The starting 9

Nothing fancy now. I'm an australian student of the university of Western Sydney, and ever since I can't remember when I've read books, devoured books and otherwise found a book delicious to consume in every way.

I one day found the Time magazine's Top 100 Novels from 1923 to present and after marking off all the books I'd read (9 to start, hense the title) swore to read every novel on the list. That decision was in the spring-warm second half of 2009 and I have just breeched the 20 mark.

My aim with this blog is to give a review, however amatuerish, of each and every book on the list, in no order inparticualr other than as they take my fancy to write about them. Length will vary but all 100 must be spoken of.

My reading started with childish horrors such as Goosebumps. A fine place to start, but not to dwell in once past an adult age. Then my brother turned me onto some other books, "Good one's I swear," such as George Orwell's 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 (not on the list). His guidance would prove critical in leading me to more relevant books (I say relevant in terms of a budding writer wanting to educate themselves) but his ideas were only so-so, garnered from his own reading as opposed to that of the world. Time magazine, which I have never read, presents enough of a pedigree to convince me that have the further readings that I crave.

I am working on several of my own novel ideas right now, none of which I'll discuss here. This is best thought of as an unrequested companion piece to the list, by an amatuer who is very much into a person and their own self education. Next a direct link to the list, and then the books I had read before ever setting eyes upon it:

http://205.188.238.181/time/2005/100books/the_complete_list.html

1984, George Orwell
Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess
One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey
Lolita, Vladimir Nabakov
Animal Farm, George Orwell
Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger
The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien
Tropic of Cancer, Henry Miller
Watchmen, Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons

All big books, with bigger ideas, and a constany theme among them all -- a lack of romantised concern for the every day worries. I find this a powerful writing tool and one that strikes the loudest when considering whether a novel is "worthy of success" or not. A writer who is careful with events or characters loves them too much to sacrifice them for the story. This goes triple for Henry Miller, as he's never apologised for anything and I'm glad he never did.

Next I aim to write about the books I have read since, how I go about deciding which will be read next (50% goes into how the title takes my fancy) and a bit of fun with the contravercial choices in the list.

Thank God there is no Harry Potter.