Looking for Alaska by John Green

Miles Halter is sick of his life. Feeling trapped in his stifling, uneventful existence, he heads off to Culver Creek Boarding School to seek a 'Great Perhaps'. There, his life becomes the opposite of uneventful.

There are his new friends, especially the scheming, straight-talking Chip, known as the Colonel, who gives Miles the nickname 'Pudge'.

There are the pranks that the Colonel plans on the Weekday Warriors, who are the wealthy, priveleged, and snobbish kids that comprise the vast majority of Culver Creek.

There is Alaska Young, the girl down the hall. Slowly, he is drawn to this clever, beautiful, outspoken, yet self-destructive girl. She is the Great Perhaps he yearns so much to find. They start forming a relationship, despite that Alaska already has a boyfriend, and Pudge himself is awkward and inexperienced with girls. (Plus, his biggest obsession is memorizing famous last words.)

Then, tragedy strikes, just when Pudge believes the greatest thing of his life is about to happen to him. Desperately wanting answers, Pudge begins a search both outside in the world and inside his own mind and heart. He questions everything he thought he knew about love, life, death, and religion.

This book holds a special place with me, not only because of the original, arresting, and honest language, but also because I really, really like themes of philosophy and theology in teen literature. And those themes aren't just given the 'textbook' treatment--oh no! You can honestly tell that the author has spent many nights kept awake by the questions we've tried for ages to answer but cannot be absolutely sure of. Even if you're not one of those people, this book will keep you pondering and wishing for your own Great Perhaps for a long time after its own last words.