Taylor Bui is a pre-law senior majoring in history and political science. His top five is a mix of popular and unusual tastes.
1. “Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Verne
“It has a little bit of everything a reader could possibly ask for; it is an adventure novel with drama, romance, and intrigue. It’s a mix of an easy-to-read novel that has a complex depth to it. This is one of those books that everyone has heard about, but few people actually ever pick up the novel. Every time I travel I take it with me.”
2. “The Perks of Being a
Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky
“I read this book first in high school ... It’s a story of coming-of-age and learning about yourself. Reading it from an older perspective, it’s definitely a book of self-discovery and self-identification ... Coming to terms with our past and our future.”
3. “The Book of Awesome”
by Neil Pasricha
“This book stemmed from an online blog ... about a guy who points out all the little things in life that are awesome. I think it’s a great book because it frames everything we take for granted in our life that we could look at to make us happy. I like to read it when I’m down because it makes you take a look around and brings into perspective the happiness that’s all around us that sometimes we ignore. It’s great because you don’t have to read it from front to back; you can jump around. I love it.”
4. The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
“I’m a history major so I love everything old and historic, especially anything about the founding of the U.S. and the Constitution. I think it’s important for a potential lawyer and citizen to read these because it defines what the Constitution is and what it means to be a citizen in this country. These are the people who framed the Constitution ... If we are to continue to work within the frames of the Constitution, we need to know why it was written the way it was. As an attorney, you can best protect the rights around and ensure justice only if you understand the Constitution.”
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5. “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” By J.K. Rowling
“It’s my go-to (novel). This is one of my favorites because it’s fun ... I think even though we’re college students reading academic books, we need to be reminded of the innocence of our youth and not everything needs to be stressful all the time. It has depth and meaning for those who care to look for it, and it is also just a great story to read. I like this one because it introduces characters that are really important to Harry, like Sirius and Remus. This book was always very profound because the story begins to take that turn toward the more complex part of it. It becomes more mature at this point.”
Skylar Griego is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @DailyLobo
