Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer

There are some books that are written to be read and then there are some that are written to viewed as well. When I sat on my couch to read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close I was reprimanded by one of my good friends (who had read the novel before) who told me I wasn't allowed to look at the pictures before I read the book. We "debated" this for a  while before I told him to leave me alone and to let me read my book.

I won't tell you who won that debate but both of us had equally applicable arguments. One of them being that the most exciting thing about this novel is how it is written. If you are not the kind of person who normally enjoys reading, try this one. Especially if you are a visual person. Foer wrote this novel not only to be read but to be looked at. Whether you look at it before or while you are reading the novel is irrelevant. The writing is interactive; so much so that it grabs your attention and involves you in the events that take place in a way that makes the book extremely moving to read.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a novel about a young boy, Oskar Schell, who embarks on a journey through New York City in search of meaning behind a key that he finds in an envelope at the bottom of a vase hidden in his father's closet. For Oskar, the journey is a way for him to connect with his father who passed away in the 9/11 incident.

Foer, through this novel, provides an understanding perspective on the effects of post traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression, and leaves the reader with a little more understanding of what those can really mean.

Foer has a way of involving readers in the trauma that this particular family has been through but he also involves you in their healing process and the results of that process. Oskar, himself, is such an endearing child that it's hard to reach the end of the novel and not feel emotionally tied to him and this is where Foer succeeds. He succeeds in drawing readers into the story, connecting them with the characters and in portraying his message across. That message being, evident in the abundance of symbols and motifs that pop up, that it is important to tell those you love that you love them.

The physical journey that Oskar goes on parallels with the emotional journey that his entire family are travelling on. And as the reader discovers the truth, with Oskar, they are also drawn to this family who are growing closer to one another as they learn from their lives and the people in them.

In the simplest terms, it is a love story.

- Allanah Osborn

Allanah Osborn is an obsessive reader who works for marketing in the BYU Bookstore.
If you would like to submit a book review, please contact us at bookstore_marketing@byu.edu

Have a Happy New Year!

It always awes me how fast time seems to go when a new year rolls around. I mean, in my head, I still feel like it's 2009. I don't feel even remotely grown up but then I look at my younger siblings and I realize just how fast our time goes when we're not looking. And yet, New Year's Day just feels like another day. Tomorrow is just another Wednesday.

Whatever it is that you do to celebrate the New Year, whether that be writing your New Year's Resolutions or even a bucket list, make sure you do celebrate it. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day aren't solely celebrations of man's ability to keep time but they celebrate something a little deeper than that. They celebrate life. They celebrate the fact that you have survived the problems, the mistakes, and the diversions. They celebrate that you are still growing. And maybe that's why we associate resolutions with this holiday. What are we going to do better this year? Are we going to stop doing something this year? Could be that we want to try something new. There are so many reflections on life and the way we live it that surface with this holiday and since reading and growing come hand in hand, I have created a short list of possible resolutions that have a whole lot to do with sticking your nose in a book.

Reading Resolutions:

• One short read a week. Think about it. Short novels, although sometimes fleeting, are so much fun to read. Maybe pick up a novella, or a collection of short stories or poetry. Read them when you have a few minutes between classes. Or when in bed, right before you fall asleep (supposedly that is better for you than playing on your phone). On Sunday afternoons, when you're procrastinating doing work because, I mean, it's Sunday. Read the short stuff and before you know it you have read 52 short novels in a year. That's pretty good.
• You could play on the same trend as the last resolution and read one long book every month. University classes do give us a lot to read but it's nice to balance that out with something that we chose to read.
• Read the favorite book of one of your loved ones. If it's someone's favorite, then it's bound to be at least an alright read. Simply ask them what it is and then spend your time reading it and you'd be surprised how much you can learn about someone by reading their favorite book. Plus you get a decent book to add to your repertoire.
• Read one of the trending books that people obsess over or read a book that neither you nor any of your acquaintances have even heard of. 
• Pick an author and read only their books during the year. If it's your favorite author or an author you really dislike. Spend this year taking your time to really get to know their writing inside out.
• Pick a new genre and read the best in that genre. If you're the kind of reader that only reads fantasy or young adult fiction maybe spend this next year only reading biographies or creative non-fiction or only flash fiction. There are so many interesting genres out there and it could be an interesting to step out of your reading bubble this year and try something new. You never know where you'll find your next favorite book.
• Educate yourself with all the classics or focus entirely on contemporary work.
• Pick a book with really good reviews but one that you normally would just pass over on the shelf.

There are lots of possible reading resolutions and these are only some of them but when writing your resolutions this year make sure you set aside time to make at least one reading resolution. And don't be afraid to be creative. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!!

We live in a society that is slowly driving Christ out of Christmas and to justify this transition we are often taught that Christmas is a time for charity, a time for love, but most importantly a time for family. Which is still an honorable approach to the holiday. However, even with this attitude Christmas is becoming more commercial and less purposeful.

Christmas morning is always exciting because of this but the afternoons tend to slow down. It is during this time that I think we can start bringing Christ back into our Christmas. Around this time, during the afternoon, I have the habit of picking up a book. It's the perfect way to get some downtime in without sleeping the entirety of Christmas Day away.

So, I would like to suggest a series of novels that help balance this dilemma. And that series is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Some of you may have read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader before but a fact that isn't as well known as it should be is that there are seven of them in total. Starting with The Horse and His Boy. Reading them again now that I'm older, it's interesting to see how Christ centered those novels are. C.S. Lewis is known for his religious writings but The Chronicles of Narnia have always been set aside as children's fiction. If you're looking for a novel to read on your lazy Christmas afternoon that doesn't distract from the meaning of Christmas, I suggest these books. Read only one or read them all, they are all short and quick but definitely worth the read.

In regards to Christmas I think both perspectives are important. Spend time with your family but also spend time with Christ. Read books that bring Christ back into your home.

Last Day of the Semester!

There's something about this weather that just makes me want to stay inside all of the time. When this time of year comes around I am always tempted to just become a hermit who only faces the cold winds when the pantry has run dry. Fortunately enough, exams are almost over and Christmas break is sneaking up on us and the hermit life is now a viable option. And think, all that free time.

I wish there was a class at BYU that allowed you to just sit and read. More accurately, I wish there was one that gave you credit for reading books of your choice, but unfortunately that concept isn't exactly one we can petition for. So, to say that I'm excited for Christmas break because of all the free time I will have to read is an understatement.

At the moment all sorts of companies, websites and book-lists are releasing their list of best books of 2013. Which is great if you're craving something new to read or need a last-minute gift for one of your siblings but I personally think that Christmas break is the perfect time to pull out that old favorite and read through it again.

Since I'm the one excited about all the free time let me also admit that Christmas is busy but in a fun way. And the evenings tend to be a little more laid back since we don't have papers to write or midterms to study for. So, why not pick up that well worn paperback sitting prominently on your bookshelf during the downtime? Give it another go.

If you're having a hard time deciding on what to read, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books are great ones to reread or introduce yourselves to. J.R.R Tolkien provides the perfect balance between good literature and just down-right adventure. There's something in them for everyone and I have yet to meet someone who hasn't enjoyed reading them.

If you've read these ones already and don't feel particularly inclined to read them again Tolkien's other lesser known novels, The Children of Hurin and The Silmarillion, are just as good and will be equally entertaining for the Christmas break.