See Me After Class is a weekly column where a different professor reveals their variety favorites.
Brad Carson is the 21st president of TU and former U.S. Under Secretary of the Army. He received his B.A. from Baylor University, a second B.A. from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma. Carson was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000 as a Democrat. He has also run two 250 mile foot races, one through the Sahara Desert (the Marathon Des Sables) and one through the Amazon jungle.
What’s your favorite book? What book would you say all undergrads need to read before they graduate?
My favorite book is “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller. The one book I’d recommend undergraduates read is “The Logic of Collective Action” by Mancur Olsen, a book that completely changed the way I thought about politics.
What’s reading like for you? Is there a specific setting, mood, drink set-up?
I read a lot, but there is no particular setting. I’m pretty busy, so I often read late at night or on the weekends.
Is there a movie/show that you always return to?
“Sunset Boulevard” and “Apocalypse Now” are the two movies that I will watch anytime that I can; they are my very favorite films.
What was the last book/movie/show that you actually found funny?
“Silicon Valley”, the comedy on HBO.
What’s your favorite Tulsa restaurant? Do you have any food/restaurant routines?
Ri Le, the Vietnamese restaurant in south Tulsa. I don’t have a notable routine, though I usually order the same thing once I discover what I like at a restaurant.
Is there a media/pop culture/entertainment/music side to you that students wouldn’t expect?
Yes, I think so! I love pop culture, Hollywood gossip and lowbrow tv shows.
If you had to pick three songs for a Playlist of Your Life, what would they be?
“Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen, “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd, “Good Old Boys Like Me” by Don Williams
Is it true that while you attended Baylor, you and Mike Smith would cheat at spades by trading cards with your toes? I read this on your Wikipedia page and wondered if there was any merit to it.
I don’t remember that, but this story has the ring of truth.
