Random Rants: Ten life-impacting books

I was tagged by a friend this week in the Facebook thing going around that asks you to name 10 books that had a big effect on you. I don’t usually participate in those sorts of things, but I thought this was an interesting question.

If you know me, you know that when you ask me about books that have affected me in some way, I can’t just give you a title. I must provide some sort of explanation. So, knowing that would go way beyond the average Facebook post, I decided to do it here instead, where I’d have all the room I need.
Of course, staying  true to my metal roots, my list goes to 11.

Feel free to add your own books in the comments, too.

1. "Green Eggs and Ham," by Dr. Seuss. I chose this one, but it could have been any of Dr. Seuss’ books. They were read to me from a young age by my mother, then I read them over and over on my own. When my son was born, I read them to him almost from birth. Without Theodor Geisel, I would not have the love of reading that I do today. He has to be No. 1.

Tell-Tale Thoughts: An Introduction

"True! Nervous, very very dreadfully nervous I had been and am, but why will you say that I am mad?"

There are few phrases in the English language that have had the kind of impact on my life that one did.

I was in fourth grade, and while I was a regular reader, most of the stuff that I read wasn't very good -- TV show tie-in novels and the like. While on a trip to visit my aunt and uncle in southern Louisiana, I happened upon a shrink-wrapped package of three classics aimed at young readers. The one that caught my eye was an abridged version of "Moby Dick." Much to my chagrin, I have to admit that, to this day, I have never finished that novel.

It was another book in the package, though, that changed my world. "Tales of Mystery and Terror" by Edgar Allan Poe, a collection of four short stories -- "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Cask of Amontillado," "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Gold Bug."

Review: "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson

Ahh, now here's a horror classic.

It's been years since I first read this book, but I was inspired to pick it up again after seeing the recent Hollywood butchery of it.

Unlike Hollywood's version which relied on a huge special effects budget and a storyline that at times had nothing to do with the actual book, the terror in "The Haunting of Hill House," doesn't really come from the ghosts of the house. Instead, Jackson does a great job of building a sense of foreboding through the first half of the book, then she jumps into the tortured mind of Eleanor for the grand finale.

Jackson does a much better job than Hollywood of creating a sense of unease. But what else is new? We all know there's no such thing as a movie adaptation that's faithful to the novel, and most of us have come to expect movies of our favorite books to be bad.

I think another imporant thing to mention is the house itself. Jackson's Hill House is not the lavish, gorgeous mansion of the movie. Instead, it's a more fitting place for the story -- an ugly place with wrong angles and austere furnishings.

If you've never read "The Haunting of Hill House," you need to. I'd have to say that it's one of the defining novels of early horror. If you're expecting a print version of the movie, you'll be sadly disappointed. But, by the same token, if you were disappointed with the film, don't let that turn you off of the book. It's worth the read.

Review: "Something Wicked This Way Comes" by Ray Bradbury

Another trip down memory lane. A while back, I revisited "Farenheit 451" and "The October Country," now I stop at the carnival.

The carnival rolls into a small Illinois town in the dead of night, carrying a dark secret. Two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, set out to discover all the secrets of the Cooger and Dark Pandemonium Show and get more than they bargained for. Now they have to dodge Mr. Dark, while trying to save the town from the temptations of the carnival.

Regardless of what Bradbury writes, he does it well. I still say his best works comes when he walks on the dark side, though. A sense of foreboding, a feeling of evil permeates the story. Bradbury is a master at it.

Not only that, but his characterization is top-notch as usual. Everyone knows, or perhaps was, a kid like Will or Jim. As far as the nasty characters go, Bradbury is able to make them dark and fascinating, yet still very believable.

Bottom line: This is one of those books that I think should be required reading for everyone. Bradbury is a master storyteller and this is one of his best.

Review: "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury

This is the first installment of the little nostalgia trip I've been on lately.

It's been a long time since I first picked this book up in junior high for a book report, but the years have not changed the impact it has on me.

If anything, this book had a more profound effect on me this time around, because I'm older and can see deeper into it. It's almost chilling when you look around at the world we live in now and compare it to the world of this book. The low price we put on human life and the gradual disappearance of some personal rights play right into the plot of this book, and I know that when I turn on the television, a lot of the programs I see remind me an awful lot of the "family".

Another thing that really brought the similarities home was a discussion I had online with someone about the book while I was re-reading it. The person told me he felt the book was boring and not worth the paper it was printed on. When I asked the person to elaborate, I was told that it needed more action. What this person described as how the book should have been presented was basically like a television show. At first I was amused that the person had completely missed the point, then after some thought it kind of scared me.

Some of the things in this book just sent a chill down my spine that wasn't there the first time around. That's not to say I think we are, or will ever be, in a society like the one Bradbury envisions, but still it's definitely something worth thinking about.

This book should be required reading for everyone.