A Few Books I Would Recommend (April 5th, 2022)

One of the biggest challenges for any avid reader may be choosing what to read next. Libraries and book stores are stacked with thousands of different choices. No matter what our tastes or how fast we can read, it can be challenging to decide what to tackle next. And for every book we finish reading, we might discover five more we want to consume.

Here are a few that I’ve read within the past couple of months that I would recommend to readers. I’ve enjoyed all three immensely, and they cover a range of genres. You might find one of these to your liking.

1. “The House of Gucci: A True Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed” by Sara Gay Forden (2012)

The author covered the Italian fashion industry for about fifteen years, so she would probably be amongst the most qualified to write about the story of the Gucci brand. The book itself is not only extremely informative but also entertaining. It reads like a combination of the best in non-fiction writing and a multigenerational saga told in the form of a dramatic soap opera. This book details how a brand started humbly by a young Italian man filled with ambition grew into an international empire with ruthless infighting and quests for power amongst his descendants.

2. “Feeding the Rat” by A. Alvarez (1989)

While some people like those of the Gucci family may crave money or power, others simply crave adventure and perhaps also self-improvement. This non-fiction book details the life and adventures of Mo Anthoine, a mountain climber. The author himself, a man who wrote a variety of different works with subjects ranging from poetry to suicide to poker, actually joined Anthoine on multiple adventures and details them in this book. The book also delves into the childhood and life of the climber, going into the mindset of a man whose main desire is simply to keep climbing and seeking the next adventure.

3. “The Golden Compass: The Graphic Novel” adapted by Stéphane Melchior-Durand from the novel by Philip Pullman (2017)

One of my favorite book series of all time is Pullman’s “His Dark Materials,” and for as long as I can remember I have always loved comics and graphic novels. While ultimately I would recommend actually reading the original novels, this adaptation of “The Golden Compass,” the first in the “His Dark Materials” trilogy, is really good. The artwork is absolutely stunning, a true requirement when consuming any graphic novel. Ultimately this adaptation captures the spirit of the original novel, staying true to the characters, adventure, and themes of the story.

Recently a graphic novel adaptation of the second book in the series, “The Subtle Knife,” was also released.