Well, here it is: my almost-complete original booklist. If you really
don't want to read all that, you can go back to the
book menu. If you're still interested, read on... (and by the
way, I do know that I spelled "complete" wrong...)
Sparky's Compleat Booklist
(*stars* indicate my absolute, read-a-million-times favorites)
All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
WWI from the enemy’s p.o.v.
The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver
young woman learning to live independently
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
another crazy-woman story; protagonist gets progressively crazier
Breakfast Of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
the only way to describe this is weird. Definitely read at least 1 Vonnegut and if you like it, read more
The Canterbury Tales - Chaucer
another classic; I didn’t read all the tales but many are riotously funny. Hint: don’t read the knight’s tale (at least, not first!!)
*Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
a war book chock full o’ black humor
The Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
it’s been a while since I read this, but it’s a classic. Read it.
*Clan of the Cave Bear - Jean M. Auel
set in stone age; 2 divisions of "people" who don’t get along. Story tells of a girl of one division found & adopted by the other
Cry, The Beloved Country - Alan Paton
story of a father’s search for his son; set in South Africa
*Daisy Fay And The Miracle Man - Fannie Flagg
this is the story of a young girl’s life - amazingly funny. Read it. (by the author of Fried Green Tomatoes)
Dune - Frank Herbert
sci-fi/fantasy type novel; royal family ousted from one planet & sent to Dune, join tribal rebels & rally a revolution
84, Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff
letters written by HH to an old-book shop in London; a quickie but definitely worth it. funny! (sequel: The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street)
*Ender’s Game - Orson Scott Card
boy genius saves the world; if you like this, try others by Card
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues - Tom Robbins
hitchhiking girl w/big thumbs meets cowgirls
Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Café - Fannie Flagg
small town life; Flagg’s books are funny and engaging
Geek Love - Catherine Dunn
life from the p.o.v. of sideshow freaks & their capers
Girl, Interrupted - Suzannah Kaysen
this one’s an autobiographical account of Kaysen’s experience in Bellevue; if you want to read about what a mental ward can do to you, read this
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
poor family on the move during the Great Depression; depressing, but a good read - if you like Steinbeck. i do.
*The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy - Douglass Adams
just plain nutty; read this book.
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
a "nonfiction novel"; the story of a real family & its murderers. You get to see that murderers are people with stories too. (Thank you Ms. Bushell!)
Interview With the Vampire - Ann Rice
can’t describe this; one was all I could take, but if you like it, try others.
Ishmael - Daniel Quinn
pretty philosophical - a gorilla teaches a man a new way of thinking about life.
Kaffir Boy - Mark Mathabane
autobiographical account of Mathabane’s childhood as a black boy in South Africa.
Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
a set of books about hobbits & dwarves & co.; confusing but worthwhile.
*My Family And Other Animals - Gerald Durell
autobiographical Account of Durell’s childhood on a Greek island where he spent much time with animals. Hilarious!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Ken Kesey
life from the p.o.v. of patients in a mental ward.
A Prayer For Owen Meany - John Irving
two boys growing up in a mining town; very funny and sometimes sad. surprising ending; not what I expected at all.
*The Prince of Tides - Pat Conroy
dysfunctional family as told to a psychologist.
The Princess Bride - William Goldman
a swords-and-magic story; very funny.
*The Power of One - ?
English boy growing up in south Africa.
Slaughterhouse-Five - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
this one’s a war book full of black humor whose protagonist comes unstuck in time. (again, thank you Ms. Bushell!)
*Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson
set in future & chock full o’ neat gadgets; definitely read this. Any book whose main character is named Hiro Protagonist has to be interesting...
**Stranger In A Strange Land - Robert Heinlein
I can’t even describe this one - just read it.
*A Streetcar Named Desire - Tennessee Williams
play about a woman’s life gone wrong; a short read but very good.
The Tempest - William Shakespeare
girl trapped on an island meets boy from mainland.
**Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neale Hurston
my other favorite-est book ever; black woman on a quest for happiness.
*To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
a classic; kids growing up in a southern town & one wacky summer.
Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh
a bunch of heroin addicts in Scotland; very weird but really cool.
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - Betty Smith
a family in Brooklyn; this is a great story - I say this even though I had to do it as summer reading!! High praise.
Watership Down - Richard Adams
from p.o.v. of rabbits; you learn their language and how their societies work. Surprisingly like humans...
*Weetzie Bat - Francesca Lia Block
a short book about a cool girl in LA, her gay best friend, and their crazy life. bonus: there are four more!
