Book #7 - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This was my first stab at a "classic." I use quotation marks because I'm not sure why this novel has been dubbed a classic in the first place. Perhaps when it was first published it was a groundbreaking literary accomplishment. But reading it now, I felt it was confused writing, with no clear story line. I kept waiting for something to happen within the plot, and I feel like it never really did.

The main character, Holden Caulfield, is a confused teen who just got kicked out of another boarding school. Before facing his parents' wrath, he gallivants throughout New York City for a few days to blow off some steam. But I didn't find Holden's exploits interesting - I was bored to sleep most nights while I was trying to read this book.

There was one insight that Holden offered that I did find very poignant, especially since it was written by Salinger in the early 1950s: "If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn't rub out even half the f*&% you signs in the world." In both a literal and figurative sense, Holden is correct. There's always going to be another person who wants to flip the bird at the world, but you can't let that consume you or you'll spend your life fighting a losing battle. Instead, just make sure you're not the one sending out the F yous .

Book #6 - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I feel like this book would be good to read when you're graduating from high school or college. The Alchemist is very inspirational, providing lessons and words of wisdom that can ignite action to follow your dreams. Perhaps it was a good choice for me now, as I'm reaching that quarter-life crisis point, wondering if every decision I make is the right one.

While reading this book, it became clear to me the Coelho's main theme was to listen to your heart and follow what it tells you. No one else can dictate your dreams, which I feel like is something that gets forgotten when trying to please your parents, your friends or your boss.

There were two main passages that I think everyone, myself included, should cling to when not just making big decisions, but throughout day-to-day life. The first is: "Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own." It's so easy to judge others and tell them what to do and how to act. Ask my friends - I am notorious for being judgmental. But I hate it when people are judgmental of me. So, I'm trying to live these word's of Coelho; in essence, worry about yourself, and leave everyone else alone.

The other lesson that is extremely valuable from The Alchemist is: "The world's greatest lie is that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate." This was a hard one to swallow because I've always been a firm believer in 'everything happens for a reason.' But that seems like a cop out at times. Instead of taking control of your destiny, you chalk up your failures as being unavoidable. If the hero in this novel, Santiago, would have given up when he met his first challenge, he never would have fulfilled his personal legend. I think Santiago needs to serve as an example - although it's tough to keep moving forward when life gives us lemons, you need to persevere long enough to make the lemonade.

Book #5 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

It's strange. When you're getting married, it seems that the majority of your focus is on planning the actual wedding: what flowers you'll use, what dresses your bridesmaids will wear, what the guests will eat and drink. Essentially, you stress over ever single detail...except the marriage.

As someone who's getting married, I never really thought of what it would be like to be a wife. Sure I've been a girlfriend and a fiancee, but what it would be like to be someone's wife hasn't really crossed my mind all that much (sorry Troy). That is, until I started reading The Time Traveler's Wife.

In this novel, Henry is a time traveler. He begins visiting Clare when she is six-years-old, and his visits are a huge part of her life. Eventually they meet in Henry's present, and get married. But being married, to a time traveler, or to anyone for that matter, isn't always easy.

Not only does Clare have to worry that Henry will disappear to another "time" every moment of their lives, she's also concerned with his safety while he's gone, and whether or not he'll ever return. Although this book is fiction, and I know that my fiance is not a time traveler, it still spoke about the partnership, love and respect that encompasses a marriage.

Yes, being married is about the fun stuff and growing old together, but this book points out that it's also about much more than that - being committed to each through the good and bad, and not giving up when things get difficult.

You know, the stuff people promise in their vows.

To quote a great movie, (ahem, Wedding Crashers) in order to really make it work, you need to weather both blue skies and squalls. You need to work together and at the end of every day, never forget to love.