By Chiara Mazidi

Editor-in-Chief, GSIS Newsletter

As the semester has officially ended and winter break has begun, it is the perfect time to relax and start a new book. But with so many options out there, it is hard to know where to begin. To help you make the most of your reading time, we asked some of our esteemed GSIS professors to share their top book recommendations.

Whether you seek a new story to get lost in or want to learn more about nuclear nonproliferation, this list offers a diverse selection where everyone can find new reading inspirations. These excellent books are recommended by our professors, especially for GSIS students to explore during their free time.

Settle into a comfortable spot and allow these recommendations to inspire your winter reading journey. You may even uncover a new favorite along the way.

Prof. Kim Duyeon

I have two recommendations. One is an IR book, and the other is a novel based on true events:

First, The Spread of Nuclear Weapons: A Debate Renewed by Scott Sagan and Kenneth Waltz. This book is essential in grasping the foundational arguments about whether more countries with nuclear weapons are better or worse for global stability, especially because it is written by two prominent scholars whose names and theories all IR students must know.

Second, is The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown. This is an inspiring book about grit, hope, and achievement based on the true events of an American working-class rowing team at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Nazi Germany. The narrator in the Audible version is very good too, for students who like audiobooks.

Prof. Shin Dongik

I will recommend a book called Greek Lessons by Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Han Kang’s physical empathy for extreme life stories is reinforced by her increasingly charged metaphorical style. 희랍어 시간 (Greek Lessons, 2023) from 2011 is a captivating portrayal of an extraordinary relationship between two vulnerable individuals. A young woman who, following a string of traumatic experiences, has lost the power of speech connects with her teacher in Ancient Greek, who is himself losing his sight. From their respective flaws, a brittle love affair develops. The book is a beautiful meditation around loss, intimacy, and the ultimate conditions of language.

Prof. Mira Lee

I want to recommend The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton. This thought-provoking book explores how extended lifespans are reshaping careers, relationships, and personal growth. It can be a great read to reflect on future opportunities and strategies during the winter break.

Prof. Jong-Dae Park  

Well, the book I recently purchased, and I am reading is Ed Conway's Material World: the six raw materials that shape modern civilization.

Today, we get too excited and hasty with the latest technologies like AI, digital technology, and renewable energy, as if we can do away with material resources like natural minerals and fossil fuels in the near future. This is a great book that brings home the fact that this isn't the case and helps us get an objective and balanced perspective of the technological aspirations often tied to moral justifications and the hard reality of our world. Another important point we need to grasp is that we must also guard against mysticism driven by commercial interests that do not always serve the interest of humanity in practical terms.