I've had some requests to post a list of my favorite music and books. Ok so maybe it's not quite a window to my soul, but it's at least peep-hole.
My music tastes are really quite random. I normally like softer nerdy type stuff, but I also love some of those bands that your mom's wouldn't let you listen to. I'm not much of a rap or pop fan, but I would say that there are still songs/artistis in those genres that are tolerable and even enjoyable. I'm going to make a list of my top ten artists. I LOVE all of these and highly recommend them. (I added links to each artist in Amazon.com, most of which have clips of the songs on the pages for each individual CD)
My Top Ten Artists
In no certain order....
1.Brandi Carlile (NOT Belinda Carlisle though she's not bad) ( I have The Story and her self-titled album Brandi Carlile and love both)
2. Alison Krauss (I own "Lonely Runs Both Ways" and "Now That I've Found You")
3. Fiona Apple (Extraordinary Machine)
4. Fleetwood Mac (The Dance)
5. Jeff Buckley (Grace-Legacy Edition)
6. Johnny Cash (I like most of his stuff, but his American IV is really good)
7. Oingo Boingo (Skeleton's in the Closet)
8. Devotchka
9. Pet Shop Boys
10. Pink Floyd
Wow that was hard to choose just ten. Here is a list of other artists I like...
Live
A Perfect Circle
Velvet Revolver
The Cult
The Cure
Ben Folds
Depeche Mode
Violent Femmes
Alice in Chains
Anne Murray
The Carpenters
Big Wreck
Bonnie Raitt
Carly Simon
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Clint Black
Tim McGraw (Mostly older stuff)
Dan Fogelberg
Dixie Chicks
Don Williams (The Best of Don Williams)
George Strait
INXS
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
James Taylor
Midnight Oil (Diesel and Dust)
Modern English
Neil Diamond
Nirvana
Norah Jones
Pearl Jam
Queensryche
Soul Asylum
Sting
Tears for Fears
Tool
U2 (esp. Achtung Baby)
This isn't all the music I like, just groups that are at the top of the list. There's always one-hit wonders and those types of things. As you can see I love what I grew up on, including some guilty pleasures such as Anne Murray that are influenced by my parents. My sister Corinne also had a lot of influence on me as seen by the Violent Femmes and Neil Diamond. There really is only a handful of newer artists on my list, because they just don't make 'em like they used to!
As far as books go, I typically like non-fiction. I will read fiction, but usually only if it's recommended by someone. I'll just make a list of the books I've read and liked. By the way, I did read Twilight... this was before the real Twilight explosion and I didn't know it was a teenage girl-type book. It was alright, but not my style. No I will not be watching the movie.
Books I Like
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (had this on audiobook-loved it... thanks for the recommendation Mom!)
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
Naked by David Sedaris (I've read almost everything from him including "When You Are Engulfed in Flames", "Dress Your Family in Corduroy & Denim," and "Me Talk Pretty One Day"- all of these books are very funny)
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (thanks for the recommendation Mom Hanson!)
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Emerson: Essays and Poems by Ralph Waldo Emerson
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Matilda by Roald Dahl
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Varieties of Religious Experience by William James
Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey
Death, Taxes and Leaky Waders by John Gierach
Well, that's it for now. If you have any questions about anything I've listed here let me know. I'd be happy to share details!
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Window to My Soul
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6 comments:
What! I can't believe The Beatles didn't make the list!
K--
*I love Johnny Cash's American IV, too! Must look into Ben Folds' Five, been delaying too long.
*Have read "Tipping Point" but should follow-up with Gladwell's "Blink," as well.
*Misc... Not long ago I got a (piano) book of 70's hits for a student, and ended up keeping it for myself!! Your list made me think of it. It's got stuff by Neil Diamond, James Taylor, (& Elton John, Billy Joel, "Imagine"...) and some cheesy stuff I get a kick out of, as well. It's called "SONGS of the 70'S: The Decade Series" pub. by Hal Leonard. (You can see the contents by looking it up on sheetmusicplus.com, I think. Sometimes they'll even show an example page so you can judge the difficulty level.) It's a far cry from classical, but fun on a rainy afternoon & a hit at parties. Who knows? YOU or RACHEL or COLLETTE might like it!
(Warning: not for sale in Australia. :D)
--heidi
p.s. does suggesting this count as giving you a "book" for your bday? ;P
p.s. The arrangements in the 70's book--ie, the versions of Elton John--are some of the more satisfying I've encountered--but there's a quite decent-looking "EASY PIANO" version for anyone who'd rather just fool around. (I "looked inside" it just now on the sheet music website.)--h
So this is a pretty good list! I love that you like Devotchka! (among others) I also have a very long list of music that I like. I am going to check out some books on your list too. Right now I am reading Norwegian Wood and I am really digging it.
Wow I love all these recommendations!The 70's piano music book sounds great... I'll have to check it out. I looked up "Tipping Point" and "Norweigan Wood" and both look very interesting. I'll have to add them to my list of books to reward myself with once I finish War and Peace. Oh and on the Ben Folds music, he had a few hits that were way overplayed that I don't like so much. But I have the piano music from his "Rockin the Suburbs" album(most of which is way too insanely hard for me) but there are 2 songs which I happen to love that I can actually play.. "The Luckiest" and "Fred Jones Part 2."
I would recommend the book "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein. It is written from a dog's point of view.
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