Coming end of the year 2020, I would like to write a short post about the books I’ve enjoyed the most out of the 40 books I’ve read throughout this year. This is a personal recommendation post and I do not intend to rank them based on preference.
Logicomix; by Apostolos doxiadis Chistros Papadimitriou
This is a graphic novel on the life story of Bertrand Russell — philosopher, mathematician and logician. I have been in love with Russell since first reading his article, three passions, in high school. So I recommend reading that as well.
The importance of being earnest; by Oscar Wilde
Wilde’s play. It’s ridiculously funny and all of the plot just leads up to a really bad pun in the end.
Lust, Caution; by Ailin Zhang
Ailin’s fictions usually depict a woman and her tragic love affair. The lack of anatomy over their own love life is emblematic of women’s status in the old society.
Reading Lolita in Tehran; by Azar Nafisi
A resigned professor in Iran picked some of her students and started a secret literature class. Reading through Nabokov’s Lolita, Fitzgerald’s the great Gatsby and the works of Henry James, as the revolution unfolds in Tehran. This book itself has no less value than the literature works it discusses.
The knot book; by Collin Adams
An introductory text to knot theory, very well written and assumes little prior knowledge.
The Washington Square; by Henry James
James’ plots are simplistic and bland at first glance. Our heroine is a wealthy, bland looking girl, she is neither incredibly intelligent nor witty. However, there is such dignity and kindness in how she handled betrayal and deception. Reading this novel had been genuinely empowering.
Rebecca; by Daphne du Maurier
A cliche romance story turned into a horror suspense fiction. There is a major twist in the story so I won’t spoil it for you. What’s interesting is that the narrator is never referred to by her name throughout the book, as if she had no identity of her own. My friend and I watched a movie adaptation of this novel directed by Hitchcock, I can confirm that the adaptation does the original work justice.
