As the great musician Frank Zappa so wisely said, “If you want to get laid, go to college. If you want to get an education, go to the library.”
We can’t disagree. University is what you make of it, and Frank clearly had an agenda. That said, we’d also recommend trying to draw a little more value from the college experience—there’s so much to learn and countless ways to do it. Reading is, of course, one of them.
So, to get you on the right track to a slightly more productive time on campus, take a gander at these five brilliant books that you should page through before starting school.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Cold-blooded murder, Pagan hedonism, a group of eccentric misfits dabbling in pretend adulthood—it’s the stuff all university experiences are made of! Well, even if that’s rubbish, what is true is that Donna Tartt’s cultish masterpiece is one of the best campus novels of all time. Quite simply, it’s a page-turner that will at once strike a chord with any graduating high schooler who is nervous about being accepted or eager to use college as an escape from some mundane or embarrassing past. The tale, as told by anxious, insecure narrator Richard Papen, recounts the events that led a tight-knit friend clique of social outcasts to homicide. You’ll have to read the rest to find out ‘whydunit’, not ‘whodunit’.
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
If ever there was a work that could illuminate some of life’s guiding lessons, hammer home the value of education, and inspire students to stand up for their beliefs at all costs, it’s the autobiography of South Africa’s first truly democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela. For all the larger-than-life mythology surrounding its famously gregarious subject, the account, like its author, is honest, humble, and charismatic. Expect endearing anecdotes of Mandela’s early village life, insight into his political education and ideology, frank stories of his tumultuous marriage and neglected fatherhood, harrowing details of his time in prison, and finally, the truth about the secret diplomacy that unfolded between the future Nobel Peace Prize winner and the faltering Apartheid government.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
You’ll learn tons in college. That includes getting a good and proper schooling on the ins and outs of debauchery. For those who want to truly get a handle on the art of the party, Hunter S. Thompson’s most famous work is the go-to primer. Part autobiographical account, part meditation on the death of 1960s American counterculture, the story will also score readers cool points among nonliterary folk. Plus, it’s a great introduction to gonzo journalism and creative nonfiction writing, two areas that will likely be covered in a soon-to-be-taken university English class.
The Good Terrorist by Doris Lessing
Student activism is nearly as much a part of universities as the students themselves. College is a time when people often become politicized, rejecting the ideals forced upon them by parents and home life and embracing newfound rebellious (even radical) schools of thought. Doris Lessing’s The Good Terrorist is a somewhat satirical take on this well-worn path. The plot follows Alice, a jobless and somewhat naive political science and economics graduate from a middle-class background, who identifies as a revolutionary and takes up residence with a group of like-minded comrades in a London squat. Through powerful storytelling, readers are urged to dissect how the personal can easily become the political and how terrorism springs from society itself.
Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie
Lauded Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie’s third novel examines what it means to be black in America (as well as in the United Kingdom and Nigeria). The twist? Her protagonist, the smart and headstrong postgraduate-bound Ifemelu, is not an African-American, but an American-African. That means that she must come to grips with the experience of blackness in the United States as both white Americans and African-Americans understand it. Aside from themes of race and identity, the tale tackles notions of foreignness, loneliness, and love—concepts that college students are likely to confront in one way or another.
Have another great recommendation to share with a soon-to-be college freshman? Tell us about it in the comments section below or via our Facebook or Twitter feeds.
Stephanie Katz is a San Francisco–based writer who, contrary to the way it may seem, won’t correct your grammar over beers, coffees, or any other normal life interaction. She tells stories about health, history, travel, and more, and can be contacted via email at stekatz@gmail.com.
from Grammarly Blog
http://www.grammarly.com/blog/2015/5-books-every-student-should-read-before-starting-college/
No comments:
Post a Comment