Things I'm Reading

A friend sent me his manuscript to read back in January, well aware that my semester would keep me from reading it until summer. It’s been hanging out in my gmail inbox until tonight when I finally started to read it - and wow. 

It’s loosely based on Faulkner’s The Wild Palms, going back and forth between two stories, both of which are aching with loneliness, heartache, frustrations, etc. with life, love, and the people in it. The characters are incredible. One is easily identifiable for any student in their mid or late twenties, struggling to make sense of their life and their future without knowing exactly where they will end up - or rather where they want to. 

I may throw myself off a cliff if this book isn’t published. It’s that good. And I’ve only read a third of it. At the rate I’m going, I’ll be up reading it all night and I’m quite looking forward to it. 

Whoa. 

My soul forever weeps for Piggy. I’m never going to recover from what happened to him. Ever. 

This is one of those books that once finished, I find myself wondering why I never read it until now. So much has been said about this book by now that it would feel redundant to start going into how great it is and all the meaning within its characters and themes, so I’ll keep this short.

I love books that comment on the human nature of man, the inner savage and all those complicated aspects of ourselves that are suppressed by living in civilized societies. The Heart of Darkness is one of my favorites that explore this. It’s always interesting to think about how I’d act in one of these situations and it’s impossible to know until you’re in it. Survival of that level is some seriously eerie stuff. 

Also, I’m slightly traumatized by the fact that out of everyone I’d be like Piggy and look how well that turned out. 

• About ten more pages of The Remains of the Day
   I will finish this short 200 paged book by the end of summer. I will not be defeated.
• Bikini Boot Camp Plan
   

And then a bat infiltrated my apartment so what I planned on being a relaxing Memorial Day spent reading turned into me crying and fighting a bat for about three hours. 

The bikini boot camp does not relate to literature, but my waistline is important. Between stress eating and break up eating all spring, I could lose at least 10 pounds, maybe 15, and while I won’t follow the diet plan exactly the tips for drinking water (although that is going to be an obscene amount for me) and workout plans are helpful. 

I still can’t believe today actually happened. I will resent bats for the rest of my life. Ugh.