With spring break coming up, the last thing most students across campus want to hear about is reading a book. For those few who have been meaning to read the latest bestseller and just haven’t gotten a chance to, the break from study allows a little time to pick up books that the demands of schoolwork kept on the backburner.
Whether sitting on airplanes, lounging on sandy beaches or simply within the confines of our apartments, free for a few days, books can provide a relaxing outlet during this sudden surplus of free time. When looking to enjoy some leisurely reading, why not pick up the best?
“Taboo”
By Yusef Komunyakaa
Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, $20
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, numerous poetry awards and a Bronze Star for his work in Vietnam, it’s surprising that the latest book by Komunyakaa hasn’t received more critical attention. Or perhaps it isn’t. Komunyakaa’s work is often dark and foreboding, tugging at the undercurrents of Western history and illuminating problems of race and class in society.
But “Taboo” is hardly a sociological treatise. Komunyakaa is a Fool at the feet of the King, jesting with the truth and turning merriment into sustenance. His evocative use of language conjures up a world distinct and fantastical. In that place where the past and present meet, he subtly reminds readers of the strings of history that continue to vibrate around us.
“Taboo” is not a difficult book. It is surprisingly easy read, with a rhythm and flow that guides readers from one poem to the next. Komunyakaa is a master of the English language. He has easily created a world comfortable and expansive at the same time. The first of the Wishbone Trilogy, “Taboo” is both a delight to read and a well-crafted work of literature.
“Goat: A Memoir”
By Brad Land
Random House, $12.95
One of Barnes & Noble’s recommended reading books, “Goat: A Memoir” is the true tale of Brad Land, who, after a horrific assault that injured both his body and his mind, enrolls at Clemson University. Pledging at the same fraternity as his brother, Land encounters the worst of what university and fraternity life have to offer. Worse than the hazing at the hands of his fraternity brothers is Land’s slow alienation from his friends, his brother Brett and, ultimately, himself.
Land is, thankfully, not simply another author taking shots at the Greek system. Rather than focus on the barbarity of what he is forced to endure in the name of “initiation,” Land takes pains to not generalize about other fraternities. Instead, he simply focuses on his own inner struggle and his estrangement from his brother. The death of a fellow pledge is the final act, the unfortunate low that forces Land to confront his demons.
Written in a stirring, emotional first-person account that is reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway and E.E. Cummings and a scant 208 pages, “Goat: A Memoir” is a quick, lively read. Although Land tackles troubled themes, he does so in a style that lends itself well to quick reading and comprehension. He enfolds his readers, releasing them only once he himself is released.
“Cast of Shadows”
By Kevin Guilfoile
Alfred A. Knopf, $24.95
From the author of the humorous George W. Bush parody “My First Presidentiary” comes this terrific novel about cloning and science. Davis Moore, a specialist in reproductive cloning, has his life shattered when his 17-year-old daughter is raped and murdered. Retrieving his daughter’s belongings months later, he finds a vial of the killer’s DNA that the police misplaced. He entertains the most dreaded of thoughts — cloning in order to come face-to-face with the killer.
Surprisingly for a satirist-turned-novelist, “Cast of Shadows” is immensely readable and engaging. Taking its cue from the best of science fiction and Aristotle, it is the probable impossibility of it all that holds the reader’s attention. Guilfoile’s characters are fully fleshed-out and easy to identify with, while his understanding of genetics is deep enough to satisfy most professionals. A science thriller of the best variety, it is a remarkable novel and no doubt the first of many from Guilfoile.
“Uncensored: Views & (Re)views”
By Joyce Carol Oates
Ontario Review (HarperCollins), $24.95
More for the academic than the casual reader, “Uncensored: Views & (Re)views” is a collection of short non-fiction works by award-winning and best-selling author of “We Are the Mulvaneys” and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Oates’ ninth book of non-fiction, it is a collection of pieces she wrote over the years, from the “New York Review of Books” and “Times Literary Supplement.”
In a preface that highlights the place of criticism in literature, Oates writes that “‘prose pieces’ have always seemed to me elliptical forms of storytelling … In the essay or review, the dynamic of storytelling is hidden but not absent.” In the 38 varied pieces that she includes in this collection, that art becomes the one continuous thread that unites.
It is a critical balancing act she performs. The pieces dip and dive among varied and diverse topics, from Sylvia Plath to Muhammed Ali, from the power of the short story to the role of ghost stories in literature.
Within the reviews and essays, Oates herself slowly emerges. The outline of her thoughts and beliefs, though hazy, begins to take shape. Essay after essay her form solidifies, until the reader is left with a deep respect of Oates’ intellect. They showcase Oates at the top of her game, engaging and humorous. She knows how to balance the demands of her various topics, showing tremendous respect and understanding of each of her subjects.
While not necessarily a book to read cover-to-cover, each essay is a perfect fit for a single sitting, a brief engagement with a heightened intellectual sense.
