We’re well aware of your mid-summer symptoms: boredom, an overwhelming thirst for being back to school and urges to watch reruns of Seinfeld on TV. Take a break from the reading assignments we’re sure you’re doing by now with these picks from our staffers:
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Yanichka Ariunbold, staff reporter
With the destruction of Earth, luckless Arthur Dent is whisked away by his alien pal Ford Prefect to embark on a hilarious, mind-opening journey across the universe, alongside Trillian, a fellow earthling, and the outrageous President of the Galaxy, Zaphod Beeblebrox. This legendary science fiction novel’s brilliant use of satire–ranging in subject matter from a certain fish-loving species that just so happens to be the 2nd most intelligent creature on Earth to bureaucratically-inept aliens and manically depressed robots–is what makes the book so ridiculous and, consequently, incredibly funny. Sparking countless moments of laughter in ways that so few books can do, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy encourages readers to reflect on the absurdity of daily life and, especially, the answer to the Great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything.
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Olivia Garrett, entertainment editor
Forget Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie is the true master of mystery. One of Christie’s most ingenious works, And Then There Were None, is the best selling mystery novel of all time. In the novel, ten strangers (who, coincidentally, have all caused the death of another person and did not face “justice”) are summoned to a remote island. Upon arrival, the protagonists begin to show up dead, one by one. The catch? They are trapped on the island and appear to be completely alone. I dare you to figure out this utterly bewildering tale.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Maya Girimaji, features editor
When hearing the name “John Green,” readers either burst into tears (courtesy of The Fault in Our Stars) or feel a burning anger in their gut (courtesy of Paper Towns). Thank goodness Green decided to give our emotions a break when creating An Abundance of Katherines. Protagonist and prodigy Colin Singleton is heartbroken after his 19th Katherine breaks up with him (yes, Colin has indeed dated 19 other Katherines) and is dragged on a road trip with his best friend, Hassan, to forget about his relentless search for the “girl of his dreams.” Once a child prodigy, he finds himself in a small town in Tennessee in hopes of having his eureka moment. Throughout the book, Green switches narratives between Colin’s present adventures in Tennessee and Colin’s memories of all his past girlfriends. Despite the math and graphs that are scattered all through the story, you will surely get a good laugh and might even have a few eureka moments yourself. And I promise you that absolutely no tears will be shed while reading this book (other than tears from laughing, of course).
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Josh Weimer, assistant online editor
Ender’s Game is an action-packed sci-fi novel centered around Andrew (Ender) Wiggin. Ender, a hyper-intelligent child, is recruited to help fight against an invading alien species. He is sent to “Battle School” in the asteroid belt, where he meets many other strategical geniuses whose minds are geared towards one goal: victory. With well-developed personalities and unique character traits that bring the characters to life, this book is fast-paced and hard to put down.
