What I read over break

Hi everyone! I'm Helen, and welcome to the most literary corner on campus! Each week you'll find me here talking about everything from my most recent favorite books to characters with huge personalities. Let's get started, bookworms!

Winter break has come and gone, but if you’re anything like me, a month away from classes means entire days devoted to reading. I love curling up by the fire with a cat in my lap, devouring page after page, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. This may sound a little crazy, but it’s understandable that I was able to read well over two dozen books this way. I spent my semester building up a collection of “to read” books, and winter break was finally my chance to get through them all. I was blown away by some of the books I read. So, in order to narrow down the list, I made the books compete for the title of best novel, best short story collection and best nonfiction book. Here are the winners!

The best novel goes to "Animal Farm"(1945) by George Orwell. "1984"(1949), also by Orwell, is one of my favorite books, so I was surprised at myself that it took me so long to read "Animal Farm." The novel is appropriately named, as the story focuses on animals on a farm in England that revolt against their human owner. "Animal Farm" makes a chilling statement on the cruel similarities between animals and people. The new farm begins with all animals being called equal, but as time wears on, the power shifts. The pigs parade around, learning to stand on their hind legs, while ferocious dogs threaten any animal brave enough to question the pigs’ power. It’s easy to forget every character is a farm animal; everyone, down to the lazy cat, is a dynamic character, giving the story an eerily human feel. Animal Farm is one of those rare books that seems frightening in and of itself, but when it is examined carefully, it’s clear just how terrifying our world is.

The best short story collection goes to "The Quantity Theory of Insanity"(1991) by Will Self. Self’s novels are always a bit shocking, making me question my reality, but his collection of strange, yet ordinary tales reaches beyond disorientation. Each story takes a simple idea and expands on it, building upon itself until I start to think, "Why couldn't that undoubtedly crazy and impossible idea exist?" One particularly interesting story theorizes that the dead of London simply reside in another section of the city, with no one noticing until one day when the protagonist sees his recently deceased mother on the street. I was entranced by the stories, to the point that it seemed I had been transported to their worlds completely. Each world was arguably crazier than the next, but their basis in truth led me to believe they were entirely possible.

The best nonfiction book goes to "The Violinist’s Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code"(2012) by Sam Kean. Kean is a physicist who became interested in writing the elaborate histories that led to modern neuroscience, genetics and chemistry (as told in "The Dueling Neurosurgeons" (2014) "The Violinist’s Thumb" (2012) and "The Disappearing Spoon" (2010)). Having recently read "The Dueling Neurosurgeons," I decided to tackle another of Kean's books. Kean’s writing and passion for science is evident with every word, taking dense and complicated information and simplifying it into an enjoyable read. It’s amazing to see how far we’ve come in science, but what’s even more exciting to explore is how far we have to go. Even those who aren’t interested in science will appreciate these books because they relate to each and every one of us. Now that I’ve been massively pleased with two of his books, I’m off to tackle "The Disappearing Spoon!"