See, I read stuff besides Science Fiction & Fantasy.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Genre: Contemporary Fiction; World War II Fiction
An indirect connection between a blind French girl and a German soldier boy guides them through the ravishes of Germany’s invasion of France. This Pulitzer Prize winning novel can be compared to The Book Thief.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Genre: Classic; Allegory; Distopian
Orwell describes the rise of the Soviet Union using animals on a farm. Yes, this is the first time I’ve read this classic, because I never encountered it in high school language arts classes. I appreciated the review of Soviet history and wondered if anyone is paying attention to the lessons of this story.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
Genre: Classic; Fiction; Novella
In the 1940s, an American writer becomes fascinated with an outspoken woman in his apartment building who has an outspoken personality and a hidden past. This short novel reminds me of The Great Gatsby in some ways: narrator becomes slightly obsessed with a larger-than-life neighbor.
Caught by Harlan Coben
Genre: Murder Mystery
A social worker is accused of a horrible crime, and reporter Wendy Tines investigates a story that unravels into a complex web. Not a genre I’ve read much, but I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller. If you are looking for a good book to read on the beach, this one will hit the spot.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez
Genre: Murder Mystery; Novella
This author is better known for his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude, but this is the first work of his I have read. It’s a short novel about a murder that transpires in a Columbian town. The reader knows who the murderer is, but the author spends most of the book unraveling why the murder took place. After reading this, I will give One Hundred Years of Solitude a try.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Genre: Classic; Young Adult Fiction
I have seen the movies and I finally got around to reading the classic novel. A group of British boys get stuck on an island and they try to govern themselves. Unfortunately, the results are terrifying. This book has changed people’s lives with its commentary on the human condition. It’s a pretty violent and thought-provoking novel for its time, the 1950’s.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Genre: Classic; Horror
Merricat Blackwood, her sister and uncle live in an old mansion on the edge of town. Something chilling has happened to the other family members. This is a pretty creepy story written by the same person who wrote the famous short story that terrified me in high school: The Lottery. Jackson is one of the 20th century’s under-appreciated writers. This book is a good one to read around Halloween.
Andrew M. Friday 