Recommendation Friday #16

Hey Guys! So These weeks keep coming faster than I can keep up, and I’ve been in a reading slump and, well, I’m not quite sure what to recommend to be honest. I’m sitting here trying to think of awesome books I’ve read and don’t want to hand over something TOO recent. But I think I’m going to throw up a classic I read in High School that I really enjoyed. I know a lot of people who read YA as they get into that “New Adult” phase find themselves wanting to read more and more classics (which is totally what I find myself doing most days).

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.

“Of Mice and Men takes us into the lives of George and Lennie, two farm workers set out to find their way to a new life. In true Steinbeck form, this short novel explores both loyalty and the transient nature of mankind.”

So,  I like many others read this in High School. I absolutely thought it was a work of art then, and now. Up there with 1984, I find that I’m more drawn to Of Mice and Men. I love the way Steinbeck uses imagery and just engrains every single detail in your head. And as many know, this book is quite the emotional ride.

But it’s not that, that makes this book amazing. I find it amazing that Steinbeck touches upon so many things, some that become a big concept to grab later in the future. Steinbeck shows the struggle of life during the Great Depression and how times like that bring people together. Steinbeck shows us the true meaning of friendship and how even though someone may not grasp reality and or be the same mentally, physically, emotionally as you, there’s room in one’s heart to show that person brotherly love and become the best of friends and be there for them when they need you most. Although, many may argue my point due to the ending of the book, and how many times have a wanted to just re-write the ending to this book… it’s still a complete work of art.

Love, Loss, Loneliness, Friendship, Brotherhood, Hard Times, Hard Work, Affection, Pain, and Happiness…all conveyed in a brief amount of pages but so pungently written about topics. Of Mice and Men is truly the masterpiece of classics in my eyes.