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Do you know what you’re reading this summer?

Do you know what you’re reading this summer?

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Who wants to read?! Not you, probably, as you slog through to the last stretch before finals. And I get it, you’ve read hundreds of pages of theory, history, literature, science, etc., and if you’re a humanities major you’ve probably read more Freud than you think should be legal under the Geneva Convention. But whether you believe in it or not, there is life after finals and a whole summer stretched before you. Maybe you have an internship, a summer…

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Best of Assigned Reading: Intro Classes

Best of Assigned Reading: Intro Classes

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As preregistration descends upon us, wreaking panic and excitement in equal measures, students across Vassar interrogate friends and pore over catalogues to get a good idea of what classes might be like. Another good way to get a sense for classes, especially intro classes in a field that’s new to you, is to peruse their required reading. “But Elizabeth,” you say, “professors won’t send out reading lists until like August!” Fear not, friends, because I have taken a number of…

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The Three Most Approachable Books About Writing

The Three Most Approachable Books About Writing

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They say to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader. And by “they,” I mean writers. Maybe this is why so many popular writers are writing books about writing, from how-to’s to memoirs. The genre is full of guides for specific audiences, e.g. Orson Scott Card’s How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy. It’s also drowning in pretentious odes by writers to themselves—Stephen King’s On Writing sets the standard for condescension. Each proclaims to be open…

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Books you probably read as a kid…but should read again now

Books you probably read as a kid…but should read again now

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Recently, a bunch of my friends and I started reminiscing about the most memorable books we read in elementary and middle school—some hilarious, some horrible, and some that really seemed to be better suited for an older audience. Interestingly, a lot of the same titles kept being mentioned over and over again, which inspired me to start compiling this list of books you probably read as a child, but should probably read again. After school ends, what better way to…

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A Summer Reading Resolution

A Summer Reading Resolution

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While I have grown past the allure of “starting over” at the beginning of a new year, I have to admit that I am prone to making unattainable goals for the summer. The tantalizing prospect of a few months away from school inspires in my mind all sorts of fantasies of productivity. They often have to do with reading for fun, filling in the gaps of my literary history. As this semester draws to a close, I find that this…

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The Stories Behind Famous Pen Names

The Stories Behind Famous Pen Names

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A few years ago, J.K. Rowling drew attention when she revealed that she had published a book, The Cuckoo’s Calling, under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Authors publishing under pen names is, of course, nothing new in the literature world, but the practice has no set source of inspiration. In Rowling’s case, she wanted to publish her first novel after Harry Potter without the intense pressure that would follow the beloved series. However, many other circumstances have brought writers to hide their true identities. Here are a few…

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Opening Lines of Novels that Work For Me

Opening Lines of Novels that Work For Me

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“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” It is also a truth universally acknowledged that we’ve all heard the first sentence of Pride and Prejudice approximately a million times. And there’s a reason for that. The opening lines of classic novels have a tendency to become iconic, gaining lives of their own beyond the fame of the novel itself.  There are certain opening lines…

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Literary Spring Break Destinations

Literary Spring Break Destinations

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Still looking for a perfect spring break destination? If jetting off to Cancun (I wish) or going home to sleep and cuddle with your pets (my current plan) doesn’t seem exciting enough this year, you should consider going on a literary pilgrimage to a site associated with your favorite author or book. There are incredible locations all around the world where great writers lived, worked, did drugs, or simply hung out—places that, for many, seem like a unique window into…

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In Defense of “Young Adult,” Sort of

In Defense of “Young Adult,” Sort of

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I’ll admit it: when it comes to books, I have a tendency to be a bit pretentious. So, when I started reading John Green’s novels and loved them after having turned my nose up at the “young adult” shelf for years, I went through a period of mild identity crisis. I tried to reconcile my conflicting feelings and I was just short of tossing and turning in my sleep over it. Thankfully, I have been courageous enough to work through…

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