Nick's Picks
The Alexandria Quartet
by Lawrence Durrell
This tetralogy of novels takes place in the period before and after World War II in Alexandria, Egypt. Each of the books, Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive, and Clea, is a distinct piece of fiction, yet they really deserve to be reviewed as they must be read: as a whole. Durrell intended to write the books as a convergence of Eastern and Western metaphysics and a meditation on Einstein’s theory of relativity and Freud’s dislocation of the self. Thus, the narrative often defies chronology and the characters cannot be trusted with stable personalities. In fact, nothing can really be trusted in these books--- the further into the series I delved, the more I realized I was wrong in nearly every assumption I had made. The first three books occur at the same time, but through different lenses. The fourth finally advances in time. Through the exploration of time and space, Durrell manages to create a startling portrait of modern love and, in the meantime, delves into subjects as far-ranging as Gnosticism and Zionist politics. The characters are likely the most fully realized I have ever read in a work of fiction, an accomplishment only possible because of Durrell’s exquisite mastering of English prose. A necessary read for ALL and definitely my favorite books.
Unaccustomed Earth
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Jhumpa Lahiri somehow manages to surpass the feat of her first collection of short stories, The Interpreter of Maladies, in this exquisite series of lengthy short stories about Bengali immigrants and their descendants in America. In Unaccustomed Earth, Lahiri weaves eight tales with such dexterity that one cannot help but be fully engrossed in a world that, for many, is completely foreign. They are stories of love, family, history, and self-knowledge that are not only enriching, but also pure pleasure to read.
The Devil in the Flesh
The Devil in the Flesh by Raymond Radiguet
This beautiful gem of a novel, published in 1923, was written by Jean Cocteau’s young (alleged) lover Raymond Radiguet. Written when he was only 20, The Devil in the Flesh is the story, based on the author’s own experiences, of a young man’s love affair with an older married woman. It marvelously illustrates the struggle between childhood and adulthood, told by a boy who becomes caught up in an act he can neither control nor fully understand.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
by J.K. Rowling
The triumphant conclusion to J.K. Rowling's epic series leaves little to be wanted, but beware that it is no longer a simple children's book. With death splattered across its pages and constant suspense, this reader, at least, finished feeling nearly emotionally dried out. It has grandiose themes and dramatic sequences, and it is worth noting that Rowling's writing seems to have improved significantly since the beginning of the series, with poetic flairs scattered here and there. Despite a few snags at the end, the book as a whole is a success and closes the Harry Potter storyline while leaving the window to his world forever open for anyone with an imagination.
Now is the Hour
Now is the Hour by Tom Spanbauer
Set in the tumultuous 1960's, Now is the Hour gives an easy-to-read, yet inventive, account of the coming-of-age of a boy growing up in the Mid-West. Overcoming his rigid Catholic upbringing (including a prude mother and racist father), the protagonist finds love, awakening, and a new sense of the world all to the tune of Jimi Hendrix and Scott McKenzie.
The Secret History
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
What a novel! Truly a modern classic, this is the tale of a group of brilliant and eccentric classics students at a small Vermont liberal arts college. Under the tutelage of an infamous teacher, they gradually slip into an isolated and increasingly surreal world; an Athens surrounded by the typical drugs and lifestyle of college students. Through her elegant writing, Tartt spins a tale that is so much more than simply a thriller. But why rant when you can simply read the first sentence... The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation. If that doesn't ensnare you, I don't know what will.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Does it even need to be reviewed? Well, I had to reread it in class and in doing so I was reminded of just how brilliant this novel really is. While most people have probably read it before, it almost needs to be read again every couple years because of the new insights it will provide. It has so many things going for it! It is an almost perfectly constructed novel, it is brilliantly funny (Mark Twain wrote it, duh), and the subtle statements it makes about the commonalities of humanity are so beautiful it makes one want to weep. Especially in a day and age where racism is still so prevalent, albeit in different forms then the antebellum, it is an important read, or reread, for everyone of all ages.
The Stranger
The Stranger by Albert Camus
This existential classic by the master Albert Camus is the exquisite tale of a man who unwitting gets pulled into a murder. He finds himself in an Algerian jail and surprisingly unaffected. As his death sentence draws near, the man feels only numbness which Camus called "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd." Although hated because of its existentialism, it is a truly beautiful tale and should be viewed objectively. It contains wonderful quotes, some of my all time favorites, like, ""As if that blind rage has washed me clean, rid me of hope; for the first time, I that night alive with signs and stars, I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world. Finding it so much life myself - so like a brother, really - I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. For everything to be consummated, for me to feel less alone, I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate."
