Book
marks
As the main page says, this site is about content. I never claim, though, that all content is fabulous. Recently newspapers have dumbed down their stories, and now they are paying the price.
So if we can’t turn to newspapers for examples of good writing, where do we look? The obvious answer is books.
With some time to reflect at the end of the year, I’ve been thinking about the books that stand out in my mind. I don’t think about them in terms of “good” or “bad,” though, but rather as pleasurable or disturbing.
A pleasurable book doesn’t have to be great; it just has to be better than I thought it would be. However, the books on the disturbing list are not necessarily worse than I anticipated. They simply do not fall into the “uplifting” category.
With this in mind, I rank the most memorable books:
3. “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Margaret Atwood. OK, this book is not going to leave you with a smile. But the class it was assigned in was overtly PC. So when we were given this book, I dreaded reading and discussing it.
Five pages into it, I changed my mind, as I linked the totalitarian society described in the book to familiar places such as the corner market and the high school gym. The book relies on setting as much as substance, and it delivers both in the proper doses.
(One note to teachers: If you are going to ask what happens when the main character and the Commander break the ultimate rule, don’t object when the student uses the obscene phrasing in the book. It’s done for a reason.)
Standout thought: Because someday they’ll never know how things used to be, as the narrator silently rebels against the society’s teachings. I often think of this line when I hear the newspaper design frauds blather about how what they do is so revolutionary. Keep capitalizing on editors’ short memories, charlatans. You have nothing else to stand on.
2. “A Separate Peace,” John Knowles. Set in a Northeast prep school during World War II, this book presents a subtle analysis of the rivalries among teens. This also was assigned in a class, and I should admit I did not read the last 25-30 pages until after the semester ended. This was by necessity, not by choice, as physics and algebra exams demanded some of my attention, if I remember correctly.
But as soon as finals were over, I reopened this book. One of my friends thought I was nuts, but I had to finish it. When you grow up in a time when absolute film dreck like “The Breakfast Club” and “Sixteen Candles” is considered noteworthy, you need a book like this.
Standout thought: I felt the absence of fear when I returned, as the narrator returns years after graduating with the wisdom acquired with age.
1. “Westmark,” Lloyd Alexander. I received this book as a Christmas present, glanced at the cover, and decided I would never waste my time reading it. For months, it sat untouched on the bookshelf.
Then one night during the summer, I decided to start it, knowing I would stop once I found something else I wanted to read. That something else turned out to be the last page, three nights later. Like “A Separate Peace,” this book gives you a lesson before you even realize it. A review on the back cover states: “Good does not triumph simply because it is good.”
Standout thought: Too many to choose from, but I’ll go with: Now he was being asked to choose his action before he acted, as the main character prepares to participate in attacking a town.
Others:
“A Farewell To Arms,” Ernest Hemingway. Somehow, most of a book about World War I is amusing and entertaining.
“How to Eat Fried Worms,” Thomas Rockwell. Fifteen days, fifteen worms, 50 dollars. Who could turn that down? (Reached theaters as a movie in 2006.)
“The Portmanteau Book,” Thomas Rockwell. This assortment of short stories and other zaniness also would make an excellent movie, if done properly.
“The Great Brain” series, John D. Fitzgerald. This eight-book collection offers a humorous look at life in Utah in the 1890s. The first five books are outstanding; the next two slightly less so; and the last one, written from rough drafts after the author’s death, probably needed more work before it was published.
4. “Street Rod,” Henry Felsen. This book will not win any writing awards, but if you can get through the slow, bumpy patches, you’ll find yourself cruising toward an unexpected ending. The story’s set in the 1950s, when cars were fast, teens were reckless and posted speed limits were non-existent. The rivalries here are as subtle as a sledgehammer; the goal is to drive faster than the next guy.
Standout thought: He’d catch up to Ricky, no matter what it took!, as the main character’s rival is left behind, in more ways than one.
3. “The Kestrel,” Lloyd Alexander. Years after reading “Westmark,” I realized: There’s a sequel! Two, in fact. But in “Kestrel,” the subtlety has diminished and the violence has escalated. The quality of the writing is still high, and the author mixes in comic relief, but make no mistake: The book is much blunter than the light-hearted “Westmark.”
Standout thought: “Give nothing for nothing.” A nice bit of foreshadowing for the innocence the main character is about to sacrifice.
2. “1984,” George Orwell. I knew what was coming, but the parallels between the book’s totalitarian society and the current day are no less than stunning.
The ease at which the populace learns to oppose intangible enemies and to accept rations being “raised” from 50 units to 25 is all too similar to today’s world, where non-helpful terror “alerts” and eroding benefits are part of daily life. (Meanwhile, newspapers spend more time discussing important topics such as Britney Spears and John Edwards’ hair.)
Standout thought: He loved Big Brother! The main character has a slight change of heart; no explanation necessary.
And No. 1, by far: “Let’s Go Play At the Adams’,” Mendal Johnson. If I could forget a book for a reason other than bad writing or a PC pulpit, I’d pick this one. It presents a chilling (and possibly reality-based) account of a baby sitter being tortured for several days.
The character development often lies in how far each child is willing to descend into cruelty. But as the children reveal their motivations, you realize they’ve been descending for some time. After I read the climax, I had to close the book and compose myself for a few minutes before reading the conclusion.
Describing my astonishment without revealing the ending is nearly impossible, but I’ll give you a hint: Take the line of the “Westmark” back cover review and drop the last half of it.
Other readers describe being “scarred” by this book, and I believe them. And to the person who read it in third grade: I hope the therapist was compensated well.
Standout thought: I’m creating it as a link because it gives away a crucial plot detail. Don’t link to it if you dare to read the book and don’t want to know what happens.
Others:
“Peace Breaks Out,” John Knowles. The sequel to “A Separate Peace” is grittier, harsher and less than optimistic.
“A Farewell To Arms,” Ernest Hemingway. The ending (which I won’t reveal) lands it on this list, too.
“Friday Night Lights,” H.G. Bissinger. The fans of Permian High School may have been ready for some football in 1988, but they weren’t ready for the scrutiny that followed this book. The social commentary is memorable, even when it’s slightly shallow and blatantly political.
“Animal Farm,” George Orwell. These pigs weren’t made for walkin’, but that’s just what they’ll do.
“Hot Rod,” Henry Felsen. Like “Street Rod,” this book feels the need for speed. But it also feels the need for more blood and more contrived situations and dialogue. A minor plot line involving pre-teens is completely over the top and unnecessary for delivering the message.
Sequels to “How To Eat Fried Worms,” Thomas Rockwell. They are so badly written that I won’t even try to recall the titles. You’ll need a very quirky sense of humor and a lot of patience to enjoy them.
Note: The standout thoughts are not verbatim from the books; they are my own recollections.