By Beatrix S
When it comes to good books, there are plenty to choose from. Besides the classic books, which have stood the test of time, there are some modern authors who have written remarkable works. Here are my top five of those good books, which everyone should make time to read.
The Hygiene of the Assassin by Amelie Nothomb is not your typical novel. It will give you mixed feelings about the main character and ultimately about the whole novel. A reason to buy this book is to read something out of the ordinary. It can make you think about aspects of life you have never thought about. The Hygiene of the Assassin is not just a book, but rather a collection of beautiful thoughts, insights, and sometimes a cold reminder about reality. The book was published in 1992 and has received many positive reviews.
Music for Chameleons if one of Truman Capote’s best books. The book is divided into three parts, each with its own beautiful perspective on life. It even has a great description of Marilyn Monroe and includes one of the funniest stories I have ever read — about a maid that Capote hangs out with, who was on drugs while cleaning peoples' houses. The book was published in 1980 and it brings out the genius Truman Capote was.
Blindness by Jose Saramango is more an experience than a novel. The book begins with a mass-blindness epidemic, where only one woman is spared. The depths and allegories of this book will satisfy any avid reader. The story takes place in an unnamed town and even the characters are unnamed, showing their lack of identity. The book was published in 1995 and is top quality reading material, and not only because Jose Saramango won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1998.
Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco is a book that will take you on a journey, a journey to find oneself and a journey to discover the truth. The book might be considered a book on philosophy or a novel with philosophical ideas, but no matter how you consider it, it is a wonderful book. The book is about a student preparing his thesis; while working on the thesis, he decides with his friends that they can invent their own conspiracy theory, because the conspiracy theories they have been reading aren’t too good. The problem is that soon they find themselves stuck in their own conspiracy, trying to figure out how they can get out of what was created by themselves. The book was published in 1988 and is considered one of the masterpieces written by Umberto Eco, along with The Name of the Rose.
Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk is for those who like to read something different. Again, like the other good books in my list, this book is not only a novel, but also something deeper. It seems that this book served as a support for the author when he had to cope with his father's death. Lullaby is a horror satire novel about a reporter who decides to investigate the cases of sudden infant death syndrome and who makes amazing discoveries. The book was published in 2002 and it's one of Palahniuk's great successes; he is considered a nihilist and many people fainted while listening to a reading of his book called Guts. If you are sensitive about dark stories with explicit descriptions, you should perhaps avoid this book; but if you are looking for something that might change the way you see literature, go for it!