tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33656900067463494342024-02-20T13:28:43.912-06:00Read By Number1 average college graduate + 100 of the greatest books ever written + 2 dice =
random chaos?
or genius!Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-28335629912099737452011-08-02T23:16:00.005-05:002011-08-03T00:08:35.953-05:00The Daily Writer #1, Take TwoSo upon further consideration, I decided it would be better to start at the beginning of this fantastic book, rather than in the middle. Like I mentioned before, the book starts at January first, with the idea of doing one exercise per day for a year. However, we'll just pretend that January first is August first, and I'll play some catch-up. :)<br /><br />Without further adieu, here's #1, take two!<br /><br />The Daily Writer #1:<br /><br />Compose an allegory, keeping in mind that each of your characters represents an abstract trait. Give your main character a goal she struggles against powerful obstacles to attain.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />"Hey." A voice hissed gratingly in Edda's ear, rousing her uncomfortably from a deep sleep.<br /><br />"Hey." Something nudged her on the ankle. "Get up!"<br /><br />"I'm still sleeping," Edda grumbled, pulling heavy covers over her head.<br /><br />"It's almost noon!"<br /><br />A pillow buffeted her over the head once, then again.<br /><br />"Let her rest," another voice said quietly. The pillow-attack stopped and Edda heard a mumbled conversation from the hallway. She cautiously lifted the cloying comforter off of her head, peering into the half-lit room.<br /><br />Fahima and Miku stood in the doorway, arguing in whispers. They paused when they saw her looking at them. Fahima, tall and lithe, almost vibrating with excitement, motioned her to get out of bed. Miku frowned in a motherly sort of way, folding her plump arms across her chest. Edda paused, looking between them both.<br /><br />"I guess I'd better get up," she said finally, sighing deeply and reaching for her phone.Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-52542915071271202162011-08-01T00:58:00.005-05:002011-08-01T01:12:19.396-05:00The Daily Writer #1So, in addition to being possibly the worst blogger ever, I'm also a terrible procrastinator. I can't make myself do anything or focus on much. If you know me or have been reading this thing, you know that I've wanted to be a writer my entire life, and I consider myself quite good at it. The problem isn't my writing, you see, it's actually putting it down on paper (er, computer screen). I'm kind of a binge writer. I'll write loads in two hours, then not touch it again for months. I know that this is a problem many writers face. I'm convinced that I could be published and read if I could just get myself together enough to write a decent draft.<br /><br />So! In order to help myself with this task, I've picked up a book (yes, another one). It's called The Daily Writer, and it addresses exactly the problems I have. It gives a short blurb on various elements of writing and then offers one or two exercises, intended to make you write every day! Isn't that fabulous! Well, it obviously starts on January 1, but I figured I could just skip to August 1 and make my way around it like that. I read the first two prompts and they're very interesting. I offer them here for your enjoyment:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">August 1</span><br /><br />1.) Prepare a synopsis of a short story organized into the three stages--departure, initiation, and return--of the hero's journey.<br />2.) Write a fantasy or real world short story based on the synopsis you prepared for number one.<br /><br />Here are my thoughts for the first part:<br />- Departure: A classic young male hero's village is infected by a terrible plague. The hero, being young and strong, is sent to retrieve a rare medicine from another village by an elder. The village is several days' journey away and there is a terrible snowstorm.<br />- Initiation: The young hero braves the storm and many dangers to find the medicine and deliver it back home.<br />- Return: The young hero returns home to find that his entire village has already perished while he was away. The hero realizes that the elder sent him away to save him from the plague, not to fetch necessary medicine, as he knew that it was too late for the rest of the village.<br />- I'm interested in a kind of parallel between the young hero and the elder, where they both go through these stages in the story, but you don't see the elder's journey until the end. For the elder's departure, he sees that the young hero is the only healthy one in a dying village. As there is no hope for the rest of the village, he realizes that he must somehow save the young hero. Elder's initiation: He must concoct a convincing story to lead the young hero away from the plague, ensuring his safety. Elder's return: I'm not sure. Maybe he can at least be thanked by the young hero's parents or something for saving their child.<br /><br />Anyway, that's the first part. I'll tackle part two tomorrow when I get home from work. :)Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-71596053047744427532011-08-01T00:55:00.002-05:002011-08-01T00:57:57.688-05:00The Golden NotebookThe show must go on! I rolled #64, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Golden Notebook</span>, by Doris Lessing. I really don't know what to expect. I must admit that I've never even heard of this book, nor of the author. The back cover doesn't give much of a hint, either. I read a page or so and it was just two women talking about wanting to be married... Not exactly promising, but I'm trying not to judge it just yet. More updates to come!Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-38127745654100718582011-08-01T00:45:00.003-05:002011-08-01T00:55:44.050-05:00The Grapes of WrathSo I finally made it through<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Grapes of Wrath</span>. It's not that it was a bad book--it was beautifully crafted and engaging when I could make myself read it--I just found it slow and difficult to get into. I also didn't feel particularly connected to any of the characters. I felt for them, I was sorry for the terrible pain and hardship they experienced, but they all seemed so foreign to me.<br /><br />One thing that was very interesting was to compare the events described in Steinbeck's novel with modern day. We're supposed to be in a recession right now, but to be blunt, it doesn't even compare. It's like comparing a cat scratch to a beheading. Right now, I feel like things are just kind of annoying and somewhat rougher than a few years ago, but the Great Depression was truly crippling. I can't even fathom it... and maybe that was my problem. It's almost like I couldn't believe what was happening in the book <span style="font-style: italic;">could </span>actually happen. The logical part of me knows it was all based on truth and is a very accurate portrayal of what so many people experienced then, but I still find it unbelievable.<br /><br />I think one thing<span style="font-style: italic;"> The Grapes of Wrath</span> has taught me is the importance of being relate-able. In his own way, Steinbeck is relate-able right now because of the recession, but I think that it's crucial to the longevity and future understanding of a piece of writing to not be so strictly bound to one time period or one place. Of course, chronicling history is fundamental to our growth as a society, but future generations need to be able to feel something for your work other than shock and disbelief.Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-38004419690651174202011-01-09T01:55:00.003-06:002011-01-09T02:04:23.494-06:00The Grapes of WrathJust a quick update for now! I'm still plowing through <span style="font-style: italic;">The Grapes of Wrath</span> (get it? "Plowing through?" I crack myself up), but it's slower going than many of the other books I've read. It's a longer novel, of course, but the language is also very intricate. It's not always easy to follow, especially when Steinbeck goes off on a little tangent. Luckily, the tangents are nice to read.<br /><br />Overall, I find the plot intriguing so far, but not much has really happened. I'm enjoying the story and the characters and Steinbeck's writing is quite beautiful at times, especially his descriptions of the desolate landscape. Who knew the Dust Bowl could be beautiful? However, sometimes I think he gets a little bogged down in all those purdy words. It slows the plot and makes me less connected to the story.<br /><br />In other news, I've decided that I need to put in a few hours a day in my writing. What do you think is appropriate? I want to get up to six hours, but I think I should start small for now. Maybe an hour and a half for now, then move on to three hours, then move on to six hours. Now that I've graduated, I really want to complete one of my novels and start looking for a publisher. It's exciting, but a bit terrifying. I think if I can just make myself focus and finish something (for once), it will turn out well. Here's hoping...<br /><br />There's a hard freeze moving in tonight. I can hear the leaves crackling already. A good day to stay inside and read and/or write, don't you think?Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-12204496739394577712010-12-25T02:52:00.005-06:002010-12-25T03:00:19.032-06:00OthelloSo, I was pretty disappointed in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wide Sargasso Sea</span>, but I thoroughly enjoyed <span style="font-weight: bold;">Othello</span>! I've never read it before and now I think it's one of my favorite Shakespearean plays. I felt more pulled in to the story than almost any other of his works and the characters were all fascinating. I truly felt for Othello. The war and military aspect of this play took a back seat to the emotional turmoil suffered by Othello and Desdemona, and the cruel cunning of Iago. It was no easier to read than any other Shakespeare, but the time seemed to pass more quickly because I was so invested in the characters, their motives, and wondering what the ultimate conclusion would be. I highly recommend it, even if you don't usually like Shakespeare!<br /><br />This was a good week for reading, considering I have a two-week vacation from work and I was stuck with the family for several days. Moving on to #21, <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Grapes of Wrath</span>. So far, it's slow but interesting.Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-38331707398045002892010-12-25T02:34:00.002-06:002010-12-25T02:51:59.965-06:00Wide Sargasso SeaWell, to be completely honest, I'm not sure what to say. I still don't really know what to think about this one. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wide Sargasso Sea</span> is certainly a unique book, with a very unique premise. Rhys apparently wrote it as a kind of high-class fanfiction, telling the story of Mr. Rochester's mad wife from <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jane Eyre</span>. Perhaps I'll feel differently about the book once I get around to reading <span style="font-weight: bold;">Jane Eyre</span> again.<br /><br />I was pretty excited about reading this book, which might have been my first mistake. I'm not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn't what I got. Rhys writes beautifully, it's just not quite my style. A little too stream-of-consciousness, I think. I was always interested in the story, especially the gorgeous setting (post-colonial Caribbean islands), but I didn't feel attached to any of the characters. It was written as a sort of "descent into madness" novel, but I could never sympathize with the main character, Antoinette. This may have been due in part to my unfamiliarity with the history and racial tensions of this time and area. As hard I tried, however, I just couldn't like Antoinette.<br /><br />I remember disliking Mr. Rochester in<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Jane Eyre</span>, but in <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wide Sargasso Sea</span> I felt sorry for him because he was duped into marrying such a nut-job. At times, I felt like Rhys was trying a bit too hard with the whole crazy thing, if that makes sense. It felt faked in some ways, and pretentious in all others. I felt at once confused, bored, and a little bit offended throughout the first two parts. Once I got to Part 3, I was finally happy with the book, but then it abruptly ended.<br /><br />I really don't like being overly critical, but this was definitely not the book for me. Maybe I can give it away to someone who will enjoy it more. On a different note, I'm fairly impressed that a novel can feel heavy and frivolous at the same time. Sorry Jean Rhys.Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-56476572000032546582010-12-19T01:53:00.002-06:002010-12-19T02:04:22.425-06:00King LearWell, that was quick.<br /><br />I've determined that <span style="font-weight: bold;">King Lear</span> is one of those Shakespearean plays that I enjoy for the story, not for the language. It's definitely an interesting descent into madness, but the language doesn't have the beauty and poetry that some of his other work has. It definitely held my interest a lot more than the other tragedies I've read. All of the characters had a nice development. Of course, everyone dies at the end, like most tragedies. It took nearly four acts for someone to finally get killed, though.<br /><br />All in all, I thought it was pretty good--I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys Shakespeare, but for some impressive quotes and poetry, go for one of the comedies, or maybe some sonnets.<br /><br />The next one is #45, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Wide Sargasso Sea</span>, by Jean Rhys. I'm really excited about this one! I've never read anything by her and the story sounds fascinating. I'll probably head to Half-Price or Book People tomorrow to find a copy. Yay for holiday gift cards!Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-12620070075482229562010-12-18T23:27:00.004-06:002010-12-18T23:40:18.764-06:00Moving' on down the list<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</span> is done! It was a pretty quick read, considering how simplistic the language is. I remember reading the whole Narnia series when I was younger and just loving it. I still love it! However, it's one of those series like Harry Potter. Love the story, not so much the writing. Reading<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</span> now, it often just sounds condescending or overly preachy. I think some of the other books in the series are a little more sophisticated.<br /><br />It's apt, considering that the movie version of<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</span> just came out in theatres. I went and saw it with my roommates--it was pretty good!<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</span> was always my favourite of the series, with <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Magician's Nephew</span> as a close second. I remember being pretty oblivious to the whole Christian allegory as a kid, right up until the end of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dawn Treader</span>. I felt a little bit cheated by C.S. Lewis after that.<br /><br />Well, on to the next adventure! The dice proclaim it to be........ #50, <span style="font-weight: bold;">King Lear</span>! I'm pretty excited about this one. I was hoping for something I hadn't read before. I typically enjoy Shakespeare and I've never read <span style="font-weight: bold;">King Lear</span>. Should be interesting! :)Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-88770260656651446692010-12-09T01:10:00.005-06:002010-12-09T01:16:57.408-06:00The Lion, the Witch, and the WardrobeI rolled #37, <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe</span>! I think this is a good sign. 37 just happens to be my favorite number. It also just so happens that I own this book and (thankfully) don't have to buy it. I haven't read it for years, but I remember it fondly. I'm certain that it won't take nearly as long as<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Catch-22</span>.<br /><br />I remember reading this whole series as a kid. I must have been pretty oblivious, because I missed all of the Christian imagery until about the time I finished <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Voyage of the Dawn Treader</span>. I'm not a Christian, but I really enjoy C.S. Lewis. He's not obnoxious about it, you know? It's not as though he's trying to shove some religion down your throat, he's just telling a classic story of good and evil, and interesting re-telling of the Christian mythos.<br /><br />In any case, I'm looking forward to this one. Ciao for now!Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-37318797826939558932010-12-09T00:58:00.002-06:002010-12-09T01:02:38.875-06:00Catch-22... part deuxWell, I've finally done it. I finally finished<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Catch-22</span>. I have to admit, I'm a little bit disappointed. It was amusing... for about the first 20 chapters. I had a difficult time getting into it. There were so many characters, it was hard to keep track of them all.<br /><br />All in all, I'm glad I made it through, but it's definitely not one of my favorite books. A lot of good one-liners, but as a whole, it didn't keep my interest.<br /><br />And hey, guess what?! I'm about to graduate from college! I should (hopefully) have a lot more time to read now, and maybe actually complete this project.<br /><br />And now, on to the fun part! Let's see what book comes up next...Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-62999875831618189182009-12-07T15:27:00.003-06:002009-12-07T15:38:36.010-06:00Catch-22Hello, dear readers! Well, whoever is left. Please accept my deepest of apologies for the lack of blogging (and reading). This semester was a new flavor of hell and <u>Catch-22</u> was surprisingly difficult to get a hold of! I'm guessing it was required reading for high school this year or something of the sort. But have no fear! I have secured a copy of said book and even started reading it over Thanksgiving. I've only gotten about a fourth of the way through, but it has proved an enjoyable read!<br /><br />My first impressions: it's actually funny! I think it's pretty hard to write a funny book. Terry Pratchett does well at it, but the classics aren't usually known for their giggle factor. I didn't know much about <u>Catch-22</u> going into the book, but I was pleasantly surprised. For those who don't know, it's a satire about the fictional army of a fictional country circa WWII. The plot is scattered and convoluted, but in a good way... if that makes any sense.<br /><br />I don't typically enjoy novels that are difficult to follow, but this is an exception. It's cliche, but this is a book that makes you think. Not just about grand themes and morals (maybe I'll get to that part later), but more along the lines of, "What the hell is going on?" In a good way.<br /><br />If you like historical fiction, funny names, and political (well, military) satire, then I suggest this novel! Also, silly me, I didn't realize that the phrase "catch-22" came from the book, not the other way around. So far, Joseph Heller is an amusing, thought-provoking, and somewhat frustrating author. In a good way. I promise.Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-50366110245390198872009-08-10T01:47:00.005-05:002011-08-01T00:45:24.276-05:00The first step is always the hardestWhat better time to start then now? For future reference, here is the list I'm working off of:<br /><br /><ol><li> <!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style=""><span style=""></span></span></span> War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">2.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>1984 – George Orwell</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">3.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Ulysses – James Joyce</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">4.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">5.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Sound and the Fury – William Faulkner</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">6.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Invisible Man – Ralph Ellison</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">7.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">8.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Illiad and the Odyssey – Homer</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">9.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">10.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Divine Comedy – Dante Alighieri</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">11.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Canterbury Tales – Geoffrey Chaucer</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">12.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Gulliver’s Travels – Jonathan Swift</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">13.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Middlemarch – George Eliot</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">14.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">15.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="">16.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color:red;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">17.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">18.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-style: italic;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">19.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Catch-22 – Joseph Heller</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">20.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Beloved – Toni Morrison</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-style: italic;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">21.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">22.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">23.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Brave New World – Aldous Huxley</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">24.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Mrs. Dalloway – Virginia Woolf</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">25.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Native Son – Richard Wright</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">26.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Democracy in America – Alexis de Tocqueville</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">27.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>On the Origin of Species – Charles Darwin</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">28.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Histories – Herodatus</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">29.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Social Contract – Jean-Jacques Rousseau</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">30.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Das Kapital – Karl Marx</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">31.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Prince – Niccolo Machiavelli</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">32.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Confessions – St. Augustine </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">33.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Leviathan – Thomas Hobbs</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">34.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Histories of the Peloponnesian War – Thucydides</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">35.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">36.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Winnie-the-Pooh – A.A. Milne</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-style: italic;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">37.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">38.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>A Passage to India – E.M. Forster</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">39.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>On the Road – Jack Kerouac</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">40.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span><span style=""> </span>To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">41.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Edition</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">42.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">43.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Light in August – William Faulkner</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">44.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Souls of Black Folk – W.E.B. Du Bois</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-style: italic;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">45.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Wide Sargasso Sea – Jean Rhys</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">46.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">47.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Paradise Lost – John Milton</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">48.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"><span style="">49.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: rgb(0, 176, 80);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Hamlet – William Shakespeare</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-style: italic;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">50.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>King Lear – William Shakespeare</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-style: italic;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">51.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Othello – William Shakespeare</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">52.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Sonnets – William Shakespeare</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">53.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Leaves of Grass – Walt Whitman</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">54.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">55.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Kim – Rudyard Kipling</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">56.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Frankenstein – Mary Shelley</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">57.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Song of Solomon – Toni Morrison</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">58.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Ken Kesey</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">59.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">60.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Slaughterhouse-Five – Kurt Vonnegut</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">61.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Animal Farm – George Orwell</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"><span style="">62.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: rgb(0, 176, 80);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">Lord of the Flies – William Golding</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">63.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>In Cold Blood – Truman Capote</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in; font-weight: bold;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">64.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Golden Notebook – Doris Lessing</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">65.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Remembrance of Things Past – Marcel Proust</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">66.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Big Sleep – Raymond Chandler</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">67.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>As I Lay Dying – Willilam Faulkner</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">68.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">69.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>I, Claudius – Robert Graves</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">70.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Heart is a Lonely Hunter – Carson McCullers</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">71.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Sons and Lovers – D.H. Lawrence</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">72.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>All the King’s Men – Robert Penn Warren</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">73.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Go Tell It on the Mountain – James Baldwin</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">74.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Charlotte’s Webb – E.B. White</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">75.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">76.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Night – Elie Wiesel</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">77.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Rabbit, Run – John Updike</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">78.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Age of Innocence – Edith Wharton</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">79.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Portnoy’s Complaint – Philip Roth</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">80.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>An American Tragedy – Theodore Dreiser</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">81.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Day of the Locust – Nathanael West</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">82.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Tropic of Cancer – Henry Miller</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">83.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammett</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">84.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">85.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Death Comes for the Archbishop – Willa Cather</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">86.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Interpretation of Dreams – Sigmund Freud</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">87.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Education of Henry Adams – Henry Adams</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">88.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Quotations from Chairman Mao – Mao Zedong</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">89.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature – William James</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">90.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">91.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Silent Spring – Rachel Carson</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">92.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money – John Maynard Keyes</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">93.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Lord Jim – Joseph Conrad</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">94.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Goodbye to All That – Robert Graves</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">95.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Affluent Society – John Kenneth Galbraith</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">96.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">97.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Autobiography of Malcolm X – Alex Haley and Malcolm X</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">98.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>Eminent Victorians – Lytton Strachey</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">99.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Color Purple – Alice Walker</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">100.<span style=""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span dir="ltr"></span>The Second World War (The Gathering Storm; Their Finest Hour; The Grand Alliance; The Hinge of Fate; Triumph and Tragedy) – Winston Churchill </p></li></ol><br />For starters, I'm eliminating two works from this list: <u>Lord of the Flies</u> and <u>Hamlet</u>. The only reason for this is that I've read both of these books within the past two years. I'm more interested in reading new things than revisiting something I read so recently.<br /><br />Now, to begin! I rolled the dice this evening and the first number up is... <b>19!</b><br /><br /><u>Catch-22</u> it is!<br /><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">1<span style=""><br /></span></span></span></p>Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3365690006746349434.post-55805321548745596372009-08-10T01:05:00.000-05:002009-08-10T13:15:26.455-05:00100 of the Greatest Books Ever WrittenOn June 29, 2009, Newsweek compiled a <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/204478">list of the best books ever written</a>.<br /><br />On August 9, 2009, I decided I'd like to read them.<br /><br />I like to fancy myself a writer, but to be honest, I've had a horrible case of writer's block for... oh, about three years. With young adult phenomenons like the <u>Harry Potter</u> and <u>Twilight</u> series convincing everyone to start reading again, I figure I might actually have a chance at accomplishing my dream: to become a <strike>fabulously wealthy</strike> full-time writer. However, I've really let my sharp writer's mind go in the past few years. It's amazing what college will do to you. What better way to hone my skills for actually completing a piece of than by reading the great works?<br /><br />Let's be honest here folks, it's a rare person that reads the classics by choice. Most people wade drearily through novels like <u>War and Peace</u> and <u>The Catcher in the Rye</u>. I know that in my high school days, I would rather drown myself than read one more line of <u>Heart of Darkness</u> or <u>Invisible Man</u>. Now that I'm in college, there are fewer Bronte sisters and Hemingways to torture me. They've been replaced by new tormentors like Toni Morrison, Virginia Woolf, and James Joyce.<br /><br />However, being ever the optimist and forever a believer in positive thinking (imagine your own sarcasm please), perhaps these lengthy and tumultuous works of fiction and non-fiction will be better stomached by a free mind. A mind open to the power of choice and thirsty for new knowledge. Disenchanted by everything from our government to my sparse refrigerator, I'm ready to embark on a journey of wisdom! This time, wrought by my own hand, and not that of overzealous English teachers and jaded literature professors!<br /><br />I must take care, though. The path will be full of dangers--dark forms seeking to lead me astray, but mostly my own fears at taking on such monsters as William Faulkner and <u>Ulysses</u>. I'm a realist and I know how my mind works. I must be cautious in my methods. Leave myself too much freedom and I'll happily jump into old favorites like <u>The Great Gatsby</u> and new wonders like <u>Wide Sargasso Sea</u>. I need a fool-proof (and cheat-proof) way of deciding the order of these books. I could always start from the very beginning, but what fun is that? Besides, who would want to start such a perilous journey with <u>War and Peace</u>? I could start at the end, but how much more daunting does that make my task seem? Better to use a method of randomness. One that I can't argue with, but one familiar enough to trust in. Being a complete and utter nerd, I always keep dice handy for the unexpected game of D&D. Dice: the perfect companion in my journey. They will surely keep me on my toes.<br /><br />And so it begins. One average (though somewhat embittered) college student, 100 of the Greatest Books Ever Written (though this is always arguable), and one pair of bright teal dice. Reading is cool again, so let the madness begin!Sadie Hawkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10350992706925762086noreply@blogger.com0