Though I cannot say I am the most avid reader, I do enjoy to read in my leisure when I have time. As a fan of films, I frequently watch them and get to know the actors behind the character. One actor who particularly stood out to me was James Franco. He not only an extremely talented actor, but also a director, artist, screenwriter, and author. I went and found his first book, Palo Alto, online and bought it not knowing what to expect. After the book arrived in the post, I learned that it was a collection of short stories and I began reading.
When reading the book, I could not get myself to place it down for a second. I was hooked on each word and only wanted more. I felt like Franco truly understood the inner qualms of the teenage mind when writing. For each new character I read about, I created a picture of them in my head and followed along and created a movie in my mind for them. Each story was original and riveting to me. After I finished the novel the first time, I read it at least five times over. The stories were funny and sad at the same time, and I felt sympathy when anything bad happened to a character that I had fallen in love with.
This book inspired me because I am in the same position Franco once was in when he was in high school. He was quite shy and to overcome his shyness, he began to act. Acting for me is also an escape out of a world filled with stress and into one where I feel free and open. Franco has done so much in his life and done it without paying attention to those who judge him. As each of the stories show a different facet of teen life, I can definitely relate to them in many ways. It also seems that Franco put part of himself in his novel, and I feel that it was similar to a record of his life leading up to him becoming who he is today.
Palo Alto is my favorite book, and it is a bonus that it is numerous stories all in one. The book inspires me because it reminds me that, like Franco, everyone can achieve what they want in life with hard work and determination. The relatable stories and gripping plots kept me interested while reading, which does not happen very often for me. The stories are both scary and fun to read, leaving me hoping that there will be more books from Franco soon. Palo Alto inspires me to never give up on what I want to achieve in life and do what makes me happy. I can truly say that it is my go-to novel on a rainy day or, for that matter, any day I have time to read.