i don't read as much as i used to. due in part to laziness and working on dumb webpages. the thought occurred to me to ask some of my pals what two or three books i had to read before i died. i titled it "I can't believe you haven't read this book"  and emailed it out. here are the results and as you can see it was modified to include film and music

1. The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon 2. Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume (especially since Robert Urich has read it) 3. Hamlet sent by joanna, who is the book editor for one of the big websites 1. Childhood: A Place - Harry Crews 2. Kentucky Straight - Chris Offutt 3. Pugilist at Rest - Thom Jones sent by eric in boston. he does something up there writing-wise. 1. The Lord of the Flies 2. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court 3. On top of Shakespeare's sonnets, Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America, Ginsberg's Howl, E.L. Masters' The Spoon River Anthology, Plath's Ariel--which you should have read all of when you were younger--you should read at least five books of poetry---let's say the complete works of Elizabeth Bishop, Yeats, Williams, Jarrell, Larkin. sent by poet guy evan. 1. The Passion by Jeannette Winterson 2. Rituals by Cees Nootesbaum 3. Generation X by Douglas Coupland sent by token book reviewer, kristen

1. The Godfather 2. Citizen Kane 3. Rear Window from john, two sentence movie reviewer 1. Red by krislof krislowski 2. The Unbelievable Truth by hal hartley 3. L.A.Story by Steve Martin sent by token book reviewer and film fan, kristen 1. Breaking the Waves by Lars von Trier 2. Naked by Mike Leigh 3. Stranger Than Paradise by Jim Jarmusch sent from eric in boston

1. The Music Machine-"The Best of The Music Machine"(Rhino Records) 2. Zen Frisbee-"Burrito Bunker" and "I'm As Mad As Faust" 3. Swingin' Neckbreakers-"Live For Buzz"/"Shake Break!" from rock guy mitch in atlanta 1. Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball 2. Victoria Williams - Musings of a Creekdipper 3. Vic Chesnutt - About to Choke also from eric in boston. was actually entitled "Three records that made me rethink all things music, and made me begin to hate smug indie types

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