Summer Reading

After returning from my vacation to Myrtle Beach, SC yesterday, I realized I will be back to school in three very short weeks. I had big plans to do some serious blogging this summer, but as you can see my plans have been unsuccessful. No worries though, my summer has consisted mostly of weightlifting, reading, and pizza delivery - nothing too exciting. However, I have replenished my mind and (more importantly for college) my bank account over this break. So I am ready for another year of study!

I want to talk about a few of the books I have read this summer. But first let me urge you to do yourself a favor and READ. No matter what it is that you decide to read, you will benefit tremendously from reading. There really is no better way to open your mind to new ideas and there is no feeling like the one you get when you find yourself completely submerged in a great book.

Now, on to the books I've read this summer. First: The Hunger Games series. I was in high school when the hype really started to surround these novels. When the movie adaptation of the first book hit the big screen, I went to see it. I really enjoyed the movie, but I still did not read the books. At that time, I really wasn't reading much of anything. I lied to myself by saying I didn't have time. However, this summer I watched the first movie again. After that, I decided it was time to read the books. Of course, the books are always better than the movies. This is especially true for The Hunger Games because in the books you know what is going on inside the main character's mind; whereas in the movies the events unfold before you but you do not fully appreciate her internal conflict. This is an amazing series that I could not put down. It amazes me to think of how this story was conceived in the mind of author Suzanne Collins. If you have not read this series, I highly recommend it.

Another book that I really enjoyed is the classic tale of vengeance: The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas. I purchased this book several years ago, but I never read it. Then one night this summer I was watching The Shawshank Redemption, a must-see film that contains an allusion to this novel. When I heard the allusion I decided it was time to read the book! I should warn you, The Count of Monte Cristo is not an easy read by any means. But once I was able to familiarize myself with the French vocabulary Dumas used, I really appreciated this revenge story.

I want to finish with a book I read today: A Wolf At The Table, by Augusten Burroughs. This is a moving memoir about Augusten's relationship with his father. I do not want to spoil it for you, but my emotions were extremely involved as I read this book. And the fact that I read it in one sitting should let you know it is an excellent read.

I hope I have motivated you to read some of these great books. If not, I hope you will at least find the motivation to read something. Like I said before, there really is no better way to broaden your mind. I told you my summer has consisted of weightlifting, reading, and pizza delivery. I guess you could say I lift to broaden my shoulders, I read to broaden my mind, and I deliver pizza to broaden my financial opportunities! Haha