50(ish) Books I'm Glad I Read and Think You Should Read Too

Hello Dear Reader(s):  

I missed you!  Speaking of books (let's just pretend we were), near the end of 2014 I came across several reading lists.  What I noticed is that some, such as the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century, tend to feature books written mainly by authors of the male persuasion.  Google searches then led me to some feminist-inspired lists featuring books written by authors of the female persuasion (that feminists suggest all men should read).   Don't even get me started on the Rory Gilmore Reading List! (Yes, I experienced severe book-reading envy of a fictional character!)  Ultimately, all of these lists inspired me to create my own "all-inclusive" "bi-partisan" list of books, in no particular order, and not necessarily of great literary value, that I found enjoyable and wanted to pass on to you, dear reader(s), in the hopes that you might find a thoroughly enjoyable book for yourself.   The suspense is killing you!  So without further ado... 

50-ish Books I’m Glad I Read and Think You Should Read Too (regardless of whether you are male, female or somewhere in between).

1. The Call of the Wild by Jack London  (Fiction) Probably the first book to make me cry like a baby.  I read this in the 5th grade after borrowing from a girl in my class named Sheila who always  had her nose in a book or was knitting something (seriously, a 5th grader).  She lent me her copy and I couldn't thank her enough.  What a nice kid.

2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Non-Fiction)  This is historically significant, medically significant and will probably make you very mad.  Very well researched and well-written.

3. The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan (Non-Fiction)  Wonderful memoir about a remarkable mid-western woman who found a unique way to provide for her very large family through great adversity (written by one of her daughters).

4. The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman (Non-Fiction)  I tend to like holocaust memoirs, something about them fascinates me.  This one is a little different from the rest as the author had a little bit of celebrity and it's what likely saved his life.

5. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Fiction)  Will make you want to roam the streets of St. Petersburg like a mad man, whilst sipping vodka. 

6. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank (duh) (Non-Fiction) One of the only books I've read multiple times and inspired a trip to Amsterdam to visit Anne's attic.  It's such a gift to be able to read the thoughts of a young woman from decades ago, while she was living through such a strange ordeal, hiding with her family from the Nazis.

7. Life is So Good by George Dawson (Non-Fiction)  Amazing account of something rare, a positive and happy man who lived through the entire 20th Century and witnessed all of the changes that came with it.  Warning: It may make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

8. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns) By Mindy Kaling (Non-Fiction)  Hilarious.  I don't watch her show but she became a friend in my head after reading these funny essays.

9. Bossypants by Tina Fey (Non-Fiction)  Awkward to read in public due to laughing fits.

10. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (Non-Fiction)  Funny, sarcastic...I just love him and everything he does.

11. Finding Fish by Antwone Fisher (Non-Fiction) Very well written and moving account of a child growing up in foster care.

12. I have Lived 1000 Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson  (Non-Fiction)   Yes, another holocaust memoir... I've read a lot of them and this is one of the best.  Have tissues at the ready.

13. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Fiction) This book sat unread on my shelf for about 10 years.  I'm glad I finally got around to it.   Teens, growing up, high school, psychological problems... something we can all relate to.

14. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Fiction)  I had my doubts about this one.  I'm not into cheesy romance novels but this one turned out to be not-so-cheesy but kind of sweet and sad.

15. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell (Fiction)  Like I said, teen romance novels are generally not my thing, but something about Rainbow Rowell's writing is very special, she has a knack for creating characters that you can't help but care about.  You'll also remember what it felt like to be a teenager ... and all of the horrors that went along with that. 

16. The Giver (Quartet) by Lois Lowry (Fiction)  One of the best dystopian series I have read to date.  I kept thinking ...what an imagination.    

17. Wonder by R.J. Palacio (Fiction)  Feel like you don't belong? That you are weird, gross, and possibly a total loser? You might be, but read this anyway, it could make you feel better (after it rips your heart out and then shoves it back into your chest). 

18. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Fiction)  I usually prefer to read non-fiction when it comes to my favorite subject of WWII, but this was a wonderful novel and Yes, there is a big old library that books get stolen from ... so basically this is an erotic novel for bibliophiles.

19. Life of Pi by Yann Martel  (Fiction)  What I love about Yann Martel is that I read his books thinking they're about one thing and then I realize at the last possible minute they're about something entirely different.

20. Beatrice & Virgil by Yann Martel  (Fiction)  Dare I say, this is a masterpiece?  The man is a genius!  

21. A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel  (Non-Fiction/Memoir)  Love me some Haven Kimmel.  Her books are sweet, funny and make me feel happy inside.  What's wrong with that? 

22. Sleeping Arrangements by Laura Cunningham (Non-Fiction/Memoir) I loved this book, at least partially, because I grew up in the Bronx and so did the author.  She was raised by her two quirky, caring uncles.  It's kind of about how families should be  (but not how most of them are, so much).

23. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (Fiction)  Pulitzer Prize Winner.  Simply one of the greatest protagonists in literary history.  You may crave hot dogs after reading. The author's story and how the book became published are equally as interesting. 

24. Blackbird and Still Waters by Jennifer Lauck (Non-Fiction)  OK, technically these are two books, but if you read one I think it's important to read the other, which gives you more detail and, more importantly, closure.   I had to stop reading Still Waters on public transport due to the emotional breakdown it caused.  Not the most elegant writing - but the story is sound. 

25. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (Non-Fiction)  This one might take a few chapters to get into it, but once you do, it's a non-stop-thrilling-murder-mystery.  Start saving for your trip to Savannah because you are going to want to go there immediately after you finish reading.

26. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (Fiction)  Took several attempts for this to peak my interest, but once it dug it's nails into me... Stranded! On a Desert Island! Mayhem! Anarchy! Pigs' Heads! Sweet Jesus I need to read this again!

27. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Fiction)  Not just a book about four sisters, but a stirring historical novel set during the Civil War.  There is a boy in the book too: so a warning to you macho men out there - his name is Laurie and it's OK.

28. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (Fiction)  So far this is the only book by Hemingway that I've been able to get into.  I read it in one sitting and it got me all vehklempt.

29. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (Fiction)  Took me forever to get through this but I remember that one part that felt like a punch in the stomach.  Ya know what I mean?

30. 1984 by George Orwell (Fiction)  Quickly and scarily becoming like non-fiction, but this  Dystopian goodness is a Must Read.

31. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (Fiction)  Unique, wonderful, crazy.  Shaking my rookers at you like an old lady until you read it!

32. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Fiction) Pulitzer Prize Winner. Characters named Scout, Jem and Atticus, plus a scary neighbor named Boo, a tree with a hole in it that you find things in -- what more do you people want?

33. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Fiction)  Pulitzer Prize Winner.  An epic historical novel set during the American Civil War.  I read this one over my Christmas vacation years ago... I would  stay up reading all night until I passed out, then sleep all day with the book close by and wake up and start reading all over again (with short snack breaks, of course).

34. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (Fiction)  Ahhh, The Good Old Days... when everyone was poor but had manners.  Love this book to pieces.

35. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (Fiction)  OK, here's the thing... the first 100 pages of this book are complete and total drudgery.  You're going to be bored, you're going to want to throw the book at someone or kill yourself.  But don't - hang in there, skip a couple pages is you must.  It's all a necessary set up for the remaining 900 pages so that you know what's going on and understand the characters.  If you make it through the first 100 pages, the rest is the icing and it's so yummy!

36. Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt (Nonfiction/Memoir) Pulitzer Prize Winner. Beautifully written, growing up poor in Ireland.  I remember finishing this book.  I had just gotten off the subway and had a few pages left ... I couldn't wait and needed solitude, so I found one of those old-school phone booths that don't exist anymore, I closed the door, read the last few pages in peaceful solitude and then hugged the book for a long time like a crazy person.

37. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (Nonfiction/Memoir)  This is one of those books you read and then start buying copies to give to everyone you know (or, if you are me, you lend it to someone and don't get it back because they lend it to someone else, so you buy another copy for yourself, but then you lend it to someone else who lends it to someone else... long story short, I've bought about 20 copies of this book and NO, you cannot borrow it).

38. All But My Life by Gerda Weissman Klein (Non-Fiction/Memoir)  Probably the most moving holocaust memoir I have come across.  Will make you appreciate a good solid pair of boots, if you are lucky enough to have them.

39. The Hours by Michael Cunningham (Fiction) Pulitzer Prize Winner.  One of those books that made me stop and think, "How did he do this?"  A Masterpiece.

40. Interpreter of Maladies by Jumpha Lahiri  (Fiction/Short Stories)  Pulitzer Prize Winner.   India.  America.  Indian-Americans.  Can you smell the Curry!?  Goodness, I loved it.   

41. Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand (Non-Fiction)  So, you think you don't care about horses or horse racing?  Guess what, yes you do! You just don't know it yet.  I laughed, I cried.. OK I just cried.  It's wonderful.  It's amazing. I Love Horses! I Love Horse Racing! I love Seabiscuit!

42. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (Non-Fiction)  OK, maybe I don't really love horse-racing and this woman is just a very talented writer.  This thrilling tale is about an Olympian who ends up - in the waning days of WWII - stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a busted raft fighting off sharks! ... and then it gets worse!!!

43. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (Non-Fiction/Memoir)  A great writer shares her story about growing up dirt poor with mentally ill, sometimes homeless, parents.  

44. When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago (Non-Fiction/Memoir)  Beautifully written coming-of-age memoir about a girl and her family, growing up in rural Puerto Rico and then leaving the tropics behind for the mean streets of New York City.

45. Kitchen Privileges by Mary Higgins-Clark (Non-Fiction/Memoir)  If you're not a fan of Mary Higgins-Clark, it's OK, do not be afraid.  This is unlike anything else she's written.  Imagine living through the Great Depression, several wars and... did you know she was a flight attendant in the early days of plane travel?  What an interesting life she's led. 

46. Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali  (Non-Fiction/Memoir) This woman has a fatwa on her head because of this book.... 'nuff said.     

47. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (Non-fiction/Memoir)  Even if you dislike her poems... this first installment of her auto-biography is well worth reading.  One scene had me giggling like I was in church.

48. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery  (Fiction) If you enjoyed the movie Amelie, you might like this.  Set in an old Parisienne apartment building, you'll meet a few of its more unique inhabitants.

49. Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer  (Non-Fiction)  If you've ever even remotely had a thought, or even an inkling in your head about "Climbing Everest"  sit down, shut up, and read this.  Could not put down.

50. A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr (Non-Fiction)   Warning: May cause you to hate humanity more than you already do.

51. Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy (Fiction)  Coming-of-Age in 1950's Catholic Ireland... a much better ending than the movie, which quite frankly disgusted me! (the movie ending, not the book).

I hope you like my list because I'm completely exhausted and my shoulders hurt!   Now you know why I write one blog every 6 months.  Feel free to comment and if you have any books you think I'd like, please share!  I know there are many great ones I have yet to find.  I have at least 700 at home I haven't read yet.  Eek.  Happy Reading :)

Where to Begin?

I usually begin by making lists.  There are probably fifty notebooks in a landfill on Staten Island, filled with my lists.  Places I wanted to visit, recipes I planned to make, books I hoped to read...I've been making lists since I was a kid.  Back then, I made lists of who my best friends were, boys I liked, toys I wanted for Christmas, names for my future children.  Not all of these lists came to fruition (I don't have any children) but they must have served some purpose in my life, as I've always felt a compulsion to make them.  So, it feels natural to begin with a list (or two, or three).  But first, at little about me:  I'm a 40 year old college student, putting myself through with student loans (insert blood-curdling scream here).  When I'm not worrying about bills or the impending doom that is my future, I allow myself some small pleasures.  Let's face it, the future is uncertain for all of us, so why not try to enjoy whatever little we are able to.  So, yes, I have a lot of bills and they are stressing me out (woe is me, join the club... I know. I know.)   Here are a few things I've given up to help pay my bills:

1. Cable TV.  I don't even miss it.  I can watch my few favorite shows on itunes, Netflix or even rent them from the library.  I also have an antenna (one time price of $40.00 and then its Free) so I can still watch Wendy Williams, The View and whatever other network shows I desire.  My personal favorite: The Amazing Race!

2. Traveling.  I love traveling and was in the habit of taking one big (solo) trip every year and at least one long weekend away with friends.  Now, I explore my own city and read more (oh, the places you'll go -- I just got back from Afghanistan and am currently in Botswana).

3.  The Gym.  Truthfully, when I was in the best shape of my life, 10 years ago, I worked out exclusively at home, by myself, without a trainer.  I can do it again.  Cost: nothing more than a few DVDs and weights which I already have.

4. Going out.  Lord knows I love a good meal.  My friends and I used to plan monthly outings for dinner and drinks.  These days, we keep it simple by meeting for special occasions - birthdays, Christmas.

5. Shopping.  Not a big deal, I'm kinda over the "stuff" as I have too much already.  Seriously, people are actually starving to death in this world.  It's not a big deal.  Nothing on this list is a big deal or really even worth mentioning - but I've already typed it so it will stay.

Things I refuse to give up (for now, until I'm truly desperate and possibly homeless with two cats):

1. Books.  [Confession:  I have over 900 books at home (insert face of guilty nerd)... enough to keep me in new reads for at least 5 or 6 years]   I have a problem.  However, I am buying more "vintage" books that cost a dollar or two, and helping smaller book stores in the process (looking on the bright side).   I am willing to *try* to start going to the library more often and curtail my book buying sprees *I mean it this time* but who am I kidding?

2. Wine.  Cheap wine (smiley face).  It stimulates the pleasure center of my brain.  Enough said.

3. The Occasional Get-Together.   What is better than an impromptu lunch with someone who enjoys margaritas as much as you do? Someone who is willing to commit to buying the entire pitcher and wants to share it with you?  Nothing!  Checking out that new restaurant you've been wanting to go to, having a glass of wine (or two.. or three) and catching up with friends and family.  Even better is the  spur-of-the-moment get-together at a friend's home - we all bring some wine, snacks, maybe a cheesy game, or cheesy pizza.  What more do we really need in life?

4. Solo-Excursions.  Quite often, I enjoy wandering the city alone, perhaps spending the day at a museum, going to a movie or play, taking an hour long subway ride for a good slice of pizza.  Most often, I just wander aimlessly, taking in architecture and the feel of different neighborhoods.  I know what you're thinking..."What a loser!"  Hee hee.  Laugh all you want cool people!  Being alone allows you to notice so many little wonderful things.  Not to mention, you don't have to compromise with anyone.  You get to choose where to go, how long to stay, what movie to see, where to stop for a cup of tea.   It's all up to you.  I've had many extraordinary experiences when I was alone, things I know I would have missed out on had the noise and distractions of a companion been with me,

With all of that said... things I hope to share with you on my blog:

1. All of the things on list #2.  Basically.  Books, Wine, Food, Art, Architecture (when I figure out how to upload photos) and maybe I'll even throw in a few reviews if I see a great play or find a spectacular deal on margaritas.   This blog is my oyster.  What?

First blog complete.  High-Five to myself.   Hope you enjoyed.  Have a splendid day.