As strange as it sounds, for a writing major...I don't read much. The honest truth is that I'm just busy, and after catching up on Brit Lit...I don't feel like curling up with ANOTHER book. That being said, I really do love reading. My only issue: I usually start a bunch of books at once, so I just happen to be reading like, six books. It's fine. Really.
Grey - Pete Wentz
Of all of these, this is the only book I've managed to finish and I loved it. Yeah, Wentz is the bassist from Fall Out Boy (and responsible for a good chunk of their beautiful lyrics) but really, he's more than that. And this book proves it. You can tell it's written by a poet - a lot of pretty words, and even though not much happens, you feel as though you've been through a journey. I read it in literally a day.
Cold Days - Jim Butcher
I've read all the other Dresden Files, so I splurged and bought this one right away. I recommend these books to anyone who, as I put it, "likes sci-fi...but doesn't." I enjoy a book with fantastical elements, but a lot of times I find writers get lost in the details. Butcher just takes modern day Chicago and puts dark magic in it. His worlds are exciting but not overwhelming, his characters supernatural but rooted in reality. The first book is Storm Front, and is still one of my favorites. (Note: This is the thirteenth book. Know what you're getting into.
When Captain Flint Was Still a Good Man - Nick Dybek
Okay, here's where I get to brag: I was taught by this guy. Yes, the guy who wrote the book! How cool is that?! He actually found out he got this book deal DURING one of our workshop classes. It took several years to eventually be released (as these things happen) but it was worth it. I'm about halfway through and am loving it.
The Brief Wonderful Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
This is the first book I've ever gotten on my kindle, and I usually have been using it for reading on the subway. Diaz is a talented writer, but I think I prefer his nonfiction to this one. Not to say that it's anything less than stellar, but I feel like the mixture of voices makes you lose track of the main narrative. But maybe I'm just ADD. Either way, still a great book and the e-book is only eight dollars! (or something?)
Mother Nature - Sarah Blaffer Hrdy
Technically I'm reading this for my ethics class, but it makes the list because I'm actually enjoying it. It's all about the sociological and anthropological implications of motherhood and family. Short talk: all the cool stuff that happens in humans when we're born. It makes for an awesome class discussion and is a fairly easy read, considering it's ethics. She uses a lot of real-life examples and the wording isn't crazy. Something I'd recommend if you have an interest in ethics or even motherhood in general.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson
I read the first two millenium books in Europe and have been working my way through this one. I find they're almost easier to sit down and read in one sitting, since reading a chapter a night always makes me feel out of it. "Wait, who's that character again? What are they talking about? What's going on?" Either way, I know that after the first two hundred pages, I usually finish them within the day.
Well, there's all six. I'm different places in all of them, but my goal is to finish the Diaz and Larsson over break, as well as read the sections for class out of Hrdy. I have to save the others for a cold night, since I know I'll rip through them in hours...
