Since it is my last column this semester, I would like to recommend some really good summer reading.
For those of you who like stories that give you goosebumps, I suggest Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind. His novel was first published in German in 1985 and tells the creepy, sad story of Jean-Baptist Grenouille.
Grenouille, a vile and monstrous genius, creeps around Paris during the 18th century. Armed with an extraordinary nose, he hunts for odours so he can become the best perfumer in the world.
When he notices that he has no body scent, he starts to collect ingredients for a perfume that invokes love. Knowing perfumes can manipulate people, Grenouille wants to gain attention and control by making it. In order to get the perfect ingredients, he murders young, pretty girls whose sweet smells attract the attention of his nose.
If you think this sounds too creepy, try Henri Charrière’s compelling autobiography. First published in 1969 in French, Papillon is a mixture between Robinson Crusoe and The Count of Monte Cristo (other books worth reading). Henri Charrière, called Papillon, is unfairly convicted to life-long forced labour on an island close to French Guyana. Before his arrival on the island, the intrepid Charrière already has escape plans.
Papillon is not only an entertaining, suspenseful adventure story, but it also encourages critical thinking about the way society decides over individual lives in the name of justice. And when you’re done reading the book, you can watch the 1973 movie of the same name with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman.
My third recommendation is The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I think it should be on an international “must-have-read” list. This wonderful little book was published in 1943 and translated into many languages.
The story itself is a fairytale and poem – it is abstract, but at the same time realistic. The words the author uses are like balm for your soul. Or, to rephrase John R. Miller (publisher of the American school version of The Little Prince), The Little Prince belongs to a category of books that both children and adults like. Regardless of age, the readers find agreement and gain. Their imagination, their intelligence and their heart always find a new richness in it.
I hope you’ll give these and other great books a try over the summer break. Good luck on your exams, and have an awesome summer! Keep reading.
