Book Club
When I was younger, you couldn't tear me away from a book.
Think about your favorite book. It might be a classic, it might be one you're reading now. Maybe it's fiction, or maybe not. Now, how much time do you actually spend reading it?
From late elementary school until mid-high school, I would wake up on Saturday mornings, pick out a stack of books from my bookshelf (at least torso length), and park myself downstairs on a red chair that vaguely resembled Steve's from Blue's Clues. And there I would sit, until it got dark, reading and making my way through the thick stack of pages.
By the time I was a junior in high school, I had become too busy to read. I was preoccupied with taking the SAT and applying to colleges. Slowly, my bookcase dwindled as books were replaced with knick knacks and vintage pieces.
Since then, I really have missed enjoying a good book, but I was so incredibly busy, that although I constantly brought my favorites with me to school each year, they sat untouched on a random shelf.
I'm really trying hard to incorporate more reading into this school year, especially since I'm a little ahead to graduate and am only taking 12 credits. And in honor of doing so, I've compiled a list of my favorite books to share with yinz.
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To Kill A Mockingbird
A classic in every sense of the world, and my all-time favorite. To Kill A Mockingbird is one of those books that I will never grow tired of, even though I could tell you every pointless plot point there may be, every symbolic element, and every piece of important dialogue. The sequel that was published a few years ago, Go Set A Watchman, is almost as good.
Tuesdays with Morrie
I originally read this book in my ninth grade advanced English class, with a teacher that wasn't fond of me. To be fair, I wasn't fond of him either. So the first time I read this book, I flew through it in an attempt to get myself out of his class. But I read it again the following year, and I took so much more away from it. It is the epitome of how to be a good person in this crazy world. When you're feeling mighty, read this book. When you're feeling humble, read this book. When you're happy, or sad, or angry at the world, read this book.
My personal copy is a signed edition from my favorite English teacher, who arguably got me into journalism in the first place. She mailed it to me within a few weeks of my start of freshman year at WVU. I can't read this book without reading the note of encouragement she left me first.
The Outsiders
Like Tuesdays with Morrie, this book started slow for me. His name is really Ponyboy?
It became one of my favorites within a few chapters, and it's one of the only books I can read to this day in one sitting. It's a short one in comparison to others, but it's just as brilliant. I love the greaser era of the U.S., so this is just a given.
1984
While living in the '60s is a dream, living in the '80s as part of a dystopian society was something that I couldn't grasp. But the genre was captivating anyway, so onward I read. If you're in the mood for something that will leave you feeling uneasy, in which you can point out all of the political allegories, this one takes the cake. It's written by George Orwell, who is known for that type of stuff, and is insanely good at writing it, and apparently, predicting the future.
The Catcher in the Rye
This book is definitely not for everyone. We read this one in school, too, and I was one of the only ones who liked it. It takes place in the '50s, which is an era I stated that I loved. While there isn't a battle between greasers and Socs, it has a similar language (I'll admit, he does use "phony" a lot). It's easy to understand, and it tells a good story. Definitely a good read if you're in the mood to be entertained.
Lord of the Flies
Sucks to your ass-mar!
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xoxo, Madison