What I've Read
A while back, I wrote a blog entry on what I was reading at the time, and I thought I should post an update with my thoughts now that I've actually finished those books.
1. Heart of Darkness: This was my first time to teach this novella, and now I can see why it's such a standard in the academic literary canon. I wouldn't read it for fun (not my style), but the rich imagery, controversial subject matter, and persistent ambiguity makes this work an absolute feast for English majors. My class of non-English majors enjoyed it, too. It's kind of refreshing to be made to think hard about something, and that's exactly what Heart of Darkness does.
2. Orange is the New Black: If, like me, you were curious about the premise of the Netflix original series of the same name, but were a bit put off by the tone and subject matter of the show itself, this book is for you. This book provides the deep characterizations, thought-provoking questions about the criminal-justice system, and humor that the TV show is acclaimed for, but without the edginess that the show is also known for. It also provides useful lessons in hope, human kindness, and forgiveness found within a women's prison.
3. Atonement: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I loved this book so much -- for the gorgeous prose, for the compelling story-telling, and for the well-crafted ending that contained equal parts hope, heartbreak, and philosophical musings on the power of story. I highly recommend it.
4. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: The truth is, I never got past the first few pages of this. I feel certain I will love it when I do, but it's a large book, so I need some long stretches of uninterrupted time to enjoy it, so I kept putting it off. Then, I started reading this:
1. Heart of Darkness: This was my first time to teach this novella, and now I can see why it's such a standard in the academic literary canon. I wouldn't read it for fun (not my style), but the rich imagery, controversial subject matter, and persistent ambiguity makes this work an absolute feast for English majors. My class of non-English majors enjoyed it, too. It's kind of refreshing to be made to think hard about something, and that's exactly what Heart of Darkness does.
2. Orange is the New Black: If, like me, you were curious about the premise of the Netflix original series of the same name, but were a bit put off by the tone and subject matter of the show itself, this book is for you. This book provides the deep characterizations, thought-provoking questions about the criminal-justice system, and humor that the TV show is acclaimed for, but without the edginess that the show is also known for. It also provides useful lessons in hope, human kindness, and forgiveness found within a women's prison.
3. Atonement: Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I loved this book so much -- for the gorgeous prose, for the compelling story-telling, and for the well-crafted ending that contained equal parts hope, heartbreak, and philosophical musings on the power of story. I highly recommend it.
4. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: The truth is, I never got past the first few pages of this. I feel certain I will love it when I do, but it's a large book, so I need some long stretches of uninterrupted time to enjoy it, so I kept putting it off. Then, I started reading this:
I can hardly put The Goldfinch down to write this blog entry -- plus, it's awfully nice out on my balcony during May in Texas. I'll let you know what I think after I've finished.
What about you? Read any good books lately?
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