Riding on the coattail of Holly over at thenextcloud blog that recently made the WP front page, I thought I might share some of my-intend-to-reads of the summer. My to-read list is not an actual list. It is actually a disheveled stack of Amazon and thrift shop bargains that my wife wants me to get through, box up, and hide away in the depths of my closet with the rest of my i-intend-to-do’s.
1984, George Orwell
A science-fiction classic; heralded by many and frightening to others. Having just read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Eight Against Utopia by Douglas R. Mason, my mind is permanently damaged and consumed by thoughts of a futuristic dystopia. Hopefully, I will not live to see such days—though I may be around to see the fall of empires and the budding of one world.
John Adams, David McCullough
I spent countless hours sitting on the drink- and dirt-stained floor of my unlit college apartment bedroom, guzzling cans of Natural Light with cigarettes burning non-stop to the filters in several failed attempts to get through the HBO miniseries John Adams. I recognized the importance of the man and the great production that was put into the series but my head was elsewhere. Now, I will put my mind to the test and cross the Potomac, by Ford! (This book is about Washington, right?)
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, Edmund Morris
Last year, a friend suggested reading The River of Doubt by Candice Millard. I was not disappointed. In his 50s, Roosevelt made a treacherous trek down an uncharted river in the Amazon. The trip was not peaches and cream or banana & Nutella crepes. Disease, starvation, and death plagued the ill-planned voyage from beginning to end. The Rise is the first of a trilogy of award-winning books about Teddy. It will make me a better man.
Serpico, Peter Maas
I admit it. I have a man-crush of Al Pacino. One of my favorite movies is his portrayal of the non-corruptable NYPD cop Frank Serpico. Based on the true story of Serpico, Pacino’s character pushes against the tide of corruption that plagued(s) the NYPD. During his tenure with the NYPD Serpico survived a bullet to the head but in doing so he always brought to light a crime organization that was(is) beating the hell out of the people it pledged to serve and protect.
Ulysses, James Joyce
At a company Christmas party last year, one of my high-up bosses and I got into a discussion of Ulysses. We were… how do you put it… smashed on whiskey and martinis… Apparently, the book was a great inspiration for him. Another employee and I bullshitted with him, pretending that we had read it. “Ahhh, yeahhh, yeahh, Ulysses what a great piece of work that was. Mighty long, but my Ford, what a deep journey into humanity.” I can’t wait for another company party where I can tell the truth and hopefully not wake up on a deserted 1 train in the Bronx at 2:30 a.m.
The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky
I’ve never read any Russian literature. This is probably a good place to start, eh comrades?
The Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien 
As much as I love the LOTR films and reading, I’m a complete failure at life because I have never read Tolkien. Well, not this year Frodo! In honor of Peter Jackson’s upcoming adaptation I will stop shaving the hair off the top of my feet and I will wear my wedding band on a necklace as I move through this classic.
So, what is the rest of the world reading this summer?
I have that exact copy of 1984.. it was my father’s and was passed to my sister and then to me.. I love that book, Orwell is very influential in my life. Hope you enjoy it.
Thanks for the comment Mr. Jones! I’m looking forward to reading it. I finished Tuesdays With Morrie this morning. So 1984 is going to be a nice change of pace as I sit at the nearby pub in a few minutes. Have a good one!
Ulysses huh? Good luck.
The Hobbit and 1984 are great choices. Tolkien is a good author to read in the summer, because the characters in his books walk through a lot of nature during their journeys.
I put the same copy of 1984 in a bag to go to Good Will not 30 minutes ago. I LOVE it and want to pass it on now. I think you have a GREAT mix. My grandfather read that John Adams book in his pursuit to read a book on every American president in his last few years of life. I just posted my reading list too! No fiction but lots of good topics I’d like to learn about. Check it out and gimme some input!
Ah The Brothers Karamazov. да a good place to start with the Russian lit. I saw you were reading that. Let me know what you think of it. Also recommend Ulysses highly. Having a few whiskeys will help digest it methinks. Certainly helped Joyce.
This is Brian by the way.
Ahhhh GarvTron-5000! I remember when you were reading Karamazov. Perhaps you were my inspiration for picking it up. I’ll never tell. So far, it is wonderful—only 800 more pages to go… See you at the office.
when i was young and working an office job my mother still wishes i worked at, i would walk down to the cumberland river and started reading some ny times or something 100 best books of all time list from the nashville public library. i used to fill my sad, miserable, hungover days slogging through the literary greats, trying to find some meaning in my useless life. read some great stuff, 1984, catch 22, some vonnegut, lolita. exciting. some not so great. recently i have just been reading for a quick break from life – stephen king, some other sci-fi. the stand is amazing if you have never read it. keep up your quest, i gave mine up far too long ago.
There is no literary escape from the pain and horror.
FYI, The Shining is a great read. His memoir on writing is magnificente!