SCHOOL IS OVER! No more algebra, history, or even school uniforms..until August. While summer is a fantastic time for swimming, tanning (in my case, burning), and catching up with old friends--it is also a great time to catch up on reading!
Looking back, junior year seems like this gargantuan black hole that mercilessly sucked the life out of me, leaving me bereft of energy or passion for the things that I love. In other words, I now have time to catch up on the reading I should have done during the year!
So at two in the morning I shall begin the list to end all lists--my summer reading list.
1. Slaughterhouse 5--Kurt Vonnegut
I like to think of this summer as the Summer of the Classics. Therefore, I have decided to start with everyone's favorite satirist--good ole' Kurt. Complete with the politically challenging subject matter that characterizes Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse 5 has been forever pigeonholed as a classic of American fiction. Although I have made my literary nerd status quite obvious through this blog, I also consider myself somewhat of a history nerd. Chock full of World War II propaganda, this science fiction masterpiece is the first on my list.
2. Invisible Man--Ralph Ellison
Another classic, Invisible Man is the only novel Ralph Ellison released during his lifetime. Ellison addresses many social issues in the early twentieth century including black nationalism, the black identity, Marxism, and the attempted reforms by revolutionaries like Booker T. Washington. The narrator of the story is an unnamed black man looking back on past experiences. In keeping with the theme (and title) of the book, this man doesn't reveal his name because he feels virtually invisible to society. Invisible Man has touched the hearts of readers everywhere with its harsh realism.
3. Catch 22--Joseph Heller
Perhaps the most revered of them all, Catch 22 will be forever referred to as one of the greatest works of fiction to come from the twentieth century. Though the book was published in 1960, it is set in the later stages of World War II. It is because of this novel that the phrase catch 22 (no win situation, caught between a rock and a hard place, etc.) became a norm in American society. Though the idea has roots in the epic pages of the Odyssey, Heller gave the term a more martial twist in this novel. Full of satire relating to the war and the military, Heller applies this "catch 22" scenario to the young men working in the military...that probably won't ever get out of the military. Like Vonnegut? Heller dishes up some similar political satire in this extremely well known work.
4. The Beautiful and Damned--F. Scott Fitzgerald
Don't we all love the Fitz! I read Gatsby this year and was immediately hooked. Beautiful and Damned is the first of two you will see on this list because I can't seem to get enough of this guy. In keeping with Fitzgerald's famous subject matter, this novel oozes wealth, beauty and JAZZ. Though most believe Fitzgerald writes the same story over and over, this novel is different as it follows a married couple while they attempt to sort out their numerous differences. Less lighthearted and glamorous than Gatsby, The Beautiful and Damned is an all encompassing tragedy about love, money, and alcoholism. Kind of a downer, huh? I would recommend this because, despite the less than sunny plot line, The Beautiful and Damned is a fantastic character study--a love story that only Fitzgerald can weave!
5. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater--Vonnegut
More Vonnegut, yea! I heard about this book from a friend and I believe everyone could find it intriguing, whether you're a fan of Kurt or not. Though the protagonist of the story is a man named Eliot Rosewater, the plot revolves around money. Eliot is about to come into a fortune from the philanthropic Rosewater Foundation. A bit on the eccentric side, Eliot proves to be an elusive character. Enter Norman Mushari, a conniving lawyer. Mushari works tirelessly to declare Eliot insane so he can intercept the inheritance for his client, Fred Rosewater. Fred is a distant relative, extremely mercenary and sneaky. Though tales of greed and backstabbing don't usually catch my fancy, this one just sounds too unique to pass up.
6. Tender is the Night--Fitzgerald
Back as promised, more Fitzy! Next to Gatsby, Tender is the Night is F. Scott Fitzgerald's most successful work. A plot chock full of twists, this novel expands on the marital problems of The Beautiful and Damned. The main characters are Dick and Nicole Diver, a seemingly happy married couple. But just when we're convinced, POW--Fitz throws us for a loop. Complete with inconspicuous affairs, underlying secrets, backstabbing, and ultimately divorce--Tender is the Night explores the consequences of destroying a person's self esteem and taking away their reason to live.
Well! That is my list thus far, though I expect it will get longer as time goes by. What are YOU reading this summer?
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