Graphic by Nova Blanco-Rico
By Destiny Torres, Lifestyle Editor
I used to never find time to read any book that wasn’t course-related. Given the stay-at-home order though, I’ve had nothing but time. Regardless of that fact, the stress and uncertainty of these past few weeks has made it difficult for me to find joy in books.
Quarantine has left me feeling more lonely and anxious than ever, and books would always be my escape from those feelings. As I dive back into reading again, here are a few of my recent faves that I suggest if you’re looking for a little escapism yourself.
“The New Jim Crow” By: Michelle Alexander
“We have not ended racial caste in America; we have merely redesigned it.”
Not many people are interested in non-fiction books, but this one is so much more than facts and figures. Michelle Alexander is a law professor at Ohio State University. She used to be the director of the American Civil Liberty Union’s Racial Justice Project, and she served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun. In her time as a clerk, Alexander witnessed the unfairness of the criminal justice system.
I recommend this book to everyone. It’s one that will really get you thinking about the injustices of the prison system and the way people of color are targeted in America.
“The Last letter from Your Lover” By: Jojo Moyes
“I’ll be at Platform 4 Paddington Monday evening, and there is nothing in the world that would make me happier than if you found the courage to come with me.”
This work of fiction is great for any hopeless romantic. It follows Ellie Harworth, a journalist who finds a letter dating back to 1960 that contains a man’s plea to his married lover to flee with him. She makes it her mission to find the couple the letter refers to. In that year, Jennifer Sterling woke up from a car accident with no recollection of her life before. All she is left with is a letter from a man with no name.
This is one of the feel-good stories about passion and missed-chances.
“The Glass Castle” By: Jeannette Walls
“Mom always said people worried too much about their children; suffering when you’re young is good for you, she said.”
A memoir unlike any I’ve ever read. Jeannette Walls tells the story of her turbulent family. One that included an alcoholic father and a mother who didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family. The Walls children had to learn how to fend for themselves.
This is a book about perseverance, family and survival. The things that the children had to go through are unimaginable. Their loyalty to each other in the end makes it a hopeful story that I think anyone could enjoy.
“Pet Sematary” By: Stephen King
“Sometimes… dead is better.”
I’m one of the latest people to hop on the Stephen King train, but after reading “Pet Sematary,” I finally got it. The book follows the Creed family as they move into a new home in Ludlow, Maine. The rural town contains secrets about the dark woods behind the Creeds home. Louis Creed discovers the secrets that lie in the pet sematary, but no warnings stop him from going there.
I found that this isn’t just a disturbing story with gore and blood. It’s a book about death and losing a loved one with an uneasy twist. If you’re at all interested in reading a King book, “Pet Sematary” is a good place to start.
“Call Me By Your Name” By: André Aciman
“I believe with every cell in my body that every cell in yours must not, must never, die, and if it does have to die, let it die inside my body.”
If you haven’t heard about “Call Me By Your Name,” you have probably been living under a rock. This book will take you from the four walls of your room to the beautiful beaches of Italy.
Throughout the book, we follow the deep thoughts and emotions of 17-year-old Elio as he falls in love with his family’s guest Oliver. It’s an intense story about a young man battling with his feelings. Not only was I entranced by the love story, but there is not a doubt in my mind that you will drown in the poetic writing style of Aciman.
Reading is a great way to fill in all this time we suddenly have to ourselves, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. Here at The Bulletin, I’ll be starting a book club. I’ll recommend a book that you can read with me if you choose too. Then you can send in your thoughts and feelings about it.
The first book for our book club will be “The Sympathizer” by Viet Thanh Nguyen. If you have read or are going to read along with us, email me your thoughts at dtorresbolanos1@toromail.csudh.edu.
