Molly, Avondale Librarian and Administrative Assistant
I really enjoy our “Classic Literature” shelf at Avondale, where we have books, plays, and poems that are widely considered to be important and well-known titles. We have a copy of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, which is one of my favorite novels. I’m a fan of antiwar literature, and this book is one of the best. Vonnegut was a genius, and I appreciate how he imbued his work with humor and sass while also speaking truthfully about humanity’s capabilities for destruction and evil.
Another great find on the Classics shelf is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I actually read this book in AP World Lit my senior year of high school, and it’s stuck with me in the years since then. I love McCarthy’s novels, and much of my own writing has been influenced by his writing style. I could not put The Road down––I finished the entire book in one sitting. It’s very dark and haunting, but if you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction and are okay with a little gruesomeness, it is above all a beautiful story about paternal love and hope.
Another one of my favorites is a copy of The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner. Alice in Wonderland is my mom’s favorite book, and I loved reading it when I was younger and poring over the original Tenniel illustration. I like The Annotated Alice because it has the texts of both Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, as well as illustrations and some commentary.
Maya, Lincoln Park Librarian and Social Media Management
I’m a huge thriller fan, so both of my picks are mystery novels! The first, Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, is one that always flies off the shelves––and for good reason. Flynn turned the mystery genre on its head with this novel. It’s completely unexpected, highly suspenseful, and a brilliantly-written insight into a woman’s psyche. A must-read for any mystery fan!
My second pick is Luckiest Girl Alive, by Jessica Knoll. Like Gone Girl, this novel also centers around a woman’s experience, but also delves a little deeper into how trauma can affect one’s life as an adult. Reading this novel can be at times an uncomfortable, almost visceral experience, but I also enjoyed its rawness and honesty.