(Check out Kevin MacLeod's music some time. It's fantastic.)
(Sorry about this. I had to. I posted a comment on here because it made me cry so, so hard.)
Today I thought I'd do something a little different and
discuss my favorite pieces of literature, and the reasons behind my choices. I
don't read nearly as often as I need to now, but when I was younger,
specifically around the 5th grade, I started reading at a college level, and
continued to read-read-read until the end of high school. The following are
works which have stuck with me for one reason or another.
These are in no particular order.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
---This almost shouldn't need explaining. It's a comedic book (and series) with a wacky plot and (dare I say it) otherworldly humor. I can't remember another book that had my friends staring at me like I was insane while I was reading a piece of paper and audibly giggling the whole time.
---If you like Sci-Fi, or comedy, or the name Arthur Dent, go read this work if you haven't already.
I Am Legend
by Richard Matheson
---Oh my God. I don't even know where to begin. For those who don't know, Richard Matheson's work has been widely influential in international mediums of art, not to mention the backbone for many movies and television shows. I Am Legend itself was an influence on the development of the modern Zombie mythos, genre, and fandom. It's spawned four (!) movie adaptations over the course of sixty years! My copy of this work was printed in a bound collection of Matheson's works, and there's not a single story in this collection I don't love! I Am Legend has a truly innovative plot and tone, with a semi-realistic depiction of a normal man's life in a now abnormal, post-apocalyptic world. Fantastic emotional connection for a character slowly losing his mind, and an unexpected twist will leave you breathless. I saw the 2007 film adaptation before I ever picked up this work, and though there are similarities, I was pleasantly surprised by the differences.
---Sci-Fi, Horror, or just plain good read, give this story a second glance.
Fifteen Hours
by Mitchel Scanlon
---Admittedly, if you're not familiar with the Warhammer 40,000 universal lore, you won't have any idea what's happening in this book. This is entirely the WH40K fanboy in me shining through. And for those who aren't familiar, I'll give you a brief description. It's the 41st millennium. Humanity is spread over tens of thousands of colonies on other planets. They worship the God-Emperor of Mankind, basically think of Jesus mixed with Chuck Norris and a tinge of Alexander the Great. Anyway, there are space-orcs (or Orks, as it's spelled in WH40K) and countless other alien nasties always posing a threat to the colonies. Fifteen Hours is an encapsulation of... well... just that. Fifteen hours is the average lifespan of any Imperial Guardsman (standard infantry) coming to the planet on which the story takes place. I love the story because it made me feel. And that's more than I can say about a lot of other fiction nowadays.
---Only read this if you know what the hell's going on.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
---Do I need to present a reason for why I think this is fantastic? I shall; I think my reason might be different than a lot of other people's. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic! Obviously. I can't think of many novels which were more influential. My reason for this being top-tier, though, comes not from its message, but ironically just from the times when nothing was happening in the book. We need some exposition here: I live in Missouri. I've lived in Missouri all my life. I've been all around the country, to NYC, Las Vegas, Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Atlanta, Nashville, you name it. I've probably been there because my father's side of the family is spread all over the place and we just generally love going on vacation. But I will tell you there's no place to me like my home. And that's the feeling this work replicated to me. It was in a past era, but I still felt like I was reading about home, even with all the differences. We live in a small city, mind you. And the days when kids were just being kids reminds me of, well... just being a kid! Shocker, right? I'm really sentimental and I hold this book on a pedestal purely for that reason. Sure, it's got a fantastic story, too... But that's just the icing on the metaphorical cake!
---If you haven't read this... What's wrong with you? I forgive you just this once but go do it! GO NOW!
Marco's Millions and The Boxes
by William Sleator
---Who am I kidding? These are basically the same story, interconnected. William Sleator was primarily an author to the young adult audience, and in middle school, guess what I pretty much was? And our library had these gems in stock, so naturally I scooped them up. My mind was blown from a blind read. I couldn't have been happier. Marco's Millions was written years after the boxes, and is a prequel about the life of one of The Boxes' characters. Marco and his sister found a portal to another dimension in their basement, and most of the plot hinges on the concept of a naked singularity and the relationship between intense gravity and the alterations of time. It literally opened my mind to deeper patterns of thought and concepts foreign to me. I honestly feel if I hadn't read these works, I wouldn't have such an appreciation for the High-Concept novel as I do today.
---Not really for non-Sci-Fi readers. Otherwise, well worth the energy and time. Even if you're an adult, I feel like these works can teach you something.
Stones in Water
by Donna Jo Napoli
---This one may be a bit more obscure than many other titles on this list, but deserves a spot here, nonetheless. Stones in Water is a young adult novel about two Italian boys sent to a Nazi work camp. Of course, the story is a bit more complicated than just that, but my memory on it isn't the greatest. I'll just say that it's well worth the read (and the tears). There are dozens of books I read during my early middle-school years, but this is one of the few that stuck, and I know it's for a reason.
---Historical Fiction, highly emotional. Give it a look. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed.
And there you have it. The pieces of literature I've always held in my heart, no matter where I am.
What are yours?
These are in no particular order.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
---This almost shouldn't need explaining. It's a comedic book (and series) with a wacky plot and (dare I say it) otherworldly humor. I can't remember another book that had my friends staring at me like I was insane while I was reading a piece of paper and audibly giggling the whole time.
---If you like Sci-Fi, or comedy, or the name Arthur Dent, go read this work if you haven't already.
I Am Legend
by Richard Matheson
---Oh my God. I don't even know where to begin. For those who don't know, Richard Matheson's work has been widely influential in international mediums of art, not to mention the backbone for many movies and television shows. I Am Legend itself was an influence on the development of the modern Zombie mythos, genre, and fandom. It's spawned four (!) movie adaptations over the course of sixty years! My copy of this work was printed in a bound collection of Matheson's works, and there's not a single story in this collection I don't love! I Am Legend has a truly innovative plot and tone, with a semi-realistic depiction of a normal man's life in a now abnormal, post-apocalyptic world. Fantastic emotional connection for a character slowly losing his mind, and an unexpected twist will leave you breathless. I saw the 2007 film adaptation before I ever picked up this work, and though there are similarities, I was pleasantly surprised by the differences.
---Sci-Fi, Horror, or just plain good read, give this story a second glance.
Fifteen Hours
by Mitchel Scanlon
---Admittedly, if you're not familiar with the Warhammer 40,000 universal lore, you won't have any idea what's happening in this book. This is entirely the WH40K fanboy in me shining through. And for those who aren't familiar, I'll give you a brief description. It's the 41st millennium. Humanity is spread over tens of thousands of colonies on other planets. They worship the God-Emperor of Mankind, basically think of Jesus mixed with Chuck Norris and a tinge of Alexander the Great. Anyway, there are space-orcs (or Orks, as it's spelled in WH40K) and countless other alien nasties always posing a threat to the colonies. Fifteen Hours is an encapsulation of... well... just that. Fifteen hours is the average lifespan of any Imperial Guardsman (standard infantry) coming to the planet on which the story takes place. I love the story because it made me feel. And that's more than I can say about a lot of other fiction nowadays.
---Only read this if you know what the hell's going on.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
---Do I need to present a reason for why I think this is fantastic? I shall; I think my reason might be different than a lot of other people's. To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic! Obviously. I can't think of many novels which were more influential. My reason for this being top-tier, though, comes not from its message, but ironically just from the times when nothing was happening in the book. We need some exposition here: I live in Missouri. I've lived in Missouri all my life. I've been all around the country, to NYC, Las Vegas, Mt. Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Atlanta, Nashville, you name it. I've probably been there because my father's side of the family is spread all over the place and we just generally love going on vacation. But I will tell you there's no place to me like my home. And that's the feeling this work replicated to me. It was in a past era, but I still felt like I was reading about home, even with all the differences. We live in a small city, mind you. And the days when kids were just being kids reminds me of, well... just being a kid! Shocker, right? I'm really sentimental and I hold this book on a pedestal purely for that reason. Sure, it's got a fantastic story, too... But that's just the icing on the metaphorical cake!
---If you haven't read this... What's wrong with you? I forgive you just this once but go do it! GO NOW!
Marco's Millions and The Boxes
by William Sleator
---Who am I kidding? These are basically the same story, interconnected. William Sleator was primarily an author to the young adult audience, and in middle school, guess what I pretty much was? And our library had these gems in stock, so naturally I scooped them up. My mind was blown from a blind read. I couldn't have been happier. Marco's Millions was written years after the boxes, and is a prequel about the life of one of The Boxes' characters. Marco and his sister found a portal to another dimension in their basement, and most of the plot hinges on the concept of a naked singularity and the relationship between intense gravity and the alterations of time. It literally opened my mind to deeper patterns of thought and concepts foreign to me. I honestly feel if I hadn't read these works, I wouldn't have such an appreciation for the High-Concept novel as I do today.
---Not really for non-Sci-Fi readers. Otherwise, well worth the energy and time. Even if you're an adult, I feel like these works can teach you something.
Stones in Water
by Donna Jo Napoli
---This one may be a bit more obscure than many other titles on this list, but deserves a spot here, nonetheless. Stones in Water is a young adult novel about two Italian boys sent to a Nazi work camp. Of course, the story is a bit more complicated than just that, but my memory on it isn't the greatest. I'll just say that it's well worth the read (and the tears). There are dozens of books I read during my early middle-school years, but this is one of the few that stuck, and I know it's for a reason.
---Historical Fiction, highly emotional. Give it a look. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed.
And there you have it. The pieces of literature I've always held in my heart, no matter where I am.
What are yours?
Also, hit that follow button at the bottom of the page!
See you next time!
-D.
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