Sunday, September 27, 2009

Let's Start with Books!

Ok, so since I already started my book list before I started this blog I need to backtrack and talk about some of the books that I have already read on the 100 Great Books List that I created. This list began as an inspiration from a college I had learned about years ago that based all of their classes around the Great Books. Instead of text books each year there would be a list of great books that would be covered in all of their classes. So I took some of the books from their list and then added books that for one reason or another I never read during my years at school, or books I had heard were "must-read!".

So the first book I read was "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. I was amazed I had never read it before and I fully blame the schools I went to! Not that they were bad schools necessarily, but why would everyone else I know have had the opportunity to read this book and I was sadly left out. It was definitely a quick read and I loved it! It is mainly because of my love of New York and my love of the main character - Holden. I felt like I could relate to him on many levels especially how he passes snarky judgement on people and feels everyone around him is phony.

So as much as I loved "Catcher in the Rye" is as much as I hated "Candide" by Voltaire. I had wanted to read this book for a long time, mainly because there had been a musical based on it. However, I was disappointed. I knew it was a satire, but I feel they were banging me over the head with the point that optimism will not get you anywhere in life. All of these horrible things happen to the main character and he just goes along thinking everything is happening for the best. Maybe it's just me, but the book bummed me out and didn't seem enlightening or anything of that nature. I am happy I read the book though so I will never have to wonder about whether I would like it or not, so it was good to cross it off the list!

1 comment:

  1. Catcher in the Rye is one of my favorite books of all time and I read it for the first time at school so you just missed the boat :)

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