Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies-by Jared Diamond--DROPPED

When I first read the summary for this book, I thought that I would enjoy this book. However, I hardly read past the prologue because the information (about ancient civilizations) was not of my interest. This does not mean I do not like contemporary nonfiction. I enjoy the genre about topics I want to read about; for example, earlier this year, I read Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the American Meal, which was a fascinating, revealing book about shocking meat factory conditions. However, this has been a valuable experience: I have learned to select books more carefully to best suit my needs.

The Glass Castle-by Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle has been a different read for me. I noticed it while scrolling down the independent reading list suggestions. Usually, I will choose historical fiction or contemporary nonfiction. However, as part of my reading goal, I will try new genres. Sure enough, this book captivated my attention immediately because it was so vivid and shocking. All throughout the book, I was thinking, How is the family going to survive these rough, dangerous events? Yet, they remain tough and have faith in each other and eventually pull through. I could never relate to Jeannette because I live such a supported, sheltered life. I have no idea what it feels like to live out in the barren Arizona wilderness with a drunken father and neglecting mother. So towards the end of the book, when the author graduates from college and receives a generous pay from a journalist company, I was amazed that she achieved this great feat from very humble beginnings. She defines the true nature of perseverance.

Lastly, the idea of the Glass Castle tricked me. I believed that the book would be about a prosperous family in a comfortable house. However, the Glass Castle was nothing as I expected (I will not tell you--you will have to read the book to find out!). Overall, the book was a fantastic book that has opened my eyes to similar types of books.