Rendezvous with Rama

It's been awhile since I last picked up a book. Not for school, but for pleasure. The last "new" book that I read was Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. I started last summer, but didn't finish before I had to return it back to the library. Punahou does not have it and I never made a point to go to another library and borrow it again. It's not that I don't want to keep reading. I do. It's a pretty fascinating book dealing with space and other intelligent life in the universe, much like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clarke's most famous novel. Senior year is actually very busy and stressful despite what seniors in the past have told me about it being cruise for second semester. I don't think so. Even now with college applications done and first semester over, there's still over a quarter of the school year left. It's my fault for taking courses that are challenging me and requiring a lot of study so I guess it's what I should have expected, but I still would have liked some rest. Being busy and continuously having tests to study for, homework to do, and projects to finish means that I shouldn't be spending time reading. Or "Do you have time to spend reading?" is what my Mom would ask. Yeah, I mean if I have time to watch stuff on youtube, k-dramas with Dad, and read books I have at home, then I think picking up a book from the library really won't be that time consuming. Part of me can understand why she would say that because whenever I start reading a book I tend to keep reading until I finish. At least that's what I used to do when I read consistently. I think she doesn't want me to consume all my time in a book because I was almost obsessive about it before. I remember one time I was in the parking structure at a mall I was reading a book while walking. I was going across one lane of parked cars to the next when a car turned coming at me, and I didn't even notice until my Mom yanked me out of the way. That was a definite heads up as to why it's not pragmatic to read and walk at the same time, especially in parking lots.
Anyway, I still want to pick up Rendezvous with Rama, so I'm thinking I'll go to the library during Spring Break. (Dunno why I didn't go during Winter Break. Nevermind, that's when I was finishing college apps and then I had the Rose Parade trip). I reccommend reading Rendezvous with Rama even though I didn't finish because it's very well-written and it's a book that makes one think. The time is in the future and mankind has located an object in space dubbed, Rama. Rama turns out to be a massive machine that contains a mini world inside. A crew is sent to investigate, and during the time they are there, life begins to form, but it is unlike life found on Earth. There are many questions as to what is Rama, why was Rama built, who were the Ramans, are they still in existence? These are ones that characters in the book think about, which the reader also thinks about too, but there are also the more general ones which affect the reader. Maybe it's not a question but the book inquires the reader to ponder what it would be like if we found other living beings or proof of other intelligence. If you're looking for a book to read and enjoy science fiction, you should pick up Rendezvous with Rama. (And loan it to me when you're done!)