What's on Your Bookshelf? Pt. 2

This week's "What's on Your Bookshelf?" asks Rileigh, the Press's Associate Editor, about her summer to-read list.

Hell's Half Acre by Richard Selcer

While working on our upcoming book about the early years of TCU football, I learned more about how Fort Worth and TCU’s early histories are very much intertwined. Part of the reason the Clarks originally left Fort Worth to build their school elsewhere had to do with the many saloons and gambling houses popping up all around site they had picked out. Last year TCU students petitioned for the newly renovated Amon G. Carter Stadium to be nicknamed “Hell’s Half Acre,” because it sounds intimidating and is a huge part of Fort Worth’s history. I agree, however, with Chancellor Boschini that in light of what Hell’s Half Acre truly was, I think we can probably do better than that for our university. I’ll be reading and reviewing Selcer’s book later this summer. 

Son by Lois Lowry

Most of us have read The Giver (and if not, you should!), but I didn’t learn until much later that Lowry also wrote more books that followed it. I’ve read Gathering Blue and Messenger, and am excited to finish the series with her new and final book, Son. Each of Lowry’s books, written in simple and pure language, causes me to really stop and think about our society—what we value, and what we should value.







Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

My high school Spanish teacher read this book to us in class if we finished our lessons early and had time before the bell rang. (Subtle, Mrs. Kovacs! Keeping us quiet by reading us a story.) I don’t remember anything about it except her family knew Ron Hall. Because it’s a true story, set in Fort Worth, and has become a national bestseller, I’d like to read it for myself. I checked it out from the library and both of my parents read it before I had a chance to, and of course they want to discuss it, so now I am obligated to read it!

The Hidden Hand: Or, Capitola the Madcap by E.D.E.N. Southworth

Becca told me to read this book! When she said it was one she read for a womens’ studies course, I was skeptical… You really want me to read a book you had to dissect and write pages and pages of literary criticism about? But she says it’s fun. And I trust her, so read it I will…eventually.









Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

It seems like everyone has read this book! I’ve read the first page and loved how the husband can recognize his wife by the back of her head. There’s raw emotion there that’s so difficult to capture in print sometimes. But then I just got busy and didn’t keep going. I’ve heard really awesome things about it from bookish friends, and I love mysteries. What’s summer without reading a few books you’re bound to love?