remove ad

remove ad

Extras:

Fanlistings

Diaryrings

My half.com store

Links

View My Guestbook
Sign My Guestbook


Christian
English Major
Writer
Thinker of odd things

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Reading list [Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007, 6:28 pm]

I think I'm ready for break to be over. I don't like the feeling of not really doing anything substantial. Break is definitely long enough, but too short to start anything long-term, so I often feel like I just did a bunch of little things that I didn't need to do. I know it's good for me on some level though. Going right from one semester to the next would probably be a bit much.

Although, I didn't think I'd be getting work at all during break, but due to someone getting fired, I'll have worked about 15 hours by the time I go back. That may not be a lot, but it's more than I was expecting, and every little bit helps. Plus it was nice to see everyone at work again - man, that kitchen is tiny.

I've tried to catch up on a little bit of reading though. It seems like every time I take an English class, I'm reminded of all the classics that I've heard about, have intended to read, and just haven't yet had time to.

So first I read "A room with a view" by E.M. Forster, which probably made more sense during its own time, but it was still a nice tame period piece with some eccentric characterizations - always entertaining.

Next I read "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes, which I'd heard several people tell me about beforehand. It has to be one of the saddest books I've read in a long time, as well as one of my new favorites. Just the way the author transitions between Charlie's varying levels of intelligence is amazing. I found it sad and touching, and not sappy or preachy at all - that's sometimes a difficult balance to find, but this author definitely pulled it off. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone below early high school level just because of a few racier scenes, but it's still a beautiful story.

Next I read F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" which is one of those books that probably everyone but me had to read in high school. I found it surprisingly short for a novel. I don't know if I'd exactly place it in the "greatest stories of all time" category like some people apparently have, but it was still an engaging story on many levels. It was sad too, but somehow it wasn't the same type of painful sadness that I got from "Flowers for Algernon" which is why I didn't like it quite as much.

I kinda wanted to read Tolstoy's "War and Peace," but as it turns out I only had about 2 weeks at home, and given that the book is about 1500 pages, I think I'll wait for summer to tackle something like that. I should start making a reading list though. I also want to read "Catch-22," "Hinds' feet on high places" (again), "A tree grows in Brooklyn," and I definitely want to re-read "Prince Caspian" before the movie comes out. Also, maybe something by Kerouac or Vonnegut since they were often referenced in Creative Writing, but I have a feeling neither will really be my "thing."

wander -- travel

Miss anything?

Vitality - Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009
Soulfest 2009 - Sunday, Aug. 02, 2009
Politics and Poverty - Friday, Jul. 24, 2009
Michael Jackson - Monday, Jun. 29, 2009
Elegy for Spotty - Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2009