As I wrap up my recent reading list (The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), I am drawn to return to reading the Time Magazine Top 100 Novels of All-Time. I know there are so many emerging writers who are the toast of the town, but sometimes reading a classic is so much more fulfilling. It is as if generations of readers have crowned these the best of the best. I have also been a poor reader over the course of my life-time as well considering I missed these wonders. Yes, I read 1984, but no, I did not read Atonement.
Some of the books on the list were ones I always meant to get around to but had not. Slaughterhouse Five is a good example. While my classmates were busy reading this, I was busy reading my required reading for school. Extracurricular reading was not done. No, I had to watch Saved by the Bell on my Saturdays. So, when I printed off Time's list, there it was. I read it and loved it. I could read it again.
It is a wonderful sensation to finish a book that greatly inspired today's writers. The Assistant by Malamud - Awesome book. The Big Sleep by Chandler - the original thriller novel with an awesome detective. These are the stories that authors refer to as their inspirations. Finally, I get the reference.
I am happy to return to the list. I just cracked Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. I bought the book in 1996. I guess it is high-time I read it. I will keep you all posted!
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