Blindness by Jose Saramago

Ay yi yi. I don't know what to tell you. This book is an incredibly fascinating look into human nature from a socialist's point of view. It is also an incredibly grotesque, gruesome, and, well, grimy look into human nature from a socialist's point of view. It was very gross is what I'm saying. And graphic. Not even doing this on purpose, people.

The concept of the book is this: What would it be like if everyone on earth started going blind? And golly gee whiz if Saramago didn't completely nail it. There was like one thing in the book that I questioned and it was making some other point.

Anyway, for a book that's got impossibly long paragraphs, no quotation marks or separation between people speaking, what can only be described as a rape orgy, and floors covered with human excrement, it was actually kinda good. Like I had a very hard time finishing this book--I started skipping pages at one point that I mentioned in that list above and continued for a good 40 pages until suddenly I had no clue what was happening-- but I still want to recommend it and I am not the only person. It was disgusting and over the top; as one person in my modern lit class said, "When showing the horribleness of human nature you kinda have to be very careful not to cross over the line between realistic and completely unnecessary and Saramago is living on that line."

So, yeah.  If you are a mature reader, read this book, but uh... Skip certain parts at your own discretion and, if you picture things in your head very easily, read at your own risk.

Rating; Quite quite good. I have no clue why. It's just so deep, man.
Read again? No. It is way to difficult of reading. I might really finish it soon.
You read? I want to say yes but I don't know why. I want to say no and I know exactly why; I seriously do not want to have a blog with the words 'rape orgy' in it. Thanks alot, Jose.
Age? Upper teens maybe but they are probably too young. Yeah...

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Another sad one. Very sad. It is the story of a young boy whose father runs a concentration camp during WWII. Ending was a little contrived but it serves to get the author's point across so I don't find that a bad thing. Really a good one for showing the horrors of the Holocaust.

Read again? I'm not sure.
You read? Yes. This is one of those that you just have to read. Have to. Read. Just read it, ok?
Rating? Great! (Although my ratings have become slightly arbitrary as I didn't have any real definition for what a book has to do to get each one. I should do that.)
Age level? Preteen and above, but maybe keep away from kids you know are quite sensitive.

To Live by Yu Hua

A story of the life of a man growing old through China's Communist and Cultural Revolutions. Quite sad, quite good.

Read again? Probably
You read? Definitely. Be prepared to cry.
Rating? Great!
Age level? Young Adult: not a hard read but foul language.

Some thoughts

Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all.  ~Abraham Lincoln

This is something that tortures me sometimes when I'm trying to write my own stories. But for those of you who feel the same, here's this article; scroll down to  the one about J.K.Rowling. (I haven't looked at it recently so don't blame me if you see something that offends you.)

http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-artists-who-stopped-sucking-out-nowhere_p2/

The Tattooed Potato by Ellen Raskin

I loooooove this book. It's by the author of 'The Westing Game' and again she throws in twists that are, while slightly too convenient, still something you can pick out and see coming if you really really have no life and study it all. And what she says about art in this book is very interesting. If I had it here I might look up a quote. I'll try to remember to do so later.

Read again? Yes!
You read? It's out of print but if you want to put the effort into it you can get it off Amazon. I think it's worth it. Try your local library first to see if it's worth it. If you know me, I'll lend it to you, when JM is done.
Rating? Great!
Age level? that's a bit iffy. Upper teen to young adult if they're going to appreciate it, I'd say.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selsnick

Liked the pictures. Very original concept. The movie's kind of annoying me right now but it seems like they have been somewhat close.

Read again? no.
You read? Of course.
Rating? Good.
Age level? Any age.