Books

I have to think about something other than the election, so I'm going to blog. Books, books, books. The first half of the year was dedicated to getting my Masters so I didn't really start to read until the end of July. I remember in 2004 or 2005 I read about 13 Vonnegut books and now I don't remember them because I never blogged or really discussed them. So I'm going to start blogging about what I read. I was going to do this list at the end of the year but it was getting big and I think I should do this list and then blog about the books I read from now on individually. So this is what I've had the pleasure of reading so far this year.

1. My Point…and I Do Have One - Ellen Degeneres
This was quirky and funny. And I always love reading a book about or from someone who has really gotten past caring what people think.

2. The Lady Tasting Tea - I Don't Even Know the Author's Name
I don’t recommend. This is the most boring book ever published. I finally stopped at Chapter 13. It’s a book I read with the hope that it’ help me in a statistics class. It’s awful though.

3. Marley and Me - John Grogan
This made me cry. Poorly written even though the author is an award winning journalist. But what do you expect when you are reading about the worst dog in the world? BTW…he definitely wasn’t the worst dog in my opinion. He didn’t even eat his own shit. It’s a very touching story though.

4. Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
This is definitely a book that I felt lived up to the hype. It’s not for everyone, but it was for me. I can’t even describe WHY I thought this was so good but I think it has everything to do with the title and why it’s called what it is – and even though the protaganist was angry, lost and coming of age…I think anyone at any age can see why he feels the way he does.

5. Nine Stories - J.D. Salinger
So entertaining. These stories were either hilarious or shocking and I won’t say more because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. And I couldn’t wait to get back to read more.

6. Franny and Zooey - J.D. Salinger
This book is about love. Not the normal love that we always read or hear about but love between siblings and how sometimes you need someone like a brother or sister to help you when you’re stuck. And even if you don’t have a sibling…you’ll be able to appreciate these cut in two part book (one part called Franny, the other part Zooey). Btw, I’m wondering is Zooey Deschanel got her name from this book.

7. Rant - Chuck Palahniuk
Not my favorite Palahniuk. The ending made no sense and it was actually frustrating. All of his more recent books seem to have turned in that direction. It seems to me like he wrote a good book and then tried to make it like Fight Club and I’m still confused as to why he did that. Entertaining at least.

8. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
I am so so glad I read this book. To me, the book had a lot of funny areas especially because the narrator is the biggest pain in the ass ever. But at the end….. the book outlines some of the huge social problems in the Southern United States. And it’s no wonder why this book won the Pultizer.

9. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

This is the saddest book I have ever read. I can’t say anymore.

10. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
Weird. Freaky. And everything I expected.


11. The Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury
I read this book in a day. This is now one of my favorite books. It’s a collection of stories that explain illustrations on a character (that ended up being a terrible villain in Something Wicked This Way Comes). It’s the Twilight Zone in a small freaky book. Please read it if you haven’t already.