This blog
post is a long list of the books I have read this past year. My goal is to
spread awareness and recommendations. I apologize in advance for the length of
this post.
In May of
2015, after quitting my job at Glenwood and finding my schedule more open, I
started reading some novels on Sally’s old Kindle, and was later my cousin Matt
gave me a used Kindle PaperWhite. I quickly found myself falling in love all
over again with the literary world that I have been unable to immerse myself in
for many years. Sally started me off with a recommendation to read Woman in White. With the power of a
capable e-reader there is literally no limit to one’s book thirst, and it
wasn’t until I had filled the kindle with enough books to read for 10 years
that I felt myself prepared for Peace Corps Mongolia.
In the
summer, I was busy with training and only able to read in my spare time, but
upon arrival at site I found that I could pursue this hobby with a passion. My
system is to read three books at once, alternating between each one as I finish
chapters. The first book is usually a modern “easy” read that is ideally
enjoyable and light. The second book can be any work of classical literature
written prior to 1900. The third book comes from Modern Library’s top 100 books
in English of the 20th century. (http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-novels/)
I have started at the top of this list with Brave
New World and have continued working my way down, skipping books I have
read or do not desire to read at this time, like Ulysses.
Without
further ado, here is the list of books I have read since May with a short
description or recommendation of each.
1.
Woman in
White by Wilkie Collins—If you have not read any Victorian literature, this
is a very interesting one to start with. This book contains an in-depth mystery
that while slow in the middle is exciting to the very end.
2.
Phantom of
the Opera by Gaston Leroux—Hilarious. I find myself enjoying 19th
century French literature. There is a great deal more action, comedy, and
romance than the British counterparts.
3.
A
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain—Does Twain ever write a serious
sentence? In this novel a self-made man from the American Industrial age finds
himself transplanted in medieval England. The comedy is rewarding and exiting
with many adventures. Like a good American, Twain spends some time pounding in
the point that the romantic image of King Arthur is a monarchy that thrives on
the backs of the common man.
4.
The
Shining by Stephan King—The Movie is better than the book. Still there are
scenes in this book that I had to set aside for daylight in the darkness of my
ger this summer.
5.
Assorted H.P. Lovecraft Stories—Stephan King
says that one of his inspirations is Lovecraft. With a deep understanding of
language Lovecraft is able to paint stories of horror in a classical sense
where the fear is for what is not seen but what is imagined. I would advise reading “The Call of
Cthulhu.” It can be argued that Lovecraft is the creator of modern horror.
6.
Riddle of
Stars: The Riddle-Master of Hed by
Patricia McKillip—This series speaks to me. I have read it three times. Each
time I read it I am transported into a world of legends and runes. The author
has a unique style that makes her novels read like legends. This being one of
her first works I cannot advocate for incredible writing, but still I find
myself reading it multiple times. For some reason I find it simply beautiful.
7.
Riddle of
Stars: Heir of Sea and Fire by
Patricia McKillip
8.
Riddle of
Stars: Harpist in the Wind by
Patricia McKillip—This the final chapter of
Riddle of Stars it is a
beautiful tale full of magic, music, and legends.
9.
Bag of
Bones by Stephan King—In the past few years, I have read or listened to an
enormous amount of Stephan King. I find that he has some trouble finishing
novels in a satisfactory way. He says that he never has a plan for his books;
he just gets an idea and goes with it. Let me recommend a few of his better
books—The Stand—Duma Key—Joyland—Hearts
in Atlantis—Doctor Sleep—The Long Walk—Notice this book is not on the list.
10. Stardust by Neil Gaiman—Gaiman is a
wonderful discovery that I have made this summer through data sharing with PCVs.
If you liked the movie you will enjoy the book. His pose is light, enjoyable,
and magical.
11. Smoke, Mirrors, and Glass by Neil Gaiman—Some
of these stories were emotional, some were profound, a few were downright
graphic, but on a whole this set was a really fun read.
12. John Carter of Mars: Princess of Mars by
Edgar Burroughs—There is a lot of entertainment to be gained reading popular
novels from a hundred years ago. Oftentimes the writing is better than our
current popular fiction, although the viewpoints can be outdated. Burroughs,
creator of Tarzan, writes this series where an adventurous Civil War hero finds
himself on Mars fighting Martians and saving princesses. Is this series sexist?
Yes. Full of testosterone? Yes. Nonstop adventure and action? Yes. Overall an
enjoyable if slightly predictable read.
13. Warlords of Mars—Book two of John Carter
of Mars series.
14. Gods of Mars—Book three
15. South of No North by Charles Bukowski—This
book of short stories was too vulgar and graphically sexual. This author is
known for his poetry some of which I have read. One thing Bukowski portrays
particularly well is the narrative of criminals and desperate men.
16. Hangasman by Shirley Jackson—Jackson is
another author King claims inspiration from. She does it better. Hangasman is
an incredibly in-depth look into the mind and life of a 1950’s female college
student. Her writing style borders
stream of consciousness in a couple of places making this book a
semi-challenging read, but still wonderful.
17. “I’m
a Dog You’re a Cat”—short hardly counts, Funny Relationship book. Sally is
naturally a Cat, and I am a Dog.
18. Assorted
Ambrose Bierce Stories—Most of his work takes place around the time of the
Civil War which is an interesting time in our history. To understand how well
Bierce writes read the short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
19. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut—One
of the better novels I have read this year. Vonnegut uses a narrative that is
not temporally based to describe the life of a WWII solider. The temporal
displacement is described to be a result of alien abduction that this character
experiences or believes he experiences. Vonnegut displays the horrors of war
through the eyes of soldiers who are barely adults with a focus point on the
bombing of Dresden. Some scenes are emotional and graphic, but the book is a
one of a kind classic.
20. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad—I
recognize that this is viewed as a modern classic and a socially important
novel, however in the words of Family Guy’s
Peter Griffin, “It insist upon itself.” That being said, the novel is
wonderfully detailed and brings for some of the darker aspects of exploration
and colonization.
21. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn—Blah…I mean
Blah. I hope the movie is better. (Update: The movie is better.)
22. Assorted
Short Mark Twain Stories—Twains short stories are hilariously satirical and
enjoyable. I think a lot of people think of only Huckleberry Finn and Tom
Sawyer when they think of Twain, but he is one of the most capable writers
in American history. His ability to write dialect is almost unmatched, but he
can do so much more than this.
23. Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman—more short
stories by Gaiman, very entertaining.
24. The Road by Cormac McCarthy—this is the
first novel of McCarthy that I have read. It tells the tale of a father and son
in a difficult post-apocalyptic world. It is a hard read, because of the
emotional and physical struggles that these two heroes must face. Still, it remains
with me as one of the most memorable things I have read this year.
25. The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas—I
recently reread this novel, because I discovered that this is the first in a
series of five novels involving these iconic characters. This book provides a
deeply passionate story full of comedy, love, betrayal, assassination, murder,
and unalienable friendship. I deeply enjoy Dumas, and if you are to read only
one of his books it is a toss between this one and The Count of Monte Cristo.
26. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman—All
of the wonderful characters of the Netflix show with none of the drama or sex.
Still a neat read as it tells the true story of an upper class white woman who
finds herself in prison for a year.
27. A Study in Scarlet a Sherlock Holmes
novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—This is the first Sherlock Holmes novel. It is
pleasantly surprising to me how on point the BBC miniseries Sherlock has been with this classic
character. Seriously a Netflix must! This book is an entertaining mystery,
however there is a weird interlude in the middle set in Utah where Doyle seems
to voice is disapproval of Mormonism and polygamy.
28. Through
the Looking Glass by Lewis Carol—Classic, Very short, Like a child’s dream.
I found myself wondering if it would be a nightmare or a pleasant dream for me
if I was the child.
29. The Sound and the Fury by William
Falkner—I am a huge fan of Falkner and his ability to create characters that
are profound and unique. This novel tells the story of a family over a four day
period from the eyes of four different narratives. The first narrative is in a temporally
displaced stream of consciousness style from the perspective of a nonverbal
adult with developmental disorders. I was touched by this narrative and the
detail that Falkner puts into helping us understand this character. From there
the narratives become easier to read, although the second narrative involves a
decent into madness that destroys conventional grammar. The book is a beautiful
work of art in a style that only Falkner can do. It may be the best book I have
read this year, however it is not an easy read.
30. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
by Robert Lewis Stevenson—Surprisingly
anti-climactic. It is better to read Dracula or Frankenstein if you chose
to dabble in classic horror. Treasure Island is a better novel by Stevenson.
31. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley—Huxley
fears a world were mankind has everything they could possibly want with no desire
to think. This Utopian novel is an interesting read into what could happen to
society if we could gratify all of our wants and never have to experience
negative emotions. It is also interesting to see the difference between Huxley
utopia and that of Orwell in 1984. Brave New World is a good read, and in
some places morbidly comic.
32. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by
Douglas Adams—Very funny sci-fi novel. Full of British humor.
33. This Side of Paradise by Scott
Fitzgerald—This is the first novel that Scott Fitzgerald wrote. The writing and
story is beautiful in a way that only Fitzgerald can weave. The style changes
throughout the novel with poetry sprinkled in all corners. The story is a
coming of age plot regarding an upper class youth as he travels through school,
college, war, financial depression, and lost love. It is one of those novels
that leave you with a sense of awe that takes days to depart.
34. The Sign of the Four a Sherlock Holmes
novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—This is the second book Doyle writes regarding
his beloved character. Full of adventure and mystery that Holmes aptly
dissolves, the book is a pleasant read, albeit a little slow in places.
35. The Time
Machine by H.G. Wells—800,000 years from now humans have split into two
species: the lofty lazy aristocrats and the underground working class. Wells
blames communism. This book is a climatic adventure told in the style of
retrospection that is popular in 1898 when it was published. A short, classic, must read novel.
36. Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler—This
book is an allegorical fiction set during the 1938 purges where Stalin removes
political threats. The book deals with the trail and sentence of a man who
helped build an empire only to have it turn upon him. Set almost entirely in a
prison, one would expect it to become boring and unduly philosophical, however
for me it was exactly the opposite. This is an enjoyable read that leaves you
pondering the consequences of actions. Perhaps another reason that the book
appealed to me was because I am currently surrounded by the architecture of soviet
power.
37. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller—This was a
really good read. It is a satire on WWII and contains some of the funniest
dialogue I have ever read. I originally thought that this book may have been
inspiration for MASH, but throughout all of its humor the book also brings the
reader into the painstaking reality of war. The idea of a catch-22, with its
circular inescapable logic, creates a writing style that revisits events from
different perspectives. Each time a story is revisited the reader is able to
see another aspect of the story that is sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic.
This book is in my top five reads of this year. Well worth the experience.
38. Tregaron’s Daughter by Madeleine
Brent—This book is one of Sally’s favorites. She brought it with us to
Mongolia. It was a nice change to read a paper book, rather than the kindle.
The story is set a hundred years ago in Post-Victorian England. It is a
mystery, romance, thriller with a strong admirable heroine.
39. The King in Yellow by Robert W.
Chambers—I read this collection of short stories for Halloween. Published in 1895, the first half of this
book contains horror stories that may have been inspiration for Lovecraft. The
second half is a collection of romance/Prussian war stories that take place in
Paris. The King in Yellow refers to a mythical manuscript that once read drives
the reader insane. Reading Chambers was like reading an American Guy de
Maupassant.
40. The Man Who Would be King by Rudyard Kipling—This short novella
was published in 1888 and tells the adventure of two British men who set out
for the backwoods of Afghanistan from colonial India to rule a primitive tribe
as gods. Naturally, they fall from grace. It is a short read, but still
enjoyable as classic 19th century literature.
41. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk—If you
have seen the movie then you have a pretty good idea what the book is like.
Palahniuk’s style is modern and choppy. The book was entertaining, but I am not
sure it was better than the movie.
42. Thuvia, Maid of Mars book four of the
John Carter of Mars series by Edgar Burroughs—The testosterone, sexists,
slightly racist adventure continues in the way that only a book nearly a
hundred years old can convey.
43. Sons and Lovers by D. H.
Lawrence—Published in 1913, this book is a story of life. In it we see the love
between a husband and wife, a mother and son, and a son’s love of life. There
are deep topics and character dynamics such as death, a mother’s jealousy for
her son’s lovers, and the search for one’s soulmate. In 1913, the book was
thought to be scandalous, but now days it is a far more poetic interpretation
of sex than we are used to.
44. Travels with Charley: In Search of America
by John Steinbeck—Published in 1962 by one of my favorite authors, this book
details the adventures he shares with his dog as he takes a road trip across
America to become better in touch with his country. The world of Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden had changed into something that Steinbeck attempts to
capture in this delightfully witty, philosophical, wonderfully written book. If
you are a fan Steinbeck this is a must read. Also the dog is hilarious is
places.
45. Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry—The
Modern Library books keep getting better! This book is a work of art. It tells
of the tale of a Day of the Dead celebration with a British Consul in a small
town in Mexico. The description is beautiful and detailed whisking me away from
the cold Mongolian winter to the tropics. The book captures the mind of an
alcoholic in a way I have never read before, and is full of symbolism that
leaves one pondering it long after one has set it down. Amazing! Possibly the
best read of the year.
46. World War Z by Max Brook—this was an
entertaining read written from the perspective of retrospective interviews.
What happens when the world is taken over by the armies of undead? Which
countries survive? Which countries use nuclear bombs? All is answered and much
more.
47. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by
Douglas Addams—This is the squeal to Hitchhiker’s
Guide. The saga continues with British humor throughout. Great series, easy
read.
48. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel
Butler—Published posthumously in 1903, this novel follows the lives of several
generations of a family Butler knew intimately. It is critically acclaimed for
attacking Victorian ideology. For me the book was excessively long and not very
interesting. With over 80 chapters, one can follow the life of a “hero” who falls
from grace and then comes into wealth with naivete that is almost unbearable.
It is slow, unduly philosophical, and while well written, I found myself asking
why was it written?
49. Twenty
Years After by Alexander Dumas—This was an incredible sequel to The Three Musketeers, and in many ways
superior to the first book. Amazing! I feel that I have read three wonderful
books in one great volume. Dumas is a master of plot and adventure. The book is
filled with countless epic scenes where our favorite heroes of the first novel
succeed against all odds. Great read! My only complaint is that it is very long
(90 chapters).
50. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman—This was a fun
fantasy read dealing with a dark land under London for all those unfortunates
and magical beings who fall through the cracks of society. I think Stardust is
a better novel, and would suggest you start with that.
Allow me to
conclude this post with a list of the top ten books I have read this year.
These are novels that have almost haunted me with reminisce of their beauty,
stories, and writing. If I have shared the joys of reading with just one person
through this post, then it has been worthwhile.
1.
Under the
Volcano
2.
Catch-22
3.
Darkness
at Noon
4.
The Sound
and the Fury
5.
This Side
of Paradise
6.
20 Years
After
7.
Riddle of
Stars
8.
Women in
White
9.
Smoke, Mirrors,
and Glass
10. The Road
~Caleb
