Summer Reading Recommendations
The end of summer vacation is upon us. Internships are ending, back to school sales are beginning. The weather is getting cooler and the sun sets a little earlier. Although there isn't much time left of our summer vacations, what better way is there to get back into the swing of school than to do some reading? I myself will not be going back to school after this summer is over, but I have begun to read again for fun. So to commemorate this great achievement in my life, I put together a short list of 5 types of summer reading books to consider if you're just sitting around itching for the new school year to start. Or if you're a quarter system kid and don't know what to do with yourself when all your semester school friends head back to campus. This list should help you kill some time.
Type #1: Adult Fantasy
Who didn't love waiting around for the next Harry Potter book to arrive so you can devour it in one night? Well as we got older, it became less appropriate for us to live in a mythical world of magic and our imaginations, right? Wrong! If you're still sitting around hoping to get that Hogwarts acceptance letter by owl, this genre is just for you. It's got all the wonder of childhood fantasy with better writing and more lessons to learn.
Don't know what to read? I hear the A Game of Thrones series is quite popular. But if you're like me and prefer your favorite characters to survive the series, try a Neil Gaiman novel.
My book of choice: Neverwhere by, you guessed it, Neil Gaiman
Go to the book store or a library and pick up a copy of this book. Read the back cover. If you're not intrigued, then there is something wrong with you and you should find a different genre to read. Neverwhere tells the story of a young misfit who stumbles into a world of all those that have fallen between the cracks, and soon discovers that what you thought you wanted may not be what you wanted after all. I don't want to give too much away, but let me just say this: Neil Gaiman is an artist who really understands fantasy and what it means to build an entire reality.
Type #2: Coming of age story
You're never too old for one of these. The truth is, most of us never leave high school, spending our days stumbling about not knowing what to do. In some ways, adulthood is a really long transition from childhood to retirement, and we can all gain to find some inspiration in the existential crises of a 17 year old who just wants to matter in life.
My book of choice: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.
He's the guy who wrote The Fault in Our Stars. You know that book about cancer kids that recently got made into a movie with Shailene Woodley? An Abundance of Katherines is less depressing, and in my humble opinion, better. It details the adventures of child prodigy and Katherine dumpee Colin Singleton in the small town of Gutshot, Tennessee. You get to witness Colin recover from his breakup, discover himself, and learn that how much you matter in life depends on what matters to you.
Type #3: That childhood series you never finished
I used to love to read as kid, but as I grew older, I had less time for leisurely reading. And knowing how many books can be in a series, how long it takes for authors to come out with the next book, and how fast we all grow up, there are always a few series that I never got to finish. I've always been a fan of closure myself and despite the fact that it's a little embarrassing to be found hovering in the children or teen section of the library or book store looking for a book meant for middle schoolers, don't you always feel better once you've finished something? The accomplishment of completion has always given me great satisfaction.
My series of choice: Alex Rider
It's like James Bond for 14 year olds. And although the writing isn't as good as I once remembered it to be, all the action packed suspense makes me remember why I enjoyed these stories so much to begin with. It never hurts to stroll down memory lane and let your inner child out to play once in a while. As a matter of fact, I don't think people do it enough.
Type #4: Non-fiction inspiration
You see ads for it all the time. The self help books. Recipe books. Short story compilations. The people who make it big by writing about their lives. It makes you wonder why them and not you. Try picking one up and see what makes their lives special enough to write about. You might just find some much needed motivation to pull your own life together.
My book(s) of choice: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.
While neither are exactly self help books, they present different and enlightening views on the little moments in life.
Type #5: A "classic" from your school days
Ever had to read a book for school that you Spark Noted instead? Interestingly enough I never did this, but chances are if you did, you have been missing out on some pretty great stuff for decades. These are deemed classics and required reading for a reason, you know. It's not completely arbitrary.
My book(s) of choice: Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, or pretty much anything else that's been turned into a movie recently.
If they're good enough to become cinematic masterpieces, they're good enough for you to read. Besides, the book is ALWAYS better than the movie.
Happy Reading!
Type #1: Adult Fantasy
Who didn't love waiting around for the next Harry Potter book to arrive so you can devour it in one night? Well as we got older, it became less appropriate for us to live in a mythical world of magic and our imaginations, right? Wrong! If you're still sitting around hoping to get that Hogwarts acceptance letter by owl, this genre is just for you. It's got all the wonder of childhood fantasy with better writing and more lessons to learn. Don't know what to read? I hear the A Game of Thrones series is quite popular. But if you're like me and prefer your favorite characters to survive the series, try a Neil Gaiman novel.
My book of choice: Neverwhere by, you guessed it, Neil Gaiman
Go to the book store or a library and pick up a copy of this book. Read the back cover. If you're not intrigued, then there is something wrong with you and you should find a different genre to read. Neverwhere tells the story of a young misfit who stumbles into a world of all those that have fallen between the cracks, and soon discovers that what you thought you wanted may not be what you wanted after all. I don't want to give too much away, but let me just say this: Neil Gaiman is an artist who really understands fantasy and what it means to build an entire reality.
Type #2: Coming of age story
You're never too old for one of these. The truth is, most of us never leave high school, spending our days stumbling about not knowing what to do. In some ways, adulthood is a really long transition from childhood to retirement, and we can all gain to find some inspiration in the existential crises of a 17 year old who just wants to matter in life.My book of choice: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.
He's the guy who wrote The Fault in Our Stars. You know that book about cancer kids that recently got made into a movie with Shailene Woodley? An Abundance of Katherines is less depressing, and in my humble opinion, better. It details the adventures of child prodigy and Katherine dumpee Colin Singleton in the small town of Gutshot, Tennessee. You get to witness Colin recover from his breakup, discover himself, and learn that how much you matter in life depends on what matters to you.
Type #3: That childhood series you never finished
 |
| My favorite childhood series |
My series of choice: Alex Rider
It's like James Bond for 14 year olds. And although the writing isn't as good as I once remembered it to be, all the action packed suspense makes me remember why I enjoyed these stories so much to begin with. It never hurts to stroll down memory lane and let your inner child out to play once in a while. As a matter of fact, I don't think people do it enough.
Type #4: Non-fiction inspiration
You see ads for it all the time. The self help books. Recipe books. Short story compilations. The people who make it big by writing about their lives. It makes you wonder why them and not you. Try picking one up and see what makes their lives special enough to write about. You might just find some much needed motivation to pull your own life together.My book(s) of choice: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.
While neither are exactly self help books, they present different and enlightening views on the little moments in life.
Type #5: A "classic" from your school days
Ever had to read a book for school that you Spark Noted instead? Interestingly enough I never did this, but chances are if you did, you have been missing out on some pretty great stuff for decades. These are deemed classics and required reading for a reason, you know. It's not completely arbitrary.
My book(s) of choice: Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, or pretty much anything else that's been turned into a movie recently.
If they're good enough to become cinematic masterpieces, they're good enough for you to read. Besides, the book is ALWAYS better than the movie.
 |
| Photo courtesy of: http://parade.condenast.com/288957/klconniewang/need-a-summer-beach-read-6-fun-picks/ |
Comments
Post a Comment