Semester break is rapidly approaching, and that means there is plenty of time to relax and catch up on the television shows and movies you missed out on. While it is important to relax and take a lot of time off to recover and recuperate from the semester, I find that it is equally as important to continue to stimulate the brain and to be actively learning in order to better prepare for the spring semester or to be learning in general.
As a person who appreciates the arts and also was an English major in college, I am always excited to talk about literature. Sure, I enjoy reading the classics but I also know that they are not for everyone and can often be hard to get through. But there are some books that are really great and get you thinking, and in fact it can be easier to read when you are doing it for fun rather than as an assignment for your required high school or common core class in college.
Here are some classic books, and a few more contemporary, that I'd recommend to other students to read over the break that you might actually enjoy, and you will not regret spending the time reading instead of watching Netflix all day.
1. "The Great Gatsby", F. Scott Fitzgerald
Not only is this an American classic about love, greed, and the roaring 20's, it has also been adapted into some great movies that you can watch once you've read the book. Plus, it isn't very long and is not too difficult to read.
2. "Pride and Prejudice", Jane Austen
The best of all the Austen novels, this book has humor and also is all about sticking up for yourself and what your beliefs are as a woman in the 18th century. Again, also a book that has been adapted to screen that you can watch the movie after you've read the book.
3. The Hunger Games Series, Suzanne Collins
Sure, it's a young adult series, but it's one of the best young adult book series that I find myself rereading multiple times and still enjoying on every reread. They are super fast to get through because it is young adult, and even if you have seen the movies there are a lot of cool things in the books that had to be cut out of the movies so there is still information to gain from reading instead of just re-watching the four movies.
4. Short Stories
Short story collections are some of the best fiction that exists, and also is easy to read in one afternoon if you don't have a lot of time or don't feel like dedicating a whole week to a book. Short stories are also often made into films, like Sherlock Holmes, in which the new BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman comes out soon on January 1, 2017, or even children's stories that your favorite classic Disney movies have been based on, like Alice in Wonderland.
5. "The Picture of Dorian Gray", Oscar Wilde
One of my favorite Victorian novels, this is about a man who does not fit into society's mold, but also shows the dangers of vanity. It is a fascinating read and one of the best Gothic novels western literature has to offer.
6. "A Thousand Splendid Suns", Khaled Hosseini
The story of two women in Afghanistan over thirty years, it is a heartbreaking story about the country in turmoil and its effects on two women. Anything by Hosseini is a great read that will make you not want to put it down, but this one is my personal favorite of his and was one of the best books I had to read in high school.
7. "Jane Eyre", Charlotte Bronte
Another Victorian, Gothic classic that brings to light the way women were treated and features a strong woman who will not put up with the sexist actions of men during her time.
8. "Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
A story about pre and post colonial Nigeria and a widely acknowledged contemporary African fiction novel. I've had to read this twice for two different classes and enjoyed it each time.
9. "Slaughterhouse Five", Kurt Vonnegut
A postmodern novel that explores disillusionment after the tragedies of World War II. A little cooky and weird, it has the perfect mix of oddness and reality that is heartbreakingly touching.
10."A Prayer for Owen Meany", John Irving
This novel is about two young boys growing up in the 1950s and 1960s America and is a touching story of growth and friendship. It's a bit long though, so you might want to make sure you have enough time to finish this one.
This is only a short list of some of the best books or stories to read, and I'm sure I could make a more extensive list, but this is a good place to start if you are looking to be entertained and also keep your mind sharp while on semester break.
