This is horrendously long, so if you suffer through it in its entirety, you have my sincere condolences. It was impossible for me to do this in less than a few hours, and even then I couldnt possibly place these authors in their appropriate order if I tried, with one or two distinct exceptions. FB tag game! In your status list 10 books that have stayed with you in some way. Dont take more than a few minutes and dont think too hard. They do not have to be the right books or great works of literature, just ones that have affected you in some way. Tag a few friends (if you want to) including me so I can see your list. Here are my 10: 1. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of all the faded memories Ive retained from my early childhood, only one remains vibrant and clear. Night after night I would beg my grandparents to read me a few pages from this, the most astounding of childrens novels. It served as the inspiration for my very desire to learn to read, and remains just as important to this day. 2. The Foundation Series, by Isaac Asimov. Its probably cheating to list a trilogy grown out of control, instead of a singular novel. I dont particularly care, and remain convinced that these books were only separated due to arbitrary limits of 2000 pages or less. With his mastery of the genre, Asimov would lay the foundation for my lifelong love of science fiction, and opened my eyes to a world I could never have imagined before. 3. Dune, by Frank Herbert. Philosophy, religion, metaphysics and transcendental philosophy all rolled into one. The sheer scope of Mr. Herberts magnificent work of art only served to further ignite my passionate love affair with worlds far removed from our own. 4. I, Claudius, by Robert Graves. History has always been a bit of an idle curiosity of mine, but legend and myth spoke to me on a very different level than mere fact. Somehow I had acquired a taste for trivia, but had no patience for the nit and grit of those who paved the way. Robert Graves imaginative interpretation of a Roman emperor changed my mind, and I have yet to look back. 5. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. A nod is owed to the novel that shattered what remained of my childish obedience to authority, and stripped me completely of any respect I would have ever held for censorship. It isnt often Ive read a book thats left me so incensed. 6. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. Atlas Shrugged is very likely the birthplace of most of my most dearly held sociopolitical ideologies. Its faced scathing reviews, celebrated success and has been deconstructed, subverted and justified quite a bit over its comparably short lifespan, and to me that speaks volumes about its importance if only generationally. 7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas... by Hunter S. Thompson. As mentioned before, throughout much of my life I found that the real world tended to bore me. I could stomach commentary, and satire if they were sheathed in a thin veneer of fantastic imagery, but Hunter S. Thompson spoke to me, in crazed drug fueled rants that I couldnt have silenced if I wanted to. Through Gonzo Journalism and one mans unbelievably vivid memory, I found a distinct appreciation (or perhaps disgust) for the world I lived in. 8. Il Principe, by Niccolo Machiavelli. For better or worse, I found myself inexorably drawn to this Italian philosophers groundbreaking political, and ethical concepts. Much of who I view myself as to this very day can be traced back to my brief, but repeated encounters with The Prince. 9. The Tale of Genji. It is the most lovingly crafted examination of a truly foreign culture Ive chanced to enjoy, but astoundingly that isnt even the true measure of this books value. The sheer weight of human emotion, passion and despair left me drained, but enlightened. This simple tale ignited in me a feverous fervor, a nipponophiliac desire that will likely never be quenched. 10. Hagakure, interpreted by Tsuramoto Tashiro and drawn from the commentary of Yamamoto Tsunetomo. If The Tale of Genji was exotic, then Hagakure and its intensely detailed examination of the Samurai code is utterly alien. I struggled for years to reconcile my western ideology with the concept of Bushido, and have become a better man for it. There are so many others that deserve a spot on this list. I could spend hours, if not days agonizing over my decisions, and many of them have only been excluded because I honestly couldnt pick just one book from their impressively extensive bibliographies. Ill list a few of them here: Sir Terry Pratchett has been with me throughout my entire life, and I couldnt ask for a better travelling companion. Ive laughed and cried, been left wanting and destitute, but I will always come back for more. Piers Anthony is the master of the pun, both bad and excellent, and will forever hold a place in my heart for both the moments of mirth hes been kind enough to leave me and those sorrowful partings. Douglas Adams. What could I possibly say about Douglas Adams that his books could not better articulate? Science fiction wouldnt be the same without him, and neither would I. Neil Gaiman is a true artist, and an absolutely magnificent bastard. To read his literature is like living another mans dreams. I would go on, but Ive already made myself incredibly jealous. R.A. Salvatore will always have a place on my shelves. His works have inspired countless worlds, characters and misadventures of my own. William Shakespeare. Without him, the English language literally couldnt be what it is today. At work, or at play, his grasp of the art cannot be understated and the same can be said of my appreciation for his unique genius.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:38:39 +0000