Crimson & Crowley: Hot reads for the summertime

Spending your time in meaningful ways can be a daunting task during the summer break, but with these suggestions you’ll be able to spend at least part of your time in more substantive ways than watching a “Toddlers & Tiaras” marathon.

You’ve just spent yet another semester thrashing away at the ol’ gray matter with lots of reading for your academically challenging curriculum. Why not press the attack while your brain is on the ropes?

Try reading a classic novel, like Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22.” It’s one of the great anti-war novels in addition to “A Farewell To Arms” and “All Quiet on the Western Front.”

Heller’s World War II novel is as funny and heartbreaking as anything by
Kurt Vonnegut.

P.G. Wodehouse is another great writer; any of his novels or collections or short stories are definitely worth your time.

Wodehouse was one of the favorite writers of “Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy” author Douglas Adams. It’s easy to see why since they share a similar comic
sensibility.

It’s a shame Wodehouse is sometimes overlooked purely because he wrote stories with a strong comedic bent.

His prose is just a pleasure to read. There’s at least one good chortle to be had in any of his sentences.

Reading a classic novel can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with the customs or slang of the time. But even if it proves challenging, at least you can be proud of yourself for taking on more demanding literature.

Another way of challenging your ideas might be to read a few comic books or graphic novels. There’s a perception that comics are focused solely on capes and tights and are written for children and people who still live with their parents. “Superhero” is only one genre in comics.

The focus of a comic or a graphic novel could be anything: autobiographical, historical or based on existing sources.

Take Warren Ellis’ “Transmetropolitan,” for example. It’s a cyberpunk comic series starring Spider Jerusalem, a character based on gonzo journalist Hunter S.
Thompson.

Although it’s set in the future, Ellis raises questions about ethics, our reliance on technology and the nature of government.

Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series “Scott Pilgrim” is one of the most charming comics to come out in the last decade. If you’ve seen the movie but haven’t read the graphic novels, they are well worth checking out.

There’s more to the series than the title character battling the seven evil exes of the beautiful Ramona Flowers in order to be her boyfriend. It’s about how difficult and frightening it can be to find your place in the world. It’s a series that will resonate with those who have graduated and find themselves unsure of what their next step will be.

Summer is a chance to get outside your comfort zone. When the fall semester starts up, you’ll be so overwhelmed by work that you won’t have much time for outside interests.

College will be over sooner than you think; so take advantage of the leisure time summer provides and read something.