Houghton College has once again held a Faculty Model Reader contest, voted on by the Houghton students. This was the third year for the contest. This year, Professor of English Jesse Sharpe has been selected as the winner, and The STAR recently sat down with him for an interview:
Hock: What have been some of the highlights of your Houghton experience thus far?
Sharpe: The in-class conversations. I’ve had some situations at other schools where it was like pulling teeth to get students to have a conversation, but here the conversations have been a lot of fun, with good insights.
Hock: What is your favorite thing about teaching?
Sharpe: Learning, which is why I love the conversations so much.
Hock: Why did you choose the English field?
Sharpe: I love stories, storytelling and language, and this has both, so it’s where I’m happiest.
Hock: What would you say to someone who is thinking about pursuing a degree in English?
Sharpe: Do it! You won’t regret it. There’s not a job out there that doesn’t need you to read well, understand well, and write well.
Hock: What is your favorite book genre (or genres)?
Sharpe: I don’t actually have one. There’s not one I’ve come across that I didn’t like. I really enjoy reading and I really enjoy book recommendations.
Hock: Who are some of your favorite authors?
Sharpe: Christopher Morley, Dashiell Hammet, John Donne, George Herbert, Aemelia Lanter, Mat Johnson, Douglas Dunn, and Kate Atkinson.
Hock: What are some of your all-time favorite books?
Sharpe: The Man Who Made Friend With Himself by Christopher Morley, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammet, The Temple by George Herbert, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Ballad of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark, Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin, Pym by Mat Johnson, and Affections by Rodrigo Hasbun.
Hock: Are you currently reading any books?
Sharpe: There is a book that I am saving for when summer begins: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart.
Hock: What would you say is the best thing about books?
Sharpe: I only do physical books, and it’s because I love every single part of them-front cover to back, every part of the inside, as a story and as an object.
Hock: What would you say is the best thing about the library?
Sharpe: I used to be a librarian, so I have a very strong love of libraries. I think it’s that you can have the world’s ideas sit peacefully side by side and you can just go and read and see whatever you want. No violence, no judgement, everything is right there. And I never get tired of it, I love it. I don’t think there’s such a thing as a bad library (at least I’ve never found one yet). ★