SUMMARY: Odysseus, stranded on an island, makes it out alive through the favoritism of the Greek gods, Zeus and Hermes. An adventurous, sorrowful and tragic twenty-one long year journey back to Ithaca he takes to see his beloved home as Poseidon chases after him, wanting him dead. Many lives are lost during the journey, only for him to find out that there are hordes of hubris men overstaying their visit.
I highly recommend the autobiography, Born a Crime, written by Trevor Noah, which shares his experiences growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid era. Despite the serious issues he faced, Trevor’s comedic approach draws the reader in and keeps them engaged. The title of the book is derived from the fact that Trevor was “Born a crime” due to his mixed-race background, which was illegal during Apartheid.
Romeo and Juliet is a popular play written by Shakespeare. In this story set in medieval Italy, there are two families in the city of Verona who have a long enmity between them, the Montagues and the Capulets. However, one day, Romeo, a Montague, and Juliet, a Capulet, see each other and instantly fall in love. They marry in secret and plan to secretly meet each other without their parents ever knowing, as if they did they would punish them.
The Song of Achilles is and has remained one of my favorite books of all time. There are many quotes from this book that really hold a place in my heart. The plot doesn't take long to pick up, which is nice if you have a short attention span like me. I love all the Greek mythology references, but if you don't know too much about Greek mythology no worries you can still understand the book! It is a lovely forbidden slow burn romance.
Set in the future, the United States is now divided into two: the Republic and the Colonies. Constantly at war with its neighbor, the Republic has adopted a highly militarized state where kids are trained to be soldiers from a young age. June, a military prodigy from an elite family, has everything set for life. Day, a homeless kid trying to keep his poor family alive, happens to be the most-wanted criminal in the Republic.
Maya Angelou’s stunning memoir details her life as she grows up in the small town of Stamps, Arkansas, with her brother and grandmother, who she calls Momma as her true mother wasn’t able to take care of her and lives in sunny California with her boyfriend. Momma runs the only Store in the African American community of Stamps, providing Maya with warm memories with her town and family.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a historical fiction book that takes place during World War II. In this book, Bruno and his family leave their home in Berlin and move near a concentration camp where his father is now a commandant. In Berlin, Bruno had several close friends and loved exploring his house. After moving, he misses his friends and longs for his days of exploring to return.
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry is the second book in the dystopia Giver series. Kira was born with a twisted leg, but she and her mother have always had each other to depend on. Now that her mother is dead, Kira finds herself as a flawed orphan in a society that discards the weak. Kira, however, isn't as defenseless as everyone thinks, for she has a special gift that is able to keep her alive.
Over the last few weeks I have been reading The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz and it has helped me with struggles I knew I was having but couldn’t previously explain. To be honest, I thought that the topic of choice and how too much is bad was a little narrow, and that an entire book didn't need to be written about it, but I was wrong.
Nurse Ratched, the head of the psych ward, runs a pretty tight ship. Oppressing her all-male patients and enforcing strict rules, readers experience the mechanical, routine life in the ward through the eyes of Bromden, a half-Indian deaf patient. This life is disturbed by the new patient McMurphy, exuberant and philanthropic in his own way, who catalyzes a change in the men on the ward. Kesey chronicles the war between him and Nurse Ratched while tying in ideas of societal pressures, sexuality, and the 1900s concept of mental health.
