“’Choke’ by Chuck Palahniuk. This guy’s mother is in hospice and she’s dying. She ends up not being his mother. She stole him. It’s a mind-boggler.”

— Mendalyn Garland, textile student, Lawrence

“I just read hockey magazines. I’ve been playing hockey since I was four or five so it’s everything. It’s a lifestyle.”

— Pasi Hellman, industrial management major, Salo, Finland

“’The Alchemyst’ by Michael Scott. It’s kind of along the lines of Harry Potter as far as it’s fantasy. It’s got some kids who are in trouble and mentors who help them along their paths.”

— Conor Grier, graphic designer, Lawrence

“’Y: The Last Man’ by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. It’s a graphic novel. It’s about this guy and his pet monkey trying to survive in a world without men. It starts off with a plague that wipes out anything with a Y chromosome.”

— Justin Long, IT help desk employee, Lawrence

“Pope Benedict’s ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ His whole premise goes after historical criticism. It’s this identity with who he was and what he did and it gives you a whole different perspective.”

— Ben Hebiger, roofing and painting contractor, Lawrence