Monday, July 6, 2009

Books That Stick

Recently, Rosemary Harris (author of The Big Dirt Nap) posed a question on Facebook: What are fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you? Not necessarily the "best" books, but memorable ones. So, here are five of mine, in no particular order:

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card. Great characters, great premise, great twist at the end. Couldn't get into the sequels, but this book is one of my all-time faves.

The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B. Parker. I first read this book on the advice of my boss when I was working in Boston. It captured the town perfectly, and I'm always a sucker for a wise-guy private eye. And, as the first Spenser book, it hooked me for life. Thanks, Robert B.! It_cover

It - Stephen King. Pennywise freaked me out. Now I stay away from circuses, children's birthday parties, and grand openings at car dealerships--anywhere there might be a clown.

The Black Echo - Michael Connelly. The first of the excellent Harry Bosch series.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce. I read this in high school. Or should I say, I tried to read this in high school. Maybe the worst book I've ever read. Of course, I'm pretty sure I didn't understand a word of it (I never learned Irish, I guess). It helped foster my almost instant dislike of any book labeled a "classic."


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3 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

James Joyce....ugh. I'm with you on that one. I respect his work, but Lordy it's hard to understand. In fact, I didn't understand it.

And "It" was the last King book I could read. It gave me nightmares. Remember the TV movie they did of it? The scene where the guy is making out with the girl and looks down over her shoulder and sees the clown clothes? Okay, I'm scared now.

"On the Beach" has stayed with me. And I love "David Copperfield." And maybe "Shadow of the Wind."

Elizabeth Mystery Writing is Murder

Alan Orloff said...

Yeah, a lot of Stephen King books stick with me (most in a good way).

I haven't read any of the three books you mentioned (was one of them named after a magician?).

I guess they must be classics :)

Helen Ginger said...

Two sticky books for me are:
The Time Traveler's Wife
and
Geek Love

Helen
Straight From Hel