Randall Dunn, our new Head of School, shares some of his best reads in a Q&A format with the Rye Crop. An avid nonfiction reader, Dunn has many must-read books to recommend!

The Rye Crop: Which book are you currently reading?

Dunn: Currently, I am reading a book called Bittersweet. It is about that term, “bittersweet,”  and it talks about the importance of understanding and maybe even appreciating moments that are sad. The book focuses on the fact that we can’t always be happy and avoid sadness, and that some people actually thrive because they are able to appreciate those moments that are bittersweet. There is sometimes a lot to learn and a lot to be gained from understanding the bitter. The author is Susan Cain, and what I like about her work is that she takes these concepts that can seem like they are esoteric terms and she then brings some real research and science to clarify the topic and have them make sense to any reader.

TR: What is your all time favorite book and why?

Dunn: It is impossible to choose! I struggle with trying to pick one. There is a book called Small Island by Andrea Levy and it’s about immigrating from Jamaica. I tend to like books that make sense in my life in some way. They become really easy to read when they are contextual. When I read that book I could understand the experiences and some of the emotions they described. Immigration from Jamaica is such a tremendous part of what happened to me that a book that revealed some of the sentiments really appealed to me.

TRC: Who are your favorite authors and/or poets and why?

Dunn: I would say Maya Angelou. I love the way she writes, and I love her poetry. There is so much that she has written that is just so inspirational and evokes joy and sadness and all kinds of circumstances that are just fantastic and inspirational. From a classics standpoint, Shakespeare still resonates with me. A current author that I read a few things from that , again, was contextual and I really liked is Ta-Nehisi Coates. He wrote some really terrific pieces that stuck with me such as Between the World and Me, which is about an African American man writing to his son, and that was really powerful.

TRC: Do you recall a book character that has inspired you the most?

Dunn: So much of my reading over the past couple of years has been about life and not much about fictional characters. So much of my reading is connected to concepts, systems, issues rather than inspirational characters. So I have a tough time thinking of the inspiration that I get from a character in a book as “the thing.” I get a charge much more from some of the words, sentiments, or concepts that make me see the world differently. 

TRC: What is your favorite banned book?

Dunn: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is definitely my favorite banned book.

TRC: Which genre do you tend to pick up to read?

Dunn: My genre is largely nonfiction, and I am trying to read more fiction. But I do find that I gravitate to things that apply in my world and help me connect to particular situations that I am in and inspire me.

TRC: Do you prefer digital books or paper copies?

Dunn: I am not a super speedy reader, but I do like physical books. However, I do like listening to books audibly. I have listened to several of my favorite books audibly. But I still like the tangible flipping of the pages and getting through the book and the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing it.

TRC: What is a must read for high school students?

Dunn: Good Shakespeare is always awesome, because even today, when you look around, there are so many ways that his plays still relate. 

TRC: What’s next on your TBR (To Be Read) list?

Dunn: I am going to read this book called The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. It is a pretty famous book that has been used by all kinds of revolutionaries and sparked change across the world and in different societies. The book has endured for so long, and I like books that carry meaning forward so I am going to read it.