Five books that represent me as a person or my interest/lifestyle. Not easy, why only 5!
This is me at this point in my life as seen through 5 books 🙂
Catch 22 – Joseph Heller – this book never fails to make me laugh and at the same time it is almost tender with Yossarian’s attempts to save his life that everyone seems to be threatening. It is paranoia, but then it’s not if you think of it, at war everyone wants to kill you. and buying eggs for 7 cents to sell them for 5 with profit. Delicious absurd of human condition.
Eureka Street – Robert McLiam Wilson – again this mixture of absurd, laughter and tenderness towards human beings.
American Pastoral – Philip Roth – desperation, rage, fury
Gottland – Mariusz Szczygieł – fantastic book about southern neighbours of my homeland. It’s about a nation, about people and their stories and how history comes knocking. It shows how terrifying socialism was on an individual scale, how it ripped through the foundations of society, how it alienated people and why post-socialist countries are a bit different. This is not a book about history, I’d day it’s more a book about how individual people’s stories are history.
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood – shattering and always possible if we let our guard down and let ourselves be manipulated by fear.
I just noticed how monotonous the colors those covers are! It’s coincidental!
Photo by Violetta Kaszubowska
bookskeptic.com 
Nice list, Jo. 🙂 ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ has been appearing way too often on my way. I should read it this year. And, I love your observation on covers’s colours. Quite a coincidence. 🙂
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Thanks! I’ve had very similar situation with ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, I was putting off reading it for few years and then last year I somehow saw it mentioned everywhere. Never regretted reading it, it’s haunting 🙂
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This is the kind of comment that would make me cheat, and head to Amazon, Jo. 😉
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Buhahahaha, I’m a tiny bit evil sometimes 😉
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The color aren’t monotonous. They are ‘coordinated’. LOL
I’m enjoying seeing what everyone has selected. Quite the assortment for all of us!
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Hahaha, ‘coordinated’ sounds a lot more positive :). It’s fascinating to see other blogger’s lists! It reminded me about some books I haven’t read in a while.
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Gottland has been on my radar — I guess I’d better read it one of these days.
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Please share your thoughts when you get to it 🙂 I’m really curious of your opinion.
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The Handmaid’s Tale is one of the few books I want to shove into the hands of all people, everywhere, all the time.
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A feeling I definitely share 🙂
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Okay, I have seen Catch 22 pop up so many times on my feed through the bloggers I read and follow; I am starting to think it’s a sign. Anyway, I am planning to get to it soon. I haven’t read any of these other books, but this is an interesting list. Glad to come across your blog through BBAW. 🙂
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Thank you! I’m very interested in your thoughts after reading Catch 22. I read it for the first time in high school, so probably my reception is tainted a bit by sentiment. 🙂
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The Handmaid’s Tale is such a scary book. Every time I read it, I just hate how plausible it feels. Margaret Atwood. Way to go.
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It is scary. It’s so easy to manipulate people when they are afraid of something. When I read it did make me think how close are we from the next form of totalitarianism (whatever it will be).
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I have Catch 22 from the library and I’m looking forward to it. Love The Handmaid’s Tale.
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Those two books are a complete opposite in their tone, but eerily close in their message. 🙂
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Gahhh, and I’ve only read The Handmaid’s Tale! American Pastoral is on my list, though. 🙂
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Hahaha, I really loved going throigh other blogger’s lists. Made my TBR grow with new books 🙂
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