I am not a professional book critic. I am merely a university undergraduate student who loves to read. So you might ask yourself: what qualifies me to write any sort of analytical book reviews? To tell you the truth, beyond my high school diploma and passion for reading, not much.
My goal then is not to review a book in any critical manner nor provide deep analysis into its subtext. Rather, I want to share feeling, experience, and perspective. Inasmuch as we can explore a diverse array of stories through books, we may also share vastly differing point of views on those stories, each opinion just as valuable as the next.
My passion for reading, however, did not start early. I still vividly remember my ten year old self reading the first chapter of a Harry Potter book, before shutting it tight and proceeding to challenge my brother and cousin in a game of Mario Kart. Throughout my life, I was content with not having to read books beyond the assigned reading for classes.
Surely, but slowly, I grew to enjoy reading. I found myself taking the small snippets of the day, bus and train commutes, waiting at cafes, or right before sleep, to pull out a book and read. I found a deeper purpose beyond reading for the pleasure of the stories themselves; I discovered a medium by which I could deeply relate to another person, in particular, the author of the book. Whether fiction or not, books contain the power of storytelling: to bring people together through empathy, critical thinking, and shared feeling of human nature.
I hope to share my feelings about books as a way to encourage not only reading in general, but also reading a diverse set of stories. Exploring a vast array of books benefits you by both strengthening and challenging your own personal thinking. Equally as important, however, is the sharing of a diverse set of stories, lifting and giving power to the voices and perspectives who need it the most.
So come explore the world of books with me. Keep an open mindset. Do not be quick to judge. And the best part? You get to pick your own adventure.