Leisure Reading C/O the Library

Finding time for leisure reading is not particularly easy. Between school, work, and life, I just don't have an hour the day that I am willing to give up to chill with a novel. When I wind down, I would prefer some trashy vampire filled teen dramas than a bunch of words on paper that create a plot that requires concentration to follow.

When winter break came around, I decided to start using the library to procure new reading materials for free. After all, why would I want to read the books that I paid for months/years ago that sit on my shelf, ripe for the picking?? I figure now is as good as a time as any to provide you with simple reviews.

One Day took me all of one day to read. The story follows a couple through their lives together and apart, but all events occur on the same date, July 15th. I found their relationship intricate and was constantly wondering how things would turn out. After about the first 50 pages, I did the unthinkable.

I read the last page of the book! I never do this. I was also forever convinced the ending was going to be terrible as I did not know the context of those sentences and concluded the worst. Don't worry, I will not comment one way or the other how this wonderful love story ends, but like any book/movie that I deem amazing, I was left breathless. (and a bit damp with tears)




Room was my next pick. I read numerous reviews praising the story and style. Sadly, about half way through, I realized this book was not for me, but I wanted to see it to the end. There is nothing I hate more than not knowing the ending. On my book shelves there are books that took multiple attempts before I got to the end, but I have always found that I was just not in the right place for that particular story. (My eye is on you, Life of Pi)

This story is told from the voice of the five year old boy in the story. I enjoyed seeing life through a child's eyes. Every object had a name, even if the name was generic, the lamp was named Lamp. The child and his mother are kept in a room, she was kidnapped and we subsequently find out he was born in this very space. The room is all the boy knows and understands. I think the main reason this book did not sit well for me is that I was simply not in a space that could handle a book that revolves around kidnapped people. Honestly, there will probably never be a point where this kind of story would go over well for me, right now, I couldn't even praise the writing style without feeling guilty and morally corrupt.



If you are a science nerd, and love of the cuff personal observations and comments (see, this blog), then this book is for you! I took the book out during a very stressful point of the current semester. Renewed the book twice, and then decided to keep it and accrue fines until I finished, which I did last night. The Minuteman Library system is currently ready and awaiting my 60 cents in fines.

This book was worth those six dimes. It covers all aspects of the space experience including the physics of moving in space, the use of chimps in NASA's early days, space food, and even space sex. Mary Roach has a way with words, and footnotes. I would be interested in reading her other novels, I have a feeling she could make any topic enjoyable.