karatetentacles

1. Huck Finn -- Mark Twain
2. A Farewell To Arms -- Ernest Hemmingway
3. The Great Gatsby -- F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. Scarlet Fever -- Maureen Johnson
5. The Raw Shark Texts -- Steven Hall
6. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao -- Junot Díaz
7. Paper Towns -- John Green
8. High Fidelity -- Nick Hornby
9. The Time Traveler's Wife -- Audrey Niffeneger

currently reading:
about a boy -- nick hornby
rejoice -- mcsweeney's
new american voices 2009 (I know: still.)

up next:
the frog king -- adam davies
will grayson, will grayson -- john green
giraffes? giraffes! -- dr. and mr. doris hagis-on-whey

----------

This time last year, I was busting my ass in Pulsinelli's class.

This time last year, I started to realize the true meaning of books and literature and reading and writing.

This time last year, I was doing BEDA, full-fledged.

Aww, this time last year Al Pal started following me on twitter and reading my blog and became my friend. Love ya, buddy.

Aww, this time last year omegle was a big thing! How precious.

April was a big month for me last year. I'm glad BEDA was around to document it. This year, not so much. I've been sleeping a lot, due to stress, etc.

So this blog isn't about you, Reader. It's about me. And seeing how I've grown and changed and all that. Which is true for everything I do: vlogs, writings, whatever. I mean, it's not a diary, because it's not always about my mushy gushy feelings or any of that. I'm not as open as I'd like to be on the internet, but I'm not as closed off, either.

I don't know. I need to do my homework more.

SOPHOMORE YEAR
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close

SUMMER BOOKS
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it

JUNIOR YEAR
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun
35. an encyclopedia of an ordinary life
36. the key to the golden firebird
37. the wild things
38. the crucible
39. god bless you, dr. kevorkian
40. grapes of wrath
41. the mismeasure of man
42. v for vendetta
43. the scarlet letter
44. hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy
45. catching fire
46. spanking watson
47. how I became stupid

SOPHOMORE YEAR
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close

SUMMER BOOKS
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it

JUNIOR YEAR
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun
35. an encyclopedia of an ordinary life
36. the key to the golden firebird
37. the wild things
38. the crucible
39. god bless you, dr. kevorkian
40. grapes of wrath
41. the mismeasure of man
42. v for vendetta
43. the scarlet letter
44. hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy

to read:
44.5. hp5
45. hp6
45.5. hp7
46. some other .5 book
47. walk in the woods
48. catching fire
49. the restaurant at the end of the universe
50. life, the universe, and everything
51. so long and thanks for all the fish
52. mostly harmless

I'll probably end the year with my potters.

1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun
35. an encyclopedia of an ordinary life
36. the key to the golden firebird
37. the wild things
38. the crucible
39. god bless you, dr. kevorkian
40. grapes of wrath
41. the mismeasure of man
42. v for vendetta

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun
35. an encyclopedia of an ordinary life
36. the key to the golden firebird
37. the wild things
38. the crucible
39. god bless you, dr. kevorkian

currently reading:
the Grapes of Wrath
Scarlet Letter
The Mismeasure of Man

*kicks more ass*

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun
35. an encyclopedia of an ordinary life
36. the key to the golden firebird
37. the wild things

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun
35. an encyclopedia of an ordinary life
36. the key to the golden firebird

C'mon Katy. You can do it.
Up next:
catching fire
walk in the woods
where the wild things are (Dave Eggers is coming out with a novel adaptation the same time as the movie [for which he helped write the screen play] [God I love that man.])

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games
34. zeitoun

marrr I NEED TO READ MORE. D:<

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it
31. bird by bird
32. the things they carried
33. the hunger games

less than sixteen weeks to read seventeen books. I CAN DO THIS.

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets
28.5. harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban
29. harry potter and the goblet of fire
30. a river runs through it

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
25. breakfast of champions
26. walden
27. best american non-required reading 2007
27.5. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone
28. harry potter and the chamber of secrets

I've decided that re-reads are worth half a book, if read within the past two years. So yeah.

Also I've deduced that I'm supposed to have about 30 books read thus far... not bad, not bad, but I'll have to keep up.

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid
24. suite scarlett
[25. breakfast of champions]
[26. walden]

Summer homework is no fun.

ignore the ugliness of my blog right now... I'm working on it :X

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
22. you shall know our velocity!
23. the life and times of the thunderbolt kid

Now I'm going to start doing my summer-English-homework reading... bleh.

Also, resolutions I updated on twitter but not here:

9) Appreciate people. Let them know when something they've done has affected me. Say thanks for seemingly trivial things.
10) Give unasked advice.

Booklist: Girl, quit updating me so much.
Me: Man, I'm sorry, but I just keep reading!
Booklist: WELL QUIT IT. I'm serious.
Me: ):
Booklist: ... don't be sad. It's okay. I know you're behind...
Me: :)

booklist:
booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle
21. running with scissors
[22. you shall know our velocity!]

I feel like I should do some sort of victory dance. But I'm a wee bit too tired. I guess I'll just read s'more.

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
[18. liberation]
[19. mcsweeney's book of lists]

Almost done with Liberation and the Book of Lists.

I had a dream about a book. Elmo was on the cover, in a Spiderman-like pose... it was weird, and it was called... "The Wellness of..." something. I don't remember. Such is what happens when one takes two hour naps. It actually sounded like a good book... in my mind... since I came up with it...

hehe.

/// edit:

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
17. how we are hungry
18. liberation
19. mcsweeney's book of lists
20. the bermudez triangle

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts
16. timequake
[17. how we are hungry]

Right, Sierra. I am "sucking it."

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
14. extremely loud and incredibly close
[15. youtube: an insider's guide to climbing the charts]

books I now own:
A Separate Peace
Timequake
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Youtube: An Insider's Guide to Climbing the Charts
Spaceman Blues: a love song

soon to own:
How We Are Hungry
You Shall Know Our Velocity
Liberation: Being the Adventures of the Slick Six After the Collapse of the United States of America
The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2007

up next on the booklist:
Timequake
[soon to own list]
running with scissors
the vampire armand

She told me.

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
11. with the old breed
12. one flew over the cuckoo's nest
13. 13 little blue envelopes
[14. extremely loud and incredibly close]

On skypizzle with my B-Dubs.
Or you know, two of them: Eevee y Cor Cor. Love 'em.

So. What's the BEDA topic of the day?

English? Nope, not going to talk about it.
Nerimon? Not gonna talk about him either.
Alan's blog? Nope, keep guessing.
HayleyGHoover? Love her, but no.
Kristina? Love her too... but still no.
Armageddon? I'm flattered that you know I just watched it, but nope, not that either.
Zac Efron? The Jo Bros? Nay, I say, NAY!
Summer? Nope.
How effing hot it is in your room? Double nope.
Outside? TRIPLE nope.
Books? Hey, that counts as English, doesn't it?

So... what?

I dunno. Nothing.

booklist:
1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
10. cat's cradle
[11. with the old breed]
[12. i know why the caged bird sings]
[13. one flew over the cuckoo's nest]

BEDA is getting haaaaaaaaard.

I was on the Nerdfighter Ning this morning, and one of the discussion topics was "Life Changing books." So I started writing mine.

This whole year in my English class has been a life-changing experience when it comes to literature, but I'll list some that have really affected me throughout my life.

1. Harry Potter, JK Rowling. It wasn't my "spark" to reading, really, but the series and the aura around them is so amazing and it got me into the internet/nerdfighters/wrock/my friends.

2. Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger. We're gonna read this book in English class later, so I'll be much more aware of the deeper themes/etc, but I absolutely adored this book. I felt so bad for Holden, and it sort of changed the way I portrayed myself, and how I handle personal relationships.

3. Inferno, Dante. This book taught me that absolutely nothing an author does is unintentional. Everything has a meaning, a deeper theme, a crackpot reason for existing. Plus, it helped me reevaluate the meaning of "morals" and Hell and Christianity. Love it.

4. A Separate Peace, John Knowles. Love it. Love it. Love it. It's so... I can't even explain it. If you've read it (and properly understand the symbolism), then you'll understand why it makes me cry, even before the second accident. /vague, but I don't want to spoil it. It also changed the way I thought about literature, as less of a collection of interesting idiosyncrasies of characters and plot and storytelling, but about what all of it means.

Aside from that, specifically about the book, personally about my life, it's made me reevaluate my own childhood, my own fleeting innocence, my Finnys and my Lepers and my Brinkers and me. My Bookworms will vouch that I was completely convinced I was Gene for about ten seconds in a skype call. It's like Gene is a ghost on my back, something I need to be aware of all the time. I need to look for my adulthood, because if I don't... well... it'll kill me.

5. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain. At first, I hated this book. It was a summer-reading assignment, so of course I was spiteful, and didn't do a good job reading it. But then, I got to class and we talked about it. It reevaluated, like A Separate peace how I thought about literature. Of course, it did introduce me to the idea that characters run a story rather than themes, but obviously that's worked out now. Thanks, John Knowles! I think I'm going to read this one again fairly soon.

6. Twilight, Stephanie Meyer. Yeah, I hate it. We all know this. (And if you don't... well. Now you know.) But through it's horribleness, it helped me determine why I read. What I expect to get out of books. And Twilight didn't deliver that for me.

I think that about sums it up... funny how in 12 years of reading, only 7 have a lasting memory on me, and more than half have been read within the last few years. I guess I'm close to really "finding" myself, to making my judgments about literature as a whole. Close, but not quite.

And now, the booklist.

1. everything is illuminated
2. the average american male
3. inferno
4. life of pi
5. othello
6. all quiet
7. slaughterhouse-5
8. a separate peace
9. wizards (collection of short stories)
[10. cat's cradle]
[11. with the old breed]

Also, some exciting news:
@aplusk, aka Ashton Kutcher, is now following @realjohngreen, aka The One And Only John Green, on twitter. Awesome. *nerdfighters!*