Oh Decisions

With the end of the AP exams there comes a time where a High School student can take a few minutes to sit down, take a breather and read. Whenever there is the decision to start a new book there are the constant thoughts and fears: "Will I like it?" "Will I give up?" "Is it so unbearably dull that I would rather reread the AP U.S. History Textbook?"
I have picked a grand total of three books and great classics and American literature or listed in sample open essays (most of them).
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The synopsis in the cover flap of the novel opens up to a description of the Salinas Valley in California and the intertwining destinies of two families: the Trasks and the Hamiltons. The synopsis provides the biblical illusion of Adam and Eve, Cain and Able and applies it to this family. Which is quite intriguing as well as the positive feed back. It's a classic it should be on the list of books to read before you die.
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier sounded interesting as well. It has a Civil War setting and is much shorter than Gone With the Wind (which I later plan to read). It provides has examples of the never ending love for a man for this woman back home. With adventures in between describing his journey back. I've seen the movie with Nicole Kidman and Jude Law which was quite good. The whole reason why this book is even on this list is because of that movie. Books are often better than movies; why not read it?
The next book choice is quite a surprise and completely unexpected so brace yourself: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. A captivating children's book which has entranced minds since 1969; including my own. I have read this book more than any other book. The colors simply amaze me and the wording is so simplistic but gets the point straight across. An aspect well forgotten among the older population. There are more meanings behind this book as one thinks deeper. It is so simplistic that it leaves room for the imagination and lets the reader take control. One may infer that The Very Hungry Caterpillar was not just hungry, maybe emotional hunger; a hunger to fill the empty gap in his heart from his parents abandonment when he was such a small egg. Such trauma would easily cause anyone the need to eat three times their body weight.
From this much deliberation I feel that East of Eden has the most interest currently, it may be long but worth it. The Very Hungry Caterpillar was a close call though. Time to sit back and enjoy the finest of American literature.