When Johnny Cash’s daughter, Rosanne Cash, told him that she wanted to be a country singer, he gave her a list of 100 essential songs to listen to as she began her career. An NPR article about her new album called “The List” asked readers to post a list of essential songs they would leave to their children.
I love music, but only in the way that everyone loves music. I am by no means a musician and have no great attachments to a list of songs. Some people I know would be appalled at this, but I listen to music for the words more than the tune. (Which is why I love Tori Amos, Dar Williams, and Ben Harper. Their songs tell stories.)
But I do have a list of literature that I want to pass down to my children. I could make my own top 100 list if I took the time, but that would really be self-indulgent. So here’s a list of the first few books that came to mind:
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard
Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill
Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Proof by David Auburn
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Ariel by Sylvia Plath
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
I feel that these are all great works of literature. But more than that, I read them at a time when they deeply touched me and have stayed with me. It’s like a song that brings you back to a certain time or experience. I remember what was happening in my life when I read each of these books for the first time and how they carried me through the difficult times. Maybe I’ll take the time to write about my experiences with some of these books.
But for now, what interests me is: What’s on your “list”? Is it made up of books or songs or something completely different?
I have read some of the books on your list. I like that you posted a list because I am always looking for something new to read and I am no good at just going to the library and picking something out. I don't know what kind of list I would make, probably something boring like recipes.
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you feel better, Tristan also listens to music for the words. He tries to talk to me about the stories the songs are trying to tell but although I may be able to sing along with the song I don't pay close attention to the words because I listen more to the music.