Here at 70 proof, we like to make lists. Why? Because we can. Plus, you know, they come in handy at the liquor store or when trying to remember symptoms.
The list of our favorite books should serve as a trusty guide to all readers. Choosing just 10 is extremely difficult, but the selected titles pretty much define 70 proof. What does it take to make the list? Well, start with depression, mix in some unrequited love, and toss with a generous amount of alcohol dependency. Stir. Shake. Stir again. Serve on a plate of existential angst. Nice.
And keep in mind, this is only an exhibition. This is not a competition. So please, as always, no wagering.
(updated 08.13.06)
It's hard to believe the top ten hasn't been updated in almost a year. Only one new book, "The Possessed," makes the cut this time, as Dostoevsky continues to dominate the charts.
1. "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky: The story of Fyodor Pavlovitch Karamazov and his three sons, Dmitri, Ivan, and Alexey, illustrates the true nature of man and examines the confounding enigma of existence. Hurrah for Karamazov.
2. "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald: It's all about love, dreams, obsession, and trying to relive the past. While the embodiment of the Jazz Age, the themes make it as fresh today as it was when it first saw print in 1925.
3. "Notes from Underground" by Fyodor Dostoevsky: "I am a sick man. I am a spiteful man... I am an unattractive man." Thus begins this glorious tale of isolation and personal torment.
4. "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky: What value has life? Murder is a good way to find out. Philosophy and the artistic soul are pitted againt the cold harshness of reality. And if you're scoring at home, reality remains undefeated.
5. "The Possessed" by Fyodor Dostoevsky: Set in 1860s Russia, this tale of political revolutionaries highlights the existential angst of man and introduces such memorable characters as the great Nikolay Vsyevolodovitch Stavrogin. Contains some of the most profound philosophical prose ever captured in print.
6. "Tommy and Grizel" by J.M. Barrie: Tommy can't help being sentimental. He's a hopeless romantic, lost in a world of imagined possibilities, completely unable to function as a mature adult or return the love of the one woman desperate to save him. It's an astonishingly well-written book, far too clever to go on being ignored.
7. "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin: A young woman wakes up to the realization that life, despite new passions and experiences, really is quite meaningless. Find this book and read it immediately.
8. "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse: Life gets questioned along an Indian man's journey towards enlightenment. It's a work of philosophy, theory, beauty, and, above all else, thought; pure, peaceful, reflective thought.
9. "The Stranger" by Albert Camus: Hey, look! Existentialism! Common stories can reveal grand philosophies. Camus is special.
10. "Nauseau" by Jean-Paul Sartre: Existentialism is put on display when a French author discovers that the world around him, including his very existence, fills him with a dreadful sickness.
(recently bumped)
"Winesburg, Ohio" by Sherwood Anderson: The citizens of a town are revealed through short stories, often centering around failed communication. Beautifully captures the small, yet pivotal, moments in life.
"Murphy" by Samuel Beckett: Murphy was a slacker before slacking was cool. When his indifference towards life is challenged by love, things get chippy. The book also spawned the classic mantra "Providence will provide."
"The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner: Narrative and structure challenges the reader, making this story of the Compson family a masterpiece.
"The Beautiful and Damned" by F. Scott Fitzgerald: A marvelous tale of love, leisure, alcohol, and living for the moment. Each and every line of text reaches its full potential.
"Steppenwolf" by Hermann Hesse: Harry Haller finds himself alone in the world, a wolf among the common man. That's when he meets the lovely Hermine. She promises to show him all the joy life has to offer as long as he vows to obey her every command. It's a tale of faith, discovering one's true self, and dealing with the burden of reality.
"The Subterraneans" by Jack Kerouac: This is the definitive Kerouac. It's all about style. It's not the story, but how it's told. Be passionate, energetic, burn... go go go!
"The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers: Search for love and understanding in a southern town. Proves once again that the most powerful words are often the ones left unspoken.
"Under the Net" by Iris Murdoch: In Jake Donaghue's attempt to come to grips with the past, he stumbles headlong into one wacky misadventure after another. Funny, philosophical, and significant, this book has everything that 70 Proof holds dear.
"The Bridge of San Luis Rey" by Thornton Wilder: Looks at the lives of five people killed when a bridge collapses in Peru. Tackles the overwhelming mystery of life and tries to make sense of it.