1) Gut Symmetries by Jeanette Winterson: Why read 50 Shades of Grey when Jeanette Winterson exists in this world? Her writing explains the depth of passion, sensuality, sexual desire and the many complicated depictions of love that I don't believe any other author has been able to do before. Simply put, her writing is beautiful and in this novel it is top notch. This fiction book revolves around a "love triangle," a love between a husband and his adulteress and his wife and his adulteress. It is most definitely different, but nothing short of amazing. Anything written by Jeanette Winterson is worthy to be read, but this novel in particular is a gem. Her writing is pure inspiration for me.
2) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky: I should have read this novel ages ago and it was a shame I didn't. When I asked my boss, also a Russian history professor, about Russian literature he handed me a fat hard cover; Crime and Punishment was the first novel in this 1,000 page book and so I began with that. Written in the late 1800's, this novel is surprisingly simple to read (possibly because of the translator). It was a bit longer than perhaps it needed to be, but still, it was thought provoking and really did give insight as to the Russian lifestyle of the low and middle class in Russian society at that time. The author also gave plenty for the reader to think about in terms of the philosophy behind guilt, who deserves to be considered criminals and catching a perpetrator.
3) The Himmler Brothers by Katrin Himmler: Do you know anything about WWII, the Nazi party and the Holocaust? Belonging to a Jewish family, that did lose decedents in this genocide, I was practically raised with the knowledge of the Holocaust. When I saw that Katrin Himmler had written a book about her great uncle, Heinrich Himmler and her family, I immediately bought the novel. The translation (since she wrote originally in German) is a bit botched at times, but nonetheless this is a fascinating read. It forces the reader to realize how "normal" of a family such as the Himmlers decades before the war, could have grown into such Nazi promoters. Also, Katrin Himmler wrote about the aftermath of WWII and how many Nazi's, such as her grandmother, had only concerned themselves about their rough road and the detriments of being defeated. They seemed to ignore the fact that they certainly assisted in and loved a man who deliberately found ways to torture and kill six million defenseless human beings.
Below is the author, Katrin Himmler and her great uncle, Heinrich Himmler.
Below is the author, Katrin Himmler and her great uncle, Heinrich Himmler.
4) What is this thing Called Love by Kim Addonizio: This book of poetry that I found not only beautiful in language but also beautiful in detail. My favorite aspect of poetry is the use of imagery and this author definitely took advantage of the tool. Her poems at the very beginning were strong, powerful and yet intricately simple (if there is such a thing). It is a must read, not only for writers, but for anyone. Her writing is easy to understand and her message is direct and heartfelt.
5) Last but not least....Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: I debated even putting the series on the list, but really, I could not resist. After letting dust collect on the series as they sat atop my book shelf, I finally decided to reread them all. It has been one of the most enjoyable experiences, truthfully. It may sound corny, but it's almost as if I'm reading them for the first time. Although the writing isn't as "grand" as the other books on this list or that I've read this summer, I commend anyone able to create an entire world that gives millions of readers pure excitement. Laugh if you want, but J.K. Rowling has taught me a lot about various useful writing techniques and her writing is much more than a children's fantasy.
Wow you did a lot of reading! Good for you! Winterson's writing is nothing short of magical, so I should look into this one!
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