#66. "Fetch-22" by Dav Pilkey

After eight entries over three years, the "Dog Man" series is no young pup anymore. In fact, the world that the average book inhabits continues to grow both in the scope of absurdity and deeply rooted emotional catharsis. Dav Pilkey has kept his gift for making stories presented through the lens of childlike wonder, presenting worlds that both satirize the more serious trends of modern culture (in this case police procedurals and superhero comics) and find the humanity within them. In recent entries, Pilkey has had the gift of making every story ends with a crescendo of heartwarming sadness that is surprisingly effective in use. While "Fetch-22" is largely the series' silliest book in some time, it continues the trend of finding adventure on every page, filling the reader's imagination with a world of nonsense that all seem to matter by the end. This may be one of the more overwhelming entries, but it still delivers when it needs to. 

#65. "Saturday" by Ian McEwan

A lot can happen in a day. For Ian McEwan, he took it as a challenge to explore the importance of living in a post-War on Terror world, where endless war has become the backbone of history and protagonist Henry Perowne's perfect life is about to be uplifted and changed. All it takes is a stroll through the park, one protest, surgery, and the news of a family pregnancy to fill his life with a lot to think about. While this sounds like it would make for a decent novel about the little things in life filling our hearts with meaning, McEwan isn't capable of making it into an essential novel. Instead, it's a meandering one that never gets to the big revelations that it thinks it should. It's fine as far as a day in the life stories goes, but those wanting something profound need look elsewhere.

My Wishlist of 100 Books (2019 Update)

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to celebrate the start of the Christmas season. For those who are looking to this blog and wondering "Thomas, what can we get you?" It only makes sense that Willett Reads would be dedicated to sharing all things that interest me in literature. Well, if you're one of those kind people who want to send me a book, here is a recommendation list of 100 books ranging from different genres and centuries. I am not too picky on quality of the book, save for my desire that the book not be filled with personal annotations. Beyond that, I hope that this list will help you prepare gifts that I not only want, but can often be found at a reasonable price. Click on to discover the list and where to send any comments regarding this list.

#64. "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer

 

The world of literature has been grappling with a way to discuss September 11, 2001 (The World Trade Center Attacks) for close to 20 years. While there have been certain takes that have resonated more, there has not been a definitive text yet that has rocked the zeitgeist. The closest has likely been the one with the least likely protagonist: a young boy with presumed Aspebergers searching through the five boroughs of New York for the answer to a question his deceased father left behind in the symbol of a key. What is discovered isn't so much the exploration of one child's personal grief, but an entire community coming to terms with the past both recent and long gone. The issue with Jonathan Safran Foer's text isn't its emotional ambition, but that it throws readers into the head of people both likable and downright annoying. As much as it's the story of how grief impacts us all, it also does so with an occasional cloying sense of endearment.

#63. "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

The world of detective fiction has been crowded for centuries now with authors who try to make sense of this crazy world. The greats often have an easy time making every tale into a bestseller, finding ways to tap into our shared psyche of a good reveal. However, there have been few stories that have quite the turns of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon, which starts with the murder of a dog and slowly comes to be an exploration of protagonist Christopher's personal life. It isn't just a story about crime, but one that Haddon seeks to make about understanding what goes on inside Christopher; an autistic in everything but actual wording. Few books convey the inner struggle of autism with as much clarity and empathetic wording than this, and it makes for one of the more entertaining crime books of the young century so far.

#62. "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux

The Phantom of the past 30 years isn't the one that Gaston Leroux intended when he first wrote the novel in 1911. Nowadays The Phantom is sexy, wearing a fractured opera mask to hide an acid burn. The rest of him has a swagger, embodying the physique of an attractive man with one unfortunate disability. On one hand, it works because of how tiresome applying make-up that makes him look like a demonic skull would be for every night in a big stage musical. Still, it's interesting to see how the horror has given way to camp, choosing to focus on the empathetic side of a character once revulsed because of his ugly appearance. To visit the novel a century later is to see how pop culture has (faithfully) taken the lavishness and hidden the ugliness - an irony given how the book explores and sympathizes with a man everyone sees as an ugly monster.

"The Phantom of the Opera," as a novel has a great premise in large part because it has a basis in reality. The mythology stems from a real theater (Palais Garnier in France) and a real event (a chandelier crash), creating something akin to contemporary mythology. Much like how people make up stories for why certain houses are haunted, Leroux sought to make a story about why the chandelier fell, exploring the looming presence of the "Opera Ghost" (O.G.) and how he may or may not exist. With a love story involving talented ingenue Christine Daae, the story attempts to mix historical documentation with pulp and find a way to horrify as well as sympathize with The Phantom. The results are fascinating if just because of how they differ from later adaptations. On its own, it's the myth that has the power to change public perception of Palais Garnier. It's a work of art, even if it's a bit of a silly text. 

#61. "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

On its surface, there's nothing exceptional about Louisa May Alcott's masterpiece "Little Women." From the opening chapter, the four March girls are stuck in middle-class life celebrating a Christmas that isn't all that frivolous. To some, it would be a moment to cry. For others, it's where the magic of the book begins to take hold. Together, the girls get together and find a way to make the most of this familial holiday. With an exploration of core common values, the story is an exploration of growing up and discovering the person that you're meant to be. With each of the four girls embodying a different archetype, the story shows how one grows and changes while finding ways to cohabitate with others. While some see it as a radical take on the feminism of the 19th century, it's easier to see it as the ultimate story of growing up, reflecting the childlike creativity that blooms into more mature themes. It's a simple story, but it only helps every reader to find themselves somewhere in the text. We are all young once, and few books embrace it with such joyful earnestness as this.

#60. "The Dark Tower: Part VII - The Dark Tower" by Stephen King

Despite being one of the most prolific authors in modern history, sometimes averaging three books a year, there has been nothing that has meant as much to Stephen King as his work on "The Dark Tower" series. To general audiences, it's hard to see why given how deep it dives into complex fantasy, mixing genres and styles with a lexicon all its own. The central figure is a gunslinger named Roland, but his partners come from different "when's" and the journey features diversions to different "where's." Considering that the first book started as a compilation of short stories, it would be difficult to get new audiences on board without some forward. Still, what it presents is one of the ultimate visions of King as an author: passionate about everything in literature and pop culture, and yes... this does include himself.

So to get to the end of the saga isn't easy, in part because of a notorious car crash that plays heavily into the book's plot. There weren't any guarantees that King would be alive to make this novel possibly. By that measure, this is the ultimate miracle in fantasy literature. However, the love that this novel will get is based on how much King's best and worst literary tendencies annoy you. Following a muddled book in "The Song of Susannah," "The Dark Tower" starts with the feeling like the world is going to end, and it only builds to the harrowing conclusion. However, where the other novels took years and decades to appear, there's a rushed sense, even at a thousand pages, that comes with a finale. Much like everything else, endings aren't one of King's strong suits. Still, the road there is just as exciting as it is befuddling. 

#59. "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

In the case of most war stories, there is violence caused by enlisting in the military and going overseas. While it's true that John Knowles' "A Separate Peace" ends with the characters finally being old enough to join, the majority of the 200 pages don't have a single bomb dropped. There is no great outbreak that directly impacts the characters. What Knowles chooses to focus on instead is the childlike wonder that slowly gets deconstructed because of what is unseen. The book is about friendships that end because of one mistake, reflecting a counterpoint to war that is itself just as heartbreaking as any battlefield. The story may be small by nature, but the emotions that fly through the book are real, managing to capture youthful angst that informs the rest of the characters' lives, long after the final chapter has finished. It's a touching book and one that proves that you don't have to be fighting in a war to have it impact you on a subconscious level.

#58. "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

It is safe to say that there haven't been too many writers like Kurt Vonnegut. Even when he tackles war as evident in "Slaughterhouse-Five," he doesn't choose to go an entirely conventional way. His approach involves alien invasions and time travel in a way that flies at breakneck speed, finding the audience jumping around a group of colorful characters lead by Billy Pilgrim. Long-time readers will likely remember figures like Kilgore Trout who make cameos in the book, adding to the strange texture of the novel. Still, with his own spin on war Vonnegut finds a way to turn the subject on its head, finding the ultimate sci-fi approach to PTSD and the feeling of regret that comes with it. Even at its most abstract, it's one of the most profound looks through satire that have ever been put to the page. 

#57. "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy

Ever since its release in 1869, "War and Peace" has been considered the greatest novel in world literature, if just for its daunting size. While this has created an ordeal as to whether it's an easy or enjoyable read, what Leo Tolstoy's story proves to those willing to travel through its 1,300 pages is that it isn't just about war and peace. It's about the very fabric of humanity of Russian society at war with France, making the violence feel frightening even as it presents small moments of kindness amid the blood. It's a novel that's as much about history as it is deconstructing its true meaning of why certain figures like Napoleon Buonaparte and Tsar Alexander I rise to fame remembered centuries later. Tolstoy isn't just an obsessive when it comes to the minutiae of 500+ characters, it's about the ethos and logos behind them. Why is it considered the greatest novel ever written? It's probably because it says everything that needs to be said about being alive. You don't need to have been alive in the 19th century to appreciate this book, you simply need to open your heart. 

#56. "Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls" by Dav Pilkey

The world of Dav Pilkey has been pretty sweet in the past few years. With his flagship series "Captain Underpants" now over 20 years old, it's strange to note how popular his work still is. Then again, nobody would expect the breakout spin-off series "Dog Man" to be nearly the hit that it now is (there is even a stage musical of it now). With seven books out, the series explores the misadventures of someone who is half dog, half-man, and all hero! The world only continues to grow into something stranger and more exciting as the supporting cast grows from initial villain Petey to feature adorable clones and henchmen shrunk to the size of fleas. "For Whom the Ball Rolls" continues to expand the absurd world in creativity while also establishing a deeper sense of purpose of characters. For a story featuring a superhero that eats nothing but cupcakes, the final results are rather touching.

#55. "Breakfast of Champions" by Kurt Vonnegut

There haven't been any writers like Kurt Vonnegut. Many have imitated him, but only he knew how to make a satire that explored American capitalism and indulgence in such absurd and simple language. With "Breakfast of Champions," he created a text that was audacious in spite of its soporific formatting as it explored a world where humanity was now mostly robots and the two people who navigated the world noticed the crumbling world around them. What the book lacks incoherent plot, it more than makes up for with an entertaining look into madness, finding Vonnegut exploring just what it means to be an artist, and how the world's miseries shouldn't keep him from trying to produce art.

#54. "The Last Picture Show" by Larry McMurtry

As one of the most acclaimed authors of the 20th century, Larry McMurtry had a gift for capturing life in the midwest. While best known for his western "Lonesome Dove," he has done more contemporary stories, though they might as well be set in the old west. "The Last Picture Show" takes place in Thalia, which is a town that is on the verge of becoming a ghost town and those who stay behind may waste away into obscurity. The story follows a group of teenagers who not only try to make the most of their small community, but it's also one about trying to get out and enjoy the best of life. It's full of humor and intimacy, capturing youth in all its acne-scarred glory. While it may be a bit meandering and lacking when compared to the Peter Bogdanovich film, it still manages to capture small-town life in a way that's unique and powerful at its best moments.

#53. "The Dark Tower: Song of Susannah" by Stephen King

The legacy of Stephen King in real life has been just as curious as that on the page. As one of the most successful authors of the late-20th century, he's formed a memorable personality. He's been candid about his work and the adaptations of his work that he dislikes (I'm looking at you, The Shining) to the point that it's all part of the lore. Along with this news, it makes sense then why "The Dark Tower: Song of Susannah" has an ominous quality over it. The lengthy magnum opus spanning over 30 years has existed largely in the realm of fantasy until the infamous car crash that almost took from him his life and chance to complete his text. While this is the second written since that fateful day, it's the first that feels truly rooted in a self-conscious need to complete his vision, which just so happens to literally include him. It's a messy book that feels more like a set-up than a fulfilling entry, and it doesn't bode well for what's left in his story. This is the point where The Dark Tower begins to quiver and separate audiences. It's a divisive decision, but a bold and fascinating one nonetheless.

#52. "The Crying of Lot 49" by Thomas Pynchon

If the point of writing is to find deeper meaning about the human condition, then Thomas Pynchon's novella "The Crying of Lot 49" fails. It's a detective story in search of discovering a mysterious postage company only to discover that, maybe, it is all a delusion. As one of the premiere voices of the postmodernist movement, Pynchon has created some of the most provocative, confusing stories and it never gets more odd than here, where everything means something and nothing at the same time. It's one of the greatest works of fiction, leaving the reader with plenty to think about as they discover more details that will either make the story greater or them more likely to become a conspiracy theorist.

#51. "Don Quixote" by Miguel de Cervantes

If one wanted to understand the history of literature in a single novel, it begins and ends with Miguel de Cervantes' epic "Don Quixote," which was written in two parts and published in 1605 and 1615. The noble "knight" is known as the man who fought windmills thinking that they were giants, but there's so much more to the story than that. It's a satire of Spanish romance novels where heroes fought dragons and had grandiose adventures that would capture the audiences' affection. What Cervantes strove for was to deconstruct this mythology while creating a book that not only commented on the futility of the genre, but the lingering success of "Don Quixote" in literature. In many ways, it's the postmodern novel written over 350 years before it became a popular genre. It's an incredible feat made all the more impressive by the fact that underneath it all, Don Quixote isn't all that incredible of an individual. The journey he goes on is one that continues to captivate audiences and inspire imitations but alas, nobody did it better than Cervantes.

#50. "Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild" by Dav Pilkey

The legacy of Dog Man is one that's full of confusion. It's a spin-off written by characters in the "Captain Underpants" franchise that has slowly developed a bigger heart than its origins suggest. Written by "George and Harold" (but actually by Dav Pilkey), the stories have chronicled their maturity as they discover classic literature and learn how to grow as writers. As stories geared at children, it's a pretty ingenious evolution and one that adds pathos to the talking animals that inhabit this world. With the latest entry, "Brawl of the Wild," the series breaks from recent tradition and goes for an extremely silly story. Sure, there's lessons by the end about loving each other, but there's more jokes than heart here, and that's perfectly fine.