With winter break quickly approaching, I have been curating my reading list through the recommendations of friends and professors, as well as the books that have been on my TBR (to be read) list for years. Winter break is always a time for me to catch up on reading and finish the books on my list and I am very excited for these ten books on my list.
Books that my professors have recommended to me include “Actual Innocence” by Jim Dwyer, Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck and “Dead Man Walking” by Sister Helen Prejean. Both of these books discuss the experiences of people who were wrongfully accused and convicted of crimes. They follow the court trial and appeals process as well as examine the perspectives of family, friends and members of the community. The first book was recommended for both the story and for the opportunity to learn more about the process of wrongful convictions from a legal perspective with technical details and explanations.
Next on my reading list are books highly recommended through friends. “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho has been widely shared through social media as well and supposedly has a very positive message that I look forward to reading about. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury has been widely discussed by teachers and friends for years and I look forward to reading it over break to join in the conversation. “When We Left Cuba” by Chanel Cleeton, the second book or standalone following “Next Year in Havana,” is also on my list because I enjoyed the first one so much and it follows the sister of the first main character and her story. This series was recommended through a close friend and she always has the best recommendations.
I also have three classics to read during winter break that includes “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott, “Pride & Prejudice” by Jane Austen, and “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronté. I read the first two a long time ago and want to reread them over break because I remember enjoying them so much. I also want to read “Code Name: Lise” by Larry Loftis because I love historical fiction especially when it involves powerful female role models and espionage. I am currently reading “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak and want to finish it over break. Currently I am really enjoying it and find it interesting as it also includes historical references through a unique perspective.
I am very excited to read these books over winter break and hopefully I will finish these and add a few more! If you are looking to get into reading, these books come from a range of genres including historical novels, romance, classics, and law. Several of these books can be difficult to get into but I forced myself to stick with them and I am really glad I did!