You Like What You Like, And There's Nothing Wrong With That

Book List 31-40
31.The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain
32.As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
33.O'Pioneers by Willa Cather
34.From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz
35.The Dreamcatcher by Stephen King
36.A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
37.Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson
38.The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison
39.The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz
40.The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton

I think variety in your reading list is very important.  It's so easy to get tunnel vision when you read.  I mean you like what you like, and there's nothing wrong with that.  It's ok to concentrate on a certain genre, a certain author, or a certain time period.  But it can be fun and helpful in the long run to take a break from your normal choices and go with something completely out of your comfort zone.  There's nothing better after an especially heavy read, than to read something light and airy just for fun.  It's an opportunity to clear your mind.

This portion of the list is quite varied as you can see.  It contains classic novels as well as modern novels.  There are two Dean Koontz books along with a James Patterson novel.  I can be a bit snobby when it comes to reading.  I have to admit that I try to avoid alot of modern authors, but when I do eventually get around to reading intensely poplular modern authors, I usually like it.  It's been 10 years since I've read Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, but I can still remember how sad it was and how schocked I was in the end.  I'm a scaredy cat, so I rarely read horror.  I have read several Stephen King books though.  I mean how can you call yourself a book lover and not read atleast a few of Stephen King's.  The Dreamcatcher wasn't too scary, but as a germaphobe, the orange stuff all over everything creeped me out!

My favorite author on this part of the list is Will Cather.  She was born Wilella Cather on December 3, 1873.  Later in life she changed her name to Willa and her birth year to 1876.  She was born in Back Creek Valley, Vinginia.

Willa Cather

Cather's Family moved to Red Cloud, Nebraska after her father's sheep barn was destroyed by fire.  Cather spent most of her childhood years there.  Red Cloud, Nebraska was founded in 1871 and named by Silas Garber, the eventual 4th governor of Nebraska.  It was named in honor of the chief of the Oglala division of the Teton-Lakota Sioux.

Silas Garber

Red Cloud





Red Cloud, Nebraska





Willa Cather Memorial Prairie near Red Cloud, Nebraska

O'Pioneers was published in 1913, and it was Cather's second novel.  Red Cloud, Nebraska and the surrounding prairie were the inspiration for it's setting.