Monday, 28 May 2018

THE BOOK EDIT



Reading is like therapy to me. For me, there is nothing better than losing yourself in a good book and it's safe to say that I have a fair few reads which have stayed with me throughout my 21 years of existence!

Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar' 
The Bell Jar is pure brilliance. I was 16 when I first read it and I distinctly remember how utterly hooked I was, after just one chapter. The book centres on the life of Esther Greenwood, who works as a writer for a glamorous magazine in New York one summer. But after securing her place, she completely loses her ambition, drive and passion. The more you read, the more you realise how autobiographical the novel seems to be about Plath's own experiences and mental health issues. The book is also rooted in the role of women and tackles some really important issues, such as attitudes towards 'career' women and women's sexuality. For me, I think the book is absolutely timeless and will continue to resonate with readers throughout time, as it provides such a realistic insight into mental health and the [ongoing] treatment of women in society. 

Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner' 
I first read 'The Kite Runner' in Sixth Form and it instantly became one of the most unforgettable reads. It is a story of friendship but above all, it is a story of redemption, set against the backdrop of Afghanistan's tumultuous history. From the Soviet Union invasion, to the rise of the Taliban regime, Amir and Hassan's story lives through it all. 

Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice' 
Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennett has to be my favourite heroine of all time and a pioneer of #girlpower! She is intelligent, witty, bold and safeguards her integrity with all that she has, obstinately refusing to marry for money. But what I love the most about this literary classic is that Austen's main protagonist displays real flaws, which makes her such a realistic and unforgettable character. 

Jenny Downham's 'Before I Die' 
I have read Before I Die countless times and I always sob at exactly the same extracts. It is the story of Tessa, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer with only a short time to live. Along with her vivacious best friend Zoey, they come up with a list of things that she wants to do before she dies, including falling in love...

F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby'
The Great Gatsby makes it way onto 'must-read' book lists all the time. I read it when I was very young (I must have only been 14 or so) and I remember feeling utterly underwhelmed and questioning what all the fuss was about! It wasn't until a second reading a few years later and a greater understanding of the context of the period, that I realised how utterly brilliant The Great Gatsby is. Exploring themes of decadence, the American Dream and social upheaval in the Roaring Twenties, I was utterly captivated by the twisted relationship between the mysterious and idealistic Gatsby and the shallow Daisy Buchanan. 

Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' 
Although To Kill A Mockingbird was written over 50 years ago, the way is deals with such serious issues, such as rape and racial inequality, it really speaks to the current racial-political climate of the United States today, but particularly in the American Deep South.

Ralph Ellison's 'Invisible Man'
I adore this book so much. It's about an African-American man whose colour makes him invisible, written in the 1950s. I think it perfectly elicits so many of the social issues facing African-Americans in the 21st century and the way these issues gained political impetus in movements, such as black nationalism. A must read. 

Carol Ann Duffy's 'Feminine Gospels' 
All hail, Carol Ann Duffy! I just love reading the work of women who aren't afraid to shy away from expressing how they see the world and the beautifully crafted poems of the Feminine Gospels volume do exactly that. Duffy questions what it means to be a woman in a series of historical and real life contexts. But a few things are always the same for Carol Ann Duffy's poetry. They are thought-provoking, seriously witty and melodic. 

Antonia x 

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