As someone who reads constantly, I get asked a lot about book recommendations. When you read novels for class you’re not always going to love what you have to read. I’ve read some great books for classes before. I’ve also read some real stinkers. Not everything appeals to everyone. I’m more of a nonfiction fan myself in my personal reading, but I try to open myself up to fiction as much as possible, especially when it comes my way in the form of a recommendation. After a year of people recommending it to me, I finally started Daisy Jones and The Six this week. I’m about halfway through. It’s OK. The Fleetwood Mac Rolling Stone article by Cameron Crowe is just as juicy. But I’m thankful for a new read in the time of quarantine.
In the spirit of recommending a read to a friend, I thought I’d put together a list of books that I like to recommend to people:
Never Let Me Go 
I read this novel a few times in undergrad and just finished reading it again for my World Lit class. I’m not a huge dystopia fan (especially right now), but Never Let Me Go has a little bit more something than the others. It’s the story of three friends; Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy. They grow up going to a boarding school in England where they’re told they’re very special. Technically, they’re clones, raised to eventually be harvested for their organs to help other people stay healthy. It’s ultimately a story that tries to define what it means to be human. Definitely a worthwhile read during a time of uncertainty.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil 
This bad boy is the longest-standing New York Times Best Seller of all time. The true story follows journalist John Berendt as he becomes intrigued by, and eventually moves to Savannah, Georgia. If you’ve been to Savannah you know it’s a really weird place, and Berendt brings that to life in the colorful real people he profiles in his book. The plot revolves around a rich antiques dealer who is charged with the murder of young male prostitute/his lover. Even though Savannah is a tourist town, it’s smaller than you think and people gossip. When I visited Savannah last year, it was the only thing people wanted to talk to you about.
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