Day 22: "I've been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library."-Great Gatsby

Significant moment of the day: Set a new driving record!

While driving back to lovely Ithaca today, I did something magical. I made it there in about 5 hours and 20 minutes, which broke my earlier record of 5 hours 35 minutes. Yay! I only stopped twice on the journey, once to get a coffee and bathroom break, and once to pump gas. Great success. Now I am back at school and ready to hit the books. Probably physically, its going to be a difficult semester and i'll need something to vent on. God knows thats not what blogs are for....sarcasm.

Anyways, speaking of books..my last post i talked about my 5 least favorite books we read in high school. Here is my list of my 5 favorite books we read in school.

5. Animal Farm
Animal farm was one of the first books that made me start to enjoy learning about history. George Orwell's portrayal of the Russian Revolution by using farm animals made me so interested in that time period, it was the first time i went outside the classroom to learn more about a history subject. Whenever I hear the quote "You either die a hero, or live long enough to become the villain" i think of this book. I mean, four legs good, two legs bad? Bah....ram ewe.
Rating: 3.5 stars

4. Night
One of the most depressing books i will ever read, but i don;t regret reading it for a minute. There is so much we will never know about the Holocaust, but this book shows one side of it, as well as the power of human nature in general. An incredible, true story which is a must-read for anyone and everyone.
Rating: 4 stars

3. Huckleberry Finn
Controversial, I know. I wrote an earlier post about the censorship of Huck Finn and I still stand by it. Yes, it is rough around the edges, but that is why it is such a critical book to read. It shows how words are more than skin deep, and how they affect the relationships in our lives. Its a raw tale about a young white male and a runaway black slave. Initially, the relationship is portrayed as many people have learned in history of the Old South, but as the book progresses so does the relationship and the understanding between the two characters who seem to have nothing in common. Also Mark Twain is a genius satirical writer.
Rating: 4 stars

2. The Great Gatsby
One of my favorite books of all time, its one of those classics you either love it, or you hate it. But seeing as it takes place in the 1920s, its kind of hard for me not to love it. The characters are so real, its always hard for me to decide whether I love Daisy or hate her. I'm never completely sure either way. The story is so tragic but, a passionate one.
Rating: 4.5 stars

1. To Kill a Mockingbird
Shocking I know, seeing as it is my favorite book. The imagery, time period, characters and subject matter are so well written and interwoven, I haven't encountered a person who didn't enjoy this book. It is the perfect coming of age story, from the eyes of a young Southern girl. The story is about compassion, prejudice, and learning that life isn't always fair.
Rating: 5 stars