Harvard UniversityHarvard Reads: Faculty Recommendations
A curated collection of transformative books recommended by Harvard's distinguished faculty and staff, spanning science, philosophy, culture, and human understanding - offering readers the intellectual treasures that have shaped some of the world's leading thinkers.
1. Philosophy & Spiritual Wisdom
Foundational philosophical and spiritual texts that explore the deepest questions of human existence, consciousness, and meaning across cultures and centuries.
The Republic
From Susanna Siegel, Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University
The Power of Now
From Nancy Koehn, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School
An Autobiography or The Story of My Experiments with Truth
From Howard Gardner, Professor of Cognition and Education at Harvard GSE
The Myth of Sisyphus
From Orlando Patterson, Professor of Sociology at Harvard University
Leviathan
From Noah Feldman, Professor of Law at Harvard Law School
2. Science & Revolutionary Ideas
Groundbreaking scientific works and contemporary insights that have fundamentally transformed our understanding of the natural world and human development.
On the Origin of Species
Recommended by Eric Maskin, Professor of Economics and Mathematics; recipient of the 2007 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics
The Anxious Generation
From David H. Rosmarin, Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School
The Alignment Problem
From Isaac Kohane, Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School
Read Write Own
From Scott Duke Kominers, Professor at Harvard Business School
How Proust Can Change Your Life
From Joseph Badaracco, Professor of Business Ethics at Harvard Business School
3. Economics & Power Structures
Essential works that illuminate economic systems, financial history, and the complex dynamics of power in modern society.
The Wealth of Nations
From Edward Glaeser, Professor of Economics at Harvard University
The Ascent of Money
From Kenneth S. Rogoff, Professor of Economics, Chair of International Economics
The Only Game in Town
From Kenneth S. Rogoff, Professor of Economics, Chair of International Economics
The Power Broker
From Alessandra Seiter, librarian at Harvard Kennedy School
4. Culture & Human Connection
Books exploring how we gather, work together, and create meaningful relationships in both professional and personal contexts.
The Culture Code
From Milena Batanova, director of research and evaluation at Making Caring Common
Unreasonable Hospitality
Recommended by Lee H. Fenn, Access Services
Out of Office
Recommended by Ann Whiteside, Assistant Dean for Information Services
Born a Crime
Recommended by Ya-Chieh Hsu, Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology
5. History, Politics & Social Justice
Compelling narratives that illuminate the forces shaping our political landscape and the ongoing struggle for justice, understanding, and social progress.
The Souls of Black Folk
From Henry Louis Gates Jr., Director of Hutchins Center for African & African American Research
The Fire Next Time
From Meira Levinson, Professor of Education and Society at Harvard GSE
Say Nothing
From Mashail Malik, Assistant Professor of Government, Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Strangers in Their Own Land
From Jennifer Hochschild, Professor of Government at Harvard University
The Righteous Mind
From Milena Batanova, director of research and evaluation at Making Caring Common
Nine Lives
Recommended by Susan Gilman, librarian at Tozzer Library