Welcome to the final chapter of the book column. It has been a year full of reading and buying books, and I would like to dedicate this final chapter to a review of a year of reading. This column will provide readers with a definitive list of the best books of the year and what is still to come.
With stores like Bloomington’s Half Price Books to The Corner Bookstore, students are able to get their hands on new, trendy young adult novels, as well as classics and comfort for the stressed student soul.
At the beginning of the school year, authors such as Stephen King and Hillary Clinton released new books that did well on the shelves. They were quickly followed by John Green, who continued his success with the release of “Turtles All The Way Down.”
It isn’t only big names in writing who have had good years in the literary world, but authors who are just starting out have been doing well too, including authors in our own backyard. I’ve interviewed 13 authors this semester. Of these 13, over half have been IU graduates or affiliates.
These IU authors have published everything from coloring books to young adult novels. All of their books are still available in major bookstores and on Amazon.
I’ve provided lists for the best books to read for every time of the year: spring break, Christmas and summer break. Last week’s column had a list of books releasing this summer.
Of course, a school year is only so long, and I wasn’t able to feature every author who reached out to me. I'd like to give them some shout-outs.
“The Tomb and the Stone” by Tristra Newyear is a fantastical novel about a Russian woman on the search for the tomb of Genghis Khan.
“Elevate: An Essential Guide to Life” by Joseph Deitch is a great read for graduating seniors who need inspiration for the next step.
“The Entrepreneurs Funding Guide” by Dr. Aby Mamboleo explains the best places to find $100,000 to fund a business.
“On Islam: Muslims and Media” from the IU Press just celebrated its book launch. The authors collected journal entries and writings about how Muslims are portrayed in the media today and how their representation will look in the future.
“A Surgeon’s Odyssey” by Dr. Richard Moss takes readers on a journey through a young doctor's experience practicing in East Asian countries. Moss graduated from IU in 1981.
“Marital Advice to my Grandson Joel” by Peter Davidson is a book adapted from a blog. Davidson created the blog when his grandson got engaged, and he continues to share his relationship wisdom with the world.
Although I wasn’t able to personally interview all of these authors about their books and their experiences, I still recommend students add their books to their summer reading lists if the topics and titles sound interesting.
All of these authors worked very hard to bring life to their books. With the wide range of stories featured, there is sure to be a book for every reader.
Thank you for a great year of reading. The end.
