This summer was a dream summer. I camped on the Olympic Peninsula, nerded out at a board game convention, and attended a boygenius concert. My life kind of felt like a teen movie montage, to be honest. In the midst of all these fun activities, I did a lot of reading, averaging about a book a week. Here’s the books I enjoyed most!
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
finished on June 23, 2023
Wild is a memoir detailing one woman’s solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. I read a borrowed copy with crinkly, water-damaged pages; it felt fitting to read from such a battered copy as Cheryl describes becoming more and more battered on the trail. Cheryl describes both the physical reality of her trip (losing toenail after toenail) and her internal reality as she grieves the death of her mother with remarkable candor. Her voice is really what makes this book so special. She’s sharp, funny, and honest throughout the book, and I was oddly encouraged by her admitting just exactly how little she knew about backpacking. Reading about the realities of trying something brand new, flubbing, failing, and eventually succeeding gave me courage to try new things and to be honest in the process.
True Grit by Charles Portis
finished on July 21, 2023
I had the pleasure of reading True Grit with my mom, who fell in love with the movie adaptation directed by the Coen Brothers a few years ago. True Grit is written in the first-person narrative of Mattie Ross, who is independence personified. The first few sentences of the book are all the introduction True Grit and Mattie need:
"People do not give it credence that a fourteen-year-old girl could leave home and go off in the wintertime to avenge her father’s blood but it did not seem so strange then, although I will say it did not happen every day. I was just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney shot my father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robbed him of his life and his horse and $150 in cash money plus two California gold pieces that he carried in his trouser band.”
Mattie is all business; she’s not avenging her father out of some sort of sentimental need but because it’s the right thing to do. At least, that’s what she’d have you believe. It was a lot of fun reading this book with my mom and discussing just how accurate Mattie’s re-telling is. The action is this shoot-’em-up will have you at the edge of your seat, and Mattie’s character will have you laughing your pants off. This book is short, direct, and so gosh darn good.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
finished on August 9th, 2023
There’s a sort of “Troubled Women” trope trending right now. Books like My Year of Rest and Relaxation and Cleopatra and Frankenstein, which feature mentally ill and beautiful heroines living in New York, are winning awards and taking over the internet. The Bell Jar checks all the boxes of said trope, but it was written in 1963. And for my money, it’s much more readable. The language in The Bell Jar is descriptive and metaphoric without being flowery or overwrought. Primarily a poet, Sylvia Plath writes vividly. Her descriptions of Esther Greenwood’s surroundings coupled with her inventive metaphors describing Esther’s mental state allow the reader to experience what the character is experiencing. This book captivated me as I read it, and there are many scenes that have stuck with me after finishing it.
Rilla of Ingleside by Lucy Maud Montgomery
finished on August 27th, 2023
This summer, I read all of the books in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne series. Rilla of Ingleside is the final book of the series and one of my favorites. This book, set during World War I, is a coming-of-age story focused on Anne’s youngest child, Rilla. The story begins with Rilla celebrating her fifteenth birthday; meanwhile, her father, Dr. Blythe, is worrying about rumors of war in Europe. As Rilla matures throughout the next four years, we see a frivolous teen transform into a wise young woman. This book, told from the perspective of a Canadian teenager, offered a unique perspective on the Great War. Personally, after experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, it was interesting to see how Rilla and her family responded to the uncertainty and change brought about by a global catastrophe. Full of humor and poignance, Rilla of Ingleside shows an ordinary family living through extraordinary circ*mstances.
I’m starting a new position next week, so I’m not sure I’ll get to do quite as much reading as I did this summer! Still, I’d love to hear if you have any recommendations for me. I’m especially looking for some interesting non-fiction work this fall.
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