Books That Inspire 2004
 
Grendel
John Gardner


Grendel, John Gardner’s inspired adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf, is a glimpse through the eyes of a monster. While perhaps a strange choice for an inspirational book, with its themes of existentialism and nihilism, it tests one’s ability to take a critical look at themselves, their society and their beliefs. It challenges us to feel sympathy and understanding for what we would normally despise, laugh at what we would normally take gravely serious, and challenge what ideals we would normally accept blindly. Grendel challenges you to question, learn, grow, understand, and think.
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Jaymie C Turner
Serials Librarian
University Libraries