Summer books for first-year students tackle social issues

Image:  While incoming first-year college students enjoy the summer break, many will also be cracking open books that their institutions have asked them to read before classes start. The summer reading assignments, known as common books, differ at each institution but are all meant to stimulate discussion about current events when students arrive on campus. This year, as in the past few years, many institutions are choosing books that touch on issues of social justice—particularly...