I once had a classmate in one of my English Lit classes who claimed his favourite book was To Kill a Mockingbird. I know for a lot of people this novel was required reading in high school, but rarely do people say that this book is their definitive favourite. If you’re like me, you probably have many favourite novels but are still open to the possibility of finding new favourites. Here are a few I think you might like.
Fiction:
I downloaded this book on my kindle and expected to read for an hour or so. This hour turned into two and I could not put it down. You might be wondering why I’m recommending you go out and find a copy of this young adult series. Doesn’t it just belong in the same category as Twilight? The answer is yes, and no. Yes, it is written for a younger audience, but no, it is not a superficial anti-feminist adolescent romp. The plot is a morally compelling thought piece that deals with issues of loss, abandonment, hope and love. Take the Lord of the Flies and mix in a little 1984 followed by a splash of Ayn Rand and you get the Hunger Games.
The book is the first in the series of Earth’s Children, historical fiction by Jean M. Auel. The story is set approximately 30,000 years before the present day. Released in 1980 and follows the story of Ayla, a five year old Cro-Magnon child left orphaned after an earthquake displaced many of her clan members. She then joins a group of Neanderthals who have a different set of customs and seem altogether less developed than she is. [Warning this novel may contain scenes unsuitable for younger readers]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
This one has been out for a while. If you haven’t yet read it, it is a book worth getting. It is a real page-turner and has a plot that you can get entirely lost in. The protagonist Lisbeth Salander has a perfect mix of spunk and wit. Let me just say this, I used to turn my nose up at any book part of a fad series, but this one was intelligently written and made me realize that certain books are popular for a reason.
If you want to read a good story, but don’t necessarily have the time to go in depth into a novel, The Catcher in the Rye might be the book for you this summer. It’s short, easy to read, and a cult classic. Some people love the book and the protagonist Holden, others think it’s kind of a silly book. Be your own judge and pick it up.
This book might take you all summer to read (or at least all summer to begin to understand). It’s one of those novels packed with layers and layers of metaphor. Of course, Melville would have it no other way (I think the footnotes themselves make up half the book). The plot is pretty well known to most readers: Angry Captain Ahab goes on a quest to find the albino sperm whale that bit off his leg. Our narrator Ishmael decides to join in on the whaling mission, and from there you meet a whole cast of colourful characters. The story may be simple but the book is not. In fact, if you’re reading the novel and get to chapter 10 bored out of your mind, you’re probably reading it wrong. You don’t read Moby Dick for the plot. If I could take one book with me on a deserted island, this would be it. Nuff said.
Faith:
Don Miller seems to be pretty hip in the Christian world right now. Blue Like Jazz is currently being made into a movie. And doesn’t look half bad. For those who don’t know him, he’s famous for making Christianity “cool”. This book was really what put him on the map. He’s often a contributor for Relevant Magazine and serves on Barack Obama’s task force on Fatherhood and Healthy Families.
Adapted from a series of C.S. Lewis lectures given on the BBC between 1941-1944, Mere Christianity is a classic. In it Lewis explains the teachings of Christianity in an accessible way. It is considered one of the most influential evangelical texts of the 20th century.
Fun:
Everyone grew one during the playoffs. Now it’s time to learn about them. This fun book by goes through the history of beards and features the famous facial hair of many historically prominent men and women. It explores the cultural significance of beards throughout the ages. It is also illustrated, which is sure to make for an entertaining read. Whatever questions you may have had about beards before reading this book will soon be answered. Who doesn’t love beards?
What could be funnier than a book that pictures Tina Fey on the cover with hairy, fat man arms? You’re guaranteed to LOL while reading this. The memoir starts in Fey’s childhood and goes all the way up to her days at Saturday Night Live. It even gives somewhat of an insiders account of what it’s like behind the scenes of our favourite sketch comedy weekly.
Book Fresheners for those who don’t read:
Our tweeters recommend:
George Eliot = Jane Austin for grown-ups. Deep, relevant issues in Middlemarch with all the charm of the British countryside.
Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible: a tearjerker about the life of a missionary family in the Belgian Congo. #Lovedit
–@IrvineN
Stanley Park by Tim Taylor, Disappearing Moon Cafe by Sky Lee.
–@axeguitar
Well, there’s a children’s book from 1972 that I recommend: “William’s Doll”
–@seeketchum
Add The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
–@_amanbains
Do you have any more suggestions? Would you like to see a part two list? Leave your comments below!
