I love reading and I read all sorts of genres. Sometimes I am in the mood for "brain candy" as my friend likes to call it (for those who are curious, I'd probably classify the Twilight series as 'brain candy') and sometimes I am in the mood for memoirs (I read a great one about miscarriages once--I'd like to have it for my own library). But lately I have wanted to read really powerful and well written books. If at some time in the future you too find yourself in such a mood then may I recommend two? They are:
The Book Thief by Markus Zukas
and
Atonement by Ian McEwan
These books are meaty and heavy and thought provoking--I really enjoyed both of them. I actually read them one after the other and so I've been thinking of them as sort of a pair--an interesting combination, really. Both take place during WW II and deal with the brutality of that time. Both deal with main characters who are writers. Both deal with the experience of the survivor and all the emotions and baggage that come from that role. And finally, and I think one of the most interesting connections for me, are the voices of the narrators and the way both authors play with plot structure--bending and twisting it.
Books like these make me wish I was still in grad school. I'm longing right now to sit in that old classroom where we all faced each other across long tables and analyze all the little pieces and scenes and all the big themes as well. Oh the discussions we could have about death as a narrator! and rewriting history!
6 comments:
Thanks for the recommendations. All I do is sit at home and nurse and I've been dying for some good books. I just finsished a really interesting one called Escape by Carolyn Jessop. It is about an FLDS woman that decides to leave the community with her eight kids. Wow! Check it out if you get the chance.
Ooh, I LOVED The Book Thief!
I had checked Atonement out but ended up not having time to read it. Glad to hear it was good! I'll have to make sure and check it out again.
Mmmm. I'm glad you liked "Atonement". I keep thinking I need to pick it up again. It is VERY well-written, yet at times it was way too slow for me. I did LOVE the movie, however. Have you seen it yet? I'm actually listening to the soundtrack as we speak.
I just finished the Book Thief and LOVED it!! One of the best books I've read in awhile. I'll have to get my hands on the Atonement. How are you doing, BTW? Feeling good?
I'm glad you liked The Book Thief and it's nice to hear what you thought about Atonement. I've been curious about that one for awhile but without much time to do anythign about it. One of my students won the top award in the state for writing a letter to the author of The Book Thief in the Letters about Literature contest. We should chat about it sometime.
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