LORD OF THE RINGS: JRR TOLKIEN
FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
TWO TOWERS
RETURN OF THE KING
Ya, it's dated, racist, and kinda gay but it's classic. I Started reading it when I was a kid and now I try to read it or the Hobbit once a year. There are some really beautiful lessons in there about mercy , forgiveness, loyalty and responsibility.
It makes me want to have kids just so I can read it to them. If you haven't read it by now, maybe you never will, but don't think watching the movies is any kind of replacement. As enjoyable as they were.....they kinda sucked.
If someone claims to have read it and you think they haven't, start talking about Sharky and the Scouring of the Shire at the end. They'll have no idea what the fuck your on about.....
THE SNOPES TRILOGY: WILLIAM FAULKNER
THE HAMLET
THE TOWN
THE MANSION
Faulkner is my my all time favourite author. These books are crazy. It's a hell of a commitment and if you haven't read him before DO NOT start with this. Faulkner is legendary for prosy, run-on, stream of consciousness style sentences which become paragraphs and then pages. Sometimes you just have to read blind, try to absorb and then later on you get what he was talking about.
This trilogy is the epic tale of the Snopes family in fictional Yoknapawtha county in Mississipi. It traces their rise from conniving scam artist poor white trash hustlers to conniving scam artist rich white trash hustlers. There is just so much in here. Poorly done murder, cow-love, peep shows, theiving, mule murder, the dawn of the automobile, suicide, a porno theatre, fires, race relations, southern philosophy.....and on and on. So good and ahead of its time.
THE BORDER TRILOGY: CORMAC McCARTHY
ALL THE PRETTY HORSES
THE CROSSING
CITIES ON THE PLAIN
Most depressing cowboy stories ever, but amazing adventures. I've only read this once but I can't wait to go back. It's kind of about following your inner cowboy by running away from home to Mexico. All the Pretty Horses follows a pair of 16 year olds as they get in all kinds of shit across the border as they learn how to be cowboys. The Crossing is a story about a boy and his younger brother crossing in to Mexico. Its a tragic tale about a boy and his wolf and life in all its horrific cheapness. Its stark and beautiful and surreal, an adventure story for boys you would never want to read to your sons.
Cities on the Plain is the story of both boys after they're grown working together on a ranch. It's the end of the cowboy way of life and it's clear that these guys just can't make it in a modern world. There is a love story with a Mexican whore that goes all wrong (of course) and tons more depressing shit, but McCarthy's writing is so rich and evocative you can't put it down.
