“The Silmarillion,' by J.R.R. Tolkien. It's a prelude to 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy. It's about the earlier history of Middle Earth.”

— Corey Jennings, engineering technician, Topeka

“To Afghanistan and Back,' by Ted Rall and Bill Maher. It's a graphic novel about the authors' experiences in Afghanistan.”

— Sara Stonecipher, Kansas University senior, Lawrence

“The World Is Flat,' by Thomas Friedman. It's about the economic implications of globalization and how states can better globalize.”

— Armon Pollack, horticulturist, Lawrence

“I'm reading 'The Da Vinci Code' one more time before I see the movie. I just want to catch up and remember all the little details. I'm interested in comparing it to the movie because I really like the book.”

— Erin Morgan, University of Arizona graduate student, Lawrence

“'Neverwhere,' by Neil Gaiman. It's about people who fall through the cracks and have created their own world in the sewers underneath London.”

— Shelley Viles, U.S. Air Force, Las Vegas