In what seems like it is going to be a long year, one place where you can always find solace is in books. Most of us can agree that books serve as a temporary escape from reality in a way that even movies don't. This is because they allow us to use our own imagination without giving us visual cues, but rather allowing us to come up with our own images based on the text. So to aid you in your search for the perfect reading escape, here are 5 must-read books for 2017:
1. "Strangers in Their Own Land" by Arlie Russell Hochschild
You would think that interrupting a stranger in their reading whilst on the Bart would get you a dirty look and a disinterested response. However, that is the exact opposite reaction I received when I asked the fellow Cal Bear sitting next to me about the mysterious, all-red, hardcover book she was reading. It appropriately resembled an accessory with which we've all become familiar in the last two years: president Trump's red MAGA campaign cap. The book was none other than UC Berkeley sociology professor Arlie Russell Hochschild's "Strangers in Their Own Land". Hochschild tackles the phenomenon that is the election of Donald Trump. To explore this, she went to an area concentrated with his voter base, Louisiana. "
2. "The Poetry of Arab Women" by Nathalie Handal
In my African American studies poetry course at UCB, Poetry for the People, we are currently discussing the issue of profiling, racial and otherwise. Accompanied by that lesson is the reading of poetry by a group that has seen a rise in profiling in the past 15 years. In the midst of the current battle of the Trump administration to instill a travel ban on immigrants from select countries from the Arab world and the ignorant profiling of Arabs, Muslims, people of Islamic faith and others, this book is a great read. Having come out a year prior to the 9/11 attacks, it is a compilation of poems by Arabic and Arab-American women that showcases the daily lives of Arabic and Arab-American women. With "Poetry of Arab Women" Handal sought to "eradicate invisibility" when it came to the presence of Arab women in society. The book contains poems from around 80 Arabic female poets from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Yemen, Gaza and the U.S.Some of the topics tackled by these poems include that of identity as an Arab-American, the relationship between mother and daughter, and overall cross-cultural topics. Poetry is always a beautiful and honest medium through which to tackle social issues, and this book is no different in doing that.
3. "Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again" by Donald J. Trump
Though it may seem like our current president's ascent to power is very surreal, it does not take much for one to see how inevitable this was given the circumstances of the last election season. We have people like Michael Moore who saw Trump's election as an inevitable result of the election. That being said, many also see the 45th president's political stance as unstable. However, listening to Trump's rhetoric for the past recent years leading up to the elections offers up great insight into his governance. So too does the rhetoric he employs in his campaign books. In "Crippled America", Trump lays out his ideologies regarding certain policies, most notably that on immigration. The book also tells you about Trump's character in what seems like an unsurprisingly unfiltered way. He bluntly writes that he purposely makes outrageous comments to give the media "what they want". By confirming what we already know about Donald's brash behavior, this book will prepare you for a Trump presidency as much as any self-help book has ever helped anyone get their life together (not at all); that is, if his election speeches did not do the trick in preparing you.
4. "The Circle"by Dave Eggers
Another issue that has become a hot topic for debate in recent years is that of privacy related to our use of the internet. Some notable events in relation to this include the BART cellphone service suspension, the issue of net-neutrality, and the alleged Russian hacks of key U.S. government officials.
With that in mind, you must read Dave Eggers' "The Circle", which presents a dystopic view of transparency. It follows a newly graduate who finds a job in a Bay Area tech company, similar to Google, that seeks to publicize all information and demonize secrecy of all sorts. Despite depicting an extreme case in the advancement of surveillance technology and the conversation of privacy, Dave Eggers allows us to ask ourselves how far we are willing to go in our fight for government transparency.
The book offers a great narrative for us to ponder about the limitations on the issue of knowing our political figure's every move. "The Circle"was recently adapted for the screen, starring Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, and John Boyega. However, you have to read the novel first because, again, novels offer more joy as they allow you to use your own visualization (this is especially an awesome experience with thriller novels like "The Circle").
5. "Jumanji" by Chris Van Allsburg
In other news of intriguing books that have been made into movies: "Jumanji"! "Jumanji" is a children's fantasy picture book by Chris Van Allsburg that tells the story of a brother and sister who play a board game they find. Upon starting the game, they realize that everything that happens within it (the jungle setting and its animals) comes to life and they must finish the game for it all to return to normal. The book was made into a movie in 1995 that starred the late Robin Williams in one of his most iconic comedic roles. With a 2017 remake on the way, you can only hope that this is not undone. The remake will star comedic duo Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, and will be a new adaptation of the children's book. the best way to avoid disappointment over this remake is to re-read the book to replace your current memory of Robin Williams' great performance with a simple idea of the book's premise.
I'm sorry, did I mean to give you a list of books that would make you forget about the current state of the world we live in? My apologies, I just don't think that's possible. I mean, even "Jumanji" deals with this idea of being trapped in a world we can't escape unless we follow through with our decisions. This list of books offers a great way for you to better understand a lot of the current issues that plague our society. So, "Do not begin unless you intend to finish."
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