These books shaped my life. Nearly all of the covers presented are the version I read. One of my favorite parts of being human is reading. I hope you make some time to read a good book soon.
Revolt of the Angels by Anatole France was suggested to the North Coast Great Books Discussion Group by Lance Hardie. This fantastic book follows the story of an angel who falls from grace due to his access to a library. This is one of my favorite books.
The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton is quite the romp. The subtitle of “a nightmare” may help you navigate what is all too real in a dream of a story. When everyone in your anarchist cabal is code named after a day of the week, who can you trust? This is another book I accessed only because of the North Coast Great Books Discussion Group.
The Razor’s Edge by William Somerset Maugham holds a special place in my heart as my fellow teen friend group read it after watching the 1984 film on VHS. Larry Darryl was trying to find what we all were: meaning in this brutal world. He travels all over the world to find life is what you make it. Impeccable writing with the brilliant first line “I have never begun a novel with more misgiving.” setting the tone for the whole book.
Singular Travels, Campaigns and Adventures of Baron Munchausen by R. E. Raspe and Others is just delightful. Apparently, the Baron was a real person who did like to host friends for sessions of tall tales. Lucky are we to get an insight to the time, the lies, and the lies of the time. I love a good hearted ruse and wish we shared more of them.
Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy almost changed the face of the world (or maybe it did). Bellamy clubs sprung up around the United States in hopes of making real the brilliant future shared in this 1888 book. I found it on one of my few travels, this time in New Hampshire in a college town bookstore. It had an oversized impact on my approach toward the work of making a better world. We need to imagine it before we can make it!
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler is the best dystopian novel ever. An eerily accurate prediction of 2024, from California wildfires to increased inequality to an unhinged president, this book is so much more. I wish someone had shared this with me so much sooner. Parable of the Talents is the second book and the third was never finished, but this one stands on its own.
The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers should be shared with every person about to step into their new life. The story of someone starting a new job, needing to learn how to work with the diverse folks in their workplace (we’re talking diverse species!) is golden. The examples of healthy leadership and use of natural authority add to the rich characterization that make the crew come to life. Experience the joy as not just a world, but an entire universe is built before you.
Orlando by Virginia Woolf uses the genre of the biography to its fictional best. This magical tale is used to explore gender, but so much about love and connection, especially when one is out of sync with the rest of reality. Beautifully haunting passages about feeling betrayal, triumph, indignation and all the rest of life provide insight into what it means to be a human throughout time.
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand and translated by Anthony Burgess pulled me in to the romance right when I was most susceptible: as a teen. Burgess captures the humor, the wit, and the feeling of Cyrano. Seeing one who stands up for what is right, never relinquishing his panache, is just what any oddball who wonders how they will survive can learn how they might actually thrive.
V for Vendetta by Alan Moore with art by David Lloyd displayed with a “highly recommended” at my local comic shop when I was a teen was the first thing that I read that connected with me as an adult and also introduced me to the concept of anarchism. This Volume VI of X was the first I bought. I had to return to the comic shop to get all ten and my life was never the same. Interestingly, the movie substitutes out the class dynamics for identity politics (particularly gay identities). I understood why they did this for the American movie, but this change is but one of the many shortcomings of the film. I read this as a rerelease in the late 1980’s. So much here is unfortunately more relevant as time marches on.
Sacco and Vanzetti: The Anarchist Background by Paul Avrich placed the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti in the time period with references to immigration scares, assassination attempts, and dives into the details of anarchist organizing of the time. The work humanized these iconic figures of history and helped me see how we are part of a long struggle for freedom and dignity. Well written and engaging.
And now for some reads that are not necessarily great literature, but were a lot of fun for me. Maybe they will be for you as well.
King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard is actually a significant piece of literature. As the first “lost world” story, the tale captured the public’s imagination in 1885 and became an enormous success. Obvious inspiration for Raiders of the Lost Ark (and the serial films it was based on), adventure abounds. If you can overlook the overt sexism, racism, and colonialism, you are in for an engaging read!
Flashman by George MacDonald Fraser would make any young boy feel naughty for reading it. This purported first hand account of events in the life of the “hero” Harry Paget Flashman reveals a cowardly bully with no morals. Readers may join me in (mostly) enjoying the retelling of his dastardly exploits as Flashman fails in his attempts to put himself in the best light. Masterfully done by the author.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is a love letter to the 80s. Born in 1972, I am at the center of the target audience, but my kids read it too and got a kick out of it, so maybe you will, too. Follow Wade Watts as he navigates life in the not too distant dystopian future. Escaping into the virtual reality video game in search of a hidden “easter egg” that will give him the keys to the virtual kingdom, many twists and turns await. Skip the movie and the sequel, but enjoy the ride in this original.
Solomon Everta 