Last week, I asked what I
thought was a fairly decent, thought-provoking, yet somewhat easy question.
Until I sat down and thought it through in trying to answer it for myself. I
asked everyone to give us their Top 5 books. I didn't specify category -
whether it be their favorites, the 5 that most influenced them, the 5 that were
the biggest waste of time, it was up to the writer to choose. I (am now
thinking, stupidly) decided to go with the 5 that left a big impression on me,
that changed me or my perception of things in some way. (And I am really hoping
by the end of this, I will have written myself in to 5 because going in, I am
only at 4 and it's a cheating 4.)
5. The Pokey Little Puppy
I remembered nothing about this story until I started reading it to my daughter. I just remember it being my favorite book from my childhood because it was puppies. It was what made me like animals. It was, I believe, what made me grow up to be a dog-person. And, anyone who knows me now, knows I am always late for everything, so I guess it's fitting in that regard as well.
I remembered nothing about this story until I started reading it to my daughter. I just remember it being my favorite book from my childhood because it was puppies. It was what made me like animals. It was, I believe, what made me grow up to be a dog-person. And, anyone who knows me now, knows I am always late for everything, so I guess it's fitting in that regard as well.
4. Knight in Rusty ArmorThere is one line from
this book that pops in to my head randomly and frequently. "When you learn
to accept, instead of expect, you'll have fewer disappointments." Yeah,
I'm still working on that. I think it was this book that started my
never-ending self-evaluations and my neurotic desire to always try to figure
myself out. That and it was just simple and silly and I'm all about the simple
and silly.
3. Darkly Dreaming Dexter
This is in no way condoning this book. Remember I said this list was for books that changed me in some way. This book made me never blindly trust a person's recommendation again. It is what drove it home that there really is no accounting for taste. This is not indicative of the TV show based on the book. (Love! The TV show) They did it right. The book was a marvelous *idea,* very original and of course, right up my alley in the topic-world but was so very, very poorly written that it's the first and, I believe, only book I have ever hated and took nothing whatsoever from (other than the knowledge I would never read that author again). The writing was probably on caliber with something *I* would write and I can't write.
This is in no way condoning this book. Remember I said this list was for books that changed me in some way. This book made me never blindly trust a person's recommendation again. It is what drove it home that there really is no accounting for taste. This is not indicative of the TV show based on the book. (Love! The TV show) They did it right. The book was a marvelous *idea,* very original and of course, right up my alley in the topic-world but was so very, very poorly written that it's the first and, I believe, only book I have ever hated and took nothing whatsoever from (other than the knowledge I would never read that author again). The writing was probably on caliber with something *I* would write and I can't write.
2. The Twilight Saga - My Story, My Dream - Memoirs of a Geisha - Any Jane Austen book - How about we just say
"any grand love story" and call it good
I love love stories. But I think I hate them more. I've always wanted some epic romance, some amazing, undeniable, unbreakable, unwavering love story in my life. I'm a hopeless romantic, of course I would want that. Instead I live the antilove story. Maybe that's what makes us work so well, I don't know. I just know that reading the love stories makes me feel like I am missing out on something. And I'm not, I'm perfectly happy with what I have. But still...
I love love stories. But I think I hate them more. I've always wanted some epic romance, some amazing, undeniable, unbreakable, unwavering love story in my life. I'm a hopeless romantic, of course I would want that. Instead I live the antilove story. Maybe that's what makes us work so well, I don't know. I just know that reading the love stories makes me feel like I am missing out on something. And I'm not, I'm perfectly happy with what I have. But still...
1. The Fountainhead
I think the only thing I love and hate more than love stories is this book. I don't know if it was the book specifically, or the circumstances surrounding the first time I read it, but nothing has changed me - who I am, how I view people - more than this book. I read it my senior year in high school and as much as I fought against it, it shaped so much of the person I was to become. I get angry even thinking about it and yet, I just want to go back and read it again. Hands down it is my favorite book. Not because I buy in to it, not because I think it's a great story (I'm not saying it isn't, either), not for any reason other than how much it makes me think, how much emotion it stirs up in me and how powerful that emotion is. Anything that can create such a response in me has to be given credit.
I think the only thing I love and hate more than love stories is this book. I don't know if it was the book specifically, or the circumstances surrounding the first time I read it, but nothing has changed me - who I am, how I view people - more than this book. I read it my senior year in high school and as much as I fought against it, it shaped so much of the person I was to become. I get angry even thinking about it and yet, I just want to go back and read it again. Hands down it is my favorite book. Not because I buy in to it, not because I think it's a great story (I'm not saying it isn't, either), not for any reason other than how much it makes me think, how much emotion it stirs up in me and how powerful that emotion is. Anything that can create such a response in me has to be given credit.
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