Check out this year’s summer reading recommendations from Gathering Waters staff.
Let us know what you think of our list and tell us what you’re reading this summer by emailing info@gatheringwaters.org.
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise
by Colleen Oakley
Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.
-Julie Allen, Accounting Manager
Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Ned Blackhawk
This is a fictional tale about an incredibly intelligent octopus who forms a deep connection with a cleaning lady. It touches on themes of loneliness, loss, and everyone’s need for connectedness. The story is currently in production to be a Netflix movie. Remarkably Bright Creatures follows Tova, an elderly widow who forms an unlikely friendship with the curmudgeonly Marcellus, a Pacific octopus at the aquarium where she works. Unbeknownst to Tova, the remarkably intelligent Marcellus is on a mission to solve a mystery that will heal her heart and lead her to a life-changing discovery.
The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More
by Jefferson Fisher
I’ve been following Jefferson on social media for a while and I always find his short videos on communication to be very helpful. He is good at reframing a conversation when dealing with conflict, disrespect, and bullying. I plan to ask for this book for my birthday so I have his common sense tips handy whenever I need them. No matter who you’re talking to, The Next Conversation gives you immediately actionable strategies and phrases that will forever change how you communicate. Jefferson Fisher, trial lawyer and one of the leading voices on real-world communication, offers a tried-and-true framework that will show you how to transform your life and your relationships by improving your next conversation.
-Cindy Benzschawel, Database & Annual Giving Coordinator
Birding to Change the World
by Trish O’Kane
In this uplifting memoir, a professor and activist shares what birds can teach us about life, social change, and protecting the environment. I particularly enjoyed the author’s descriptions of Warner Park in Madison, and found her perspectives on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the impact of fireworks on wildlife and water quality enlightening.
-Heather Brooks, Operations Coordinator
Everyone Who is Gone is Here
by Jonathan Blitzer
Johnathan Blitzer is a staff writer at the New Yorker and his debut book details the roots and consequences of the US immigration crisis. He weaves the stories of Central Americans whose lives have been devastated by chronic political conflict and violence with those of American activists, government officials, and the politicians responsible for the United States’ turbulent immigration policy to reveal the full, layered picture of this conflict. Blitzer’s beautiful storytelling and impressive forensic reporting make for an insightful and timely summer read.
The Appeal
by Janice Hallett
A murder mystery told exclusively through emails and texts, The Appeal is a story of gossip, small towns, manipulation, and social status. The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and their castmates rally to raise money for an experimental treatment. But not everybody is convinced of the treatment’s efficacy—nor of the good intentions of those involved. It’s clever, humorous, and has many twists that will keep you guessing!
-Lily Butler, Events & Outreach Coordinator
Indecision
by Benjamin Kunkel
Kunkel is a theorist and critic who started the literary journal N+1. Indecision is his only novel. It is a wild romp through the malaise of a 20-something living shortly after the turn of the century. The main character, afflicted by chronic indecision, tries out a new pharmaceutical to help him navigate late-capitalist culture. Hilarity ensues. His adventures take him from a Pfizer call center to the jungle of South America, to awkward psychoanalysis sessions with his sister, and to a prep school reunion where he perhaps speaks his mind a bit too freely.
-Charlie Carlin, Director of Strategic Initiatives
North Woods
by Daniel Mason
This ambitious novel spans across centuries and is focused on one plot of land in New England, which serves as a central character through an ever-changing cast of human inhabitants. The author weaves together interconnected stories ranging from Native American settlements, to colonial homesteads, nineteenth-century orchards, and modern-day suburbia. The book is a reminder of the layered history of land and the ways unique human stories echo through time.
-Mike Carlson, Executive Director
Finding Gobi: A Little Dog with a Very Big Heart
by Dion Leonard
I recently started this book after learning about it by chance during a late night internet scroll. Finding Gobi is a memoir that tells the improbable story of a small stray dog from the desert who makes a lifelong bond with an ultramarathon runner during a 155-mile race. The story is so miraculous that at times it is hard to believe this all really happened. If you’re a dog lover like me or simply need something uplifting and positive in your life then Finding Gobi is the perfect summer reading for you.
-Kevin Duffy, Land Conservation Law Program Intern
A Creek Runs Through This Driftless Land
by Richard Cates Jr.
A Creek Runs Through This Driftless Land traces one family’s evolving relationship with their Wisconsin farm, offering a deeply personal reflection on what it means to live out a land ethic. Richard Cates Jr. recounts his family’s decades-long journey from conventional agriculture toward ecological restoration, emphasizing stewardship, reciprocity, and respect for the land’s natural rhythms while advancing a tradition of agriculture. The book highlights how working with the land—reviving a degraded creek, restoring native prairies, and healing soil—can cultivate not only ecological health but also a profound sense of place and purpose. Set in the Driftless Region, the story is rooted in the land’s layered history, acknowledging both Indigenous and settler legacies. Told in a reflective, narrative style, the book invites readers to consider their own role in caring for the places they call home.
-Chris Gutschenritter, Director of Land Conservation Law Program
Playground
by Richard Powers
Powers is known for his sweeping and dense writing with an environmental/nature focus. This book offered all that, plus some twisty storytelling that incorporated AI. It really made me think a lot. I also appreciated the main setting, which was the sea.
-Amanda Jutrzonka, Communications & Operations Manager
It’s Not Just About the Money: How to Build Authentic Donor Relationships
by Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels
Perry and Schreifels have crafted a thought-provoking and entertaining primer on fundraising that focuses on building deep, authentic relationships with donors. The authors share the tips, tactics, and strategies they’ve used to understand their donors’ passions and interests while matching them with the missions of nonprofit organizations. Each section provides practical advice about creating a major gifts fundraising program, along with action steps for success. I look forward to implementing some of these ideas.
-Pat McMurtrie, Annual Giving Manager
Where the Water Goes
by David Owen
Where the Water Goes brilliantly unravels the complex web of Colorado River water rights and allocation systems that most people never think about. Owen traces the intricate ownership and claims on every drop of water flowing down the river and makes the world of prior appropriation doctrine, interstate compacts, and competing claims surprisingly accessible. It’s a great case study of how law, engineering, and politics intersect to manage our most essential resource – and reading about the West’s water wars makes me deeply grateful to live in the Great Lakes region where we don’t have to fight over every drop.
-Morgan Rusnak, Advocacy Manager
The Art of Gathering
by Priya Parker
I’ve been hearing about this book for a while. And now that I’m reading it, I’m disappointed that I didn’t sooner! As someone who enjoys putting on gatherings of all kinds and does it for my job, it’s making me rethink so much about the process and approach for creating gatherings – large and small, formal and informal. I’ve had multiple “aha!” moments and am excited to put what I’m learning into practice. It’s a must-read for anyone who enjoys getting people together but I’d also really recommend it to anyone who facilitates meetings or events professionally.
-Creal Zearing, Director of Philanthropy
