Faculty Reading List 2021

What is it about?

Nusantaria – often referred to as 'Maritime Southeast Asia' – is the world's largest archipelago and has, for centuries, been a vital cultural and trading hub. It is an intriguing part of our planet and as part of the Indo-Pacific the world's most important geo-strategic theater in the 21st century. This is an introduction to its rich history, people and their seafaring ways.

Why do I recommend this book?

Philip Bowring is a seasoned journalist with decades of experience in reporting on Southeast Asia. Married to a key figure in the pan-democracy camp in Hong Kong, he presents a perspective on the region, which is otherwise likely to get lost in the greater Chinese narrative. Finally, the book is an example of outstanding quality popular science and demonstrates that we can communicate our scientific findings in an understandable way for a broader audience.

To whom do I recommend this book?

I recommend it in particular to anyone watching recent developments in Hong Kong and the wider region trying to understand their implications for the 21st century. Also to those interested in an ambitious read to broaden their horizon beyond the West.

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What is it about?

The life of Germans in the post-war period in light of the history of the Nazis, the devastation of war and adapting to a new period, including a look at the relationship with the Allied Powers.

Why do I recommend this book?

It is an informed, detailed and at the same time analytical reappraisal of German history: from the black market to kidney-shaped tables, from an identity that turned out to be false to creating a new one, from experiencing hunger and death to a willingness to help others and starting on a new path towards an affluent society.

To whom do I recommend this book?

To anyone interested in this period of history or who simply wants to know how Germany started to rebuild after WWII.

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What is it about?

Jonathan Levy writes a history of the USA from the perspective of an economic historian. In his impressive synthesis, he shows that there was no such thing as "American” capitalism, that the state has always had a strong role in the U.S. contrary to widespread myths and why the U.S. is economically where it is in the modern era.

Why do I recommend this book?

The book is a modern, coherent account of U.S. economic history, dispelling many myths and providing a basis for illuminating, in particular, the specifics of developments since the 1980s. It informs, entertains, stimulates thought and provides plenty of material for reforming debates in the historical framework.

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What is it about?

Numerous trips took Casanova all over Europe. He was on the road from his sixteenth to his sixtieth year. He met with important rulers and the intellectual elite of his time (his other acquaintances are not mentioned here). Finally, Casanova ended up in a castle in Bohemia. There he became ill and very unhappy. To cheer himself up, he wrote his memoirs.

Why do I recommend this audio book?

Casanova was for many - as they say - quite a “naughty person.” But one should not underestimate him. He not only experienced an incredible amount during his life, but also wrote it all down. The "Story of My Life" is a masterpiece of world literature.

To whom do I recommend this audio book?

Those who set out to travel with Casanova through the 18th century will occasionally be sad to be living three hundred years later. However, the book edition comprises 12 volumes. Reading them all can be overwhelming. Therefore, I recommend the audio book, spoken by the incomparable Otto Sander (in German) and Peter Wickham (in English). Finally, however, a "caveat lector". Casanova himself writes in his preface: "I have not written these memoirs for the young; for they must be preserved in ignorance, lest they fall." Should that make me reconsider? Should I recommend this work (which I already have) only to alumni? I don’t think so. After all, students are quickly on their way to becoming adults.

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What is it about?

Adiche's award-winning novel about the Nigerian Biafran War. A story of love and betrayal, racism and loyalty, and life in the destructive daily grind of war.

Why do I recommend this book?

It is beautifully written and depicts the atrocities of war, but also the resilience of humanity. The book touched me very much.

To whom do I recommend this?

Anyone interested in African politics and wanting an insight into the civil war in Nigeria. Adichie is also a renowned author, and this book won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2007.

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What is it about?

Compelling scientific and industrial history at its best: At the beginning of the 20th century, the German chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch not only discovered the process for ammonia synthesis, but also developed the technical basis for its large scale industrial production. In doing so, they saved the world from a catastrophic famine - but at the same time created the basis for modern warfare in the First World War. 

Why do I recommend this book?

Similar to these days, where we focus all our energies on taming Artificial Intelligence or combating climate change, at the end of the 19th century science was desperately searching for solutions to meet the demand for nitrogen required for fertilizer production, due to the fact that natural deposits had been exhausted. It is impressive to read how courageously and steadfastly Haber and Bosch fought their way to success, against all odds and many failed attempts. At the same time, the Janus faced nature of their discovery makes one ponder, for without the ammonia produced by BASF, World War I, which cost the lives of millions of young men, would have been over much sooner. Both inventors, despite receiving the highest scientific honors, were miserable later on in their lives: Fritz Haber's wife Clara Immerwahr committed suicide because her husband was involved in the developments of poison gas in World War 1, Haber himself had to emigrate in 1933 because of his Jewish ancestry and died lonely in a hotel in Basel. Towards the end of his life, Carl Bosch became depressed, unsociable and a drunkard; he died after a suicide attempt in 1940.

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