Some Recent Books

1.    Watchmen- This was my first graphic novel and it was my introduction to many books like it.  I loved the story line because it was written to coincide with the Vietnam and Cold War.  It was interesting to read about how the lives of these ‘super-heroes’ changed the course of history.  Also, I always like dark, twisted books, and it was exciting to read about how supposedly ‘heroes’ were actually corrupt.
2.    A Clockwork Orange- This is one of my favorite books of all time.  I read it this summer and first read the book, then followed along with it while watching the movie, and finally researched the making, writing, and history of it.  I love reading books about alternate worlds, especially a very dark one, where crime was committed.
3.    The Odyssey- Reading the Odyssey was iconic to me.  I realized that it provides the base for many movies and other books, and it was interesting to read about the toils of such a tremendous hero.  After reading the book, I discovered that many movies I liked, such as Oh Brother Where Art Thou?  And Cold Mountain Are interpretations of the Odyssey. The trials of a traveling wandering such as Odysseus can be found in culture everywhere and it was cool to read about where the idea came from.
4.    Theodore Rex- This is one of the only historical biographies I had ever read and it really was an eye-opener.  Not only did it make me respect Theodore Roosevelt very much, it gave me a historical perspective and explained to me the foundation that most of our country is set upon today.  It fascinated me to learn how much things have changed, and Theodore Roosevelt is one of the most interesting people I have ever read about.
5.    The Red Death- Edgar Allen Poe is one of my favorite writers because I am intrigued by much dark literature.  The Red Death especially was my favorite by Poe because of its dark nature.  The disease that caused the death disgusted me and the horror of the mansion they were in is written like nothing else.  A symbol of the grim reaper even comes into play, to suggest that there is a higher nature working at this.  The entire concept and dark influence fascinated me to an extreme extent.
6.    Lord of the Rings-  After watching The Fellowship of the Ring, I found myself facing one of my favorite stories of all time.  I, afterward, read both The Two Towers and The Return of the King.  I had to finish both the books before watching the movies.  The vast complexity of the story, and background from which is created is so in depth and well written, that I read The Return of the King in almost one sitting.  I found it so interesting that every race had a different background, making the story flow very well, and it was filled with much adventure.  This book then lead me to begin my interest in other fantasy series, movies, and books.
7.    Farenheight 9/11- I read this book at Chaparral High School as part of the English course and it sparked my interest in tales of an altered world again.  Just like A Clockwork Orange, the story by Ray Bradbury takes place in a completely different world, where this time, everything is opposite.  This concept was so entertaining, that after reading some, I would just sit back and think of how this different society would affect every part of my life (590).