Tooooo Many Books

Got this meme from my dear friend Ted – who just started blogging – go, Ted. (Here’s a Diary Friday, by the way, which describes the night Ted and I became friends. We had known each other for a couple of months – but it was on this night that we realized: Uhm … kindred spirit???)

A book that made you cry: Atonement: A Novel. I was a freakin’ wreck at the end of that book. The rest of the book was a chilling and almost still experience – I didn’t cry all the way through reading it. But that last paragraph. I cried so intensely that I scared the dude I was dating at the time. I have been unable to pick up that book ever since – even though I sometimes do yearn to re-read it, it was so good. But nope. Too painful.

A book that scared you: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

Uhm … I’ve never written a post about this book. I will when I get to it. This book was a mind-freak. I actually had nightmares reading it. It tapped into a deep core of utter terror that I guess I walk around with at all times. Fear of dark, fear of claustrophobia, fear of … reaching out to find the wall in the darkness and having it not be there … This book is out of this world. Has anyone else read it? I’ll get into more detail during my book excerpt thing – but I was blown away. Not just by the look of the book (you sometimes have to turn it upside down, you have to hold it up to the mirror sometimes) … but also by his writing, which is startlingly good. I was terrified by this damn book. I felt like a little kid reading it. I didn’t want to turn off my light because I knew I would have a bad dream. I read it a couple years ago. Great GREAT read. Scared the shit out of me.

A book that made you laugh: Scoop, by Evelyn Waugh I read it in a recent Book Blogger Classics Challenge – and it made me laugh so hard that I embarrassed myself during public commutes. One of the funniest books I have ever read in my life.

A book that disgusted you: Less Than Zero, by Bret Easton Ellis. Those people have no redeeming qualities.

A book you loved in elementary school: Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh I mean … LOOK at Harriet. I STILL dress like Harriet. She’s why I started putting my thoughts down on paper when I was 10 years old.

A book you loved in middle school: The Pigman by Paul Zindel – this is still one of my all-time favorite books. Ever. I still read it, on average, once a year – and have ever since middle school.

A book you loved in high school: The Bell Jar , by Sylvia Plath The book does not hold up. The poetry, however, just gets better and better … but the book is juvenile, and doesn’t holdup. Still some well-written sections – I latched onto this book in high school. I loved it. Thank goodness it was a phase. Her POETRY is where it’s really at.

A book you hated in high school:Billy Budd (Tor Classics), by Herman Melville. I still have feelings of revulsion when i think of how much I hated reading that book.

A book you loved in college: The Cider House Rules, by John Irving. Still one of my favorite books.

A book that challenged your identity: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. I was 11 when I read it. I realized, for the first time in my innocent life, how much God has to answer for. It was devastating to me. Shattering, really. I remember kneeling by my bed and screaming at God so loudly that I was scared I would be struck by lightning. That book completely re-worked how I thought about the universe, fate, fairness, free will … It was a horrible experience. I never fully recovered, I guess – and for that I am truly grateful.

A series that you love: The “Emily” books by LM Montgomery: Emily of New Moon/ Emily Climbs/ Emily’s Quest (3 Book Set).

Your favorite horror book: It, by Stephen King. A masterwork, as far as I’m concerned.

Your favorite science fiction book: A Wrinkle in Time, I suppose is my answer.

Your favorite fantasy: The Narnia books.

Your favorite mystery: I must honor my younger self and say that the first 10 books in the Trixie Belden mega-series are pretty damn great. I should re-read them. I DEVOURED them when I was a kid. Nancy Drew Shmancy Drew. Give me Trixie.

Your favorite biography: Oh God, I’m with Ted. Only one?? I’m a biography freak. Let’s see. Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton, McCullough’s John Adams, the two-part biography of Orson Welles by Simon Callow: Orson Welles, Volume 1: The Road to Xanadu (Orson Welles / Simon Callow), Orson Welles: Volume 2: Hello Americans, Joseph Ellis’ American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson and His Excellency: George Washington, A. Scott Berg’s Lindbergh, Leverich’s Tom: The Unknown Tennessee Williams (and he died before he could finish Volume 2! Tragedy!), Gerald Clarke’s Capote: A Biography is a masterpiece of the genre – and Mrs. Gaskell’s The Life of Charlotte Brontë . Yes, it’s gossipy – yes, it’s biased – and mythologizes the sisters -but listen – the book has not ever been out of print since it was first published. GIVE IT THE PROPS it deserves. Biographies go out of style so quickly – as new “theories” come up and go down … but that kind of staying power is notable. I love Mrs. Gaskell’s gossipy “I knew Charlotte Bronte” book … and I know I’m reading a myth, but it’s a damn good book anyway. Richard Ellmann’s James Joyce is spectacular.

I can’t stop. There are even more I need to add.

Your favorite “coming of age” book: Probably Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume. Awesome book. I still love it. Wrote about it here.

Your favorite classic: Why must I choose. Why.

The first thing that comes to mind is Jane Eyre.

But I also have to say A Tale of Two Cities, The Brothers Karamazov, Crime And PunishmentPride and Prejudice, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Great Expectations. These are the main ones.

Oh shit, and how could I forget – Moby Dick. Hated it in high school – re-read it in 2003 … and felt it was one of the most EXCITING books I’ve ever read. Love it. Love love love it.

Your favorite romance book: Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews.

JUST KIDDING.

I suppose I would have to say Jane Eyre is the best romance ever. I want to add Possession to the list – as well as <Life Without Friends, a young adult book.

Your favorite book not on this list:

Hopeful Monsters, by Nicholas Mosley.

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18 Responses to Tooooo Many Books

  1. Ted says:

    Hey – thanks for that mention! I’m realizing on the biographies, although it qualifies as history and as memoir too, Victor Klemperer’s diaries are the story of his life, and they’re unparalleled and I know you admire them too.
    What did you think of Audra?

  2. red says:

    Ted – I purposefully left “memoirs” and “letters and diaries” out of the biography equation – because there are just too many of those that I love – Klemperer’s up there at the top. God. So amazing.

    Hey … you know his Lingua Tertia thing he worked on throughout? That’s been published – did you know that?? His analysis of totalitarian and fascist language – analyzing the obituaries, and the news reports …

    I read it – it’s totally intellectual, of course – kind of dry at times – but SO cool to read. Because you know the duress under which he compiled all of his examples.

  3. Amy says:

    I read H.O.L. aswell…and I have to agree my senses were shattered after it. It got me into philosophy big time! Im in France at the moment and so regretting not brining it. I really need to re-read it. I got “Only Revolutions” (the author’s latest book) and it was a really big let down. Have you read it?

  4. red says:

    Amy – I have not read it, but I’ve heard, yes, that it is a let-down. I’ll probably have to read it anyway, just because I’m weird like that – but I’ll try to manage my expectations.

    I seriously think House of Leaves is brilliant – I can see why it would get you into philosophy!

    I love how a whole other narrative is going on down in the footnotes. With footnotes talking to each other – responding – arguing – God, it’s just brilliant!

  5. ak says:

    Aaah, another Trixie Belden person! I loved Trixie Belden. I so wanted to live her life.

  6. DAW says:

    Does everyone read Billy Budd in high school?

    I’ve wondered whether I would like it if I read it again now. After all, every high school English teacher seems to think there’s a good reason to read it. Have you ever tried to read it again, perhaps after your experience with Moby Dick, or is the revulsion too great?

  7. red says:

    DAW – I hate that book so much that I really think i need to go back and read it again.

    I despised Tess of the D’urbervilles too – like, it was literally painful to drag my way thru that book – and I re-read it a couple of years ago and was blown away by it.

    Billy Budd CAN’T be as horrible as I remember it!!

    Maybe I’ll re-read it this summer and report back.

  8. mitchell says:

    cry: Lives of the Saints by Nancy Lehman
    scare: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
    laugh: Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins
    disgust: Geek Love
    elementary school: Stuart Little(bien sur)
    middle school:The Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    high school: Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving
    challenge identity: Becoming a Man by Paul Monette
    series: Tales of the City by Armstead Maupin
    horror: Salem’s Lot by Stephen King
    sci-fi: n/a
    fantasy: Jitterbug Perfume (is the closest i can relate to) by Tom Robbins
    mystery: Hound of the Baskervilles
    bio: Get Happy by Gerald Clark
    coming-of-age: A Boy’s own Story by Edmund White
    classic: Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann
    romance: trashy but true…Scruples by Judith Krantz
    not-on-list: Another Country by James Baldwin

  9. mitchell says:

    oops i missed a couple…
    loved in high school: Hotel New Hampshire
    HATED in high school: Beowulf!!!
    loved in college: Their Eye’s Were Watching God

  10. Emily says:

    Sheila,
    Have you seen the trailer for the film adaptation Atonement yet? It’s all over the web. It looks like it’s going to be good!

  11. red says:

    Mitchell – why did I not know about you and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle??? How have we have never discussed this?

    In regards to Lives of the Saints: I remember the moment of the tragedy that occurs in that book – and you looked at me, with such horrid accusation and … disbelief – because I had made you read it. You were like, “WHAT? WHAT????”

    We were in the box.

    Great great book.

  12. red says:

    Emily – no, I haven’t seen it. Really? It looks good??? I’m so scared – but I completely trust your assessment.

    God … what if it’s a great movie? Wouldn’t that be so exciting?

  13. Emily says:

    Sheiila,
    Did you like the last adaptation of Pride and Prejudice? It’s being directed by Joe Wright, the same guy who did that. And the screenplay was adapted by Christopher Hampton, who, was the guy who wrote Dangerous Liasons back in the 80s, so I trust both these guys to do a killer job.

    And James McAvoy is playing Robbie. I love that guy. He’s INSANELY talented.

  14. southernbosox says:

    When I finished my first Trixie Belden mystery, I flipped back to the front and read “Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely accidental” and I cried like a baby. Trixie not real??? Oh come on!And my favorite bookselling quiz: Can you name the famous actress on the paperback cover of Atonement?

  15. red says:

    Emily – pitter pat with Ye Olde squee-factor with James McAvoy – I think he’s great for that part, too … really nice casting.

    I wish, yet again, that we could somehow fold the country up like an accordion so that I could go see this movie with you and Lisa.

  16. amelie / rae says:

    Atonement — ah! i remembering emailing with you about that one after i read it last year. back then, the film was only in rumour stages — with James McAvoy mentioned even then [[*swoons*]] — but did you know Vanessa freaking Redgrave is playing old Briony? sweet Lord.

    also, not everyone is afflicted with reading Billy Budd in high school. i still haven’t encountered it.

    and the mention of Trixie Belden [[whom i love]] reminds me of 74 Facts and One Lie, the matter-of-fact: ‘There was once a Trixie Belden.’ hahahaa

  17. tracey says:

    Okay. Where did she go? Who IS the actress on the paperback version of “Atonement”?? I stared at mine for a long time and could not figure it out.

  18. 5 books!!

    Got a cool mee-mee from 50 Books: Five most recent books you’ve bought for yourself: Grover Cleveland (The American Presidents Series) – by Henry Graff Then She Found Me – by Elinor Lipman – I used to have this book…

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