Book Recommendations: What to Read When You’re Sick of Class Assignments
By Aurora Soriano
Despite it being only about three weeks into the semester,the college course load is already starting to feel overwhelming. Midterms areright around the corner, and class assignments seem to get longer with eachpassing day. Considering that some of the stress of assignments can be due tolengthy textbook readings, it may seem like reading for pleasure during yourfree time would not be the optimal way to relieve stress as a college student.
However, University of Sussex studies have shown thatreading can actually reduce your stress by 68%, and even better, just sixminutes of reading is enough to do it. So next time you’re stuck on a longtrain ride, wanting to think about anything other than school, consider readingsomething not on your syllabus and escaping for a few minutes into a differentworld that’s waiting in the pages for you.
Below are some recommendations by both booksellers andstudents at CCNY of what books to consider picking up this semester!
Student Recommendations:
Olivia Murphy, a senior majoring in Sociology and Theatre:
“I have been reading James Baldwin's If Beale Street Could Talk. It’s been hard to fit into my schedule,but to sit and read on a lazy Sunday afternoon is the most wonderful feeling.He’s an intense writer but he takes you into the story and you get swept awayfrom your personal worries.”
Angelica Sumner, a senior majoring in Theatre Performance:
“I love to read everything. At the moment, I’m bouncingbetween Dracula, adapted by WilliamMcNulty, and The Ethical Slut byDossie Easton and Janet Hardy. The plays I read throughout the year are reallyto keep my enthusiasm for stories alive. TheEthical Slut is both for personal exploration into my own sexualpreferences and for professional, educational purposes.”
Katie Herchenroeder, a third-year double majoring in International Studies and Sociology, as well as being The Campus’s very own Editor-in-Chief, recommends Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay:
“Through Roxane Gay’s use of intersectionality andintrospection, she allows the reader to feel at once comfortable in their ownfeminism and uncomfortable in the ways they still must grow. With each turn ofthe page, I felt like I was laughing, learning, and allowing myself to beimperfect in some ways, while extremely staunch in others. Overall, Gay finds abalance between fun and anger that pulls the reader in, while not leaving themfeeling like they wasted valuable time on recreational reading.”
As I work at a bookstore, Book Culture on Broadway, Ithought it would also be appropriate to get another bookseller’srecommendation.
My coworker, Grainne Daly, who is a 2nd year Psychology graduate student at The New School, recommends Circe by Madeline Miller:
“For a retelling of an Ancient Greek myth, the tone issurprisingly modern. The book is fast-paced, I read it in maybe 4 days,poignant, beautifully written, and has a bunch of action and a good bit ofmagic thrown in. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking to escape theworld and get lost in Ancient Greece.”
And finally, I’m a senior here at CCNY, majoring in English, and I recommend A People’s Future of the United States - edited by Victor LaValle and John Joseph Adams.
A recent 2019 release, the book is a collection of shortstories written by a diverse group of skilled, speculative fiction writers. Asthe back-cover states, each of these stories “challenge oppression and envisionnew futures for America.” It especially addresses marginalized communities’fears for what the future will look like for them, considering how dystopiantheir present already feels. This collection does not always present a hopefulview of the future, but it is still giving an option of some future, one wherehumanity will be resilient despite it all, which is, in some ways, hopeful andincredibly powerful. Short story collections are always a great option for whenyou do not have a lot of time to read, and these stories will certainly keepyour attention, as they are engaging, disorienting, enlightening, and all tooreal.
+Bonus: I always recommend a Young Adult book or seriesbecause I think that while they’re no less well written, they are usually quickpage turners and I think more people should be willing to give them a try!
My YA recommendation is a four-book series titled The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater.The worldbuilding and fantasy concept of TheRaven Cycle is unlike anything I have ever read before. It will pull you inwith its quest for dead Welsh kings, magical forests, dreamers, and ghosts tothe point where you will realize that you’ve finished all four books in onesitting, and that you’ve been left with a longing for an adventure of your own.It tackles topics of gender, sexuality, and class while creating complex,flawed characters that feel so tangibly real to the reader. Even more, it isthe combination of compelling characters, a unique plot, subversive tropes, andengaging writing that make it a piece I would recommend to anyone looking to escapeinto the pages of a book.
All in all, there are some great recommendations here, butof course, pick up whatever book feels right to you! When buying books,consider that there are some lovely local bookstores in the area, includingRevolution Books on 437 Malcolm X Blvd, Sister’s Uptown Bookstore on 1942Amsterdam Ave, and Book Culture on 2915 Broadway or 536 W 112th St.
Author’s Note: Even as a non-resident, any student attending a college or working in New York State can apply for a free New York Public Library card. NYPL and other libraries also have free eBooks and audiobooks accessible to those with library cards.
