The Honors Read
The 2024 Honors Read
How Far the Light Reaches is a collection of essays through which Sabrina Imbler explores their lifetime of growth. From their childhood in the Bay Area to their self-exploration in adulthood, Imbler dives into identity, queerness, relationships, and environmentalism, intertwining their experiences in society with the lives of various sea creatures. These essays present an intersectional view of the human experience and encourage the deconstruction of barriers between it and the natural world. As you read, you might consider: how do the different dimensions of your identity interact with each other? How have they shifted and developed over time, and how do you expect them to change in the future? How does Imbler complicate scientific categories or narratives to show how individuals (of any species) are more complex than we are taught to expect?
The Honors College experience is meant to help students identify their passions and interests, as well as expose them to unfamiliar themes and ideas. It is our hope that through reading about Imbler’s experiences, you will feel encouraged to be open and accepting when learning the stories and complexities of your peers. One student’s journey to self-discovery will differ from another’s. By honoring and appreciating everyone’s individuality, including our own, we are more able to form meaningful connections and learn from one another. We hope that your Honors College experience will include all of these things and more, and we can’t wait to see the things you accomplish together.
Past Honors Reads
2023- There Will Be No Miracles Here (Casey Gerald)
2022 – Braiding Sweetgrass (Robin Wall Kimmerer)
2021- Becoming Nicole (Amy Ellis Nutt)
2020 – Rising Out of Hatred (Eli Saslow)
2019 – Educated (Tara Westover)
2018 – Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)
2017 – The Reluctant Fundamentalist (Mohsin Hamid)
2016 – The Narrow Road To The Deep North (Richard Flanagan)
2015 – Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro)
2014 – Eaarth (Bill McKibben)
2013 – The Sparrow (Mary Doria Russell)
2012 – What is the What (Dave Eggers)
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About the Honors Read
Since 2002, incoming Honors College students have been presented with a copy of the year’s Honors Read selection. The Honors Read provides a common experience for students coming to UMaine from across the state, the country, and the world. It serves as a starting point in students’ Honors journey and informs subsequent discussions and explorations throughout their time in Honors.
The Honors Read is chosen each spring by a group of students enrolled in The Honors Read Tutorial. In this class, students consider texts nominated by members of the University community, narrow the list down to eight books, and then carefully analyze and evaluate each text based on criteria they have developed. The deliberation on each text includes consideration of reviews written by members of the tutorial and a discussion with the nominator of the text. In the final weeks of the course, students make the final selection and craft a letter to the incoming students that accompanies each copy of the book.
“The Honors Read should provide students with an introduction to what Honors is all about and relate to the various readings within the first-year curriculum. In order to spark interest and discussion, it should say something both important and controversial.”
Sarah Penley ’04H