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30 day challenge, day 2: 5 least favorite books

Disclaimer: I know nothing about this band, I just like the picture. But with a name like Bad Books, perhaps it's time to remedy that.

  1. The Earthquake Machine by Mary Pauline Lowry (totally inappropriate)
  2. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (shut up already - no one gives 50 page monologues)
  3. Jennie Gerhardt by Theodore Dreiser (ugh, talk about a downer)
  4. Ulysses by James Joyce (if it’s so esoteric it requires a guide book, the author didn’t do her/his job)
  5. Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (the story was compelling enough but I couldn’t get past the shoddy writing gimmicks)
The Headmaster’s Wager by Vincent Lam Read this if: You relish learning about history through fiction. You don’t read a whole lot, and want absolutely everything packed into your novels to make it count. You do read a whole lot, and love complicated plots. You can remain optimistic in dire circumstances. You know you didn’t start the fire.  Don’t read this if:  You are looking for that peaceful easy feeling. The open-ended leaves you dissatisfied.  You are easily offended.  You hate character development. You are looking for something light and goofy.
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The Headmaster’s Wager by Vincent Lam

Read this if:

  • You relish learning about history through fiction.
  • You don’t read a whole lot, and want absolutely everything packed into your novels to make it count.
  • You do read a whole lot, and love complicated plots.
  • You can remain optimistic in dire circumstances.
  • You know you didn’t start the fire. 
Don’t read this if: 
  • You are looking for that peaceful easy feeling.
  • The open-ended leaves you dissatisfied. 
  • You are easily offended. 
  • You hate character development.
  • You are looking for something light and goofy.

30 day challenge, day 1: 10 favorite books

Hmm. Ten favorite books of all time is just so… loaded. Pressurized. Many books I consider favorites I haven’t read in years, and am not sure what I’d think of them now. Some not since high school. Some I read this year and they are fresh on my mind.

So, I think I’ll stick with a general… here are 10 of my favorite books, in no particular order.

  1. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
  2. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
  3. Possession - A. S. Byatt
  4. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
  5. A Partial History of Lost Causes - Jennifer duBois
  6. American Gods - Neil Gaiman
  7. A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
  8. A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
  9. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - Haruki Murakami
  10. The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley

30 Day Book and Literature Challenge

(via Instagram) Read this if: You like the whole interlocking story thing You like a diverse cast of weirdo characters You believe or allow that most artist-types are sex-obsessed You think women are mainly concerned about having babies You like to draw your own conclusions You are pro-gentrification You are anti-gentrification You love a good description of running Don’t read this if You are prudish You like happy endings (not that kind, sheesh) You hate the short story format You can’t stand moral relativity You find interracial relationships unacceptable Timeline issues/inconsistencies: a few - 3.5 on a scale of 0-10, 10 being unforgivable.
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(via Instagram)

Read this if:

  • You like the whole interlocking story thing
  • You like a diverse cast of weirdo characters
  • You believe or allow that most artist-types are sex-obsessed
  • You think women are mainly concerned about having babies
  • You like to draw your own conclusions
  • You are pro-gentrification
  • You are anti-gentrification
  • You love a good description of running

Don’t read this if

  • You are prudish
  • You like happy endings (not that kind, sheesh)
  • You hate the short story format
  • You can’t stand moral relativity
  • You find interracial relationships unacceptable

Timeline issues/inconsistencies:

  • a few - 3.5 on a scale of 0-10, 10 being unforgivable.
(via Instagram) Read this if: You want to eat the darkness You ate the darkness years ago You hate predictable tripe Your favorite song is “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads You can’t stand Cool Girls Don’t read this if: Your favorite song is “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M. You read endings first You have to like main characters and must trust your narrators You just got married and are still all gooey-eyed optimistic about your soul mate and your new perfect life together (“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”) Your favorite flower is a daisy Timeline issues: none Inconsistencies: The New York bed in which Nick awakes in their MO McMansion at the beginning of the novel never moved with them to MO from NY. A character acts very out of character after a certain thing happens.
Zoom

(via Instagram)

Read this if:

  • You want to eat the darkness
  • You ate the darkness years ago
  • You hate predictable tripe
  • Your favorite song is “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads
  • You can’t stand Cool Girls

Don’t read this if:

  • Your favorite song is “Shiny Happy People” by R.E.M.
  • You read endings first
  • You have to like main characters and must trust your narrators
  • You just got married and are still all gooey-eyed optimistic about your soul mate and your new perfect life together (“Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”)
  • Your favorite flower is a daisy

Timeline issues:

  • none

Inconsistencies:

  • The New York bed in which Nick awakes in their MO McMansion at the beginning of the novel never moved with them to MO from NY.
  • A character acts very out of character after a certain thing happens.
imalwaysallright: My dream cast for the film adaptations of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels. Ewan McGregor as Rob RyanCarey Mulligan as Cassie MaddoxSimon Woods as Sam O’NeillClive Owen as Frank Mackey  I’ve only just finished Faithful Place, but I’m down with a Clive Owened Frank Mackey, though I could do with a Richard Armitaged Mackey as well. I do need to read the rest of Ms. French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels - or listen. Faithful Place, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, was a fantastic listen.
Zoom
imalwaysallright: My dream cast for the film adaptations of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels. Ewan McGregor as Rob RyanCarey Mulligan as Cassie MaddoxSimon Woods as Sam O’NeillClive Owen as Frank Mackey  I’ve only just finished Faithful Place, but I’m down with a Clive Owened Frank Mackey, though I could do with a Richard Armitaged Mackey as well. I do need to read the rest of Ms. French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels - or listen. Faithful Place, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, was a fantastic listen.
Zoom
imalwaysallright: My dream cast for the film adaptations of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels. Ewan McGregor as Rob RyanCarey Mulligan as Cassie MaddoxSimon Woods as Sam O’NeillClive Owen as Frank Mackey  I’ve only just finished Faithful Place, but I’m down with a Clive Owened Frank Mackey, though I could do with a Richard Armitaged Mackey as well. I do need to read the rest of Ms. French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels - or listen. Faithful Place, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, was a fantastic listen.
Zoom
imalwaysallright: My dream cast for the film adaptations of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels. Ewan McGregor as Rob RyanCarey Mulligan as Cassie MaddoxSimon Woods as Sam O’NeillClive Owen as Frank Mackey  I’ve only just finished Faithful Place, but I’m down with a Clive Owened Frank Mackey, though I could do with a Richard Armitaged Mackey as well. I do need to read the rest of Ms. French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels - or listen. Faithful Place, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, was a fantastic listen.
Zoom

imalwaysallright:

My dream cast for the film adaptations of Tana French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels.

Ewan McGregor as Rob Ryan
Carey Mulligan as Cassie Maddox
Simon Woods as Sam O’Neill
Clive Owen as Frank Mackey 

I’ve only just finished Faithful Place, but I’m down with a Clive Owened Frank Mackey, though I could do with a Richard Armitaged Mackey as well.

I do need to read the rest of Ms. French’s Dublin Murder Squad novels - or listen. Faithful Place, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds, was a fantastic listen.

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