Triple Choice Tuesday: Literary Exploration

Welcome to Triple Choice Tuesday. This is where I ask some of my favourite bloggers, writers and readers to share the names of three books that mean a lot to them. The idea is that it might raise the profile of certain books and introduce you to new titles, new authors and new bloggers.

Today’s guest is Michael, who blogs at Literary Exploration.

Michael is a literary explorer who doesn’t want to be confined to a few genres. In 2009, something just clicked and he suddenly become a reader, and a serious one at that. He started Literary Exploration as a book journal to document his reading journey and has found great pleasure in book blogging.

He is currently studying part-time to complete a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and his ultimate reading goal is to read every book on the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

Without further ado, here are Michael’s choices:

A favourite book: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Most people who know me know I’m a huge fan of this book. I have multiple copies of it and my wife has banned me from buying any more. This was one of the first books I read and I still read it every year or two; I’ve even reviewed it multiple times on my blog. There is something special about a book that gives you something different every time you read it.

Luckily, there are two editions of the book (the original 1818 and the edited 1831 edition) to mix things up. Opening up Frankenstein again is like a breath of fresh air; it is just refreshing to dip into it time and time again.

A book that changed your world: Hey! Nietzsche! Leave Them Kids Alone! by Craig Schuftan

The Romantics were the original rock stars. I have Craig Schuftan and Hey! Nietzsche! to thank for my passion for reading. The book explores the hidden roots of modern rock in the Romantic Movement. Comparing bands like My Chemical Romance, Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, etcetera with the likes of Byron, Shelley and so on, Schuftan opened my eyes to the Romantics and reading in general. If it wasn’t for this book, I wouldn’t be so passionate about literature; my life would be so dull. This book didn’t just give me a love for the literary world, it ignited an interest in philosophy, sociology and learning.

A book that deserves a wider audience: The Machine by James Smythe

Dubbed as “Frankenstein for the 21st century”, The Machine is a wonderfully dark and complex novel that explores humanity and morality. Most people know Smythe for the book The Explorer about a man stuck in space, but I prefer this one. It reminded me of the English TV show Black Mirrors; deliciously dark and twisted, yet it gets you pondering philosophy. While comparing a book like The Machine to Frankenstein always seems like a bad idea, there are similar themes; think of this as the perfect companion to my favourite book. No wonder it topped my best of 2013 list.

Thanks, Michael, for taking part in my Triple Choice Tuesday!

There are some very interesting choices here. I read Frankenstein years ago and remember thinking it was before it’s time seeing as it is a dire warning about genetic engineering. I should re-read it again at some point.

I like the sound of The Machine if only because I’m interested in dark, twisted novels that explore humanity and morality.

Similarly, I like the sound of Hey! Nietzsche! because — at the risk of giving away my age — I was a bit of a New Romantics fan; I’m talking Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Pseudo Echo (!!) et al.

What do you think of Michael’s choices? Have you read any of these books?