sell it
books
- the magus by john fowles
- what is it about? an intelligent if somewhat self-serving english guy goes to greece and meets an old man who makes him question his philosophy and his reality
- why read it? it’s an old-world sensory masterpiece that gives you a lot to think about
- why not read it? the ending isn’t especially conclusive, and the book can be psychologically disturbing at times
- the thrawn trilogy by timothy zahn
- what is it about? a tactical genius who is blue takes over the remnants of a post-rotj empire and tries to overcome the new republic
- why read it? it’s a fun continuation of the original trilogy that treats the characters better than disney does
- why not read it? the writing is pretty mediocre and filled with plot conveniences, and it doesn’t add much to the original story
- a gentleman in moscow by amor towles
- what is it about? a count on house arrest in a grand hotel from the 1920s to the 1950s
- why read it? the style of writing is uniquely elegant, a true joy to read, and it’s a character/period novel that often feels more alive than real life
- why not read it? it might take a little while to get into the story; on the surface there’s not a whole lot of overarching driving plot
- breakfast of champions by kurt vonnegut
- what is it about? / why read it? / why not read it? it’s an incredibly irreverent book that presents pause-giving societal satire in blunt vonnegutian chunks