Books that played a memorable role in my life, presented biographically.

• Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater - I had a crush on a girl that read a lot. I didn't, so this was my effort to become a "reader." Did I mention I was in fourth grade?
• Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton - This is the book that actually made me a "reader." I read it after seeing the movie, starting a rich life of reading intended for someone over age 12.
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey - When I finished reading the book, I teared up. Finally, I found a novel that deserved to be called "My Favorite Book."
• Live from Death Row by Mumia Abdu-Jamal - Not only did this memoir of a death row inmate spur a change in my feelings about the death penalty, it also served as the fodder for a successful college admissions essay. That's more than Dan Brown can boast.
• Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser - I was going through a phase where I had to read all the great progressive tomes. You could say this one hit a nerve because I haven't eaten red meat since, and, in less than a year, I was a vegetarian.
• Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich - I read this book during a sweltering summer in DC. It boosted my dislike for Walmart to a more actionable level. It also primed me for my work with unions.
• American Labor Unions in the Electoral Arena by Herbert Asher, et. al. - My boss gave me this book while I was working on my first midterm. It helped nudge me further toward the academic life.