When I think about what I like to read, my mind quickly shifts to my favorite authors. I have a hard time separating the stories I love from the people who wrote them. I want to know just as much about the author as the story. Books make me fall in love with authors; then I want to know everything about their lives – who they are, what they did, who influenced them.
I love to read semi-autobiographical fiction, especially when it provides an inside look into famous literary circles. I am particularly fond of Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac, A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway, The Mandarins by Simone de Beauvoir and anything by Anais Nin.
Sometimes I just want to escape into a good story. The most profound and moving book I have ever read is The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. I read this book at exactly the time in my life that I needed to hear what it had to say. I get more out of it each time I read it.
I used Saricks' Rule of Three to provide three words that best describe each of my top 5 favorite books:
1. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami (atmospheric, brooding, reflective)
2. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (leisurely paced, world-building, whimsical)
3. Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel (character-driven, mystical, moving)
4. Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (amusing, sardonic, thought-provoking)
5. Matilda by Roald Dahl (fast-paced, sad, quirky)
Although my reading tastes are varied, I think these books sum up my favorite genres: Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction. I love Kurt Vonnegut, especially, due to his ability to highlight the most devastating and absurd aspects of the human condition and find the humor in it. Same for Roald Dahl. His books are the reason I became a reader - pulling me in with the whimsy and impatient persona of Willy Wonka.
My reading list from 2020 was nothing to get excited about, so I vow to make better reading choices in 2021. So far, the books I most look forward to reading are:
1. The Prettiest Star by Carter Sickels
2. My Struggle: Book One by Karl Ove Knausgaard
3. Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith
4. The Library of the Unwritten by A. J. Hackwith
5. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut (re-read: I haven’t read this one since high school!)
6. I recently started collecting Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 series which dedicates each volume to discussing one music album. These are short reads, but at 152 volumes, I will be reading them for a long time!
Saricks, J. (2009). At Leisure: The Rule of Three. Booklist, 106(3), 25.
Hi Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI think that is really beautiful that the books you read make you fall in love with the authors. I only feel that way about a few authors I have read (Stephen King and Diana Gabaldon). I have yet to read a Roald Dahl book (although I have seen tons of movie adaptations of his work) but hope to soon in the future.
I haven't read Stephen Kind for years but I was just gifted Storm of the Century and I'm looking forward to revisiting his work. I hope to read Outlander someday too, as it has been recommended to me on multiple occasions! So many books so little time!
DeleteHi Amanda! I got super excited when I saw The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle on your blog! I just read this book last year, and although it wasn't my favorite by him, I am a big Murakami fan overall. My favorites so far have been South of the Border, West of the Sun, Sputnik Sweetheart, and Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. The next book of his that I plan to read is Kafka on the Shore.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have a very eclectic reading taste overall, and I look forward to discussing books with you.
Hi Juliana! Glad to meet another Murakami fan! I think Kafka on the Shore is one of his best and one that I would probably recommend to someone first. From your list, I have not read South of the Border, West of the Sun but it is on my TBR list along with 1Q84. I would love to hear what you think of Kafka on the Shore when you finish it :)
DeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteYay someone else loves Matilda. I love both the book and the movie. My family likes to remind me how annoying I was with the movie. If it was on TV I had to watch it. In my defense they could have told me no and they kept letting me watch it. I also read the book and loved it. Roald Dahl's books are ones that will always be on my bookshelves. Your post makes me want to go back and read Matilda for the millionth time.
Best of luck this semester!
And I want to watch the movie again! It has been a long time!
DeleteHi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI happened upon Haruki Murakami while shelving a cart of fiction awhile back, and I noticed the slim, brightly-colored book, The Strange Library. I flipped through a couple of pages, and it seemed pretty weird (lol), so I checked it out. It was definitely unlike any other book I've read. I've been meaning to read another book by Murakami, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. After reading your reading profile, maybe I'll start with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Having a list of books to read for the year seems like a good plan. I usually stick with genres I know, or I just pick up whatever jumps out at me in the moment. Time to push the limits of my reading comfort zone!
If you're interested, you can check out my blog at: https://nscurlock.blogspot.com/.
Thanks Nicole, I will check it out! Murakami books are weird and dreamlike...and you never know what to expect! I'm looking forward to reading outside of my comfort zone for this class as well :)
ReplyDeleteGreat profile! I too am a huge Vonnegut fan! You've got a wide array of reading interests and I think you'll do great in this class. Full points!
ReplyDelete