T minus 2 1/2 hours!

That's right... the great experiment begins tomorrow! (or at midnight tonight... if I can't sleep, I might get a head start!)

My car, Lola, broke down on Sunday. My first car. :( I loved her very much, and I will miss her. I have to take the train up to my parent's house tomorrow night, and I'm looking at it as a very good thing. I'll have plenty of time to read on the metro, waiting for the train, on the train, waiting in Philly for the rail, and on the rail. And maybe even when I get home. I might get through 2 books on the very first day!

Thank you to all of you who have decided to come along for the ride. I'm not sure what's going to happen, but I hope it'll never be boring.

Lots of love, goodnight world!

Anfangen ist leicht, beharren eine Kunst

"To begin is easy, to persist is art"

The list is finalized! It's not in any particular order (as I finish the book, it'll appear with a line through it in the side bar). I'll be starting with 100 Demons and ending with On the Road. The books in the middle are in no particular order, but I'm going to aim for roughly one book a week, and if I get through more than one a week at times, even better. I'd rather finish up early and add to the list than have to crunch at the end. It's an exercise in time management.

Saying I'm going to tackle this project is easy; blogging about the books I want to read is simple. Following through? Not so much. But I've set out to do this, and I'm going to do it. Even if it kills me. Although, I don't think anyone has ever died from reading too much. It might be a first. Maybe I should get a Life Alert...

I also really want to go to Budapest to visit Danny and Brooke. Maybe I should just do it, throw caution to the wind, spend the money. How often do I have more than one person in a European country that would be willing to put me up? And think about how many books I could read traveling that far???

With that, it's time to grade papers and get some sleep. Goodnight, world!

The cutting room floor

I have 2 days left before the experiment begins. The list is currently at 59; it needs to be narrowed down to 52. Let me know if you think something has to stay, or if something really can go.

I also decided I'm starting the project with One Hundred Demons, but I still haven't decided on a final book. Part of me wants to end with On the Road.

1. An American Childhood
2. Catch-22
3. Ender's Game
4. How to Win Friends and Influence People
5. Angela's Ashes
6. Going After Cacciato
7. The Polar Express
8. The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh
9. Wide Sargasso Sea
10. The Great Gilly Hopkins
11. Water for Elephants
12. Nineteen Minutes
13. Waiting for Godot
14. The Handmaid's Tale
15. Caucasia
16. The Alchemist
17. One Hundred Demons
18. Wolf at the Table
19. On the Road
20. Stitches: A Memoir
21. Bastard out of Carolina
22. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
23. Lucky
24. Grendel
25. The Hours
26. Crime and Punishment
27. The Historian
28. The Grapes of Wrath
29. Sophie's Choice
30. Blankets
31. The Old Man and the Sea
32. Almost a Woman
33. The Unbearable Lightness of being
34. The Picture of Dorian Gray
35. The Naked Lunch
36. The God of Small Things
37. The Crying of Lot 49
38. Rabbit, Run
39. Midnight's Children
40. Underworld
41. One Hundred Years of Solitude
42. The Indian in the Cupboard
43. The Watsons go to Birmingham
44. Uglies
45. The Perks of being a Wallflower
46. Watership Down
47. Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
48. Memoirs of a Geisha
49. The Screwtape Letters
50. The Joy Luck Club
51. A Prayer for Owen Meany
52. Atlas Shrugged
53. Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
54. The Corrections
55. A People's History of the United States
56. Animal Dreams
57. Storm of the Century
58. Disgrace
59. Insomnia

A könyvek néma mesterek

For my Hungarian audience out there (and by that I mean Brooke haha), I went with a Hungarian proverb as my title for this post. I teach Multicultural Lit, and we start most classes with a cultural proverb. Students have to answer three questions about each proverb; What does this mean in your own words? What might it suggest about the culture from which it comes? and What other quotes/proverbs/situations can you connect to this proverb? Generally speaking, about half sit and stare at me in silence, but occasionally they are brilliant in the things that they say. Currently we are watching Roots, and it's interesting to see how they've changed since the beginning of the film when they would giggle at the name Kunta Kinte to now, when they get legitimately angry at the way Kunta and Fanta are treated. Maybe there is some hope for the future of America.

But back to the proverb. Translated, it means 'books are silent masters.' Which I love. I think the idea of books being a quiet background to changing the way people think and act is such a part of my personal ideology. Why read a book if it isn't going to change something about you, even if it's just changing your mood? Last night before going to sleep I reread a few David Sedaris stories. Did they change my life? No, but it did put me in a good mood before bed.

Just some thoughts for the day. I took a sick day to deal with some life stuff, but I feel kind of crappy, so it all works out. The list for the great experiment is at 52, but I'd like to have it to at least 60 so I can narrow it down. I've decided to begin with 100 Demons but I'm still searching for the book to end the project. I've already read The Little Prince, which at least 3 people have suggested.

Also wondering about short story and poetry collections. Can they go on the list, too?

Where in the world...

I have followers! Who knew?

Blogger has a really cool feature where you can look at your stats; how many page views your blog has, where the traffic is coming from, and the countries where people are looking at your postings. Obviously the majority of traffic is coming from the US, but I have people in Hungary, France, Canada, Belgium, Italy, Bosnia, and Herzegovina. According to Blogger. I know Brooke is my Hungarian viewer, and Tom maybe is Belgium/France, but who is reading in Canada and Italy? And who is reading in Bosnia? And where the heck is Herzegovina? (I just googled it; it's the Southern part of Bosnia. I'm very sorry I didn't know that). But really, if you are reading from those countries, leave me a comment! I'd love to know who's checking things out!

The countdown continues... Less than two weeks, and I still haven't finished putting the list together. Hopefully it'll be mostly done by the end of the week, and then I can narrow down to the final list. Keep sending suggestions! And thanks for reading :)

2 Weeks...

The great experiment begins in 2 weeks. Next Friday is day one, and it works out well because I currently don't have any plans for the evening. Saturday night is Fall Fest at Holty's house (we're carving pumpkins and eating delicious food... and probably playing ridiculous games, as always), but Friday night I think will be my night to just sit around in sweats and my glasses and read. I haven't decided on my first book yet. I feel like it needs to be something important and poignant and symbolic of the journey I'll be taking through literature. Maybe One Hundred Demons which seems like it's going to be an awesome book. The premise behind it is so interesting. Perhaps I'll start with something more difficult and long since I'll have an entire night to sit and read.

I don't want to create a reading schedule because I'd like to be able to chose books from the list based on what my current mood or mental need is, but I think I need to decide on a first and a last book. Something that says 'I'm beginning' and something that says 'Holy Eff, I made it through.' Once I settle on the complete list, I'll have to decide how that's going to work.

On a side note, department meeting lunch conversation today? Whoever can figure out how to use the f-word as a preposition should receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. It is 7 of the 8 parts of speech. Aren't you glad we teach the youth of America? Now it's time for movie night with Shank. Hectic and busy weekend ahead of me. Give me those book suggestions!

You're my favorite!

I figured I should give you some information on my past reading experiences, so for your blog-skimming pleasure, I give you...

Leah's Favorites: A short and not at all close to complete list of authors and literature that I enjoy.

Stephen King
I have made it my personal goal to read everything Stephen King has written under his normal name. Except for It. I don't like clowns, so f*ck that book. Other than that, though, I've gotten through 16 of them. The Stand is my all time favorite, and I try to reread the unabridged edition (I never read the original publication) at least once a year. I might add a Stephen King novel to my list just to keep it going.

Anne Rice
I may be an English teacher, but I love me some old school, overly sexualized Gothic vampire novels. I read Interview with the Vampire when I was in middle school because I had run out of books to read and it was on the shelf at our shore house. I don't think I understood parts of it, but I was hooked. I've read (and own) the entire vampire series, the witches series, and the series where those two series are combined. Confused? Me, too, but I love her books. I wrote my 11th grade term paper on The Vampire Lestat. It was called "Sexual Taboos and the Others in Society" and my mother refused to read it. That my friends is what I call a win.

John Steinbeck
This is more English major-esque. I love everything I've ever read by Steinbeck. If you haven't read East of Eden, please go and find it asap. Don't be put off by it's size; with the exception of the overly drawn up descriptions of California that are pretty much every other chapter, the story moves quickly. You might have noticed, though, that The Grapes of Wrath is on my reading list. Somehow I missed that one, and I'm ashamed of that fact.

William Faulkner
Another classic author. Love him, even though he hates women. Actually, Faulkner is like Hemingway. He doesn't really like any of his characters. And my mother is a fish.

Edgar Allan Poe
Boyfriend. Dead literary boyfriend. Ask my students, they know how obsessed I am with Poe. I wrote my senior seminar paper on Poe, and the summer prior to that semester, I read his complete works, poetry and short stories. I didn't finish his 'novel,' though. Sorry, bf.

Beowulf
I'm a weirdo. Classic tale of adventure and heroes, told in poetry! The only acceptable translation is the Seamus Heaney translation. It reads like an adventure novel, and not an Old English epic poem.

The Great Gatsby
Roaring 20's, scandal, parties, socialites... what more can you ask for in a novel? This book has some of the best quotes, and the symbolism is superb.

Dracula
Back to my vampire obsession, I love Stoker's creation of the monster. And maybe I'm partial to Romania. Okay, it might be my favorite place on earth (along with Prague and Philadelphia), but that doesn't influence my infatuation with this book! When Harker describes the food in Budapest as being 'quite thirsty' you can't turn back.

The Phantom Tollbooth
Favorite book in the world. An English nerd's dream. SO MANY PUNS!! So much of the book is just a complete play on words, it's FUN!

Hole in my Life
Excellent autobiographical account of time spent in prison. Meant for young adults, but a fabulous book. May have changed my life.

Harry Potter
Well DUH. What did you expect? My favorite is the third book, The Prisoner of Azkaban. That's where Rowling really starts to put the pieces together. Brilliant!

The Stephanie Plum Series
And finally, to assure you that I am not snobby and ridiculous about my literature, I ADORE the Stephanie Plum series. She's a bounty hunter in Trenton. She has big hair and a guido boyfriend. Really? Really? Do you doubt me for a minute? I love them. They are quick reads, though, which means it is over much too soon.

There you have it. Some of my favorites. Help me make my list based on what I like, or even what it seems like I need. :)

cup of black coffee

There is nothing better than settling in to read a new book with a cup of something warm to drink. I love reading on the beach, and I love reading outside, but there is something so soothing and relaxing about opening a book with a hot beverage curled in the fingers of my non-dominant hand. Yeah, it gets awkward when you need to turn the page, but years of practice have paid off. The best thing to drink, in my opinion, is a cup of coffee, black. So I'm looking forward to the me-time that I think this little experiment will bring. My book and my beverage, curled in bed or on the couch, navy bootcamp sweatpants (I stole them from someone and he's never getting them back now), glasses on. It's my happy place. I can't wait.

I've been slowly putting together a list, and I wanted to share with you how I'm going about creating this list. I want it to be a good mix of classics and contemporaries, so I'm doing my research. Other than suggestions of friends, family, and (hopefully soon) followers, I've been digging around and here's what I've found:

YALSA
YALSA is part of ALA, the American Library Association. It awards work in Young Adult literature, and I used this website extensively during my Young Adult Lit class in college. I've been scouring through recent and past award winners, trying to look in the non-fiction sections, as well.

1001 Before You Die
This is part of the 1001 series. They provide a list of 1001 books people should read in their lifetime, compiled by over one hundred literary critics worldwide. It's got a very wide range, so I went through all 1001 and picked out some that sounded interesting, or that I'd always wanted to read. Eventually, I'd LOVE to get through the entire list. Can you imagine how satisfying that would be?

GoodReads
Another one from my Young Adult Lit class. It has recommendations, and ranks them with the most popular. Each book also comes with reviews written by real people (not critics, but people who just love to read!).

All TIME 100 Novels
This is TIME Magazine's top 100 English language novels since 1923. It's along the same lines as the 1001 Best Books, just a list of books that are considered great.

100 Books Every High School Student Should Read
If this is the list of books every high school kid should read, I guess I should read them, too? That's what I figured, anyway. I graduated from high school without reading a decent number of these books, and now I teach high school. I need to get on this... And soon.

But the most important part of my list comes from everyone who offers me suggestions. I love to read books other people love. There is such a communal feeling, like you are in a relationship with the author and the other person, sharing something wonderful, like a secret.

So go check out the websites! See how many of the books you can say you have read. :) And keep leaving suggestions!

Jane Austen -a- phobia

I have a confession to make. Actually, it's less a confession and more a statement. I DO NOT like Jane Austen. That's right. I'm a female with a degree in English, but I cannot stand Jane Austen. Apparently this is a horrible, horrible trait to have. I've made enemies by sharing this information. And I don't get it.

I have read ONE Jane Austen novel the entire way through. Northanger Abbey was on the required reading list for my British Novel 1 class in college, and I didn't even bother to buy the book. I checked it out from the library because I didn't see the point in paying for a book I probably wouldn't like. Instead, I ended up enjoying most of it because it was a parody of the Gothic novel. Jane Austen was making fun of a genre that is closely linked to Romanticism, so I could get into it. I'm not sure if I really liked the book, or if I have inextricably linked the book with the horrible movie we watched in class (a so-bad-it's-good type), but overall I didn't want to gauge my eyes out or throw the book down in disgust.

I've tried to read Pride and Prejudice almost 8 times now, and every time I make it maybe 30 or 40 pages in before I give up. I can't do it. I get annoyed at her plot lines and her characters. I tried Sense and Sensibility and Emma, and the same thing. A section into the novel, and I put it away. I'm not the type to leave books unfinished if I can help it (I read the entire Twilight series even though every book after the first got progressively worse and worse) and I'm incredibly stubborn about these things.

I feel like I need to read and finish a typical Jane Austen novel, but I'm not sure I can bring myself to do it. Am I a failure of a woman if I don't enjoy Austen? Does this make me an anomaly to the female English major? Am I doing an injustice to the female literary canon by avoiding her? There are certain authors I simply cannot stand, but does this make me a bad person?

The List of Authors Leah Can't Take or The Guilt List:

Jane Austen
I just can't do it. Her characters are so typical and repetitive. I always feel like they are doing the same thing in each novel. Girl falls in love with boy, boy is in a different class or is a fool or can't handle her strong-mindedness, but in the end, love ALWAYS wins. THAT'S NOT REALITY! I know we read fiction as a form of escapism, but Austen's version of love and marriage doesn't mesh with my pessimistic cynical mind.

Toni Morrison
Oprah just might come out of the woodwork and kill me for this, but I have not read one single thing by Morrison that I've enjoyed. And I've read several of her works, short stories and novels, and let me say, I don't know many people that do like Morrison, students and professors alike.

Dave Eggers
There are certain authors that I am convinced people don't actually like, but pretend to like in order to achieve some social status upgrade. I tried to read A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and it was painful. I tried because Eggers seems to be the second coming of Christ for all my hipster friends. I find his work unengaging and very self-aggrandizing. Yes, you had some rough things happen, but get some perspective on it, and get back to me.

Augusten Burroughs
This is another author I'm pretty sure people jumped on the bandwagon for because it was the 'hip' thing to do. I don't like his books, I don't like his style, and I don't much like him.


That being said, I'm still debating the need for Austen on my reading list. Am I a well-rounded reader without her?

4 Reasons

I gave you a nice little overview in my first post about my plans, but I think I need to be a bit more specific as to my reasons behind this project.

Reason numero uno:
I need something in my life to make me feel like I'm capable of accomplishing something. I've reached a standstill. At 23, I feel like I'm stuck in one place, not going anywhere. Those of you who know me well know how miserable I am here. I hate Maryland. I hate living 20 minutes from where I spent my 4 years of college and I hate teaching in the town where I graduated from college. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, and I love a lot of the people at my job, but I can't stay here. This is my last year in Maryland. And as part of that plan, I need to prove to myself I can accomplish a plan that is a lot less scary than quitting a job and moving to Philadelphia without a solid future laid out. If I can handle something simple, then I can move on to bigger and better things.

Reason two:
I'm in love with a boy who is not only in Europe until December, but also doesn't seem to love me back anymore. Sad? You bet. But I'm a grown-ass-woman who has decided to give herself a project that hopefully will bring some good back into life. I'm sick of feeling unfulfilled and insignificant. Reading 52 books won't make someone love me or make me famous, but it will hopefully improve my self-worth, which in turn makes me a stronger and better person.

Reason the third:
I need to practice good time management. Yes, I am a very busy person (no, I don't have children, but still busy!). I like being busy. But I'm also a procrastinator in the worst way, and it's time to kick that bad habit to the curb and learn to prioritize. Work, class, homework, school work, music, reading, and a social life. I still don't know where exercising fits in yet, but it's on the future list somewhere.

Reason four:
There are a lot of books out there that I haven't read. Or that I haven't finished. Or that I was supposed to read in high school, and read the cliff's notes instead (although Babbitt was a terrible book, I'm not upset I didn't actually read it). I think I need to read those books. I also don't read a lot of non-fiction, so I'm trying to expand my genres.

As for right now, I'm going to work on my grad school homework and watch the football game. It's on my schedule. :)

It starts...

This is my new project. Thanks, Brooke!

As an English teacher, my goal is to give my students literature that they can relate to, books that make them excited about life and about reading. I try my best to plan my lessons in a way that best suits the needs of high school seniors who could care less about school, let alone The Secret Life of Bees or a short story about a Greek grocer. Because my goal is to give them an education that will hopefully change them in some great way (I'm an idealist, I know), I'm putting my money where my mouth is and looking for books that will hopefully do something good in my life, too. Yes, students, Ms. Beck now has reading homework each night. So stop your complaining!

As an avid reader, I love coming across books that grab my attention, make me question the world, redefine my life; books that make me weep with joy or sadness, books that make me want to call up the author for a conversation, books that, when finished, sit on my lap closed, my hands resting on the cover, my mind at ease with a sense of completion and fulfillment.

I'm looking for 50 books that I feel I MUST read. I'm going through lists of classics, I'm going through suggestions from friends and family, I'm going on Amazon for the top reads. Contemporary, Children's or Classic, I'm picking 52 to read over the course of one year (that's one book a week; bear with me, I work full time and take graduate classes!).

This is where I'll be recording what happens. Not just book reviews, but self-reflections and life-reports along the way. The project starts October 1st, 2010.

The final list with appear the last week of September, but join me as I create the list. And send me suggestions. :)