- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (okay, so this one is in particular order since I'm already reading it--about 150 pages in)
- The Knife Man
- The Devil in the White City
- Assassination Vacation
- The Third Policeman
- The United States of Arugula
Also on the slate for the break: revising my biographical essay on my Great Uncle Ronald that I wrote for a class last semester. Time to get that puppy published. And I need to keep in the habit of writing non-scholarly stuff. Need to keep my focus--it would be a shame to get stuffy at this point.
10 comments:
So help you if you get stuffy!! I won't stand for it!
I think everyone could stand to be a little stuffy. Especially you.
I suggest adding a graphic novel of some sort to the list. "Maus" maybe?
Stuffy=poopy.
I was reading Emerson last night and in several of his essays he talks about how the common speech is so superior to the speech of the academy. He even goes so far as to say that whenever a boss finds a shorter way to bark out orders to his underlings, he improves the "national tongue."
Also, Malcolm Gladwell says that if you write something, and a curious 14 year old can't understand it, you have failed, no matter how complicated the underlying concept is. I agree with him.
This is actually kind of a hobby-horse for me because lawyers are so bad at using plain English. Law professors are even worse. They use stupid words like "numerosity." E.g.: "the class is not of sufficient numerosity to allow the court to certify this case as a class action." Why not just say "there aren't enough plaintiffs for a class action"? Because they're stupid, that's why.
I can't remember the last time I finished a real book. I need to remedy this over Christmas!
The Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher--it sounds a little stomach acidish, but actually has nothing to do with digestion and everything to do with relishing fine cuisine. I think you might like it (creative non-fiction).
I second the motion on Uncle Ronald. Crank out that sucker. It'll be awesome when you are done!
Ooo. Good call, The Shark. I actually think that Maus is one of the books we'll be reading in my Memory, History, and Material Culture class.
JKC - Agreed. Legalese is stupid.
Erin - I think I might actually have that book.
It just makes me so happy to know that someone else is thinking, "Break from school! Time to read!!"
What about Twilight?:) Naah, you're probably too intelligent and masculine to get wrapped up in over the top romantic youth fiction. But not I, I enjoyed it.:)
Although you've already told me that you neglected to add "An Abundance of Katharines" by John Green to your list, I thought I'd post it in the blosphere so that you will be held responsible for reading it.
So get on that.
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