One Day, Four Books

          

While my parents and brother are visiting the East Coast for the college search, I have been getting some much needed rest after all my travels to the East Coast and before my study abroad in Paris. On Saturday, I went for a bike ride until the quintessential Colorado thunderstorm set in, and then I settled in bed for a while to read. Four books later, I looked at the clock and it was nearly 8pm.

Don't worry, I left the house after that, stuffed with words and thoughts. The post-book thought process is one of my favorites, and I was lucky to have enjoyed four excellent books that pushed me to think in new ways.

Here's a little review of the four books I devoured:

1. Helium by Rudy Francisco

Spoken word artist and poet, Rudy Francisco writes with creative imagery and exacting precision, a combination not found in many contemporary poetry books. He tackles issues of black masculinity, unexpected fatherhood, and, of course, love in this moving, yet optimistic book. While reading, I realized how few contemporary male authors I read (even my English major gets stuck rereading the classic Shakespearean poetry), and I reflected on how important this point of view is to my literary critique and my own life.

2. The January Children by Safia Elhillo

Poet Safia Elhillo grapples with her Sudanese ancestry and the complexities of learning two languages. She uses her own experiences as a lens to look at refugee crises and the British occupation of Sudan. This book is dense (which I love) and a good read, but more abstract than concrete, which may make it less palatable for some readers.

3. New American Best Friend by Olivia Gatwood

Olivia Gatwood writes about growing up in America with a nostalgic, yet critical eye. Some of the poems in this collection have easily become my favorites. Her portrayal of girlhood and adolescence identifies so many of the events and feelings I have experienced, and she adds refreshing sarcasm and wit to avoid overly sappy renditions of her past.

4. The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer

In this novel, Meg Wolitzer writes about a woman attending college and encountering the unfairness of the world. This inspire the woman to pursue feminism and feminist ideals, ultimately working for a non-profit women's foundation. Wolitzer expertly weaves together the stories of the characters as the struggle to be happy when life doesn't go the way they want. Since this book followed a woman from her freshman year to her early 30s, it felt a bit like reading my own prophecy - for better or for worse. Heartwrenching and heartwarming all at once, The Female Persuasion speaks to what it means to find happiness and fulfillment in our imperfect lives. This book received my elusive five-star rating, and takes after my own favorite book, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Onto new books and new adventures!