#28. "Dog Man and Cat Kid" by Dav Pilkey

It's safe to say that after four installments, "Dog Man" is easily the most successful "Captain Underpants" spin-off to date. But what about a creature with a dog's head and a man's body is so attractive to literature? It could be that it's a satirical take on police procedural and superhero tropes alike, but it could just be that Dav Pilkey lucked out in creating one of his strongest universes, even if it exists within the mind of his beloved George and Harold. Sure, the animation is crude and sometimes the jokes are more blunt than thought out, but it's a world of childlike wonder the likes of which Pilkey hasn't obtained since the days of Professor Poopypants. Here, he finds a story that not only satirizes the moral struggle of heroes, but Hollywood in general. The boys have gotten older, and now their love of movies is beginning to impact their work.

#27. "Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties" by Dav Pilkey

Author Dav Pilkey had an impressive 2017 with the movie adaptation of his beloved Captain Underpants, which was met with plenty of acclaim. However, his recent output with spin-off Dog Man has been even more interesting, especially as it's a view from Pilkey but of his enfant terribles George and Harold, who have graduated to the fifth grade and now have a deeper and more mature stance on comic book culture. So, how do they apply that to their own creation? Well, "Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties" is a book that manages to mix in juvenile humor with a growing emotional subtext and a series of pop culture references that are fun and irreverent. The mythology of this series is unexpectedly rich, and with this book Pilkey and the boys may have outdone himself.

#26. "Different Seasons" by Stephen King

The one issue that could be lobbied against Stephen King is that some of his stories tend to be a little too long. For instance, his most iconic books ("IT," "The Stand," etc.) fall somewhere in the quadruple digits and may have some excisable material. It's generally why his short stories collections are usually a breath of fresh air, and few have achieved that quite like "Different Seasons." Even if they're not his shortest short stories, they feature arguably two of his most iconic works ("Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" and "The Body") as well as two perverse secondary works ("Apt Pupil" and "The Breathing Method"). While one could argue that his other anthologies collect more great short stories, there's definitely not one that is as effective and succinct in capturing the genius behind the author quite like this one, which explores empathy and horror in equal measure, adding new wrinkles to the King of Horror's overall reputation.

#25. "The Disaster Artist" by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell

The idea of a movie being "so bad it's good" is a concept that's been around almost since the dawn of the format. It's the concept that a film can have a certain level of incompetence, yet still maintain a charm usually saved for the scholarly movies where every detail has been pondered over. In the short existence of the 21st century, director Tommy Wiseau's The Room has been hailed as "the greatest worst movie ever made," and for good reason. However, it's not just a bad movie. It's a work of art, and writers Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell create a surreal vision of Wiseau's inability to be a master filmmaker, jumping between sympathy and animosity almost every other paragraph. It's a humorous read, but what makes it an effective piece to The Room's cult-like mythology is that even when acknowledging the problems, Sestero still loves Wiseau and "The Disaster Artist" is a story of an unlikely friendship.

#24. "Insomnia" by Stephen King

Stephen King has made a career out of scaring audiences with tales so disturbing that they can keep you up at night. But what about the author himself? "Insomnia" is a story that was written during the author's own insomnia and feels just as neurotic as someone suffering through long and confusing nights. The story in a lot of ways captures odd obsessions with Greek mythology as well as King's own The Dark Tower series, of which this book overlaps with significantly in the final stretch. It's a book for loyal readers who spend countless hours toiling over consistency and details. However, it's a tough read for those not ready for long and winding stories with confusing tangents and a world that reflects the author taking big risks in his prose and producing one of his oddest books yet.

#23. "The Talented Mr. Ripley" by Patricia Highsmith

Nowadays, author Patricia Highsmith is known best as the author of "The Price of Salt," which is a romance novel that explores a lesbian relationship. The book was full of fluttering prose and elegance, reflecting a romanticism that was equally mysterious. It's likely why her follow-up, "The Talented Mr. Ripley," manages to be one of the classiest mystery books of its era. With a memorable character that spawned "The Ripliad," Highsmith captured an upper class sensibility to the drama with debonair protagonist Thomas Ripley. With a story journeying around Europe, the novel manages to excel at being riveting even at its most mundane, creating the sense that these characters are fun to hang around with. It may not be her greatest book, but it works as a pulpy novel full of similar intimacy and adventure.

My Wishlist of 100 Books

Now that Halloween 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.