This week, student-leaders announced Taft’s all-school summer read: The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett.
A number one New York Times bestseller and worldwide, highly acclaimed book club pick, The Vanishing Half traces the divergent paths of the Vignes sisters. Identical twins who run away in their teens, the sisters live very different adult lives: one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape, while the other secretly passes for white, with a white husband who knows nothing of her past. From the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett traces the sister’s life stories in a riveting, revelatory novel.
Taft’s summer reading selections are chosen carefully, and often reflect current social issues, common campus themes, and matters of historical significance. Many of the books—and many of the authors—are award-winning and widely renowned. Recent selections have included: Educated by Tara Westover; Born a Crime by Trevor Noah; All American Boys, by Jason Reynolds and Brandon Kiely; Mudbound, by Hillary Jordan; and The Legacy: An Elder's Vision for Our Sustainable Future by Dr. David Suzuki. Traditionally, Taft students and faculty read one book over the summer break, and then come together in the fall to discuss the book.
Watch the selection announcement and learn more about previous summer read selections here.