My year in reading, part one ...

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I'm sure you've heard this (or something similar) from other readers, so forgive me if I say it one more time: The Road is one of the most harrowing books I've ever read. It's a book in which not a lot happens--it tells the story of an unnamed father and his son walking down a road in post-apocalyptic America--but it has such an emotional impact that it's impossible not to come away from it without realizing that you've just read a classic. McCarthy has been compared to William Faulkner--and the comparison is certainly valid--but I think he echoes John Steinbeck more than anyone else. The Road's spare prose perfectly capture's the book's bleak atmosphere. It's a depressing read in the best sense of the word.

Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski. Last year, after reading House of Leaves, Danielewski became my new literary hero. His books offer the experimentation that literally mind-bending, and with Only Revolutions, he takes the novel form to breathtaking new heights. Whether it's seen as a love story, a road-trip novel, or language indulgence, make no mistake--Danielewski tells a beautiful, heartbreaking story about two teenagers in love, and through it all, he gives you something most novels don't: eye candy.

Ecce Homo by Friedrich Nietzsche. Sure, it may be easy to dismiss Nietzsche's philosophy on the grounds of his schizophrenia, but to do so is to deny yourself a thoroughly stimulating experience. Ecce Homo is one of the most bizarre autobiographies ever written--and one of the most amusing. With chapter titles like "Why I Am So Wise," "Why I Am So Clever," and "Why I Write Such Excellent Books," you might think Nietzsche was full of himself, but this is where the book derives much of its humor: Ecce Homo is brimming with tongue-in-cheek irony; Nietzsche dares you to contradict his assertions and dares you to think for yourself. Through it all, he proves himself as one of the greatest philosophers and iconoclasts of the modern age, not by offering all the answers, but by challenging some of the Western civilization's most treasured ideals.

(Honorable mention: The Antichrist by Friedrich Nietzsche. Forget about Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins; The Antichrist is the most bellicose criticism of Christianity ever written. Nietzsche writes with a violent passion that perfectly captures his ideal of "philosophizing with a hammer." Watching the philosopher tear Christian values to shreds is invigorating [or infuriating, if you happen to follow the subject of his contempt] and intellectually stimulating. Nietzsche had made the famous pronouncement that "God is dead," and with The Antichrist, he gleefully pisses on God's grave and backs up one of Ecce Homo's most startling lines: "I am not a man, I am dynamite.")

And there you have it, at least for the time being.

Comments

[Courtney]

I completely agree re: The Road. Never have I been so thrilled to complete a book - I just wanted it to END - but I knew I'd read something important...

[Dorothy W.]

I really need to read The Road! And I'd like to read House of Leaves -- I'm not sure about the new one, but if I read House of Leaves and like it, I might be tempted to try.

[Brandon]

Courtney: It was a great book, wasn't it? One of the best books I've ever read. It's a classic, that's for sure.

Dorothy: You DO need to read "The Road"! It's brutal, emotionally, and it might put you in a depression for a few days, but like I said, it's a true American classic. As for "House of Leaves," it's a mind-bender. It's bizarre and scary, whereas "Only Revolutions" is a lot different; it's a lot more controlled. "House of Leaves" borders on the pretentious. But both books are impossible to put down. You'll probably come away from them wondering what you just read, and I mean that in a good way.

[Danielle]

I generally like dystopian sort of fiction, so I think I would like The Road, but I can't seem to get myself to pick it up for some reason. Definitely next year!

[Brandon]

Danielle: I'm sure you'd like it, too. It's one of those books that can't be explained, which, I suppose, are my favorite books. People might ask, "Why was it such a good book?" and I'm like, "Well ... you have to read it for yourself. Then you'll understand." I will say one thing, though: it is definitely worth all the praise that's been heaped on it. It's also a quick read; I blasted through it in about a day. And when I say it's an American classic, I'm not exaggerating. Like I said, read it and you'll know what I'm talking about.

[Stefanie]

Ecce Homo sounds like a hoot! I have plans to read House of Leaves in 2008 and am really looking forward to it.

[Brandon]

Stefanie: I highly recommend "Ecce Homo." It's a short book, but it encapsulates all of Nietzsche's philosophy. He was very post-modern, so some of his stuff is hard to wrap your head around. He's the kind of guy who attacks both sides of the issues he discusses. I envy you reading "House of Leaves" for the first time. I promise you, you've never read anything like it.

[Andi]

I started Only Revolutions a couple of weeks ago and quickly realized it is not the type of book I would read on a plane. Nonetheless, it looks fascinating! I listened to an interview he did on NPR recently about the book and it was just intriguing.

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