Title: The Hobbit Author: J.R.R. Tolkien Genre: Fantasy Quotation: “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” Would recommend to: any one who wants to take another adventure. For shame on me for not reading this amazing tale until the end of my sophomore year in college. I know this was meant to be a children’s bedtime story, but I can’t help that I love this book. I finished it in a matter of days when I read it and have actually dreamed about reading it again. The tale surrounds a homely hobbit named Bilbo who embarks on an adventure with 12 dwarves to reclaim…
Survivor
Title: Unbroken Author: Laura Hillenbrand Genre: Biography Quotation: “Where there’s still life, there’s still hope.” Would recommend to: any who likes to root for the underdog. Laura Hillenbrand’s novel chronicling the life of Louis Zamperini is both informative and inspiring. By telling the tale of Zamperini’s life, Hillenbrand also informs readers about the truth behind prisoner-of-war situations during WWII. I’ve always been very interested in history, and I’ve even heard people talk about their time in POW camps. But I can honestly say that nothing made me feel more emotions than hearing what Hillenbrand reported of Zamperini’s struggles. He was definitely the underdog of his own story. Although you believe he is the star after…
A Praising Review for Leibowitz
Title: A Canticle for Leibowitz Author: Walter M. Miller, Jr. Genre: Dystopian/Sci-Fi Quotation: “Back then, in Saint Leibowitz’ time, maybe they didn’t know what would happen. Or perhaps they did, but could not quite believe it until they tried it…” Would Recommend to: Fans of 1984 or Brave New World Miller’s tragic and poignant Hugo Award winner still rings true A canticle, from the Latin canticum, is commonly translated as a song or hymn of praise. A Canticle for Leibowitz is a stark look into the dystopian future, where humanity may not be praiseworthy at all. Divided into three main sections, the novel is centered on the Leibowitz Abbey, a…
Tips on Reading for Fun during the School Year
With school having started recently, I know it’s hard to pick up a book to read for fun. Between AP reading and class assignments, reading for pleasure isn’t on many people’s to-do lists. But it should be! Reading is proven to sharpen your mind and calm your nerves. I know that personally, reading brings me happiness. Sneaking into a new world to escape my own brings me solace that I thrive on during the school year. Despite my overwhelming to-do list and scurrying from meeting to meeting, reading something for fun always comes as number one. Here’s how you can sneak some extra reading time into your schedule: 1. Always…
In History’s Blood
Title: In Cold Blood Author: Truman Capote Genre: Historical Non-Fiction Quotation: “Imagination, of course, can open any door — turn the key and let terror walk right in.” Would recommend to: people who love unraveling a mystery. Recently, I have been trying to branch out with my reading interests. I’ve picked up books from sections all over the bookstore, and I’ve really liked it. I’ve discovered some books I never would have otherwise — one of those books being “In Cold Blood”. ICB is about the Clutter family murder in 1959 in Kansas. It sounds morbid — I know — but it’s actually extremely interesting. I flew through this book due to…
In History's Blood
Title: In Cold Blood Author: Truman Capote Genre: Historical Non-Fiction Quotation: “Imagination, of course, can open any door — turn the key and let terror walk right in.” Would recommend to: people who love unraveling a mystery. Recently, I have been trying to branch out with my reading interests. I’ve picked up books from sections all over the bookstore, and I’ve really liked it. I’ve discovered some books I never would have otherwise — one of those books being “In Cold Blood”. ICB is about the Clutter family murder in 1959 in Kansas. It sounds morbid — I know — but it’s actually extremely interesting. I flew through this book due to…
An Abundance of Reading
Title: An Abundance of Katherines Author: John Green Genre: Young Adult Fiction Quote: “I just want to do something that matters. Or be something that matters. I just want to matter.” Would recommend to: someone who understands the importance of second chances. I have never been a particularly huge fan of John Green’s novels. I don’t hate them, (obviously not, because I’ve read like three of his books) but I have never before reveled in their magic like others. But, now I have. (http://www.npr.org/books/titles/157814205/an-abundance-of-katherines) After reading “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Papertowns”, I had given up. I felt like nothing really happened (specifically in “Papertowns”); it was very anti-climactic to me. The stories…
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Title: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl Author: Jesse Andrews Genre: Young Adult Fiction Quotation: “When you convert a good book to a film. stupid things happen.” Would recommend to: anyone interested in coming up with ideas. “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” doesn’t seem like such a great book. Maybe you pick it up and think it will be funny, or heartwarming, or…something. You don’t know what it is you’re hoping for, but you pick it up anyways, without knowing what to expect. I read this book on my plane ride to New Jersey. It was a great plane read because it’s not too heavy (surprisingly) and it’s…
The Best Time to Buy a Book is All the Time
So I’ve done some shopping…I’m not proud of my addiction, but I understand it’s better than most. This is an extremely collective haul of books, some that I received as gifts and some that were free and some that were fewer than five dollars. So without further ado, let’s see what I’ve bought lately. Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy Along with this book, I picked up a little bookmark that says “Eat.Sleep.Read.” The perfect mantra for me. It’s a book about a girl who thinks she’s going to die from cancer, so she confesses all these truths to people. She ends up surviving her ailment and is left…
There’s No Place Like Oz
Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Author: Frank L. Baum Genre: Fiction Quotation: “True courage is facing danger when you are afraid.” Would recommend to: those who love adventure combined with a classic story. There’s nothing like watching “The Wizard of Oz” on a rainy Saturday curled up in bed…except maybe reading it. I instantly fell in love with “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by Frank L. Baum when I read it (I’ve even given it as a gift to a couple of people). The movie terrified me as a child (flying monkeys! Who thought that was a good idea?) But the book — the book was just perfect. I’m…
