The most memorable literature that left a mark on me
A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. I'm actually going to have to go back and reread this... for the third time. At ten years old, this was the first real novel I ever read and so I was super stoked. At the time I thought it was incredibly cool. Then years later, sometime in high school I reread it and thought it sucked big time. But I don't think I'm going to be able to resist trying it out once more to make a final verdict. I suppose it is an interesting gage of my literary tastes. I changed a lot between year 10 and something-teen, and I'm pretty sure I've changed a lot since my teen years. So who knows. Who knows, third times a charm, right?
Wizard War by Who Cares This Guy Sucked So Bad It Hurt. So this was a book that as a young lad I saw often in the book store and thought looked cool. Eventually I got it. Read it. And discovered, man, some people can get some really crazy, stupid and random crap published. But this book taught me something. Brett Wilson is no quitter. No, sir. That book was as good as the pope is protestant. But I read that thing. Cover to cover. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I refused to not finish it.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I loved this book. If I hadn't been required to read this for a college class, I feel sure I would never has creased its binding. But, lo, in this story I did find horror, in the place I did not expect it, and beauty in the place I likewise did not expect. Mary's story successfully ambushed me. Perhaps if no other book taught me this, occasionally the folks who make claims on what the cannon of literature is, get it right. Shocking I know.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. The lesson I learned from this series books was not an easy one. It hurt. I loved these books. Way too much. If you haven't heard of them, you're obviously not a science fiction and fantasy reader. And if you call yourself a fan of these genres and haven't heard of Jordan's monumental series that currently spans eleven books, none of which are less than six-hundred some odd pages, you must live under a rock. I will say about these books – according to my esteemed brother Josh (whose taste in books I have always valued immeasurably) – that the last batch he has written have been hit or miss. Some great. Some fluff. You might ask why I haven't read all of these books when I've put them on my list. Here is where I go back to the painful part. I had to give them up. Sacrifice them on the altar of intimacy with God. It might sound a bit dramatic, I know, but in truth I had to stop reading them because I literally couldn't think about anything else while I was reading them. So God made it apparent over some time that I had to stop reading them. I'm not sure He won't give me leave to finish the series once Jordan finally wraps things up, but for the time being, I warn you, if you want to read this series, buckle up. Its long, complex, fun and oh so addictive and captivating.
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Read this guy. I say again, go find one of this man's books and read it. It doesn't have to be this one. He hasn't disappointed me yet. I would recommend a book of short stories for a reason, however. Bradbury has great range. One story will chill your heart and seem to you directly out of the Twilight Zone. The following story will warm your heart and make you want to cry. The next will make your heart swell and want you to cheer because it is just cool. And then he'll make you scratch your head and furrow your brow as you contemplate some cryptic tale. Bradbury is a great writer that is deserving of at least one look. Enjoy. I certainly do.
Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. The story of the 3rd Ranger Battalion and Delta Force operator's fight in Mogadishu was my first experience with what I will ignorantly call a journalistic narrative account of a military action. First off, the events that transpired and what the men involved accomplished is absolutely worthy of your time. Furthermore, I would say to anyone who knows little to nothing about the military, or rather, the type of people in the military, that this book gives a good picture into what the men of the U.S. Military are made of. It could be said that the men that were a part of those events were of a higher caliber than the average soldier in the Army. I would agree in part. Certainly the men of Delta Force are of outstanding stature in the world of soldiers. For that matter, the men of the Ranger Battalions are, too. However, I have known a good number of men that came from one or another of the Ranger Battalions. My impression is that they are highly motivated, and good at what they do, but in truth, not that different from so many of the men in the Army. At any rate, it is well worth the time to read.
The poetry of Lord Byron. I would not say that Byron is my favorite poet. However, he was the first poet that I discovered that I liked, and enjoyed enough to go back and reread. So for that, I am a fan Lord Byron's work.
The Silmarrillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. All these books in my mind are parts of one epic, grand, thrilling, heart-breaking and flat out kickace tale. The Hobbit was probably one of the first novels that followed A Wizard of Earthsea in my young reading list. Sadly I never got around to reading the other two until my college years. No other books have been so close to my heart (with the exception of Lewis's books of Narnia, which I'll be getting to) and caused me so much pleasure and total satisfaction in reading. Tolkien was nothing short of brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Sadly, many fans have missed out on an important part of Tolkien's wondrous world. If you haven't gotten around to reading The Silmarrillion, or just haven't been able to finish it for some reason, I adjure you, don't miss out! There is a lot of crap out in the world that has somehow been published. The afore mentioned book is not one of them. It rocks in epic proportions.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. What needs be said about these books? I've put them last on the list because I always like to save the best for last. Which, ironically, I tried to do in a peculiar way the series. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I saw the old BBC productions of these as a kiddo. Therefore as a small chap I found little motivation in reading them sense I'd already viewed them. So I only a got about as far as reading all of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and then half way into Prince Caspian. Finally, sometime around my senior year I picked them back up and reread those first two and continued on to The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader', The Silver Chair, and then The Horse and His Boy. At that point I was undone. There was too much wonder and awesomeness in those books to so quickly consume and then be done. So I decided to prolong the magic by waiting to read The Magician's Nephew and The Last Battle. Well, I'd have to say I don't mind having waited. The excitement of finishing during my senior year of college was somewhat magical, I might say. I'll draw this story to a close by saying that I love these books above all other fiction. Truly God wrote through Jack. So many times I will think upon the best parts of these books (when Aslan shows Himself) and feel like I have caught a glimpse of our Savior, and that He has become that much bigger to me (that is a reference to one such scene). What more could I hope for from fiction than my dear Mr. Lewis has given us in these wonderful stories? Please, if you are thinking of simply watching the movies and have not read the books, do not do such a heinously heinous deed! Although the first film was great, need I even say that the book is so much better? Well, I will. It is superior. Have no doubt. Go forth, read and be in awe, for Aslan is on the move!
Wizard War by Who Cares This Guy Sucked So Bad It Hurt. So this was a book that as a young lad I saw often in the book store and thought looked cool. Eventually I got it. Read it. And discovered, man, some people can get some really crazy, stupid and random crap published. But this book taught me something. Brett Wilson is no quitter. No, sir. That book was as good as the pope is protestant. But I read that thing. Cover to cover. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I refused to not finish it.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I loved this book. If I hadn't been required to read this for a college class, I feel sure I would never has creased its binding. But, lo, in this story I did find horror, in the place I did not expect it, and beauty in the place I likewise did not expect. Mary's story successfully ambushed me. Perhaps if no other book taught me this, occasionally the folks who make claims on what the cannon of literature is, get it right. Shocking I know.
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. The lesson I learned from this series books was not an easy one. It hurt. I loved these books. Way too much. If you haven't heard of them, you're obviously not a science fiction and fantasy reader. And if you call yourself a fan of these genres and haven't heard of Jordan's monumental series that currently spans eleven books, none of which are less than six-hundred some odd pages, you must live under a rock. I will say about these books – according to my esteemed brother Josh (whose taste in books I have always valued immeasurably) – that the last batch he has written have been hit or miss. Some great. Some fluff. You might ask why I haven't read all of these books when I've put them on my list. Here is where I go back to the painful part. I had to give them up. Sacrifice them on the altar of intimacy with God. It might sound a bit dramatic, I know, but in truth I had to stop reading them because I literally couldn't think about anything else while I was reading them. So God made it apparent over some time that I had to stop reading them. I'm not sure He won't give me leave to finish the series once Jordan finally wraps things up, but for the time being, I warn you, if you want to read this series, buckle up. Its long, complex, fun and oh so addictive and captivating.
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. Read this guy. I say again, go find one of this man's books and read it. It doesn't have to be this one. He hasn't disappointed me yet. I would recommend a book of short stories for a reason, however. Bradbury has great range. One story will chill your heart and seem to you directly out of the Twilight Zone. The following story will warm your heart and make you want to cry. The next will make your heart swell and want you to cheer because it is just cool. And then he'll make you scratch your head and furrow your brow as you contemplate some cryptic tale. Bradbury is a great writer that is deserving of at least one look. Enjoy. I certainly do.
Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden. The story of the 3rd Ranger Battalion and Delta Force operator's fight in Mogadishu was my first experience with what I will ignorantly call a journalistic narrative account of a military action. First off, the events that transpired and what the men involved accomplished is absolutely worthy of your time. Furthermore, I would say to anyone who knows little to nothing about the military, or rather, the type of people in the military, that this book gives a good picture into what the men of the U.S. Military are made of. It could be said that the men that were a part of those events were of a higher caliber than the average soldier in the Army. I would agree in part. Certainly the men of Delta Force are of outstanding stature in the world of soldiers. For that matter, the men of the Ranger Battalions are, too. However, I have known a good number of men that came from one or another of the Ranger Battalions. My impression is that they are highly motivated, and good at what they do, but in truth, not that different from so many of the men in the Army. At any rate, it is well worth the time to read.
The poetry of Lord Byron. I would not say that Byron is my favorite poet. However, he was the first poet that I discovered that I liked, and enjoyed enough to go back and reread. So for that, I am a fan Lord Byron's work.
The Silmarrillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. All these books in my mind are parts of one epic, grand, thrilling, heart-breaking and flat out kickace tale. The Hobbit was probably one of the first novels that followed A Wizard of Earthsea in my young reading list. Sadly I never got around to reading the other two until my college years. No other books have been so close to my heart (with the exception of Lewis's books of Narnia, which I'll be getting to) and caused me so much pleasure and total satisfaction in reading. Tolkien was nothing short of brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. Sadly, many fans have missed out on an important part of Tolkien's wondrous world. If you haven't gotten around to reading The Silmarrillion, or just haven't been able to finish it for some reason, I adjure you, don't miss out! There is a lot of crap out in the world that has somehow been published. The afore mentioned book is not one of them. It rocks in epic proportions.
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. What needs be said about these books? I've put them last on the list because I always like to save the best for last. Which, ironically, I tried to do in a peculiar way the series. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I saw the old BBC productions of these as a kiddo. Therefore as a small chap I found little motivation in reading them sense I'd already viewed them. So I only a got about as far as reading all of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and then half way into Prince Caspian. Finally, sometime around my senior year I picked them back up and reread those first two and continued on to The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader', The Silver Chair, and then The Horse and His Boy. At that point I was undone. There was too much wonder and awesomeness in those books to so quickly consume and then be done. So I decided to prolong the magic by waiting to read The Magician's Nephew and The Last Battle. Well, I'd have to say I don't mind having waited. The excitement of finishing during my senior year of college was somewhat magical, I might say. I'll draw this story to a close by saying that I love these books above all other fiction. Truly God wrote through Jack. So many times I will think upon the best parts of these books (when Aslan shows Himself) and feel like I have caught a glimpse of our Savior, and that He has become that much bigger to me (that is a reference to one such scene). What more could I hope for from fiction than my dear Mr. Lewis has given us in these wonderful stories? Please, if you are thinking of simply watching the movies and have not read the books, do not do such a heinously heinous deed! Although the first film was great, need I even say that the book is so much better? Well, I will. It is superior. Have no doubt. Go forth, read and be in awe, for Aslan is on the move!
posted by Brett at 5:51 PM
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