‘Mon the books!
I don’t read a lot of books. I’ve always felt like I’m missing out on things when people talk about ‘chilling out’ in front of a good book. In the last few days I have decided I’m going to rectify this.
How am I going to do this? Well. I love having myself a target, I’m the kind of bloke who needs a bit of structure to his day/life/thoughts. I thought the best thing to do would be to I get a list of books to read and then go through them and have a bit of extra interest by blogging about them as I go.
I had a surf online for some book lists but most of them struck me as a bit too heavy going and a bit Too Much Too Soon. I finally came upon a list on the Times website called The 100 Best Books of the Decade. Suits me as all the books are modern and a bit less heavy on the old nut.
I’m not going to read all 100 of them. My target is the top 20:
- The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006)
- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (2003)
- Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama (2004)
- Masterworks of the Classical Haida Mythtellers trans Robert Bringhurst (2002)
- Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky (2006)
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell (2000)
- Life of Pi by Yann Martel (2002)
- Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth by Margaret Atwood (2008)
- Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001)
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (2003)
One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night by Christopher Brookmyre *As suggested by Colin in the commentsWar and Peace by Leo Tolstoy, in a new translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (2007)
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler *As suggested by Steve in the comments- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (2000)
- Austerlitz by W. G. Sebald (2001)
- Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi (2003)
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins (2006)
Animal Farm by George Orwell *As suggested by Jaggy in comments- Rapture by Carol Ann Duffy (2005)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (2007)
The Average American Male by Chad Kultgen *As per Jen’s suggestion in comments- Bad Science by Ben Goldacre (2008)
- The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (2001)
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith (2000)
Now here is where I take some liberties on my original concept. I’ve taken out The God Delusion and The Da Vini Code because I’ve already read them. Harry Potter is a gonner because it would require me to read parts 4, 5 and 6 (read the first three) and War and Peace has been dropped because I want to finish this project in the next 50 years.
So to replace the 4 dropped books I thought, in the true spirit of the internet, I would ask the world to tell me what to read. So here it is, dear reader, I’m asking for your input here. I would be really grateful if you could suggest some great books for me to grip my teeth into.
Thanks!
PS. I’m away to start on White Teeth now, which I bought yesterday!
I’d get Fight Club in there – relatively short and the best lines in the film are directly lifted from the book.
Trainspotting or Marabou Stork Nightmares by Irvine Welsh.
Oh baws, you need something from the 2000′s. WELL I’d put them in as retrotastic.
Also Douglas Coupland – Girlfriend in a Coma, or Microserfs.
And one from the 00′s – An Average American Male by Chad Kultgen. Its disgusting/brilliant. If you cant find this anywhere, I’ll send you it
I was just about to say I can loan you White Teeth!
The books on your list seem pretty heavy to me. I’d go with recommendations from friends, personally. I just don’t think there is any point in forcing yourself to read books just because the Times deems them worthy. I figure you might not enjoy them, and then might not enjoy reading….. but that’s just me.
x
Thanks Jen!
Yeah, it’s a good point Denise. But I reckon I need to try as much variation as possible. And if you are gonna take recommendations it way as well be from a reputable source. Unlike Jen for example. hehe!
Which is why you should read mine! All riproaringly good and not heavy at all!
If you fancy a shocker detective novel thats absolutely frightening go for The Treatment By Mo Hayder.
Oh and Microserfs will be right up your street
Purely for the Scottish theme, you need to read some Christopher Brookmyre. He’s awesome!
Just added An Average American Male to the list. Sounds like my cup of tea! Very tempted to add Microserfs also but will resist for now and see what else is suggested…
Animal Farm by George Orwell, is surprisingly good, and one of the must read books. It’s not at all heavy and for a book written in circa 1945, is surprisingly modern and relevant. It’s really short so shouldn’t tie you down for too long.
Quirkology by Prof Richard Wiseman is a scientific look at the human condition and gives some stunning insights into what makes us human and the science that’s behind everyday thoughts and decisions. I thoroughly enjoyed that book, one of my favourites ever.
Good luck with your project. In 40 years time you’ll never look back at your life and wish that you’d watched more TV, although you may wish you had read more great books.
Christopher Brookmyre is on my must read list…he spoke at our charity dinner in October and was hilarious, particularly when commenting on the use of the F and C words…I’m presently presently reading Bete de Jour, The Intimate Adventures of an Ugly Man by Stan Cattermole. It’s a lighthearted laugh-filled read. He also has a blog of the sane name that’s worth Googleing. Have just ordered The Lovely Bones and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because I want to read before seeing the films, which have also had good reviews. If you’d like to join our bookclub/wineclub nights out you’d be more than welcome…but you’d also be the only boy!!
Jaggy, a man after my own heart. I’ve actually read a book by Richard Wiseman ’59 seconds’. Follow the guy on Twitter/podcats etc.
Added Animal Farm.
Flat Stanley.
If you’re taking out War and Peace you should replace it with Dostoevsky’s ‘The Brothers Karamazov’, for some more manageable classic Russian awesomeness.
Also!
Patrick Süskind – Perfume
Haruki Murakami – The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
Raymond Chandler – The Big Sleep
All great, all books I can imagine you liking.
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger (who sadly passed away recently)
Thanks for the suggestions people! I have a list!
So Chris Brookmyre has been added, done a bit of research and the one I have chosen seems to be the most popular of his books. Looks like a laugh!
Steve! I looked at the russian book you mentioned. 900 pages!? That gave me a cold sweat! I went for The Big Sleep cause it actually sounds really good too.
Dave, Catcher in the Rye is defo one that will be on a future project!
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, is a great book long read tho…
Jester by James Patterson is a really good book. He also wrote Along came a spider and Kiss the girls which were realesed on film. Morgan Freeman was in both films youve probably seen them.
Christopher Brookmyre is a must he has alot of good books mate…
Enjoy.
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Some for your ‘next’ project.
John Niven – Kill Your Friends
Tony Fletcher – Dear Boy: The Life of Kieth Moon
Geoff Ryman – 253
Danny Sugarman – Wonderland Avenue
Charles Bukowski – Women
Henri Charriere – Papillion
Stephen Smith – Addict
Luke Rhinehart – The Diceman
Iceberg Slim – Pimp
Robert Rodriguez – Rebel Without a Crew
Brett Easton Ellis – American Psycho
Some of these ain’t exactly literary masterpieces, but great reads all the same. Well I thought so.
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