book meme
The rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you've read that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes.
Meme ganked from elsewhere I'm too sleepy to remember.
1. Watership Down - Out of all the talking animal books I loved as a kid, this, by far, is the one that's held up. Bigwig is such a BAMF and the language structures are simple and effective (LOTR, seriously what ARE you doing) and I love rugged survival stories that get a happy (yet realistic) ending.
2. The Charioteer - The writing in this book is so sensitive and fragilely-structured you almost feel like you are intruding into someone else's diary. I love Ralph and want to hit Laurie upside the head for mooning over Andrew. IT HAS A HAPPY ENDING.
3. Fun Home - This book describes my childhood. Srsly. The house being forever built by an obsessive father and the little butch girl figuring shit out and obsessive compulsiveness and the constant threat of divorce and the fact that I used to be such a little bookworm before the internet. The drawings are gorgeous and labyrinthine and seem to go through the five stages of grief through every going-over of the same story of a daughter trying to reconcile posthumously with her father.
4. His Dark Materials - Daemons. Just daemons. Don't tell me you haven't read this series and wondered what yours might be, or the people around you. This series may be a bit strung out into events-happening-one-after-the-other-because-the-plot-demands-it-and-screw-the-characters, but it's pretty creative (the mulefa are my favorite) and offers a lovely reason for the existence and maintenance of the elusive Dust. We have to create the Republic of Heaven ourselves, through conscious thought and effort into improving the lives of the people around us.
5. Ender's Shadow - I know, everyone loves Ender's Game. I do too. I also love Xenocide and Children of the Mind. But the book I've been returning to lately, over and over, is Ender's Shadow. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because it offers a lovely deconstruction of the megalith Ender's Game was through the keen observation of Bean's eyes (and some of his blind points). Perhaps it's because Bean pulls himself up the farthest in the series, from starvation into the arms of a loving family just by his brains and outmaneuvering his enemies. Maybe it's because I think Achilles in this book is the single best villain in any of the Orson Scott Card books. Brr. Also, Ender's Shadow isn't quite as dogmatic about the YOU MUST HAVE BABIES TO BE HAPPY IN LIFE as the others. I mean, dude. It's none of your business to manipulate your readership into procreating- in fact, it's really annoying. (Also you're a homophobic dickwad but at least when I'm reading this book I can ignore the fact that you were the one who wrote it)
6. So You Want To Be A Wizard - THIS. THIS THIS THIS. Possibly my favorite book of all time and the book series I consider most 'mine'. I love the concept and the characters and the internal logic of this series and how damn DARK this series likes to go while fighting the good fight. The only thing I dislike is the title, because I got teased an awful lot for storing it in my college studio with all my other books. The first book delves into the concept of the love of words meaning that you have the power to goddamn change the world. The protagonist is a girl, her new best friend happens to be hispanic (and it's not played up to a stereotype, Kit is Kit and he's awesome), bullies beat the shit out of her, she discovers wizardry and the Oath and suddenly she becomes one of the people fighting to keep entropy from consuming the universe at this moment. Far better written and more original than the Harry Potter series (aka Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen), pick up this battered old kids book NOW.
7. Wintersmith - Really I could have said 'Thud' or 'Night Watch' or 'Truckers', but this is definitely one of the stronger Terry Prachett stories. It's got elements like elementals consorting with humans (and how wrong they get things) one of the best funerals I've ever seen in literature (I cried, no joke, it was just that perfect and sad and lightheartedly hilarious), Tiffany helping Annagramma despite that it's Annagramma. Oh yeah. And goddamn air-swords.
8. Alien Secrets - What a great kid's book. It features a wonderful description of what travel might actually be like on a freighter ship, a well-rounded GIRL PROTAGONIST OMG, exciting crawling about in hidey crawly spaces, stolen treasure, a variant of the closed room type of murder mystery, ALIEN HOLOCAUST, and a quiet(!!!!) statement about prejudice and overcoming it. It's a celebration of individuality and diversity. Probably my favorite moment is when Puck discovers what she wants to do with the rest of her life, and jesus christ I want to see hyperspace like the hyperspace navigators do in this book. It sounds like wicked cool synesthesia.
9. Tintin and the Prisoners of the Sun - First Tintin book I ever read; my dad brought it home one night. For most of the book I thought Zorrino was Tintin's girlfriend and then when I found out he was a guy I somehow kept on shipping it. Because omg the little pendant Tintin gives him to protect him and rescuing him repeatedly and everything ok wut self sex does not exist in Tintin!verse nor do romantic attachments there are barely even any kids. Also CAPTAIN HADDOCK IS BALLING. I love him forever- especially at the waterfall.
10. The Cheese Monkeys - Like the Importance of Being Earnest below, this was my second foray out of the Young Adult section. Anyone who cannot take criticism of their creative endeavours needs to read this book- though I see criticism as something that denotes absolute respect of that person's talent and their integrity about how they take it. It's hilarious and dark and Happy is as gay as a roller skate and totally oblivious to this fact. I suck at graphic design but admire it very much- another reason to love this book.
11. Daggie Dogfoot (Pigs Might Fly) - Putting your physical limitations to your advantage? Reasonably intelligent animals (Felicity why do I want to ask you out you are a duck) and their co-operation overcoming disaster and adversity? Yep, totally up my alley. It's a solidly-written little book and stands out from the rest of Dick King-Smith's considerable work head-and-shoulders.
12. The Importance of Being Earnest - The inherent queerness drips off this book. As Alison Bechdel said, it was the first time I'd found out that adult writing could be funny, that not all books that were required reading for school were inherently evil. I still have my copy from high school, and try to use the word 'bunburyist' as often as possible.
13. You Don't Know Me - The prose in this book is some of the most heartbreaking, hilarious stuff I've ever read. The description of the abuse and the forcedly cheerful/apathetic/sullen quality to the protagonist's bent of thought is exactly how it was like in my head at the time- fortunately I was far better about being able to put my thoughts into words. In no other book will you read a paragraph like this:
My tuba is not actually a tuba, because it has never produced a musical sound. It is actually a giant frog pretending to be a tuba. Every so often it forgets that it is pretending to be a tuba, and it gives a loud croak that causes Mr. Steenwilly to jerk his head around so fast he nearly gets whiplash. He looks at me with his baton quivering in the air and his mustache quivering on his upper lip, and I know what he is thinking. "You are killing this piece of music," he is thinking. "You are murdering this song. You should be arrested by the music police. They should hang you from a music stand."
Mr Steenwilly, I cannot argue with you- I am murdering this piece of music. That is a fact neither of us can dispute. But surely you must understand that I cannot get a musical sound out of what is really a giant frog pretending to be a tuba. I move my fingers and blow my lungs out. Occasionally it croaks.
No one is to blame here.
14. Scott Pilgrim - This series is an anthem about early-twenties immaturity, and the trials and triumphs of overcoming it. The simplified brushstroke artwork is gorgeous and lulzworthy (Honest Ed's: SUCK), and as it goes along, has some of the best page-layouts I've seen, ever.
15. Chew - The comic series I consider most 'mine'; a cop with the abilities to get psychic readings off anything he tastes is drafted by the FBI to crack down on chicken consumption. I shit you not. The art is a bit wibbly at times but the writing is fantastic and hilarious and holy shit you guys an asian protagonist! I love creative cop series (Fillmore!, Life on Mars, etc).
16. (bonus book. because I want to throw it in here) Full Tilt - seductive and mind-twisting, this is like Ray Bradbury's dream of carousels and fun-house mirrors cracked out with exasperated sibling rivalry and an epic ending. This is one of the few books I'd list as 'perfect', in pacing, writing, story-telling, horror, and characters.
17. (thought of it while filling out the rest of this list) Moorchild - I hated this book as a kid. Nowadays, it's one of my favorites, for the naturalistic feel of the medieval setting and the eldritch mound of sociopathic (but mostly harmless) fairies nearby. This is for the people who felt different growing up, and struggle to express who they are among people who hate them for their difference. The solution (bittersweet but also real) is not to bully the bullies into acceptance (you can't change people, or force them to change), but to find a supportive network and heal. A lot of people in the reviews see this as 'running away' from her problems- trust me,when a village has tried to set you on fire, you do not stay in that village, you go to a more accepting or tolerant place to be yourself. Fuck that village.
Meme ganked from elsewhere I'm too sleepy to remember.
1. Watership Down - Out of all the talking animal books I loved as a kid, this, by far, is the one that's held up. Bigwig is such a BAMF and the language structures are simple and effective (LOTR, seriously what ARE you doing) and I love rugged survival stories that get a happy (yet realistic) ending.
2. The Charioteer - The writing in this book is so sensitive and fragilely-structured you almost feel like you are intruding into someone else's diary. I love Ralph and want to hit Laurie upside the head for mooning over Andrew. IT HAS A HAPPY ENDING.
3. Fun Home - This book describes my childhood. Srsly. The house being forever built by an obsessive father and the little butch girl figuring shit out and obsessive compulsiveness and the constant threat of divorce and the fact that I used to be such a little bookworm before the internet. The drawings are gorgeous and labyrinthine and seem to go through the five stages of grief through every going-over of the same story of a daughter trying to reconcile posthumously with her father.
4. His Dark Materials - Daemons. Just daemons. Don't tell me you haven't read this series and wondered what yours might be, or the people around you. This series may be a bit strung out into events-happening-one-after-the-other-because-the-plot-demands-it-and-screw-the-characters, but it's pretty creative (the mulefa are my favorite) and offers a lovely reason for the existence and maintenance of the elusive Dust. We have to create the Republic of Heaven ourselves, through conscious thought and effort into improving the lives of the people around us.
5. Ender's Shadow - I know, everyone loves Ender's Game. I do too. I also love Xenocide and Children of the Mind. But the book I've been returning to lately, over and over, is Ender's Shadow. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps it's because it offers a lovely deconstruction of the megalith Ender's Game was through the keen observation of Bean's eyes (and some of his blind points). Perhaps it's because Bean pulls himself up the farthest in the series, from starvation into the arms of a loving family just by his brains and outmaneuvering his enemies. Maybe it's because I think Achilles in this book is the single best villain in any of the Orson Scott Card books. Brr. Also, Ender's Shadow isn't quite as dogmatic about the YOU MUST HAVE BABIES TO BE HAPPY IN LIFE as the others. I mean, dude. It's none of your business to manipulate your readership into procreating- in fact, it's really annoying. (Also you're a homophobic dickwad but at least when I'm reading this book I can ignore the fact that you were the one who wrote it)
6. So You Want To Be A Wizard - THIS. THIS THIS THIS. Possibly my favorite book of all time and the book series I consider most 'mine'. I love the concept and the characters and the internal logic of this series and how damn DARK this series likes to go while fighting the good fight. The only thing I dislike is the title, because I got teased an awful lot for storing it in my college studio with all my other books. The first book delves into the concept of the love of words meaning that you have the power to goddamn change the world. The protagonist is a girl, her new best friend happens to be hispanic (and it's not played up to a stereotype, Kit is Kit and he's awesome), bullies beat the shit out of her, she discovers wizardry and the Oath and suddenly she becomes one of the people fighting to keep entropy from consuming the universe at this moment. Far better written and more original than the Harry Potter series (aka Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen), pick up this battered old kids book NOW.
7. Wintersmith - Really I could have said 'Thud' or 'Night Watch' or 'Truckers', but this is definitely one of the stronger Terry Prachett stories. It's got elements like elementals consorting with humans (and how wrong they get things) one of the best funerals I've ever seen in literature (I cried, no joke, it was just that perfect and sad and lightheartedly hilarious), Tiffany helping Annagramma despite that it's Annagramma. Oh yeah. And goddamn air-swords.
8. Alien Secrets - What a great kid's book. It features a wonderful description of what travel might actually be like on a freighter ship, a well-rounded GIRL PROTAGONIST OMG, exciting crawling about in hidey crawly spaces, stolen treasure, a variant of the closed room type of murder mystery, ALIEN HOLOCAUST, and a quiet(!!!!) statement about prejudice and overcoming it. It's a celebration of individuality and diversity. Probably my favorite moment is when Puck discovers what she wants to do with the rest of her life, and jesus christ I want to see hyperspace like the hyperspace navigators do in this book. It sounds like wicked cool synesthesia.
9. Tintin and the Prisoners of the Sun - First Tintin book I ever read; my dad brought it home one night. For most of the book I thought Zorrino was Tintin's girlfriend and then when I found out he was a guy I somehow kept on shipping it. Because omg the little pendant Tintin gives him to protect him and rescuing him repeatedly and everything ok wut self sex does not exist in Tintin!verse nor do romantic attachments there are barely even any kids. Also CAPTAIN HADDOCK IS BALLING. I love him forever- especially at the waterfall.
10. The Cheese Monkeys - Like the Importance of Being Earnest below, this was my second foray out of the Young Adult section. Anyone who cannot take criticism of their creative endeavours needs to read this book- though I see criticism as something that denotes absolute respect of that person's talent and their integrity about how they take it. It's hilarious and dark and Happy is as gay as a roller skate and totally oblivious to this fact. I suck at graphic design but admire it very much- another reason to love this book.
11. Daggie Dogfoot (Pigs Might Fly) - Putting your physical limitations to your advantage? Reasonably intelligent animals (Felicity why do I want to ask you out you are a duck) and their co-operation overcoming disaster and adversity? Yep, totally up my alley. It's a solidly-written little book and stands out from the rest of Dick King-Smith's considerable work head-and-shoulders.
12. The Importance of Being Earnest - The inherent queerness drips off this book. As Alison Bechdel said, it was the first time I'd found out that adult writing could be funny, that not all books that were required reading for school were inherently evil. I still have my copy from high school, and try to use the word 'bunburyist' as often as possible.
13. You Don't Know Me - The prose in this book is some of the most heartbreaking, hilarious stuff I've ever read. The description of the abuse and the forcedly cheerful/apathetic/sullen quality to the protagonist's bent of thought is exactly how it was like in my head at the time- fortunately I was far better about being able to put my thoughts into words. In no other book will you read a paragraph like this:
My tuba is not actually a tuba, because it has never produced a musical sound. It is actually a giant frog pretending to be a tuba. Every so often it forgets that it is pretending to be a tuba, and it gives a loud croak that causes Mr. Steenwilly to jerk his head around so fast he nearly gets whiplash. He looks at me with his baton quivering in the air and his mustache quivering on his upper lip, and I know what he is thinking. "You are killing this piece of music," he is thinking. "You are murdering this song. You should be arrested by the music police. They should hang you from a music stand."
Mr Steenwilly, I cannot argue with you- I am murdering this piece of music. That is a fact neither of us can dispute. But surely you must understand that I cannot get a musical sound out of what is really a giant frog pretending to be a tuba. I move my fingers and blow my lungs out. Occasionally it croaks.
No one is to blame here.
14. Scott Pilgrim - This series is an anthem about early-twenties immaturity, and the trials and triumphs of overcoming it. The simplified brushstroke artwork is gorgeous and lulzworthy (Honest Ed's: SUCK), and as it goes along, has some of the best page-layouts I've seen, ever.
15. Chew - The comic series I consider most 'mine'; a cop with the abilities to get psychic readings off anything he tastes is drafted by the FBI to crack down on chicken consumption. I shit you not. The art is a bit wibbly at times but the writing is fantastic and hilarious and holy shit you guys an asian protagonist! I love creative cop series (Fillmore!, Life on Mars, etc).
16. (bonus book. because I want to throw it in here) Full Tilt - seductive and mind-twisting, this is like Ray Bradbury's dream of carousels and fun-house mirrors cracked out with exasperated sibling rivalry and an epic ending. This is one of the few books I'd list as 'perfect', in pacing, writing, story-telling, horror, and characters.
17. (thought of it while filling out the rest of this list) Moorchild - I hated this book as a kid. Nowadays, it's one of my favorites, for the naturalistic feel of the medieval setting and the eldritch mound of sociopathic (but mostly harmless) fairies nearby. This is for the people who felt different growing up, and struggle to express who they are among people who hate them for their difference. The solution (bittersweet but also real) is not to bully the bullies into acceptance (you can't change people, or force them to change), but to find a supportive network and heal. A lot of people in the reviews see this as 'running away' from her problems- trust me,when a village has tried to set you on fire, you do not stay in that village, you go to a more accepting or tolerant place to be yourself. Fuck that village.