Summer Reading 2015, “I’m-Too-Tired-To-Read” Edition
I did a Summer Reading List last summer, so now it’s a thing. And have I got some recommendations for you, my people! And I know you think it’s too late in the summer to start a new book! And I know you’re hot and tired! But just you try NOT reading after you have a look at the new TSOW 2015 Summer Reading List! Voila:
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. For those of you following me on Twitter (as you bloody well should) then you may recall my recent humiliating tweet admitting that it took over an entire year for me to read Great Expectations. In fact, the time frame becomes even greater if you factor in my weak efforts to read it back in my high school Freshman honors class (a class which, in true misanthropic style, I proudly failed and had to make up in summer school. Go me.). Nevertheless, let me now happily proclaim (Mr. Shelton, I hope you’re reading this): I read it, and it’s one of the most thoroughly enjoyable masterpieces I’ve ever inserted into my mind. I didn’t want it to end. And, it almost didn’t. Place yourself into the hands of one of the truly great literary geniuses of all time, my friends, and read G.E. this summer! Or, at least, start it, with the goal of finishing it by–oh, let’s say, Christmas of 2016? Maybe 1st quarter of 2017? Does that work with your schedule?
The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley’s Masterpiece, by Roseanne Montillo. I really liked this book. You probably need to have at least a minimum-level appreciation of the macabre, but it is packed full of fascinating and well-researched historical bits about deranged Enlightenment-era quacks, alchemy, science, the bizarre fads of wealthy 18th century Europeans searching desperately for alternatives to Christianity, the inspirations for Frankenstein, and (naturally) Mary and Percy Shelley. Kudos to Montillo for her dry wit and elegant writing style.
Noah’s Flood: The New Scientific Discoveries About the Event That Changed History, by William Ryan and Walter Pitman. This is one of the best books that I’ve ever read and then forgotten most of the content of within thirty minutes after finishing. The basic gist is: there really was a cataclysmic Flood, but it was just a local Near East thing, which was the “world” for those who experienced it. If you will allow me to elect myself Pope for a moment, I’d say that it all harmonizes quite nicely with a Catholic understanding of the Bible, and the scientific adventures by which the authors reach their conclusions are mind-blowing. But then you’ll forget how they got to the conclusions. You’ll just remember it was amazing.
Don Quixote, by Cervantes. This book is enormous. And, when you thumb through its pages initially (at least, in my translation), you realize with a mild dread that each page is a veritable wall of words, with very, very few paragraph breaks. That can be intimidating, and you might think, “No, Mr. Lord, I won’t. I can’t. That’s just too many words. It’s overwhelming.”
But, then, you would be depriving yourself of a very funny and highly entertaining read, made more impressive by the fact that the story itself is over four hundred years old, and by a man who helped bring down the evil Ottoman Empire.
Here’s a trick: think of it as a serial comedy on cable. Watch one “episode” at a time–each chapter is fairly well self-contained, like an episode of your favorite comedy show. Then stop, and come back later. It makes it more fun to read it that way, as if you were going through a season of the BBC’s The Office or Seinfeld, for instance, and it takes the edge off of driving through those admittedly long, dense paragraphs. Your patience will pay off–you will find yourself laughing out loud and you will never be able to forget the preposterous, lovable Don Quixote or his stunningly well-drawn counterpart, Sancho.
O.K. there you are, people. Aren’t you excited? Now: go read! You’re welcome!
photo cred:photomanipulationbookcouchgirlphotographyrebeccamiller
