1 225.13 391v99.94L207.92 512H305l-17.41-21.09Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M511.1 289.71a51.19 51.19 0 0 0-35.53-48.94 77.51 77.51 0 0 0-37.78-133.11 56.83 56.83 0 0 0-90.51-68.19 67.17 67.17 0 0 0-119.49-5.63A94.71 94.71 0 0 0 85.67 156.71a56.91 56.91 0 0 0-39 46.17A56.93 56.93 0 0 0 34.88 310.8v1a41 41 0 0 0 69.43 30.71 134.54 134.54 0 0 0 163.82 23.69 104.86 104.86 0 0 0 166.49 3.68 41.19 41.19 0 0 0 65.63-48 51.19 51.19 0 0 0 10.85-32.17Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">Outdoor Spaces at NC&#160;State<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Find your zen at these 12 peaceful places just off the beaten brick paths of our campus.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through the protagonist, I was urged to witness, integrate, honor and uplift the parts of myself I had hidden away or been made to feel ashamed of. <em>Bitter<\/em> reflected my boundless capacity for creativity and change-making. <em>Bitter<\/em> exemplified steadfast, healing and appealing models of love, reverence, strength, advocacy and community that I have spent much of my time embracing and working to nurture in my own life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The swinging benches just behind Williams Hall before you get to the <a href=\"https:\/\/visit.ncsu.edu\/free-expression-tunnel\/\">Free Expression Tunnel<\/a>. I love this space because it feels like an oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of life on campus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While reading here, I give myself permission to slow down and relish in mindful moments of peace, taking deep breaths of gratitude, intentionally easing back into my body to feel the warmth of the sun on my face in early spring or the bite of a crisp wind chill in late autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Williams-Courtyard-Swinging-Benches-2-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Williams-Courtyard-Swinging-Benches-2-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two swinging benches at a courtyard on NC&#160;State\u2019s campus.\" class=\"wp-image-1526693\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Green spaces like Williams Courtyard, with its swinging benches, are perfect for readers who enjoy pairing reading with a revitalizing dose of the outdoors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Amy Rossi (she\/her)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Director of development communications, <a href=\"https:\/\/giving.ncsu.edu\/development-communications-and-stewardship\/\">Development Communications and Stewardship<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Restaurant Kid<\/em> by Rachel Phan<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One thing I\u2019ve been really enjoying this year is reading the work of my fellow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quailridgebooks.com\/event\/amyrossi25\">2025 debut authors<\/a>. Phan writes about growing up in her family\u2019s Chinese restaurant in Ontario, an experience called the third culture because her youth is starkly different from her parents\u2019 early years in Vietnam and her classmates\u2019 childhoods in their small Canadian town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Phan\u2019s search for belonging and identity is powerful, and the emotional core of the book is so strong, it had me in tears.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Phan\u2019s search for belonging and identity is powerful, and the emotional core of the book is so strong, it had me in tears. Part of its uniqueness as a memoir is its structure, as Phan holds a journalistic lens up to some of her experiences and to herself, bringing in her family\u2019s perspective on the restaurant and their lives (and how the two are forever linked). Her effort to connect with her parents not just as her mom and dad but as people shaped by trauma is a heartfelt one \u2014 a love letter, as she calls it, in the truest sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where\u2019s your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When our offices were at Holladay Hall, I occasionally took a few lunch breaks with a book at <a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2023\/06\/hallowed-place-mary-yarbrough-court\/\">Mary Yarbrough Court<\/a>. It always felt a bit tucked away to me and like a central-casting campus spot. On a spring afternoon, when you can smell everything blooming, it\u2019s the perfect place to escape into a good book, even for a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Yarbrough-Court-Bushes-Bricks-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Yarbrough-Court-Bushes-Bricks-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"A view of Mary Yarbrough Court on NC&#160;State\u2019s campus shows brick walkways, green grass and shrubbery, and flowers blooming on bushes.\" class=\"wp-image-1526694\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It&#8217;s not hard to see why Mary Yarbrough Court, named after the first woman to earn a graduate degree from NC&#160;State, is a favorite campus spot for many readers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chris Tonelli (he\/him)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Director of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/staff\/department\/libraries-communications\">Libraries Communications<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/\">the NC&#160;State University Libraries<\/a>, and two-time graduate (Zoology &#8217;97, Master of Arts in English &#8217;00)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>The Savage Detectives<\/em> by Roberto Bola\u00f1o <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on how much I&#8217;ve liked more recent works like Kaveh Akbar&#8217;s <em>Martyr!<\/em>, Lauren Groff&#8217;s <em>Florida<\/em>, Min Jin Lee&#8217;s <em>Pachinko<\/em> and anything by Murakami, it turns out I just really like to travel \u2014 in books \u2014 to different places and time periods. And if a book can do both, all the better. Now, if a book does those two things and explores some seedy aspect of a particular culture&#8217;s underbelly, I&#8217;m sold. And if in examining that culture we get entr\u00e9e into the art and writing scene, forget about it. Especially if it&#8217;s poets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/hunt\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/hunt\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The James B. Hunt Jr. Library<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Home to the bookBot automated retrieval system, this ultra-modern library serves as a hub for learning on Centennial Campus.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Roberto Bola\u00f1o&#8217;s characters are almost always artists and writers and\/or members of their culture&#8217;s seedy underbelly, and they often oscillate between Mexico and Chile over the course of a work, making him, predictably, one of my favorite authors. <em>The Savage Detectives<\/em> does this to the nth degree, throwing in a substantial stop in Europe and Asia, making it one of my all-time favorite novels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I recommend a hammock for reading, preferably along the Court of North Carolina. For me, there is a fine line between reading and dreaming, since I often fall asleep while reading, and in a hammock, conveniently, reading, sleeping and dreaming are all socially acceptable activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-grid\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Bookbot-Moving-Books-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Bookbot-Moving-Books-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Books are loaded and unloaded onto the bookBot at the James B. Hunt Library.\" class=\"wp-image-1526685\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The automated bookBot can store up to 2 million books and items and sort them for retrieval inside the James B. Hunt Jr. Library.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-column\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Popular-Reading-Lounge-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Popular-Reading-Lounge-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"View of the Frank B. and Beverly Z. Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection in the D.H. Hill Jr. Library at NC&#160;State.\" class=\"wp-image-1526688\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Readers will be able to access the Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection when the D.H. Hill Jr. Library reopens this August.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Strolling-Professor-Statue-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Strolling-Professor-Statue-1500x844-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The strolling professor statue, a well-known campus landmark in NC&#160;State\u2019s Gardner Arboretum.\" class=\"wp-image-1526690\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">We&#8217;re a well-read Wolfpack, and even a few of our statues have trouble keeping their noses out of a good book.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wynter Douglas (they\/them)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Librarian and library coordinator, <a href=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/\">African American Cultural Center<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Blues in Schwarz Weiss<\/em> by May Ayim<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Growing up, I was captivated by history and the people who started movements or made lasting impacts in their communities. I have always loved poetry and the power of self-expression through the written word. Before college, I attended a school that taught German, so when I came across May Ayim\u2019s <em>Blues in Schwarz Weiss<\/em> while browsing the library stacks during my college years, I was immediately drawn to reading it because it brought together many of my interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/library\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/library\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The African American Cultural Center Library<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">This space in Witherspoon Student Center houses a collection focused on the African Diaspora and plays host to lively events, including Black Book Talks.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This collection of autobiographical poetry, prose and essays acts as a snapshot of the emergence of the Afro-German identity movement in the 1980s and 90s. It was through this book that I was able to relate more to my German lessons and get a deeper cultural understanding of what it was like for Afro-Germans to exist in Germany at that time. As a multiracial person, it was a balm to my soul to be able to work through the poems and essays in this book and be validated in experiences I had growing up in a very different yet similar context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My favorite place to read on campus during my lunch breaks is the African American Cultural Center Library on the second floor of Witherspoon Student Center. It is empowering to be a reader in a space that is full of amazing authors who center all aspects of what the African American Cultural Center <a href=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/mission-and-values\/\">stands for<\/a> and who embody the Sankofa principle, which teaches that \u201cit is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/AACC-Bookcase-Student-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/AACC-Bookcase-Student-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"An NC&#160;State student stands with their back to the camera facing shelves filled with books.\" class=\"wp-image-1526684\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Readers have plenty of options for great finds in the African American Cultural Center Library.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matt Shipman (he\/him)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Assistant director of research communications, University Communications and Marketing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>The Galaxy, and the Ground Within<\/em> by Becky Chambers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This science fiction novel is part of a wonderful series, but can be read on its own without having to read any of the other books. It&#8217;s a slice-of-life novel about several characters who are stuck with each other for a few days while some issues beyond their control are resolved. The characters are all wildly different from one another, but find that they do share some common ground and, over the course of a few days, form a real bond with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">It serves as an optimistic parable about how very different people can still find space to work together and care for one another in a meaningful way.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/aside>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I found this novel unexpectedly moving. While the characters here are not even of the same species, I think it serves as an optimistic parable about how very different people can still find space to work together and care for one another in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC&#160;State?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of my favorite spots on campus to read is the small garden situated between Watauga and Peele Hall, just behind Holladay Hall. It&#8217;s shady and green, with comfortable benches and a view down past Leazar onto the Court of North Carolina. It&#8217;s a lovely spot on a spring day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/spirit-and-traditions\/hallowed-places\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/spirit-and-traditions\/hallowed-places\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1526857\" alt=\"A photo of a young Mary Yarbrough, the first woman to earn a graduate degree from NC&#160;State, is held up to the camera, with the greenery of Mary Yarbrough Court showing in the background.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BK-0536-1500x844-1.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Hallowed Places at NC&#160;State<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Ten spaces. Countless memories. The perfect way to get to know our campus is by visiting these storied landmarks that hold a special place in Wolfpack hearts.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Stroll through our <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>history&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\"><\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/08\/raleigh-through-the-wolfpacks-eyes\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/08\/raleigh-through-the-wolfpacks-eyes\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1008550\" alt=\"A close-up of the screen of a cell phone which is pointed toward, and displaying, a group of students standing in front of a large skeleton of a whale.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NCMNS2_WEB.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Discover Our Hometown<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Wondering what it&#8217;s like to attend NC&#160;State and live in Raleigh? Let us introduce you to the city we call home.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Tour Raleigh with our Pack <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n<p><em>This post was <a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2025\/05\/summer-reading-at-nc-state\/\">originally published<\/a> in NC&#160;State News.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header {\"block\":\"ncst\/default-immersive-post-header\"} -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-immersive-post-header {\"displayCategoryID\":4,\"showReadingTime\":false,\"subtitle\":\"Looking for your next great summer read? Wolfpack readers share the books that charmed them, the books that changed them \u2014 and the places on campus where they love to get lost in a page-turner.\"} \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"className\":\"is-style-lead\"} -->\n<p class=\"is-style-lead\">You feel the hot breeze and smell the honeysuckle and you know it\u2019s coming \u2014 summertime in North Carolina. Long days. Bright sun. That Southern sizzle. No better time to crawl into the shade and catch up with a good book.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>A good book takes you places. To the future, the past. To that mountain you may climb in a year or to the stars we won\u2019t reach in a thousand. A good book opens your heart and mind, letting you glimpse the world with different eyes. The right book, at the right time, can unlock doors to your deeper self.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>But you don\u2019t have to take our word for it. We asked readers of the Pack to recommend books that transformed their thinking and their lives, and to share the scoop on the best reading spots at NC State.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/highlight {\"teaser\":\"A nexus for learning across disciplines, the Libraries consists of two main libraries, three branches and three affiliated campus information centers. If you\u2019re looking for your next summer read, it\u2019s the perfect place to start.\",\"callToAction\":\"Check out the catalog\",\"imageID\":1526699} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.lib.ncsu.edu\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/catalog.lib.ncsu.edu\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1526699\" alt=\"Students study at tables in the James B. Hunt Jr. Library at NC State.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Studetns-Studying-in-Library-2.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">The NC State University Libraries<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">A nexus for learning across disciplines, the Libraries consists of two main libraries, three branches and three affiliated campus information centers. If you\u2019re looking for your next summer read, it\u2019s the perfect place to start.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Check out the <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>catalog&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/highlight -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Sally Parlier (she\/her)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Lecturer, First-Year Writing, <a href=\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/\">Department of English<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>The Buffalo Hunter Hunter<\/em> by Stephen Graham Jones<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When I finished <em>The Buffalo Hunter Hunter<\/em>, I thought: this is the Great American Horror Novel. But the more I considered it, I wonder how much the \"horror\" qualifier is necessary there. <em>Beloved<\/em>, <em>Moby Dick<\/em>, <em>Blood Meridian<\/em> \u2014 our greatest American novels are horror stories. I think it's likely no coincidence that Good Stab, Jones' Blackfeet vampire protagonist, and The Kid, from McCarthy's aforementioned <em>Blood Meridian<\/em>, were both born \"the year the stars fell,\" the Leonids Meteor Shower of 1833.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget {\"alignment\":\"left\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/aside-fact {\"svgSlug\":\"book\",\"heading\":\"The D.H. Hill Jr. Library\",\"support\":\"Reopening in August, this library on North Campus houses the Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection with over 400 popular titles.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2025\/04\/d-h-hill-jr-library-closed-for-summer\/\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2025\/04\/d-h-hill-jr-library-closed-for-summer\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2025\/04\/d-h-hill-jr-library-closed-for-summer\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The D.H. Hill Jr. Library<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Reopening in August, this library on North Campus houses the Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection with over 400 popular titles.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-fact --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The Great American story is violent, vicious and haunted, and Jones turns our notions of the Western and the vampire upside down. It's an important work. But as a fast-paced tale of revenge with a wild back half, it also makes for an excellent summer read.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When I'm away from home I prefer audiobooks, so my favorite spot to read on campus is mobile. If I need a break from my office, I like to pick a new route for a walk and see what <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.google.com\/ncsu.edu\/ncstatedendrology\/campus-tree-trail\">plants<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/0523d1e89f1347a0bff790d1c8c49d04\">art installations<\/a> I can discover while I'm listening to my book.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526679,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Reds-And-Whites-Walking-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Reds-And-Whites-Walking-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"An eye-level shot of the Reds and Whites art installation on Centennial Campus, showing people strolling through the artwork.\" class=\"wp-image-1526679\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Strolling with an audiobook in your ears can be a great way to discover the captivating art, colorful plants and charming places that fill the corners of our campus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Tuesday Pil<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> 2025 graduate in English and incoming candidate in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>When You Reach Me<\/em> by Rebecca Stead<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As a middle-grade writer, I still read and study a bunch of excellent kids' books, so I would definitely recommend <em>When You Reach Me<\/em> to those who are interested in storylines with soft sci-fi and a contemporary, nostalgic feel. Stead's book explores changing friendships, individuality, coming-of-age, class inequality and accepting what you can and can't change. It's a very short and accessible book, and still packs an emotional punch.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/aside-fact {\"svgSlug\":\"graduate\",\"heading\":\"Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing\",\"support\":\"Turn your passion for the written word into mastery in this two-year program led by award-winning writers.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/graduate\/mfa\/\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<a href=\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/graduate\/mfa\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/english.chass.ncsu.edu\/graduate\/mfa\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xml:space=\"preserve\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M91.5 162.5c0-9.2-6.1-17.4-14.3-19.4v-9.2l-14.3-3.1v13.3c-8.2 3.1-14.3 10.2-14.3 19.4 0 6.1 3.1 12.3 7.2 15.3V283H63v7.2h14.3V283h7.2V177.8c3.9-4.1 7-9.2 7-15.3zM129.3 121.6c4.1-3.1 8.2-5.1 12.3-8.2 17.4-10.2 38.8-17.4 61.3-21.5 6.1-1 11.2-2 17.4-3.1 12.3-1 24.5-2 35.8-2 24.5 0 49.1 3.1 70.5 8.2 21.5 5.1 41.9 14.3 57.2 25.5v18.4l97.1-28.6L256 0 31.2 113.4l98.1 24.5v-16.3z\" class=\"graduate_svg__st0\"><\/path><path d=\"M256 97.1c47 0 91 11.2 118.5 29.6v38.8h-236v-38.8C165 108.3 209 97.1 256 97.1M137.5 174.8v156.3l50 50.1v30.6h138v-32.7l48-48V174.8zM417.5 425.1h-89.9L256 511l-68.5-85.8h-93s-94 0-94 86.9h511c0-87-94-87-94-87z\" class=\"graduate_svg__st0\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Turn your passion for the written word into mastery in this two-year program led by award-winning writers.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-fact --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Rereading it as an older person now, I realized that the novel masterfully utilizes some unconventional prose structures and poignant character-building while slowly revealing the sci-fi element. It is a slow burn for sure, and it changed the way I thought about a story's pacing forever!<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I love to read on the <a href=\"https:\/\/visit.ncsu.edu\/court-of-north-carolina\/\">Court of North Carolina<\/a>, especially in the sunny spring and early fall months. You can lay on the grass or sit on one of the chairs, and there's a lot of room to stretch out your legs. I also love sitting under the shade and cloud-watching to rest my eyes. The background noise \u2014 students chattering, birds chirping and cars rolling down Hillsborough \u2014 adds a relaxing element to my reading.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526677,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Court-of-NC-Students-in-Shade-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Court-of-NC-Students-in-Shade-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"A group of NC State students circle up in chairs under a shade tree at the Court of North Carolina.\" class=\"wp-image-1526677\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students circle up in chairs under a shade tree at the Court of North Carolina.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Steven Greene<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Professor and director of undergraduate programs, <a href=\"https:\/\/spia.chass.ncsu.edu\/undergraduate\/political-science\/\">Department of Political Science<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution<\/em> by Cat Bohannon<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I get enough politics in my daily life, so when reading for enjoyment, I tend toward fiction, science fiction and science. <em>Eve<\/em> is a fantastic science book \u2014 engagingly written. All good books \u2014 fiction or non-fiction \u2014 excel at telling stories, and this book tells the story of human evolution through the lens of the female body.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget {\"alignment\":\"left\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022My students from this past semester could even tell you that I was regularly sharing anecdotes and factoids I had learned from this book.\\u0022\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">My students from this past semester could even tell you that I was regularly sharing anecdotes and factoids I had learned from this book.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I've been interested in human evolution since my college days over 30 years ago and have tried to keep up with scientific advances through the years, but I learned so much from this book. I found the perspective of how the female body shaped not just biological evolution, but social evolution, to be truly fascinating. My students from this past semester could even tell you that I was regularly sharing anecdotes and factoids I had learned from this book.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Honestly, when I'm on campus, I'm reading politics and political science on my office computer. So, I don't really have a favorite place to read on campus. If I did, it would absolutely be in the Court of North Carolina, where I love to go and just relax for a few minutes on nice days.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/image-grid -->\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-grid\"><!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526695,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Reading-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Reading-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two NC State students relax and read on a couch in Talley Student Union.\" class=\"wp-image-1526695\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Talley Student Union is filled with places that are perfect for poring through some pages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/image-column -->\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-column\"><!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526689,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pride-Center-Book-Stack-2-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Pride-Center-Book-Stack-2-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Books sit atop a table in the LGBTQ Pride Center at NC State.\" class=\"wp-image-1526689\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A stack of books beckons readers from atop a table in the LGBTQ Pride Center.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526678,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Office-Bookshelf-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Office-Bookshelf-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"A closeup of books on a bookshelf.\" class=\"wp-image-1526678\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It's a good idea to keep promising reading material close by, whether on a personal device or personal bookshelf.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image --><\/section>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/image-column --><\/section>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/image-grid -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Tim Peeler<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Writer and editor, <a href=\"https:\/\/university-communications.ncsu.edu\/\">University Communications and Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>A Confederacy of Dunces<\/em> by John Kennedy Toole<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Desperate for a qualified book to read for an 11th-grade book report, I bought a paperback copy of <em>A Confederacy of Dunces<\/em> at my local Revco drugstore simply because it had a banner that read \u201cWinner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.\u201d Little did I know that the absurdist novel with a tragic backstory would become one of the biggest influences in my reading and writing life.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022Little did I know that the absurdist novel with a tragic backstory would become one of the biggest influences in my reading and writing life.\\u0022\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Little did I know that the absurdist novel with a tragic backstory would become one of the biggest influences in my reading and writing life.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Its main character, Ignatius J. Reilly, is the most uniquely American literary character since Huckleberry Finn, and Reilly\u2019s adventures in New Orleans left me in stitches, the same way Huckleberry, Don Quixote and Arthur Dent did in books I had previously read. He has been the literary grotesque inspiration for many of the off-kilter stories, columns and books I\u2019ve written through the years.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When I was a student at NC State, I would meet up with a friend from my hometown at a specific spot on Rocky Branch Creek \u2014 a quiet, wide place in the stream. I haven\u2019t stopped there \u2014 at the tiniest rushing waterfall where we once met \u2014 in ages, even though it\u2019s only a few steps from my office. That was the spot where I decided during the fall of 1984 that I wanted to become a writer instead of a mechanical engineer.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Every day I am on campus, I take an afternoon walk along the greenway adjacent to that waterfall. We stroll right by that spot where I spent hours working on writing assignments, reading great works of literature and developing a reporter\u2019s insight.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526680,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Rocky-Branch-Creek-Waterfall-Closeup-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Rocky-Branch-Creek-Waterfall-Closeup-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Water tumbles down a low dropoff along Rocky Branch Creek on NC State's campus.\" class=\"wp-image-1526680\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The soft music of water trickling along Rocky Branch Creek provides the perfect accompaniment to a good book.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Charla Blumell (she\/her)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Director, <a href=\"https:\/\/pridecenter.dasa.ncsu.edu\/\">LGBTQ Pride Center<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>All About Love: New Visions<\/em> by bell hooks<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>All About Love<\/em> explores the many dimensions of love \u2014 its connection to the heart, community, justice and the self. hooks reveals how love can be both operationalized and weaponized, while also showing its vulnerability, its beauty and its potential to be the very thing we need most.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget {\"alignment\":\"left\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/aside-fact {\"svgSlug\":\"book\",\"heading\":\"The LGBTQ Pride Center Collection\",\"support\":\"Located inside Talley Student Union, this collection supplements LGBTQ+ materials available in the general Libraries collection.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/faq\/where-lgbtq-pride-center-collection\/\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/faq\/where-lgbtq-pride-center-collection\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/faq\/where-lgbtq-pride-center-collection\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The LGBTQ Pride Center Collection<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Located inside Talley Student Union, this collection supplements LGBTQ+ materials available in the general Libraries collection.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-fact --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This is a powerful yet accessible read \u2014 one you'll likely return to and feel compelled to share. With honesty and vulnerability, hooks invites us to walk alongside her as she reflects on her own intimacies and struggles, always threading her insights with hope.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>My favorite place to read on campus is a quiet outdoor spot on the top level of <a href=\"https:\/\/studentcenters.ncsu.edu\/location\/witherspoon\/\">Witherspoon Student Center<\/a> (weather permitting). It doesn\u2019t get much foot traffic, which makes it easy to get lost in a book \u2014 you can almost forget you\u2019re on campus at all.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526682,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Rooftop-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-Rooftop-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two students sit at a shaded table on a terrace outside Talley Student Union\" class=\"wp-image-1526682\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rooftops and terraces at Talley Student Union, Witherspoon Student Center and elsewhere offer readers accessible outdoor quietude.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/highlight {\"teaser\":\"Reading is far from the only way to enjoy the campus beyond our classrooms. Wherever your interests lie, you\u2019ll find spaces to indulge them and friends to share them with at NC State.\",\"callToAction\":\"Make yourself at home\",\"imageID\":1526691} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/campus-life\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/campus-life\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1526691\" alt=\"College of Design students gather in the Tally Student Union on the first day of class for the fall 2024 semester.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Students-In-Talley-1500x844-1.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Campus Life<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Reading is far from the only way to enjoy the campus beyond our classrooms. Wherever your interests lie, you\u2019ll find spaces to indulge them and friends to share them with at NC State.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Make yourself at <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>home&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/highlight -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Addison Selna (he\/him)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> 2025 graduate in <a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/prtm\/\">parks, recreation and tourism management<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Ishmael<\/em> by Daniel Quinn<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This book is what ignited my passion for environmentalism, natural resources and trying to decipher humanity's relationship to them. The book dismantles the argument that says humans are in a position of ownership or control over the natural world. It does so in a way that balances eloquence and digestibility while not becoming unnecessarily sophisticated.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022Each read through of this text has given me new language, perspective and continues to encourage my growth.\\u0022\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Each read through of this text has given me new language, perspective and continues to encourage my growth.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Each read through of this text has given me new language, perspective and continues to encourage my growth. I highly encourage this book to anyone who wants to better understand the habits of human history that have led to climate change, natural disasters and the degradation of the beauties of the world while never letting go of hope for a reachable change.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>One of my favorite spots on campus to read is the garden in front of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ne.ncsu.edu\/\">Nuclear Engineering Department<\/a>. This spot has always been a space of positive rest and reflection for me. The balance of the beautiful nature and the architecture of North Campus creates a great dichotomy.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526683,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gardner-Arboretum-SolarSpace-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Gardner-Arboretum-SolarSpace-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"The SolarSpace, a pergola that provides solar charging and a social space for students at NC State.\" class=\"wp-image-1526683\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gardner Arboretum, outside the Burlington Engineering Laboratory, includes SolarSpace, where members of the Pack can recharge their devices while reading in the shade.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Cee Emmanuel (they\/them)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack: <\/strong>2025 graduate in <a href=\"https:\/\/bio.sciences.ncsu.edu\/\">biological sciences<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Bitter<\/em> by Akwaeke Emezi<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As a queer, Black person existing in the world, Akwaeke Emezi's writing made me feel seen in all my identities, even those which I have yet to name for myself. Before <em>Bitter<\/em>, every book I read felt like participating in a story separate from my own; this story felt comfortably and uncomfortably familiar, as if it had long been woven into my life's tapestry.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget {\"alignment\":\"left\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/aside-fact {\"svgSlug\":\"tree\",\"heading\":\"Outdoor Spaces at NC State\",\"support\":\"Find your zen at these 12 peaceful places just off the beaten brick paths of our campus.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/09\/grounded-in-nature\/\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/09\/grounded-in-nature\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/09\/grounded-in-nature\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M287.38 490.81v-92.16a109.71 109.71 0 0 1-22.53-21.09A138.53 138.53 0 0 1 225.13 391v99.94L207.92 512H305l-17.41-21.09Z\"><\/path><path d=\"M511.1 289.71a51.19 51.19 0 0 0-35.53-48.94 77.51 77.51 0 0 0-37.78-133.11 56.83 56.83 0 0 0-90.51-68.19 67.17 67.17 0 0 0-119.49-5.63A94.71 94.71 0 0 0 85.67 156.71a56.91 56.91 0 0 0-39 46.17A56.93 56.93 0 0 0 34.88 310.8v1a41 41 0 0 0 69.43 30.71 134.54 134.54 0 0 0 163.82 23.69 104.86 104.86 0 0 0 166.49 3.68 41.19 41.19 0 0 0 65.63-48 51.19 51.19 0 0 0 10.85-32.17Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">Outdoor Spaces at NC State<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Find your zen at these 12 peaceful places just off the beaten brick paths of our campus.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-fact --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Through the protagonist, I was urged to witness, integrate, honor and uplift the parts of myself I had hidden away or been made to feel ashamed of. <em>Bitter<\/em> reflected my boundless capacity for creativity and change-making. <em>Bitter<\/em> exemplified steadfast, healing and appealing models of love, reverence, strength, advocacy and community that I have spent much of my time embracing and working to nurture in my own life.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The swinging benches just behind Williams Hall before you get to the <a href=\"https:\/\/visit.ncsu.edu\/free-expression-tunnel\/\">Free Expression Tunnel<\/a>. I love this space because it feels like an oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of life on campus. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>While reading here, I give myself permission to slow down and relish in mindful moments of peace, taking deep breaths of gratitude, intentionally easing back into my body to feel the warmth of the sun on my face in early spring or the bite of a crisp wind chill in late autumn.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526693,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Williams-Courtyard-Swinging-Benches-2-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Williams-Courtyard-Swinging-Benches-2-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two swinging benches at a courtyard on NC State\u2019s campus.\" class=\"wp-image-1526693\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Green spaces like Williams Courtyard, with its swinging benches, are perfect for readers who enjoy pairing reading with a revitalizing dose of the outdoors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Amy Rossi (she\/her)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Director of development communications, <a href=\"https:\/\/giving.ncsu.edu\/development-communications-and-stewardship\/\">Development Communications and Stewardship<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Restaurant Kid<\/em> by Rachel Phan<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>One thing I\u2019ve been really enjoying this year is reading the work of my fellow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quailridgebooks.com\/event\/amyrossi25\">2025 debut authors<\/a>. Phan writes about growing up in her family\u2019s Chinese restaurant in Ontario, an experience called the third culture because her youth is starkly different from her parents\u2019 early years in Vietnam and her classmates\u2019 childhoods in their small Canadian town.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022Phan\u2019s search for belonging and identity is powerful, and the emotional core of the book is so strong, it had me in tears.\\u0022\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">Phan\u2019s search for belonging and identity is powerful, and the emotional core of the book is so strong, it had me in tears.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Phan\u2019s search for belonging and identity is powerful, and the emotional core of the book is so strong, it had me in tears. Part of its uniqueness as a memoir is its structure, as Phan holds a journalistic lens up to some of her experiences and to herself, bringing in her family\u2019s perspective on the restaurant and their lives (and how the two are forever linked). Her effort to connect with her parents not just as her mom and dad but as people shaped by trauma is a heartfelt one \u2014 a love letter, as she calls it, in the truest sense.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where\u2019s your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When our offices were at Holladay Hall, I occasionally took a few lunch breaks with a book at <a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2023\/06\/hallowed-place-mary-yarbrough-court\/\">Mary Yarbrough Court<\/a>. It always felt a bit tucked away to me and like a central-casting campus spot. On a spring afternoon, when you can smell everything blooming, it\u2019s the perfect place to escape into a good book, even for a few minutes.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526694,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Yarbrough-Court-Bushes-Bricks-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Yarbrough-Court-Bushes-Bricks-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"A view of Mary Yarbrough Court on NC State\u2019s campus shows brick walkways, green grass and shrubbery, and flowers blooming on bushes.\" class=\"wp-image-1526694\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">It's not hard to see why Mary Yarbrough Court, named after the first woman to earn a graduate degree from NC State, is a favorite campus spot for many readers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Chris Tonelli (he\/him)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Director of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/staff\/department\/libraries-communications\">Libraries Communications<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/\">the NC State University Libraries<\/a>, and two-time graduate (Zoology '97, Master of Arts in English '00)<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>The Savage Detectives<\/em> by Roberto Bola\u00f1o <\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Based on how much I've liked more recent works like Kaveh Akbar's <em>Martyr!<\/em>, Lauren Groff's <em>Florida<\/em>, Min Jin Lee's <em>Pachinko<\/em> and anything by Murakami, it turns out I just really like to travel \u2014 in books \u2014 to different places and time periods. And if a book can do both, all the better. Now, if a book does those two things and explores some seedy aspect of a particular culture's underbelly, I'm sold. And if in examining that culture we get entr\u00e9e into the art and writing scene, forget about it. Especially if it's poets.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget {\"alignment\":\"left\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/aside-fact {\"svgSlug\":\"book\",\"heading\":\"The James B. Hunt Jr. Library\",\"support\":\"Home to the bookBot automated retrieval system, this ultra-modern library serves as a hub for learning on Centennial Campus.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/hunt\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/hunt\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.lib.ncsu.edu\/hunt\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The James B. Hunt Jr. Library<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">Home to the bookBot automated retrieval system, this ultra-modern library serves as a hub for learning on Centennial Campus.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-fact --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Roberto Bola\u00f1o's characters are almost always artists and writers and\/or members of their culture's seedy underbelly, and they often oscillate between Mexico and Chile over the course of a work, making him, predictably, one of my favorite authors. <em>The Savage Detectives<\/em> does this to the nth degree, throwing in a substantial stop in Europe and Asia, making it one of my all-time favorite novels.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I recommend a hammock for reading, preferably along the Court of North Carolina. For me, there is a fine line between reading and dreaming, since I often fall asleep while reading, and in a hammock, conveniently, reading, sleeping and dreaming are all socially acceptable activities.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/image-grid -->\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-grid\"><!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526685,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Bookbot-Moving-Books-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Bookbot-Moving-Books-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"Books are loaded and unloaded onto the bookBot at the James B. Hunt Library.\" class=\"wp-image-1526685\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The automated bookBot can store up to 2 million books and items and sort them for retrieval inside the James B. Hunt Jr. Library.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/image-column -->\n<section class=\"wp-block-ncst-image-column\"><!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526688,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Popular-Reading-Lounge-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Popular-Reading-Lounge-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"View of the Frank B. and Beverly Z. Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection in the D.H. Hill Jr. Library at NC State.\" class=\"wp-image-1526688\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Readers will be able to access the Armstrong Memorial Popular Reading Collection when the D.H. Hill Jr. Library reopens this August.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526690,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Strolling-Professor-Statue-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Strolling-Professor-Statue-1500x844-1-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"The strolling professor statue, a well-known campus landmark in NC State\u2019s Gardner Arboretum.\" class=\"wp-image-1526690\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">We're a well-read Wolfpack, and even a few of our statues have trouble keeping their noses out of a good book.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image --><\/section>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/image-column --><\/section>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/image-grid -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Wynter Douglas (they\/them)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Librarian and library coordinator, <a href=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/\">African American Cultural Center<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>Blues in Schwarz Weiss<\/em> by May Ayim<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why does this book hold special meaning for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Growing up, I was captivated by history and the people who started movements or made lasting impacts in their communities. I have always loved poetry and the power of self-expression through the written word. Before college, I attended a school that taught German, so when I came across May Ayim\u2019s <em>Blues in Schwarz Weiss<\/em> while browsing the library stacks during my college years, I was immediately drawn to reading it because it brought together many of my interests.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default right-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/aside-fact {\"svgSlug\":\"book\",\"heading\":\"The African American Cultural Center Library\",\"support\":\"This space in Witherspoon Student Center houses a collection focused on the African Diaspora and plays host to lively events, including Black Book Talks.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/library\/\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<a href=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/library\/\" class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-fact ncst-fact has-green-400-text-color\" data-ua-cat=\"Fact Block\" data-ua-action=\"URL Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/library\/\"><span class=\"ncst-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" data-name=\"Layer 1\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" size=\"75\"><path d=\"M148.78 377.96h61.95V512h-61.95z\"><\/path><path d=\"M434.68 424.35h-5.33v-76.19h.51a11 11 0 0 0 10.35-11.47V12.9A13.43 13.43 0 0 0 428.43 0H144c-39.52 0-72.5 16-76.69 58.47V381a74 74 0 0 0 .69 14.37 71.52 71.52 0 0 0 4 13.1l1.23 2.67a60.66 60.66 0 0 0 11.67 16.58 59.28 59.28 0 0 0 16.18 11.88 61 61 0 0 0 19.76 6.15 69.23 69.23 0 0 0 7.89 0h.51v-19.56h-.51a42.12 42.12 0 1 1-3.2-84.19h269l1.63 83.66H230.39v19.25h204.18a10.24 10.24 0 0 0 10.24-10.24 10.23 10.23 0 0 0-10.13-10.32Z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><h2 class=\"fact__heading\">The African American Cultural Center Library<\/h2><p class=\"fact__support\"><span class=\"text\">This space in Witherspoon Student Center houses a collection focused on the African Diaspora and plays host to lively events, including Black Book Talks.<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"><svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/p><\/a>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-fact --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This collection of autobiographical poetry, prose and essays acts as a snapshot of the emergence of the Afro-German identity movement in the 1980s and 90s. It was through this book that I was able to relate more to my German lessons and get a deeper cultural understanding of what it was like for Afro-Germans to exist in Germany at that time. As a multiracial person, it was a balm to my soul to be able to work through the poems and essays in this book and be validated in experiences I had growing up in a very different yet similar context.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>My favorite place to read on campus during my lunch breaks is the African American Cultural Center Library on the second floor of Witherspoon Student Center. It is empowering to be a reader in a space that is full of amazing authors who center all aspects of what the African American Cultural Center <a href=\"https:\/\/aacc.dasa.ncsu.edu\/mission-and-values\/\">stands for<\/a> and who embody the Sankofa principle, which teaches that \u201cit is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":1526684,\"sizeSlug\":\"full\",\"linkDestination\":\"media\",\"align\":\"wide\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/AACC-Bookcase-Student-1500x844-1.jpg\"><img src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/AACC-Bookcase-Student-1500x844-1.jpg\" alt=\"An NC State student stands with their back to the camera facing shelves filled with books.\" class=\"wp-image-1526684\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Readers have plenty of options for great finds in the African American Cultural Center Library.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2>Matt Shipman (he\/him)<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Place in the Pack:<\/strong> Assistant director of research communications, University Communications and Marketing<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Book Recommendation:<\/strong> <em>The Galaxy, and the Ground Within<\/em> by Becky Chambers<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Why should readers check out this book?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This science fiction novel is part of a wonderful series, but can be read on its own without having to read any of the other books. It's a slice-of-life novel about several characters who are stuck with each other for a few days while some issues beyond their control are resolved. The characters are all wildly different from one another, but find that they do share some common ground and, over the course of a few days, form a real bond with each other.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/aside-widget {\"alignment\":\"left\"} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-aside-widget default left-aside\"><!-- wp:ncst\/pullquote {\"value\":\"\\u0022It serves as an optimistic parable about how very different people can still find space to work together and care for one another in a meaningful way.\\u0022\",\"textColor\":\"green_400\"} -->\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-ncst-pullquote has-green-400-text-color has-quotes\"><div class=\"pullquote-container\"><p class=\"pullquote-content\">It serves as an optimistic parable about how very different people can still find space to work together and care for one another in a meaningful way.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/pullquote --><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/aside-widget -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>I found this novel unexpectedly moving. While the characters here are not even of the same species, I think it serves as an optimistic parable about how very different people can still find space to work together and care for one another in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Where is your favorite spot to read at NC State?<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>One of my favorite spots on campus to read is the small garden situated between Watauga and Peele Hall, just behind Holladay Hall. It's shady and green, with comfortable benches and a view down past Leazar onto the Court of North Carolina. It's a lovely spot on a spring day.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/separator -->\n<hr class=\"wp-block-ncst-separator\" \/>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/separator -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/highlight {\"teaser\":\"Ten spaces. Countless memories. The perfect way to get to know our campus is by visiting these storied landmarks that hold a special place in Wolfpack hearts.\",\"callToAction\":\"Stroll through our history\",\"imageID\":1526857} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/spirit-and-traditions\/hallowed-places\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/www.ncsu.edu\/spirit-and-traditions\/hallowed-places\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1526857\" alt=\"A photo of a young Mary Yarbrough, the first woman to earn a graduate degree from NC State, is held up to the camera, with the greenery of Mary Yarbrough Court showing in the background.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/BK-0536-1500x844-1.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Hallowed Places at NC State<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Ten spaces. Countless memories. The perfect way to get to know our campus is by visiting these storied landmarks that hold a special place in Wolfpack hearts.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Stroll through our <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>history&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/highlight -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/highlight {\"teaser\":\"Wondering what it's like to attend NC State and live in Raleigh? Let us introduce you to the city we call home.\",\"callToAction\":\"Tour Raleigh with our Pack \",\"imageID\":1008550} -->\n<aside class=\"wp-block-ncst-highlight with-image\"><h2 class=\"highlight__label\"><\/h2><a href=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/08\/raleigh-through-the-wolfpacks-eyes\/\" class=\"highlight__link\" data-ua-cat=\"Highlight Block\" data-ua-action=\"Story Click\" data-ua-label=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/2024\/08\/raleigh-through-the-wolfpacks-eyes\/\"><div class=\"highlight__image-container\"><div class=\"highlight__image-background\"><img class=\"highlight__image wp-image-1008550\" alt=\"A close-up of the screen of a cell phone which is pointed toward, and displaying, a group of students standing in front of a large skeleton of a whale.\" src=\"https:\/\/news.ncsu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/NCMNS2_WEB.jpg\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"highlight__text-container\"><h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Discover Our Hometown<\/h3><p class=\"highlight__teaser\">Wondering what it's like to attend NC State and live in Raleigh? Let us introduce you to the city we call home.<\/p><p class=\"highlight__cta\"><span>Tour Raleigh with our Pack <\/span><span class=\"nowrap\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><span class=\"arrow-indicator\"> <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\" \/><\/svg> <\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/a><\/aside>\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/highlight -->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This summer reading season, readers at NC State are sharing books that transformed their thinking and their lives and the best spots to read on campus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"ncstate_wire","ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[5],"class_list":["post-1992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-_from-newswire-collection-6"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1992"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1995,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1992\/revisions\/1995"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1993"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1992"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1992"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.ucomm.ncsu.edu\/web-platform-free-tier\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}