yes, I may have had an abnormally unsettling obsession with Sylvia Plath and her poetry and this disturbingly addictive novel, the only novel she ever wrote (due to her tragic untimely suicide in her early thirties I believe), but I also had an equally disturbing obsession with Toni Morrison books as well, namely "Beloved." Oh and "Sula." I read that twice. You should not head six feet under until you read that gem. It's crack cocaine in writing form! Anyway, back to Sylvia Plath. I pretty much wanted to be her for a short period of time in high school. I would victimize myself and be all "woe is me" and it was all an act, of course. My friends found it peculiar, but not the least bit shocking. The main character in my number one favorite book of all time is Esther Greenwood, loosely based off of Sylvia. Oh, and did I mention my Mom still finds it incredibly creepy and demented that I was so obsessed with Sylvia Plath and this book. I would think I was Sylvia reincarnate and would have a tendency to write poetry on the walls of my closet---morbid, grim stanzas naturally. I even got a phone call home from my junior year English teacher because I was so dark and depressing...allegedly. She also ratted me out for making a Facebook group about her and claimed I was slanderous and mercilessly mocked her and the like. Oops! She was my favorite teacher too. Therein lies the paradox. Oh, and before that, in middle school I had a blog and trash talked a lot and said something not so considerate about my cousin's play...yes indeed they all saw it. So I am going to prove with this blog that I finally learned a lesson in my life.
In any case, I read this book over and over till it was tattered and torn...I think my Mom gave it away/threw it away. Tragic! Well, this was just proof of my occasional morbid obsessions. Oh and I intend to name all of my children after some of my favorite characters from television, film, literature. So one of my girls will have the middle name Esther, I'm thinking in lieu of a first name. Charlotte Esther (Charlotte as in Charlotte York/Sex and the City. She's not my favorite SATC gal but she's gorgeous and insanely optimistic and I could always use a dose or two of that!) And for my first son, if I ever have one, I'm going to name him Holden. Which leads me to...
2. The Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger.
I know this is cliche, but this is another work of pure genius. An absolute masterpiece. One day when I was in 7th grade and getting into some tomfoolery per usual, my Mom handed me this book and said, "Read this, you will find it highly relatable." Oh, did I ever. Although it wasn't until later in high school when I would fully sculpt my Holden-esque outlook on life and call everything bullshit and everyone fake and "phonies." I had some serious chips on my shoulder for no apparent reason...well I guess that happens when you're in the process of finding yourself! I fucking hated high school, like Holden, so I could relate so much. I was never a pariah or a scapegoat as he was. I never did get kicked out of school either. I did get a three hour detention once and was a notorious truant and got into other shenanigans but I wasn't as severe as Holden Caulfield. Although sometimes I wished I was! There is no coming of age story superior to this historic novel.
3. Sula by Toni Morrison (oh shit and Great Gatsby too! And so many others!)
Sula is SUCH a sassy, feisty badass. Her morals may be questionable, but she is a confident, autonomous woman who does whatever the fuck she wants. I must admire her for that! She is the talk of her town, and somewhat of an eccentric character and I absolutely love it! Not to give anything away or anything, but you will probably detest Sula and take pity on Nel in the novel. However, Sula is the real legend and the ultimate anti-heroine. Although I would solely coin her as a straight-up heroine!
I balled through a good portion of this magnificently lyrical and symphonic work of true artistic genius. F. Scott Fitzgerald's words are so exquisitely and meticulously strewn together, the writing itself nearly brought me to tears! The words just leap and bound off the pages and croon to you. This novel is just teeming with the most vibrant images you could ever possibly come across in any book. The pictures you will carve in your mind's eye from this masterpiece will be rich and vivid to the umpteenth degree. And the whole forbidden love thing with Daisy I could totally relate to---I have liked many a girl who were entirely unattainable to me. I empathized with Gatsby throughout the entire duration of the novel. I want to find a Daisy =(. Perhaps I will someday but I will have to be in West Hollywood or San Fran to do it. Right after graduation I'm packing my bags and flying west and finally launching myself into my countercultural adult life. Everything will be so different, I won't stick out like a sore thumb!
There are so many other books I could blather on and on about for countless centuries to come, but I'm barely coherent right now honestly and this all most likely sounds dreadfully cumbersome. And I went off on too many tangents...AHHHHHHHHHHH!
Vivien Leigh AKA Scarlett O'Hara, another one of my obsessions back in the day. Gone with the Wind still is my all time favorite movie though! And Vivien Leigh is drop-dead gorgeous, it's ridiculous. Yet another British beauty, just like Chezzaaaaaaaaaa (Cheryl Cole)!
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