Book = Cool = Book in t9

I like books. Lots of books. It’s hard to choose just one to suggest.

I really like Kevin Coval’s slingshots (a hip-hop poetica). It’s a compilation of Coval’s slam poetry pieces. His work varies in subject matter. A lot of it focuses on his childhood and the reflections he has on past experiences. Other poems focus on his urban life, from his street corner stores to women he’s met in the city, and even ones about Chicago herself. Coval has a really interesting style of writing that keeps the reader captivated. He also lays out his poems into a very unique format on the page. You can tell a lot of time went into what words were important to emphasize and how a line’s meaning can change just by how it’s manipulated when printed. But hands down, the best thing about this book is the content and writing itself. Coval touches upon a lot of important, universal ideas in an unusual way, feeding the reader line after line of vital mental sustenance. If you haven’t already read this book, especially living in Chicago, do. It’s grand.

Another book that just sticks out in my mind is Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. I haven’t read this book in almost 4 years. My best friend gave it to me in 8th grade because she loved it. Don’t misunderstand me, though, it definitely isn’t an 8th grade reading level book. Although the language is easy to follow, Illusions struggles with the ideas of life, death, and reality. I think it’s one of those books that you can get more out of every time you read it. I bet I would think a lot more complexly into it if I were to read it now (which I probably should). And again, if it still stands out in my mind from so many years ago, there must be something to it.