50 Books To Read Before You Die

For my Christmas stocking the Hubs gave me a lovely metal book marker with a list of the 50 books to read before you die.  I was shocked by how few I've read, but glad that I had at least heard of most of them.  I'm making it a goal to read at least 10 the unread books by years end.

Without further ado, here's the list:

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien (read)
1984 by George Orwell
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (read)
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (read)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (read)
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding (read)
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul
The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald
The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (read)
The Bell Jar by Sylvie Plath
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (read)
The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank
Don Quixote by Miduel de Cervantes
The Bible by Various (read)
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Ulysses by James Joyce (read)
The Quiet American by Graham Greene
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulke
Money by Martin Amis
Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling (read)
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (read)
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman (read all but last book)
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Alice´s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (read)
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
The Way We Live Now by Antony Trollope
The Outsider by Albert Camus
The Colour Purple by Alice Walker
Life of Pi by Yann Martel (read)
Frankenstein by Mary Selley
The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
Man Without Woman by Ernest Hemingway
Gulliver´s Travels by Jonathan Swift
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (read)
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Dafoe
One flew over the Cockoo´s Nest by Ken Kesey
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (read the abridged version)
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
The Divine Comedy by Alighieri Dante
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I may have read Hamlet or Alice's Adventures in Wonderland but I can't say for sure and I don't want to tell lies.  Some of these I can't believe I haven't read, and others I've been meaning to read forever.  So how many books have you read on this list?  Any recommendations on where to start? 

What Hearts

What Hearts by Bruce Brooks is one of the many books I culled from my niece Sam's book collection.  It's a book she really enjoyed, and it's a really short book, so after I finished 13 Reasons Why I took What Hearts from the huge Sam pile of books in my bedroom.

What Hearts is written in an unusual style that I haven't encountered before.  It opens up with a young just-graduating-first grader named Asa.  He's carrying home his radishes, something the intelligent little boy grew himself and he's very proud of them and their beauty.  When he gets home his mom is waiting with devastating news- Daddy is gone and she and Asa are moving.  Hours later his mom introduces him to her ex-boyfriend who will later become Asa's step dad.

The book tends to fast forward as you're given little snap shots of Asa's life.  His family moves around a lot, and in school Asa has learned to be whatever the person he's talking to wants him, or needs him to be.  His intelligence only increases, but his home life is floundering.  Step dad and Asa do not get along very well, and his mom has emotional issues. The end leaves A LOT to the imagination, but I'm not a lazy reader and I can imagine with the best of them.

I can't pin point what it is I loved about this book, but loved it I did.  The only complaint I have is the excessive look at a baseball game, but others may not find that chapter as torturous as I found it.

What Hearts gets a Midnight Book Rating of 11pm- start reading it any you might just have it done before the midnight hour has waned.

Serena- the book not the Gossip Girl!

Serena by Ron Rash.
When this book first came out it caught my eye, but I only recently got around to reading it.  I didn't write the title down when I first read about it and although I knew it was a woman's name it alluded me for months before I finally remembered enough about it to track it down.  Sometimes when you go through the effort to track down a book you get rewarded with a gem of a story, and then other times...

I really wanted to like this book.  It's about a man and woman (the Serena of the title) who are young, married, rich and deadly. It takes place in the late 1920's/early 1930's, an era that interests me.  The man. George Pemberton, impregnates a poor mountain girl before marrying the much more suitable Serena.  The pregnant girl and her dad greet the newlyweds as they arrive back from the east coast.  There's a knife fight.  It's a great beginning.

However, the Pemberton's are in to logging.  And the book goes in to great detail about this subject, which I have to admit loss my interest.  Serena, who turns out to be a bit ruthless and crazy- which I love, is not featured nearly enough.  And it takes a lot longer than I expected for the plot to get to what the blurb on Amazon promises- namely Serena loses the ability to have kids and goes after her husband's illegitimate child and baby momma.  There's a weird Snow White parallel to the story, but I don't know if it's intentional or a sign that I just watched to much Disney as a kid.

I ended up getting through the novel, and there was some good to it.  I just skipped the incredibly boring and dull logging descriptions.  In my opinion the story had more promise than what was offered, but Serena is still a wonderful villain.  I just wanted more of her.

Serena gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

it's a good read, but a little on the slow side at times. 

13 Reasons Why and 1 reason this book got to me.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher was a tough book to read.  It's a story about a girl named Hannah who, before her suicide, makes several cassettes outlining her reasons why.  She then has them sent out after her death to the people mentioned in the tapes.  We the reader hear the cassettes as Clay, one of the names in the tapes, listens to them.  Asher does an interesting job with having Clay commenting in the present as he listens to Hannah's tapes.

The reasons that Hannah ends her life are laid out before us, and even though some of the issues seem minor, to her they made a huge impact.  And that's the message of the story- that how we treat people can affect them in ways we don't consider.  How gossip and innuendo, and just plain indifference can tear away at someone's soul.  Teenagers often commit suicide simply because they don't have long term vision of their life, most live in the here and now, and they can't picture things changing.

I went to high school in a very small town, and my senior year a classmate ended his life in suicide.  At the time it was shocking, but afterwards the signs were so clear that something was wrong. Even though he was not a friend (he had very few), he was in drama and chorus with me.  There are few things that would make me want to go back in time to high school, but the chance to reach out to D and get him through our crappy, small-minded, backwards backwoods high school would be more than enough incentive.

13 Reasons Why, although flawed, shows how easily and unthinkingly human beings hurt one another.  Every time we gossip, every time we turn our back on someone needing a friendly gesture, every time we just pretend not to see someone's pain we cause damage.  The author, Jay Asher, was inspired to write the book after a cousin of his attempted suicide.  Fortunately she failed, and is alive and well today.  Whether you think suicide is a selfish act, a lonely act, or a desperate act, 13 Reasons Why will make you think about your own actions.  And that's a good thing.

I'm giving 13 Reasons Why a Midnight Book Rating of 10pm.  It's a compelling read, it'll be hard to put down, but not a good book to read in the silence of the night.

Wow, this post has been a downer. I feel the need to watch an episode of Golden Girls to get my happy back! 

Dexter by Design: He's Back!

 First off- Happy New Years!!!  It's the beginning of 2010 and today- 01-02-2010- is a palindrome day!  That's right- today's date is the same backwards and forwards.  Just a little piece of trivia to kick off my '10 blogging adventures.


I'm a fan of Dexter.  I love the Showtime series, which prompted me to read the books the show was based on, and I soon loved the books as well.  The third Dexter book left me a little disappointed, so while I was anxious to read the new book I didn't rush out to buy it as I had the third novel.

Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay is the fourth outing of nice guy serial killer Dexter Morgan.  What's that you say?  A nice guy serial killer?  Well, in a word, yes.  Other than the occasional murder, Dexter is a very likable guy.  Besides, he subscribes to the Harry code -his adoptive father's policeman code of who Dexter can kill (bad guys) and who Dexter can't kill (non-bad guys), as well as How To Blend In As a Normal Human Being

The fourth book opens with Dexter and his new wife, Rita, on their honeymoon in Paris, where Dexter is doing his best to ignore his Dark Passenger's hunger and to put up with Rita's site-seeing requests.  There they get to view a very unusual and disturbing art exhibit.  Then it's back home to Miami and more blood splattering work for Dexter- he works for the police department.

Dexter's adoptive sister, cop Deborah, aware of her brother's killing tendencies is torn between locking him up and letting him stay free.  But in the mean time she enlists his help in tracking down a different type of psychopath- one who likes to carve up his victims into fruit bowls and touristy-like gift baskets and leaving them on display.  After Debs is injured, Dexter must find the killer himself while trying to shake the suspicions of Deb's new partner.  Dexter is also playing daddy to Rita's two little damaged children, mini-Dexter's in the making, and teaching them the Harry Code.

Dexter by Design is classic, awesome Dexter.  Where the third book went off track a bit, Dexter and his dark passenger are now reunited.  As always, the city of Miami is a supporting, if not second main character, in the Dexter books.  One thing I can say from reading the books- I will never, ever, ever drive in Miami.  Ever!

Dexter by Design gets a Midnight Book Rating of Midnight.  Welcome back, Dexter!  You've been missed. 

Generation Dead, because if it's not about Vampires than it's about Zombies

First off, I love Zombies.  I can't wait until they start popping up out of the graves.  We've got guns and a good water supply, so the Hubs and I are all set.  It's sad that I am more prepared for a zombie invasion than a real emergency situation.

For me Generation Dead by Daniel Waters is a bit Zombie light. But it's an intriguing book.  The cover alone is reason enough to give the book a try.  The zombies in question are all American teenagers, and only some teenagers that die come back to life, or non-life.  The main character is Phoebe who is (caution, shocker coming up!) a goth girl.  Because in recent years most YA books feature either rich, brand name wearing Upper East Sider girls or goth girls or both.  Phoebe gets a bit of a crush on a dead boy who goes to her school  Her best friends, another goth girl who is icked out by zombies and a hot football player harboring a secret crush of Phoebe, are of course surprised.

The zombies in Waters's world are as different as any human, some have barely functioning speech and motor skills, while others could almost pass for living.  Zombies have no real recognized rights in the story, and it shows the struggle of minorities through out the ages.  Some of the impressions, the rumors, the gossip about zombies are similar ones used against different races in the past.  That is where this book shines.

It's not a perfect story, the narrative gets a bit clunky at time.  But it's got teenaged zombies, which rocks.  It's also the first in a series, and I love a series.  I liked Generation Dead enough to read the second book, Generation Dead: Kiss of Life.  I'm interested to see where this series is going.

Generation Dead gets a Midnight Book Rating of 10:45pm, it may not be perfect, but it's a good book to have on a long, cold, dark night. Happy reading, zombie lovers!

Last post of 2009!  Adios, '09.  Welcome, 2010- you'd better be sweeter to me than 2009 was!

The Historian- Getting my Edumacation!

I listened to, rather than read, The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and I have to say that I loved it. I liked it even though it made me learn stuff, because even though the book is about Dracula, it's also crammed with historical facts.  Due to my bum being rather lazy in October and then taking part in NaNoWriMo in November, I'm way behind on my reviews.  I listened to this book during cold October drives in my car. It was the perfect story for the Halloween season.

The audio cd featured many different actors speaking the different characters (including my girl Joanne Whalley Kilmer- although she may have dropped the Kilmer part of her name as she used to be married to Val Kilmer but they're now divorced.  They were in Willow together and then she played Scarlett in the mini series follow up to Gone With The Wind.) I thought that would be distracting, but it turned out to be amazing.  Everyone that read, in my opinion, did a great job of bringing the suspense of the book to life. 

Word of warning though, the audio cd is abridged.  I'm hoping that it's only abridged in small ways (in order to help the dialogue flow) but as I haven't read the book yet I don't know.  I didn't notice it was abridged, and I probably wouldn't have bought it if I had caught that detail in the beginning because I am not an abridged girl.  I recently found out that The Count of Monte Cristo is actually a super long book, and the version I read all those years ago was abridged.  I hate abridgments, it feels like I'm being a lazy reader.  That said, with The audio version of The Historian  there's a reason I didn't catch the abridged part until much later- because it wasn't at all obvious.  So I'm glad I listened to it, and I was always planning on reading the book but I am holding off purchase until I get my Kindle.  And Kindle, you will be mine!

So if you like vampires, the old fashion Dracula kind, and a really good mystery, then I recommend The Historian.  Giving the audio cd a Midnight Book Rating of 11:45pm, and despite the fact I haven't yet read the book, I'm giving the unabridged book of The Historian a Midnight Book Rating of Midnight.

I'm hoping to post at least one more blog before the New Year, but in case I don't get to it (because of the aforementioned lazy bumness)- Happy New Years, Blogger World!!!

I Heart Heart-Shaped Box!

Just a quick review from my backed up review list, then back to Christmas wrapping and trying to find a place outside that is snow free enough for my spoiled chiweenine to do her business.

Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill kind of rocked.  For those of you not in the know, Hill is the son of author God Stephen King (I love you SK!).  Although his genre might be in the same vein as his pop, Hill is a great author in his own right. 

Why should you read Heart-Shaped Box?  Well, it's an old fashioned ghost story with great characters and two awesome dogs that would make Dean Koontz green with envy.  The main character is Jude Coyne, aging hard rocker (think Rob Zombie without the movie making, or Ozzie Osbourne with normal speaking abilities).  Jude collects the macabre and ends up buying a ghost online.  And just like that song "The Cat Came Back", Jude finds that once you own a ghost they aren't that simple to get rid of, and this particular ghost has an axe to grind with our doomed MC.  Did I mention the awesome dogs? 

I give this book a full Midnight rating, this book will keep you up all night, quaking beneath your sheets as you flip through the pages, your flashlight's beam shaking in your terrified hands... In other words if RL Stine's Goosebump series is too intense for you, then Heart-Shaped Box might be something you should skip.

In case I don't get to say this on Christmas- Merry Christmas Blogging World!  I am looking forward to wonderful New Year full of book blogging, more reading, and more writing.  And world peace, which I asked for again this year, but it's a bit like asking Santa for a pony when I live in the city and have no horse caring skills or budget.  A midnight book girl can still dream! 

Shadow On The Dial

I read this book a million years ago when I was mostly just a 10pmBookGirl.  I remember loving it, so I actually bought it just to re-read for October's readathon.  Seemed like a good idea at the time...

Shadow On The Dial by Anne Lindbergh

The book hasn't aged so well, but I still love the idea behind the book.  Dawn and Marcus are forced to spend a summer with Great Uncle Doo in his crappy Florida apartment while their parents go on a good vacation.  Dawn is a bit of an idiot, and Marcus is supposed to be smart for his age although I'm not buying that.  Just because you state that it doesn't make it true.  Somehow the kids get involved with a Time Traveling bald dude and end up going back in time to help Uncle Doo find happiness- which involves playing a flute.  No, I am not making this up.  Hi-jinks ensue.  The dynamic duo have to keep going back in time (and also in the future) to fix the mistakes they continuously make.  But in doing so they find happiness for their uncle and realize they have a lot of work ahead of them to change the dismal outlook of their own future.  Plus Marcus and Dawn learn to get along!

Would I recommend this book to you, faithful reader?  Probably not.  For me it has sentimental value, and I'd probably enjoy sharing it with my younger nieces and nephews.

Midnight Book Rating: 7pm- read it before the good shows come on... or the mediocre shows (read at 6pm if you're not on the East Coast).


***I will be traveling back to Oklahoma starting this evening.  My father in law passed away unexpectedly.  He will be greatly missed.***

I Wish I Had An Uncle Montague!

Yes, faithful readers, it's been a long time since I blogged about an actual book I read.  Last month was fail for me in the reading books category, but writing was a win.  Luckily for me as I was too lazy to blog about the books I read in October I now have a back catalog of reviews to get through.  So without further ado I present my take on Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley.

I'll make this short and sweet.  I liked this book, it reminded me a lot of Ed Gorey's Alphabet.  It was creepy without being to terrifying (it is a book geared to the younger crowd).  I read this during the Readathon and it was a good book to start things off with.  If you have a soft, rotten, decaying spot for ghost stories than I think you'll enjoy this book.  If you have unruly children whom you wish to creep out, then this is a good book to read aloud to the little hellions. 

Midnight Book Rating: 11:30pm- not quite the stroke of Midnight, but a great book to be reading when the midnight hour approaches *insert ghoulish laugh of your choice here*