Let's face it, at some point there was going to be a list post. I figured I would go ahead and get the first one out of the way.
I was thinking about how I have evolved as a reader, and that got me to thinking about the Top 5 books that have contributed to that evolution.
I am doing this list in the order that I read them, as opposed to a true countdown 5-1 type of list, since it's really just too difficult to label some better than others, but the first book on this list has to be, you guessed it, "Fight Club".
"Fight Club" is what really got me interested in reading. I read as a child, but as a teenager I couldn't care less about reading, but man Chuck Palahniuk really got a hold of me with this book, and I know he got you guys as well, considering Chuck may have been the stepping stone that started our friendships (outside of FIJI). Without "Fight Club" I wouldn't have begun my journey into reading, or discovered that I had this ability to create scenes in my head like I am watching it on screen. As I continue to read the works of Chuck Palahniuk, I found myself branching out to other Authors, but the first book that really made me feel that I was evolving as a reader was "Cat's Cradle"
"Cat's Cradle" is a fantastic piece of of Fiction, by fellow Hoosier Kurt Vonnegut. "Breakfast of Champions" was actually the first book of his that I read, and "Time Quake" was the first that I owned, but Cradle was the first that spoke to me and made really look forward to reading works from other authors. It was like Chuck had the ability to make you think, but Kurt had the ability to make you question what you were thinking, even though he already told you what was going on. He had this ability to make you feel like you could read anything, but I didn't actually KNOW I could read anything until I read "Shogun".
"Shogun" was my first test as a reader. Just looking at the book in paperback, and knowing how small the font is, and that it is still upwards of 1300 pages was just frightening! So the key was to just buckle down and open the front cover and start reading. Instantly Clavell transported me into history and into the mind John Blackthorne (Anjin-San) and Japanese culture back in the 17th century. The story was amazing, the characters were intense and it was the first book that I was so enamored with that I couldn't get scenes from the book out of my head. While reading it, I actually felt like I was a part of 17th century Japan. "Shogun" made me feel like I could read anything, but at this point in my evolution, I started to realize that my quest for a good story wasn't limited to any one specific genre and I decided to go back and give myself the magic of a great story, that I was robbed of as a child, simple because I was born in the 80's. Finally I picked up "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone".
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone" gets the nod, because this is the first book that made me feel that I was never to old to escape into a completely fictional magical world. It was also the first book series that I read, which I discovered very quickly that it was something that I loved. I mean sure Vonnegut would have Kilgore Trout appear in multiple books, but there was nothing like being able to follow and grow with the same characters over time and multiple books. I used to regret that I waited to read the series, but I don't now because reading them as an adult I believe has made me enjoy them even more than I would have as a child. It has also made me appreciate young adult fiction in a way, that I don't believe I could have as an actual young adult. As a reader this series taught me one thing about what I enjoy about reading the most, which is the characters. You place an ensemble of great characters together, and a story just comes together. If you can expand the story of a characters or characters in multiples books creating a fictional universe it just gets even better! Which brings me to the last book on my list of evolution. "Heir to the Empire".
"Heir to the Empire" combined my love of Star Wars and new found love of characters and their ever expanding stories. The Star Wars Expanded Universe is so vast and ever growing that any time I am stumped on what to read next, I always feel able to go back and check on the Skywalkers and Solo's, or even check in on The Clone Wars and how the republic is doing. The universe also helped me expand on my love for all kinds of science fiction.
Although I am still evolving as a reader and continue to branch out, but for the past 13 years I believe these are the works that get credit for steering me in the direction for what I choose to read today, and to be honest the two of you should share some of that credit, because a lot of what I read early on is based on your recommendations (most of it still is). Which brings me to my question. What do you think has pushed you guys along your evolutionary path of reading?
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