Winter 2025-2026
The required winter reading for all current first-year students is the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel James by Percival Everett.
Students should read the book over winter break and be ready to discuss it in class when they return to campus in January.
“Genius.”
-The Atlantic
“Everett’s most thrilling novel, but also his
most soulful work.”
-The New York Times
“A provocative, enlightening work of art.”
-Boston Globe
As a reimagining of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, the book is told from the perspective of Jim (James). The Chicago Tribune characterizes this endeavor as “a masterpiece that will help redefine one of the classics of American literature, while also being a major achievement of its own.”
The book can be purchased independently or through the Siena University Bookstore.
To prepare for class discussions about the book, students should:
- Mark or highlight important passages.
- Write down reactions, questions, and reflections.
- Reflect on what the author’s point is (They Say) and what you think about it (I Say).
- Consider how this book might reflect, challenge, or address the Franciscan Concerns of Diversity and Social Justice that will be explored in the Spring semester of FYSM.
NOTE: Individual FYSM professors will provide more specific instructions about how to prepare for class discussions.