Pepperdine Libraries Invites Recently Tenured Faculty to Comment on Inspirational Books
Recently tenured faculty members were invited to select a book title that is personally
or professionally significant to them. Pepperdine Libraries added these books to the
collection and honored the faculty members' achievement with a decorative bookplate
placed on the inside cover of their chosen book. The books are on display at Payson
Library and are available for checkout.
Jillian Alderman
Associate Professor of Accounting, Graziadio Business School
Tenured in 2023
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain
"Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain delightfully portrays the strengths of introverts in a world that often
places extraordinary value on extroversion. I've always been fascinated by how individual
traits shape our lives and how we interact with others, and my own research studies
this phenomenon as applied to the business-world. The research studies and personal
stories presented in this book are powerful. The book inspired me to embrace my true
introvert self and to lead others in my own unique way."
Keith Colclough
Associate Professor of Vocal Studies, Seaver College
Tenured in 2024
"It is easy to despair while confronting the challenges of our time, and I have found
hope and imagination increasingly precious to me in recent years. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Robin Wall Kimmerer fuses ecology, poetry, and soul to encourage the reader's imagination
of what is possible. Kimmerer acknowledges the wounds of our world, and she describes
a model for ecological restoration based on deep relationship and reciprocity between
humans and the natural world: work that is both contemplative and joyful. This book
reminds me of my favorite line of song text from the musical Hadestown, in which the
narrator says of the musician Orpheus, "He could make you see how the world could
be, in spite of the way that it is.""
Katie Frye
Associate Professor of English, Seaver College
Tenured in 2024
A Prayer Journal, by Flannery O'Connor
"Thank you, Flannery, for reminding us that faith is messy and never a straight line:
"Too weak [...] even to get out a prayer for anything much except trifles. I don't
want to be doomed to mediocrity in my feeling for Christ. I want to feel. I want to
love. Take me, dear Lord, and set me in the direction I am to go.""
Clemens Kownatzki
Associate Professor of Finance and Associate Dean, Graziadio Business School
Tenured in 2024
Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives, by John Hull
This is a seminal work, possibly the most popular and comprehensive introduction to
derivatives, in particular futures and options. The book offers great insights for
students and professionals seeking a deep understanding of financial derivatives and
risk management. I have used this book for well over a decade in my derivatives and
risk management classes.
Diana Isabel Martínez
Associate Professor of Communication, Seaver College
Tenured in 2024
Take My Hand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
"This book is everything that is good about historical fiction, and it's a powerful
reminder of the importance of archival research and good storytelling. The reader
walks away wiser about a critical historical moment based on historical research conducted
by the author. The beauty of this book is that its fiction picks up where the archive
leaves off, in the spaces, erasures, and possibilities that exist in the archive through
the choice of main characters, imagined relationships, and ways in which our careers
mold and shape us into the people we become."
Alyssa Ong
Associate Professor of Accounting, Seaver College
Tenured in 2024
"This book hits close to home as the fraud was masterminded by Malaysians and the
country will be impacted by this fraud for years to come. It is a good reminder of
the importance of checks and balances embedded in the system, the need to remain professionally
skeptical, and the bravery of many who conducted investigations and blew the whistle
to expose the fraud."
Hunter Paris
Associate Professor of Sports Medicine, Seaver College
Tenured in 2024
The New Kid on the Block, by Jack Prelutsky
"What is a miracle? Is it not when laws—normally immutable—are momentarily disobeyed?
We picture this defiance as a transcendence of natural laws—moving against gravity
say, or against the ordinances governing energy and motion. But it needn’t be. Because
other laws exist, extending even beyond the jurisdiction of the natural sciences.
And the defiance of these laws is no less miraculous. In Tolstoy’s pièce de résistance,
Anna Karenina, the character Levin searches for the miraculous. "And I watched for
miracles," Levin states, and then complains that he does not see any. But in the closing
scenes, Levin discovers—through humility—the miraculous in the mundane, the profound
in the commonplace. "And here is a miracle," Levin concludes, "the sole miracle possible,
surrounding me on all sides, and I never noticed it." So too, I am convinced that
it is a miracle when a child climbs into the crook of his mother's arms, with one
arm she cradles him, with another she holds open a book. "Ready?" she asks. The boy
nods. Then the mother turns to a page they've read many times before—the boy's favorite.
"Homework, oh homework," the mother reads, "I hate you, you stink! I wish…" Her voice
softens and the little boy picks up where the mom left off. "I wish I could wash you
away in the sink!" He isn’t reading of course but reciting. For after all the readings
("Mom, let’s read it again!") the boy knows the words by heart. Nearly forty years
later, he knows them still. Thanks, mom, for welcoming in the miraculous!"
Amanda Rizkallah
Associate Professor of International Studies, Seaver College
Tenured in 2024
"This book was written by my dissertation advisor and is a classic in the field of
political science. When I was in graduate school, I took a course on research design
and we used this book as our guide. I expected it to be a dry textbook. As it turned
out, I was completely wrong. It is not an exaggeration to say that this book taught
me how to think. It helps any curious person apply the scientific method to the social
and political world in a realistic and practical way. I still return to the wisdom
in its pages years later and it still inspires my approach in teaching students how
to ask good questions and explore the answers to those questions in systematic and
compelling ways."
Bobbi Thomason
Associate Professor of Applied Behavioral Science, Graziadio Business School
Tenured in 2024
The Sun and Her Flowers, by Rupi Kaur
This is a book of poems about growth and healing, love and loss, with a uniquely female
voice. These same themes marked my tenure journey. I hope readers at Pepperdine in
the midst of their own journeys will recognize themselves and find inspiration in
whatever their present chapter: Wilting, Falling, Rooting, Rising, or Blooming.
Erlanger A. Turner
Associate Professor of Psychology, Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Tenured in 2024
The 100 Best African American Poems, by Nikki Giovanni
"The 100 Best African American Poems holds a special place in my heart. It symbolizes my love for writing and poetry that
began in childhood. Writing poetry was my earliest form of self-expression. This passion
has evolved alongside my career as a scholar and psychologist, where I've witnessed
firsthand the transformative power of words. Beyond personal expression, I've come
to appreciate how writing enriches my academic pursuits and serves as a healing force
in therapy. This book stands as a testament to the enduring influence of poetry in
my life and work."
Felicity Vabulas
Associate Professor of International Studies, Seaver College
Tenured in 2023
After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy, by Robert O. Keohane
"This book analyzes how and why international cooperation can exist, particularly
when there is not a hegemon (a dominant, powerful state) in the world. It is *the*
book that inspired me to carve out my research trajectory related to international
organizations. I poured over its pages during graduate school and have frequently
returned to its cogent foundations since. I owe some of my own thinking about the
challenges related to international cooperation to Bob Keohane and his pathbreaking
work. As I continue to dissect and analyze international institutions, I am also grateful
for its larger, inspiring message: that international cooperation is often difficult,
but is also often possible. This is a welcome message in today's world as we face
some of the most intractable issues of our global era and a backlash toward international
organizations."
Veronica Viesca
Associate Professor of Psychology; Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Tenured in 2024
Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity, by Peter Attia
"I chose Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia because it eloquently bridges the often siloed domains of physical health and relational well-being. Attia, who was in therapy with world-renowned couple and family therapist Esther Perel, shared wisdom and perspective; this book, mainly Chapter 17, illuminates the profound interconnectedness between our bodies and relationships. Attia's journey through family history and marital challenges reveals how emotional and relational health is inextricably linked to our physical vitality. This resonates deeply with my research, which underscores the bidirectional connection between physical health and the quality of our relationships. "Outlive" is a testament to the holistic approach necessary for longevity and well-being."
