One of my goals for this year is to read more often. I was trying to read daily and was successful at doing so for the last 5 or so weeks of school, but since I’ve been home, I haven’t read nearly as much. That said, when I do read, I read more at once than when I was at college. The other day I read a book from start to finish all day (as in I only stopped once to eat), which I haven’t done in years. I have read 6 books so far this year (not including those which I’ve read for classes). I think that’s more than I read in all of 2012, so I’m doing good so far!
While at college, I started to reread the Anne of Green Gables series. There are eight books in all, and I have read four of them so far (three while at college, one since I’ve been home). I read all eight a few years ago, but they are good enough (in my opinion) to read again. They aren’t all that long, so I was able to finish one in about a week when I was reading for 20 minutes to an hour each day. If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend them. One of the things I like most about them is that even though they were written almost a century ago, there are so many parallels between Anne’s life and my life currently. In addition, Anne (the main character) is way ahead of her times in so many of her beliefs, especially regarding religion. They are also whimsical, which I love. In the third book, Anne heads off to college. I really enjoyed reading this one, since so much of what she was struggling with I was also struggling with when I read it.
I also recently read the book Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom. This is a wonderful book! It’s been awhile since I read a book that made me think as much as this one did. It is simply an inspiring and thought-provoking book. It deals with issues of faith from several different perspectives and religions. In it, the narrator (Mitch) deals with his own faith struggles while learning about the faiths and histories of two religious men: his childhood Jewish rabbi and a Christian minister with a struggled past. One of my college friends recommended the book to me, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I loved how it discussed faith from a nonreligious (and also religious) perspective. Although it dealt with two major religions, it wasn’t really about those religions. It was really more about faith and how people develop their faith. My favorite part was where Mitch and his rabbi are discussing the tendency of religious people to look down on faiths different than their own. Mitch asks his rabbi, “But what if someone from another faith won’t recognize yours? Or wants you dead for it?” His rabbi answers him, “That is not faith. That is hate…and if you ask me, God sits up there and cries when it happens”. This is an issue I have always been passionate about. I am a Christian, but I do not believe that Christianity tells me that it is my job to look down on people who have different beliefs than I have. One of the reasons I loved this book so much is because is is relevant to anyone of any faith.
Finally, last Friday, I read (in one sitting) Golden Boy byAbigail Tarttelin. It was an interesting book, and dealt with a lot of tough issues. I would go into more detail on those issues, but it would be a spoiler alert. It’s about an intersex individual, Max, who identifies as a male. It is written from the point of several different narrators (Max, his mom, his 10-year old brother, his dad, one of his doctors (Archie), and one of his friends/girlfriend). Although this could have gotten confusing, it wasn’t at all. The various viewpoints were intertwined wonderfully. As I said, it deals with a lot of tough (yet very relevant issues), so I am sure there are people who might not like it so much, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it. It was definitely thought-provoking.
What have you been reading lately? Do you have any recommendations of books I should read?
The Oke Den 