Challenging

[thessalian]

Hmmkay, so looking at my request for lit suggestions and the replies I got, I think I have my ten books to complete the 50-book challenge.

1) Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman
I meant to read this anyway, and I know dodgyhoodoo will want to borrow it right after me, but prettyarbitrary reminded me with mention of Neverwhere

2) Something from the Nightside, by Simon Green
I think that's the first one of the series (it's the one with the earliest Amazon release date, anyway), and prettyarbitrary sold me on it.

3) The Bloody Chamber, by Angela Carter
I have had many suggestions from dodgyhoodoo to read Angela Carter. So I will read Angela Carter.

4) Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut
jamileigh17 suggested, "Read any Vonnegut", and prettyarbitrary seconded the Vonnegut; that's the Vonnegut we have in the house.

5) The Secret History, by Donna Tartt
I'd heard of this one before weaselbitch suggested it, but wasn't sure if I'd be interested. But I trust weaselbitch's recommendations, so...

6) Furnace, by Muriel Gray
Stephen King gushes over her work, as does dodgyhoodoo. I'm picking the shorter of the two we have, mainly for ease of reading during commutes.

7) Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll
My only exposure to Alice should not be Disney. That is all.

8) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K Dick
prettyarbitrary suggested Dick; again, it's what we have in the house, and I'd like to see how it differs from Blade Runner.

9) Neutron Star, by Larry Niven
I'll start with the shorts, I think; it looks a little hardcore sci-fi for my tastes, but you never know.

10) The Sicilian, by Mario Puzo
Another "I keep meaning to read this" book, this one yoinked off my Amazon.co.uk recommendations list.

So that's all fifty books. That should keep me going for a few months.

Okay, now my challenge to you all. I'm going to list my ten all-time favourite books (of the moment, anyway). Pick one of them that you haven't read, letting me know in comments which one you've chosen, and read it. It seems to be a horizon-expanding exercise, this 50-books-a-year thing, and I'd like to return the favour a little.

So here's the ten I've picked:

Anne of Green Gables, by L M Montgomery
Battle Royale, by Koushun Takami
Dance Dance Dance, by Haruki Murakami
Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
The Godfather, by Mario Puzo
Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
Prozac Nation, by Elizabeth Wurtzel
White Teeth, by Zadie Smith

Is anyone game, then?

Comments

[weaselbitch.livejournal.com]

Flowers for Algernon and Neverwhere I've already read, but once I've cleared the Christmas book mountain I'll be borrowing Anne of Green Gables and The Handmaid's Tale :-)

I'm also quite interested in the Haruki Murakami book, and Battle Royale, so I'll probably be adding those to my 'to read' list.

Unfortunately the idea of reading Gone With the Wind leaves me utterly cold, but if it's on your list of favourites I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and try it - horizon expanding, yay!

[thessalian.livejournal.com]

Wow. I said one, not half the list. Cool on the horizon-expansion, though, and I suppose that's the 'challenge' portion of the experiment.

[mapp.livejournal.com]

I highly reccomend Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and, if you've not had the opportunity to read it, The Hunting of the Snark.

As for the challenge, I've always wanted to read Prozac Nation, so I think I might use this as an excuse to do so. Challenge accepted!

[thessalian.livejournal.com]

...Recommend. You 'commend' something or someone who has done well; you do not 'ccomend' them. Argh. ARGH!

*ahem* Sorry.

As to the challenge, yay! I was hoping someone'd pick that one.

[mapp.livejournal.com]

Sorry, this is what happens when you try and use LiveJournal at midnight in the freezing cold. It's no small miracle my message didn't come out as:

"chllenge accpettd!"

My fingers are like jittery frozen sausages, and typing with gloves is tricky.

*ahem* Sorry.

Um, yes, I'll go and hunt down a copy of the book, and let you know what I think. I may also end up posting a similar challenge myself.

[randomflashbang.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I'm a little surprised you haven't read the Alice books. Two volumes of condenced goodness they are. Anansi Boys is also worthy, but I havn't been able to finish it because it got to the point where the pity I had for the main charecter just became overwhelming. I think that's what Gaiman was going for though.

[randomflashbang.livejournal.com]

By the by, I'm interested to know what you think of the Simon Green book. My father has been trying to hand a stack of them to me for awhile now.

[jamileigh17.livejournal.com]

*grins* Alice in Wonderland is great. If you drink alcohol, I'd suggest taking a shot every time something impossible happens... but you'd be plastered in the first chapter. XD Actually, Carroll is great. Just a bit odd. I envy his skill.

And Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is so insanely different from Blade Runner... we watched it in my fiction/film class, and seriously? I had to really stretch to find any similarities, except that they both deal with artificial life. Seriously.

And I'll add Neverwhere to my list, as I believe it's already on my to read list anyway. XD

[(Anonymous)]

Before you read Neverwhere, I'd suggest you print out a colour map of the London Underground and keep it around for reference. It's not strictly speaking necessary, but it enhances your understanding of some of the jokes.

[thessalian.livejournal.com]

That was me. Bah. Stupid logout.

[pickwick.livejournal.com]

I think I'll try to read Prozac Nation too, and I definitely want to read some Murakami. And I've been looking at Battle Royale, but I was worried it would just be a crap novelisation of the film. I take it it's not?

[thessalian.livejournal.com]

Far from it. Book came first, I think. There's a lot more characterisation and look at motivations, it's a lot deeper than the film. The manga series is good too.

[prettyarbitrary.livejournal.com]

Flowers for Algernon is one I've been meaning to check out for years, so I'll take that.