Weekly Reader - The Giver

I love to read. Growing up, I was the kid who impatiently waited each year for the summer reading program at the library to begin. Then, I was the kid who checked out 20-30 books (this is in no way an exaggeration), and proceeded to read them... each week. Because of this, I was also the kid who flew through the 20 hours of reading needed to receive the award - a new book from the special reader's bookshelf. And, given that I read 20+ hours a week (don't worry, I was also on the swim team, gymnastics team, did theater, played outside, etc.), I was also the kid who caused them to change the program to limit how many books you could receive each year.

Although I didn't read much for pleasure in college (besides Harry Potter, of course), now that I'm a "grown up" I have been intentional about finding time to read. I read most nights before I go to bed, even if it's just a few pages, and usually some on the weekends as well. Though I'm nowhere near 20+ hours a week now, reading is definitely a regular activity of mine (Josh's too - I mean, c'mon, we started dating by going to the bookstore together to "lesson plan").

Given my love of literature, I am always on the lookout for new books to read. I have a lot of friends who ask for book recommendations, and a lot of friends that I ask for favorites from. So, to aid in the process of finding new books for all you book lovers out there, I'm going to try to post a short write-up about some of my favorites on a regular basis. In my optimism, I'm hoping for one every week, but we'll see how it works out.

For the first book, I'm going to keep it simple. One of my all-time favorite books is The Giver, by Lois Lowry. It's a juvenile fiction book, but don't let that stop you. If you haven't read it, you must (it's a pretty short read for an adult). The story centers around 12-year-old Jonas, a child in a community with no poverty, crime, sickness, or war. However, Jonas' seemingly-perfect life is changed when he receives his assignment as the community's new "Receiver of Memories". As he goes to his lessons with The Giver, Jonas discovers the truth about his Utopian world, starts to question its hypocrisy, and begins to wonder if the community's pain-free life is worth the cost. Lois Lowry writes brilliantly as she examines what people may be willing to give up in order to create a more stable, predictable, and long-lasting society... and the price and courage it takes to go the other way. So, go pick it up at the bookstore, library, or used bookstore - it's one you won't regret having on your bookshelf. And if you've already read The Giver, I highly recommend checking out Lois Lowry's other books in "The Trilogy" (of which The Giver is first) - Gathering Blue and Messenger.