Topic: Book Reviews
Six Novels That You Should Read Giving short descriptions of each book, the author explains why you should - at least one day - read these novels.by Master C
(liberal)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Here is a list of six novels that you may not have read -- but should! They are my favorites, of the many that I have read, and I offer the following insights into the reasons that you should read them.
1. To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. This book, published in 1960, opens a door to the racial bigotries and stereotypes of a southern town in 1930's America as well as to the joys, wonders, and curiosity of youth as two children, the main characters of the book, discover both the contradictions and disillusionment of adulthood. Intricately woven throughout the lives of the people in the town is the trial of a black man accused of raping a white woman, whom many believe is lying, upon which racial allegiances are buttressed while the consequences of injustice are as weakly imposed as the sin of killing a mockingbird. Its depth of characters, incredibly realistic dialogue, and bounty of intriguing experiences make this a treasure.
2. Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. This book of over 1100 pages, published in 1957, has more philosophical discussion surrounded by practical examples which put those ideas into use than probably any book ever written. In page after page of discourse, Ms. Rand expounds her ideas of Objectivism about issues of wealth, ownership, virtue, success, love, social activism, the mind, government, marriage, and capitalism through the interaction of characters and plot twists that continuously entangle the reader in choices between those who have ability and those who threaten to take the profits of that ability away from them. Only a man of unmatched character can resurrect and implement the values that save the world from its demise as everyone asks, cryptically: Who is John Galt?
3. A Man In Full, by Tom Wolfe. This book, published in 1998, mixes such rich, often fiendishly-clever characters in an incomparable bouillabaisse of circumstances that the reader can be mesmerized by Mr. Wolfe's depth of detail while being enchanted by the eloquence of his erudition. Centered in Atlanta, Ga. in the 1990's, Mr. Wolfe's story involves the preposterous as well as the pathetic, the elite as well as the exasperating, and the useless as well as the well-used as he fashions a jail break out of an earthquake, a race riot out of a parade, a foxhunt into a picture of exhausting extravagance and self-adulation, the indulgently graphic impregnation of a horse by a stallion of magnificent endowment, as well as the monetary entrapment of a corporate titan that brings about fitting justice to an overly-pompous man in full. A masterful writing style illuminating bigger than life characters in constantly imploding circumstances make this book as pedantically playful as it is deliciously descriptive. A literary opus!
4. Cold Mountain, by Charles Frazier. This book, published in 1997, is incredibly detailed about the customs, conditions, and way of life of people in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina during the Civil War era as a badly-wounded soldier named Inman leaves his fellow soldiers and the weariness of the war he has come to resent to return to his home on Cold Mountain where he had been forced to leave Ada, the woman he loved. Paralleling Inman's journey through the mountains, in separate chapters, is Ada's journey to survive her life on a farm she inherited but knew nothing about running. The courage, resilience, resourcefulness, and undeterred perseverance of both characters eventually brings them together again. As inspiring as it is tragic, as often humorous as it is maddening, this book uses a love story to draw its main characters together while also exposing the cruelty that humans inflict upon one another -- in both war and in the name of peace.
5. The Magus, by John Fowles. This book, published in 1965 then fearlessly rewritten and released in a provocatively expanded version in 1977, will baffle, confuse, conflict, and challenge the reader to discover its intent. In a book as cleverly-crafted and intricately plotted as the honeycombs of a beehive, Mr. Fowles purposefully wraps the reader in the stunning beauty of a Greek island then slyly leaves them to find their way through the labyrinthine pathways where the magic of a sorcerer appears to be merely the innocence of juxtaposition as reality is transformed by mythos. Trying to understand what is real and what is imagined allows Fowles the delight of tormenting the reader like the spider who approaches the bug caught on his web; is escape possible, or is it -- hopefully -- merely a dream?
6. Alaska, by James Michener. Published in 1988, Mr. Michener describes the Alaskan territory in an evolutionary panorama that humbles the reader with the uniqueness of its insight while explaining the transformative stories of its myriad characters. Anthropomorphically treating the reader to first person experiences as mountains being shaped by glaciers, wooly mammoths stalked by sabre tooth tigers, and salmon spawning in rivers, the story of Alaska unfolds with the Russians first crossing the Bering Strait before eventually selling the land back to President James Buchanan, the Eskimos hunting whales and seals, the reckless, undeterred rush for gold in the early 1900's, the completion of the railroad, the Alcan Highway, and finally making it our forty-ninth state in 1958. A book as towering and compelling as Mt. McKinley itself, the tallest mountain in North America which resides in Alaska.
These are six novels that should be read for their richness, their insight, the depth of their characters, the intricacies of their stories, and the magnificence of their language. Taking the time to read them is like investing properly in the future -- the more you invest, the greater will be your reward.
Did you like this article? If you did, Thumb It! 1 thumb so far
The views expressed in this
article are those of Master C only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Master C is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Dear trd and any others who think they have to add names to this list,
This wasn't meant to be a list of ALL the novels that people should read, only those that I took the time to describe so that others would be able to determine if they would be interested in reading them as well.
If anyone wants to recommend another book, write up the REASONS that someone should read it, too. That will force you listmakers to do a little more work before just typing up a title.
I didn't think you'd be able to write up any REASONS for reading the books you suggested because I don't believe you even READ them. If you have read them, tell me why I should read them.
I have enjoyed reading Phillip Roth since Portnoy's Complaint. I have probably read 10 or 12 of his books ~ including two that you put on your so-called list.
Just so that we can see if you have really read some of these books, tell me what you can about the two Phillip Roth books you listed, "The Human Stain", and "The Plot Against America".
I think you just went to a book list somewhere on the internet and copied them onto your comment so that I would think that you had actually read something of value.
One that I'd recommend that perhaps isn't mentioned much in Libertarian circles is Frank Herbert's "Dune". There are six books in the series, but the first one is the one that I'd make required.
It's got politics, intrigue, freedom fighters (or insurgents, depending on your point of view), oh, and giant sand worms.
"Dune" is a good recommendation. I've read all 6 Dune books as well. My favorite is the third one "Children of Dune", although the last one, "Chapterhouse Dune" was great, too.
The only one I wasn't fond of was the second one "Dune Messiah".
I should have realized that you have no regard for truth, honesty, or reading. You're one of those guys who likes to play around the big boys, but never quite became one.
I did read 'The Feast of the Goat' by Mario Vargas Llosa in its original language: "La Fiesta del Chivo" Vey interesting fiction book however based on dictator Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Also "Memorias de mis putas tristes" by Gabriel García Márquez about a very old guy who hired a 14 or 16-year old virgin prostitute for his 100 year old birthday. He also wrote "Cien Años de Soledad"
No I don't 'play around big boys'. That sounds kind of gay or pedophile. And there is nothing worng with some humor. It has nothing to do with truth, honesty or reading. its just humor or a joke. If you can't take a joke I think you are the one who needs to grow up.
Want to comment on this
article? Leave your comment here. Your email address is
required to track your comment. However, we will neither
publish your email address nor distribute it to other
organizations or persons. The only reason we might use
it would be if we needed to contact you regarding your
comment. All comments are subject to our
terms of use policy.
