I really enjoyed the book I finished yesterday, Looking for Alaska, by John Green. There is a boy, nicknamed Pudge, who goes on a small scale spiritual journey. Pudge likes to memorize famous peoples' last words, the last thing they say before they die. He particularly likes, "I go to seek a great perhaps," said by Francois Rabelais. Pudge decides that he want's to seek a "great perhaps" early in his life. He wants it to be his sanctuary on earth, not in heaven. One of the classes he takes is a class that studies world religions. He is required to take this class by the school, but it is his favorite- he learns about Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity from a frail, dying old man of a professor. But perhaps the greatest "class" he takes is taught in the school of life.
Though his time with her is short, Pudge learns oodles from Alaska, a sarcastic, depressed bitch who both reads and parties too much. She is stupid and reckless but she is oh so smart. I saw too much of myself in Alaska. Although she will stay in my mind as a beloved, if not tragic, character, she is absolutely nuts. She devises crazy schemes, gets drunk and cheats on her boyfriends, and says she smokes to die while others smoke for fun. She is beautiful and sensual and knowledgeable. She is moody and messy, and eventually meets a horrible demise. Was it an accident? Suicide? One can never tell.
John Green is a wonderful writer; although this was his first book, I think it is even better than the other two novels he has published. I like them all, but i would rank them (1 being the best) 1_Looking for Alaska
2_Paper Towns
3_An Abundance of Katherines
