Books For October


I love a good book, it's like you're being transported to a different world for a bit and you get to imagine it completely how you want. Although I haven't done a lot of reading lately, I thought I'd share some books that I've read in the past and not been able to put down because they're so good.




"A prelude to fame, Just Kids recounts the friendship of two young artists--Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe - whose passion fueled their lifelong pursuit of art. In 1967, a chance meeting between two young people led to a romance and a lifelong friendship that would carry each to international success never dreamed of. The backdrop is Brooklyn, Chelsea Hotel, Max's Kansas City, Scribner's Bookstore, Coney Island, Warhol's Factory and the whole city resplendent. Among their friends, literary lights, musicians and artists such as Harry Smith, Bobby Neuwirth, Allen Ginsberg, Sandy Daley, Sam Shepherd, William Burroughs, etc. It was a heightened time politically and culturally; the art and music worlds exploding and colliding. In the midst of all this two kids made a pact to always care for one another. Scrappy, romantic, committed to making art, they prodded and provided each other with faith and confidence during the hungry years--the days of cous-cous and lettuce soup. Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. Beautifully written, this is a profound portrait of two young artists, often hungry, sated only by art and experience. And an unforgettable portrait of New York, her rich and poor, hustlers and hellions, those who made it and those whose memory lingers near."

I'd never heard of Patti Smith before I picked up this book, but I'm sure glad it caught my attention. It's not a story book, it's like an auto-biography about the relationship between Patti Smith and her friend Robert Mapplethorpe. It's really interesting to read and I found myself intrigued with their life and where it was going. If you love a good true story, I'd highly recommend this.



"In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do East Coast family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt McKinley. Four months later his decomposed body was found by a party of moose hunters. What would possess a gifted young man recently graduated from college to literally walk away from his life? By examining the true story of Chris McCandless, a young man, who in 1992 walked deep into the Alaskan wilderness and whose SOS note and emaciated corpse were found four months later, internationally bestselling author Jon Krakauer explores the obsession which leads some people to explore the outer limits of self, leave civilization behind and seek enlightenment through solitude and contact with nature."

I bought this one after seeing the film. I always think that if the film is good then the book will be much better as they usually have so much more. The book documents the journey of a young man who decides to go out into the wild to live but is found months later dead alongside his journals, which are included in the book. It's a true story, which makes it that much more interesting. 



"Larten Crepsley's life as a human ends one grey day in the factory where he has worked since he was eight years old... and his life as a vampire begins! The first of a four book series, this charts Larten's early years as a vampire's assistant, and his formative experiences once he is blooded. We meet some familiar faces from The Saga Of Darren Shan, along with new characters who were instrumental in his growth. It all starts here!!"

I got given this one when I was a teenager but enjoyed it so much that I thought I'd included it here. It's definitely a book for young adults, but it's still good if you want something easy but interesting to read. Although if you're not a fan of vampires, I'd stay clear of it.



"As the story opens, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned unexpectedly to deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Within minutes of his arrival, however, the night takes a bizarre turn. A disturbing object–artfully encoded with five symbols–is discovered in the Capitol Building. Langdon recognizes the object as an ancient invitation… one meant to usher its recipient into a long-lost world of esoteric wisdom. When Langdon’s beloved mentor, Peter Solomon–a prominent Mason and philanthropist–is brutally kidnapped, Langdon realizes his only hope of saving Peter is to accept this mystical invitation and follow wherever it leads him. Langdon is instantly plunged into a clandestine world of Masonic secrets, hidden history, and never-before-seen locations–all of which seem to be dragging him toward a single, inconceivable truth."

I don't know about you but I love a good Dan Brown book, I was given this one for my birthday and immediately got glued to it. If you love mystery and drama, all wrapped up in codes and symbols, then this is the book for you.

I really enjoyed these books, I hope you do too. I didn't want to say too much about them, partly because I don't remember details and partly because I don't want to ruin it for you. Getting wrapped up in a good book is the best thing, especially at this time of year. What books are you reading? Let me know in the comments! I also have a Goodreads too, so you can follow me there if you'd like to see what else I'm reading.



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