MY TOP FIVE: Fiction Novels

I may have just announced this the other day, but I couldn't wait to post the first one! I figured I should have installment #1 of my "Top Five" series focus on something that doesn't tend to change too often. Favorite works of fiction!

Before compiling this list and writing the brief little comments on each, I didn't realize that my tastes aren't too varied. On the surface, all these look pretty different, but they're actually pretty similar in theme. Love and tragedy and a bit of comedy. All my favorite things. :)

Read below and see what made the top of my list—and be sure to tell me your thoughts, and what you'd put on your Top Five!

5. THE SIRENS OF TITAN — Kurt Vonnegut

“The worst thing that could possibly happen to anybody would be to not be used for anything by anyone.” 

I read this book 6 years ago, and it was the first of Vonnegut's that I had ever read (I know, I can't believe it took me so long, either). My sister was really affected by it, and she demanded I begin reading it immediately—so I did.

Written in 1959, Sirens tells the story of Malachi Constant, the richest man on a post-modern Earth, and his extraordinary luck. In the blink of an eye, Malachi is traveling from Earth through the solar system, where he finds himself embroiled in a Martian War. The sequences of events that follow affect his life in shocking ways (at least, shocking to us) and unfold without hesitation or care for the audience's sensitivities.

I don't want to spoil too many details of Malachi's exploits, as I feel that the non-nonchalance in which Vonnegut tells this tale is both humorous and tragic. Time passes in jumps, emotional connections are acknowledged and then pushed aside, and all the while, you are traveling towards a revelation with little to no idea where you'll end up. Vonnegut speaks with a curt poetry—as he does in all his novels, really—and explores science fiction in a unique and powerful way.

Wares & Things: Out of Print

Yesterday, I briefly mentioned a must-visit stop in Little Tokyo, The Hob Nob—an adorable shop with a slew of clothing, bags and jewelry from independent vendors.

What caught my eye (and really, the whole reason I walked into the store) was their display of literary t-shirts. These shirts are made by Out of Print, a clothing and accessories retailer that specializes in prints that showcase the covers of, you guessed it, out of print and original editions of classic novels. I went into the store and immediately tore through the rack, because every shirt was better than the next! I seriously wanted every single one!

The quality of the shirts is so soft, and their women's tees come in a variety of v-, crop, or scoop neck styles. The best part? For every item sold, Out of Print donates one book to a community in need through Books for Africa! How amazing is that?

Since I had to limit myself with the spending coming out of Hob Nob, I walked away with only one literary t-shirt score: A Clockwork Orange!

I'm wearing it as I type this, and so it's no surprise that the moment I got home, I did a search for more Out of Print shirts that I could put on my wish list. My favorite book of all time is Frankenstein, and considering Halloween is coming up, of course I was drawn to the "horror" novel covers, of which they had plenty!

(1) Dracula by Bram Stoker, (2) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, (3) The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, (4) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

I love that you can search by title. Are any of your favorite books on there?

* Note: this post was not sponsored, just as none of my posts are sponsored. I simply love sharing fun wares (and wears) with all of you! :)

A Novel Opening

Several years ago, my sister, Stacy, started a Twitter account to honor her love of books. The concept was simple: Share the first lines from novels in 140 characters or less. That was the beginning of A Novel Opening.

I latched onto the idea, because I found that just by reading the opening lines from these known (and unknown) books, it got me itching to pick them up and devour their contents. I adore reading, but I don't do it as much as I'd like. A full stack marked "to read" sits at my bedside, and the list keeps growing, but fewer and fewer are getting checked off.

While its been 2 years since my sis began work on the Twitter account, the busyness of life took her away from it. But now she's back (with a little help from me)! Posting a new opening every day, and it's truly getting my literary juices flowing.

This post is to serve as an advertisement for A Novel Opening; an attempt to reach out to all you book lovers out there. Follow, read, and enjoy!

A few of my favorite openings posted so far:

✪ Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. — THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD

✪ Most days I wish I was a British pound coin instead of an African girl. — LITTLE BEE

✪ There is no lake at Camp Green Lake. — HOLES

✪ The moment one learns English, complications set in. — CHROMOS

✪ There was a boy named Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it. — THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

Do you have any favorite books with opening lines you've never forgotten? Feel free to share with us; our collection of hundreds of first lines is growing every day!

{image via Jeremy Nelson}

Wares & Things: Paperiaarre

notebooks, guestbooks & journals | Paperiaarre

I have kept a journal, online or otherwise, since well before high school. Back before I had a blog, I had a LiveJournal (remember those days?), and before my LJ, I had my notebook. Handwritten words that recounted all of the melodrama my teenage brain could muster.

Now, I only write in my journal about once a month, but I still find it incredibly cathartic -- a necessary break from writing something intended for other peoples' eyes, and a way to jot down important happenings that usually just go by in a flash. My current linen bound journal that I purchased back in January 2011 is nearing its last blank page, and I'm in the market for something just as beautiful.

Hence my new favorite shop. Paperiaarre contains stunning handmade books, notebooks, guestbooks (for weddings!), and a handful of other paper & mixed media creations.

Kaija is the shop's owner, and she lives and works in Jyvaskyla, Finland, describing herself as a "master bookbinder" - which just sounds like such a romantic classification and skill. The name of her shop translates in Finnish to "a paper treasure," which just adds to the beauty. I love that most of her journal pages don't have lines, my personal preference. The detailing of lace or gold paper is lovely and delicate. 

I just might consider getting one sometime soon. What about you? Do you still write in an old journal? Or are you securely rooted in online blogging?

Pop Art Pop Up: "Viva Hate" by Jeffrey Everett

"Viva Hate", inspired by Let the Right One In | via

I recently found the above print from the "Required Reading" show at Gallery 1988 (they have a 'West' and 'East' location on Melrose), which ran back in December.  The show focused on art inspired by famous novels -- this one is a great take on a scene from John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let The Right One In, entitled "Viva Hate."  I absolutely adore it.  Notice the blood?  And curious young Oskar?  Beautiful.  

I love Gallery 1988's spaces, and the shows they put on always feature the best in the world of pop culture-centric art.  Their annual Crazy 4 Cult shows are my personal favorite.  The original works on display tend to be significantly out of my price range -- but they are always selling cheaper, limited edition prints from their back room.  I have several from previous exhibits, and just yesterday, I bought "Viva Hate" for my gallery wall at home.

Hopefully you'll enjoy this lovely piece by Jeffrey Everett (co-founder of artistic duo Rockets Are Red) as much as I have, and if you feel so inclined, he has other art for sale here.  I'm doing everything in my power to keep from buying this one, too.  Only time will tell if I can manage that.

xx