What Are Buzz Residents Reading?: Lindsey Karkowsky

This week, I interviewed Buzz resident Lindsey Karkowsky about what she has read recently and loved. She selected the book Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. Their Eyes Were Watching God is an enduring Southern love story sparkling with wit, beauty, and heartfelt wisdom. Told in the captivating voice of a woman who refuses to live in sorrow, bitterness, fear, or foolish romantic dreams, it is the story of fair-skinned, fiercely independent Janie Crawford, and her evolving selfhood through three marriages and a life marked by poverty, trials, and purpose. 

A true literary wonder, Hurston's masterwork remains as relevant and affecting today as when it was first published.Here is what Lindsey has to say about it:

What is the best book you have read recently?

The best book I have recently read is Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. 

What did you like about it? What made it stand out to you? 

I really enjoyed Their Eyes Were Watching God for multiple reasons, starting with the fact that this book is full of self-realization from the main character as she embarks on journeys with her different relationships. Hurston does a great job of making the readers feel as though they are experiencing everything the main character does through language and imagery. The dialect within the book really elevates the story because of how Hurston transitions between conversations and narrations using thick accents and slang. Additionally, two valuable themes that stood out to me when reading this book are the importance of having a voice and self-love, which are both highlighted throughout the story and allow the main character to completely change by the end of the book.

Overall, this book challenged me to truly understand the deeper meanings that were hidden behind the storyline, and I loved getting a chance to read a different type of book that I normally don’t try out!

How did you learn about the book?

I learned about this book by talking with a teacher at my school, who recommended this book because he believed it was “one of the greatest novels of the 20th century.” I was skeptical at first, but after reading the book, I understood why many find it so fascinating. 

What are you reading now?

I am currently reading Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things by Dan Ariely because, over the summer, I read another book by Ariely called Predictably Irrational, which caused me to become very interested in behavioral economics. I wanted to try out the book Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things because of how intrigued I was by the first book I read. 

Editor's note: Lindsey was also featured in Books that Teens Love, published in Sept. 2023.

For more book recommendations and bookish thoughts, see Cindy’s monthly Buzz Reads column, her Thoughts from a Page Podcast or follow @ThoughtsFromaPage on Instagram. Find upcoming Conversations from a Page events here.