By Coco Chen ‘24
Winter break was a wonderful time to relax as we want and read as we want! Relieved from projects and assessments, we could finally immerse ourselves in books that we had long yearned to read. Absorbed in myriads of adventures experienced by the characters, intrigued by complex concepts brought up by great thinkers, and engrossed by the history of objects of our interest, we all rejoice in books with a close relation to and a tremendous impact on us. In the interview with some of St. Mark’s readers, we can see how our choices for books are related to our personal experiences and thoughts.
Helen Qing, a freshman, enjoyed reading 7000 Years of Jewelry by Hugh Tait, a renowned expert on European decorative arts. As a student of studio art, Helen has always loved to incorporate jewelry as an element of her designs. She is also fascinated by its history, the complexity of which, in her opinion, the book well illustrates.
Cathy Zhou, a senior, read Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, a 1994 book by Stanford University biologist Robert M. Sapolsky. In this book, Sapolsky points out that zebras can ward off ulcers because they do not feel stressed about their social securities. As for Cathy, she considers the book “a light-hearted introduction into the stress that we experience daily as humans.” As a senior and a remote student, Cathy is not able to enjoy her last year at school,Nonetheless, most scientifically, this book cheers her up!
Brandon Tang, a junior, immersed himself in Country Driving by Peter Hessler, an award-winning American author famous for his China trilogy. The book talks about the author’s journey through China and conveys the sense of rapid change in this country that he is so familiar with. As a Chinese, Brandon is very concerned about the development of China and the life of people living in the countryside. He appreciates Hessler’s profound insights on China.
Diana Oh, a freshman, finished The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid, a Pakistani American author. In the book, a Pakistani named Changez tells an American stranger about his affair with an American woman and his eventual abandonment of America. Diana is impressed by the discussion of capitalism and power abuse in the book. She as well deeply resonates with both the author and the character Changez’s identity as a person of in-between cultures and their perspectives of America, since she is also a Korean American who is still exploring her identity.
Carl Guo, a junior leader of the debate club and an avid reader, has always been fascinated by philosophy, leading him to constantly challenge himself by choosing books that require him to think profoundly. He completed The Stranger by Albert Camus and Shoe Dog by Phil Knight around winter break. The Stranger accounts for the experiences of Meursault as a bohemian, an example of absurdity Camus advocates, “the philosophical discussion of nihilism, absurdism, and existentialism” of which fascinates Carl. As a recommendation of Carl’s beloved YouTuber John Fish, Shoe Dog provides novel insights by comparing life to a sport, and Carl deeply appreciates the life lessons obtained. Looking ahead, Carl plans to read A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and On Liberty by John Stuart Mill, as the former is a short and fulfilling book while the latter is “one of the most famous texts in advocacy of utilitarianism”.
Though the winter break is over, we shall continue reading. As a nice way to help us relax and acquire insights, reading has been integrated into our life. Though personal experiences and interests lead to differences in our book choices, we all enjoy the sheer pleasure of reading, a modest happiness that will hopefully accompany the rest of our life.