UNC Master of Public Administration faculty share top podcast, book recommendations from summer 2024

As the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill welcomes back faculty, staff, and students to campus, the School of Government’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is busy at work welcoming new and returning students. With summer entering the rearview mirror, the School decided to check in with Dean Aimee Wall and MPA faculty to find out what they listened to and read to keep learning and engaged during the summer—right as they kick into a new academic semester.

Ricardo S. Morse, Professor of Public Administration and Government

“I’ve been really enjoying Simon Sinek’s ‘A Bit of Optimism’ podcast. He is an innovative thinker and great communicator and the conversations on his podcast always leave me with much food for thought.

“A highlight from this summer was a two-episode conversation with Adam Grant and Brené Brown, two scholars who have influenced my own work and for whom I have a lot of respect.”

C. Tyler Mulligan, David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government

“I had some long drives to summer conferences and training programs, so I took the opportunity to discover some new podcasts. Bloomberg’s ‘Odd Lots’ podcast lured me in with an interview about a possible solution to the housing crisis—the recommendation turned out to be a federal guarantee of subordinated construction loans for housing, and I geeked out on details about the secondary debt market.

“Another podcast in the same vein is ‘Capitalisn’t’ with smart interviews conducted by a University of Chicago Business School professor and a business reporter. That podcast hooked me with an in-depth look at globalization.

“Finally, a little closer to home, I’ve enjoyed listening to interviews of North Carolina economic development professionals on the ‘The New Economic Developers on the Block.’”

Kimberly L. Nelson, Professor of Public Administration and Government

“I love to listen to the podcast ‘Stuff You Should Know’. It focuses on random topics that the hosts research and discuss. It could be history, science, or pop culture topics.

“Another listen was ‘American Scandal’. It is a history podcast that describes events such as government or corporate corruption cases.

“Trust is a Pulitzer Prize-winning fictional work that is difficult to describe. The story is told through four other fictional books about the life of a billionaire and his wife. The novel-within-a-novel concept is different from anything I’ve read before.”

Charles Szypszak, Albert Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government

“I’m currently reading three books, alternating among them. I am studying David Crowley’s Warsaw. Crowley is a professor of visual culture. I just returned from a work visit to Warsaw and was amazed by how much has changed since I was last there several years ago, and especially by how well it is blending modern development with a preserved sense of history.

“I mostly switch back and forth between this book and Yaz: Baseball, the Wall, and Me, an autobiography by Boston Red Sox star Carl Yastrzemski. When I was young, I was not a Red Sox fan, but growing up in a Polish-speaking household I heard of “Yaz” and he is often mentioned as a great player. Yaz grew up on a potato farm on Long Island and is known for the way he intensely practiced and mastered the fine points of fielding and hitting. I am mostly curious to hear how he described his challenges and successes.

“The third book is Richard Brzezinski’s Polish Winged Hussar, about calvary tactics of legendary warriors known for the “wings” worn on their backs, because I continue my interest in military history and tactics.

Aimee N. Wall, Dean

“I recently finished reading The Women by Kristin Hannah. The story’s focus on the friendships shared among women—in this instance, American women who served in Vietnam during the war—was incredibly moving and made me want to celebrate the many women in my life who have lifted me up and made me laugh.

“For podcasts, I really enjoyed ‘The Rest is History’, which offers bite-size history lessons and discussions, all with lovely British accents!”