It’s Thursday morning here in the Great Smoky Mountains. The sun is doing its best to warm the earth through the cloud cover, and the birds are doing their little birdie things (my truck is parked as far away from any trees, telephone poles, signs, etc. as possible). The formerly blue sky is obscured by gray, bloated clouds, harbingers of the soggy day to come. No motorcycle ride for me tonight. It’s not the rain I mind so much as the idea of getting hit by lightning while riding at 70mph. Somehow, I just don’t think it’d be pretty.
OK, I heard about this “meme” (whatever that means – see the post where I admit to not being a techie) from Thomma Lyn. It’s called Thursday Thirteen. The idea is to post a list of thirteen things relevant to you and your life (or your cyber life). So, while I am not officially part of this “meme” (I haven’t signed up yet), I would still like to post my own T13 list. This one, for me, is kind of a confessional.
As an aspiring writer, there are just some books that I should have read by this point in my life, and through poor taste, laziness, or some other such thing I have not done so. In addition, there are new books out there which I should have picked up and read, and again, I have not. So here is my shame-filled list.
Thirteen Books I Have Not Read, But Probably Should
1) Where the Red Fern Grows
2) To Kill A Mockingbird
3) 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
4) Bram Stoker’s Dracula
5) Lord of the Flies (Note: I started to read this and didn’t get far)
6) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
7) The Secret
8) In Cold Blood
9) On Writing
10) Dune
11) The Land That Time Forgot (Note: This is one I will be reading very soon)
12) The Once and Future King
13) Slaughterhouse Five
There ya have it. I’m a literary slacker. I feel so dirty. Although I have read Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, and Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, so I do have one or two classics rolling around inside my head. I’m not a total loss. :)
Also, good news in my email this morning (no, not an offer), but one of the books I ordered the other day has shipped. Ancestor, by Scott Sigler. This after Scott commented on a post here in I Have A Blog? and wished me luck in getting it soon. After Scott’s visit, I was thinking I might not see Ancestor for a month or more, but here it is, only a few days later, and the book is on its way.
Yay Amazon!
Maybe Scott will pop back in. If he does, I hope he reads this so he’ll know they are shipping his book fairly quick now.
Now I am just waiting on Lottery and Look Me In The Eye to ship. Those two will be a while, though.
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8 comments:
1) Where the Red Fern Grows: haven't read it.
2) To Kill A Mockingbird
I'm sure it was amazing in it's time, but we've come a long way since then and it didn't have much of an impact on me. Good book.
3) 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
Shit yea, man, it's brilliant.
4) Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Haven't read it.
5) Lord of the Flies (Note: I started to read this and didn’t get far)
Amazing. Absolutely one of the best books ever.
6) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
It's very good. It helps you focus on what you really want to accomplish.
7) The Secret
Bro, give me a break! This is the mental equivalent of "eat all you want and don't work out" diet. Visualization and positive thinking can't replace hard work, persistence and planning.
8) In Cold Blood
Never read it.
9) On Writing
The Stephen King version? A must-read for any aspiring writer.
10) Dune
The big jim-dandy of them all. Sprawling in scope and grandeur. Also important to note that this massive space opera was written in 1965, and I think it was the first of its kind (but I'm not a really geeked-out scifi guy, I could be missing something). I think that all sprawling space operas are due to Dune. Also, as an aspiring writer, you have to note that Dune was rejected at least 20 times by publishers before it was picked up. The model of perseverance - I wonder what "The Secret" author would say about that?
11) The Land That Time Forgot (Note: This is one I will be reading very soon)
haven't read it
12) The Once and Future King
haven't read it
13) Slaughterhouse Five
haven't read it
If you do nothing else, David, read Stephen King's On Writing. You'll like.
Don't feel too bad. Out of your list I've only read five of them.
Where the Red Fern Grows
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Lord of the Flies
Dune
But there's about 3 dozen others considered classics that I have no desire to read whatsoever.
To each his own. :0)
Ha, you live close to the Smoky Mountains and like to ride a motorcycle, eh? I resemble that remark! ;-D
Here's the Thursday Thirteen page -- tells you a lot more about T13. In a nutshell, it's a lot of fun. :)
Let's see, I'll join you in the confessional re: your list:
1) Where the Red Fern Grows -- I've read this one
2) To Kill A Mockingbird -- I've read this one
3) 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea -- haven't read this one, but I want to
4) Bram Stoker’s Dracula -- I've read this one
5) Lord of the Flies (Note: I started to read this and didn’t get far) -- I've read this one
6) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People -- haven't read this one and I wouldn't mind reading it
7) The Secret -- haven't read it and I think I'd rather pop my eyeballs out with a spork ;-D
8) In Cold Blood -- hanging head in shame -- haven't read this one, want to and ought to
9) On Writing -- I've read this one
10) Dune -- I've read part of this one; alas it put me to sleep but I might try to tackle it again one of these days
11) The Land That Time Forgot (Note: This is one I will be reading very soon) -- haven't read it but want to
12) The Once and Future King -- haven't read it but want to
13) Slaughterhouse Five -- hanging head in shame -- it's sitting on my bookshelf but I haven't gotten to it yet.
You are offcially a loser, David. Who can seriously call themselves a man if they have not read (and shed a tear over) Where the Red Fern Grows?!?!?!?
Okay fine, it's probably not indicative of your masculinity, but rather of a very neglectful sixth grade teacher. Where did you go to school?!?!?
BTW, I'm not going to admit how many books on that list I haven't read . . . although I am also waiting for Lottery and Look Me in the Eye.:)
P.S. Skip The Secret, it's a fad that everyone will have forgotten in another year. Classics live forever!:)
BTW, I hope I put enough smileys in that last post. You know I love ya!!!:):):):):):):):):):):):):
WooHoo! Thanks for stopping by yet again, Scott! I can't wait 'till Ancestor hits my doorstep.
Dawn, I have it. I just haven't read it yet. I will, though.
LadyBronco, Thanks for tryin' ta make me feel better about my slacky self...but that's still 5 more than I've read. ;)
Thomma Lyn, I went to the T13 site, I just didn't sign up (yet). I will, though.
Aprilynne - OOh! that was harsh. :) Now I hafta read WTRFG. I think my wife has it somewhere. But if I cry, I'm gonna blame you... :)
Hi, I found you on John's blog.
I was handed a list of 'good books' by a teacher at the writers workshop where I take classes sometimes.
There were 77.
I'd read ....oh.... about 10.
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