Today I don’t have any original material so instead I’m gonna talk about my five favorite books like the nerd I am. A nerd with good tastes.
1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s a simple and short book that deals with complex themes and concepts such as love lost and the repetition of time. It’s also been made into a very stylish movie starring Leonardo Dicaprio.
2. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson is a very close second and the exact opposite of The Great Gatsby. It’s a cynical dark comedy that begins to follow Raol Duke and Dr. Gonzo “somewhere outside of Barstow when the drugs began to take hold.” It’s a very funny and semi nonfictional story of reporter getting a little to involved in the drug culture and as mentioned in the title Las Vegas.
3. Beartown written by Frederick Bachman is a book that takes place in a dying town whose only remaining activity is because of the local hockey club. When a scandal strikes the town’s team it’s war on everyone. This book is not literary master piece but it is a great, heart wrenching read and features one of my favorite characters in modern literature in Benji.
4. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris is hard to beat when it comes to biographical novels. It’s over 500 pages long but it’s rich character development of one of the most eccentric Presidents in United States History helps you ignore the weight of the book. The book also is a great look at morals and what it really means to experience life.
5. There are so many books that could feel this slot, but for now I will have to go with My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent. I read this book nearly two years ago but lately I keep thinking about the plot and imagery. This is not a book for anybody who tends to get queasy and I don’t plan on rereading it soon but if you can stomach it, it is a must read. The book focuses on Turtle a young teenager who lives in California with her physically, sexually, and emotionally abusive father who also happens to be an avid survivalist. One day, Turtle decides to run away with her years of survival experience learned from her father and hide in the Californian wilderness. This book is tragic, violent and ultimately a showcase of the human will.
Schiller's Stories 