Lord of the Flies
by William Golding

A lifetime of reading has taught me to be leery of so called classics that have nothing to recommend them, other than the fact that school systems for years have forced us to read them, and sadly, without merit, these so called classics become part of the collective experience.  Lord of the Flies is one of those rare exceptions.  For aspiring writers and those of us who love a good tale, it is difficult to believe that this was Golding’s first novel.

What’s most remarkable, is that this novel espouses strong political views that were completely contrary to the prevailing opinions of the time, yet the author manages to do so without, in any way, harming an amazingly well told story.

At its core, this couldn’t put it down masterpiece embodies everything a good book should be.  It creates an unforgettable experience for the reader, with everything else that’s not story made secondary.  More than anything else, this is a high adrenaline adventure story that will keep you turning pages to the very end.  It doesn’t really matter that the story is not really about young boys stuck on an island, or that the author is trying to make a point about the human spirit and the need for a political system in order for it to blossom.

What matters is that after finishing this astonishing page turner, it won’t matter if you don’t understand all of its lessons; the story itself will stay with you for the rest of your life.  If you haven’t yet read it, there’s no time like the present.  And if you have read it, because you had to, and were too young to appreciate it, perhaps it’s time you gave it another try.  You certainly won’t regret it.