I read Station Eleven (2014) by Emily St. John Mandel at the suggestion of my blogging friend Naomi of Consumed by Ink. I listened to it as I drove to and from school a few weeks ago, and the story, both post-apocalyptic and ordinary captivated me. It centers around an actor named Arthur who dies... Continue Reading →
I first remember hearing about Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) from my friend Valerie. She mentioned it during a book club that we both belonged to, and I was intrigued by it. However, it took me a few years to get to it. I ended up reading Atwood’s The Blind Assassin (2000) first. That’s... Continue Reading →
One of my students this summer suggested that I read Brave New World (1932) by Aldous Huxley. I obliged him. And then I realized that it is book #58 on the BBC book list, so I killed two birds with one stone: pleasing people and checking a book off of my list. I can’t decide... Continue Reading →
I read George Orwell’s 1984 (1949), number 8 on the BBC book list, last summer for the first time. This surprised a student of mine, one of the only students I have encountered over the years who was actually majoring in English. I teach English 1010, Introduction to College Writing, and my students usually consist... Continue Reading →
Cloud Atlas, number 82 on the BBC book list, is one of the strangest books I have ever read. My sister loaned it to me after she read it for a college class. At the time, I was a new stay-at-home mom and had a tiny baby who didn’t do much but eat, cry, and... Continue Reading →
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 