Poll: What’s the Best Summer Read?
By Mandie Boardman

Summer’s coming! In need of a good book to read while traveling, hanging out at the beach or to challenge your mind during the months away from campus? We recently asked students and MomentUM writers what their favorite summer reading books are. Here’s what they had to offer—and if you don’t agree with them, or would like to let us know what your favorite summer read is email us at alumni@umd.edu.

Michael Levine’s '09 Summer Reading Recommendations:

• Princess Bride by William Goldman
• Pulp by Charles Bukowski
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Michal Kabatznik’s '07 Summer Reading Recommendations

• Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
• Chronicles: Volume One by Bob Dylan
• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

Jennifer Mino’s '07 Summer Reading Recommendations

• Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
• The Nanny Diaries by Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
• Cross by James Patterson

Below are the results of our winter poll question: Who's your favorite teacher?

Although, we did not receive an overwhelming response to last issue’s poll, “Who’s your Favorite Teacher,” we did receive a response from someone who was very passionate about letting us know what she thought. Here’s what Lauren Sanders had to say about her favorite teachers:

“I have a few teachers who I just loved and who made a huge impact in my life and I would like them to be recognized as the university’s best teachers:

1. Dr. Laura Brooks is so smart and she has such a warm personality and a big heart–she’s a great person all around. I learned so much from her.
   
2. Paul Horner is also a very smart man and he understands what its like to struggle as a college student. He is very funny and made a great impact in my life. He is one of the nicest people I have ever met.
   
3. Dave Foster has got to be the funniest person I have ever met. He makes learning so much fun. I always looked forward to coming to his class because he presents his material so well and his class was always so interesting.

All three of these professors are all equally the smartest, most caring, thoughtful, and funny professors this university has. They are such great people; I hope that I can be just like them. There are not enough words that I can say about all of them, just that they made a huge impact on my life and I strive to be just like them. They are such great assets to this university and any student that has them is very lucky. All three of these professors make you want to work hard and strive to be the best that you can be and you gain so much from them.”

If you’d like to have your voice heard like Lauren’s, make sure you respond to this month’s poll!