The Daily Smorgasbord JUN 2014 | Page 16

TOP TEN BOOKS #10: Animal Farm by George Orwell: Animal Farm is a children’s book that teaches of capitalism, socialism, and communism through a brilliant analogy involving a farm and it’s rebellious inhabitants. #9: LOTR: The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien: An amazing story by Tolkien that carries the bulk of the trilogies adventures. Why 9th place? Because the first half of the book is terrible. The second half, involving Sam and Frodo, is one of the most emotional and beautiful things I’ve ever read. #8: Under a War Torn Sky by L.M. Elliot: A gripping fictional novel of a bomber pilot in World War 2 who was stranded in the middle of Germany. He survives out of cleverness, instinct, and the goodness of normal people. #7: Sahara by Clive Cussler: A fast paced and suspenseful novel of Oceanographer’s uncover of a hundredyear-long conspiracy involving civil war battleships, African solar facilities, and biohards across the world’s oceans. #6: 1984 by George Orwell: A terrifying novel foreshadowing government’s Big Brother role in the private life, and it’s totalitarian rule in a police state society. #5: Redwall by Brian Jaques; A wonderful book about a mouse’s life in a peaceful abby, an ancient legend, and a terrible war to defend it. #4:Dr.   Zhivago   by   Borris   Pasternak:   The   tale   of   a   Russian   doctor   living   in   the   turbulent   time   period   of   the   Bolshevik   revolution   after   World   War   1.     A   sad   and   dark   tale,   but   it   truthfully   outlines   the  evil  of  communism   and  it’s   terrible   roots.     Besides,   who   doesn’t   want   to   read   a   book   that’s  been  banned  in  half  the  world?   #3:  The  City  of  Rats  by  Emily  Rodda:  Any  book   in   Rodda’s   Deltora   Quest   could   have   made   the   cut.     The   City   of   Rats   is   my   personal   favorite.     These   books   bring   a   cleverness   to   literature   that’s   rarely   seen,   and   it’s   full   of   some   of   the   most   colorful   characters   of   any   book   I’ve   ever   read.   #2:   The   Hobbit   by   J.R.R.   Tolkien:   A  book  that   holds   this   rank   due   to   sentimental   value.     The   Hobbit   has   a   significantly   better   writing   style   then   the   Lord   of   the   Rings,   and   offers   a   light   hearted   no-­‐strings-­‐attached   read.     Very   rarely   can   one   read   such   a   simple   story   that’s   not   geared  toward  children.   #1:   Into   the   Heart   of   Africa   by   Jerry   Smith:   Easily   the   least-­‐well   known   out   of   all   these   books,  but  by  far  my  favorite.    Why?    Because  it’s   all  true.    Every  bit  of  it.    Into  the  Heart  of  Africa  is   the  memoir  of  Jerry  Smith,  an  Iowan   adventurer   who  road  the  length  of  Africa  on  his  motorcycle   in   the   1970s.     His   encounters   could   easily   have   been   turned   into   the   next   Indiana   Jones   movie.     He   did   everything   from   illegally   entering   Zaire   on   a   barge   network,   to   being   chased   by   thieves   in   Morocco,  to   being   shot   at   by   soldiers   in   Lybia,   to   eating   with   the   pygmies   in   the   Democratic   Republic   of   the   Congo,   to   exploring   abandoned   French   Foreign   Legion   posts,   to   walking   the   desolation   of   Cold   War   nuclear   test   sites,   to   taking   pictures   of   burned   out   hulks   of   tanks   from   civil   strife.     Jerry   Smith   did   it   all,   and   it’s   all   true.