For all my bookworms out there–the time has come to rejoice! Nine days in which we can READ FOR FUN! I know, I know. We’ll still have work. That’s the great irony of Spring “Break”–it’s not really a break at all! Still, I think that this vacation provides the perfect opportunity to fit in one or two great reads that will hopefully make up for all the not-so-fun books we have to read over the school year. So, put aside your Lit Hum and CC for some of my favorite books that I think you’ll love to read over break, whether you’re on a beach or at home or on campus. These books are thought-provoking and life-changing in the most enjoyable ways possible.
1) Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
I read this wonderful, wonderful book over the summer and I haven’t forgotten it for a day. Set on the beautiful Amalfi Coast in Italy and various other places, this sweeping tale spans decades and tracks the paths of different characters. The scene is set in 1962 when the dying starlet Dee Moray arrives in a tiny coastal town in Italy. Walter beautifully explores the people she meets and the lives they lead. If you’re a hopeless romantic or you just are looking for some fun escapism fiction, this book is for you. Not to mention that it got an acclaimed review from the NY Times. This book is the real deal: well-written and nothing short of delightful.
2) Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
This book is a sprawling epic…set in an Irish boys boarding school. It’s not short, but every page is an adventure. Each chapter is told in the voice or perspective of a different character. The book deals with the death of the title character, Skippy, from the first page on. As a result, it’s a total emotional rollercoaster. The whole time you’re trying to piece together the circumstances of his death, both before and after it occurs. It’s not only about death–it’s about life most of all. This book is about growing up and growing down, enjoying life, dealing with life, and learning how to be a person. You will laugh. You will cry. You will never forget Skippy, his friends, his bullies and his teachers. I can’t recommend this tragicomic book highly enough.
3) White Teeth by Zadie Smith
When I started this book, I could NOT put it down. And then a funny thing happened. I didn’t want to finish it. I kept delaying the ending–speeding ahead and then slowing down, not wanting to finish this amazing book. Written when Zadie Smith was still a student at Cambridge, this book pulses with energy and life. It’s the story of two best friends, one British and one Pakistani immigrant, who met during WWII. It’s about more than Archie Jones and Samad Iqbad; it’s about their families and friends and their families’ friends. Smith zooms in on the life and mind of many, many characters. It’s a serendipitous, optimistic, realistic, magical book that aims to show the grand scoping power of the universe, our actions, and our relationships. It is vivid and each wonderful sentence is pulsing with energy.
4) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
This book is just AMAZING. It’s hilarious. It’s wonderful. It’s written by two of the funniest and most brillinant authors ever. Good Omens deals with huge, thought-provoking questions of good and evil in the funnest/funniest way possible. I don’t want to spoil the plot by talking about it too much. Savor every word, because once you’re done you’ll want to start all over again. Just read it–trust me!
5) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Oh, John Green! If ever there has been a book that will make you pause and consider the value of your own life, it’s this wonderful gem of a book. I’m sure you’ve heard of it or read it already, but if you haven’t, I can’t recommend this life-changing book enough. It is the story of Hazel, a girl with terminal cancer, and chance at life she gets when she meets Augustus Waters, a cancer survivor, in her support group. Bring on the tissues. This is a love story of the noblest and most beautiful proportions. Okay? Okay.