So that was certainly the longest hiatus I've ever taken from this blog. But I was busy enjoying my summer, getting ready for college, moving into college, doing the whole college thing, and generally not reading all that much. Oops. Since I last wrote, I have at least read some books. Woot?
I Am the Messenger
The Kite Runner
Napoleon's Buttons
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Duchess of Padua
How Reading Changed My Life
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Twilight (don't judge)
New Moon (don't judge)
Eclipse (don't judge)
Breaking Dawn (don't judge)
Musicophilia
Reality is Broken
The Help
Superfreakonomics
I really did like quite a few of them... though honestly it's been a while now since I read them. I’ll see what I can recall.
I Am the Messenger- This is quite possibly one of my favorite Young Adult novels. It’s one that I always recommend to others when they want a nice, easy read that also has some substance to it. Essentially, the main character is an atypical, Joe-Shmo hero. He receives cards in the mail that direct him towards tasks to help other people or learn about himself. It’s an impressive book… and it makes one wonder about what a person is capable of. Plus it’s bust-out-laughing funny at times. Oh, and the author is ridiculously attractive. And Australian.
The Kite Runner- I reread it for school. I liked it a lot more than the last time I read it, which was during my road trip to Arizona in 2008. It didn’t feel so minority-centered (as in, it felt like the plot was about more than focusing on one specific group, which is what I felt reading it the first time). I enjoyed it. And some of the history that I learned along with it actually came in handy this week at Penn. I had a conversation with someone about Farsi, and I’m only really familiar with the origin of the language because of this book.
Napoleon’s Buttons- Hands down, favorite nonfiction book ever. Like, it was really, really good. My Chemistry teacher gave it to me as a gift at the Top 10 Dinner at my school. And I absolutely loved it. It provides interesting history/science related to 17 molecules/compounds/chemical classes that changed history. And it’s beautifully written. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about antibiotics and nitrates.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn- I had been meaning to read this book since about 4th grade, when I first heard it mentioned in “Here’s to You, Rachel Robinson” by Judy Blume. It’s sweet, and interesting, and reminds me of the books I used to love as a child. Books about strong girls, who lived a long time ago. I almost wish I had brought it with me to college. It’s sweet and inspirational, and certainly a book I could read again and again. And a book that I hope to read to my daughter, if I have one.
The Duchess of Padua- I really do love Oscar Wilde’s plays. And this one was amusing. It was a bit like Romeo and Juliet meets Cyrano de Bergerac. Same general time period. And some sort of hilariously cheesy quotes. Plus, it was a wicked fast read.
How Reading Changed My Life- This was a graduation present. And it was honestly just okay. But it had some great recommended book lists in the back. Which I really appreciated. I have a much longer must-read list now.
Harry Potter- Do I even have to say?
The Twilight Series- I needed something easy, to get me reading again in the summer, okay? I know they’re not good books. But they’re good at being what they’re supposed to be- Potato chip reads. No real value, but slightly tasty. And even if Bella is a horrible role model for girls, I still like this series well enough.
Musicophila- I was so disappointed by this book. I usually love Oliver Sacks’s work. But this was painful to get through. It was too repetitive and not interesting. I honestly think it took me three months to finish.
Reality is Broken- This was the Penn Reading Project book. So I got to see a talk with the author and have a small discussion about it. The general response to the book at Penn was negative. But I liked it. It’s about how games can help us feel better and be more productive. Which I totally agree with. Well-designed games can be motivated, educational, and both life and world changing. I use games to study, but I could definitely see broader implications than that.
The Help- It was really good, like everyone said. And I felt like I could really identify with the main white female character. In terms of her self-esteem, desire to write, and ultimate goals. And I thought this was an excellent “race novel.” Because it didn’t read like a sob story or a pity story. It just felt very real, and not forced.
Superfreakonimcs- Super freaking funny. Though I feel like it’s more about sociology than Econ. I really want to read Freakonomics now too. Also… this was a required book for my program at UPenn. About a quarter of the program is made up of Indian guys… there was a section in the book about how on average, Indian guys have the smallest penises, which is why the condom success rate is low in India. Because the condoms are just too big for the guys. I can’t imagine how awkward every Indian Vagelos kid felt while reading that….
So I kind of caught up. I’ll hopefully try to start reading more and also writing more. I don’t know if I’ll hit 100 books this year… but hopefully I can at least get close.
Total Book Count: 36
NonFic: 6
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