RadicalModerate
10-09-2013, 02:13 PM
One of my few "original" thoughts is: "There are no 'new' thoughts. We are all compilers."
What we glean from books, has a lot to do with shaping our thoughts and the way we view the world. I used to be a voracious reader, but I've slowed down a lot. (thanks, Internet. thanks, Netflix). Last night, I started thinking about books that I have read in the past that left a lasting impression on me. It's sort of a "Metacognition" thing: that is, "why we think what we think." Of course, there were the books that I was "forced" to read in elementary and high school (including many of The Classics some of which were excellent--along with The Bonds . . . The Saints . . . The Matt Helms . . . The Louie L'amours . . . The ConanBarbarians) but I'm thinking more along the lines of books that were voluntarily picked up, read and digested a little later in life than that. Or, if not later in life, at least were way further up on the Literary Ladder compared to pulp fiction (some of which is darn entertaining, btw).
Can you think of a short list of fictional works that stayed with you?
Here is my list (one that came almost immediately to mind, without a lot of thought =).
Sometimes a Great Notion Ken Kesey (1964) (Although Kesey is more famous for founding The Merry Pranksters and being the subject of the Tom Wolfe classic--The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test plus, of course, writing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest--he was the author of this, which could very well be--all things considered--the best, most well-written book that I have ever read. Oregon, Logging, Individualism vs. Unions. It's all in there. In fact, although I've never been to the forested part of Oregon--nor the other part--his descriptions of the state made me feel as if I had. The book is Great, even if it took me three tries and false starts to get to about page 100 in order to understand the formatting and then really get into it. The film version, meh. Even with Paul Newman, Henry Fonda and a Cast of Others.)
1984 George Orwell (1948) (No additional comments necessary. If you haven't read it, your big brother should kick your ass, you Prole. How else will you really understand the term "Orwellian" if you haven't been to the source? Remember: Freedom (from experiencing this masterpiece) is Slavery (to ignorance).)
Voyage: A Novel of 1896 (1976) Sterling Hayden (Yes, THAT Sterling Hayden. The actor, former fisherman and OSS agent. Seeing his name listed as one of the stars of a movie--"Johnny Guitar". . . a fairly lame, unintentionally "campy" Western--that I was watching last night on TCM, reminded me of this book. This, in turn, prompted me to put this little list together. Although he was pretty good as that insane general who took over the military base in Dr. Strangelove I think he should have devoted more time to writing novels and autobiographies. Amazingly, this book is about ships, sailing, people, and history.)
Cat's Cradle Kurt Vonnegut (1963) (I wound up reading just about all of his books but this was the first one I read and is probably still my favorite. After reading it, you will never think of a stack of cannonballs in the park in the same way as before.)
Starmaker Olaf Stapledon (1937) (Was on an "optional reading list" in an astronomy class that I had to take at CU in order to fullfill one of the "Natural Science" credit requirements. This book can't adequately be described, at least not by me. It has to be experienced, personally. There is no "Cliff's Notes" version of this.)
Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) Robert Heinlein (Scathing social satire wrapped in a Sci-Fi classic. Along with Dune helped me to appreciate how precious our water resources are. Grok it, don't knock it.)
Bomber Len Deighton (1970) (World War II. Lot's of characters, lots of plot. Leading up to all of them converging at one place in time.)
Ninety-Two In the Shade Thomas McGuane (1973) (This guy wrote the liner notes on one of Jimmy Buffet's first record albums. I thought they were equal in greatness to the record itself. This book is better than either of those. Or even both of those combined. Florida, Fishing and Human Nature breaking bad.)
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (1957) (If nothing else, makes you aware that the steel industry in this country used to be a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention the railroads. The government was as bad as ever. Is there a better name in literature than Dagney Taggart? With the possible exception of John Galt?)
The U.S.A. Trilogy John dos Passos (1930, 1932, 1936) (Although "technically" three different books, taken together--as the title indicates they are supposed to be--it is some of the best historical fiction, ever. So don't nit-pick the selection. Nor the fact that I picked it--that is, all three books--off of an "optional reading list" during my senior year in High School. =)
I would add, The First Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, but I didn't actually "read" it. I listened to in on "Books On CD" during a long drive to Minnesota. You will never think of Botswana, or the inhabitants thereof, the same way again. Trust me on that.
What we glean from books, has a lot to do with shaping our thoughts and the way we view the world. I used to be a voracious reader, but I've slowed down a lot. (thanks, Internet. thanks, Netflix). Last night, I started thinking about books that I have read in the past that left a lasting impression on me. It's sort of a "Metacognition" thing: that is, "why we think what we think." Of course, there were the books that I was "forced" to read in elementary and high school (including many of The Classics some of which were excellent--along with The Bonds . . . The Saints . . . The Matt Helms . . . The Louie L'amours . . . The ConanBarbarians) but I'm thinking more along the lines of books that were voluntarily picked up, read and digested a little later in life than that. Or, if not later in life, at least were way further up on the Literary Ladder compared to pulp fiction (some of which is darn entertaining, btw).
Can you think of a short list of fictional works that stayed with you?
Here is my list (one that came almost immediately to mind, without a lot of thought =).
Sometimes a Great Notion Ken Kesey (1964) (Although Kesey is more famous for founding The Merry Pranksters and being the subject of the Tom Wolfe classic--The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test plus, of course, writing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest--he was the author of this, which could very well be--all things considered--the best, most well-written book that I have ever read. Oregon, Logging, Individualism vs. Unions. It's all in there. In fact, although I've never been to the forested part of Oregon--nor the other part--his descriptions of the state made me feel as if I had. The book is Great, even if it took me three tries and false starts to get to about page 100 in order to understand the formatting and then really get into it. The film version, meh. Even with Paul Newman, Henry Fonda and a Cast of Others.)
1984 George Orwell (1948) (No additional comments necessary. If you haven't read it, your big brother should kick your ass, you Prole. How else will you really understand the term "Orwellian" if you haven't been to the source? Remember: Freedom (from experiencing this masterpiece) is Slavery (to ignorance).)
Voyage: A Novel of 1896 (1976) Sterling Hayden (Yes, THAT Sterling Hayden. The actor, former fisherman and OSS agent. Seeing his name listed as one of the stars of a movie--"Johnny Guitar". . . a fairly lame, unintentionally "campy" Western--that I was watching last night on TCM, reminded me of this book. This, in turn, prompted me to put this little list together. Although he was pretty good as that insane general who took over the military base in Dr. Strangelove I think he should have devoted more time to writing novels and autobiographies. Amazingly, this book is about ships, sailing, people, and history.)
Cat's Cradle Kurt Vonnegut (1963) (I wound up reading just about all of his books but this was the first one I read and is probably still my favorite. After reading it, you will never think of a stack of cannonballs in the park in the same way as before.)
Starmaker Olaf Stapledon (1937) (Was on an "optional reading list" in an astronomy class that I had to take at CU in order to fullfill one of the "Natural Science" credit requirements. This book can't adequately be described, at least not by me. It has to be experienced, personally. There is no "Cliff's Notes" version of this.)
Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) Robert Heinlein (Scathing social satire wrapped in a Sci-Fi classic. Along with Dune helped me to appreciate how precious our water resources are. Grok it, don't knock it.)
Bomber Len Deighton (1970) (World War II. Lot's of characters, lots of plot. Leading up to all of them converging at one place in time.)
Ninety-Two In the Shade Thomas McGuane (1973) (This guy wrote the liner notes on one of Jimmy Buffet's first record albums. I thought they were equal in greatness to the record itself. This book is better than either of those. Or even both of those combined. Florida, Fishing and Human Nature breaking bad.)
Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand (1957) (If nothing else, makes you aware that the steel industry in this country used to be a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention the railroads. The government was as bad as ever. Is there a better name in literature than Dagney Taggart? With the possible exception of John Galt?)
The U.S.A. Trilogy John dos Passos (1930, 1932, 1936) (Although "technically" three different books, taken together--as the title indicates they are supposed to be--it is some of the best historical fiction, ever. So don't nit-pick the selection. Nor the fact that I picked it--that is, all three books--off of an "optional reading list" during my senior year in High School. =)
I would add, The First Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, but I didn't actually "read" it. I listened to in on "Books On CD" during a long drive to Minnesota. You will never think of Botswana, or the inhabitants thereof, the same way again. Trust me on that.