October Favorites: A Trio of Reads that Inspired, Entertained, and Informed

I read The Drifters for the first time when I was in ninth grade and it was such a big inspiration for me. This book is one of the reasons that I decided to study international business at a school across the country from my hometown and why it was so important to me to study abroad for a semester. This was my mom’s favorite book which is why I read it. I think the fact that it’s now both of our favorite books says a lot.

The book explores the story of six people of all different backgrounds randomly meeting in a small town called Torremolinos in Spain. The first character is Joe. He is a young American who is hoping to avoid being drafted for the Vietnam War. The next character is Britta, a young Norweigan girl tired of her drab city and looking for excitement. Then we meet Monica, who used to be royalty but is now running away and hoping to cause trouble. Cato attended the University of Pennsylvania until his girlfriend was stabbed and murdered and he went on the run. Next is Yigal, a hero of the Six-Day War between Israel and the Arabs. He’s trying to find where he fits into the world. Last is Gretchen who is from Boston and after witnessing a riot she wants to travel the world. These characters end up traveling all around together from Spain, to Portugal, to Morocco where they find their fates. They encounter drugs, other characters, and more challenges. Their fates are all different. Some are good, and others are not so good. A lot of the different behaviors are a reflection of their backgrounds and the morals that each one was brought up to believe in. 

Although the main theme of this novel is about the generation and culture at the time, when I read the book for the first time, I was just so inspired by the freedom and curiosity of these characters. I was fascinated with the idea of going on an adventure with people of all different backgrounds. And I think it has helped shape me into the curious person that I am today. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is looking for inspiration in this department and just anyone who wants a good read.

This memoir written by Tara Westover tells the story of the author’s journey from a Mormon family in rural Idaho to pursuing an education. 

Tara Westover lives with a father who doesn’t trust the government, doctors, the education system, etc. She works in his junkyard where she, her brothers, and her father get many injuries but aren’t able to see any doctors. Luckily her mother is a midwife and “healer.” There’s also no one to go to when Tara is abused by her family members. Her brothers slowly start to leave home and eventually one comes home to tell the tale of how he got an education. With this, Tara recognizes that her life will be richer if she can think freely and so she seeks out a new life. She studies on her own until she can attend Brigham Young University and from there she flourishes. 

To put it bluntly, Westover endures absolute craziness from her family, especially her bipolar father. As I read the memoir, I was blown away by the life that she lived. This book was truly eye-opening for me. If you haven’t already, I recommend everyone read this book to broaden their horizons of some of the types of lives that are being lived in this world. This book primarily made me see the many simple things that I take for granted such as my education and a safe home life. That is one of the best things about reading, it helps the reader understand things outside of their own life. This is what frightens me so much about the book banning that is becoming more popular throughout the United States. If we don’t read about lives, customs, and beliefs that are different from our own we will never have empathy or understanding for others.