I have always loved reading. In elementary school, I would hide books under my desk and read them during class and I would stay up late hiding with a light under my covers so my parents would not know I was reading. Freshman year of college, I did not read as much because I felt like I did not have time to read. But over quarantine, I started reading more again. I am sharing some of the books I have read since the pandemic began.
“Half of a Yellow Sun” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: I read this book while taking a class on African languages, it helped me understand how language can be used to portray cultures and connect people like the Igbo in Nigeria. The story follows Olanna, Ugwu and Richard throughout the Biafra War in Nigeria. Olanna and Ugwu’s story gives you a view of life in Nigeria and helps eliminate stereotypes about Africa. Richard gives a western perspective that shows the struggles Africans face with how western countries view them. This is a compelling story that shows real-life and inspires people to fight for what they believe in.
“The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown: This is the most recent book I read when taking breaks from my online classes. This is a true story about the 1936 US Olympic rowing team. This was Hitler’s Olympics and during the Great Depression. The story shows the struggles experienced in the depression and sheds light on how Hitler fooled the world into trusting his regime. Joe Rantz is a poor boy from Washington who makes his way onto the University of Washington’s rowing team to pay for college. He fights to stay on the team and trust his teammates when his family abandons him. The team faces their own challenges working together to make it to the Olympics. The hard work is inspiring and being part of something bigger and more important than yourself is inspiring.
