Because Books Are Awesome

The school year is slowly (very slowly) coming to a close. What that does not mean is that I will write a longwinded, emotional, and sappy reflection about my freshman year of college. If that’s what you want to hear this is all you are going to get: some of it really sucked, some of it really rocked, and most of it was stressful, both good and bad stressful. Instead of continuing that very detailed description of my year, I’m going to talk about one of my favorite things: books. I’ve read many of them this year, and like my year, some of them sucked and some of them rocked. In the lists (I do love lists) that follow, the books that I have read strictly for school and have not enjoyed will not be present—I don’t think any of you care much for my opinion of El Material Humano or El Cojo Bueno. The lists feature, for the most part, books that I chose to read. Another few things: in making these lists, I am considering books that I genuinely enjoyed, which means they don’t have to be amazing works of literature. You’ll see what I mean below. They are in no particular order. 

Top Books:

Love Times Three: Our True Story of a Polygamous Marriage by Joe Darger and wives

·     -Polygamy fascinates me. I finished this book with the following thoughts: this family is surprisingly normal—that’s weird. They shouldn’t be normal or relatable. Second, polygamy shouldn’t be illegal. That doesn’t mean I think that they should legally be able to marry but people should not be prosecuted because they are in a consenting, of-age, polygamous relationship. While not a particularly well-written book, this was a page-turner that took me two days to finish.

Thank You for Your Service by David Finkel

·     -This is not a fun read. It does not fit my criteria of being “genuinely enjoyable.” But it was a great book. Finkel follows the 2-16 Infantry Batallion that he chronicled in his previous book, The Good Soldiers, who were on the front lines of the surge in Iraq during a 15-month deployment. It’s depressing as hell, yet not all books can be joyful.

High Crimes: the Fate of Everest in an Age of Greed by Michael Kodas

·     -A follow-up of sorts to my favorite book of all time, Into Thin Air, this book illustrates the sorry state of Everest in terms of its environmental conditions and the prevalence of crime among hikers and guides. 

Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman

·     -This is the only book on the list that I read for a class. It is a play that takes place in what can be surmised as post-Pinochet Chile. Its three characters are Paulina, who was detained and raped during the dictatorship; her husband, a lawyer, on the committee to read the truth commission; and Roberto, a doctor who we come to see may have been a part of the Pinochet regime. It's a crazy one. 

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

·    - Do not look up this book before you read it. That’s all I will say. Oh, and it’s a true story about a man who stays in New Orleans during Katrina and deals with an embarrassing U.S. government. 

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex Nathaniel Phillbrick

·     -This nonfiction book reads much like a novel. Second best book I have ever read. If you like adventure, nonfiction books, and history this is for you. Set in 1820, I do not know how Phillbrick had the material to write such a thrilling, detailed book. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

·     -I will provide only a wonderful sentence of writing: "Trust was accumulated quickly, due primarily to the brute strength of the man's gentleness, his thereness." (p.36)

Bottom Books

Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer

·     -I posted about this in December. In short, I cannot stand JSF.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

·     -See other December post.

Orange Is The New Black by Piper Kerman

·     -I couldn’t finish this one. I was expecting some juicy-gossip about female prisons and was extremely disappointed. Not only is Kerman a pretty poor writer, but the organization was poor. I hear the show is great though!

What is the What by Dave Eggers

·     -I both love and hate Eggers. I have read four of his books and have absolutely loved two of them and thought pretty poorly of the other two. What is the What could have been great. But I never felt connected to or invested in Valentino’s life. I didn’t really care and I blame Eggers. 

      Final note: I really love nonfiction so if you have any ideas, let me know!