Ten books... and then ten more
I was tagged by @theoriginalhoopla
Rules: List 10 books that have stayed with you in some way and then tag 10 people.
1) The Road Out of Hell by Anthony Flacco.
This book is fairly modern. I believe it was an early 2000s release, but it was based on the Wineville Murders from the 1920s. It has a lot of fucked up themes such as kidnapping, manipulation, and the murder of children… I just remember that my 3rd grade teacher was fired for having us read it in class. If you’re a sensitive soul, I wouldn’t recommend reading this one. It’ll mess you up.
2) Alexander McQueen: Evolution by Katherine Gleason.
While this is not so much a novel, as it is a hybrid between picture book and biography, Alexander McQueen was a designer that greatly influenced my art after I was introduced to his work by one of my older cousins. I bought this book in an Urban Outfitters (sorry) when I was around the age of 13 and essentially made it an extension of myself until it was misplaced in a hospital two years later. I hope that someone found it and is enjoying it as much as I did.
3) The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton
There’s not much to say about this novel other than it is wonderful. I’m a sucker for well developed characters, and the souls that come to life in this book feel so real while reading it that… Well, if you’ve read it you’ll understand what I mean when I say it’s a heart breaker. Stay gold!
4) Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
Okay so I know that this is not a book, but I believe that poetry can be just as powerful as any other form of literature… And these words have a special place in my memories.
It was the first thing I ever read in front of a group of people. I remember studying the words for days before my presentation, and still muttering the lines to myself in the minutes before it was my turn. I stuttered a few times, as I was nervous, but my teacher was so incredibly impressed that I’d chosen a Maya Angelou poem that she gave me a perfect score.
“She is my favorite poet.” She said.
I must have been a lucky child, because I did not even know how to pronounce Maya’s name at the time.
5) Grimms’ Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
I’ve always been a Disney fan. I like the aesthetics of them. I like art and magic. I like stories.
However, I have this weird uncle… Which I know is a weird way to start a story, but bare with me.
My strange Uncle Dan from the West Coast came to visit for a few weeks one summer when I was 6 or 7 years old. We went camping, but while on the drive to the campsite my younger sister and I were watching the little mermaid on one of those funky, little car TVs.
My weird uncle saw this, and started talking about the original little mermaid story. It horrified my sister to hear such gruesome details about her favorite movie at the time, but I was fascinated. My weird uncle could tell. So, before he left to return to his home on the West Coast, he bought me a cheap, compressed version of Grimms’ Fairy Tales. I still have it in my nightstand drawer to this day. Sometimes it’s helpful when I need a bit of magical inspiration for my dreams before I go to bed.
6) Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
This is a very new book. In fact, some of the modern themes (alternative style characters, technology, and dialogue) can make it feel borderline fan fiction-esque at some points… But don’t let that deter you! It’s still a really fascinating read.
I read it my freshman year of high school, just for fun, and it ended up being a small obsession of mine for a few weeks. It has a few of my favorite points within the story: mythical creatures, a strong female main character, solid writing style, yadda yadda.
My only issue with the book is that towards the end it felt like the main female protagonist was losing her independence because she was going a goo-goo-eyed for her angelic, boy toy… I can’t stand it when writers ruin a solid plot to try and force more romance in than necessary.
I haven’t read the rest of the series, and I’m not too sure if I’d be interested in doing so. I just fell in love with the author’s original take on the normally cliche heaven/hell environments.
7) The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
Martians are cool! That is all!
Just kidding. This book is fantastic. Most people that went through the the American Education system up to around 10th grade have been forcefully familiarized with Bradbury and his work, Fahrenheit 451. However, The Martian Chronicles is a lesser known novel by him that I fell in love with in my English I class.
It’s incredibly unorganized. Bradbury really learned how to write in the three years between the publishing of this book and F451. However, I find that there’s a certain charm to the chaos in the story. Sometimes you have to read a chapter three times to figure out what the fuck actually was going on! It really captures your attention, but if you give it your all than you’re sure to find yourself submersed in a futuristic world unique to the mind of Bradbury.
8) Mythology by Edith Hamilton
This is a well structured book on the subject of Classic Mythology (Greek to Roman era). I’ve had it since my freshman year, because I accidentally stole it from my English teacher and haven’t had the heart to return it some three years later (Sorry, Mrs. Clark). However, I’ve made great use of my crime. I’ve read it cover-to-cover and I now reference it when writing my own story.
9) Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Another one most people who went through the American Education system should be familiar with. Great book! Fun allusions to religion and the devil! Vicious, graphic scenes written out in detail. Addictive story, nevertheless.
Piggy didn’t deserve that
Simon didn’t deserve that.
Jack’s an asshole but I kind of like his spirit. It takes a fun kind of person to become absolutely bat shit, demented with power.
“Kill the pig! Cut her throat! Spill the blood!”
10) Graceling by Kristin Cashore
Last but not least! My favorite book of all time!
Please read it. It’s so good.
Representation of a strong, lady main character!
WICKED combat scenes (I usually have to skim over these in novels, but these are written so well it’s like a movie in your head!)
Juicy love! (but not in an overbearing way)!!
Representation of disabled characters!
Destroying dystopian-like rule! (since that’s so popular nowadays!)
Thanks for dealing with that if you got all the way through. I don’t expect anyone to actually read my shitty, rantish reviews, but hey! It was a good venting strategy.
Fuck. I don’t know if I have 10 friends with Tumblrs.
I tag @seimeinokami @starkat-vantas @ball-pointpen @puppy-pouts @call-mejay @underrated-primadonna @understuck-hell @smallplant @kill3rbear @kisstein
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