Dr. R. Andrew Hicks, math professor, made the news recently with the invention of a side-view mirror that eliminates a driver’s blind spot. The mirror received a U.S. patent last month, and has been covered in a variety of news outlets—even earning a mention on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Dr. Hicks took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to DrexelNow about The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame—a book he’s currently reading out loud with his daughter.
Why did you choose this book?
I had never read Wind in the Willows, but thought it would be fun to read to my daughter. It is free since it is out of copyright, so I have it on my Kindle, iPad, laptop, desktop, phone and in print.
How are you both enjoying the book?
I was concerned that it might be dull, since I started it when I was a kid and stopped after a page. It's turned out to be a wonderful book. We've started reading it again from the beginning after we finished it.
Is there a passage/quote you find particularly interesting?
"Beyond the Wild Wood comes the Wide World," said the Rat. "And that's something that doesn't matter, either to you or me. I've never been there, and I'm never going, nor you either, if you've got any sense at all. Don't ever refer to it again, please. Now then! Here's our backwater at last, where we're going to lunch."