you never leave me no messages

Reading through my (ridiculously long) Google Reader list, I came across a post that I couldn't ignore on Eat, Live, Run, detailing five books she couldn't live without. This got me thinking, if I could only have five books to read, what would they be? I'm an avid reader, and my favorite book list is probably miles long. I will read almost anything, but it takes something special to be a favorite -- those books that have the crazy, ripped up covers (cause y'all know I can't afford hardback copies,) and super dog-eared pages. The ones where you read it again and again and again, even though you're to the point where you could probably write the entire synopsis out, chapter for chapter, without actually having the book with you.

Some people say they don't like re-reading books (or, you know, re-watching movies or whatever,) because they already know what happens, so what's the point? This is not me. I just lurve re-reading and re-watching things, because part of the fun for me is knowing what's coming up, and being excited about it. I think this also stems from the fact that I am the least visual learner you will ever meet in your life (ok, so I'm a little overdramatic,) so for me to learn and remember things, I need to write them down -- the actual kinesthetic act of writing puts the information into my brain -- or hear them and somehow associate them with things (bring on the mneumonic devices!)

In any case, here is my list of five (just five, as much as it pains me) books I can't live without -- in no particular order:

1. American Gods (Neil Gaiman) -- I keep trying to get my boyfriend to read this book, because I just find it so fascinating. Part of it is Gaiman's unique storytelling abilities -- eloquent without being terribly wordy, constantly moving forward, pushing toward the next happening in the plotline, which is dark and somewhat twisted in a wholely human way, despite the inherent folklore backgrounds (if you're unfamiliar with him, he is the storyteller behind Coraline, which was made into a movie.)  The other part is that I am absolutely enthralled with pantheistic deities in every culture, but especially in Ancient Egyptian culture, and that is used in much of the story. It's just rich.

2. Summon the Keeper (Tanya Huff) -- This is one of my favorites because I'm a big nerd who loves magic and because I envision myself in the title role. I can't help it. But it's also extremely well written. I've probably read this more than any other book. I guess that kind of says it all.

3. Lord of the Flies (William Golding) -- Call me a creeper, I can't help it. There's something so fascinatingly disturbing about the comments this book makes on human nature.

4. Jurassic Park (Michael Crichton) -- This could be translated into 'basically anything Michael Crichton ever wrote,' but we'll stick with Jurassic Park for the purposes of this list because I am enthralled with anything that has anything remotely to do with dinosaurs. In any case, I love reading Crichton because I feel like I'm learning something and being entertained at the same time. I don't need to know about air frames, or type IIb blue diamonds, but if it's entertaining? Yes, give it to me. I will learn.

5. is a toss-up between MasterHarper of Pern and The White Dragon (both by Anne McCaffrey) -- Mainly because I can't decide which I like more. I love the MasterHarper of Pern story, but I'm a sucker for the dragons, which are the whole reason I fell in love with the series and world of Pern in the first place (and why I'm a giant nerd who plays severely dwindling text-based games based on the world of Pern. Doesn't that just make you want to be my friend?) Not to mention Anne McCaffrey sounds like the coolest lady ever. I mean...she writes about dragons and lives in a place called Dragonhold-Underhill...which is literally dug out of a hill. How cool is that?! And I'm not at all opposed to her son, Todd, taking over her legacy. I enjoy his Pern stories, even if other people don't. I'm more about the moment than the overall canon of the novels.

So that's that! My five must-have books. Now that I've told you mine, suggest your favorites for me to read! I'm constantly looking for new things and since I'm pretty sure I've now accomlished reading the entirety of Michael's Crichton's literary accomplishments (I'm currently on The Terminal, which I believe is my last one, I'll have to check,) I just have 127 Hours: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston and The Shining by Stephen King (I tried to read this when I was in high school and couldn't do it, so I'm trying again,) before I have to start searching for new things.

-C