While it may seem like professors spend all their time lecturing and grading, some have channeled their expertise and passion toward writing.

For the students who wish to add to their libraries, The Daily Texan has compiled six works written by UT faculty members. 

“Where We Come From” by Oscar Cásares 

Set in the border town of Brownsville, Texas, Cásares’ novel follows a Mexican-American family as they house and conceal a young undocumented immigrant. Orly, the 12-year-old protagonist, experiences deep personal growth as he learns about himself and his family.

“Where We Come From” is the third novel by creative writing professor Cásares. Seamlessly transitioning between English and Spanish, the novel explores heritage, duty and humanity.

“Stokely: A Life” by Peniel E. Joseph 

As a voting rights activist, Freedom Rider organizer and political theorist, Stokely Carmichael was a dynamic figure at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. His ideas about Black Power have sparked conversations for decades. 

In “Stokely: A Life,” Joseph, a history and public affairs professor, examines the man behind the legend. With its compelling narrative style, Joseph makes the biography feel current and authentic, delivering a vivid picture of a foundational moment in history.

“Wait Till You See Me Dance: Stories” by Deb Olin Unferth 

In concise, razor-sharp sentences, Unferth disarms the reader with humor before landing an emotional gut punch. The creative writing associate professor’s prose is often bare, but readers are left with a sense of hidden depth. 

“Wait Till You See Me Dance: Stories” collects 39 vignettes of scenarios both familiar and fantastical, from failing marriages to pretzel addictions. For anyone looking to infuse the everyday with the bizarre, Unferth’s collection invites readers to come along.

“Looking at Laughter” by John Clarke

Among the mundane facts and dates of history textbooks, it is easy to forget that ancient peoples once lived and laughed as we do. Art history professor John Clarke details the humor that infused Roman civilization and entertained its people.

By inspecting visual mediums such as graffiti, street theater and even public executions,  “Looking at Laughter” investigates the link between comedy and behavior. 

“Pop City: Korean Popular Culture and the Selling of Place” by Youjeong Oh 

As Korean music, movies and television become increasingly popular among global audiences, Oh, an Asian studies associate professor, explores the media marketing strategies used to promote South Korean cities. 

Filming Korean dramas (or K-dramas) in cities outside of the South Korean capital of Seoul has yielded an influx of tourism across the country. Oh’s book offers a closer look at the impact of this promotion through political, economic and social lenses. 

“On Story — The Golden Ages of Television” edited by Maya Perez and Barbara Morgan 

For more than two decades, the “On Story” project supported by the Austin Film Festival has looked behind the curtain of television. Perez, a radio-television-film lecturer, and Morgan, executive director of the Austin Film Festival, have anthologized 24 conversations with prominent screenwriters. 

From Greg Daniels to Cary Fukunaga to Issa Rae, “On Story” highlights the creators behind well-loved TV shows. By studying these conversations, readers add a new layer of understanding to the watching experience.