Is it appropiate to recommend a book or two to a Professor?
September 29, 2021 7:29 PM Subscribe
I would like to recommend my Professor a few books (through email) they may like, but I am not sure if it's too forward or best to wait until after I have finished their course? I don't wish to come off as a teacher's pet or anything, but I genuinely think they will enjoy it as it relates to their academic work.
First, most professors genuinely like any enthusiasm from students, especially these days. You don't need to worry about being "cool" around your professors.
But yeah, if these books relate to their research, there is a good chance they already know about them - if you come early to class I'd just ask them "Hey, I recently read [x book] and found it interesting. I was wondering if you've read it and if you have any thoughts about it?" Basically, make it a conversation, less like you're giving your professor an assignment (which might be off-putting, depending on their temperament).
posted by coffeecat at 8:03 PM on September 29, 2021 [59 favorites]
But yeah, if these books relate to their research, there is a good chance they already know about them - if you come early to class I'd just ask them "Hey, I recently read [x book] and found it interesting. I was wondering if you've read it and if you have any thoughts about it?" Basically, make it a conversation, less like you're giving your professor an assignment (which might be off-putting, depending on their temperament).
posted by coffeecat at 8:03 PM on September 29, 2021 [59 favorites]
What coffeecat said. This is a good thing to do and exactly what you should be doing as a student, but assume they've read everything that relates to their field in any way, and approach it as a conversation and one in which they already have an analysis.
posted by Miko at 8:48 PM on September 29, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Miko at 8:48 PM on September 29, 2021 [4 favorites]
I think coffeecat and miko nailed the approach. I just want to encourage you to do this. I'm sure they'll be happy to chat with a motivated student!
posted by wooh at 10:56 PM on September 29, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by wooh at 10:56 PM on September 29, 2021 [2 favorites]
Hi! I (a professor, not your professor) love recommendations from students. I haven't ever really been point-blank recommended, like, a university press book from my field, which could leave a weird taste in my mouth if offered in the wrong spirit but probably not even.......but I often get recs for new media adaptations of things we are teaching, poems that students like, podcasts, new novels, restaurants with themes relating to my work, NGOs doing cool work in the field we cover and I LIVE FOR THAT SHIT.
posted by athirstforsalt at 2:49 AM on September 30, 2021 [19 favorites]
posted by athirstforsalt at 2:49 AM on September 30, 2021 [19 favorites]
Rather than recommend it, mention that you've enjoyed it and ask them what they think about it. If they have read it, you'll find out, if they have not, you might have piqued their interest.
posted by dowcrag at 4:04 AM on September 30, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by dowcrag at 4:04 AM on September 30, 2021 [4 favorites]
Another professor, probably not your professor.
My knowledge base is broad rather than deep, so students having read a book I haven't is totally a thing that happens. If I read every book published in my (quite possibly too many) areas of interest, I'd never get anything else done.
"I read X and it seems like your kind of thing!" (variation on copycat's script, which is also great) is an approach that would make me quite happy. If I haven't read it, I'll say so and add "Tell me about it!" at which point you can, y'know, do that. (Unless I intentionally haven't read it because I think the author is wrongheaded or a crackpot -- but that's my problem to navigate, not yours.)
Just make sure you don't look down your nose if the prof hasn't read it. There's a whole lotta books out there.
posted by humbug at 6:54 AM on September 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
My knowledge base is broad rather than deep, so students having read a book I haven't is totally a thing that happens. If I read every book published in my (quite possibly too many) areas of interest, I'd never get anything else done.
"I read X and it seems like your kind of thing!" (variation on copycat's script, which is also great) is an approach that would make me quite happy. If I haven't read it, I'll say so and add "Tell me about it!" at which point you can, y'know, do that. (Unless I intentionally haven't read it because I think the author is wrongheaded or a crackpot -- but that's my problem to navigate, not yours.)
Just make sure you don't look down your nose if the prof hasn't read it. There's a whole lotta books out there.
posted by humbug at 6:54 AM on September 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
I'm a prof, and I love it when students do this. When students recommend things that they've read that got them excited -- even when they are obvious, foundational things that I would be professionally incompetent if I didn't already know them -- I'm always happy to share and celebrate their enthusiasm for learning. If they clock me as someone who is intellectually curious and welcoming new ideas, I think that's a complement -- even if the specific recommendation ends up being one that I already know or really don't like.
posted by dr. boludo at 8:33 AM on September 30, 2021 [9 favorites]
posted by dr. boludo at 8:33 AM on September 30, 2021 [9 favorites]
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