“What’s it going to be then, eh?” – A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess
Invisible Bookshelf from Urban Outfitters
Let’s start with a big thank you to my brother for helping me put up my invisible bookshelf yesterday. If you saw my posters you would quickly realize that level is not in my vocabulary.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
This month I only read one book for pleasure, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. I saw the very strange but visually striking movie of the same name in October and once I learned that it was a book I knew I had to read it. I often find that if a movie is a bit strange and sometimes confusing the book helps fill in the gaps.
A Clockwork Orange is about a teenage boy named Alex who goes out and commits crimes with his friends at night in the dystopian world they live in until he is betrayed and arrested. After spending two years in jail, Alex goes through an experimental reform that changes him. The book makes you really think about what it means to have a choice.
“Is a man who chooses the bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has the good imposed upon him?” – The Jail Priest
I love how the book uses a unique form of rhyming slang from the teenagers (I find it more beautiful compared to modern slang) and Alex, or Your Humble Narrator, describing the events of his youth to you. The edition I bought has an extra chapter at the end that was originally left out of the American version. I suggest you stop before the last chapter and think about the book as a whole before reading on. It is incredible to see how one more chapter can change the meaning of the book.
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
This month I bought Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. I have been wanting to get this for away. I ended up getting it so I could qualify for free shipping on Amazon. I love the cover art and cannot wait to get started on the book.
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The next book I am going to read is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I am less than a hundred pages in and I am already in love. The author describes things so that I feel like I am in the main characters head and her narration just has a calming effect to it. Bees are one of my favorite animals so that is a big bonus. I am sure after this one I will read more of Kidd’s books.
That is all for this month’s book club. What are some of your book suggestions?
spiritual morning 