no. 10, 11, 12 & 13 of 52

I'm so behind on posting my completed books for the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge. I haven't posted any since February! Here's a summary of the books I read in March:

Columbine by Dave Cullen
Ten years in the making and a masterpiece of reportage, Columbine is an award-winning journalist's definitive account of one of the most shocking massacres in American history.

It is driven by two questions: what drove these killers, and what did they do to this town?

To sum it up: best non-fiction book I've ever read. So much research went into this book...I loved how the story skipped around in time and was told from different perspectives. I couldn't believe how much I thought I knew about the massacre wasn't actually true at all. It was really eye-opening. I recommend this book to everyone.



Push by Sapphire

Claireece Precious Jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat, unloved and generally unnoticed. So what better way to learn about her than through her own, halting dialect.

To sum it up: unique voice, shocking story. I had trouble reading this one because of the writing style, but at the same time, I understand that the uniqueness of the narration made the novel. Precious' heart-breaking life was very difficult to read about.



Night by Elie Wiesel

A terrifying account of the Nazi death camp horror that turns a young Jewish boy into an agonized witness to the death of his family...the death of his innocence...and the death of his God. Penetrating and powerful, Night awakens the shocking memory of evil at its absolute and carries with it the unforgettable message that this horror must never be allowed to happen again.

To sum it up: simple writing, haunting, horrific story. I read this whole book in one sitting and each page became more and more unbelievable. It made me angry, sad and appalled all at the same time. It's a heart-breaking, must-read book.



Karma and Other Stories by Rishi Reddi

In this sparkling collection, award-winning writer Rishi Reddi weaves a multigenerational tapestry of interconnected lives, depicting members of an Indian American community struggling to balance the demands of tradition with the allure of Western life.

To sum it up: quick read, believable characters, interesting setting. I really liked this short story collection and enjoyed the writing style very much. I love Jhumpa Lahiri, and although I didn't love this collection as much as Interpreter of Maladies, I definitely recommend it.



I'll post about my April books soon!