Books to Love

Regrettably, I have not been doing as much reading as an English major should. I’ve been working my way through Vladimir Nabokov’s Despair for quite some time now, and I’m not even halfway through. It’s not that the book isn’t enticing or lacks a good story line. The story is great, and I love Nabokov as a writer. I’ve just been very involved in my own writing lately that reading has taken the back burner. I must say that this is a cop out, because in order to be a writer, you must do two things: 1. Write a lot. 2. Read a lot. Neither is more important than the other. I’ve chosen a few selections from my very own bookshelf that I actually have read. If you’re in a rut and don’t know which book to pick up next, check one of these out.

Bossypants – Tina Fey
Hands down, one of the most hilarious books you’ll ever read. Stories about everything from mothering woes to Fey’s infamous Sarah Palin impersonation will have you literally laughing out loud. My personal favorite is “A Mother’s Prayer for Her Daughter”, which closes the autobiography. I swear, by the end of this book, you’ll feel like Tina Fey has been your best friend for your entire life. Though Fey’s life is very different and more public than most, Bossypants shows that she is only trying to make it out in one piece, just like the rest of us. And she’s doing so one joke at a time.

The Coquette – Hannah Webster Foster
The Coquette was originally published anonymously, and it wasn’t until 1856 that Foster’s name graced its pages. A cautionary tale, if I’ve ever read one, The Coquette follows Eliza Wharton on her path to destruction. She is described as a “coquettish” due to her inability to choose between two men, after her fiancé’s death. One is Prince Charming, the other a bit rough around the edges. I think it’s pretty clear which road Wharton chooses. We picked this apart in a particularly pro-woman English course, and though the novel follows closely the “fallen woman” theme of the time period, I adore it.

Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions – Daniel Wallace
We’re switching it up even more with Big Fish. Some of you may know the story after Tim Burton’s film adaptation, which was released back in 2003. Big Fish is wondrous, magical, and heartbreaking in so many ways. We follow Edward Bloom throughout his amazing, mythical life, taming giants and befriending animals, through stories he’s told his son, William. As William recounts these tales, his father is dying. William desperately wants to make sense of his father’s strange life, and must do so before it is too late.

Each of these holds a special place in my heart, and I can only hope that you enjoy them as much as I do. Feel free to list some of your favorite books in the commens!

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