Read Modern Library's 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century

Light In August

Almost as good as The Sound and the Fury. I think the only thing that was missing was the internal monologues, the characters were deep and very developed (Joe Christmas was my favorite), but it just doesn’t get into the character’s heads likes some of Faulkner’s other works do. It is a bit of an easier read, though, except for flashbacks it’s pretty chronological. I’m going to read Absalom, Absalom! within a few months, it’s not on the list, but I really like Faulkner’s work.

Animal Farm

Better than 1984 in my opinion. I didn’t like 1984 much, but I really liked this one, even if Orwell’s prose isn’t quite on par with some of the other authors on the list. I liked catching all of the references to the Russian Revolution that I could recognize, and then finding out about the ones that I didn’t recognize was a nice history lesson.

Currently Reading: Lord Jim

I can’t get into this, which is suprising since I loved Heart of Darkness. Conrad just uses a lot of annoying and long winded similies and metaphors that make it a taxing read, mabye he’ll redeem himself later.

The Postman Always Rings Twice
I wish this one was a bit longer. It was an excellent story, especially the very ironical twist of an ending, and I think a few dozen more pages could make the book more memorable.

The Catcher In the Rye
I loved this one, even if Holden did come of as a bit of an over angsty cry-baby sometimes. I especially think that the passage describing the title is especially beautiful, about the catcher in the rye who saves the children’s innocence.

Sophie’s Choice
Overwhelming. Shophie’s Choice covers such a ridiculously vast number of subjects, including the south, slavery, the holocaust, books, music, love, and so much more. The three protagonists, especially Nathan and his bipolar drug-induced rages, were very memorable and well done, and the way the book elaborates on Sophie’s story more and more kept me on the edge of my seat. My only complain on the book is the fact that it is a bit too detailed in some places that the story drags, but it’s a small price to pay for such a beautiful story.

Currently Reading: Light in August

Here’s all the novels I’ve put down in the past few months, only 79 more to go =P

As I Lay Dying – This was nowhere on par with The Sound and the Fury, I think it really only served as a little light read until I could move onto something heavier.

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter – I think this is my favorite one yet on the list, it’s beautifully written and it touches on some deep emotions. If you haven’t read this one, do it ASAP.

Darkness at Noon – I found this one to be quite engrossing, I finished it in one sitting. It’s quite a page turner and very nicely written, particularly in the last few pages of the book.

1984 – This was the same book as Darkness at Noon 0.o
(Not literally of course, but there were an overwhelming number of similarities)

Sons and Lovers – I liked this one, especially the way it ends on such a bittersweet note. I recommend it, but the conflict within the protagonist is very frustrating sometimes, which I suppose is sort of the point of the book.

U.S.A. – This one was MASSIVE! I put it down in a few months, it’s quite the page turner despite it’s length. Looking back it doesn’t even seem that long of a novel at all. My only complaint is that some of the characters can be hard to keep up with, there are a lot of them, but every one of them is well done and entertaining.

Currently Reading: The Postman Always Rings Twice

After a couple of months of slaving away I managed to finish Ulysses. It’s a great book if you’re prepared to put the effort into understanding it.

I also knocked out Brave New World, twas’ a piece of cake after reading Ulysses. I enjoyed it immensly even if the characters and plot were a bit weak.

This is quite an undertaking, but I’m only 15 so I’ve got plenty of time to do it before I kick the bucket.

Thusfar I have read:
1 THE GREAT GATSBY F. Scott Fitzgerald
2 A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN James Joyce
3 THE SOUND AND THE FURY William Faulkner
4 CATCH-22 Joseph Heller
5 THE GRAPES OF WRATH John Steinbeck
6 SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE Kurt Vonnegut
7 INVISIBLE MAN Ralph Ellison
8 LORD OF THE FLIES William Golding
9 THE MOVIEGOER Walker Percy
10 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE Anthony Burgess
11 HEART OF DARKNESS Joseph Conrad
12 THE CALL OF THE WILD Jack London

Out of all of those, I think Invisible Man was my personal favorite, though I was laughing all the way through Catch-22 and Slaughterhouse-five. At this very moment, I have approximately 50 pages to go in Lolita by Nabokov.