In the new year, many have made resolutions to become well-versed in the literary world. This is the best season for avid book lovers to read something new. Like a hidden gem, an interesting book is hard to come by. From classics to moderns and poetry to dissertations, we have five book recommendations that may pique your interest.
“I think reading is important, especially now, because as more things are becoming digitized, it helps with retaining your attention span and engaging in something good for the mind,” said Kristin McManus (‘26).
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Students at Amador are familiar with Nobel-Prizewinning author John Steinbeck from freshman English class. His highly lauded novella Of Mice and Men introduces the skilled and illustrative talents of the California-born writer. The title references the biblical story of Cain and Abel, with Cain being a cast from the Garden of Eden. Regarded as Steinbeck’s magnum opus, the book is a riveting story about brotherhood and the human condition.
“I liked [East of Eden] because his writing is very descriptive and detailed, so it really absorbs you into the story,” said Vivian Wang (‘26).
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Published in 2015, A Little Life is a contemporary novel centered around four friends in New York. While the main character is Jude, the book includes excerpts from the point-of-view of his friends and family. As an emotionally rousing book, it grapples with themes of trauma, love, and loss, and how these things grow and change throughout adulthood.
Crush by Richard Siken
Crush is Siken’s debut novel, having won the 2004 Yale Series of Younger Poets competition. The book centers around grief and infatuation. Crush is short and sweet, with poems that break the traditional structure, yet visceral and emotive in their subject matter. In 2015, Siken also released War of the Foxes and expects to publish another collection late this year.
“Crush is a good book for readers who don’t usually read poetry because it flows more like a story at times, and it is pretty easy to get through,” said McManus.
Of Grammatology by Jacques Derrida
Jacques Derrida was a French philosopher who wrote broadly about deconstruction, political theory, literature, linguistics, law, and other studies. His most popular works (Speech and Phenomena, Writing and Difference, Margins of Philosophy) mainly pertain to the structure and theory of language. Of Grammatology is perfect for those interested in the way language affects how people interact with the world around them, and how the meanings of words can change between forms of expression.
The Life and Death of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
Jane Jacobs is best known for her fight for the neighborhoods in New York and her ideas around urban design. The book criticized the city planning during large-scale redevelopment attempts in older neighborhoods. Regarded as the most influential works about urban planning, the book offers an interesting perspective.
“It talks a lot about people-oriented design, and I think people who are interested in urban planning would like it,” said Edward Kazmierski (‘26).
