<p>I'm an incoming first-year, and I wanted to know if anyone could suggest some books that would be recommended to read for UChicago? Anything that is indicative of the kind of things we will be doing in our classes. I downloaded the Iliad and Dante's Divine Comedy on my Kindle, but then I realized we would end up reading those anyways.
I'd appreciate something that is interesting and not simply amazingly well-written. </p>
<p>Also, I've become obsessed with movies (going through the IMDb top 250 currently), and I was wondering if someone who was a part of Doc Films could post something about what the program is about and what they feel about it.</p>
<p>You might consider Never a City So Real: A Walk in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz. It may not be something you’d read in one of your classes, but it might still pertain to your life in that it’s about Chicago and its people and history. It’s pretty recent and even mentions some things to do and places to visit. And I personally find it pretty interesting.</p>
<p>Everyone in my family loved The Devil In The White City by Erik Larson. a nonfiction book about the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, which has a lot to do with Hyde Park and the origins of the University of Chicago. They also loved Stuart Dybek’s book of short stories, The Coast of Chicago.</p>
<p>Edit - Doc Films: I know a couple of people who are volunteering there and really enjoy being a part of it, although I do know that it is somewhat competitive to get a spot during the school year, but you don’t need prior experience. If you want to be an apprentice projectionist, I believe you have to have volunteered for at least 2 quarters. However, proposing a series is open to anyone. They have a volunteer meeting during O-Week - definitely check that out!</p>