Do you find yourself wanting to read a “good book,” but dont really know where to begin? I find “top novel” lists so overwhelming, as are the books one finds on them (“Oh ya, I’m reading Moby Dick, without a class or professor or anything” – said no one ever…) How do you choose a book that is fun and intellectually stimulating? There is a huge gap between Fifty Shades of Grey and Pride and Prejudice, but the bookstore can be an anxiety-producing place. Here are 5 of my favorite “good reads.” Enjoy!
1. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
The magic of reading this book is not knowing what is going to happen. All I will say of this book is what the back cover tells the reader: “We don’t want to tell you too much about this book. It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this: It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific. The story starts there, but the book doesn’t. And it’s what happens afterward that is most important. Once you have read it, you’ll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don’t tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.”
2. Saturday by Ian McEwan
From the writer of Atonement, this is a beautifully written story about a middle-aged neurosurgeon living in London with his family. Read it for the language, and the truths (small and large) in what he is saying and thinking throughout the course of one day. It is a book about love and labor, and universal components of the human condition.
3. Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Written in chapters about the life of each family member, this sad yet riveting story centers around a teenage boy, Oscar Wao, growing up Dominican in New Jersey. Very powerful and moving, with scenes that are difficult to process. The story focuses on the search for love and the loss and heartbreak that accompanies it.
4. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
A can’t-put-down kind of read, set at a small liberal arts college on the East Coast. This chilling novel follows a group of classics majors throughout their time at school. Beautiful language, unique thriller-type plot, and detailed characters make this an exciting and rewarding novel to carry around in your purse.
5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Again, the language is what this book is all about. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, and follows a son and his father as they move from town to town in search of life. Some segments are pages long, others are paragraphs. Brilliantly detailed so that one can fully immerse themselves in the darkness of this empty world.
Read these books. Carry them with you. Dog-ear the pages. Bring them to cafes. Spill coffee on them. Remember important passages. Love them.