By Jake Weatherill from Lewisham Branch
Oi oi saveloy’s (or a vegetarian/vegan alternative if you prefer)! I am back again with part 3 of 30 Books to Read Before You’re 30! Without further ado let’s get this show on the road!
by Jonathan Hickman
To say Jonathan Hickman is a writer who I am fond of is an understatement. I personally think Hickman is one of the best writers today. I first got into him at university. I used to pick up comics for a friend at uni when Hickman was writing Fantastic Four/Future Foundation. He was good, and if I can say anything about my early experiences it’s that he got me to read a title featuring a team I have never been particularly fond of.
My second encounter with Hickman was his run on Avengers/New Avengers (which will probably inevitably get its own post). This was when I came to appreciate Hickman’s storytelling ambition. This is an author who crafts wide ranging, epic narratives. When my brother bought me his run on X-Men for Christmas I knew it was getting added to the 30b430.
What to say about House of X/Powers Of X? Needless to say it follows Hickman’s style of crafting an epic narrative that sends one of Comics most iconic teams into a bold new chapter. Spanning decades from the not too distant past to the far flung future, and from Earth to the Sun, Hickman works to build a bold new future for Marvel’s Mighty Mutants. Combined with glorious artwork by Pepe Larraz and R.B. Silva this is the perfect comic for X-men fans and non-fans. This is ambitious storytelling at its best.
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| Jake's copy of Selected Poems |
Selected Poemsby W.B. Yeats
This was a gift from an ex, which might explain why I found it hidden on one of my highest bookshelves. Born in Dublin in 1865 William Butler Yeats is seen as one of the key figure in Ireland’s literary revival, as well as being elected to the Irish Senate in 1922 and 1923.
This collection of poetry gives you a good selection of works from Yeats, so you can get a taste for his style. One thing I have noticed from Yeats is the contrast in his works.
Playing with ideas of conversation, remembrance, and the ethereal, no two poems in this selection feel the same. Whether it’s him relaying his thoughts and feelings on the circumstances surrounding/leading to Irish independence (a subject which is itself is fascinating and I thoroughly recommend reading up on) or his internal monologue Yeats has the uncanny ability to viscerally invoke emotion.
My personal favourites are when he talks about his country. It’s clearly a man who loves and adores his native Ireland. Pulling on inspiration and imagery from folklore, the occult and Celtic ideas he paints Ireland as this mystical, otherworldly land of mystique, while also crafting a sense of wonder at what lies on the other side of the Irish Sea.
District and Circle
I imagine like many people of my age/generation my very first exposure to Heaney’s work was my Literature GCSE. Given a compendium of various literature titbits called Anthology (ironically also the first time I came across Carol Ann Duffy, a previous entrant on this list). I distinctly remember one of the first poems I read from it was Storm on the Island (admittedly at the behest of my teacher). It opened up my mind to what poetry could be. When I was composing this list I knew I wanted to cover a bit poetry, so given that I hadn’t read Heaney in over a decade, let alone a collection of his works, nudged me into picking up District and Circle.
Awarded the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry on its publication in 2006 this is a fine piece of work. A mixture of slices of everyday life with glimpses into the past, it’s certainly a worthwhile read, giving you a taste of one of the finest poets of the modern day. Yet it’s those poems set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles that are most poignant. If Yeats’ Ireland is a place of fantasy and wonder, then Heaney’s is one of tension and apprehension, where it’s everyday things and the people who bring a semblance of normality to what must have been a very harrowing time to live through. Ultimately there’s a personal touch which makes this impossible to put down, giving you the impression you are glimpsing deeper into the mind of Heaney which makes it difficult to put down.
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| Jake's copy of The Prince |
by Niccolo Machiavelli
Politics has always been a passion of mine, for as long as I can remember. I know this probably is an insight into how much of a loser I am, but hey I don’t care. I have a confession. I did attempt to read The Prince in Secondary School. The operative word there being attempt. I think I failed after a few chapters. Suffice to say despite teenage Jake being convinced he definitely could read and understand this the task was too much for his brain. That’s partly why I put this on here. A challenge to myself to actually complete this.
Arguably this the most enduring political text of all time.
It’s spawned the term Machiavellian, become a blueprint for leaders in business and politics, and is still a key political text for anyone interested in the field. Written in the 1500’s for Lorenzo de Medici by Machiavelli this is largely an observation piece by Machiavelli, based on his experiences of living in a very fragmented Italy and his exposure to many of the ruling elites of the various Italian states, on what attributes he feels are necessary for a ruler to succeed.
There’s also just the fact that this gives a fascinating insight into the political climate of the late 15th Century, as well as commentary on the historical conflicts and leaders at the time. In this sense The Prince is more than just a timeless political text, but a priceless contemporary account of events around this time which if you’re a history buff (like me) is just an added reason to read this.
Fight Club
by Chuck Palahniuk
Unfortunately due to the first and second rules of Fight Club I am unable to write anymore on this entry.
Only joking! This made the list because the film adaptation is one of my favourite films of all time and I hadn’t actually read the book. So, what to say about Fight Club? This is a story that’s deeply philosophical. Playing with ideas of meaning, purpose, nihilism, self-destruction and rebirth, Palahniuk crafts a story that hits deep. At best can we truly hope for more than a moment of perfection? Or are we indeed special, unique little snowflakes? Or are we just drifting through life trying to find meaning that isn’t there?
These questions, framed through the unnamed narrator and Tyler Durden, crop up time and time again in the narrative.
Even without the philosophical tilt this is a compelling book. Palahniuk is a natural storyteller, hooking you into every twist and turn. This is very much one of those books I struggled to put down. Given the themes it deals with, Palahniuk has done so much more than write one of the greatest modern masterpiece. He has delivered one of the truly timeless classics.
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| Jake's Copy of Fight Club |
I will catch you on the flipside (or after Easter) for Part 4!
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