It pleases me to hear so often that someone is wanting a good book to read. Over the past couple weeks I have had several friends and family members ask me for book recommendations. While some of them have taken the recommendations and enjoyed them, others have decided to find books that appeal more to their interests. Instead of being upset at this, it once again pleases me. As with any form of art, whether that be literature, paintings, music, etc, what appeals to the individual is relative. This is the beauty of artistic expression, as we as humans identify with emotions that we have experienced and can appreciate when those feelings have been transposed to a tangible form.
So following is a collection of writings: novels, short stories, and a play that have changed how I view fiction and writing altogether. It is my hope that each respective description will spark an interest in someone or will at least ultimately inspire someone to find a piece of writing that can change how they perceive the world.
"A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. I read this book going into my freshman year of high school, a time where I thought of reading as a chore. This book changed that. The funny thing is that the plot of this book is rather inferior to many other novels. However, it is the emotional connection that Knowles creates between the reader and the characters of this book that makes it a read to remember. Set in a New England, all-male boarding school during World War II, the book deals with the joys and struggles of friendship and the jealousy that arises out of the human heart. The sad ending to this story haunted me for weeks as I felt an emotional connection that I never knew a book could light inside of me. This was perhaps the first book that I read which dealt with real world situations that I myself could face in my own life. The setting was haunting, the characters were relatable as they were my age upon reading it, and the pains of growing up are timeless.
"A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams. This pick is unique in that it is not a novel or story, but rather a classic American play with a striking realistic “slice out of life” genre. This work is often studied due to its beautiful imagery, stylistic choices, and symbolism. This play has resonated with me because it deals so heavily with loneliness and the literal desire to return to “the good old days” as defined by the play’s main character, Blanche DuBois. This work teaches the lesson that glory cannot last forever, and if a person keeps trying to return to it, they will entrap themselves in an isolated state of destruction. The past haunts Blanche throughout the play, causing herself to become disillusioned to who she really is. She tries to remain forever young, escaping the negative choices she made in her life. This play showed me how plays can be a form of artistic expression. I also connected deeply with Tennessee Williams' own struggles of loneliness that he displayed in this writing.
"A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Short Stories" by Flannery O’Connor. These collections of short stories are characterized by their topics of religion and racism. O’Connor was a devout Catholic woman who would comment on the grace of God. You don’t have to be religious to enjoy these works. In fact, I found O’Connor’s stories causing me to question my own faith and the numerous implications that go into being a religious person. What made these stories so enjoyable is O’Connor’s bluntness of the human condition. The stories possess gruesome imagery and often leave the reader feeling empty, recognizing that Christianity is not always as beautiful and peaceful as it is thought to be (yet God’s grace is present throughout the world). Together these stories cause the reader to actually believe that a good man truly is hard to find. These stories stuck out to me, as I realized that Christianity is not meant to be glamorized. Rather, it is a realm of harsh reality and unreasonable conviction.
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. Pair this with Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and you will have two excellent pieces that deal with the topic of having a double identity. While Dorian Gray is rather less-known than Stevenson’s story, it does not make it any less memorable. The book serves as a reminder to us all that we must look within ourselves rather than out to accurately see a representation of who we are. I absolutely love the ending (SPOILER) of this book as it proves that looks really can kill. A perfect read for the constantly developing superficial society that we are a part of. I read this at a time in my life where I would in fact consider myself to be very superficial. This book made me realize that the true beauty of humans is found within, and that never gets old.
"The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. This has been the most difficult novel I have ever had to read. There are four sections of the book; one section is fascinatingly told by a mentally-challenged 32 year-old man. Another sections is told by a suicidal college student. The writing is so unique in terms of style that this novel made me see how writings can be a true canvas in which the writer is like a painter. The overall theme of the book is often debated in terms of the argument: does life have true meaning, or is entirely devoid of it? I appreciate this book highly due to the artistic liberties that Faulkner takes with his writing. This work caused me to realize how complex writing can be as style can accurately mimic the thoughts of such mentally tormented people. I never knew writing could have so much complexity behind it. Words go much deeper than they appear on the page.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. We’ve all read this one (or were at least supposed to sophomore year of high school). I did not appreciate this book until many years after reading it. What makes “Mockingbird” so important in my appreciation for literature is the meaning behind the mockingbird itself. As I grow older, I realize that there are thousands upon thousands of people living in this world that are subject to prejudice. To an extent, there are people discriminated against purely based off that they are different than society’s norms. Boo Radley remains one of the most memorable characters in literature for a reason: to show that we must take care of all the mockingbirds of the world while understanding that being different, whether that is based off of skin color or behavior, is not a bad thing.
“Lolita” by Vladimir Nabokov. Nabokov does what every composer of modern age music does: he delivers his message beautifully even though what he is writing about is actually quite disturbing. “Lolita” deals with topics of pedophilia, yet the story is told so melodically that the reader becomes wrapped and tricked up in the writing. Nabokov did this to make a point: that he could write about anything, no matter how terrible the subject matter is, and still be celebrated for it through his artistic, elegant writing style. This point shocked me. I never would have thought that a writer would write an entire story merely to prove such a strange point. But this point is so relevant to today’s society as we often debate what should be considered art and what shouldn’t be.
