Challenge: 50 Books discussion
*Retired* 2008 Lists
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Chris's 50 Books
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Book 49 - I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell - Tucker MaxKind of went full circle, from sucking royally, to a few funny stories, and promptly resumed sucking again.
Book 50 - Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter ThompsonFigured I might as well wrap up the 50 with an all-time favorite. Probably a tenth reading. I'm just stoked to go make my bigass list of 50 now, since I have nothing better to do than watch my neighbor's house burn down, which is pretty uncool, seeing as I'm a big dude and they'll probably try summoning me over to hoist some burning cinder so a lithe and nimble group of dudes goes in for a fantastic rescue. Better stay here, listening to "Into Another" rock and ignoring civic responsibilities.
Book 51 - The Book of Disquiet - Fernando PessoaPretty damn awesome. Haven't been reading a whole lot lately.
Book 52 - The Tell-Tale Heart & Other Writings - Edgar Allan PoeI hesitate to call this a re-read since the majority of the book is dedicated to poems I'd never read and "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym". Strange as it may seem, had these elements been removed from the book I'd give it a much higher rating.
Book 53 - Aurelia & Other Writings - Gerard de Nervalthis was complete garbage.
Book 54 - Animal Farm - George Orwell
without a doubt one of my all time favorites. if you catch someone not enjoying Animal Farm, kick em in the nads for me.
Haven't been around for a while, but did manage to do some reading while on hiatus:Book 55 - Hard Times - Charles Dickens
I've never been able to finish one of the Masters books before, but this was actually very enjoyable. I'll have to give him another read.
Book 56 - Midnight Graffiti - anthology
"Cutting edge fare" my ass. Even the inclusion of Stephen King's "Rainy Season" couldn't keep this sinking turd afloat.
Book 57 - Tales of Ordinary Madness - Charles Bukowski
I'm trying to read 50 'new' books this year, but keep re-reading the same crap. In this case, at least I re-read some ridiculously funny crap.
Book 58 - The Power - Frank M. Robinson
Pretty badass old-school sci-fi. The end of the book grabs one by the balls; Robinson makes his last pitch of the day a spectacular curveball.
Book 59 - One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Alexander Solzhenitzyn
I hate to say it, but I'd swap places with Shukhov about any day of the week.
Book 60 - Someone in the Dark - August Derleth
Acclaimed fan/collaborator of Lovecraft, August's stories are basically really chimped-out Algernon Blackwood wanna-bes or second-rate Lovecraftian yarns.
Book 61 - The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
Another re-read, although I haven't read this one in years. Many years. So many years, I'd fogotten how childish it is.
Book 62 - Outpost Mars - Cyril Judd
More old-school sci-fi, yipee! Fledgling colonists on Mars dealing with missing drugs, Martian dwarves, and other silly nonsense.
Book 63 - The Road - Cormac McCarthy
A new candidate for the worst book I've ever had the misfortune to read.
Book 64 - The Serial Killers Club - Jeff Povey
Not awesome.
Book 65 - The Last Starfighter - Alan Dean Foster
Novelization of the cheesiest film ever foisted upon the youth. I enjoyed this too much to believe I'm all 'grown up'.
I've been spending too much time preening in the mirror and not reading; this is all I have to show for the last 20+ days :(Book 66 - Atomised - Michel Houllebecq
Regarded as a new cult classic, so I wasn't expecting much, but this managed to exceed the low expectations I'd set.
Book 67 - The World Is Flat - Thomas Friedman
Over 600 pages of balderdash, from the award-winning author of "The Lexus and the Olive Tree". I only know of this feat since he repeatedly mentions his 1999 work "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" about 100 times within. Talk about resting on laurels...
Book 68 - Watchmen - Alan Moore
This is a graphic novel (read Comic Book) which somehow made it onto Time's list of Best 100 Fiction. Again, how it made the list totally mystifies me.
As if it would even cross my mind to say anything negative about Fahrenheit 451.