Winter break is the perfect time to curl up with a book or movie that you might not normally have time to read or watch, so every year, UChicago News asks members of the University of Chicago community for their recommendations.
This year, recommendations come from the 2025 winners of the annual Swogger, Booth and Undergraduate Student teaching awards.
Things to read
Reporter: A Memoir by Seymour Hersh
“Sy Hersh, AB '58, the greatest journalist of his generation, yarns yet another hard-scrabble tale: spanning from his childhood in Chicago, time here as a student, to becoming a lowly overnight beat reporter, and all the way through the risks and rejections he had to overcome to expose the Mai Lai Massacre and Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal.
Hersh’s indefatigable way of life might sound unnerving as you look to recuperate after a tough academic term. However, that energy is quintessentially UChicago: Tell the truth, be accountable and get the story right. It is an inspiring story of one of our greats.”
—Connor Strobel, collegiate assistant professor, social sciences and winner of the Glenn and Claire Swogger Award for Exemplary Classroom Teaching
Lessons from Plants by Beronda Montgomery
“Beronda Montgomery delivers an accessible and engaging crash course in plant biology. Along the way, she will inspire you to consider what we, as humans, can learn from these often overlooked and presumed inanimate organisms. Do plants really just 'bloom where they are planted' and what can we learn from how plants transform and interact with their environment?
I am always encouraging folks to learn more about plants. This book does not shy away from the science, but does so in a way that everyone, biologist or not, will enjoy. You will finish this book equipped with both fun facts for your next dinner party and a greater appreciation for the plants around you.
Apart from the science, I appreciate how this book encourages us to be more like plants—dynamic, transformative and in community.”
—Katelyn Butler, associate instructional professor, biological sciences and winner of the Glenn and Claire Swogger Award for Exemplary Classroom Teaching
The River of Consciousness by Oliver Sacks
“The River of Consciousness is a collection of ten essays written by neurologist and writer Oliver Sacks. Published posthumously, it often reads like a final, urgent outpouring of his best insights, stories, and unanswered questions about consciousness and existence. Every sentence contains a different idea, making it a book you can open for five minutes and close with something to think about for the rest of the day.
Most compelling of all, he uses scientific evidence to demonstrate that people and other living things may experience strikingly different realities, and that consciousness may exist in unexpected places. Sacks’s ability to find excitement and meaning in the mundane—through simple observation—genuinely inspires the reader to do the same.”
—Abby Silbaugh, winner of the Wayne C. Booth Prize for Excellence in Teaching
Things to watch
Run Granny Run (2007), directed by Marlo Poras
“This modest documentary tells the story of Doris 'Granny D' Haddock who, at age 94, ran for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire on the simple belief that those elected are supposed to work for us and that it is too great a responsibility to get unopposed. A quixotic campaign, doomed to failure, her run was dismissed by the elites in her party and her opponents. But she had a story, an idea, and a mission. It is a remarkable story of ordinary greatness that changed politics in the Granite State for elections to come, even amidst failure. If you are looking for hope this holiday season, regardless of your politics, this story of the power of everyday people is one to warm your heart.“
—Connor Strobel, collegiate assistant professor, social sciences and winner of the Glenn and Claire Swogger Award for Exemplary Classroom Teaching
Black Christmas (1974), directed by Bob Clark
“Black Christmas (1974) is an atmospheric and unsettling slasher set on a college campus over winter break, as a group of sorority sisters are plagued by increasingly disturbing phone calls under the cozy glow of Christmas lights. The film’s feminist themes, which include misogyny in the criminal legal system and reproductive autonomy, are remarkably nuanced and compassionate, especially for its time. Regardless of whether you celebrate Christmas (I don’t!), this is the perfect winter break watch for anyone who wants something both seasonally appropriate and genuinely scary.”
—Anna Fox, winner of the Wayne C. Booth Prize for Excellence in Teaching
Dog Movie (2023), directed by Henry Hanson
“If you’re looking for something less terrifying than a serial killer, how about some passive-aggressive roommates? Henry Hanson’s Dog Movie (2023) is a microbudget comedy that follows a Chicago couple who adopt an elderly dog with the same name as the couchsurfer who just won’t leave—a decision that slowly unravels unspoken tensions in their home. Rather than falling into the familiar narrative traps of queer and trans cinema, which tends to depict transness as inherently inspirational, revolutionary, or brave, Dog Movie focuses on the awkward and chaotic moments that show up in any dysfunctional living situation. This hometown cult favorite is sweet, laugh-out-loud funny, and may even inspire you to be a better roommate.”
—Anna Fox, winner of the Wayne C. Booth Prize for Excellence in Teaching
Frankenstein (2025), directed by Guillermo del Toro
“Frankenstein is an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel of the same name. The film tells an emotional story of life, death, human nature and the search for belonging, all while introducing a unique twist on the original plot. The acting is exceptional, and the cinematography and production design come together to create a world that is both beautiful and bizarre.
And of course, Shelley’s novel remains absolutely phenomenal—also worth revisiting or discovering for the first time!”
—Polly Ren, SB’25, College Undergraduate Student Prize in Undergraduate Teaching winner
Want even more? Check out recommendations from past years.
