Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (28)

A lot of memoirs I've read lately have tried to balance guilt and regret with humor. Self-deprecation is easier to take with a spoonful of humor.

Miller doesn't try to alleviate the vulnerability in Blue Like Jazz with jokes. The book is full of his mistakes and he shares some very personal thoughts, but it never feels intrusive or uncomfortable, perhaps because it is so introspective. Miller is really pondering himself, his motivations, and his past. He really cares about knowing what he believes and treating other people with love and respect.

What I like best about Blue Like Jazz is that it reminded me, during a very selfish portion of my life, that I really need to care about the people around me. I need to stop letting little things bother me, show my affection in actions, and really admit my mistakes. Blue Like Jazz is about spiritual mystery and Miller's rise to spiritual, emotional, and social maturity.

Yeah, yeah, I know. I grew up in the church and just got to reading this book two years after college.

Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann (17)

Let The Great World Spin, a mosaic of stories in the tunnels of New Yorkers lives, is the best Manhattan-based novel I've read. The characters are caricatures, cliches, and exaggerations of New Yorkers. The story I liked best was the one with the most regular characters - a group of mothers meeting to commiserate over the loss of their sons in Vietnam. It was full of the tension, uncertainly, awkwardness and regret of real life.

It is a quick read because it is precisely written, with paragraphs of concrete examples pulled from characters' thoughts. It is also a good, fulfilling read, and pretty much worth all the hype.

Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (3)

Cat's Cradle buttered my Kurt Vonnegut muffin, so to speak. I was forewarned about the plot's "mind-fuck", but not about the satirical hilarity. The plot didn't blow my mind, though, since I am a huge science fiction fan and adore post-apocalyptic musing. Vonnegut's endless humor was addicting, and I finished the book almost immediately.

For all the unusual thoroughness of the novel, including a fictional religion, imagined co-creator of the atom bomb, and fake island nation that are all so detailed you could practically convert and move there, the characters are empty. The only bit of emotional realism I remember revolves around the princess of the island, who loves and is loved by all. Even after the end of the world, the despair of the narrator and survivors is a side note. The priority is clearly parody, rather than plot or characters. And more than anything, it is a commentary on religion. John-call-me-Jonah, the narrator, misunderstands Christian theology enough to leave that faith to follow the same ideas in the fictional Bokononism. I wasn't a Lit major in college, and so do not have the benefits of reading the Sparknotes here, but it seems more like Vonnegut's misunderstanding than him writing the character's mistake. (Welcome any corrections here. I'm not a professional)

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (2)

The Alchemist is swift and grand. It sweeps over a transcontinental journey, enormous life changes, and vast philosophies without wordiness. Brevity is power, and the book quickly snared my affection. A seminarian becomes a shepherd (symbolism!) out of wanderlust, dreams of a great treasure and forsakes the safety of familiarity on a mission to complete his life's narrative. It is an adventurous, romantic, philosophical coming-of-age tale in 167 pages. Every character was likable, even the thieves and bandits. How could I hate them, knowing they were each an important part of Santiago's quest?

The story is warm, the writing poetic and the message inspiring, despite the pantheism. I consumed this book and felt nourished and encouraged. It is an optimistic fantasy, but surprisingly pertinent. Discovering desires we have suppressed, resisting the easy routine, trusting instincts, accepting opportunities, conquering disappointments on the way to a higher goal - it is the most enjoyable self-improvement book I have read yet. Some might think it is too idealistic or too pagan. They wouldn't be wrong. But with captivating images, charming characters and a satisfying conclusion, there is only everything to love about this short book.