OK, so it is really hard to decide my favorite 10 books… I know I’ve left some off that were great. Maybe I’ll write a follow-up post, my ten almost favorite books. Anyway for now here is my list (and it is just a coincidence that two of the books involve hippie communes… really)
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens- So, there are major issues with this book… First of all why is Pip obsessed with Estella, who seems to be a superficial and cold character? I don’t know but that always bothers me every time I read this. I love Pip so much I think he deserves way more than Estella… but it was written a long time ago when men expected women to be items and not necessarily people. However, it is still my favorite book because Pip is an incredible character.
- Witches of Eastwick by John Updike- So, if I complained about the treatment of women characters in my previous selection this one more than makes up for it. Updike’s female characters are some of my favorites… briefly there was a TV show in 2009 that was based on this novel. It was amazing and I LOVED it… so obviously it was canceled.
- Drop City by TC Boyle- Hippie commune book… but a great one. If you like TC Boyle do yourself a favor and don’t Google him, trust me you’re better off not knowing.
- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers- Some may dislike Eggers but I don’t care. I love this book. Just recently got my teen daughter to start reading it and I am hopeful she will love it as much as I do.
- Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez – This is the most romantic love story ever told… truly. Heartbreaking to hear of his recent passing. He was wonderful.
- The Beach by Alex Garland- Second hippie commune book on my list… That’s 20% hippie commune related books on my top 10. I love to travel so there is that connection but also I love the relationships that Richard finds himself in… I just love it. I’m also a fan of the movie. Robert hates this movie! It’s definitely on my top ten list of movies I like to watch repeatedly.
- The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner- I’m a huge nerd. I traveled to Oxford. I’ve seen Faulkner’s house… and his grave. I’ve also traveled to Boston and stood on the bridge, in the spot I picture Quentin jumping from (the plaque has been stolen so there is no marker) I also found out recently that Yale posts a series of lectures to YouTube, amazing stuff. Also, heartbreaking to learn I was taught some very conflicting things about this book in University… I tend to believe Yale.
- Where I’m Calling From by Raymond Carver- Short stories are sometimes the best. I like this collection. This is his last collection before his death in 1988.
- The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing- Scary stuff… This may be the only horror book on this list, but I do enjoy reading scary books. It has a creepy kid and a farm house far far away… and many innocent children and animals will get harmed during your reading.
- The Best Awful by Carrie Fisher- I know she is not the best writer but she is pretty f’ing funny. I like all her books and it is hard for me to pick just one for my top ten list but I chose this one because I laughed out loud the most while reading it.