Top Ten Reads for 2012

1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Published February 10, 2009. 451 pages.
This book was recommended by my mom. She read the story shortly after it came out and absolutely loved it. Even though the book is a little lengthy, she promises some heart-warming stories that are quite simple in meaning. I hope to watch the movie after finishing the book and use both to fully appreciate the stories being told.

2. The Wedding Girl by Madeline Wickham. Published September 9, 2010. 327 pages.
Author Sophie Kinsella’s real name is Madeline Wickham and this is one of the few books she has published using her actual name. Loving all of her other books I have ever read, I am excited to pick up another one. Her writing style is fun and light with great story lines and endings.

3. Going After Cacciato by Tim O’Brien. Published 1978. 352 pages.
While reading Thomas Foster’s How to Read Literature like a Professor, he discusses this novel. Not only does he say his students generally like it, but the book is also one of his favorites. Foster used the story as an example of basing new characters off of others the author has encountered. This would be a great story and also provide a great source for my AP Lit writing.

4. Wise Children by Angela Carter. Published 1991. 240 pages.
This story is also introduced by Foster in his book. Much of the story is reminiscent of Shakespeare and would help provide me a deeper understanding of his work by experiencing different recreations.

5. A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley. Published 1991. 384 pages.
This is a recreation of Shakespeare’s King Lear. The story would provide a fantastic example of using literature from the past to create a new work.

6. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. Published 1949. 368 pages.
This classic novel is one I have been meaning to read for a long time. I loved the dystopian stories of Brave New World and The Giver so I’m excited to see Orwell’s take on that type of society. Several of my friends have read, liked, and used this book in their writing so I look forward to reading it.

7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Published 1813. 416 pages.
This is another classic book I would love to read. The book takes place in early 19th century English society when men held virtually all the power. Women were pressured to marry not only according to their personal liking, but also for the advantage of their families. I have read very few works from this time period and look forward to the story.

8. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. Published 1934. 288 pages.
When I was little, mystery books were my absolute favorite. Since then I haven’t really read many; mostly because I couldn’t find stories that were challenging enough yet still captured the perfect mystery I loved so much. This story promises both.

9. The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Published 1899. 120 pages.
This book is seen as a work of early feminism. Never having to deal with most of these issues personally, I am interested to learn more about the struggles women went through to get where we are today.

10. Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Published 2001. 326 pages.
This book was recommended to me with the statement, “Easy to read and sounds impressive.” Perfect! After looking at the summary, I am even more interested. A young boy by the name of Pi finds himself on a lifeboat with many animals, including a tiger, after their ship sinks. The tiger kills all the other animals but somehow coexists with Pi for an amazing 227 days.