Reading Makes Me Sleepy

One of my favorite books of all time has to be 1984 by George Orwell, especially because it reflects my own anti-aithoritarian politics. Being 23, my politics were formed during the troubling Bush administration, and that was the time when I stumbled upon 1984. It was incredibly relevant at the time and continues to maintain it's relevance today, as depressing as that is. It was a warning about what was to come and it seems much of it seems to be coming true today, from the big brother cameras to the doublespeak that is creeping into our language and politics.

One of the few classics I still keep dear to my heart was Huckleberry Finn, which not only had the adventure story characteristics most young boys enjoy but also had a sociological aspect that a nerd like me loves to delve into. This book turned me onto Mark Twain and to me it represents the zenith of American literature. I really enjoyed the fact that a young white kid in the antebellum south not only became friends with Jim, who was a slave, but ended up trying to protect him and never turned him in despite what the larger society taught him. To me this book represents the old America like nothing else, and Twain portrayed it in a very realistic and moving way.

Finally, as a history nerd and agnostic, I loved the Age of Reason by Thomas Paine. What I love most about the book was that he put his stellar reputation on the line to go after one of the biggest sacred cows of all time, religion. He put forth a logical argument against the dogmatic beliefs many hold dear and for that Paine had to deal with many personal repurcutions. His booked sparked intense ire from the populace and in the US, Paine's name was tarnished beyond repair. I personally respect him for his impact on the spread of democratic ideals but his views on religion puts him over the top. He was no atheist, since he came from a Deistic perspective, so I relate to him even more. A true maverick and liberal of his time.