Social Sciences

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference

By Malcolm Gladwell

“All of Malcolm Gladwell’s books are great, but The Tipping Point is another interesting look at society and how change comes about,” Battle says. The book explains the phenomenon of fads and when a tipping point is reached, resulting in a dramatic change. “I want you to feel like you know how the world works and you’re beginning to understand it,” Battle says.

Literature and Language Arts

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

By Ken Kesey

“Ken Kesey is one of the celebrated authors from Oregon,” Battle says. “One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is interesting in that it examines how the mentally ill are treated and shows issues of personal freedom and what it means to really be alive.” And if you’re into movies, “when literature is turned into film, this book has one of the most successful adaptations,” Battle says.

History and Cultures

Collapse: How Societies Choose To Fail Or Succeed

By Jared Diamond

From the author of history teachers’ favorite Guns Germs And Steel, Collapse explores political, technological, ecological decisions that cultures make which combine in order to sustain or destroy a society,” Battle says. Knowing world history can really benefit you in future learning escapades. “We’re all connected much more than you might imagine,” Battle says.

Science and Technology

Super Crunchers: How Anything Can Be Predicted

By Ian Ayres

“As you go off to college and start your adult life, you have to be really savvy about number crunching,” Battle says. Super Crunchers discusses real life examples from online dating sites and sports, as well as describing how data on consumers is collected and analyzed by computers and statisticians to predict almost anything. “Statistics are starting to drive our culture,” Battle says, “and now more than ever you have to sift out truth from hype.”

Arts and Humanities

The Power of Myth

By Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers
“Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers did a PBS series that goes along with the book,” Battle says. The Power Of Myth covers the role of mythology in the modern world. “This book provides a strong foundation for literature classes when you have to compare books to tales from the past,” Battle says.