100 Best Books of All Time Pt. II

In honor of World Book Day, here is what Reader's Digest thinks are the 100 Best Books of All Time. The way it's set up on that site, it actually only comes to about 99. There are ads included in the slideshow of books

26. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)

-No one wants to hear that they have the big C, cancer. Hazel Lancaster thinks this is a death sentence, but when she meets Augustus Waters, it changes her mind on life in general

27. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll (1865)

-The 1951 Disney film had been made safe for children, but the original novels will astound anyone who reads them. They're zany, dreamlike and simply different from the Disney film. These books are told through the eyes of a child. And what a lot of people do not know is that Lewis Carroll was addicted to opium at the time of the book's writings. That's why so many of the things in both books seem so strange

28. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison (1952)

-This book is told from the perspective of a young, nameless black man who has to navigate the 1950s, which is filled with hate and segregation. The 581 page book is a bit much for younger readers, but it will introduce the subjects or race and equality to children

29. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1967)

-This novel tells the story of a fictitious town called Macondo. Through the various tales of its residents, the author paints a picture of the beauty and pain of the human race

30. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

-This dark comedy is about a member of an Italian bomber crew during WWII. Yossarian, the member of the crew, is desperate to get out of the increasingly dangerous missions his commanders force him and the other members of his crew to do. The "catch" comes when he realizes that the rule, the "Catch-22" is ruling him as sane-and thus unable to be excused from his duties

31. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (2000)

-Despite being a graphic novel, the author tells what it is like to grow up in Tehran, Iran during the overthrowing of the Shah, the rising up of the Islamic Revolution and the destruction left behind from the Iran-Iraq War

32. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (1952)

-A much beloved book for children that has had at least two film adaptations, this much beloved books tells the story of a small pig named Wilbur, who is spared from death. A barn spider named Charlotte is desperate to help the young piglet and she makes plans to help him

33. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (1969)

-A sci-fi anti-war novel following American soldier Billy Pilgrim. The main plot is the bombing of the German city of Dresden. The soldier starts seeing things happening in his every day life as punishment for that deadly bombing. This book has been threatened with being listed as a banned book because of the heavy use of sex and profanity. No one ever said war was pretty

34. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (2009)

-Various lines of secrets, love, betrayal and redemption come together to form this novel. Marion and Shiva Stone are two children born of an Indian nun and British surgeon. They are left as orphans at a young age following the death of their mother at a young age and their father disappearing. Bound by blood relations, they leave their war-torn home of Ethiopia and head for New York City. Later on, when they return to their homeland, they find that their fates and futures intertwine

35. The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (1965)

-Malcolm X was considered a controversial figure of the 1960s. While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted nothing more than everyone to be seen as equals and treat each other as such, to attain equality with non violence, Malcolm X wants the opposite. A Muslim, anti-integration supporter, he has opinions and ideas that radically differ from Dr. King

36. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson (1971)

-This kooky writer was known for his outlandish style of writing. This book will have you wondering if you've taken a hallucinogenic drug and not realized it. This drug-hazed book tells of a wild weekend in Las Vegas where Hunter S. Thompson and his Samoan attorney, Dr. Gonzo, are sent to a biker's race in the Nevada deserts. While they never got the story, their road trip is reminiscent of bygone eras

37. Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpra Lahiri (1999)

-A collection of short stories, the author shows the dynamic relationships that can be created when Indian traditional culture meets American culture that doesn't offer respect for cultures of other countries that is not understood

38. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947)

-Perhaps one of the most well known books about The Holocaust, this book tells the story of Anne Frank and her family hiding from the Nazis, who are determined to rid the world, through violence and destruction, of any one they deem to be not of the "master race" or the Aryan race. It's a day to day account of what the Frank family goes through while their family must hide

39. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (1955)

-This book was considered highly erotic by many. It gained fame and notoriety for the main character's erotic preferences. It tells about love and lust and the many forms they come in

40. Love Medicine by Louise Eldrich (1984)

-The story of Romeo & Juliet, with their warring families the Montagues and Capulets, are nothing compared to the warring families of this book, the Kashpaws and Lamartines. It centers in and around a North Dakota Ojibwe reservation. It centers on two families and includes the topics of injustice, betrayal, magic

41. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (2000)

-This collection of short stories will have you laughing until you cry. The author was able to take events from life growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina and put a hysterical spin on them. The book continues on to France, where the author lived for a time, and the adventures he had living abroad

42. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (2002)

-The book centers on Calliope Helen Stephanides, born to an average Greek-American family in Detroit, 1960. When she moves out of the city, she realizes she's not like most girls. It takes uncovering a family secret hidden for years to understand why she is not like other girls

43. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie (1981)

-On August 15, 1947, Saleem Sinai was born. That is the moment India gained independence and freedom. Fireworks and fanfare greet her and the other 1,000 "midnight children" who were born across India. They soon discover that it seems their health, well being, thoughts, capabilities are linked to one another. And also to their country's national history, health, power

44. East of Eden by John Steinbeck (1952)

-You'll see a battle between good and evil told over three generations between the Trask and Hamilton families. You'll see biblical similarities to Cain and Abel

45. Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis (2003)

-The Oakland Athletics were written off and ignored, basically a joke. Somehow, they became one of the biggest and most successful teams in Major League Baseball. As the author reveals, the secret to their success was more with statistics than skills

46. Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham (1915)

-The main character is Philip Carey, an orphan, and he's itching for and adventure. But he's dealing with short stays in Heidelberg and Paris. Soon, after landing in London, he is eager to get out and explore the sights. He comes up Mildred, with whom he carries on a wild, but tortured affair

47. On The Road by Jack Kerouac (1957)

-A cross country road trip with friends after WWII, Jack Kerouac and friend Neal Cassidy set out to do a cross country road trip. They find adventures along the way, having drug-fueled mishaps and the burgeoning counterculture movement

48. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (1937)

-This author's name is really a pen name for Danish author Karen Blixen. She recounts life in a series of short stories growing up in East Africa, in the years following WWII. It gives an open eyed look into a region of the world largely ignored

49. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939)

-The master of the classic "whodunit" mysteries, Agatha Christie captivates readers with a classic whodunit story about ten strangers invited to a beautiful mansion on a remote island. Once arrived, each guest suspects one of the others of murder

50. Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth (1969)

-This book was considered extremely explicit and controversial when it was first published. This book takes an honest look at sexuality, obscenities, identity. It's a sort of day to day look at the life of a man who is lustful and is searching for some form of identity. It's awkward, cringe-inducing

100 Best Books of All Time Pt. 1

In honor of World Book Day, here is what Reader's Digest thinks are the 100 Best Books of All Time. The way it's set up on that site, it actually only comes to about 99. There are ads included in the slideshow of books

1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878)

-Like the story of Romeo & Juliet, but given a Russian makeover, Anna Karenina tells the story of two star-crossed lovers

2. To Kill A Mockingbird by Lee Harper (1960)

-This iconic novel is one on the reading list for every school around. It tells the story of a lawyer named Atticus Finch who takes the case of a black man accused of raping a white woman. It's told through the eyes of Atticus' daughter Scout

3. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (1974)

-A book full of whimsical poetry and artwork suitable for both children and adults

4. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann (1966)

-Sex and drugs have a certain dirty glamor that attracts so many to them. But they also have a downward spiral to places hard to get out of. Jacqueline Susann tells the story of three women who want nothing more in life than to reach the absolute top. But just as it seems they can reach it, they lose themselves in a horrible vortex of sex, lust and abandonment

5. The Shining by Stephen King (1977)

-This horror novel from the master of macabre himself, Stephen King, tells the story of an author and his family who go to manage a hotel in the mountains during the winter season. He uses this time to work, but as time goes on, the isolation begins getting to him. The spirits there begin taunting him and pushing him to his breaking point. This is said to be one of the scariest books King has ever written

6. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1943)

-A little prince is on the hunt for adventure. He goes from planet to planet, but instead of adventure, he only finds adults who frustrate him. He meets the book's narrator in the Sahara Desert

7. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (1954)

-Part of the famed The Lord of the Rings series, in fact, this is the book that kicks off the famed series. In the area known as Middle Earth, we meet Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit who, along with his friends Samwise Gamgee, Gandalf the Grey, venture to destroy The One Ring in the fires of Mordor, while also evading the dark lord Sauron. It's a good read for those interested in fantasy

8. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985)

-In the Republic of Gilead, a woman named Offred is taken from her home, family and stripped of the life she once knew. Instead, she's placed into a new world. Where she works as a handmaid, and also a maker of children. With a working reproductive system, the population of Gilead depends on women who are incredibly fertile and can procreate to replace the falling population. It's even been adapted into a television program

9. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (1962)

-Thanks to the 2018 film starring Mindy Kaling and Oprah Winfrey, this book has gotten renewed interest. This book talks about the splitting of space and time. This sci-fi novel follows Meg Murry as she comes to terms with her father's strange disappearance with a variety of oddball neighbors

10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

-When eligible young bachelors start moving into their neighborhood, the five Bennett daughters, including young Elizabeth, are groomed and prepared for their future roles as a wife. While the wit of the Bennett sisters keeps them going, this novel is one of the most popular romance novels and considered to be one of the best romance novels

11. All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (1974)

-Those interested in political thrillers will love this one. This novel was published just prior to the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon. This book shows all of the evidence against Nixon and his small army of political operatives that the two reporters, who are also the authors of this book, uncovered

12. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (1946)

-From 1942 to 1945, Viktor Frankl worked in four Nazi death camps. He lost his parents, brother and even pregnant wife in these camps. He later became a psychiatrist and practiced what he calls logotherapy, a type of theory that states our lives are driven by the discovery of and pursuit of what we find important and meaningful. He faces the horrors of the concentration camps and shares the lessons he learned and later taught his patients. That is you can have spiritual revival, even in the aftermath of great suffering

13. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

-A narrative giving a no holds barred look straight at slavery. The story centers on Sethe, the main character. She wants nothing more than freedom. It chronicles her days from the pre Civil War days to her time living as a free woman in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1873

14. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (1965)

-This is a well known novel by legendary author Truman Capote. It tells the story of the murder of four members of the Clutter family on Nov. 15, 1959 in Holcomb, Kansas. There were no suspects and no evidence saying who the killer was. The book goes into detail the police investigation that led to the arrests of two convicts who had recently been granted parole

15. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah (2007)

-This memoir tells the story of a child transformed into a child soldier in Sierra Leone, West Africa. It's a first hand look into the world of child soldiers. Children taken from their homes and trained to kill

16. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965)

-A well known sci-fi novel, thanks to the film adaptation made recently, this novel centers on Paul Atreides, who becomes known as Muad Dib. He and his family work to bring the greatest dream to life for humankind while living on a desert planet

17. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861)

-Some of the most well known characters of literature were born here: Miss Haversham, Pip, Uncle Pumblechook. This novel revolves around Pip, an orphan growing up in Kent, London, in the early to mid 1800s

18. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead by Brene Brown (2012)

-Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston. She brings to light the topic of vulnerability and emotions in this novel. It's said to be one of the greatest self help books to come out. This book is designed to destroy the stigma that vulnerability is a weakness. Instead, it's an accurate measure of courage and one of the best paths to experience

19. 1984 by George Orwell (1949)

-This futuristic, sci-fi novel deals with the concept of "Big Brother", as in "Big Brother is always watching". This novel is set in a dystopian future society that is ran by an unseen presence known only as "Big Brother".

20. Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank Court (1996)

-The author tells of his days growing up in a slum in Limerick, Ireland. He suffered from poverty, neglect, cruelty and nearly starving to death. But he manages to infuse humor, sarcasm and quick wit into it

21. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking (1988)

-This legendary genius, physicist and cosmologist manages to take what is normally found in science textbooks and break it down into easy to understand topics. He manages to make it interesting enough to keep you reading on. This book even covers mysterious happenings, like black holes

22. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)

-This novel takes its title from the supposed temperature in which books can successfully start burning. In this dystopian future, books are banned. Those who are found reading, their sentence is jail. It's essentially about a society aimed at dumbing down its citizens with television and other mind numbing agents. (It's a running joke in my house that I would be on a life sentence in jail for all of the books I own; that I would never survive in the world of this novel. It certainly makes my sister giggle trying to imagine me in this type of society)

23. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (2000)

-This memoir tells of a college student who finds his life changed by the death of both parents within five weeks and finding himself to now be the guardian of his eight year old brother. Despite the fact it starts out ominously, it takes a hilarious and irreverently funny look on how to live with grief and loss after death

24. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (1997)

-This iconic book, suitable for all ages, takes the reader into the fantastical world of witches, wizards and fantastical creatures. This is the first installment in the much beloved seven book series by J.K. Rowling. In the first book, we enter a world of witches and wizards who go to a magical school called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Where non magical people are called Muggles. Harry Potter is a most unusual eleven year old boy. He has a mysterious past that everyone but him seems to know. He enters the magic school and learns magic. But as the year goes on, he feels the current day is combining with his mysterious past

25. Selected Stories, 1968-1994 by Alice Munro (1996)

-This is a collection of short stories by Alice Munro

Rick Allen breaks silence over assault outside of hotel

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen is recovering in his hometown of Sheffield, England after being physically assaulted by a 19 year old.

While coming out of a Four Seasons hotel in Florida, a 19 year old named Max Hartley physically assaulted Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen. During an interview on Good Morning America, he said "I heard a couple of steps and then I just saw this [flash] and the next thing I knew I was on the ground. I landed on my backside...hit my head on the pavement."

"I am no threat to you." he said to the 19 year old, who had seemed to appear out of thin and tackled the one armed drummer to the ground. He continued. "I don't think he knew who I was, but he must have seen that I wasn't a threat because, you know, I've only got one arm." He referenced the near fatal car crash from 1984 that took his left arm

Rick Allen was doing nothing more than standing outside the Four Seasons, smoking a cigarette on March 13 when the 19 year old, who'd been seen hiding behind a nearby pole, ran towards Allen and knocked him down. In the resulting fall, Allen hit his head on the pavement, causing injury, according to the Florida police. A female hotel guest came out to try and aid Allen, but Hartley allegedly went after her too. He grabbed her and threw her to the ground before repeatedly hitting her. She was able to get in to the hotel to get help. But Hartley dragged her back outside and continued battering her.

The suspect had fled the area, but was caught not long afterwards. He was charged with two counts of battery and four counts of criminal mischief, where he plead not guilty. Allen's wife Lauren Monroe found out about her husband being assaulted when she was halfway across the country. While on Good Morning America, Lauren said "My heart just completely sank into me. I know the journey of trauma...And so everything stopped in our house and focused on him." Rick Allen is incredibly thankful to have a wife as caring as Lauren. He stated "I immediately just went to that place of feeling grateful for the fact that I have an amazing wife and an incredible family and I just started thanking a higher power for the fact that I'm still here."

After the attack, Allen is focused on recovering and his drumming. He said "I know that I'm not going to be playing music in a band forever. But while I am, I plan on making as many people happy as I possibly can. And this is my time. This is my opportunity."

Izzy Hammond Makes Restaurant Laugh After Comment

Izzy Hammond is the daughter of Top Gear UK presenter Richard Hammond. She managed to get a whole restaurant laughing with her comment when, not long after the show ended, both Richard and James were paying for food at a restaurant. Izzy said "Well technically lads, I should pay as you haven't got a job between you."

When Richard Hammond left the BBC program Top Gear in 2015, his own daughter Izzy made some sarcastic comments about his financial future. In March 2015, an altercation between Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson and a producer occurred, involving a cold steak being served to him the day after filming. Clarkson was let go from BBC as a result of the altercation. He had punched producer Oisin Tymon. The producer took him to court and as a result, received £100,000 from Clarkson. In the aftermath of the altercation, fellow presenters James May and Richard Hammond left, stating that they "come as a package". They then started their new, Amazon-based program The Grand Tour

During an interview related to the altercation, Hammond talked about the financial worries and the hilarious comments his daughter made. During an interview on the Fuelling Around podcast, Richard Hammond said "After we'd finished the show James had come over to stay with me for a few days. We'd gone to Kentucky Fried Chicken to get lunch for everyone with Izzy. We got to the front of the queue, put our order in, and James said 'Oh, oh, I'll pay' and I said 'no, no mate, I'll pay' and he said 'no, no, I'll pay'. And then there was a pause, just when the whole restaurant had gone quiet, and Izzy said 'Well technically lads, I should pay as you haven't got a job between you.' And the place detonated with laughter. She obviously then thought 'This is the best game'.

So subsequently, at the end of the queue in Morrisons, I'm home so I was doing the shopping, as I was waiting to pay she would say very loudly 'Daddy, daddy, so when does your credit card stop working?' and I'd go 'Oh, for God's sake,' and again a whole store of people were in hysterics."