Some of my Favorites

This blog chronicles the 10 most memorable books that I have read.

1. Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes
This novel stuck with me because it graphically illustrated that a great amount of intelligence does not necessarily lead to happiness. It also teaches the value of lasting relationships with people that one truly cares about.

2. The Golden Compass, Phillip Pullman
As a fan of fantasy books, I am always looking for a new and original novel to read. The Golden Compass was one of the most creative novels that I have read with themes that can appeal to both children and adults.

3. Black Boy, Richard Wright
Black Boy serves as a brutal and harsh autobiographical perspective about a young Black male trying to live in the South during the early 20th century. I can't recall another non-fiction novel where the author has experienced so much hardship in his/her youth.

4. The Giver, Louis Lowry
Consequent to reading this novel, I had a great deal of difficulty coming to a conclusion whether the main character, Jonas, ended up living or dying. The society envisioned in this novel is elegantly crafted with a dark background that lingers in one's mind long after the story is completed.

5. The Odyssey, Homer
As an avid fan of mythology whether it be Greek, Roman, Norse, or Egyptian The Odyssey more than satisfied my appetite for epic adventures and powerful deities. My sophomore year teacher also introduced me to one of my favorite concepts while reading this epic, called "The Hero's Cycle" created by writer John Campbell.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
This novel truly sticks with me because of its masterfully crafted characters that are extremely realistic. This novel blends a vast amount of themes together seamlessly making it a true masterpiece. The novel eloquently incorporated comical parts as well as very saddening parts.

7. Hiroshima, John Hersey
This book narrates the harrowing tale of six lucky survivors of the fateful day when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Its an incredibly powerful book that allows readers to truly digest the act of brutality that was committed August 6, 1945.

8. The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
My father introduced this book to me at a very young age and this was also my first taste of fantasy writing. Tolkien's Middle-Earth is one of the the most richly imagined worlds that I have ever encountered in my years of reading books. The history, races, languages are all beautifully flushed out and glow with a vivid flair of originality.

9. The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
This book is a very interesting look and study of human nature through the viewpoint of a well experienced demon, Screwtape, to his apprentice ,Wormwood. This book has a very unusual perspective stating that God is "the enemy" and Satan is "the father below". One of the most interesting pieces of advice that I recall Screwtape giving Wormwood was negatively influencing "the patient" when he was in one of life's troughs making him weakest and most susceptible to the devil's influence.

10. The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, Ursula K Le Guin
Although technically a short story and not a full-fledged book, this story left a very haunting impression on me during my first read through. This was one of the most shocking encounters that I have ever experienced with a text. The happiness that is displayed in this Utopian society called Omelas is sustained at the expense of an exceedingly mistreated child. The descriptions provided to illustrate his or her condition are absolutely revolting and contrast in the most polar way to the serene and gorgeous description of Omelas on the preceding pages.