Thirty Books

I received this book challenge from Mark McCawley recently over facebook, to compile a list of my own, which I have finally got around to doing only yesterday, so thought I should repeat here; why not? This is my list, a list of books that seem to stick; I’ve done lists like this before, so there might be some repeats, and other things that have stuck in my head for more recent reasons. But perhaps not? Not done in any particular order and done (as suggested) without thinking “too much.” Still. Will thirty even be enough?

THE RULES: Don't take too long to think about it. Thirty books (providing you've read 30 or more!) you've read that will always stick with you. List the first 30 you can recall in no more than thirty minutes. Tag thirty friends (providing you have 30 friends who read) including me, because I'm a little curious to see what books my friends choose.


1. Milan Kundera, Immortality
2. Michael Ondaatje, Coming Through Slaughter
3. George Bowering, Delayed Mercy
4. John Newlove, The Night the Dog Smiled
5. Barry McKinnon, The Centre: Poems 1970-2000
6. Elizabeth Smart, By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept
7. Paige Ackerson-Kiely, In No One's Land
8. Lynn Crosbie, Queen Rat: New and Selected Poems
9. Artie Gold, The Beautiful Chemical Waltz
10. Sarah Manguso, The Captain Lands in Paradise
11. Sheila Watson, The Double Hook
12. Rob Budde, traffick
13. Robert Kroetsch, Completed Field Notes
14. Michael Redhill, Lake Nora Arms
15. Suzanne Buffam, Past Imperfect
16. Dany Laferriere, How to Make Love to a Negro (without getting tired)
17. Steve McCaffery, Seven Pages Missing, Volume One
18. Dennis Cooley, Sunfall
19. D.G. Jones, Wild Asterisks in Cloud
20. Anik See, Saudade: The Possibilities of Place
21. Eirin Moure, Sheep's Vigil by a Fervent Person
22. Ken Sparling, For Those Whom God Has Blessed with Fingers
23. Lisa Robertson, Lisa Robertson’s Magenta Soul Whip
24. Andy Weaver, Were The Bees
25. Richard Brautigan, The Abortion: An Historical Romance 1966
26. Elizabeth Hay, The Only Snow in Havana
27. Robert Kroetsch, A Likely Story
28. Sarah Manguso, Two Kinds of Decay
29. Roy Kiyooka, Transcanada Letters
30. Cole Swensen, Such Rich Hour