Kyle's Staff Picks

Stephen Fry is quite literally the funniest man in the world. Well, that may be a little biased. This second autobiography explores his late teens, college years, and post-graduate life. It explores his turbulent coming-of-age years and his addiction to sugar. Yes, sugar. Naturally, it ends on a cliffhanger. A cliffhanger. In an autobiography.

Better than Gatsby. It is technically fiction, and about a young man named Amory Blaine. But we all know it's really about Fitzgerald himself...

Chad Harbach's first novel is a home run. Yes, I had to add a baseball analogy. It's simple, touching, emotional, entertaining, and fun. The story follows primarily Henry Skrimshander, an almost perfect shortstop recruited for Westish College, as he grows and perfects his game throughout college. Or does he? We also follow Mike Schwartz, Westish catcher and mentor to Henry, who seems to always help other people achieve their goals while letting his own fall away; Westish President Guert Affenlight, who has a deep secret love interest; and Pella Affenlight, the President's daughter, who has come to Westish to escape the reality she has created for herself. Not since Franzen's Freedom have I read a more powerful and interesting novel that I truly cared about.