I’m an English baby, of course. But few who don’t know me personally would guess that I’m married to an accountant. He hated English classes in high school, scoffing at students who could validate an interpretation and still be called “right.” (Which is funny, because that is one of the reasons I love English!)
For a long time, my husband and I didn’t discuss literature. It just wasn’t something we had in common. However, in the past few years we’ve found a few titles we both love.
Recently, I got to thinking about my math-loving husband and his distaste for English. I wondered, why should English class be reserved for lovers of the humanities?
Here are 10 titles that are crowd-pleasers for science, math, and logic-minded students.
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Project Hail Mary or The Martian by Andy Weir
These books have both been bridges between my English-loving brain and my husband’s math-loving brain. We both love Weir’s wit and narrative style, as well as how he makes scientific concepts, even astrophysics, accessible through fiction. My husband read both of these books through Audible, while I read The Martian and used Audible for Project Hail Mary. I highly recommend the Audible version of Project Hail Mary; it is hands down the best auditory performance of a book I’ve ever heard!
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
I did not love this book, but many do. The plot surrounds two characters as they create a video game and there are many references to popular video games throughout the novel. The story describes not only the game creation, such as coding and debugging, but also the work that goes into making computer-generated art and graphics.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
This is another book that didn’t connect with me, but I’ve heard that many science fiction buffs love it. This quirky science fiction story blends sardonic wit with nonsensical plot elements. This book reminds math and science lovers not to take themselves too seriously, and that one can still love those elements and have fun as well.
Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
I just finished this book and it was extremely thought-provoking. Ishiguro has the soul of a poet but the mind of a scientist, resulting in the beautiful perspective of Klara, an artificial friend in this dystopian book. This book provides ample description in some elements but also sparse details in others, requiring close reading and interpretation on level with AP classes. While I still consider this a beautiful, poetic novel, the questions it raises about artificial intelligence and its role in society are growing ever more relevant and important.
The Circle by Dave Eggers
I loved this book…except the ending. But it was so thought-provoking! This plot-based novel follows Mae, who gets an entry-level position at the Circle, the biggest name in social media. Think of Amazon plus TikTok and you’ve got The Circle. Employees are rewarded for channeling as much of their lives on the Circle as possible, so Mae embodies that way of life entirely, quickly rising up through the ranks of the company to become one of its most recognizable faces. As she grows in power and fame, she loses more and more of herself along the way. This book makes you question the role of social media in our society, as well as the potential for monopoly in large companies like The Circle.
Life on Mars: Poems by Tracy K. Smith
Yes, it’s poetry! For math people! Tracy K. Smith’s collection of poetry muses on space, relationships, pop music, and more. It has something for everyone and there are some fantastic singular poems you can use to hook more math-minded students in a poetry lesson or unit.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie World War by Max Brooks
This may seem like an oddball choice, but I think it’s reflective of a genre of its own. This book reads like a biography, but it is of a zombie apocalypse that never happened. It requires imagination to comprehend the (fictional) events of the Great Zombie War, but its told in a completely logical, and sometimes very dry, historical approach.
Fun fact: Max Brooks is Mel Brooks’ son, the famous filmmaker.
Fun Fact #2: It has almost nothing in common with the film of the same name.
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies at a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
I am OBSESSED with this book! I’ve read it twice and have watched the miniseries twice—plus I forced my husband to both listen and watch. I think the story behind Elizabeth Holmes is relevant to many Gen Z students. They want to make their mark on the world—but maybe don’t always want to prepare for making that mark. Holmes’ story is a cautionary tale that must be read, ESPECIALLY by those going into the science and engineering fields.
The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger
This was the first nonfiction adult book that I read. I remember I was 13 years old my dad had just set it down. I have always been intrigued by storms, so I thought I’d give it a shot. Although much of the meteorological information went over my head, I appreciated that the author took the time to teach me the relevant meteorological information that I needed. Then I realized: I was learning. I was reading and learning more about weather, seafaring, and New England culture.
After I finished this book, I picked up Into Thin Air, then In Cold Blood, then, Into the Wild, etc. I have found that logical thinkers follow nonfiction novels easier than humanities readers, as we tend to want a plot that carries us away. Instead, the author will constantly teach us the relevant information that we need to fully understand the story.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
It was very hard to pick a single Malcolm Gladwell book to put on this list, but overall I picked Blink. While Gladwell’s books are gold for logical thinkers, this book actually describes the process behind that logical thinking—and all thinking! Logic minds will love learning more about their beautiful brains and intuitive thought processes through Gladwell’s masterful prose.
I’m sure there are more titles I could add to this list. What are some titles you like to suggest for your STEM kids? I’d love to know!
