The Great Summer Reading List

Ah, Summer, what strange tidings you bring. Inappropriate clothing choices, sandals (which I just bought), and vacations. Oh, and let us not forget The Summer Reading List: that epic, publishing house-inspired showcase of titles guaranteed to give you something to talk about well into the winter months. You might suspect that because I work within a warehouse of classic books, I am immune to these kinds of lists but that isn't the case. I'm as much a sucker as the next nerd, but I can't complain. The whole world told me to read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Into The Woods and the whole world had a point.
     This year, however, will be different. I've decided to start--what I'm charmingly referring to as--my "Alpha Beta Book List." What is the Alpha Beta? It's simple. I begin by choosing a work of fiction from an author whose last name begins with A. When I've finished, I then chose an author whose last name begins with B and so on and so forth. My goal is to complete the alphabet by the end of the summer.
     I've been reading a lot of nonfiction lately, so I'm going to restrict my choices to novels and plays. Graphic novels and comic trade will not count towards the list for one reason only: I read those all the time and I can't imagine going a couple months without. Plus, they're so quick. And wonderful. And imaginative. And...oh, yes, getting back to the list...Once a book has been read, I will mark it so at the bottom of the blog in my "Books Read" section. Please feel free to start your own Alpha Beta or tell me what's on your list for the summer.

The first book has already been read: Douglas Adams' A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy and what an enjoyable read it was. I must confess to having seen the movie before I read the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. Sam Rockwell's Zaphod Beeblebrox is quite remarkable.

"Cool? You bet. But The Lonely Bookman's got me beat."

Spin Spin Sugar

Yeah, that's right, I rock the vinyl. And you best bet I'm gonna be rockin' the club tonight when I roll up on two rims with this: Little Golden Records (featuring The Sandpiper Chorus) "O Christmas Tree/Joy To The World." So before a punk points out "that it ain't Christmas," I want to point out that this record is as relevant as it is yellow. Dig?

Sooooo, yeah, a whole 45. Normally I find receipts, ads, junk...but today I definitely found an entire record lurking inside an old magazine. Which is kind of funny, right? I can't tell you how many times I've attempted to mark my place and the only thing available to mark my spot was a 45. Or the record just "accidently" found its way into the issue. More probable but not nearly as funny. That is why we're going to stick with the bookmark answer.

And while we're on the topic of records, I think it's fair to ask what it is that you listen to, oh, great peoples of the interwebs? Me? I enjoy anything that makes me want to create art. Which has significantly narrowed down my list of recommendations over the past ten years. It's not like it was when I was in High School and I just dug it if it was angst-ridden. Now I crave this foolish (and highly subjective) thing known as "substance." Who listens for substance? Answer: Someone who appreciates "art," a.k.a Snobs.

So here it is, these things that I can't bring myself to stop listening to. Some of these CDs* have even been spinning for years on end.

In no particular order:

1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Up From Below (Not only is this the perfect album to paint to, it's also the perfect soundtrack to have playing when you realize it's gorgeous out and you should be outside)
2. Laura Marling - Anything (No, that isn't the name of the album. I literally mean Anything she's done. Ever.)
3. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer (She has my life. A weird thing to admit, but she married one of my favorite authors, and she's so creative. So creative and so incredibly talented. So now you understand.)
4. The Kills - Midnight Boom (Last Day of Magic is, hands down, one of the best songs I've ever heard. I've listened to it hundreds of times. And so have my friends. And my roommates. And my neighbors. Sorry?)
5. Kelli Ali - Psychic Cat (I thought I loved her when she was with the Sneaker Pimps, but I was kidding myself. Both acts got better when they went their separate ways.)
6. Sneaker Pimps - Becoming X (Totally, completely, and tragically underrated. From the very first song you're hooked.)
7. Spoon - Gimmie Fiction (The whole album is great, but the lyrics to "I Summon You" are without fault. Plus, it's impossible not to bump up and down to "I Turn My Camera On.")
8. Fiona Apple - Everything. (Again, not an album title. I just mean Everything.)
9. Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth (I've been revisiting a lot of albums lately. NIN is still one of my favorite bands of all time.)
10. Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness (Maybe the only album I own that sums up my teenage mindset while still allowing me to dream of great things to come.)

I could go on. 

*Stands for Compact Disc. These have been replaced by little magicians that live inside your iPod and telepathically play whatever you have selected in your catalog. It takes three magicians to achieve this, hence, (M)agicians (P)erforming in Threes. MP3s.