Is this a sin? Is it a crime? I definitely belong in English major jail, and it’s probably taboo so no one tell my professors please. I don’t even know if I have a favorite poem or play either. I love reading, don’t get me wrong, but over the years my literary interests have changed significantly.
In elementary and middle school, I was the kid who consumed books. I would read whole novels in mere hours. Series would be finished in under a week. This ranged from series like Percy Jackson, The Selection, and Infernal Devices, to random stand alone novels.
To be quite honest, I burnt myself out, but I also think I lost interest in the things I read. In a way, my literary interests matured. I try to read popular books along the lines of what I used to read, but for some reason I can’t get through them any more. My attention span for long series and small little romance novels is nonexistent. I read about 40 pages of The Summer I Turned Pretty and gave up. Everyone’s advice was to read it ironically, but I still couldn’t get through it.
As someone studying English in college, I somehow don’t mind what we read at all. Sure, some things are like pulling teeth, but the selections are making me a more knowledgeable and well-read person. I really liked my class’ book (1984) and read it in full. It’s become all too relevant. Never Let Me Go—the class of 2027’s book—is actually what I say when people ask what my favorite book is. I read it senior year of high school and will be reading it again after Thanksgiving break for my English class.
I enjoy “classics” like Catcher in the Rye or Pride and Prejudice. Maybe that makes me a nerd, maybe it makes me pretentious, and that’s okay; I accept those labels.
Despite this love for literature, I can’t pick a favorite book. This might stem from my former reading burnout. Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go comes pretty close, but I’m not decisive enough to label it my favorite when there’s so many other fantastic and culturally significant books out there. It’s an amazing work, don’t get me wrong, but I’m not sure that it can be labeled “my favorite.” I’ll keep reading, (I have plenty of classes—and time—left to do that) and maybe by the end of my time here I’ll be writing a different article announcing that I have, in fact, found my favorite book.
If you feel like sharing your favorite book, message me, and I’ll check it out. Maybe you’ll help me find mine, or you’ll at least put me on a different path.