Genre Reflections and Plans

I have read various works of literature from a variety of genres over the past three quarters, but as my genre requirements for each quarter I have read memoir, mystery, and classic genres. This leaves me with the Historical fiction/ play/ poetry genre still remaining to be completed in the fourth quarter. This year of fulfilling genre requirements has lead me to read certain types of books I never thought I would enjoy before. Reading many different styles of literature has given me a sense of diversity and opened up my eyes to genres such as mystery and nonfiction that I had previously doubted my interest in. The Dan Brown Davinci Code series, consisting of The Davinci Code, Angels & Demons, and The Lost Symbol lead me to realize how intriguing and exciting a well-written a descriptive mystery can be. However despite my many realizations of love for new genres this quarter, I have also found that I prefer classics and memoirs most of all. Sense and Sensibility as well as Mrs. Dalloway, Emma, Breakfast at Tiffany's and many other classics have gotten me hooked on the genre. I find the language of classics very vivid and challenging, yet pleasing to read; they transport me to another world and another time, which I guess I love so much because thats part of what reading is for me and what I really look for in a book, an escape. Eat Pray Love and The Last Lecture, though differing greatly in their subjects, are two memoirs that stuck with me because they weren't just the everyday life story, they were both about life-changing experiences told through voices which are very conversational. You feel like you know the authors in both cases and almost wish you had a personal connection with them or were somehow apart of their journey, but their books make you feel like you are by putting the reader right in the middle of their real-life scenarios. I have to say my favorite book for the quarter was Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert because I've never before read a story where the author is so openly honest, vividly descriptive, and down to earth as Gilbert is in this book. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a transformative and fun read. Overall I think this quarter went pretty well in independent reading standards and look forward to fulfilling what remains for the forth quarter.