7 Books You Should Read in Your Lifetime
*7-Minute Read*
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| My copies of some of the books |
1) Educated by Tara Westover
2) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
3) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
4) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
5) "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
6) Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
7) Wonder by R.J. Palacio
So, there they are. Why did I choose them? See below.
1) Educated by Tara Westover
Tara Westover's memoir makes me realize how fortunate I am to know when my birthday is, that I have a bottle of Motrin sitting in a cabinet, and that I went to school. Westover didn't have any of that. She grew up in a survivalist family in rural Idaho, and they were dysfunctional at best. One brother became violent and, after Westover endures some of his abuse, she realizes she needs to leave her father's junkyard behind and get accepted into college. Thus, the story focuses on both her familial and educational struggles. Now, she holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge but is estranged from her parents and most of her siblings. Still, she manages to respectively tell her story, whereas I would probably be ranting and raving. So, I think that's another lesson I can learn by reading this book.
2) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
What is apparent throughout this novel is the lack of communication within the Lees, a family living in a small town in Ohio. The story begins with the death of the middle child, Lydia. The rest of this book is a mixture between flashbacks of the family's past and of them trying to discover what happened to Lydia that night. Within this, you read about racial tension, infidelity, the disappointment one feels when his/her dream doesn't come to fruition, the pressure of expectation, and loneliness. For the most part, the family knows what each other struggles with. However, everything is kept quiet. I know that I tend to be the "suffer in silence" type of person, and this book reminds me to speak up. I can also relate to that pressure of expectation and worry that my dreams won't come true. I think that almost everyone can also relate to someone in this story, as this fiction work feels quite nonfiction.
3) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Any time I hear about a book being banned, I immediately think of Fahrenheit 451. Because destroying books is the main action within the story. Ironically, this dystopian system is that firefighters go to homes and burn all of the books in it. One of them is Guy Montag, who originally sees nothing wrong with the process. That ends when he meets Clarisse. She and her family are viewed as odd, simply because they talk to each other instead of people on their wall/television screen. They drive 55 mph instead of racing to their destination at 100 mph. And they question things and people, as Clarisse does with Guy. Yet, society expects conformity from everyone; independent thoughts and ideas are unencouraged at best. And that's exactly what books include. Faber, a retired English professor, eventually tells Montag that the importance doesn't lie within the books themselves. The importance lies in the information those books provide. And I believe that that is something we all need to remember before our society turns into this one.
What is apparent throughout this novel is the lack of communication within the Lees, a family living in a small town in Ohio. The story begins with the death of the middle child, Lydia. The rest of this book is a mixture between flashbacks of the family's past and of them trying to discover what happened to Lydia that night. Within this, you read about racial tension, infidelity, the disappointment one feels when his/her dream doesn't come to fruition, the pressure of expectation, and loneliness. For the most part, the family knows what each other struggles with. However, everything is kept quiet. I know that I tend to be the "suffer in silence" type of person, and this book reminds me to speak up. I can also relate to that pressure of expectation and worry that my dreams won't come true. I think that almost everyone can also relate to someone in this story, as this fiction work feels quite nonfiction.
3) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Any time I hear about a book being banned, I immediately think of Fahrenheit 451. Because destroying books is the main action within the story. Ironically, this dystopian system is that firefighters go to homes and burn all of the books in it. One of them is Guy Montag, who originally sees nothing wrong with the process. That ends when he meets Clarisse. She and her family are viewed as odd, simply because they talk to each other instead of people on their wall/television screen. They drive 55 mph instead of racing to their destination at 100 mph. And they question things and people, as Clarisse does with Guy. Yet, society expects conformity from everyone; independent thoughts and ideas are unencouraged at best. And that's exactly what books include. Faber, a retired English professor, eventually tells Montag that the importance doesn't lie within the books themselves. The importance lies in the information those books provide. And I believe that that is something we all need to remember before our society turns into this one.
4) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
If you want to read a fiction book that covers a current societal issue, this is one to pick up. It centers on the incident where Khalil, an African-American man, is shot and killed by a white police officer. The story is told from the perspective of Starr, Khalil's friend who witnessed his death. She had already felt some racial tension, as she lives in a predominantly African-American neighborhood but attends a predominantly white school. Within these two settings, you meet a variety of characters---Starr's color-blind boyfriend, a racially insensitive friend turned ex-friend, an exonerated prison inmate, gang members, ex-gang members, and so on. All their perspectives on the same situations remind us of how different people truly are, how our environment can shape our opinions. And it personally made me reflect. Khalil didn't deserve to die, no doubt. But was his death truly an accident? Even in a tense situation, could a cop really mistake a hairbrush for a gun? It's difficult to say.
If you want to read a fiction book that covers a current societal issue, this is one to pick up. It centers on the incident where Khalil, an African-American man, is shot and killed by a white police officer. The story is told from the perspective of Starr, Khalil's friend who witnessed his death. She had already felt some racial tension, as she lives in a predominantly African-American neighborhood but attends a predominantly white school. Within these two settings, you meet a variety of characters---Starr's color-blind boyfriend, a racially insensitive friend turned ex-friend, an exonerated prison inmate, gang members, ex-gang members, and so on. All their perspectives on the same situations remind us of how different people truly are, how our environment can shape our opinions. And it personally made me reflect. Khalil didn't deserve to die, no doubt. But was his death truly an accident? Even in a tense situation, could a cop really mistake a hairbrush for a gun? It's difficult to say.
5) "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
Okay, so this technically isn't a book, but I couldn't leave my favorite poem off this list. Frost finds himself at a fork in the road, comparing the road not taken to the road taken by many. The latter is a predictable path ("grassy and wanted wear"), while the former is more uncertain ("looked down as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth"). His decision and the message behind the poem is revealed at the very end:
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I—
And that has made all the difference."
It reaffirms my belief that, sometimes, we have to do things the hard way in order to get the best possible outcome. For example, TCU was rigorous for me but, when I got to grad school, I realized how prepared I was. Also, I accepted an internship position that was about an hour away from where I lived. I not only enjoyed it; it made me discover my ideal career path. And for both, I was on my own. Many people (some of whom have straight-up told me) wouldn't go down the same path, and that's okay. They would go down the road not taken in circumstances when I wouldn't. It reminds me that everyone needs to do what's best for them instead of always trying to please others.
6) Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
This novel is partially set in present-day Washington state and partially in Leningrad, Russia during World War II. The majority of new information comes from Leningrad---we learn more about how Russians suffered among the fighting through Anya's story. We also begin to understand why Anya has always acted so cold toward her own daughters, Meredith and Nina. It is an example of how one's behaviors are influenced by past events. Yet, I also enjoyed the personal storylines for both daughters. Meredith married and had two daughters while running the family farm. Nina pursued her dream of becoming a photojournalist who travels all over the world but hasn't been able to settle down anywhere. It hit close to home for me; I'm not the only one who worries that I have to choose between having a family or pursuing my family. The key is balance, which means that Meredith begins doing more for herself and Nina starts to stay at home more often. You can do both.
Okay, so this technically isn't a book, but I couldn't leave my favorite poem off this list. Frost finds himself at a fork in the road, comparing the road not taken to the road taken by many. The latter is a predictable path ("grassy and wanted wear"), while the former is more uncertain ("looked down as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth"). His decision and the message behind the poem is revealed at the very end:
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I—
And that has made all the difference."
It reaffirms my belief that, sometimes, we have to do things the hard way in order to get the best possible outcome. For example, TCU was rigorous for me but, when I got to grad school, I realized how prepared I was. Also, I accepted an internship position that was about an hour away from where I lived. I not only enjoyed it; it made me discover my ideal career path. And for both, I was on my own. Many people (some of whom have straight-up told me) wouldn't go down the same path, and that's okay. They would go down the road not taken in circumstances when I wouldn't. It reminds me that everyone needs to do what's best for them instead of always trying to please others.
6) Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
This novel is partially set in present-day Washington state and partially in Leningrad, Russia during World War II. The majority of new information comes from Leningrad---we learn more about how Russians suffered among the fighting through Anya's story. We also begin to understand why Anya has always acted so cold toward her own daughters, Meredith and Nina. It is an example of how one's behaviors are influenced by past events. Yet, I also enjoyed the personal storylines for both daughters. Meredith married and had two daughters while running the family farm. Nina pursued her dream of becoming a photojournalist who travels all over the world but hasn't been able to settle down anywhere. It hit close to home for me; I'm not the only one who worries that I have to choose between having a family or pursuing my family. The key is balance, which means that Meredith begins doing more for herself and Nina starts to stay at home more often. You can do both.
7) Wonder by R.J. Palacio
This young-adult novel has a wonderful theme of acceptance, especially for those with differences and/or in a difficult time of their lives. The main character is August "Auggie" Pullman. He was born with Franceschetti-Klein syndrome, which causes facial deformities. His appearance causes him to be ostracized from most of the other kids at his new school. The kids' behavior is a result of their environment, which is why I think parents should read this book themselves. Auggie's parents never wanted to limit him, so he is as brave as can be while navigating middle school. Jack, who becomes Auggie's friend, has a mother who preaches that he be nice to everyone. On the other hand, Auggie's biggest bully, Julian, has parents who believe that Auggie doesn't even belong at their son's school. And I like how they portrayed Auggie's older sister Via (short for Olivia---we're name buddies). She tends to get overlooked due to Auggie, and now her best friend Miranda is ignoring her. But, because there are multiple narrators of this story, it's explained why. I had assumed that Auggie would be the sole narrator, but instead we gain several more round characters. We support, feel empathy for, and get angry at multiple people, just as we do in our real lives.
Reading is a wonderful hobby. Not only are you entertained, you are more educated on a variety of topics. Whether you're reading fiction or nonfiction, there are lessons on what to do and what not to do that you can apply to your everyday life. Therefore, read on and encourage others to do the same!
Also, I want to expand my never-ending reading list, so feel free to inform me of any book you feel everyone should read.
- Liv
This young-adult novel has a wonderful theme of acceptance, especially for those with differences and/or in a difficult time of their lives. The main character is August "Auggie" Pullman. He was born with Franceschetti-Klein syndrome, which causes facial deformities. His appearance causes him to be ostracized from most of the other kids at his new school. The kids' behavior is a result of their environment, which is why I think parents should read this book themselves. Auggie's parents never wanted to limit him, so he is as brave as can be while navigating middle school. Jack, who becomes Auggie's friend, has a mother who preaches that he be nice to everyone. On the other hand, Auggie's biggest bully, Julian, has parents who believe that Auggie doesn't even belong at their son's school. And I like how they portrayed Auggie's older sister Via (short for Olivia---we're name buddies). She tends to get overlooked due to Auggie, and now her best friend Miranda is ignoring her. But, because there are multiple narrators of this story, it's explained why. I had assumed that Auggie would be the sole narrator, but instead we gain several more round characters. We support, feel empathy for, and get angry at multiple people, just as we do in our real lives.
Reading is a wonderful hobby. Not only are you entertained, you are more educated on a variety of topics. Whether you're reading fiction or nonfiction, there are lessons on what to do and what not to do that you can apply to your everyday life. Therefore, read on and encourage others to do the same!
Also, I want to expand my never-ending reading list, so feel free to inform me of any book you feel everyone should read.
- Liv
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