Welcome to the newest addition to The Daily Beacon: Rocky Top Reads. My goal for this column is to get you to READ! READ! READ!

In the era of 10-second TikToks and doomscrolling, it is more important than ever to escape into a world of tangible words and crisp paper. Allow yourself to get lost in a story and forget everything else but what’s in front of you. For those of you who say “I hate reading,” “I don’t have time,” or “It’s so boring”: this is exactly what I’m here for!

I am on a mission to curate a list of books that are relevant, captivating, exciting and perfect for the students here at UT. My reviews will give a glimpse into these books and maybe spark a bit of deeper thought about the current state of society.

Inspired by the amazing friends I’ve found here at Tennessee who have supported and encouraged my love of reading, this column is for students near and far who are looking for something better and deeper than the meaninglessness of all things iPhone.

You’ll hear from me weekly, so stay tuned and pick up one of these books. You won’t regret it!