Book #7 - The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This was my first stab at a "classic." I use quotation marks because I'm not sure why this novel has been dubbed a classic in the first place. Perhaps when it was first published it was a groundbreaking literary accomplishment. But reading it now, I felt it was confused writing, with no clear story line. I kept waiting for something to happen within the plot, and I feel like it never really did.

The main character, Holden Caulfield, is a confused teen who just got kicked out of another boarding school. Before facing his parents' wrath, he gallivants throughout New York City for a few days to blow off some steam. But I didn't find Holden's exploits interesting - I was bored to sleep most nights while I was trying to read this book.

There was one insight that Holden offered that I did find very poignant, especially since it was written by Salinger in the early 1950s: "If you had a million years to do it in, you couldn't rub out even half the f*&% you signs in the world." In both a literal and figurative sense, Holden is correct. There's always going to be another person who wants to flip the bird at the world, but you can't let that consume you or you'll spend your life fighting a losing battle. Instead, just make sure you're not the one sending out the F yous .

Book #6 - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

I feel like this book would be good to read when you're graduating from high school or college. The Alchemist is very inspirational, providing lessons and words of wisdom that can ignite action to follow your dreams. Perhaps it was a good choice for me now, as I'm reaching that quarter-life crisis point, wondering if every decision I make is the right one.

While reading this book, it became clear to me the Coelho's main theme was to listen to your heart and follow what it tells you. No one else can dictate your dreams, which I feel like is something that gets forgotten when trying to please your parents, your friends or your boss.

There were two main passages that I think everyone, myself included, should cling to when not just making big decisions, but throughout day-to-day life. The first is: "Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own." It's so easy to judge others and tell them what to do and how to act. Ask my friends - I am notorious for being judgmental. But I hate it when people are judgmental of me. So, I'm trying to live these word's of Coelho; in essence, worry about yourself, and leave everyone else alone.

The other lesson that is extremely valuable from The Alchemist is: "The world's greatest lie is that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what's happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate." This was a hard one to swallow because I've always been a firm believer in 'everything happens for a reason.' But that seems like a cop out at times. Instead of taking control of your destiny, you chalk up your failures as being unavoidable. If the hero in this novel, Santiago, would have given up when he met his first challenge, he never would have fulfilled his personal legend. I think Santiago needs to serve as an example - although it's tough to keep moving forward when life gives us lemons, you need to persevere long enough to make the lemonade.

Book #5 - The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

It's strange. When you're getting married, it seems that the majority of your focus is on planning the actual wedding: what flowers you'll use, what dresses your bridesmaids will wear, what the guests will eat and drink. Essentially, you stress over ever single detail...except the marriage.

As someone who's getting married, I never really thought of what it would be like to be a wife. Sure I've been a girlfriend and a fiancee, but what it would be like to be someone's wife hasn't really crossed my mind all that much (sorry Troy). That is, until I started reading The Time Traveler's Wife.

In this novel, Henry is a time traveler. He begins visiting Clare when she is six-years-old, and his visits are a huge part of her life. Eventually they meet in Henry's present, and get married. But being married, to a time traveler, or to anyone for that matter, isn't always easy.

Not only does Clare have to worry that Henry will disappear to another "time" every moment of their lives, she's also concerned with his safety while he's gone, and whether or not he'll ever return. Although this book is fiction, and I know that my fiance is not a time traveler, it still spoke about the partnership, love and respect that encompasses a marriage.

Yes, being married is about the fun stuff and growing old together, but this book points out that it's also about much more than that - being committed to each through the good and bad, and not giving up when things get difficult.

You know, the stuff people promise in their vows.

To quote a great movie, (ahem, Wedding Crashers) in order to really make it work, you need to weather both blue skies and squalls. You need to work together and at the end of every day, never forget to love.

Book #4 - The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening by L.J. Smith

So this fall, I began watching the new series, "The Vampire Diaries" on the CW. I love, love, love Twilight, so I figured vampires + teenage angst = masterpiece.

The show has been entertaining enough, so I decided to read the first book in The Vampire Diaries book series as part of my challenge. Poor L.J. Smith. Stephanie Meyer totally ripped off his idea. Granted there are some differences, but the basic premise is the same - a smoldering, attractive male vampire poses as a teenager at a high school, where the beautiful girl he can't resist, Elena, pursues him. Elena first thinks Stefan hates her because Stefan can't stand to be around her. Eventually they get together, he tells her his secret, and chaos ensues. Sound familiar?

The Awakening was much better written, and in my opinion is more age-appropriate for the young adult readers it's intended for than Twilight. Don't get me wrong - if it came down to Team Edward or Team Stefan, I'd still side with Cullen, for sure. The story was engaging, but I'm not dying to read the next installment, as I was with New Moon. But if you have a weekend, I would definitely recommend picking up this book.

Book #3 - I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

I don't even know where to begin describing this book and the author, Tucker Max. He is craaaaaazy. I don't know if I even knew someone as crazy as him in college, and at times, my college could get wildly out of control. This book, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, contains some of the most outrageous stories, stories I couldn't make up in my wildest dreams.

Most of Max's chapters include a lot of drinking, a lot of sex and a lot of random girls. At times I was honestly embarrassed to be laughing, afraid that the person next to me at Starbucks would know I was chuckling at Max and his extremely inappropriate tales.

I would go into detail, but I'm pretty sure my grandmother keeps tabs on this blog, so there's no need to shock her. But if you're okay with cussing, sexual explicit descriptions and promiscuity, I would definitely read this book. Although many would call me a prude, or even a goody-goody, I laughed out loud at Tucker Max and all of his antics. I can't wait for the film version to be released on DVD in January, and to be laughing uncomfortably at "Tucker Max Drunk" once again.

Book #2 - The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

My reaction to reading this book was similar to how I felt after I saw the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" the first time. Everyone had been telling me how great it was, how amazing and enjoyable they found it. When you build something up that much, it's often impossible to meet the high expectations.

Had I not heard all the buzz about Randy Pausch's The Last Lecture, I think I would have been able to enjoy the lessons in the book, and not just the sentiment of it, a bit more. Pausch is a young father who is terminally ill with pancreatic cancer, and he uses his last lecture, and eventually this book, to share his insights about life not just for readers but mainly for his three young children.

A coworker told me before reading that this book was a balance of ego and humility. At times I had trouble seeing beyond the ego. But Pausch had some thoughtful words threaded between his tales of personal and professional successes. The one that resonated with me the most was the idea that you cannot have rights without responsibility. Whether those are social rights, inherent personal rights or just rights that accompany being an adult, you need to be cognizant of how you use them and the impact they can have on others.

Sadly, Pausch passed away, and I have yet to watch the online video of his last lecture that inspired this book. But his idea of leaving a lasting legacy, whether it's one simply for your family or one with a much larger impact or purpose. is one to think about. Pausch is right that you never know what tomorrow will bring, so you need to start living today.

Book #1 - The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum

I just finished the first book of the project, The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum, which falls into my recommended reading category. It was suggested to me by fiance, and I think it's the only book he's ever read recreationally in his adult life, so I decided if he enjoyed it, so could I.

This book was much better than the movie. Entirely different, but still so much better. In the novel, an assassin, Jason Bourne, loses his memory and is trying to figure out who he is. He's struggling with reconciling his own instincts about his past with what he's learned about himself from fragmented memories and outside sources. While I was reading, I decided that this could be one of the worst things that could happen to a person: losing your past and struggling through the present, all while being unsure if you can even have a future.

In the end of the novel, Jason uncovers the truth about himself (which took him until the third movie to do) and he's able to begin rebuilding his life. It made me realize that life is best experienced one moment and one day at a time. Even though Jason Bourne was unable to live his life any differently, it allowed him to rediscover who he was.

Although I'm not an amnesiac, or an assassin, I am similar to Jason Bourne. At twenty-four years old, and albeit safely within the confines of my own little world, I too am figuring out who I am with each day and each moment that passes.

The start of a year long journey...

A coworker told me about this project: try reading 100 books in a year and blog about the experience. And not just any 100 books. Try following a specific breakdown of genres, AND keep the pace of finishing a book every three days.

I thought, "Hey, I don't have any kids. I'm not in school. I can totally do this."

So I'm embarking on this year long journey of literary exploration, along with my friend Roxanne and my Aunt Kelli. I researched the project online, and switched up the quantities a little bit to better suit my tastes. Plus, I don't think I've ever read a romance or graphic novel in my life, and the thought of expanding my repertoire is both exciting and challenging. Here is my breakdown:

• 15 suggested books - I'm taking suggestions from friends, family, coworkers, etc. Please feel free to share your thoughts about the books I should be reading.
• 15 Classics - I have a degree in English Literature, but I have yet to read a LOT of the classics. So I'm hoping this project will give me the push to read some of the great novels I've always wanted to read.
  
• 15 Books Adapted to Film - I've always been a firm believer that the book is always better than the movie.
  
• 10 Non-fiction - This is a genre I really don't touch for recreational reading. But I'm hoping to reignite the intellectual fire within. And, if I toss in a wedding etiquette book or two, it will surely help this year's other project, as well.
  
• 10 Biographies/Autobiographies - I'm very excited about this category; I hope to be inspired by others' stories and use their examples to improve mine.
  
• 5 Historical Fiction - My first book in this category is going to be Gone With the Wind. Beyond that, I'm open to suggestions.
  
• 5 Mysteries - Another genre I don't read often, but I'm the hoping the page-turners will help me keep up the pace.
  
• 5 Oprah's Book Club - Although she took back the seal, I'm still classifying A Million Little Pieces by James Frey as one of O's picks. I've got to support my fellow Denisonian.
  
• 5 Young Adult/Children's - I love young adult fiction - Twilight, Harry Potter, you name it.
  
• 4 Fantasy - I feel these next two are nearly interchangeable, but again, they're both genres I don't usually read.
  
• 4 Science Fiction - The only requirement here is that I read a Star Trek novel in honor of my dad.
  
• 3 Graphic Novels - Other than Watchmen, I don't think I even know the title of another graphic novel. Suggestions are strongly encouraged.
  
• 2 Romance - Hopefully I can read something extremely smutty - bonus points if Fabio is on the cover.
  
• 2 Wild Cards - Lastly, I'm going to read two books that I really want to read, that don't fit into any another category.

I'm headed to the library this week to pick up my first round of reading, and I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress.

xoxo,
JKG