By Staff Writer Helen Tian
Student Book Recommendation
Buy a copy of Pride and Prejudice here!
Difficulty: Moderate
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Satire
Summary: In rural England in the 19th century, Elizabeth Bennet, the second daughter of an outcast wealthy family, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, an affluent landowner, must overcome their own pride and prejudices against each other to fall in love and marry.
“Although certain people might think Pride and Prejudice is boring [and] dull, it’s a classic and definitely a great read, because it is the guide for most romance novels [that] we know of today. Getting to know each character and [their personalities] was very enjoyable, [especially since] I personally am a fan of romance novels.” — Savanna Lee, 9
Staff Book Recommendation
Buy a copy of The Winds of War here!
Difficulty: Challenging
Genre: Historical Fiction
Summary: Drawn into the turbulence of World War II, the Henrys, a normal American family, find themselves in difficult situations. Victor “Pug” Henry and his wife, Rhoda, struggle with their relationship when they must move to Berlin for Victor’s new assignment as a naval commander. Their children — Byron, Warren, and Madeline — try to solidify their place in society as they find themselves in unfamiliar positions regarding their careers and love lives.
“I [found] it really interesting, because it’s historically accurate in terms of the events that take place in the story … It gives you an approach to studying history that’s a little bit more entertaining than a history book. And, it’s interesting to learn a little bit about World War II from [the] different characters’ perspectives.” — English Teacher John Boegman
Smokie Book Recommendation
Buy a copy of The Tenth Muse: A Novel here!
Difficulty: Moderate
Genre: Historical Fiction, Jewish Fiction
Summary: As Katherine, a mixed-race female mathematician, attempts to solve the Riemann Hypothesis, one of the greatest math problems in history, she confronts society’s definition of a woman and a mathematician while also unlocking the secrets that had been buried during World War II.
“It was really interesting how Chung was able to connect the protagonist’s identity crisis to her career and the historical context of World War II. I really loved how the book explored how different aspects of our personality, like gender and ethnicity, can affect our perspective on life and the opportunities we get.” — Tanisha Srivatsa, 11
Cover graphic by Staff Writer Tavish Mohanti
