Late summer reading.
Yesterday I was going through a box of books contemplating actually putting them away in our new "library" room. I didn't get very far as I would get distracted by a book I hadn't seen/read in a long while and leaf trough them and read a bit. This got me thinking of some of my favorite books and why I like them. I was never too keen on reading in school. In 1999 when the whole millenium thing was going on there seemed to always be "best of the century/millenium" lists appearing everywhere. I remember hearing an NPR interview about a list of the 100 top fiction books of the 20th century while driving in the car. I felt a bit stupid because I had only knew of a few titles and authors. Over the past few years I have used the list to pick a book up whenever I'm looking for something to read. I've come across a few gems, here's some and quick blurb as to why I liked it.
THE SUN ALSO RISES - Ernest Hemingway
This is my all time favorite book. Every character in the book will remind you of someone you already know. It's very easy to read and makes you want to drink sangria all day in the hot spanish sun.
UNDER THE VOLCANO - Malcolm Lowry
Set in Mexico in the early 20th century. The scenes where he decribes the world as seen through a drunken haze are great, almost like you had two too many.
ANIMAL FARM - Gearge Orwell
I did read this in high school but when I reread it years later it was SO much better. Besides the whole anti-communist thing it has many life lessons in the story and is really just a great fun read.
INVISIBLE MAN - Ralph Ellison
A great book about a man who is "invisible" because people see him only for what they want and not who he really is. More good life lessons. Great descriptions of early 20th century America, from the deep south to the big city.
APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA - John O'Hara
Reminds me of F. Scott Fitzgerald characters in 1920's Pennsylvania instead of Newport, RI. O'Hara gets the title from this fun story.
Death speaks:
There was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there death will not find me. The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went. Then the merchant went down to the marketplace and he saw me standing in the crowd and he came to me and said, Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning? That was not a threatening gesture, I said, it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra. - W. Somerset Maugham, 1934
I would love to hear about your favorite books or if you have read any of these here. Let me know. caio.
THE SUN ALSO RISES - Ernest Hemingway
This is my all time favorite book. Every character in the book will remind you of someone you already know. It's very easy to read and makes you want to drink sangria all day in the hot spanish sun.
UNDER THE VOLCANO - Malcolm Lowry
Set in Mexico in the early 20th century. The scenes where he decribes the world as seen through a drunken haze are great, almost like you had two too many.
ANIMAL FARM - Gearge Orwell
I did read this in high school but when I reread it years later it was SO much better. Besides the whole anti-communist thing it has many life lessons in the story and is really just a great fun read.
INVISIBLE MAN - Ralph Ellison
A great book about a man who is "invisible" because people see him only for what they want and not who he really is. More good life lessons. Great descriptions of early 20th century America, from the deep south to the big city.
APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA - John O'Hara
Reminds me of F. Scott Fitzgerald characters in 1920's Pennsylvania instead of Newport, RI. O'Hara gets the title from this fun story.
Death speaks:
There was a merchant in Baghdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was Death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there death will not find me. The merchant lent him his horse, and the servant mounted it, and he dug his spurs in its flanks and as fast as the horse could gallop he went. Then the merchant went down to the marketplace and he saw me standing in the crowd and he came to me and said, Why did you make a threatening gesture to my servant when you saw him this morning? That was not a threatening gesture, I said, it was only a start of surprise. I was astonished to see him in Bagdad, for I had an appointment with him tonight in Samarra. - W. Somerset Maugham, 1934
I would love to hear about your favorite books or if you have read any of these here. Let me know. caio.
posted by James at 2:43 AM
1 Comments:
As I was looking at the list, I was reminded of all that required reading back in highschool and college. I was pleased to see a lot of DH Lawrence. But where was Wuthering Heights?? Maybe that wasn't 20th century . . .
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