Reading in Quarantine

Like many, I've had some extra time on my hands, and I've spent a decent amount of afternoons on the couch with a book.

I'm not one that takes an overwhelming interest in mainstream, "popular" books of the day, though I don't discount their potential impact on the future. I have indeed read 50 Shades of Grey, and Twilight, and Life of Pi.

I do tend to gravitate toward classic novels though, or stories that have been passed down for decades. I like to read fiction that has had some kind of influence on society by a trending theme throughout its pages, or something that had inspired another author to write another great work that would lead to yet another addition to literary legacy.

I'm thinking of stories like Game of Thrones, or Lord of the Rings; I loved To Kill a Mockingbird, and 1984 is awesome in all of its disturbing glory.

Many of these books are required reading in either high school, or post-secondary curriculum. Many of them are not, but are still held high on the podium of great works.

Brave New World, Animal Farm, Atlas Shrugged.

For that reason, I have taken to the bookshelf during The Great Pandemic of 2020, and consumed a few of those monumental works over several, several pots of coffee.

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Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger

I had to read this in high school, when I was about fourteen years old, and it completely went over my head. Having now read it in my twenties though, I get why I didn't understand a single concept.

I won't say that you need some form of "life experience" to "appreciate" Salinger's novel, but I don't believe this is a piece for someone who has yet to know true independence, or figure something out by looking only at themselves for a solution.

Without spoiling anything for those who may not have had the chance to read it yet, the novel is morbidly fantastic in its telling of a young man who absolutely despises responsibility. Everything seems to annoy the living hell out of him, and that isn't an exaggeration. I found myself annoyed at him, because he was so irritated at all people, all places, and almost all words. And despite multiple helping hands, of which he recognizes, his laziness persists and he cannot - will not - change his habits.

It's like a bildungsroman but without the satisfying conclusion of success and gallons of appreciation for life. He's still moody.

To me, he lacks purpose throughout the entirety of the novel, until the end when he understands for whom he should try harder for, and how even the seemingly naive or unexperienced can give you the most reason to be better, try harder, and do what needs to be done for yourself and those around you. You can tell that he is someone capable of happiness and recognizing the good in his life, but alas, prefers his front.

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Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

This one's a doozy. I had to read this one in high school too, and damn. Alike Salinger's novel, reading it years later makes the significance much more apparent, so give it another go if you were also required to tackle it in your teens.

The most important thing about this book, I have to say, is the actual writing. The scenes are incredibly vivid, and while some aspects might seem silly or redundant, it actually makes for the ease of reading. The most enjoyable part about this book is its composition.

The story, on the other hand, is heavy, which I'm sure you've heard before. In just over 100 pages, I was heavily invested in themes of personal development, personal responsibility, and the obligation to sometimes to do the hard (but right) thing.

Having been written in early 20th century America, I was encouraged to reflect on parts of society that were obviously unsavoury and therefore, changed. But, if you're down for that and looking for a quick (but not necessarily light) read, this one is great.

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Pinocchio, Carlo Collodi

I subscribed to Disney+ a few months back, as did basically the whole world, and so I've been on a tear with classic Disney movies. I came across Pinocchio and thought that I had better read the book before watching the animated adaptation again. I highly recommend.

I picked up a copy at a used book store in Elora, ON, and since I follow Dr. Jordan Peterson hard, it was almost mandatory that I pick up an older publication of the classic. Only like, $9 too. Pretty good!

This book is very much better than the movie, I'll just say that. It was a page turner for me. There are several more trials and toils that Pinocchio goes through, and it's super understandable why some of them didn't make it into the children's version.

The book is just over 200 pages, but it's very easy to read and can be finished in under two days, if you take breaks like I do. Themes of growth, maturation, handling hardship, recognizing right from wrong, resisting temptation, and doing right by those who do right by you fill the pages and speak to the overarching lesson of the book: don't be shitty, because that'll get you nowhere and you'll be sad pretty much always.

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At the moment, I'm on a mission to finish Crime & Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. After that, I would like to form a twisted book club with one of my best friends and read Stephen King's Misery.

I've also been attempting to get through a biography on Abraham Lincoln, and seeing as how that's taken me almost a year to get through, perhaps crossing that bad boy off my list will be another silver lining to staying at home all day, every day.

Happy Quarantine, and happy reading!