My Favorite Books...really.

Hey all, you're back with the one and only me.

The title is shocking, I know.  I hardly dare to list my favorite books...IN ORDER...and publish the list for it to be unmovable in ages to come.  In fact, even as I sit here typing this, three massive bookshelves on my left are staring at me with hundreds, maybe a thousand, books that hate me for not choosing them as their favorite.  Who knows?  When I'm sleeping...when my back is turned...they'll kill me...by death...via...paper cut...
I can't fathom their plotting, those genius files.
However, I am going to go through with this plan, and, if I return wholly lacerated...well...I return wholly lacerated.  This list is a list of ten books that you MUST read, and, so long as you do read them, the pain will be bearable.  :)

That said...here we go!

10. The Swiss Family Robinson - Johann Wyss

I love this book for its structure.  I can pick it up, open practically anywhere, and be entertained by the wonders of island survival, a classic spin to sylvan survival elements we see in many modern day novels.  Adventure, romance, and a magical sense of solitude gently enfold this novel with delicate care that "hugs you" but doesn't "chain you".  Plus, who doesn't like hearing about ostrich omelets and kangaroo-shooting contests and melon gardens?!

9. Oedipus - Sophocles

Because it is a Greek drama, Oedipus is full of great one-liners and dialogue quotes.  The characters each have their own massive personalities, and the threats they face are interestingly fated, unlike the forge-your-own-path ideas of modern day books.  Amidst all of the mythical action, however, Oedipus sometimes feels like a comic book, a handful of memes, and a bunch of Chinese proverbs pasted together, creating a voice that I thoroughly enjoy.  It's not too ancient, it's not too long, and it's never too geeky to read a Greek drama as good as Oedipus.

8. The Witches - Roald Dahl

Everyone, mother, father, sister, brother, ehv-ur-ee-won needs a little Roald Dahl in their life.  The Witches was one of my favorites because of its adult-like quality.  Leaving behind the bustling factory of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the dangerous bone-crunching giants of The BFG, The Witches ascends to a sense of affection between a grandmother and a grandson that is in no way overly mawkish or dramatized.  While still walking the fine line between too cute and too scary, Roald Dahl also managed to mix in the element of love, and his execution was flawless.

7. The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis

A+ to C.S. Lewis for hitting humankind right on the head.  At first, this book can seem a little confusing because C.S. Lewis is playing Devil's advocate...literally.  But once you get going, the sheer truth in the words of C.S. Lewis' masterpiece is enough to make you weep.  Mentally analytical when looking at man and ingenious when crafting his words, C.S. Lewis has been praised over and over for his books, this one being no exception.  Google his name, and you'll find professors who are C.S. Lewis fanboys by the dozen.

6. Parallel Lives - Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus

Imagine a Roman tavern where a bunch of massively-built Roman men are sitting around, boasting about their past and current leaders when a sly, wise Greek sneaks in the back and starts mentioning Greek heroes who were grander than the Roman heroes mentioned - Theseus (Greek) for Romulus (Roman), Alcibiades (Greek) for Coriolanus (Roman), and Alexander the Great (Greek) for Julius Caesar (Roman).  For each Roman name that the Romans shout out, the clever, little Greek has a Greek name with which to best the former.  A showdown of champions is what this is, and Plutarch really brings on the biography.  Colorful in description and amazing to ponder, Parallel Lives is definitely one of the coolest histories out there.

And there are your first five!  The next five will be here tomorrow.

Write on!
Clove
P.S. Were you guys wondering where I went?  Sorry, sorry, I got sucked into the RP blog I was mentioning earlier.  It's up, running, and awesome, and you can find it here.  If you all are wondering, my character is called "Jace Dracon", and he is just about the most darkest, beautifullest, amazingest thing since dark, beautiful, amazing things were created.  XD