Why? I don’t
know. It’s just that over the course of
my life I’ve probably read in the neighborhood of 2,000 or so novels and I was
thinking about my favorite books a few weeks ago and starting to wonder what my
“Top 10” would be. This led to a listing
which, at first, fit neatly into 10 titles but which also subsequently grew –
and continued to grow – far beyond that
nice, neat “10” despite my best and most frantic whittling.
At some point, much like an airplane, the ever-increasing
altitude of the list reached it’s vertical stall limit and began to fall softly
back to earth, but only after continued cutting and the implementation of some
parameters regarding what books are allowed on the list which led to a second –
albeit smaller – list that the first list is governed by which I have thoughtfully
included below:
- No non-fiction.
That cuts out a lot right there, including some great biographies,
self-help titles, and historical
events, as well as the all-time biggest selling book ever, the Bible. So be it.
- I’m allowed to list other books that should be on the list
but can’t be because there can only be ten.
I realize
that this could be seen as “bending” the rules, but these books are not
actually “on” the list per se;
they’re listed as alternatives or additions to “listed” main titles.
Bear in mind that I’m not saying that any of the books on my
list are “great fiction”, or “important”, or any other literary claptrap
distinctions like that. They are simply
my favorites. The predominant characteristics
about each of the books on my list are that they made me feel different, they
prompted me to think, they made me want to experience them again, and they have
never wandered too far from my mind.
Just as every family has a couple of stray cousins that
don’t fit the mold, an estranged black sheep or two, and a crazy uncle who
lives in the basement, my list is simply my literary family. The fact that I may have more than one crazy
uncle just makes them all the more endearing to me.
See you Monday!
