Books for Your Summer Reading List 

Doug Hall (BA ’81) 

Step into the world of decorated World War I and World War II pilot and aviation pioneer Col. James Goodwin Hall (1896-1952) in this biography written by his grandson, Doug Hall. It’s a tribute to a man of great talent, curiosity, and drive. “From flying dangerous missions during World War I to earning accolades from President Roosevelt during World War II, Hall’s life and military service is the stuff of legend,” says the author. After the wars, Hall made his mark as a Wall Street broker and an auto and airplane industry executive; he was also instrumental in the establishment of the American Quarter Horse as a racing breed. Whether racing his bay gelding, piloting cutting-edge seaplanes, or exploring the far reaches of the world, Hall lived life on his own terms—always chasing new horizons and pushing boundaries.  

Jared Siler (EdS ’14)  

In this novel by Jared Siler, Tristen Rhodes is a polished executive and successful entrepreneur who seems to have the perfect life. Beneath the surface, though, Rhodes is fighting a quiet war between who he is and who he believes he needs to be. His brilliance, wealth, and Silicon Valley prestige mask a truth he has never faced: the silent, unhealed wounds left by his father’s absence. When his carefully constructed life begins to crumble, he flees to California’s wild, unyielding coast, where the ocean’s power forces him to confront the fractures in his identity and the pain he has kept buried for decades. “Under the Current” is a work of psychological fiction that dives deep into the unseen struggles men face, challenging outdated ideas of masculinity and exploring the journey from emotional numbness to authentic feeling.

Stephen Huyler (BA ’73)  

For over half a century, cultural anthropologist and art historian Stephen Huyler has grown to know and love the people and culture of India. He attributes his initial understanding and empathy for Indian culture to his DU courses on South Asian history and art history. In 1971, on his 20th birthday, Huyler arrived in India by bicycle rickshaw. Since then, he has conducted a lifelong survey of its art and people. His innate adaptability enables him to be quiet, observant, accepting, and accepted by a range of individuals—from maharaja to musician and from politician to potter. In this memoir, Huyler evokes an India rarely seen by outsiders, including portraits of people, places, and customs. He drew on over 12 years’ worth of field research; he has also served as a consultant and guest curator for more than 25 major museum exhibitions of Indian art. The book features a foreword by the Dalai Lama.

Rachel Feder (associate professor of English and literary arts) 

Taylor Swift’s album “The Tortured Poets Department” inspired English professor Rachel Feder to write “Taylor Swift by the Book: The Literature Behind the Lyrics, From Fairy Tales to Tortured Poets.” Feder teaches courses on 18th- and 19th-century British literature with emphases on Romanticism, women writers, and the Gothic. After Swift announced her album at the 2024 Grammys, Feder joined forces with her sister-in-law, Tiffany Tatreau, a “Swiftie” and musical theater artist, to write the book. Swift divided her 11 studio albums into 10 distinct eras during The Eras Tour in 2023-2024. Feder and Tatreau used that as a structure for the book, assigning each of Swift’s eras to a literary era before combing through every song to highlight the songwriter’s literary references and tricks. Feder says she was impressed by the depth of the literary allusions she found across Swift’s discography. 

Michael J. Hightower (MA ’82)  

“Justice for All: Dick T. Morgan, Frontier Lawyer and Common Man’s Congressman,” written by Michael Hightower, chronicles the career of Morgan, an Oklahoma founding father whose public service reflects a passion for fairness that was often lacking in Gilded Age America. After arriving in the Unassigned Lands in central Oklahoma with the first wave of non-Indian settlers on April 22, 1889, Morgan developed a reputation as the go-to lawyer for land disputes, built a substantial real estate business, and promoted church-building across the Oklahoma Territory. During his tenure in Congress from 1909 until his death in 1920, he helped create institutions that were central to progressivism in the post-frontier period and have shaped modern America, including the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Federal Farm Credit System. Hightower collaborated on the book with Morgan’s great-grandsons, David Morgan (JD ’81) and Kenyon Morgan, who resolved to rescue their ancestor from a century of obscurity. 

The University of Denver has earned a coveted spot among 75 institutions highlighted in “Dream School: Finding the College That’s Right for You,” a college guide by higher education journalist Jeffrey Selingo. Based on Selingo’s in-depth research—including a survey of more than 3,000 parents—“Dream School” reveals what matters most in a college: strong job prospects after graduation, hands-on learning experiences, and a sense of belonging. Hidden-gem schools with incredible value and rich opportunities fill the pages of this guide. 

“We are thrilled to be recognized among the nation’s ‘Dream Schools,’” says Chancellor Jeremy Haefner. “This reflects our commitment to providing a high-quality education and helping our students reach their full potential. At DU, students gain the knowledge, skills, and support needed to thrive—both on campus and in their professional lives ahead.” 

This recognition joins a growing list of accolades for the University of Denver. In the Princeton Review’s latest Best Colleges rankings, DU earned high marks across nine categories, including top-10 placements in “Students Love These Colleges” and “Best College Library.”