Books to Grow
"Open the book and let pages turn."
-Emily Dickinson
In her book, Emily Dickinson's "Let Days Come on Their Own," she writes, "Open the book and let pages turn." I've taken this quote to mean that we shouldn't focus so much on what we are doing but to just let it happen. Sometimes our attention gets stuck on a certain task that feels like it is too much, so instead of trying to change something else in our life (like picking up a new hobby or finding more time for things we love) just open a good book. These great books will not only teach you lessons but will help shape your world view.
I've decided to post about the books that have shaped my life (and will shape yours if you pick them up!) in no specific order. The first one is a classic book, "How to Live," written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. This story is written as a guidebook for young boys and their journey through life. Although it doesn't teach you anything, the story gives you some much needed perspective on your world and ultimately shapes the person with whom you begin your journey into adulthood.
The next book is a classic... "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This is a series of books that tells you everything you need to know about life in general and the universe in particular. It will open your eyes to how small you are in the grand scheme of things, but it will also show you how your actions make a difference. This book helped me understand life as one large journey that was meant for us to enjoy. It helps us see what is important and what should be thrown away.
Another great book is "Animal Farm." This story will teach you (through the animals) some deep moral lessons that are seemingly obvious but we often don't think about because they are so easy to forget. This book shows you the dangers of totalitarian governments and what happens when we, as humans, forget the morals that all animals have in common. It will teach you to be a good leader while it teaches you what leaders should not do.
Another great story that is "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." This science fiction story will tell you about all the crazy things in life and how weird the universe can be. It will also show you how to appreciate life for everything that it is worth. In this book, all of your questions will be answered (everything from 'What is the meaning of life?' to 'Where did I leave my keys?').
This book, "The Road," written by Cormac McCarthy will make you feel something. It is a novel that shows you just how much a father can love his son. This is a book about survival and how two people can make it through anything when they are together. I think this is something that can help us all get through our everyday struggles when we see how much a parent will do for their child.
Another book that touches my heart is "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" by Haruki Murakami. This author has a unique way of describing his characters and their feelings. He makes you want to know more about each character and the experiences that shaped them into who they are today. This book is like a modern day fairy tale that will let you see the world through different eyes. This book reminds us to take things as they come and to be easy in life.
Another great book is "The Great Gatsby." This story shows us what life was like during the roaring twenties and the ambition of your typical American dreamer. You see how far a man will go for fame and money, but you also get to see the true merit of these people. In this book you'll find out who is really worth something in this world, as well as who isn't.
My final suggestion would be "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac. This will show you how to live life to the fullest. It will give you a taste of what it's like to search for something and never find it. It will teach you the satisfaction and disappointment of reaching your goal. You'll see how people encounter each other in this world and how they are connected in their own way despite their differences.
Another great book is "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut . This story shows us a man who was able to find his true path after experiencing the horrors of war and finding himself at Dresden during an air raid. He took things as they came, sometimes being dragged along by fate, sometimes being carried away. This book will teach you how to find your purpose in life through war and how all of your experiences will color you in life.
There are so many other books out there, be sure to check them out! These are just some of the ones that I have read, and I'm sure that you haven't either. If you feel like having a great time and reading some great books, check out www.goodreads.com . This is a website for book lovers and anyone who wants to read about all the books that they want to check out!
The next article will be published on Saturday, July 9th at 3:00 p.m. and is called... Books that Inspire One Another .
Written by: Noah W. for the UIS English Club
A group of about 20 people, all thirteen and fourteen-year-old boys, are in a field running around like wild animals. Two people seemed to be at the center of the madness. One was a tall boy with short hair and glasses and the other was a short boy with spiky black hair and green eyes. The tall boy ran up to Sirius Black (the other's name is James Potter) and tackled him to the ground. They rolled around for a bit before finally deciding to get up and continue running. After they got tired of running, they decided to go swimming in the lake that was nearby. They ran and jumped off all the rocks and logs that were in the water. After they got too tired to stay in the water anymore, they went back to the grassy field and talked about Quidditch. They talked about which players good players like, who was a bad player and who was a good Keeper. The tall boy liked Quidditch better than anything else in the world, but he also said that he wasn't very good at it. The other liked Quidditch too, but he said it was always fun to play with him because he always would make him laugh when one of them had gotten hit by an opposing Chaser and fell down on his broom.
Conclusion
A lot of people tend to think that it doesn't matter what you're into and that people will always like you for who you are. In this story, Sirius Black didn't care what other people thought of him, his being a muggle and all. This isn't true at all because not everyone is the same way so if they're not the same then they won't like the same things in life. I think this story shows how important it is to know who you are and what your favorite things in life are. Not knowing yourself makes it hard for you to live a normal life and not say something embarrassing at school or something stupid when someone asks about your favorite subject.
source: http://www.bellaonline.
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Books to Grow