Books
Since graduating last August, I have gone through quite a few books: from poetry to prose, from history to theology, and from heady literature to paperback fantasy novels. I thought I would take some time to recommend my favorites:
This book tells the story of a "whiskey priest" living under the stress of communist persecution in early 20th century revolutionary Mexico. It plays with themes of hopelessness and faith, duty and absurdity. Greene is a master of description. I don't know how he does it. He isn't verbose or flowery, but in the first page of the book he completely transports you to tangible, dusty Mexican village. You can feel and smell the grime and heat. The author has the same skill at crafting characters who maintain the human balance of inscrutability and closeness. I haven't been this impressed with a novel in a long time.
It is a monumental achievement and I can't think of a one-volume book quite like it, except perhaps Johnson's much more limited 1976 book of the same title. This book is an absolutely eyeopening religious contextualizer. Yep, that sentence sounds crazy pretentious, but I said it. After reading this book, not only did I feel like I understood the religious atmosphere I grew up in, but I felt like the rest of the world around me made a lot more sense too.
Weatherford's book was equally eyeopening, though in a different way. It is embarrasing how ignorant we can be of historical events and people that have shaped the world. Genghis Khan is one of those people. I had heard him demonized and vilified all my life and it wasn't until reading this book that I learned about how progressive and fascinating he really was. This book has made me believer in the theory that if it weren't for the Mongol Empire (the largest land empire in the history of the world, if you can believe that!), we may have taken centuries longer in reaching the Renaissance. Not only that, but the book reads like a fine epic, full of amazing battles and events, and fascinating characters.
I grew up loving epics and fantastical stories. After high school, I stayed away from these kinds of novels, but I came back to them a couple of years ago. I felt guilty about it in grad school, feeling like someone who is reading Joyce and Faulkner should probably not be wasting time with swords and sorcery, only to find out that virtually every single one of my classmates were also big fans. Big sigh of relief please, because if not, I might have not discovered The Dark Tower series.
Stephen King is no Graham Green, but he deserves more credit than he gets. Not only is his creative output unparallelled, but the man knows his writing (I think his On Writing is one of the best books that I have read about the craft). I'm not saying that all of his books are read-worthy (God knows he has enough of them to have several bad apples in the barrel), but I have been very pleased with his Dark Tower novels.
Made up of 7 books, they tell the story of a dark hero seeking (for some cosmic reason that is a mystery to me midway through the 4th book) a dark tower that seems to lie at the center of all worlds. Along the way, he crosses several of these worlds, most in ruins or going quickly down the toilet and forms a band of friends that are focused on the same goal. The only reason that the hero and fellowship on a cosmic quest doesn't seem overdone is simply because the setting of this tale and the way it is accomplished are so odd. It is something like a post-apocalyptic western fantasy with guns and robots fitting seamlessly with ghosts and magic. I know. I was skeptical at first too. I'm glad I finally gave in.
I know, I know. How can I, after giving an enthusiastic two-thumbs-up to a book about a cowboy on a magic quest, trash one of the most beloved and revered authors of the 19th century? I have no excuse for you. I just couldn't get through this book. I read half of it and never picked it up again. I'm not even curious about what happens to the characters. Yes, Austen was clever and funny at times, but I got sick of everything being so explained by the characters every step of the way. It felt a bit like when James Bond's nemesis explains his evil plan to him while Bond is in his custody, only all the time, with every character and, every feeling.
I have heard that Emma was not the right book to start out with as an introduction to Austen (I'll admit it; I have my MA in English Lit and managed to avoid her until now). Perhaps I will try some other one in the future. But far away in the future. If I want 1800s, I'll stick to Dickens and Wilde.
I've been a fan of graphic novels since I read Spiegelman's Maus a few years back. Persepolis cemented my admiration for them. Last year, Northeastern University had all their graphic novels for easy access on display. I had a lot of time to kill between classes and I ended up reading a lot of great ones, from The Rabbi's Cat, to Bone. Neil Gaiman's was the most impressive though. The Sandman series is dark. Very dark, but also somehow whimsical with the way it plays with myth, fantasy, and literature. It start out seeming like random episodic tales revolving around the "endless" (forces such as Destiny, Death, Despair, Desire... etc), namely Morpheus, the lord of the dream realm, but the author ends up tying all of these seemingly random episodes together in one of the most impressive narrative feats that I have ever read or seen. Gaiman's scope is enviable and wonderful.
These are not my favorite books of all time, nor are the the best of anything. They are simply books that I have enjoyed during the past 9 months and that I would recommend wholeheartedly (*cough* except for Emma *cough*), for they have made my life richer and my imagination fly. What books have you guys enjoyed lately?
Favorite Novel (and/or "serious" piece of literature):
The Power and the Glory, by Grahame Green
Favorite History Book (Tie):
Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, by Jack Weatherford;
A History of Christianity, by Diarmaid MacCulloch
It is a monumental achievement and I can't think of a one-volume book quite like it, except perhaps Johnson's much more limited 1976 book of the same title. This book is an absolutely eyeopening religious contextualizer. Yep, that sentence sounds crazy pretentious, but I said it. After reading this book, not only did I feel like I understood the religious atmosphere I grew up in, but I felt like the rest of the world around me made a lot more sense too. 
Weatherford's book was equally eyeopening, though in a different way. It is embarrasing how ignorant we can be of historical events and people that have shaped the world. Genghis Khan is one of those people. I had heard him demonized and vilified all my life and it wasn't until reading this book that I learned about how progressive and fascinating he really was. This book has made me believer in the theory that if it weren't for the Mongol Empire (the largest land empire in the history of the world, if you can believe that!), we may have taken centuries longer in reaching the Renaissance. Not only that, but the book reads like a fine epic, full of amazing battles and events, and fascinating characters.
Best Pleasure Read:
The Dark Tower (series), by Stephen King
I grew up loving epics and fantastical stories. After high school, I stayed away from these kinds of novels, but I came back to them a couple of years ago. I felt guilty about it in grad school, feeling like someone who is reading Joyce and Faulkner should probably not be wasting time with swords and sorcery, only to find out that virtually every single one of my classmates were also big fans. Big sigh of relief please, because if not, I might have not discovered The Dark Tower series.
Stephen King is no Graham Green, but he deserves more credit than he gets. Not only is his creative output unparallelled, but the man knows his writing (I think his On Writing is one of the best books that I have read about the craft). I'm not saying that all of his books are read-worthy (God knows he has enough of them to have several bad apples in the barrel), but I have been very pleased with his Dark Tower novels.Made up of 7 books, they tell the story of a dark hero seeking (for some cosmic reason that is a mystery to me midway through the 4th book) a dark tower that seems to lie at the center of all worlds. Along the way, he crosses several of these worlds, most in ruins or going quickly down the toilet and forms a band of friends that are focused on the same goal. The only reason that the hero and fellowship on a cosmic quest doesn't seem overdone is simply because the setting of this tale and the way it is accomplished are so odd. It is something like a post-apocalyptic western fantasy with guns and robots fitting seamlessly with ghosts and magic. I know. I was skeptical at first too. I'm glad I finally gave in.
Biggest Reading Fiasco:
Emma, by Jane Austen
I have heard that Emma was not the right book to start out with as an introduction to Austen (I'll admit it; I have my MA in English Lit and managed to avoid her until now). Perhaps I will try some other one in the future. But far away in the future. If I want 1800s, I'll stick to Dickens and Wilde.
Best Graphic Novel
The Sandman, Neil Gaiman
I've been a fan of graphic novels since I read Spiegelman's Maus a few years back. Persepolis cemented my admiration for them. Last year, Northeastern University had all their graphic novels for easy access on display. I had a lot of time to kill between classes and I ended up reading a lot of great ones, from The Rabbi's Cat, to Bone. Neil Gaiman's was the most impressive though. The Sandman series is dark. Very dark, but also somehow whimsical with the way it plays with myth, fantasy, and literature. It start out seeming like random episodic tales revolving around the "endless" (forces such as Destiny, Death, Despair, Desire... etc), namely Morpheus, the lord of the dream realm, but the author ends up tying all of these seemingly random episodes together in one of the most impressive narrative feats that I have ever read or seen. Gaiman's scope is enviable and wonderful.These are not my favorite books of all time, nor are the the best of anything. They are simply books that I have enjoyed during the past 9 months and that I would recommend wholeheartedly (*cough* except for Emma *cough*), for they have made my life richer and my imagination fly. What books have you guys enjoyed lately?
Comments
i while ago i read The Master (about Henry James) and really enjoyed it, so i went on to read The Turn of the Screw since i couldn´t remember actually having read anything by H.J. i did appreciate his style and subject matter, but it was not an absolutely thrilling read... what i liked more were the essays at the end of the book applying different literary theories, it really is amazing how that book works on so many levels.
i´m glad you read so much ryan, it´s good to get trustworthy book recommendations!!!
I'm very interested in that history of Christianity. I should probably start digesting more nonfiction that isn't written by Malcolm Gladwell.
Jen- Jessica also suggested that I go with Persuasion or Pride and Prejudice. I'll have to try again some day.
All- you guys should really try out some graphic novels. There are all sort of subject matters:
*Maus= the holocaust told with mice and cats. Actually, pretty powerful, not disrespectful.
*Persepolis= the story of a girl growing up in the Shah's Iran and the Islamic revolution
*Y the Last Man= a virus kills all the men on the planet except one, the world is then run by women.
*Bone= a fantasy epic with the perfect balance of humor and adventure
*Essex County= tender and sad smalltown stories interwoven together.
*The Rabbi's Cat= the story of a smart aleck cat in a jewish quarter in northern africa.