Day 7 – This is going to be a tough one (like this challenge isn’t already tough enough). I hardly read books (I’m just getting the hang of reading other blogs so please cut me some slack). I only felt compelled to read books when it became a prerequisite for passing an important exam. Having said that, I did enjoy a few which I’ll go into now.

1. Animal Farm By George Orwell: Ok I’ll be honest – I watched the animated movie before I read the book but am I glad I did! This is the most fascinating book I’ve ever read. On so may levels I see Nigerian history being replicated if you think back to colonial times. There are so many underlying themes but the one that stands out the most is the desire for absolute power. I particularly like all the funny rules the pigs came up with, like ‘Four Legs good, Two Legs bad’ (and then subsequently when the rule painted on the wall was mysteriously changed to read, ‘Four Legs good, Two legs better’ lol). This is a MUST-read. Make no mistake about it – ‘Power corrupts, Absolute power corrupts absolutely’ – Lord Acton.

2. Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe: This is the story of a man who did not want to be anything like his late father. However, he himself became worse. From neglecting his own son to obeying an oracle’s instruction to kill an innocent boy, this book could be summarized as calamity upon calamity. This same lead character becomes a leader, a warrior and a killer. You can’t help but feel sorry for the character as he gets himself into one mess or the other until the tragedy at the end. You’re left wondering, ‘Where exactly did it begin to go downhill for him and could he have avoided it all?’ Personally, I blame the oracle. I’ve also seen a movie adaptation of this brilliant book; and speaking of movies, it appears 50 Cent is soon to release his own version.

3. Jane Eyre By Charlotte Bronte: Very moving book about a girl who had been misunderstood during her early teens. I liked her character because she was a bit of a rebel in the face of disciplinarians. I felt her pain when she was constantly being victimized. She was also friendly and compassionate. She was a friend indeed when the love of her life had an accident which left him blind in one eye and crippled. She took care of him. I wonder if this girl’s character was a depiction of the author in some way….Anyway, I watched the TV series as a child and looked forward to reruns. In a way I prefer watching these literary pieces onscreen so that I can associate a particular face with various characters in the novel. Is that a good enough excuse?

4. Dinner With A Perfect Stranger By David Gregory: I read this after a strong recommendation from my mum. It was a gift to her from my brother-in-law. This book is the most recent book I’ve read…from front to back…in only 4 days (that’s a record even for me!). It’s the story of a man who reluctantly goes on a blind date only to find that the stranger knows everything about him. The man has his doubts about the stranger’s revelation about being ‘Jesus’ but as the night progresses with each dinner course his suspicions are thrown into complete disarray. It’s a page turner to say the least and it’s a book that everyone can enjoy. N.B – There is no movie adaptation of this book in case you’ve already made your wrong assumptions 😛