1. The Harry Potter Series, J.K. Rowling. I picked up the first book in the third grade on a dare. It was in the sixth grade reading section, so I thought I was living on the wild side. Ever since, I've been hooked on Rowling's healthy combination of fantasy, love, and rebellious youth.
2. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. Something about the mindless chatter intrigued me. Stream-of-consciousness writing evokes a sense of personality and vulnerability with the writer.
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. After seeing a world without books, I learned to appreciate the power of reading in society.
4. Gender Trouble, Judith Butler. Though a rather short read, Gender Trouble took me almost two months to finish. I found it memorable because I had never taken that long to comprehend a piece of writing. It really requires an open mind and focus.
5. The Empire of Tea, MacFarlane. Exploring the relationship between man and tea, Macfarlane introduces some surprising finds on how the tea plant influences international politics, imperialism, and colonial economies of the world.
6. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Carroll. It is the best escapist novel yet. Carroll makes words into pictures, both literally and figuratively. I am blown away every time I read his book (roughly six times so far), much less open it.
A very interesting mix. Most personal favorites with one school assignment in the mix, and a children's classic you've gone back to over and over. I don't know #s 4 & 5, but I like books where a writer takes a single, perhaps mundane topic (tea) and explores it from many angles to tell a fascinating story. Simon Winchester and Bill Bryson are the writers who do that for me. Thanks for the list.
ReplyDeleteI meant "mostly" not "most personal favorites." Obsessive proofreading is an occupational hazard with English teachers.
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