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Forbes
5 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Why College Matters: For The Love Of Learning—And Democracy
In a time of tense scrutiny of higher education, it helps to be reminded why college matters. Two recent talks by highly acclaimed novelists left sparks on how much the opportunity to learn still means to people, and why it's important for keeping our country strong. The joy of learning is an undercurrent throughout the efforts to increase the share of Americans with college degrees or other credentials that lead to measurably better economic outcomes. There is incredible hope and promise embedded in the word opportunity—that people have the freedom to learn, the chance to pursue their passions, and a real path to thrive. I was struck last month by New York Times bestselling author R.F. Kuang's poignant call to protect the rare opportunity of American higher education in a world where many are subjected to political suppression. Kuang brought a crowd to their feet as the convocation speaker at Georgetown University. I happened to be in the audience as Kuang, a Georgetown School of Foreign Service graduate herself seven years ago, urged the Class of 2025 not to take education for granted. 'A university is such an impossible fantasy—a place where we can test dangerous, unorthodox ideas; where we can dream up better worlds; where we can make mistakes; where we can change our minds,' Kuang said. 'The life of the mind is a utopia, and history proves its precarity. It will die if we stop fighting for it.' Kuang's own story includes five novels, two master's degrees, and a No. 1 ranking on the New York Times Best Sellers list for her fantasy series, 'The Poppy War' trilogy. She's also pursuing a doctorate degree at Yale University in East Asian languages and literature. But her regard for learning really goes back three generations. Kuang's great-grandfather and grandfather in China sought to obtain education in the time of political and economic turmoil. Kuang's father made it to Beijing University to study physics—graduating in 1989 in time to join other students in the Tiananmen Square protests to demand political reforms. China's leadership sent troops into the streets, a moment captured forever by the global image of a student standing his ground before a line of tanks. Thousands were killed or injured, and Kuang's father, who had already gotten permission to pursue his doctorate in the United States, left for California. 'America represented this utopia where one could think and speak freely,' Kuang told the Georgetown graduates. 'You'll never find a bigger patriot than my dad. He flies the red, white, and blue on the Fourth of July. He rocks a cowboy hat. He loves fishing and grilling and driving his truck. He says he's already fled one authoritarian state, and he's not going to flee another.' Gen Z hit college-going age at a time when public faith in higher education has declined to a historic low. The perception of college, Kuang noted, is that it's an exorbitantly expensive ivory tower for political brainwashing, AI cheating, and partying. College should not be 'an amusement park, a member's club for the elites, a corporation,' she said, calling upon higher education to cut out its rot and change. Universities need to open their doors, allow honest dialogue, and share knowledge with the world—because the opportunity to learn is so valuable. 'We are so accustomed to speaking of the university as a frivolity, as a luxury, that we have forgotten how rare a space this is,' Kuang said. 'Hold onto that luxury,' she encouraged the graduates. 'Refuse the poverty of thought. Stay curious.' Not that life for the graduates, even with the benefits of that education, will be simple or easy: 'Now you will put your ideals to the test, and more likely than not watch your dreams meet the crushing anvil of reality,' she said. 'You are stepping into a world now where, if you hold on to your principles, sooner or later you will be staring down a tank. But my father emerged from that bloody square, and the first thing he did was seek out another classroom.' The powerful urgency of Kuang's speech stuck with me. Gen Z is stepping into a much more uncertain world than the generations before them, as democratic principles at home and abroad face threats, and as artificial intelligence transforms the workplace and raises the bar for a more educated workforce. While often defined by challenges, Gen Z brings distinct talents to society as digital natives with a better understanding of mental health and wellbeing, and a keen interest in finding climate change solutions. John Green, whose 'The Fault in Our Stars' became a No. 1 bestselling novel and hit motion picture, understands Gen Z's mindset and hunger for learning. More than a dozen years ago, Green launched an educational video series called CrashCourse with his brother Hank. It became popular among high schoolers, making history and biology lessons entertaining and easily digestible. Some of his inspiration came from being a 'reluctant learner' himself, as Green put it, who didn't want to learn algebra or French but had teachers who never gave up on him. 'I wanted to capture what I later learned in life is the joy of learning—the fact that we are here to understand ourselves in the universe,' Green said at a Lumina Foundation retreat in Indianapolis, our shared home base. 'And if we're lucky, we get to do it in community with people and learn from people who are smarter than us—or at least people who have been smart longer than us.' Known to 3.9 million YouTube followers as the Vlogbrothers, the Greens became interested in helping students access college when they learned that millions of Americans start college but don't complete degrees, sometimes still burdened by student loan debt. They wanted to see if a couple of guys in their 40s who have jobs could navigate the complex college system. The answer was no. That led the brothers to produce the 'How to College' CrashCourse series to demystify the system and team up with Arizona State University to create Study Hall, which offers low-cost, flexible college courses. Students pay only $25 upfront, then can choose to pay $400 for transferable academic credit after seeing their final grade. In his talk at Lumina, Green spoke of the need to create an education system that works for everyone and values community. To Green and to most of us, solving America's higher ed challenges is essential not just for economic growth, but for democracy itself. 'This is also about having an educated and informed citizenry at a time where life is going to get very, very weird,' he said, explaining how artificial intelligence can now create videos in his likeness and spread misinformation. 'They can say anything. And that means that we need a really well-informed, educated citizenry,' he said. 'That is critical for the future of our democracy and the future of our country.' These two storytellers—R.F. Kuang and John Green—offer vivid reminders that education remains both a personal lifeline and a public good. Whether it's Kuang's family story of striving for knowledge, or Green's mission to widen the path through flexible, affordable learning, their experiences highlight what's at stake when access to higher education is threatened. At this inflection point, higher education needs more creative ideas to redesign systems, like Green's Study Hall courses. It needs advocates for its value, like Kuang, and to further prove itself by setting up today's graduates for tomorrow's future. For all its flaws, college remains a powerful engine of opportunity. At its best it shapes thinkers, challenges assumptions, and fosters resilience in the face of life's challenges. And at a time when democracy itself is being tested, the need for informed and empowered citizens has never been greater. Education, in the end, is more than a degree—it's a commitment to the shared future we're all building.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
25 Perfect Summer Reads To Dive Into This Year
Stephen King's "Never Flinch" is one of the best beach reads for summer 2025, featuring recurring ... More King character Holly Gibney. Summer is for going to the beach, hitting the pool and soaking up the sun—often with a book in hand. If your definition of a dream day is catching rays while you immerse yourself in another world, then you need to know the best books for summer. A number of high-profile authors have new tomes coming, while some novels and nonfiction works drawing big buzz are from first-time authors. The best summer reads offer an element of escape, inviting your imagination to take over. Whether you seek beach reads, something to make you think, or books about summer love, you will find the right fit with this list of top summer reads. Summer books don't have a strict definition. They may be written about summer, take place in summer, or simply provide the sort of enjoyable escapism we associate with beach reads. Common themes include romance and suspense, usually featuring more light-hearted fare than you get from fall and winter releases. Well-known authors releasing summer books in 2025 include Stephen King, R.F. Kuang, Ocean Vuong, V.E. Schwab, S. A. Cosby, Susan Choi and Ron Chernow. All the books have an April or later release date, great timing for throwing in your summer tote. The works on this list are ranked based on early critical praise, descriptions of the book, past commercial and critical success of the authors, and advance buzz. A satire that takes on the controversy over trans women in sports, Hot Girls With Balls follows two gifted trans women's volleyball players who happen to be dating—and who are about to make their debut on the men's pro circuit. There are some surrealist twists on everyday life, too, that make this unique. This book is best for those who love romance with a dash of real life. Benedict Nguyen's Hot Girls With Balls is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Romance novels are one of the most popular summer genres, and this love story from former Bachelorette contestant Hannah Brown has a fun premise. Sybil Rain lands in Hawaii to take what should have been the honeymoon for her called-off wedding—and runs into her ex, so she claims to have a new beau—another ex. This book is best for fans of second-chance romance books. Hannah Brown's The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain is available from publisher Hachette Group. Seventeen-year-old Doris Steele needs an abortion, and she needs to keep it quiet in 1960 Georgia. In this propulsive historical fiction novel, Doris calls on her favorite teacher for help, and they road trip to Atlanta, where they encounter Coretta Scott King and a cast of vibrant characters. This book is best for those who crave a smart coming-of-age novel. Mia McKenzie's These Heathens is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Imagine Big Brother set on a deserted island—and with much higher stakes. Lily desperately wants to outlast her 19 opponents and has no desire to return to the depressing real world. But when the reality show contestants are put in deadly situations, is she willing to play those desperate games? This book is best for reality TV lovers and fans of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Aisling Rawle's The Compound is available from publisher Penguin Random House. James Gandolfini was one of the most celebrated actors in the world when he died suddenly in 2013 at just 51 years old. Critic Jason Bailey revisits the life of the Emmy-winning star of HBO smash The Sopranos, speaking to his friends and co-workers and building a new portrait of the sometimes-challenging actor. This book is best for those who love reading the most buzzed-about summer biographies—it's already getting tons of press coverage. Jason Bailey's Gandolfini is available from publisher Harry N. Abrams. The late James Gandolfini, star of "The Sopranos," is the subject of Jason Bailey's new book, a ... More great summer read. When April makes a split-second decision to protect a friend, she gets expelled from school. She begins to put her life back together when she marries an upstanding attorney, whose run for office 15 years later threatens to unravel the picturesque life they've built because of the secrets Amy has kept. This book is best for anyone who wants to read the most-buzzed-about summer literary novel. Amy Blumenfeld's Such Good People is available from publisher Simon & Schuster. A Ukrainian tween struggles with his feelings for another boy, feelings forbidden in his country. But soon he has a bigger problem—the Russian invasion, which destroys his family and forces him and his brother to flee from their grandfather's sunflower farm. They hope to reunite with their father, but mainly they want to survive. This book is best for those who want a beautifully written dramatization of a terrible current event. Sam Wachman's The Sunflower Boys is available from publisher HarperCollins. Time and Publishers Weekly both named this book one of the most-anticipated of 2025. It follows a pair of Black twins who were adopted by different families after their mother vanished. The kicker? Decades later, one twin swears she sees their mom on the street, looking the same as she did when she disappeared. This book is best for those eager for literary suspense. Yrsa Daley-Ward's The Catch is available from publisher W.W. Norton. The acclaimed author of Babel returns with another high-concept pageturner. Rival graduate students in the field of Magick find themselves journeying to hell in an attempt to save their professor, who was killed in an accident one of them may have caused. Dante and Orpheus also factor into the imaginative quest. This book is best for fans of new twists on classic novels. R.F. Kuang's Katabasis is available from publisher HarperCollins. In the follow-up to book club favorite The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, V.E. Schwab uses three historical timelines to tease out a story about immortality and the limits and challenges of being a gifted woman. Love, rage and a deep hunger collide as the timelines reach a fever pitch. This book is best for speculative fiction fans. V.E. Schwab's Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil is available from publisher McMillan. As the latest Oprah's Book Club selection, Ocean Vuong's novel about memory and chosen family seems destined for commercial success. Hai is about to kill himself when an elderly widow's cry pushes him to a different path: caretaker. As she fights dementia, he learns how to exist on society's fringes while staying true to himself. This book is best for anyone who loves celebrity book club picks with substance. Ocean Vuong's The Emperor of Gladness is available from Penguin Random House. "The Emperor of Gladness" by Ocean Vuong is the latest Oprah's Book Club selection, making it one of ... More the top summer books. New York Times bestselling author Domenica Ruta spins a tale about single mother Sandy, who's struggling to get her ex to do his share—and she's shocked to find he has fathered another child. The 'other mother' isn't who Sandy expects, and they form a gradual friendship that could just save them both. This book is best for fans of 'chosen family' books. Domenica Ruta's All the Mothers is available from Penguin Random House. Smith is a Black, queer Stanford student whose life comes tumbling down when he's arrested for cocaine possession shortly after his best friend's traumatic passing. He struggles to connect with his uppercrust family and searches for resolution on his own, starting a journey to rediscover hope that may not end well. This book is best for those who enjoy gritty realism and gorgeous writing. Rob Franklin's Great Black Hope is available from publisher Simon & Schuster. A thick biography of someone who lived more than a century ago as fun summer reading? Yes, please, when the author of the book is Ron Chernow (Alexander Hamilton). The Pulitzer Prize winner uses meticulous research to examine Twain's desire for fame and his dark later years. This book is best for anyone who enjoys biographies or a juicy celebrity memoir. Ron Chernow's Mark Twain is available from publisher Penguin Random House. On their wildly popular podcast, We Can Do Hard Things, spouses Abby Wambach and Glennon Doyle and her sister, Amanda, examine life's little questions. But they had to confront something bigger recently when all three confronted serious health emergencies or losses—and came out the other side. Here, they give others a recovery roadmap. This book is best for anyone who loves self-help books. Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach and Amanda Doyle's We Can Do Hard Things is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach have co-authored a highly anticipated summer book with Doyle's ... More sister, Amanda, based on their podcast. Harper's Bazaar and Vogue both named this literary fiction debut to their top books of 2025. Sommy, a Nigerian immigrant, struggles to find her place in America while feeling guilty about leaving her brother, who just attempted suicide. She enters a promising new relationship that is threatened when the couple returns to Nigeria. This book is best for anyone who loved Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. Esther Ifesinachi Okonkwo's The Tiny Things Are Heavier is available from publisher Bloomsbury. The much-anticipated adult debut of bestselling young adult author Holly Jackson introduces Jet Mason, a well-off young woman trying to solve her own murder before she actually dies. An attack by an unknown assailant creates an aneurysm that could trigger at any moment as Jet fights to figure out who did it. This book is best for anyone who loved Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder book series. Holly Jackson's Not Quite Dead Yet is available from publisher Penguin Random House. One of the most acclaimed noir writers of the past decade returns with a family drama where the line between good guy and bad guy isn't always clear. Prodigal son Roman returns home to help his brother, determine who put his father in a coma, and solve his mom's long-ago disappearance. This book is best for anyone who loves Southern mysteries. S.A. Cosby's King of Ashes is available from publisher Macmillan. Time and People named this to their most-anticipated books of 2025 lists, and for good reason. Kevin Wilson (Nothing to See Here) trains his droll eye on Madeline Hill and the trio of half-siblings she never realized she had. When they decide to take a road trip to find their deadbeat dad, chaos and laughs ensue. This book is best for those looking for a humorous read. Kevin Wilson's Run for the Hills is available from publisher Harper Collins. In the follow-up to Magpie Murders and Moonflower Murders, editor Susan Ryeland returns to England, ditching her idyllic life in Greece to become a freelancer whose first project revives the one character she wants to avoid: Atticus Pünd. Anthony Horowitz once again uses the story-within-a-story device that proved so effective in the first two books. This book is best for those who love books set in the UK. Anthony Horowitz's Marble Hall Murders is available from publisher HarperCollins. Author Anthony Horowitz's latest book, "Marble Hall Murders," is among summer's most-anticipated ... More reads. National Book Award winner Susan Choi (Trust Exercise) follows a family through the aftermath of an unspeakable tragedy. Ten-year-old Louisa and her father take a nighttime walk on the beach where he disappears. Told from different family members' points of view, the book examines what may have happened that fateful night. This book is best for those who enjoy family drama. Susan Choi's Flashlight is available from publisher Macmillan. The reigning queen of the summer beach book returns with the tale of Joan, who is training to be one of NASA's first women scientists in the space shuttle program. She falls in love not only with the job but also with one of her fellow astronauts, yet their mission threatens to change everything. This book is best for anyone who loved Jenkins Reid's previous books, including The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six. Taylor Jenkins Reid's Atmosphere is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Any new book by Chilean National Literature Prize winner and international bestselling author Isabel Allende is cause for celebration. In the late 1800s, a pioneering female journalist and her boyfriend set off from San Francisco to Chile to cover the civil war and maybe find her long-lost father. This book is best for Allende's legion of fans or anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Isabel Allende's My Name Is Emilia del Valle is available from publisher Penguin Random House. Will it be great literature? No. Will it be a thrilling ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat? Absolutely. Publishing giant James Patterson and former President Bill Clinton team for a second time on a book about the first female president—whose husband has been charged with murder. This book is best for those who love pulse-pounding mysteries. James Patterson and Bill Clinton's The First Gentleman is available from publisher Hachette. For summer reading at its finest, you can never go wrong with Stephen King. The author revives popular character Holly Gibney, who's hired as a bodyguard for women's rights activist Kate McKay. Holly's also helping the police with a bizarre threat that may tie into her new bodyguard gig. This book is best for Stephen King fans. Stephen King's Never Flinch is available from publisher Simon & Schuster. You can't go wrong with any of these books, which will enhance your beach trips and vacations and give you the summer reading experience you're looking for, no matter what your favorite genre. Two good summer romance novels from top-notch romance writers are: Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood (publishing May 27), about a graduate biotech student who has a fling with her brother's best friend. Get Real, Chloe Torres by Crystal Maldonado (published May 13), about a recent high school graduate who tries to reunite her estranged BFFs on a road trip. Good books to read on vacation have pulse-pounding plots. Try these two: The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten (publishing June 10), about a podcaster obsessed with the earlier disappearance of four young women who may be on their same path. The Survivor Wants to Die at the End by Adam Silvera (published May 6), the third in his excellent series about doomed romance. Good beach reads for 2025 include mindless fun that you won't want to put down: A Mother's Love by Danielle Steel (publishing June 24), about a recent empty-nester trying to outrun the ghosts of her past. Runner 13 by Amy McCulloch (publishing July 1), about a former ultramarathoner who returns for one last race—only someone doesn't want her to finish. Good books to read on an airplane should have such an exciting plot, you don't want to put them down for the entire flight. Try these two: Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell (publishing June 24), a thriller about three women and what the men in their lives are hiding. With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (publishing June 10), about a woman in the 1950s looking for revenge against people who ruined her family when she lures them all to the same train ride.
