My Top 7, In No Particular Order

1. Truman, David McCullough—This was the first biography I read and at over 1,000 pages, I was not particularly looking forward to it. However, the writing style was very good and the length instead made the book more detailed, interesting, and involving instead of boring.
2. 1984, George Orwell—With its great insights into political philosophy, this book is one of my favorites, especially because of the way Orwell integrates the theme into the plot.
3. Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger—To be honest, when I first read this book I absolutely hated it. I did not like the character of Holden Caulfield and did not really understand what the book was trying to do. However, after analyzing the book in Mrs. Driscoll’s class, I gradually began to understand the book, and it opened a whole new way of looking at literature for me.
4. A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess—This book’s use of an anti-heroic protagonist really made the story involving for me. Even though the main character was evil, the way he told the story diminished the repulsiveness of his actions, which was both fascinating and creepy in a way. The fabricated Nadsat slang also made the book more interesting.
5. Sphere, Michael Crichton—This book is memorable to me simply because of the plot. It also presents a somewhat cliché perspective on human nature in a creative way.
6. The Road, Cormac McCarthy—Cormac McCarthy’s diction and writing style simply brings this novel to life. Also, the character development is extremely good and I was really able to feel and understand the relationship between the father and the son.
7. Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card—Overall a good sci-fi novel though the twist-ending really makes this novel. I read the rest of the series also, but none quite matched the quality and excitement of Ender’s Game.