What to look for in a book this fall
There's something about cooler weather that wakes up the reader in us all.
Fall is a season that speaks of literature and breathes inspiration on writers gearing up for NaNoWiMo [National Novel Writing Month in November]. The leaves begin to turn, changing the landscape in a matter of a few days to a rich warmth dominated by reds and yellows. Something inside of me tells me it's time to find a new book. I want to find a story as captivating as the one I see outside.
With all of the looming midterms and papers we have to prepare for, it's easy to lose interest in reading ' especially the hefty textbook you have to re-read for your exam next week.
However, fall break is coming, and those few days are good to finally relax and help you reorient yourself before heading into the second half of the semester. I suggest finding a new book to read over fall break. Pick something fun that has nothing to do with school, and let yourself be lost in the story.
What to look for in a fall book:
Pick something you aren't reading for class
A short novel you've always been interested in
A book your friends have been referencing all semester that you haven't had time to read yet.
An interesting looking title or an intriguing dust jacket synopsis.
A new genre of literature (poetry, mysteries, sci-fi, plays, etc.)
Something on your bookshelf you haven't read in a while.
Or find your new favorite poem (There is a list of contemporary poets here: http://www.poetrysoup.com/modern_poets/)
I often feel that I have to analyze everything I read, but sometimes it's nice to turn off the critical side of my brain and simply immerse myself in what I'm reading. Last week I found a book of poems by Shel Silverstein, and I hid in the bookstore so I could finish reading it.
It was fun for me to just pick up a work and not hold myself to the stress of 'I have to find some meaning in this text.' It was refreshing to read it and simply enjoy the act of losing myself in the book. Read to remind yourself that stories are engaging, and sometimes, it's fun just to read John Green or "The Maze Runner" because we can.
