Tips for your holiday reading

A few months ago, we asked you for some book recommendations – and received over 40 contributions. Two books were even recommended by two ETH members. We hope you enjoy your holiday reading!

01.07.2021 by Editorial team

Read
Number of comments

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats: A Novel by Jan-Philipp Sendker

“This love story between two people with physical disabilities is extremely touching. The author has such a flair for bringing the world of Burma to life on all levels that it creates an almost unbearable longing. I highly recommend it, even for those who usually retch at the thought of a love story :-) – nothing sickly about this one.”

Tanja Fuentes, from the Professorship of Genetics

The Laboratory of Progress: Switzerland in the 19th Century by Joseph Jung

“Anyone who seriously considers the big questions of the present can’t avoid looking back into their own past.”

Ben J. Angst, from the Facility Management department

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

“This is one of my favourite books, because it seems so easy and uncomplicated. Set in Italy, this is the story of two young people who fall in love, even though the word ‘love’ is never mentioned. Originally from southern Italy myself, the descriptions made me feel at home right away. The book is very romantic, and is ‘just’ about the life of the protagonist Elio. A heartbreaking story, despite being neither incredibly exciting nor mysterious.”

Lorenzo Mazzone, from the Services department

The Wildflowers by Harriet Evans

“A beautiful and fascinating family story, with various unexpected twists and turns. The novel is set in a beach house on the English coast – the descriptions alone make you feel like you’re on holiday. The story takes some getting into, as it’s told from different times. But the light writing style helps you get to know all the characters and the background quite quickly, and then it’s hard to put down.”

Michaela Seikel, from the Office of Personnel Development and Leadership

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

“This book falls under the category of personality development, and is an absolute classic in this field. It stands out clearly from the ‘self-help books’ that are published en masse these days, and offers basic ideas and advice on how everyone can lead a fulfilled and productive life, even in times of crisis.”

Nikolai Püllen, doctoral student from the Professorship of Toxicology

The Inhabited Woman by Gioconda Belli

“A moving book that has everything: chases, espionage, political resistance and a love story. A great and engaging introduction to the history of Central America.”

Judith Holzheimer, from D-MTEC

Not a Hazardous Sport by Nigel Barley.

"An enjoyable and personal account of (ethnological) fieldwork. An expedition that goes differently than planned - and possibly that's why it's so productive."

Oliver Zenklusen, lecturer at D-ITET

Precious Days by Kent Haruf

"A man's last days are portrayed with sensitivity and atmospheric language. Although the book deals with a scary but inevitable subject for everyone - death - after reading it you don't feel heavy at all, but very light. It is definitely a book I will read again and again."

Muriel Progin, ETH Library staff member

Further recommendations by ETH members

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking – Christian Thurn, doctoral student from D-GESS
Die Wahrheit über Eva – die Erfindung der Ungleichheit von Frauen und M?nnern (“The Truth about Eve – the Invention of Inequality between Women and Men”) by Carel van Schaik and Kai Michel – Martina Koch, from the Chair of Building Physics
Kalmann by Joachim B. Schmidt – Peter Rüegg, from Corporate Communications
Sextant by David Barrie – Felix Bindsch?dler, from IT Services
The “Brittany Mystery” series by Jean-Luc Bannalec – Cornel Andreoli, from D-PHYS
Daemon by Daniel Suarez – Charles Clavadetscher, from the KOF Swiss Economic Institute
?ber Menschen (“About People”) by Juli Zeh – Alfred Johny Wüest, from Eawag, and Eva Gottschewski, from Personnel Development
The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce – Elke Bülow, from the Professorship of Information Technology and Education
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens – Andrea Waldburger, from D-MATH, and Birk Esther, from the Facility Management department
The End of Loneliness by Benedict Wells – Romano Meier, from D-ERDW
Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine – Carina K?nzig, doctoral student from D-BIOL
The “Bruno, Chief of Police” series by Martin Walker – Cornelia Künzle, from the ETH Library
Meine V?ter (“My Fathers”) by Martin R. Dean – Eva-Karin Meierhans, from ETH transfer
Grand Hotel Europa by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer – Jana Lipps, doctoral student from D-GESS
Hot Milk by Deborah Levy – Cristiano Aires Teixeira, from D-ARCH
Drau?en ist es anders. Auf neuen Wegen zu einer Wissenschaft für den Wandel (“Things are Different Outside. New Routes to a Science for Change”) by Jan Freihardt – Jan Freihardt, doctoral student from D-GESS
Flights by Olga Tokarczuk – Paulina Pacak, doctoral student from D-HEST
Die nicht sterben (“Who do Not Die”) by Dana Grigorcea – Stefan Weiler, from the Chair of Pharmacoepidemiology
What You Can See from Here by Mariana Leky – Nadja Taras, from the Chair of Systems Design
Blindness by José Saramago – Harald Atmanspacher, from the Collegium Helveticum
Butcher’s Crossing by John Williams – Betty Friedrich-Grube, from the Rector’s Staff
Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch – Jan ten Pierick, from the Institute of Geophysics
The “Seven Sisters” series by Lucinda Riley – Barbara Ritter, from the Professorship of Plant Biochemistry
Mittagsstunde (“Midday”) by D?rte Hansen – Nina Wilhelm, from the Services department
The “S.O.S. Svalbard” series by Frank Kauffmann – Frank Kauffmann, from the Language Center of UZH and ETH Zurich
Shantaram by Gregory Roberts – Madeleine Marchand, from Advanced Manufacturing
Invisible Woman by Caroline Criado-Perez – Lorenz Schmid, doctoral student from D-BAUG
A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin – Susanne Schawalder Bischof, from Teacher Training
Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo – Anne Weyden, from Corporate Communications
The ?land Quartet by Johan Theorin – Richard Krause, from ID Services