Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
“The classic story of a mentally disabled man whose experimental quest for intelligence mirrors that of Algernon, an extraordinary lab mouse.” This one looks like a fascinating departure from your more typical sci-fi fare. It’s been highly praised by numerous reviewers (and recommended to me by a good friend), so I’m looking forward to reading it.
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
I finished this only yesterday, and I give it my hearty recommendation. Part memoir, part novel, and part short story collection, it’s a haunting and brilliantly-written piece of storytelling. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth the time of older readers in search of quality literature on the American war in Vietnam. Here’s one of my favorite quotes: “A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe.”
The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom
“How higher education has failed democracy and impoverished the souls of today’s students.” If I remember correctly, I ran across this title while reading one of Mark Steyn’s books. It looks like pretty weighty stuff, but I’m always up for a challenge. So… let the intellectual workout begin!
Eyes Wide Open by Steve DeWitt
Leland Ryken said of this book, “As a starting point for why and how Christians should value beauty, [Eyes Wide Open] is the gold standard.” I’m only about thirty pages in, but so far it’s excellent – a wise, winsome, and thought-provoking read.
Our Town: A Play in Three Acts by Thornton Wilder
Another title recommended to me by a friend. “Considered enormously innovative for its lack of props and scenery and revered for its sentimental but at bottom realistic depictions of middle-class America, Our Town soon became a staple of American theater.” I’m enjoying this one quite a bit, particularly for its well-written dialogue and quirky characters.
What’s on your bookshelf right now?
THE INK SLINGER 