1. Anna Karenina. It was the first of the insane Russian novels I read, and it's sheer scope and brilliance make it memorable to this day.
2. Under a Glass Bell. My friend gave me this book to read and I devoured it in less than three hours. Each short story is excellently crafted and planned.
3. Cryptonomicon. This book is a classic to me just because of its subject matter, cryptography. Add in to that three interlocking plot lines and you have a winner.
4. The Printer's Devil. It was not memorable in a good way. However, it taught me the important lesson that some writers are absolutely terrible and should be avoided at all costs.
5. Mason & Dixon. This book introduced me to Thomas Pynchon and the wonders of the dense postmodern novel. The scarring associated with this being my ID paper book also helps quite a bit.
6. Infinite Jest is Infinite Jest. I don't need to say more.
7. The Fall. This book I read at an extremely young age and ended up mistaking it for a dream I had. It started my love for all science fiction and fantasy.
8. Artemis Fowl. The character of Artemis Fowl stayed with me for a long time after I read the first book. It was the first series I read and sparked a love of extremely long storylines for me.
Yet another reader of Infinite Jest? I think that makes 4 or 5 so far. Haven't made it there myself, although I share your admiration for Anna Karenina. And you've also made it through Mason & Dixon? I have to say I'm impressed. What's next? If you get through Gravity's Rainbow, let me know. And as to comment #4, I think some people should be kept away from dangerous instruments. Like keyboards. Also a question: your title sounds like a down and yardage situation in football--first and ten, second and eight, third and short, fourth and goal. Or did you have something else in mind?
ReplyDeleteI'm not entirely sure what I was thinking, I just saw that there were two numbers and decided to put both of them in the title.
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