Neese said he likes that these books provide a deeper, more comprehensive and thorough access to information that may not necessarily come through other mediums.

textbooks, while relevant and important, don’t focus as deep as I might want on certain issues and topics, so I enjoy those books because I can get a fuller story and really capture what was happening at the time from a perspective that’s not my own.

A Case for Audio Books:

Finally, Neese spoke his mind on the merits of audio books and their validity as medium of reading and receiving information.

I would argue [that] yes, audio books should be considered real books. As a teacher and – I would imagine – as students who are busy all the time, having an audio book, you can just pop it in. You don’t always get to retain it as easily, but it’s a good way to interpret new information that someone put together. I have audio books that I listen to on the way to work, because I have 30 minutes, so why not listen to a chapter of a book?

[I like] stories that demonstrate the importance of compassion. We’re so complex and it’s really important to be able to put yourself in other people’s shoes or think of things from outside your own perspective, which isn’t easy to do. [One thing] in stories that resonate with me is the idea that there are a lot of different sides to stories.

Vakili said she enjoys realistic fiction because she feels that she can easily relate to the characters and situations in those books. She especially likes books told from multiple perspectives for their illustration of empathy and compassion.

Reading can be really fulfilling – intellectually but also emotionally.

As a librarian, Vakili said that though she has always enjoyed reading, doing this job has greatly expanded her awareness of the valuable role that books play for everyone. In addition to her personal enjoyment, working in the library has expanded her appreciation of the importance of books and stories.

Since you can’t time-travel or journey everywhere, books give you a window to the world.

Wilson considers herself a "self-professed book pimp" due to her lifelong love for books (since she started reading at age 4!) and enthusiasm for helping others find their love for reading. In her World Literature classes, she assigns an individual book report to students, requiring them to choose a book to read and write a book report about per semester. She loves helping her students find a book that will hopefully reinforce their love for reading or introduce them to the pleasures of it.

Over the past 5 years, students and I brainstorm ways to unplug from technology and social media, put themselves in a bubble, and get engrossed in a book. It’s getting harder for us all – even bookworms like me – to carve out time for books, turn off our phones, and make appointments with ourselves to read.

What is your favorite book of all time?

Set during the Ethiopian Civil War, the story follows Marion and Shiva Stone, twin brothers born from a secret union between an Indian nun and a British surgeon and orphaned by their mother's death and father's disappearance. Both share the same passion for medicine and go on to become rival doctors.

What book do you think everyone should read?

In this memoir, Westover recounts her journey of self-discovery and independence from her family in a beautifully relevant coming-of-age story that emphasizes the importance of taking control of your own life.

What book have you reread the most?

Set in New England during the Civil War era, the story covers the journey of the March sisters: headstrong Jo, warm Meg, stubborn Amy, and frail Beth. They are devoted to each other as sisters and navigate life together.

What book has had the deepest impact on you?

As a young lawyer, Bryan Stevenson founded the Equal Justice Initiative to defend those most in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children. Walter McMillian, a young man receiving the death sentence for a murder he insisted he didn't commit, was the subject of one of his first cases.

What is a book that made you cry?

Set in Afghanistan throughout the Soviet invasion to Taliban reign to post-Taliban recovery, this gripping tale follows Mariam and Laila, two women who are married to the same husband. Brought on by their struggle to survive and find happiness, they form a beautiful bond amidst suffering and turmoil.

If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?

In antebellum America, Huckleberry Finn recounts his adventures with runaway slave Jim as they travel down the Mississippi River.

What is a book you couldn't stop thinking about after finishing it?

In this memoir, former marine and Yale Law School graduate J.D. Vance shares his experience growing up in Kentucky with his family's Appalachian values, offering insight on the struggles of the white working-class in America.

Wilson invites you to swing by her classroom anytime to check out her bookshelf !

I think it’s important for people to read so that they can use their mind to create an escape, rather than have a motion picture or TV create that for them. When you’re reading a story, either fiction or nonfiction, you have to conjure all that up, and I think that’s important for us all.

Berner said that his mom has always been a big reader, so he grew up in a house filled with books. In his house in Idaho, he has a library with a collection of books he's acquired largely from thrift stores. When he vacations there, he enjoys spending time making his way through these books that fill his library.