There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry--
This Traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of Toll--
How frugal is the Chariot
That bears the Human Soul--

-Emily Dickinson


November, 2010. This is when I had an epiphany that I knew nothing about literature. What exactly prompted this revelation, I don't remember. But what I did after that was print off "BBC's Top 100 Books" list in order to expand my horizons. (Although I'm aware that there are plenty of books omitted from the list, as well as new books constantly being published, this is intended simply to help me be acquainted with literature.) I challenged myself to read all of the books on the list. One year later, I've realized it will take much longer than expected. With only 7 of the 100 books read, this task seems daunting and unrealistic. While some may think it's somewhat masochistic, some may think it's an admirable goal. I guess it depends on the book I'm reading. Frequently I'll read a book that is not on this long list. I used to apologize for it, but I'm assuming hardly anyone reads it anyways.

I started by critiquing the books and authors, but the purpose for writing has changed over the years. The purpose of this blog isn't necessarily to write reviews for the benefit of high school procrastinators or for eagerly researching book-readers or for really anyone besides me. It's a documentation of my own progress as a learner and a reader, as well as being wonderfully cathartic. Books elicit an emotional response, which allows me to explore my own beliefs about life and spirituality.

As of Sunday, June 21st, 2015, I have read twenty-six books on the list. This is hopefully subject to change, and will be updated regularly...or more accurately, as regularly as I finish a book, which isn't always regular.


Saturday, June 20, 2015

Paper Towns - John Green

Read on June 17th, 2015.

One day I'm going to stop apologizing for reading books that aren't on the list. This is whole blog is mainly for my benefit and not anyone else's. I like reading modern books. That's not a bad thing.

What I love about John Green's writing style is that he shows very clearly what he wants the reader to gain from reading his book. Good literature goes deeper than just an entertaining story, but sometimes the reader has to go fishing for the deeper meaning. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes I wonder whether I'm reading into the right insight. I suppose some authors would like the reader to come to his/her own conclusion regardless of the purpose instead of being spoon-fed the answers to life. It's good to be an independent thinker and be able to make my own decisions about what is important to me. I'm not saying that John Green does the spoon-feeding method. He just clearly explains the characters' deep insights. I don't have to wonder what the main character is thinking or learning or how he is changing because the thought processes and the dialogue are so well written that it resonated with me easily and without speculation at his intended purposes. And not only were those expected outcomes clear and easy to understand, they were deep, fulfilling, and very truthful (at least to me).

The story is about getting to know another person. Not superficially, but on a deeply personal level. A brief yet life-changing history with the girl living across the street motivates Q to search relentlessly for her once she goes missing. Through a series of clues she left, Q learns about this girl whom he thought he knew. He has to transcend the outward appearance and explore her inner thoughts in order to find her. In the process of following these clues, and ultimately coming to know a girl that no one seemed to understand, he discovers more about himself than he had known before. In a creative and original story, John Green uses beautiful metaphors to explain our relationships with others and what it takes to really know someone. 
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