By: PAIGE FOSTER
Staff Writer
It is no secret that the spring semester brings on a bout of restlessness that can be felt across campus. With this inevitable wave of longing for summer and disdain for schoolwork, many seek distraction. This can come in the form of social events like parties, or a dramatic increase in screen time. Some may spend more time at the gym or practicing their sport. For many, it may be a little bit of all of these. For me, I add books to my list of distractions as well. My insatiable appetite for books seems to peak in the months with the least time for reading. I managed to pick up four new books this week – despite the never-diminishing stack on my bedside table. My haul from this week is as follows:
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini:
In The Kite Runner, a wealthy boy forms an unlikely friendship with his father’s servant’s son. Their friendship blooms amidst social and political unrest in their home country of Afghanistan, and through each other, the boys learn loyalty, the occasional divisiveness of family ties, and sacrifice.
Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney:
I picked this book up not because I am particularly intrigued by the plot – which follows the painfully flirtatious relationship between a young woman and her best friend’s (much older) husband – but because Rooney’s Normal People is one of my favorite books I’ve read in years. I trust Rooney’s writing to provide her usual compelling insight no matter the topic.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston:
Their Eyes Were Watching God details the journey of a southern black woman in the 1930s searching for her identity and purpose. Hurston’s poignant novel is the current focus of Mrs. Jolly’s AP Literature class, but since this book has been on my “to be read” list for a while, I purchased my own copy from the wonderland that is Barnes & Noble.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro:
This dystopian piece is written as a reflection on the protagonist’s childhood, which was spent at an idyllic boarding school in the countryside of England. Years later, the main character Kathy reflects on the various aches and pains which characterize the coming of age process. I’ve already read this book, but I couldn’t resist picking up my own copy to re-read because of Ishiguro’s minimalistic, incredibly piercing writing style which calls into question the very attributes which define humanity.