Metamorphosis, by Ovid
Are there any classical myths that Ovid doesn’t cover? It was incredible to see the extent to which the stories we are still talking about today actually come from Ovid. The Penguin Classics version is modern and fun to read.
Confessions, by Saint Augustine
Highly readable autobiographical account of Saint Augustine’s conversion to Christianity. High-brow version of Mere Christianity, in a sense.
The Notebook Trilogy, by Ágota Kristóf
Echoes of Fifth Head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe. A trilogy told from different perspectives, each episode layering in more ambiguity on top of the already ambiguous book one. I thought the tale of the twins in book one was shocking.
Remaing of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro
Devestating. I thought it was a tighter read than Never Let Me Go. The contrast between the idyllic countryside drive and the character’s inner turmoil is well executed.
Satantango, by László Krasznahorkai
I couldn’t help but root for the townspeople, even though it was clear from the first few pages that they were doomed. Parts of the book were too disturbing for me to get through. Thrilling, despite little happening.
The Illiad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid, Translated by Robert Fagles
I consider myself mostly culturally illiterate. Even so, it was cool to see how so many names and stories I vaguely recognized. I’m ready to move on from antiquity for a bit.
How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie.
Worth a read. Like a lot of business books, it doesn’t say anything earth shattering, but it’s useful to be reminded of the basics in such distilled form.
Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
An idyllic journey through the US-Mexico borderlands
Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel
Really fun read. See through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell as he rises in power and navigates the political scene around Henry VIII. I will pick up the rest of the trilogy after I wrap up the rest of my reading list.
The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson
It’s shocking that the stories, full of terror and excitement and joy and heartache, are not only a real, shared experience, but that they happened so recently. Couldn’t put it down, can’t stop talking about it with anybody who will listen.
My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante
Warm, fuzzy, and bittersweet. The moment the line “my brilliant friend” drops felt like a bombshell moment, which is saying a lot considering how cozy the entire novel is.
Will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen
A hilarious and sad account of the Lamberts. An uncomfortable read in my opinion. I found myself desperately rooting for the characters, only to watch their various schemes disintegrate in the end.
Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro
I thought this would be a coming of age tale set in the Wuthering-Heights-esque world of the Hailsham school. And I suppose it sort of is. That, and horror, and sci-fi, and unrelenting existential dread…
I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy
Painful to read, especially the childhood vignettes. All of the discomfort is worth it for the feeling of catharsis when Jennette finally starts to break free.
Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
The novel weaves between the world of the before and the after, focusing on a seemingly random cast of characters and their delicate, chance connections that subtly reshape their post-apocalyptic lives.
behind the beautiful forevers, by Katherine Boo
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich x Florida Project, documenting daily life in a Mumbai slum.
Captivating, anxious, sad, and inspiring.
The Wilderness, by Angela Flournoy
Desiree, January, Monique, Nakia…
I cried at the end of this one.