Best First Date (Top 10 Books)

Member Name: cbpotts

Product:	Top 10 Books
Date:	26/07/01 (119 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reading is good for the soul.

Disadvantages: There are no disadvantages to reading, ever.

My husband and I met on a blind date over three years ago. We had the typical drinks and dinner at a restaurant and then he invited me to go to a nearby bookstore with him to browse. Pretty unusual first date, don't you think? I did too, however, once we got there and started walking around, I was surprised at what fun it was. The various books and book sections we ran into provided many conversation openers and I was able to get a good idea of what his tastes were (if he'd liked books like Lust in the Dust we probably wouldn't be married now!).

All that being said, I've had so much fun going through this category and seeing what different people have on their bookshelves without ever entering their homes. So, that being said and done, I felt it fair to reciprocate and add my top ten books. Now I better understand the nail-biting, lip chewing chore that it is to decide WHICH ten books deserve top billing. Ah well, here goes.

1. The Stand, Stephen King. Choosing a "best" King book is hard for me since he's my favorite author and I love them all. I discovered The Stand when the unabridged version was released in 1991. How the editors could even think to cut 150,000 words in the original release in 1978 is beyond me, but they did. The character and mood development in this book are exceptional. It is impossible to read without a high level of emotional entanglement, which makes closing the last page very hard to do.

Synopsis: A small glitch in technology enables a deadly virus to hitch a ride in the body of a laboratory security guard. One death becomes two, which become four, which become eight, and so on. Before too long over 99% of the population has died. Then the real story begins, and epic tale of the fight between good and evil takes place. People are drawn either to Colorado (the good) or Las Vegas (the bad). It's a story of not just mankind's effort to survive, but society in general.


2. The Agony and the Ecstacy, Irving Stone. When I was in high school I had the opportunity to see Michelangelo's Pieta in Rome and was blown away. I still am. This past year I visited his David and while the reaction wasn't as deep, it was still strong. This book is Irving Stone's tale of Michelangelo's life. As with all good artists his passion drove him and is evidenced in his work and this novel.

Synopsis: Born to an affluent family, Michelangelo's father hated the fact that his son chose an apprenticeship that would head him into the poor house and disgrace the family name. Through his entire life, Michelangelo claimed to be a sculpture and never liked using the brush. He is moody, angry and tempramental. His ire is directed at everyone, even the pope, who can only get him into the sistene chapel with paintbrush in hand through threats and coersion. An great story about an even greater man.

3. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving. How can anyone read a story where the main character's voice is amplfied by being typed ALL IN CAPS? John Irving, best known for The World According to Garp, is my second favorite author, however this book is handsdown his best.

Synopsis: The book takes us through the life of Owen Meany, a boy who is born with a small frame and a high voice. He is tolerant of the teasing and marches to the beat of a different drummer. A strong friendship develops between Johnny, a wonderful boy in the same town and we see he and Owen grow up. Through all this Owen has a maturity and insight (he believes God has a purpose for him) that are remarkable to everyone around him. From start to finish this book will hold you tight.

4. The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien. I've already done an entire op on this book so this will definitely be an abridged version. I don't think anyone has come close since Tolkien in creating an entire world as fully and in as much
detail as he did in this series. The most phenomenal part about it is that it is not necessarily a different world, just possibly another, unseen aspect of ours.

Synopsis: A simple ring with the power to grant its wearer the power to reign everything, good and evil is the focus of this epic. The book is the quest of the hero, a Hobbit named Frodo Baggins, to destroy the ring before evil can take it and rule. During the expedition to the mountain that contains the only fire capable of destroying such a ring, the group of nine is followed ruthlessly. If you are able to lose yourself in what you read, you will with this story.

5. Big Trouble, Dave Barry. Hands down the funniest book I've ever read in my life. My husband and I picked this up when we drove to Chicago and I read it out loud to him. On more than one occasion we practically had to pull the car over and stop because we were both laughing too hard. Unexpected, irreverant and hilarious.

Synopsis: Two hit men, a homeless man, teenagers playing a game called Killer, an evil toad and a dog make up just a small part of the crew in this off-the-wall comedy based in Florida. Honestly, I can't tell you that there's a major theme running through the book because I don't think there is one. There's a nuke in a suitcase, a 13 foot python named Daphne, goats on the highway and yes, even Elizabeth Dole. Trust me, it's a great book.

6. Hart's War, John Katzenbach. I'm not a big murder/courtroom drama fan, but this novel pulled me in from the first page. Katzenbach has the ability to set the mood, even within a WW II prison camp, that was very appealing to me. Rather than try to create a who-dun-it book that kept you guessing, he was more careful to present the feelings and issues of the characters.

Synposis: A murder trial within the confines of a WW II prisoner of war camp? Take a pilot that's shot down (Tommy Hart) and add
in a disgruntled Tuskagee Airman (Lincoln Scott) that is accused of killing another member of the camp who has been openly antagonistic and racist. The Germans, looking for any kind of entertainment, insist a trial be held for Scott and assign Hart as his attorney. The setting along creates a background for an intense storyline and the book does not let down for its entire 500+ pages.

7. The Masque of the Red Death, Edgar Allen Poe. Is it possible to like Stephen King without liking master of horror himself? Probably not. My introduction to this story was late at night with my transitor radio held to my ear and my head under the covers. Hearing the dramatic reading scared me so badly that I didn't sleep for nights afterward. Now, the story is one of my favorites.

Synposis: During the height of a plague, a rich man invites all his peers to a masked ball and closes out the rest of the world, feeling safe and secure within the confines of his wealth and surrounded by his kind. As the party progresses though, an intruder is seen, bespeckled in blood and dressed in gaveyard attire. The stranger and the rich man stalk each other through the crowds until.....well, you'll have to read it yourself to see what happens.

8. The Vampire Chronicles, Ann Rice. There are four books contained within this set; Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned and The Tale of the Body Thief. I've always been a fan of vampires and have read and watched most everything on them from Dracula to Lost Boys. However, I love the concept of vampires as put forth by Ann Rice. The sexlessness yet sexiness of them, the casual indifference to anything human, but the burning desire and the left over humanness that continues to intrude are intriguing addicting to the reader.

Synopsis: The books center around two main characters, with many making appearances throughout. Louis, and Lestat his creator, are opposites. Les
tat is the carefree, live and enjoy this moment vampire. Louis on the other hand, is struggling greatly with the loss of his humanity and even moreso with the morality of taking life so he might live. The books deal with this issue as well as their search for the origin, the origin of all vampires. We are taken from New Orleans to France to Egypt as these two search for their beginnings.

9. Beyond Sex Roles, Gilbert Bilezikian. This is one of the most eye-opening books I've read. Being in the south in the U.S., it's typical to run into traditional beliefs in the church, including those that say women aren't allowed to preach to men (but they can to other women) or that a man is the "head" of the household. This book provides women a freedom to understand what the Bible really intended.

Synopsis: Dr. Bilezikian draws on 40 years as a Biblical scholar and theologian to shed light on one of the most volitale issues in Christendom. Many Christians have struggled long and hard with the issue of women's roles within the church and home. Unfortunately, traditional beliefs have shackled many gifted female speakers and pastors as well as relegating wives to subservient roles in the household. Dr. Bilezikian adeptly sheds light on key passages in the Bible and shows how these verses have been mis-represented or mis-understood to womens' detriment.

10. Home Improvement 1-2-3, Home Depot. Given to me as a gift when I bought my 100+ year-old house, this book has proven invaluable. I know it's not a novel, but it IS a book, so it qualifies. I've learned from reading it that it IS possible to fix things with something other than rubber bands and duct tape. Whether it's replacing the seal on a refrigerator or putting up a ceiling fan, this book can help. I know, I've used it for both.

Synopsis: This book is arranged in easy-to-use chapters; like plumbing, electrical, appliances, wood working,
etc. Each project is rated to easiness and within that, to amount of time depending on the un-handiman's skill. There's also a list of tools needed and illustrations to go with the directions. The way I figure it, if I was able to figure out how to put up a ceiling fan without electrifying myself and burning down the house, it's a well done book.

Phew. There it is. My top 10. I know this was long, but it was fun. Thanks for taking the time to read it and to browse through my bookselves.

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