Assignment Two – Jessica Ewing

Here's a small list I've compiled of some of the books I've read over the last 12 months:

• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: Do I really need to say much on this book? I'm about seven or eight chapters in right now and I love it. Tolkien was a revolutionary author who solely defined the fantasy genre we see today. He's a completely invisible author in literature classes, though he did so much for fantasy and modern literature. There isn't a fantasy story you can find out there that doesn't develop some idea from Tolkien's works. Oh, and don't get me started on Tom Bombadil. I have so many theories about his character.
• A Game of Thrones: This is a book I started quite a while ago and had to put it down just based on a lack of free time I had and the sheer enormity of the series, but it's one that I need to pick up again. I'm a huge fan of the TV show and figured that I needed to read the books so I could understand all of the hidden details slipped into the show that the average viewer may not pick up on.
• The Teenage Brain: Yes, I know this was a summer assignment, and say what you will about it, but I adore psychology. It's actually what I want to pursue in college. It was such an interesting insight into the world of my own brain, and while it wasn't 100% accurate, as no book about the way "every" person's mind will be, it was incredibly well-researched and I could see how each of the little puzzle pieces fit together to help define the "teenage brain."
• Witness for the Prosecution: Now, I read the play and not the short story, but this murder mystery/court-room drama is still really interesting, As Agatha Christie always does, there's a weaving of intricate details tied into the story that you have to pay attention to as you read the story. Christie does an incredible job of piecing together the information for the reader while still leaving them completely unaware of who the culprit may be by the end of the story.