I must confess I have an addiction, and as an addict I want others to be infected with my same addiction. I am addicted to reading. I adore reading and as any pompous reader I always have my thoughts to share on what is best to read. To this cause am I submitting my list of 5 books every college student should read.
Book one The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. While Mr. Verne wrote many influential novels, and I suggest reading all of them, this one in particular is his masterpiece. There are not too many books on the shelf where you can learn to make soap, locate the longitude and latitude of your location, and make nitroglycerin while also battle apes and pirates. It is truly a journey through reading.
Book two on my list is Gulliver's Travels by the great satirist Jonathan Swift. Many of us have heard of the Lilliputians whether from sections of Gulliver's Travels or movie renditions, but there is so much to the story than the little people of Lilliput. This book is a satyr of the problems with society during Swifts time. What makes this book so amazing is that the problems with people and the world are the same ones we see today. After reading this book you will take a look at humanity and wish to run off and only speak to horses.
Book three is one I recommend to anyone trying to change their life. Fountainhead by Ayn Rand is a book about discovering ones ego and drive in life. The characters have been described by critics as cardboard and emotionless, yet I feel I have never read a book with more emotion in it. The psychology of Fountainhead will keep you entranced until the end.
Book four is a romance for men and women, Pride and Prejudice by the lovely Jane Austin. It is a book about building friendships and relationships. The significant part of this book is the separation of classes and the judgment involved in it. It doesn't matter where you came from or what you are; love is love and should not be dictated by others.
Book five is a journey back into childhood. Where the Red Fern Grows is technically a children's book but it is not childish. It grows with the reader and is never the same book. From the moment he gets those two red bone hounds until the moment the fern grows readers will be taken on a journey of what it means to grow up. As a spoiler remember to bring tissues.
I encourage reading and it doesn't matter if you are reading Twilight or Shakespeare the important part is to read. Having read quite a few books I have discovered that with every end of a book leads to the beginning of a new one. It is a healthy addiction.
Photo front page: Pam Black
Photo by: Seth Miner
