Recommendations from Mrs. Wuzzardo
The Diary of Anne Frank
by Anne Frank I first read this book when I was 15 years old. I got Anne. She loved to write, was often in trouble for being chatty or too opinionated, and didn’t get along with her parents half the time because they just didn’t get her. I could relate when she fought with her mother. I was excited for her when she fell in love with Peter. Her explanations of life and relationships kept me fascinated. It didn’t matter that she was a girl who had lived 40 years before me, hiding in an attic because the Nazi’s hated her simply for being Jewish. She was a friend I wish I had. And then the book ends. And the reality of her story sets in. I have since been to Amsterdam and visited the attic where her family was hidden. It was a powerful experience. I read Anne’s diary again before I went. As an adult, I saw her and her teenage issues through older, more experienced eyes, but was perhaps more stunned by her talent and honest wisdom. I am a firm believer that every world leader should be required to read this book before taking office. Even if you don’t plan to be a world leader, be a leader in your own life. Read it. You’ll want to be a better person when you’re done. |
The Once and Future King
by T. H. White I read this book in high school and then again later in college for an English class on Arthurian legend. This book is the full story of King Arthur, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, Guinevere and Lancelot. It’s “The Sword in the Stone” and “Camelot” and “Spamalot.” The original legends that fed those movies and plays are centuries old, but this book sorts them into one complete linear story. The tale that is woven together is whimsical, romantic and adventurous, all at the same time. It’s a thick book that looks daunting when you pick it up, but it’s a great read—you’ll quickly find yourself lost in the story. |