Challenge: 50 Books discussion

47) Myra Breckinridge by Gore Vidal
Witty, amusing and irreverent; not as shocking as the cover announced (forty years have taken care of that) and not literature of the highest level, but entertaining nonetheless.

48) Shirley by Charlotte Brontë
This book is very long, and sometimes it seems to drift away from the main storyline (if there is one). It says in the backcover that it's a novel less about characters than about the way social and historical changes affect individual lives, and I think that description's fairly accurate. Probably the most interesting thing about this novel is the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, the Luddite movement and the first effects of large-scale industrialization, not to mention the limited role women were allowed to play in the making of the decisions that would affect their lives.
I particularly liked to learn that the main two characters, Caroline and Shirley, were based on Charlotte's sisters, Anne and Emily, who died during the writing of the novel.

49) Love Songs by Sara Teasdale
A beautiful collection of poems on the subject of love, sorrow, experience, wisdom and loss. Teasdale was really superb.

50) Rabbit, Run by John Updike
Loved this book! None of the characters are absolutely likeable. You do want to slap them sometimes. But I could relate to an extent to Rabbit's fantasy of walking out of his life and starting afresh, even if other people have to pay the consequences. The ending is fascinating.

51) Balthazar by Lawrence Durrell
I am starting to get the gist of The Alexandria Quartet. This book really throws more light on the characters in Justine, and introduces a different point of view on events narrated in the first one, making the story more tridimensional, and also commenting interestingly on the role of the writer and his relationship with the "truth"

52) Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Man, how I love Steinbeck! He is such a compelling writer. This story is absolutely heartbreaking, and the character of Lennie, unforgettable.

53) Nostromo by Joseph Conrad
This book was a real surprise for me. It's like reading Garcia Marquez 50 years before and written by a British author! Conrad's depiction of Sulaco and Costaguana (albeit some geographical and linguistic mistakes) could very well fit many South American states, especially those of the Caribbean. Not to mention the political situation (local aristocracy backed up by foreign capital vs. the lower classes of aboriginal origin) which is so sadly familiar to all Latin Americans. It also includes some of the most memorable characters I have come across.

54) The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Last book of the year!! The wonderful story of two generations of women, their differences, misunderstandings and deep, unbreakable connections. Made me cry at the end. Simply wonderful.
Well, I managed to fulfill the challenge! I thought I wouldn't make it, the way I started! I hope to read a little more and at a better pace next year. See you in 2012!!