Time flies, three months have rushed by, and this blog is surprisingly the last one of the term. I’ve really enjoyed reading, writing, and discussing with all of you this term, and have heard so many interesting ideas and perspectives. My expectation for myself at the beginning of the term was to read as much as I could, because it was really a rare opportunity to have a complete course to give me a taste of works from different countries and cultures. Therefore, I have chosen 11 books for this term. Of course, there were some difficulties in the middle of the term, for example, too many midterms and slow reading speed. Now, coming to the last week of the term, I am also proud that I did stick to it and managed to read 11 books!
Also, I really like the format of the class. From reading, to reflecting, to discussing, I feel like I’m chewing on a book over and over again. Honestly, before this course, I usually just read a book once. However, when I needed to write a blog, I had to recall the main points of the book in my head again and try to organize the logic to complete the blog. While taking the class, I was also able to often pick up on details that I hadn’t noticed while reading, which deepened my understanding of a book over and over again. It’s a way of reading that I think I’ll continue to do, and I’ve been very impressed with these 11 books.
I have also improved my reading speed and time planning skills by taking this class. It’s actually quite a pain in the ass when homework, exams and reading are going on at the same time. So, I got into the habit of reading before bed. This habit of reading at a fixed time also allowed me to escape from stress.
My favorite book was The Shrouded Woman, where the writer switched back and forth between the three points of view as if she were making me watch a movie, and the book placed emphasis on portraying the female psyche and physiology and was written entirely from female’s point of view. The opposite of this is Money to Burn. What I hated most about its willingness was that I didn’t see any respect for women at all in this book, and I can’t say that the book was bad, I can only say that I felt uncomfortable when I read it as a female reader.
I was wondering what your least favorite book is?
“This habit of reading at a fixed time also allowed me to escape from stress“. This is wonderful. I think having achieved this makes this whole term worth it, on our part! Thank you for allowing us to share this time with you.
Hi Yiwen, thank you for sharing. It is great that your speed in reading and time organization has improved as a result of this course, and most notably, it helped you dealing with stress. It seems like a new hobby for you to continue to endeavour. To your response, I think my least favourite book was probably Combray? It was the first book, and what I remember was that it was a dreadful read because the style of the writing made it so hard to follow.
Hi Yiwen! I totally agree with you about the format of the class. It’s like we’re really sinking our teeth into each book, chewing on the ideas and themes through reading, reflecting, and discussing. It’s a whole new way of engaging with literature, and it’s been eye-opening for me too!
Thank you for your comment!