Posted by I am really excited to share this interview with one of my awesome sitters, who is also book lover! She’s a freshman at Harvard where she plays trombone in the band. Besides reading, she likes to walk outside and play music.
At my age, she was a huge fantasy nerd and she was into Lord of the Rings. Now she is 18 and she’s reading books like Just Mercy. She loves reading because books are filled with ideas she can carry with for the rest of her life. Here is her interview:
Q: Why do you love books?
A: I love books because they provide me with ideas that I can carry with me for the rest of my life. If I’m reading nonfiction, I’ll often learn something historically or culturally relevant. If I’m reading fiction or fantasy, I can learn about struggles and morals. Fiction always has themes that are based in reality, even if the book itself isn’t real.
Q: What is your favorite part about reading?
A: My favorite part about reading is being able to explore someone else’s narrative. I always experience new insights when reading and usually find that whatever I’m reading has a way of relating to what’s going on in my life at the moment. Books are a place where I feel simultaneously comfortable and uncomfortable, which is what allows growth to occur.
Q: What are your favorite books?
A: The People of Paper by Salvador Plascencia, Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay and Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.
Q: Why do you think diversity is important in books?
A: Diversity is incredibly important in books for two bigs reasons. The first is that everyone deserves to see their stories represented in media. Especially for young people, it’s crucial to understand that nobody is alone in their experiences. There is always someone else going through a similar circumstance, and if people don’t see their lives portrayed with any sense of normalcy, they’re going to assume they’re alone. Alternatively, if someone else’s experience is portrayed as the “norm,” it’s crucial for them to understand that other stories exist. Diversity in books allows people to embrace diversity in their real lives as well.
Q: What books did you enjoy when you were my age?
A: At your age, I was a huge fantasy nerd and was really into the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Q: I heard you were reading the book Just Mercy. Do you enjoy it, and are you planning on seeing the movie?
A: I absolutely loved Just Mercy! It was one of those books that sticks with you and it opened my eyes to a subject matter I knew very little about: the criminal justice system. Bryan Stevenson was able to convey the message of his book through both powerful narrative and data, which prevents it from being dry. He presents everything as human and personal as possible. I am planning on seeing the movie.
Elena Reads and Reviews 