Saturday, July 11, 2009

Brandon's Nominees

1. Walden by Henry David Thoreau "Originally published in 1854, Walden, or Life in the Woods, is a vivid account of the time that Henry D. Thoreau lived alone in a secluded cabin at Walden Pond. It is one of the most influential and compelling books in American literature."

2. The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle "The Valley of Fear is one of Sherlock Holmes' most exciting adventures. Set before his defeat of Moriarty in "The Final Problem," the excitement begins when "Porlock," the weak link in the villainous chain of Moriarty's empire, sends Holmes a coded message. Just minutes after Holmes decodes the cipher and announces that "Douglas" at "Birlstone" is in grave peril, a Scotland Yard inspector arrives with the news that "Mr. Douglas of Birlstone Manor was horribly murdered last night." Holmes heads for Birlstone at once, where his brilliant deductions lead him in an unexpected direction. While Holmes' precise logic swiftly uncovers the truth, he is not yet prepared to combat the sophisticated system of evil that envelopes Moriarty's world. (BOMC)"

3. At The Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald "A Victorian fairy tale that has enchanted readers for more than a hundred years: the magical story of Diamond, the son of a poor coachman, who is swept away by the North Wind–a radiant, maternal spirit with long, flowing hair–and whose life is transformed by a brief glimpse of the beautiful country “at the back of the north wind.” It combines a Dickensian regard for the working class of mid-19th-century England with the invention of an ethereal landscape, written by George MacDonald, a major influence in the work of C.S. Lewis."

4. The Haunted Looking Glass: Ghost Stories Chosen by Edward Gorey "The Haunted Looking Glass is the late Edward Gorey’s selection of his favorite tales of ghosts, ghouls, and grisly goings-on. It compiles stories by a number of masters of the art of making the flesh crawl including Charles Dickens, M. R. James, and Bram Stoker. This volume provides an introduction to the best of their lesser-known works, accompanied by Gorey’s inimitable illustrations. His meticulously executed line drawings and quirky and often morbid sense of humor have made his works instantly recognizable and widely loved. The Haunted Looking Glass is a spine-tingling tribute to the master of the macabre. “A brilliant draftsman, Mr. Gorey has raised the crosshatch, a timeworn 19th century mannerism, into a timeless visual language ... [His works] tickle the funny bone as they raise hair on the back of the neck.” — The New York Times

5. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin "The Left Hand of Darkness is science fiction for the thinking reader, & should be read attentively in order to properly savor the depth of insight & the subtleties of plot & character. It is one of those pleasures that requires a little investment at the beginning, but pays back tenfold with the joy of raw imagination that resonates through the subsequent 30 years of science fiction storytelling. Not only is the bookshelf incomplete without owning it, so is the reader without having read it.--L. Blunt Jackson "

6. Porter Rockwell: A Biogragphy by Richard Dewey "Read the true story of Brigham Young's bodyguard - a man history (and Hollywood) has completely overlooked - the only man to kill more outlaws than Wyatt Earp, Doc Holladay, Tom Horn, and Batt masterson . . . combined. A man who believed from a blessing he received from Joseph Smith that if he never cut his hair he could never die in a fight. Richard Lloyd Dewey quotes hundreds of original sources - journals, letters, and court records - some from sources never before tapped - and weaves them all together in fascinating form. As the definitive work on him, this fascinating, epic biography is as exciting to read as a first-rate novel."

6 comments:

  1. The Left Hand of Darkness=6
    Walden=5
    The Haunted Looking Glass=4
    The Valley of Fear=3
    At the Back of the North Wind=2
    Porter Rockwell=1

    ReplyDelete
  2. Valley of Fear = 6
    Left Hand of Darkness = 5
    Porter Rockwell = 4
    Walden = 3
    At the Back of the North Wind = 2
    Haunted Looking Glass = 1

    ReplyDelete
  3. Haunted Looking Glass = 6
    Valley of Fear = 5
    Walden = 4
    Porter Rockwell = 3
    Left Hand = 2
    North Wind = 1

    ReplyDelete
  4. Left hand - 6
    Vally of fear - 5
    Porter - 4
    Walden - 3
    North wind - 2
    Haunted looking glass - 1

    ReplyDelete
  5. Left Hand of Darkness - 6
    Valley of Fear - 5
    At The Back Of The North Wind - 4
    Walden - 3
    Porter Rockwell - 2
    Haunted Looking Glass - 1

    ReplyDelete
  6. North wind - 6
    Valley of fear - 5
    Walden 4
    Haunted - 3
    Left - 2
    Porter - 1 (only because I already read it. But if this ever made it, we could eat at Porter's place in Lehi. We should go there anyway. He used to have a bar on Main Street.)

    ReplyDelete

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