Senior Natalie Pereira said Book Chats, a time to gather and talk about a book read over the summer, allow students “to connect with people you wouldn’t normally meet and share ideas.” 

Natalie was paired with junior Zilan Kan during this year’s Book Chats on Monday, September 29, as they discussed questions pertaining to the book Before the coffee gets cold, by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Natalie and Zilan had never met.  

“In English class, you’re spending a lot of time with the same group, so hearing from people you have not heard from and their take on literature is really interesting,” Natalie said. 

All across campus, students gathered to talk about the books they decided to read. Faculty members in the department affiliated with a chosen title — there were 25 options — led the discussions. This year's most popular title was 1984, with the English Department hosting more than 160 students in eight locations.

Before the coffee gets cold explores what a person might change if they could do back in time. The discussion took place in Founders Hall. 

Zilan said the “blurb” describing the book when students were given the titles caught her imagination. “I thought it would be really interesting because it is a book about time travel, but also how to face the past and how to deal with your own regrets and move forward,” she said. 

Natalie described the book as being about “regrets and forgiveness and the use of going back in time — and if you could change things, should you? Is that even useful to your present self or not?” 

Not far from Founders Hall, the living room of the Head’s House was filled with energy as students considered some opening questions related to How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen, a book by New York Times columnist David Brooks.   

“Stand up and find someone you do not know well,” Head of School Jody Soja told the students. The first question: “Tell me something about your name.” The room got loud as the students connected with each other. Other questions, for which students had to find a different partner, included, “What is some advice you tell others but don't follow yourself?” and “If you came with a warning label, what would the label say?” 

So, even before discussion of the book began, students were getting to know each other in a deeper way. They not only had to talk but to listen to the other person, one of the points of the book.  

The blurb given to the students on the Brooks book in part read: “All around us are people who feel invisible, unseen, misunderstood. Brooks sets out to help us do better. ... How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate toward others, and to find the joy that comes from being seen.” 

As one student said of all the opening questions, “It was great to jump right into conversation.”  There was no awkward silence. It was time to be seen and heard.