My summer reading list

As of today, I have turned in my final essay and officially completed the first installment of LEAP’s Critical Perspectives courses–known to my fellow LEAPers as CP I. This has several implications; the first being that I now must get back in touch with the right-side of my brain for a summer of algebraic equations and the Pathagorean theorem, the second is that I am finally ready to tackle my summer reading list. I’ve been dreaming about these literary goodies for months now, but haven’t been able to indulge in any of them because I had to prioritize my required academic reading.

Here’s a few of the books on my list:

• The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen: My first LEAP class introduced me to Franzen’s dry, subtle humor. His combination of wit and societal commentary amused me. The Corrections is a tale of a dysfunctional family, trying to have a holly jolly Christmas

• Sara’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. This one is a recommendation from my mom, who knows I have an affinity for literature pertaining to World War II. The novel follows an American journalist’s investigation into the travesties of the Vel’ d’Hiv roundup in Paris.

• Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville. While I wasn’t a fan of Billy Budd, I’ve decided to give Melville one more go.

• Both O’ Pioneers and My Antonia by Willa Cather. I was so moved by her novel The Professor’s House and, ultimately, want to read all of her novels. But these two were specifically recommended to me.

• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson. This is book 3 of the Millennium Triology and I have no shame in saying that I thoroughly enjoy this pop culture phenomenon and already read the first two books: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire.

• Home by Toni Morrison. Her subject matter is never for the faint of heart, but Morrison is an astounding writer and a riveting storyteller. She motivates and inspires me to work on my own craft. Home is her newest novel.

• The Rest is Noise by The New Yorker music critic Alex Ross. Currently, I’m working my way through his second book, a collection of essays called Listen to This. Covering everything from Mozart, to Bjork, to the various genres of music in China, to Bob Dylan, Ross’s writing and insight continuously blows my mind.

Phew, I have my work cut out for me this summer. Happy reading everyone!