Reading List books that have had the biggest impact on me

There was a time in my life when I was the most voracious reader you would have ever met. I would come home from school and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a book that I had put down the night before. Often times I wouldn't even put the book down because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I hated the thought of not knowing what was going to happen.
I will be the first person to admit that I have shied away from the worlds of books. I don't know exactly why this happened. I guess I just became consumed by other things in my life. I put books aside to follow other paths and I guess I haven't been able to get back to that world.
When I read and really get into a book, which is really rare for me lately, I feel as if im returning to my childhood. It might sound a bit corny but I get a warm feeling inside, I think of my mom and my grandfather and memories that I have with both of them while I was reading and even before I could read. I won't bore you with the details but reading is and especially use to be a huge part of my life.
The following is a list of books that have impacted me:

1.) The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. To put it simply this book reminds me of my grandfather. I look up to my grandfather more then anyone else in my life. It was almost as if when Ernest Hemingway was writing this book he was taking notes on my grandfather's life.

2.) The Harry Potter Series. My first memories when reading came while reading this series. I remember like it was yesterday lying next to my mom, while she would read me the first Harry Potter Book. Back in the day I use to think that at some point I would receive my very own letter from Hogwarts. I really wanted to be a wizard.... Mr. Coon i'm trusting you here this shouldn't be shared with others haha :)

3.)  Eragon Series, R. A. Salvtore series, Redwall series. When I was younger these were my favorite books. I would literally finish an entire book in one night. If you ask either one of my parents they will tell you that some nights I wouldn't even go to bed because I had to keep reading. Fantasy books have been my favorite type of book since I was a kid.

4.) The Catcher in the Rye, I have read this book twice I hate it but I like it if that makes sense. I enjoy the accurate depiction of a teenager's psyche and in a small way I am able to relate to Holden, a very small way.

5.) Cold Mountain. I think this is the best book I have ever read. I absolutely loved this book. When Frazier wrote this book he obviously wrote it with intended parallels to the Odyssey. In 9th grade I never could relate to Odysseus  it was written in a different time for a different time and therefore I couldn't relate to it or, for that matter, enjoy the book. Cold Mountain tells a simple and refined story about true love and I guess that the sappy side of me could relate to this it in some bizarre way. I have never liked a love story before, but this one connected with me unlike any other book.

First Blog Entry

This summer I was very busy; therefore, and to my great displeasure, I was not able to read as many books as I would have liked too. During the months since June I was able to read Life of Pi by Yann Martel and A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I enjoyed reading and probably was more entertained while reading Life of Pi because the story was more engaging. There were not many dull moments for me during the read. This is a typical representation of the books that I usually enjoy reading. I considered myself part of the next generation of readers. In today's world we are use to having instant access to whatever we might want or need. Whether it be news on the internet, television, videogames, what have you. It is my opinion that people of today for the most part enjoy high octane-edge of their seat action. It is what we have come to expect. So for me of the two books I choose the obvious choice would have been Life of PI as my favorite book. This was not the case. To my great surprise I was drawn to A Tale of Two Cities.

A Tale of Two Cities is unequivocally a story written in a different age, this is not only because it was written in 1859, the writing style is completely old fashioned. However you know what they say about old things, "Old things aren't always terrible :)." A Tale of Two Cities for me was a great book. I loved the story, but what made it for me was the twist at the end. I knew that the doctor's prison stay would have some effect on the conclusion of the novel, but when they said that he was one of the three that denounced Charles I was completely shocked.
I also really liked how Sidney's true personality shown through at the end. Dickens made out Charles and Lucie to be almost divine characters. I assumed that they were going to be the martyrs for all innocent people, but out of nowhere Sidney gave up his life. I thought I knew how the novel would end, because I thought it would end like the typical novel would have. I could not have been more wrong. Although parts of the novel were dull at points and at times I will admit that I was extremely bored, the end of the novel gave me a revitalized perspective on the novel.
 I have always loved to read, and this book only further encouraged my love. At times for me reading is not always the easiest or fastest options, but maybe sometimes we have to step back from the feverish pace of everyday life and just sit back and read a good book.