By Maggie Aschmeyer | Deputy Editor
Truth be told, I am a little bummed that the COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with my senior year of college.* However, silver linings can be found anywhere, and I’ve realized that since there is no way I’m going to be able to get a job anytime soon after finals are over, I will have an endless expanse of time to read for fun! That said, here are some of the books I’m looking forward to experiencing for the first time (and some I’m revisiting) in case you’re looking for inspiration for your own reading list.
*Disclaimer: I recognize that this is a very privileged position to be in and I am keeping my disappointment in perspective.
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
I received a copy of this book as a birthday gift and I can’t wait to dive into it, as Emily St. John Mandel is also the author of Station Eleven, which is one of my favorites. In fact, Station Eleven is incredibly applicable right now since it’s about a pandemic (I highly recommend it if you have strong nerves). The reason I love it so much is because it weaves together the stories of a dozen characters who seemingly have no relation to one another in a way that is surprising but still plausible. I’ve looked at the synopsis for The Glass Hotel and honestly have no idea what it’s about, but it appears that it contains a similar patchwork story, which is enough to convince me to read it. Additionally, Mandel is also fantastic at wallowing in a state of optimistic melancholia, which is honestly exactly what I need.
Educated by Tara Westover
This was the book of 2019 and I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t read it yet (I had internship apps to write, ok?) but better late than never. For those who don’t know, it’s the true story of a woman who grew up completely isolated from society by her survivalist parents. She managed to self-educate and get herself into college, which, especially as someone who was not naturally gifted at math, is incredibly impressive to me. I figured this would be a good time to read a story of perseverance, as we’re all going to need some inspiration for these next few months.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus (also by Morgenstern) is not a favorite of mine; however, I absolutely love the world building that is featured in it. It looks like The Starless Sea is going to follow the same path; it’s about a labyrinth of tunnels hidden underneath the surface of the earth, which sounds cool as all get out. The only reason I haven’t picked this up yet is because it’s kind of a behemoth (well… it's 500 pages with small print) but now I’ve got nothing but time and a desire to escape from the real world and get completely lost, so this should do the trick.
The “Classics”
I’ve got a list of classic novels that I’ve always wanted to read but never had the energy for while majoring in English (reading serious things for school made me just want to read detective novels for fun). Some of these books include Wuthering Heights, The Picture of Dorian Grey, 1984, and Little Women. Now I know what you’re thinking; how on earth did you get through four years of studying English without reading these books? Well, if it’s any consolation, at least I’ve read The Great Gatsby and a fair amount of Shakespeare. Oh, and unlike John Mulaney, when my professor told me to go read Jane Austen, I actually did it.
The Harry Potter Books
I’m pretty sure that I’m not the only one re-reading these right now, but Dumbledore said that Hogwarts will always be there for those who need it, and boy do we need it! Harry Potter is the book series (or movie series, whatever floats your boat) equivalent of a hug from an old friend. That said, it also exists in this weird gray area where it has simultaneously aged like a fine wine and also like a chicken taco you left out in your car during the middle of summer. It’s fun to go back and develop a more mature understanding of the characters you love, and honestly the fifth book has some very relevant real world parallels. But the bit about the slaves who like working and don’t want to be free didn’t really age well… neither did the goblins… or the lack of diversity… or the whole Harry-named-his-kid-after-Snape thing. Oh! And J.K. Rowling’s tweets are a whole ‘nother nightmare. But why not use all my newly acquired freetime to have a morality crisis where I constantly question the validity of the children's books that have shaped my entire personality? Silver linings guys, they’re everywhere!