Yesterday, I asked readers for their suggestions of the best books my young Afghan friend might consider reading as his English improves. Many of you responded on Facebook, Substack or in email, etc.
Here is the list. Please feel free to add to it.
The Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway)
The Scarlet Letter (Hawthorne)
Coming Into the Country (McPhee)
Love Medicine (Erdrich)
Beloved (Morrison)
To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee)
The Portrait of a Lady (James)
Silent Spring (Carson)
The Tipping Point (Gladwell)
Maus (Spiegelman)
The Sound and the Fury (Faulkner)
Plainsong (Haruf)
Sweat (Hayes)
Curve of Binding Energy (McPhee)
The Giver (Lowry)
Pilgrim at Tinker’s Creek (Dillard)
The Overstory (Powers)
Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)
Cannery Row (Steinbeck)
short stories (Salinger)
short stories (Updike)
Sapiens (Harari)
In Our Time (Hemingway)
Diary of Anne Frank
Island of the Blue Dolphins (O’Dell)
The Web of Life (Storer)
Like all lists, this one is arbitrary, partial, debatable and subject to the preferences and biases of those who contributed to it. It is far from comprehensive.
But thank you and I hope it gives our friend a few ideas for future reading material. For anyone with English as a second or third language, it probably would be wise to start with writers like Hemingway, who uses words with great precision and without unnecessary complexities that interfere with the storyline.
Short stories are great precisely because they are short. “Maus” is ostensibly a graphic children’s book but important for everyone to read. It’s also in the news because of an attempt to ban it in Tennessee.
Writers like Faulkner are exceptionally difficult even for native speakers, so they are a good measure of when your English skills have reached expert level.
Ultimately, the important thing is to read, read, read — almost anything — and keep on writing as well.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to erudition.
TODAY’s HEADLINES (61):
Biden Promised 500 Million Free Covid Tests. Then He Had to Find Them. — Millions of Americans are now receiving tests through the new mail program, which health experts said came too late to meet demand during the brunt of Omicron wave. (NYT)
With COVID staffing crunch, who’s going to teach the kids? (AP)
Some families are being forced to choose between remote learning and school meals (NPR)
Exposure to one nasal droplet enough for Covid infection – study (Guardian)
Researchers wonder why some countries were better prepared for covid. One surprising answer: Trust. (WP)
Omicron BA.2: What we know about the Covid sub-variant (BBC)
China Fortifies Its Borders With a ‘Southern Great Wall,’ Citing Covid (WSJ)
COVID cases down by half in the Bay Area (SFC)
Computer simulation: Omicron infection risk rises within 50 cm even with masks (NHK)
Olympic advisers at ease with COVID rate, see cases falling (AP)
Next big health crisis: 15M people could lose Medicaid when pandemic ends (Politico)
Ottawa police considering military intervention to end ‘unlawful’ blockade (Guardian)
Book Ban Efforts Spread Across the U.S (NYT Books)
Book Bans Are Targeting the History of Oppression — The possibility of a more just future is at stake when young people are denied access to knowledge of the past. (Atlantic)
NATO forces unite, grow as Putin tries to push them away — The often-fractious NATO alliance has rallied to defend its mission and its principles, responding to the threat against Ukraine by sending in reinforcements. (WP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of deliberately creating a scenario designed to lure it into warand ignoring Russia's security concerns over Ukraine. Here's how Ukraine's armed forces shape up against Russia's.Reuters)
White House stops using ‘imminent’ to describe Russian threat (Politico)
Biden orders forces to Europe amid stalled Ukraine talks (AP)
U.S. National Debt Tops $30 Trillion as Borrowing Surged Amid Pandemic — The record red ink, fueled by spending to combat the coronavirus, comes as interest rates are expected to rise, which could add to America’s costs. (NYT)
Biden to relaunch ‘cancer moonshot,’ aiming to reduce death rate, administration officials say (WP)
T-cell immunotherapy tied to 10-year remission in two leukemia patients, study finds (CNN)
Here's how the Biden administration says it will halve cancer death rates by 2047 (NPR)
Why Biden took his moonshot (Politico)
The National Butterfly Center, in south Texas, will close indefinitely due to safety concerns after it was repeatedly targeted by right-wing conspiracy theorists who baselessly accused it of aiding human traffickers. The butterfly conservatory has been an ongoing target for harassment since it pushed back against Trump administration efforts to build a border wall near its 100-acre nature preserve. [HuffPost]
As the U.S. Pulls Back From the Mideast, China Leans In — China is expanding its ties to Middle Eastern states with vast infrastructure investments and cooperation on technology and security. (NYT)
China pours money into Iraq as US retreats from Middle East (Financial Times)
At the peak of its power, Islamic State ruled over millions of people and claimed responsibility for or inspired attacks in dozens of cities around the world before it lost its final enclave. Now the group is re-emerging as a deadly threat, aided by a power vacuum in Iraq and Syria. (Reuters)
Trump’s claim that election can be ‘overturned’ looms over electoral count debate (WP)
Trump interference exacerbates GOP split on election reforms (Politico)
Trump’s Words, and Deeds, Reveal Depths of His Drive to Retain Power — Donald Trump said he wanted Mike Pence to overturn the election, dangled pardons for Jan. 6 rioters and called for protests against prosecutors. Now, it turns out, he had discussed having national security agencies seize voting machines. (NYT)
Pence documents to be turned over to Jan. 6 committee, National Archives says (NBC)
Vindman, Star Witness in Trump Impeachment, Sues Trump Jr., Giuliani (WSJ)
General Motors said it will spend more than the $35 billion previously planned through 2025 to speed up launches of new electric vehicles, and noted that investments in technology will take priority over richer profits next year. (Reuters)
Tesla is recalling nearly 54,000 self-driving cars and SUVs because their “Full Self-Driving” software lets them roll through stop signs without coming to a complete halt. Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the governors safety association, said he’s not surprised that Tesla programmed vehicles to violate state laws. “They keep pushing the bounds of safety to see what they can get away with.” [AP]
Shares of Facebook parent Meta plunge 22% on lower profits (AP)
Eurozone inflation hits record 5.1% in January (Financial Times)
A piece of space junk the size of a school bus is barreling straight toward the moon (NPR)
Over a Million Flee as Afghanistan’s Economy Collapses (NYT)
Several public universities in Afghanistan reopen for female students (NHK)
Afghanistan education: Taliban running out of excuses - Malala (BBC)
Taliban fighters will no longer be allowed to carry their weapons in amusement parks in Afghanistan, the group's spokesman said, in what appeared to be another effort by the country's new rulers to soften their image. (Reuters)
Los Angeles recorded the most hate crimes among large U.S. cities last year, posting a 71 percent jump in the incidents, (Los Angeles Times)
Eight-year-old's handwritten novel takes Idaho town by storm (BBC)
These 2 groundhogs have conflicting weather predictions — so take your pick (NPR)
The Democrats’ Senate Majority Is Temporarily Gone — Until Senator Ben Ray Luján returns, his party won’t be able to do anything significant—including confirming a new Supreme Court justice—without Republican help. (Atlantic)
Dems avert total redistricting doomsday — but they’re not out of the woods (Politico)
CNN President Jeff Zucker resigns, citing undisclosed relationship with colleague (WP)
David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills ask to pull their content from Spotify (NPR)
Spotify stock plunges on middling user growth projections (CNBC)
Dolly Parton, Eminem, Lionel Richie among the 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees (NPR)
This Is Your Brain on Heartbreak — Love changes us at a physiological level, making us more sensitive to joy—and to pain. (Atlantic)
Powerful solar flare from recent sun eruption should reach Earth (LiveScience)
Wordle code could be copied to play for seven years (BBC)
Will Wordle still be free after the New York Times buyout? (Guardian)
The 'Love Actually' language mistake that still haunts me (Mashable)
Experts Recommend Tuning Them Out And Just Trying To Enjoy Your Life (The Onion)
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