Summer 2026 recommended reading from MIT
Summer is the perfect time to curl up with a good book — and MIT authors have had much to offer in the past year.
Looking for more literary works from the MIT community? Enjoy our book lists from 2025 , 2024 , 2023 , 2022 , and 2021 .
“ We (the People of the United States) ” (Penguin Books, 2026) By Joshua Bennett, the Distinguished Chair of the Humanities at MIT and professor of literature
Bennett marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. with a book-length work of poetry about the country and some of its distinctive figures. The piece features remarkable people or inventions from each of the 50 states, meditating on their place in the nation’s cultural fabric.
“ The Race for Daphne ” (Finishing Line Press, 2026) By Sarah C. Beckmann, communications and marketing associate in the MIT Media Lab
A poetry collection structured as a crew race exploring girlhood, womanhood, and motherhood through the experiences of a rower and writer. These poems subvert the historical dominance of male heroes by celebrating ordinary female heroism, while examining love, home, and what it means to be an American woman today.