I tried to make a list of my favorite books a few times until now. As you can guess, almost all of my trials were useless attempts since I would forget to write at some point or lost the list itself in my messy local disc.
Now that I am an all-grown-up person, I think it is a good time to make another attempt. Since I know that it would be unrealistic to go all the way to primary school and count every book I have read so far, I decided to prepare shortlists of books that I have read that year. Limiting the time to "one-year" will not only make the list easy to read and not too boring to follow but also it will be easier to track the changes in my literary preferences as I age. So, let me start with the list of 2019.
At the beginning of 2019, I was not happy with my reading habit because I seemed to read less than I used to. Thus, 2019 was the year that I try to get back on with my bookworm habits. To do so, I started with some light readings and select the books that will trigger my interest so that I keep reading. Here are the books that I like reading in 2019, without any specific order.
1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
I have read this work at the beginning of autumn after realizing that there is a TV-series based on this novel. Having read really good dystopias by Orwell and Bradbury before, I believed that I would enjoy this novel as well and eventually I really did enjoy.
Sexuality is a topic that has been discussed in similar works before. Most of them also introduce social classes in society, use sexual intercourse only to reproduce, deny the pleasure side of it and sometimes allow it only to lower classes. Others automize the reproduction system, just like in Brave New World, and use sex to create a euphoric effect on society breaking its relation to deeper emotions. What Atwood does in her novel is different since she focuses on the female view, motherhood, and maternal instincts during the transition to the totalitarian state.
2. Three Woman In A Mirror (La Femme Au Mirroir) by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
The name of this book captured my attention as I was wandering in a bookstore. It is a light reading consisting of three stories that start from different points but mix at the end. Each story has a different topic: The first one is about oneself's spiritualism. The second one is about the subconscious and the final one discusses addiction.
I like the third person narrative mixed with letters from the main characters. Hence, especially the first two stories refresh one's mind and encourage the reader to review his/her opinions on the discussed topic without building guilt or any other negative emotion but in a light and positive state of mind.
To be honest, the book is not one of my top beloved favorite books. However, I am glad that I have read it. It helped me keep connected to literary works when I am on a tight schedule and reminded me that even though each woman has a completely different background, characteristics and personality, we will always share similarities with each other.
3. Beyoglu Rhapsody (Beyoğlu Rapsodisi) by Ahmet Ümit
It was my first time reading any novel by Ahmet Ümit. A friend of mine recommended this book, as he knows that I am into criminal shows like CSI and stories of Sherlock Holmes. However, the book was very far from what I expected. Although Mr. Ümit is known for crime stories, this book was far more related to sights from Beyoğlu, a district in Istanbul, than the murder itself. Turkish literature has many poets and writers who expressed their love for Istanbul for various reasons. I truly believe that Ahmet Ümit is one of them. If you are also an Istanbul lover, the portrayal of the streets and the buildings are just for you. The book also gives some insight into the psychology of the characters and it has a surprize finale which the writer gives no clues about until the last 10 pages. However, if you are looking for a good mystery, you might want to consider other options. However, it is a nice and light reading to enjoy after busy days and to see an example of modern bestseller Turkish literary work.
4. Anthem by Ayn Rand
I am a big fan of Ayn Rand's works. The first novel I have read of hers was "The Fountainhead" which is one of my all-time favorite novels. Anthem is a dystopian novella in the form of a short journal. The main character, Equality 7-2521, lives in a society where individualism is systematically eliminated. He rebels by doing secret scientific research and discovers individuality after seeing how his work is threatened by society.
I believe everyone should read at least one of Ayn Rand's writings. Almost every society detests selfish actions and egoistic behavior. However, just like anything around us, selfishness can also be useful sometimes and it also deserves to be seen for its good sides. To understand what it can add to our lives and how we can use it for our benefit, Ayn Rand presents comprehensible examples in her writings. Hence, for ones who don't want to handle a thousand pages, such as in The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged, Anthem is a good option.
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