I spend a lot of time reading. And I enjoy reading all kinds of books. But it's hard to find good ones. And it's such a disappointment when you spend the time to read a book that's just not that good. So here's a list of my favorites.
1. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. One of the best new books I have read. Eugenides tells the unconventional coming of age story about a girl struggling with her sexuality. The book is raw in the way that it deals with emotions and social norms. If you are interested in reading light-hearted books, this selection is not for you. If you want to read a book that challenges the way you view people, dealing with the extreme of an abnormal person trying unsuccessfully to conform, buy the book. I promise it won't disappoint and may even leave you feeling encouraged in the strange ways we all find ourselves pulled into wanting to be accepted.
2. Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut. It took me 26 years to read this book. Honestly, I was expecting the hyped up nature to disappoint when I finally got to reading it. Even with that skeptisism, I founnd myself unable to put the book down. Vonnegut is one of the best written authors I've come across. He takes a boring subject, the existence of time or lack there of, and manages to breath life into it in a way that not only validates the question of it's existence, but you find yourself wanting to take up his life stance of "so it goes." This book is a must read, regardless of the book style you enjoy.
3. The Path to Power, The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro. I received this 960 page book as a Christmas present last year from my boyfriend who claims it's the best book he's ever read. Needless to say, I had no choice but to read this daunting book about a man that I have little to no interest in that I had no intention of enjoying. About 20 pages in, I found myself planning my schedule around reading. Two hundred pages in, I was telling my family and friends all about my new LBJ knowledge, in disbelief of the character of young LBJ. By nine hundred pages, I had to run to the store to buy the second book, The Means of Ascent - a 600 page book which I read in a week. Never have I been more enthralled by a character, fictional or real. If you are a lover of politics or biographies, this book (and really series) is a no brainer. Caro dedicated his adult life to writing about LBJ, going as far as moving to new cities for years at a time to understand what it was like for Johnson. His dedication to telling the whole story to LBJ is unmatched. I would also argue that even if you have no interest in politics and don't normally read biographies, this book is also for you.
4. Beach Music by Pat Conroy. My book list cannot be complete without a Pat Conroy novel. The story teller of story tellers. He draws you in, making you fall in love with the people in his books, so much so that one becomes sad when the novel ends and you feel like you are loosing friends. In my opinion, this book is his best. He brings to life South Carolina and all it's history as he tells the story of a family who has to confront it's past in order to start enjoying life.
No comments:
Post a Comment