Happy New Year!
Happy new year, bookmonsters!
I was looking back at the books that have really established the trend of what I like to read. It's not all strictly undead authors, but it's pretty much all modern literature. So, before this years books come out, here's my top ten:
1. Neil Gaiman - American Gods
Modern literature. Just, perfect - the ultimate example of eloquent, stunning use of language and subtle, sharp observation mixed with a personal touch and the best modern characterisation since Pat Barker's Billy Prior.
2. Jeffrey Eugenides - Middlesex
A child is born a hermaphrodite. Brought up as a girl, she struggles with her sexuality, her appearance, and finally with her body. The book traces the origins of her genetic trait, alongside her family's life and the way they react to the twisted path that leads them to her birth. This is the first book I read alongside undead_authors, and a wonderful example of why I should keep up with the set book more often.
3. Melvyn Burgess - Bloodtide
A teenage/young adult book that should be read by everyone who wants to know about literature or the origin of the story tale. It's a Norse myth reworked in a future where London is left as ganglands strewn with the pain and magic of genetic experimentation. Passionate, painful, and scarily touching.
4. Angela Carter - Burning Your Boats
The ultimate collection of Carter's short stories, including the whole of 'Bloody Chamber'.Dirty, rich, verbose, spectacular, theatrical, magical and sexy, these stories are brilliant - cutting, cold, and unflinching.
5. Jeanette Winterson - The Passion
Apparently they've re-marketed this as erotica for the literate. I'm not sure I agree with it at all, but it is the best example so far of Winterson's work - beautiful, personal, lonely and all swept with a dusting of Russian snow and Venetian enigma.
6. Douglas Coupland - Generation X
This book became something of an 'our song' among myself and certain friends - it's on everyone's bookshelf somewhere, and generally it was a gift from me. It's one of those books that you either hate, or it becomes part of who you are and how you live. I can even cope with the neon pink cover.
7. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett - Good Omens
The funniest book ever written. Ever. I have laughed until I cried on the bus from reading this book. On my own. I have laughed on the bus in fact, even when I wasn't reading this book, just from remembering it. It's subtle and painful and very critical, and it's full of little Britishisms.
8. Anne Rice - The Vampire Armand
No film will ever be made of this book. Sex, redheads, balmy Mediterranean backdrop, more sex, art, fangs, sex, etc. Be warned, it's officially deemed *dodgy*, but it's a beautifully written book, and seems to be the one where Rice gets her nerve back and actually writes an end to the nameless attraction that slips through each book. It's modern Gothic, a beautifully different example of writing that as a genre seems to have few truly original writers.
9. Colm Toibin - The Master
A semi-fictional biography of Henry James. I bought this book because a very sincere, apparently sane woman told me that she would never ever have thought that she'd buy a gay love story for her mother, but that having read this book, she bought it for everyone. Want to catch up on a bit of reading for GLBT History Month? read it. If not, read it anyway, because it's the most lovingly written book I can even imagine.
10. J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
You knew it was going to happen. I couldn't shame the good name of geek by leaving a bit of Harry out, could I now!? The books are hugely successful because they're atmospheric. You start reading and immediately you're immersed in colour and magic and life and laughter. This one gets my vote because of all the 'Harry found himself increasingly obsessed with Draco', and the fact that my copy was free. Although a disappointing lack of the twins...
Hmm. I feel I need space for Pat Barker's Regeneration, Mark Z Danielewski's House of Leaves, and quite a few others. boo.
I was looking back at the books that have really established the trend of what I like to read. It's not all strictly undead authors, but it's pretty much all modern literature. So, before this years books come out, here's my top ten:
1. Neil Gaiman - American Gods
Modern literature. Just, perfect - the ultimate example of eloquent, stunning use of language and subtle, sharp observation mixed with a personal touch and the best modern characterisation since Pat Barker's Billy Prior.
2. Jeffrey Eugenides - Middlesex
A child is born a hermaphrodite. Brought up as a girl, she struggles with her sexuality, her appearance, and finally with her body. The book traces the origins of her genetic trait, alongside her family's life and the way they react to the twisted path that leads them to her birth. This is the first book I read alongside undead_authors, and a wonderful example of why I should keep up with the set book more often.
3. Melvyn Burgess - Bloodtide
A teenage/young adult book that should be read by everyone who wants to know about literature or the origin of the story tale. It's a Norse myth reworked in a future where London is left as ganglands strewn with the pain and magic of genetic experimentation. Passionate, painful, and scarily touching.
4. Angela Carter - Burning Your Boats
The ultimate collection of Carter's short stories, including the whole of 'Bloody Chamber'.Dirty, rich, verbose, spectacular, theatrical, magical and sexy, these stories are brilliant - cutting, cold, and unflinching.
5. Jeanette Winterson - The Passion
Apparently they've re-marketed this as erotica for the literate. I'm not sure I agree with it at all, but it is the best example so far of Winterson's work - beautiful, personal, lonely and all swept with a dusting of Russian snow and Venetian enigma.
6. Douglas Coupland - Generation X
This book became something of an 'our song' among myself and certain friends - it's on everyone's bookshelf somewhere, and generally it was a gift from me. It's one of those books that you either hate, or it becomes part of who you are and how you live. I can even cope with the neon pink cover.
7. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett - Good Omens
The funniest book ever written. Ever. I have laughed until I cried on the bus from reading this book. On my own. I have laughed on the bus in fact, even when I wasn't reading this book, just from remembering it. It's subtle and painful and very critical, and it's full of little Britishisms.
8. Anne Rice - The Vampire Armand
No film will ever be made of this book. Sex, redheads, balmy Mediterranean backdrop, more sex, art, fangs, sex, etc. Be warned, it's officially deemed *dodgy*, but it's a beautifully written book, and seems to be the one where Rice gets her nerve back and actually writes an end to the nameless attraction that slips through each book. It's modern Gothic, a beautifully different example of writing that as a genre seems to have few truly original writers.
9. Colm Toibin - The Master
A semi-fictional biography of Henry James. I bought this book because a very sincere, apparently sane woman told me that she would never ever have thought that she'd buy a gay love story for her mother, but that having read this book, she bought it for everyone. Want to catch up on a bit of reading for GLBT History Month? read it. If not, read it anyway, because it's the most lovingly written book I can even imagine.
10. J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
You knew it was going to happen. I couldn't shame the good name of geek by leaving a bit of Harry out, could I now!? The books are hugely successful because they're atmospheric. You start reading and immediately you're immersed in colour and magic and life and laughter. This one gets my vote because of all the 'Harry found himself increasingly obsessed with Draco', and the fact that my copy was free. Although a disappointing lack of the twins...
Hmm. I feel I need space for Pat Barker's Regeneration, Mark Z Danielewski's House of Leaves, and quite a few others. boo.