Greg Waters
Current city/town: Montclair, NJ
Title/Affiliation: Board of Trustees member and incoming Chair, New Jersey Council for the Humanities
What's the last page-turner biography you read? What podcasts are keeping you going during those long Turnpike commutes? Which poems or novels do you return to over and over when you need a laugh (or a cry)?
We're asking NJCH staff members, trustees, and community partners to contribute thoughts on their favorite humanities-related books, shows, and sounds. We'll be sharing these contributions on the NJCH website and social media as part of a new regular "Humanities Moment" feature, to create community around the humanities content we love here in NJ.
This week we’re highlighting recommendations from Greg Waters, a member of the NJCH Board of Trustees and Professor Emeritus of English at Montclair State University. Happy reading/watching!
Television
Borgen
"If you are interested in learning about another country's approach to democracy I recommend Borgen, a fascinating Danish political drama streaming on Netflix. Over the course of four seasons we watch one woman's work to foster democratic values and progressive change in Denmark, as well as the impact power has on her personal life and ethics. Wonderful acting."
Find at:
BOOKS
This Is Happiness
"If you would like to take a break from the divisiveness and contentiousness of American politics, let me recommend This is Happiness, a quiet Irish novel from Booker Prize-nominated writer Niall Williams. It’s about a small village in County Clare where the absence of historical significance or dramatic events provides the characters an opportunity to lead deeply meaningful lives. Beautifully written and enchanting."
Interested in being featured in an NJCH Humanities Moment? Contact Valerie Popp, Director of Strategic Initiatives, at vpopp@njhumanities.org.
Borgen graphic copyright Netflix Media
