Books That Have Messed Me Up the Most (In a Good Way) ((Part II))

It's Been Awhile

Hi again.

I've missed you.

Sorry I haven't updated this in awhile.

Please forgive me!

I have been working on a new short story (!!!) that has taken up much of my time. I've also been working on freelance writing assignments, attempting to get paid for my words here and there. I do enjoy doing freelancing, I do, but not as much as I like writing these blogs and working on short stories. I'm trying to work on the writing that I like more than the writing that I make money off of - but I do need to pay the bills. And my 1998 Ford Taurus station wagon with a semi caved-in roof and a passenger side door that barely opens is not going to last forever. 

I'm going to miss that thing.

Also, here is a picture of a book on incredibly green grass. For some reason it makes me miss summer even though it isn't completely gone yet.

You ever miss something that isn't even gone yet?

Anyways, onwards, ever onwards.

Last week I had started a list about the books that have affected me the most. This week, I will continue that list! I would love to hear if anybody has read any of these books and/or has their own that have really spoken to them. 

If not, just reading this is more than enough! Here we go.

3) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 

I know I might get a lot of flak for this choice. It is the cliche, dead-white-guy novel that people have understandably become sick of. Talked about too much, Holden Caulfield seems a bit too whiny, and nothing really happens are the common complaints that I hear about this 1951 book. 

And you know what?

I completely understand those complaints.

But that doesn't stop this book from meaning a lot to me. When I first read The Catcher in the Rye I hadn't heard any of the gripes about it. And I'm glad I hadn't. (On a different note - I think sometimes it's good to go into a book completely blind, because I know if I would have heard the criticisms my experience would have been different. Obviously I had heard about the book, but not much as I hadn't yet forayed into the literary world). 

So I went in blind. This was during the summer of 2011 when I was drinking too much, incredibly irresponsible, and hadn't quite grown into the person I am now. I would party for about a week straight, and when I was coming down, nervous, anxious, scared, the only thing that would keep me sane during that period was reading this book. 

I would sit outside in the summer heat for hours on end and read and read until I was calm enough to go about my day and attempt to be productive. 

I didn't necessarily feel like I was Holden, but I could empathize with him, and his lonely journey through the underbelly of New York City helped me through many days, until I was finally able to get my shit together. 

So that's why The Catcher in the Rye is on the list.

4) The Lover by Joy Williams 

Okay - this is kind of cheating since it's a short story rather than a novel.

But oh, it's such an amazing short story!

This was the first story I had to read for my Fiction II class at Hamline (or was it Fiction I? My memory--so terrible sometimes) and I remember being completely blown away. 

The unnamed protagonist named "the girl" goes about her days in a dreamy, warm haze and the words Williams use to describe her journey are absolutely incredible. 

There is this one part that I underlined that I was so taken by: "On Action Line, someone is saying, 'And I live by the airport, what is this that hits my house, that showers my room on takeoff? We can hear it. What is this, I demand to know! My lawn is healthy, my television reception is fine but something is going on without my consent and I am not well, my wife's had a stroke and someone stole my stamp collection and took the orchids off my trees.' The girl sips her bourbon and shakes her head." 

This was the line that got me, and I became enamored with the lush, dark beauty in many of William's stories. 

And That is All

Again, I'm sorry it took me so long to finish this list!

I will try to do better at keeping up with my goal of two posts a week.

I hope you enjoyed the list and I look forward to hearing some novels/stories that have affected you.

Now, it's time to work on my new short story.

But first, I need to research turtles.