These are the ones which have stood out the most over the last couple weeks:
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
Holy moly- this was an unexpected gem. From the author of No Country for Old Men, is the story of a man and his boy in a wretched post-apocalyptic world in which nothing is easy. Gritty, sparce, and affecting this story cut right to the core. I had avoided it mostly because of the Oprah book club status, but hey it also won the Pulitzer (much deserved.). The prose reminds me of Hemingway in that there is hardly a wasted word describing the wasted world. Despite the bleak terrain of the world McCarthy created there is a very cinematic quality to the text- it is very appropriate then that it is being released as a film with Viggo Mortensen (which i am really looking forward to). The narrator of the book has a rough voice which is still has a lot of heart and hits the characters pitch perfect. This is a book that everyone should read, and that shows how things could always be worse, but even then there are those out there who will carry the fire.
The Shawshank Redemption- Stephen King
While the classic film adaptation is what comes to mind when I first think of this story, King's book holds. The story of an innocent man locked up for the murder of his wife and his lover is wonderfully conveyed through the narration of a man named Red. Filled with many of the lines which made the film so compelling, it's also interesting to see where the book and film diverge in their retellings. A quick listen/read, it feels more like a five hour version of the movie. A must read for King fans or fans of the movie.
How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
This seminol text on ideal human behavior still is rather inspiring even though it was first published in 1936. A handbook on how subtly manipulate others in order to get your way and be popular- though this book wont tell you anything you dont know already if youre just a kind, self aware individual. The narrator is a classic talking head authoritarian voice, but engaging at the same time. Take or leave the advice that Carnegie lays out, but it's worth while to read and get a snapshot on Western Culture's large demands on people who subscribe to it.
