Literature Month: Top 10 Books Of All Time

Hello, fellow readers!

Welcome to my final post of Literature Month. After posting my "Top 10 books" lists from three great authors, I am now closing with the Big One: my favorite books of all time, across all genres.

Here are my honorable mentions: Agatha Christie - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd  (1926), Andy Weir - The Martian (2011), Jack London - The Call of the Wild (1903), Michelle Obama - Becoming (2018), Paul Auster - The Brooklyn Follies (2005).

10. Väinö Linna - Tuntematon Sotilas (1954)

The best-known book from my native Finland, which is also the source material for my favorite Finnish movie, makes the cut. Väinö Linna's classic work tells the fictional (yet extremely real-feeling) story of a machine gun company in the Continuation War, one of the two major conflicts between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II. Anti-war epics are all the rage in today's world, but back in the mid-fifties, the memory of the war was so fresh and the nationalist movement so strong that it was a bold and controversial move to publish a book that doesn't romanticize the war but paints a harsh and true picture.

The main characters are an iconic bunch of relatable everyday men thrust into an impossible situation, and many of them have become staples of modern Finnish culture. The moments of warmth, humor and levity in between the horrifying and gripping depictions of war make for a perfect balance, and a testament to the gritty endurance that us Finns call "Sisu".

9. Duff McKagan - It's So Easy (And Other Lies) (2011)

Hands-down the best biography I've read. My love for rock band Guns 'N' Roses runs so deep that I've read all four biographies that their original members have released, which made for quite a fascinating "He said / He said / He said / He said" scenario concerning the band's various instances of drama and conflict. But the autobiography of bass player Duff McKagan towers above its counterparts, for various reasons.

For starters, McKagan is the easily most skilful author from the bunch, as his well-thought-out use of words makes for very decent literature. Furthermore, he has the most incredible story, as the escalation of his drug addictions and mental health struggles to the point of a near-death experience, as well as the miraculous path to recovery that followed, is a gripping and ultimately inspiring journey to follow. Between the bassist's steady penmanship and the book's deep look at his soul, not to mention the several entertaining anecdotes that go with any rock star biography, It's So Easy (And Other Lies) makes for a fantastic read.

8. J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books are the most important literature from my upbringing. I fondly remember reading the first book in just two days immediately after reaching the age that my mom deemed appropriate (seven, I think?), after which I read it again but in English, after which I watched the movie that fulfilled all of my expectations.

It is hard to choose a favorite Harry Potter book because the franchise works so well as a whole (and because they're all so damn great), but I have to be a bit cliché and go with the final one. Avid readers of my blog will know that I'm a sucker for good endings above all else, but that's far from the only reason for The Deathly Hallows being ranked so high: before we reach that amazing and bittersweet ending, there's a whole lot to enjoy. The stakes are higher than ever before, the whole book feels like a gargantuan chain of chaotic events that become increasingly dramatic and emotional, and the franchise's gradual shift from light children's literature to mature coming-of-age literature is completed.

7. Stephen King - It (1986)

Who knew that the horror and coming-of-age genres (combined with a large dose of psychedelic fantasy) would make for a match made in heaven? It is an over-1200-page-epic where the amount of text isn't the only thing ridiculously large in scope. As a distinguished horror author, King creates the book's scary atmosphere with brilliance - up until reading this book I had the strong opinion that horror books can't possibly be as creepy as horror movies, but oh boy, did that change. As a fantasy mastermind, King manages to build lore that makes everything in the book feel otherwordly, epic and meaningful. And the coming-of-age element is the icing on the cake, as the lovable group of main characters are an absolute joy to follow and their journey is an emotional one.

I also have a lot of love for the story's structure, as it shifts between its two timelines brilliantly, with touches like the interlude chapters adding a lot of depth. The book gets better and better towards the end, as King unleashes his full norm-defying creativity (the few chapters written from the point-of-view of "It" are some of the very best literary chapters I have ever come across).

6. Nathan Hill - The Nix (2016)

For the second time across Literature Month, I have to give a shout-out to my high school homeroom teacher Maarit, who has had a large impact on my understanding of (and love for) literature. I received this book from her as a graduation present, and it immediately became one of my favorites. The Nix is the debut work of author Nathan Hill, and it tells a large-scale story of a family descended from Norwegian immigrants in the United States. We follow two generations of the family, as the story jumps between three timelines: the family's descendant Samuel Andresen-Anderson in present day, his rough childhood decades earlier, and his mother's own youth in the 1960's.

The Nix blends an impressive amount of themes together, as the different milieus of the story deal with various issues: from political divides to family abandonment issues, from the Vietnam War to the Iraq War, from fad diets to online gaming addiction, the book sure has a lot to say about various topics. Reading The Nix will likely make you think, and make you very emotionally invested in its gripping story. I'm eager to see what Hill comes up with next, as a follow-up to this magnificent debut.

5. George Orwell - 1984 (1949)

I can honestly say that I just shivered when thinking about this book and what I should write about it - that's how much of an impact 1984 leaves. The crown jewel of dystopian literature, George Orwell's masterpiece is probably the most frightening and depressing book you'll ever come across, but one very much worth reading. There is a lot to learn from the bleak world he paints, because it is one that feels scarily realistic. Sure, one may argue that it's a bit over-the-top how people trying to sound smart throw in the phrase "WE'RE LIVING ORWELL'S 1984" every time something in society doesn't go their way, but honestly, there is often some truth to such claims.

The most heartbreaking part of my reading experience was the realization that some of the dark aspects of its nightmarish fictional society had already come true in my second native country - not all of it, thankfully, but scarily many things. And unless the human race gets its shit together, the direction is only further on. I'm sorry if that sounds a bit harsh, but that's the only way to write about the impact of this prophetic-feeling-but-hopefully-not-actually-prophetic work of art.

4. William Shakespeare - Hamlet (First published between 1599 and 1601)

As I mentioned in last week's post, I see Shakespeare's Hamlet as one of the defining art works of humankind. It is a profound story about vengeance, love and deception, brought to life through an atmospheric and larger-than-life setting that only the Bard's words could muster. Between the dramatic power dynamics, complex characters and philosophical monologues, there are many reasons for this masterful play being considered Shakespeare's very best work.

Moments such as Hamlet's iconic "To be or not to be" monologue, the eerie graveyard sequence, and the scene of Claudius's prayer that I delved into more specifically in last week's post, are likely etched into my mind forever as they leave such a powerful impact. O to see this play on stage some day!

3. Frank Herbert - Dune (1965)

Avid readers of my blog will know that I'm as hyped for Denis Villeneuve's upcoming Dune adaptation as a movie buff can possibly be. There are many reasons for this, one of them being that it is based on one hell of a book - often referred to as "the Lord of the Rings of science fiction", Dune is a true gem of the genre. In addition to being enough of a large-scale epic with adventurous locations and deep lore to justify the Lord of the Rings comparison, Dune is a lot more than that; the book has a lot to say about the world, with its themes of colonialism and humanity's abuse of the environment, just to name a few.

The milieu of the planet Arrakis is one of the most unique and atmospheric fictional locations ever created, and the journey that Herbert's writing takes the reader on is fascinating. The traditional tropes of heroism are played with, as the plot questions the culture of hero worship by constantly bringing up dark implications to the morally upstanding actions of protagonist Paul Atreides. It is a complex and majestic story, and I can't wait to see it play out on the big screen towards the end of the year.

2. J.R.R. Tolkien - The Children of Húrin (2007)

If you read my first post of Literature Month, you won't be surprised that my favorite Tolkien book made it onto this list. The Children of Húrin has an interesting tale of origin, as Tolkien was inspired by none other than the Finnish national epic Kalevala, and the story of the tragic hero Kullervo in particular. He wanted to write his own take on Kullervo's journey, which eventually evolved into the story of Turin Turambar, taking place in Tolkien's own fantasy universe. This story became a chapter in his epic Silmarillion, and the author also worked on a full-scale book that told Turin's story in more detail - it was one of many projects that was unfinished when the author passed away, but that his son Christopher later edited and published.

The Children of Húrin is a gripping and heartbreaking story about a tragic hero. Turin's story is a poetic and dark one, and Tolkien's beautiful language really brings it to life - already when reading the Silmarillion, the chapter about Turin was my favorite part of the book, but reading this expanded version of the story really broadened my horizons on just how grim and masterful the story really was. It is a bold statement to claim that anything by Tolkien is better than the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but I'm standing by this one.

1. Mark Manson - The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck (A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life) (2016)

The popular genre of 'Self-help' books is a polarizing one. My original attitude was that I have nothing against the genre (I've noticed that a lot people do, in a weirdly aggressive manner), and I'm glad if it works for someone, but I personally didn't see any interest in reading such books myself. However, when my mother bought this book for me, everything changed. The title of the book is a provocative one, as it immediately draws some assumptions - "Does this guy think we shouldn't care about anything? What a stupid thing to say" was among my first thoughts. But then I read the book. And, cliché and corny as this might sound, I honestly consider that I'm a better person because of this book, and that my quality of life has been better ever since I read it.

Manson's style of writing is blunt, wise, excessively filled with profanity, and absolutely hilarious. He draws anecdotes from his own travels across the world and the wisdoms of Buddhism all the way to stories about Dave Mustaine and Malala Yousafzai as examples of the various topics the book covers. I think pretty much everyone could benefit from reading this book, as it tackles so many problems that many of us have, from not knowing how to live a happy and fulfilling life to various ways of toxic thinking that are present in today's society.

And, take it from someone who was extremely skeptical of the book's title (not to mention chapter titles such as "Happiness is a problem", "You are wrong about everything (And so am I)" and "And then you die") - the more reservations you have about such a book, the more it might end up benefitting you. Manson's guide to living a good life is full of surprises, as there are some profound nuggets of wisdom to be found in the midst of all the humor and cursing. Give this book a chance - you have nothing to lose, and you might come out of the experience with some brilliant new viewpoints on life.

Thank you for reading! This was the last post of Literature Month, so next week I'll be returning to business as usual with a list of my top 10 unpopular movie opinions. Maybe someday I'll return to the idea of "Theme months" - maybe a music month or a theater month?

Literature Month: Top 10 Shakespeare Plays

How now, mine dear fellows!

Continuing with the themes of Literature Month, here is a ranking of my favorite plays by the Bard himself, William Shakespeare. A few years ago I had quite an intense "Shakespeare phase", when I figured that it would be cool to immerse myself in his classic texts and read a whole bunch of them. In my view, the playwright definitely deserves his iconic status, as many of those plays are among the very best literature that I have read. Here are my favorites!

My honorable mentions: Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III, The Merchant of Venice.

10. Henry V

"Once more unto the breach, my friends, once more"

Henry V is reflective of the brand of English nationalism from the time of its writing, for better (it can be seen as an interesting relic of its time) or worse (it makes it hard to relate to the characters and their motivations, especially for a modern-day pacifist who comes from two different countries, neither of which is England). Whatever one may think of the era's worldview inserting itself into the story, Henry V is literary gold regardless.

Shakespeare's language is beautiful throughout the text, with the highlight being Henry's iconic battle speech at the beginning of Act III. The use of prologues for each act, where the Chorus gives a poetic and symbolic account of what is going on in the larger story, is a neat storytelling device that sets the play apart from the Bard's other works.

9. The Tempest

"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows"

If you haven't read any Shakespeare but are reading this list out of morbid curiosity and perhaps an urge to check his works out, I highly recommend The Tempest as your starting point. When I first decided to become familiar with Shakespeare, I asked my high school's homeroom teacher (the world's best teacher of Finnish and literature, by the way) about a good play to start with, and she recommended The Tempest. The story is simple and straight-forward enough to follow, so that it smooths out the challenges of diving off the deep end into the brand of ye olde English that Shakespeare's works are written in.

Tutorial-level easiness aside, The Tempest is a damn good story. Many scholars see it as the final play that Shakespeare wrote (there's some debate on that, due to varying accounts), and it is very fitting for that purpose - I won't give away major spoilers, but let's just say that the playwright who spent his whole career creating stories about vengeance where revenge ends up corrupting one's soul and ruining everything, finally wrote a positive story about wiggling one's way out of the endless chain of vengeance.

8. The Comedy of Errors

"How many fond fools serve mad jealousy!"

When I started reading Shakespeare, I expected the tragedies to be tragic and the histories to be historic, but I didn't expect the comedies to be all that funny - surely, the conventions of comedy have changed a lot in the last four hundred years?

Oh, how wrong I was. Out of all the Shakespeare plays I've read, The Comedy of Errors is the least beautifully written, least powerful, and least poetic. It makes it all the way to eighth place, and this is true, because it is funny as hell. It's honestly one of the funniest literary works I've read. The trope of mistaken identity is quite familiar to us from various movies and TV shows, but the Bard was ahead of the curve with the best-ever 'mistaken identity' story back in the day. You might not expect to hear this about a Shakespeare play, but seriously, I recommend reading this if you need a good laugh.

7. A Midsummer Night's Dream

"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine"

A Midsummer Night's Dream gains massive points in my book for how genuinely lovely it is. It may not have as much to say about the world or humankind as many other Shakespeare plays, but it doesn't need to. It is a fantastical and dreamlike play, with beautiful passages of poetry flowing throughout the text. It may not be as amusing as its comedy counterpart The Comedy of Errors, but it is still the superior work when considering all factors.

The play also features one of Shakespeare's top five greatest characters - Puck, the trickster fairy. The fantasy storyline blends together with the plot of four human characters in the woods before an important wedding, as Puck decides to mix the bag with his powers. All of the play's best lines come from the mischievous Puck, who cements himself as the ultimate example of the 'wild card' character archetype.

6. Othello

"So will I turn her virtue into pitch,

And out of her own goodness make the net,

That shall enmesh them all"

One of the main reasons that I had for my sudden interest in Shakespeare a few years back was that his works have influenced modern literature (not to mention movies and television) like no other. Terms like "Shakespearean" are always thrown around by critics whenever a dynamic between characters is especially dramatic, or a character has an especially poetic arch, and this has always intrigued me. Reading many of his works certainly helped me see how many archetypes and tropes in modern literature were either created or at least boosted by the Bard, and one of the largest examples can be found in Othello.

The character of Iago is more or less the foundation for modern villains - specifically the type of villain who draws a balance of sympathy and despicability, by having an understandable motive (bitterness towards the main character) but taking his actions much too far. Iago is a fantastic character, and throughout the pages of Othello I realized just how many classic movie villains are at least somewhat based on that foundation. There is a lot else to enjoy with Othello, as well, including a fascinating setting on war-torn Cyprus, and an ahead-of-its-time look at racism. But the best part of the text for me is reading Iago's charismatic and horrifying soliloquies, and marvelling at how large of an impact the character has had on modern culture.

5. Romeo and Juliet

"These violent delights have violent ends"

There are three levels to understanding Romeo and Juliet. Level one is seeing it as a mere love story, a sweet staple of romance, a depiction of a dream-like relationship one could only fantasize about - that is how the play is often referred to in pop culture and how it is seen by many, even though the interpretation disregards the tragic overtones of the story. The second level is one that is thrown into conversation a lot by people trying to sound smart on the internet, and it has some truth to it even though I disagree: it is the cynical interpretation that Romeo and Juliet is a cautionary tale about two dumb kids who get themselves and others killed by being reckless, and it has nothing to do with actual romance.

Here is the third level, which I see as the most accurate interpretation: at its core, Romeo and Juliet is a sweet story about true love, and the play has a very romance-positive message. It is, however, also a critique of humanity's tendencies for violence and hatred, hence all the tragedy. The two main characters aren't "two dumb kids", but rather the only sane people in the story, as they realize the power of love over hate and just how much brighter the world could be if people learned to love one another.

That is what makes the ending of the play (spoiler alert to any individuals residing under large stones) so devastating; in the case of the Montagues and Capulets, the hate between the families outweighed the love between the star-crossed lovers, thus leading to their demise. But that isn't Shakespeare saying "Hey, this is just how the world works, so don't go falling in love you fools" like many people interpret it, but rather an extremely strong statement of "All of this could have been avoided, so please be like the idealistic kids and not like the war-mongering families around them".

4. Macbeth

"Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation,

Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?"

What really gets me about Macbeth is how it is essentially three different stories of three different genres at the same time, and those elements bounce off each other in a fascinating manner. Firstly, it's a political drama, filled with all sorts of royal backstabbing, shifting power dynamics and medieval court intrigue. Secondly, it's a psychological tale of the corruption of a man's soul, following the protagonist's journey from hero to villain, not unlike the story of Walter White in Breaking Bad (2008-2013). And last but definitely not least, it's a supernatural tale, filled with eerie witchcraft and epic prophecies.

In all three categories, Macbeth is one of the best in its kind across all aspects of fiction. The way the aspects of the story feed into one another is engaging to follow, as the creepy fantasy side becomes intertwined with the political games and the psychological character-driven plot. Amazing stuff.

3. King Lear

"When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools"

Here's a bold statement: the role of Lear in King Lear is the single greatest role an actor can play. I can't think of any other fictional role that requires such skill and magnificence to pull off, and I would give so much money to see a stage production of Lear with the likes of Sir Ian McKellen or Anthony Hopkins in the lead role. The character of Lear, a once-great king who is slowly spiraling into a mental decline due to his old age as he struggles to rule his kingdom while passing it on to his treacherous children, is a thoroughly compelling anti-hero.

In addition to being a gripping depiction of aging and losing control, Lear has some of the most complex and interesting power dynamics from any Shakespeare play. The amount of various earls, dukes and heirs with various goals struggling throughout the hierarchy is quite a lot to take when reading the text, but the complicated plot threads and pieces lead to some of the Bard's finest storytelling and a heart-pounding final act.

2. Julius Caesar

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves"

Julius Caesar is a big favorite of mine, largely for two strong reasons. First of all, there's the historical intrigue; while many of Shakespeare's works focus on various fascinating eras from history, Julius Caesar is particularly compelling in that sense. The culture and worldview of Ancient Rome come to life brilliantly through the dialogue, and the Bard does a brilliant job using word choices to make the play truly feel like the era in question. And the true story that the play is based on, with its various power dynamics and dramatic turns, is just so intriguing in its own right.

And that brings us to the second major selling point: the story of Brutus. While the play is called Julius Caesar, the title character isn't the most interesting character nor the one who appears the most. The story is largely told from the point-of-view of Brutus, the loyal-friend-turned-bitter-betrayer of Caesar. The play does an amazing job fleshing out his character, as he slowly turns against his mentor through a series of dramatic and soul-searching monologues. Truly gripping.

1. Hamlet

"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy"

Shakespeare's plays are right up there with Bach's compositions and Da Vinci's paintings, in the league of works of art that define the human race and will outlive us all. And none more so than Hamlet. It is a story with so much to say about humanity, that it will never not be relevant and powerful. Between its eerie setting, psychological complexities, profound truths and dramatic scale, as well as its themes of vengeance, love and betrayal, Hamlet feels larger-than-life in the truest sense of the phrase.

Hamlet was the tenth Shakespeare play I read, and from the very first lines written, it felt different - larger in scope, more important, more epic. The way the setting is described in the first scene of Act I, as the two guardsmen encounter what may or may not be the ghost of Denmark's dead king on a dark winter night, feels creepy and spine-chilling - like you just know you're about to read something life-changing.

From thereon out, Hamlet proves to earn its place among the giants of literary history. There are moments so powerful that I can't quite find the words to describe the profound feeling they cause; a favorite of mine being scene III of Act III, where Hamlet sneaks into Claudius's room with the intent to kill him - but is stopped in his tracks when he sees that Claudius is praying. The lines of Hamlet pondering whether he can kill a man while he is showing repentance for his sins, the slight amount of humanity that is added to Claudius's villainous character arch through his moment of repentance, and the overall imagery of one man kneeling in prayer while the other watches from the shadows with murder and doubt in mind, is truly striking and unforgettable. I do hope that I get to see this play on stage some day.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for the final post of Literature Month, which is a big one: My top 10 favorite books of all time.

Literature Month: Top 10 Agatha Christie Mysteries

Hello, dear reader!

I've been using my little gray cells to solve an age-old mystery - what are the very best Agathe Christie books? After an intense period at looking at the evidence and considering the facts with my peculiar methods, I have finally cracked the case. Now, I'm sitting all of you down as I explain what result I arrived at and just why it all makes sense.

10. 4.50 from Paddington (1957)

There's an interesting twist to the usual murder mystery premise in this Miss Marple story: Mrs. McGillicuddy, the narrator throughout the book, is a direct eyewitness to the murder that starts it all. But she sees it through her train window, as it takes place in a passing train, so momentarily that she doesn't have time to see all that much.

From thereon out, 4.50 from Paddington is an intriguing puzzle, as old friends McGillicuddy and Marple try to solve the mystery clue by clue. As per tradition with Christie's novels, elements like complex family hierarchies and interference by local police enter the mix. It is quite a joy to have two silly old women as the story's main heroes, and their interactions throughout the story are delightful.

9. The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1921)

The first-ever book by Agatha Christie, and the first time the world met legendary detective Hercule Poirot, is a delicious murder mystery. If you've read a lot of Christie, this book might seem a tad 'basic', but when keeping in mind that it's the author's first publication, it's startling how well-thought-out her formula was from the beginning. From the quaint and interesting setting and various fascinating supporting characters all the way to the various suspicion factors that keep the reader guessing who the murderer is, there aren't many signs of the author still finding her style as is often the case with debut works.

Poirot is an amazing character from the start, as is his friend and the story's narrator Arthur Hastings, who would go on to appear in numerous Poirot stories in the following years. My favorite thing about Agatha Christie's novels is how she so often avoided the detective fiction cliché of the ending being anti-climactic because "It's always just one of the few people you knew it would be", as she often found a way to make the final reveal actually surprising in an out-of-the-box way. I won't spoil it here, but the final twist is one you won't see coming, for a reason that my writer's brain had a lot of respect for when I read this book last summer.

8. Evil Under the Sun (1941)

Evil Under The Sun is a classic for good reason. For starters, it has one of the most memorable and intense settings from any Poirot mystery: a secluded holiday resort on a small island, with an eye-opening map provided in the beginning of the book.

The novel also features some of Christie's best character writing, as the major characters aren't just a collection of disposable possible suspects, but rather very interesting individuals with various motivations and complicated relationships with one another. When one reads a lot of Agatha Christie, the characters start to blend together to a point that you don't remember which ones were in which book, but with this one I immediately remember most of the major players as they were so unique and memorable. Also, the final twist is once again a clever one that you likely won't see coming no matter how much brain work you put into trying to figure it out beforehand.

7. The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)

This one of those Agatha Christie works that you (or at least I) can't read without drawing a map of the various character relationships on a piece of paper that you constantly update and check. There are so many characters in so many interconnected narratives, with their relationships with one another being a glorious mess that is hard to keep up with. But if you take the time to try and keep up with the insanely complicated character dynamics, it is quite the payoff to see the story unfold. The ways in which the different storylines come together, Poirot tackles the crime with his unique charisma and the final reveal is yet again one that shatters your pre-conceived ideas, are equal parts clever and thrilling.

6. The A.B.C. Murders (1936)

The A.B.C. Murders is an untypical Agatha Christie novel, and one that has had a huge influence on the mystery genre - no other book of hers feels as much like a modern action/mystery thriller than this one. That is because the book was vastly ahead of its time, and many authors and filmmakers have been influenced by its intense story. Tropes like the madman killer who keeps tormenting the main detective with cryptic clues, the main detective racing against time to solve the mystery and a certain meticulous theme being present in all of the murders were popularized much thanks to this book, if I remember my literary history correctly.

The main mystery unfolds in a heart-pounding and intense manner, as Poirot and his fellows race to stop the killer before their next murder takes place, and the "this time it's personal" touch of the killer constantly belittling Poirot with letters and clues is a fascinating touch.

5. Five Little Pigs (1942)

The best Christie novels are those that stick out from the rest due to some especially memorable setting or storytelling gimmick, and Five Little Pigs certainly does that - in this book, we follow Hercule Poirot solving the case of a murder that took place sixteen years ago. After receiving a letter from a young woman whose mother was convicted for a murder she didn't commit, Poirot looks into the case by asking the five possible perpetrators to write their own account on what happened on that fateful day sixteen years ago.

A majority of the novel consists of those five letters, with just a few chapters before them to set up the story and few afterwards to wrap them up. It's fun to read five different accounts of the same events, trying to piece together who the murderer might be, and it's quite a payoff to follow Poirot solving the case based on what he saw in those letters.

4. And Then There Were None (1939)

And Then There Were None, also known by its original title [REDACTED], is one of the four Christie novels that cross the "Masterpiece" threshold for me. It would probably be at third or even second place on my list, if it weren't for the fact that the resolution of the story isn't quite top-notch Agatha Christie - don't get me wrong, it is a good ending, but not as amazing as her best endings, and I'm always one for a mind-blowing final twist. That being said, the ending is right enough for this particular book, and everything leading up to it is absolute literary gold.

For starters, the premise is one of the coolest and spookiest to ever grace the mystery genre. Ten total strangers are invited to a secluded island, where they find out that some mysterious party has invited them to "pay for their wrongs" in some sort of elaborate revenge ploy. Soon enough, one of them is dead. And then another. And then another. We all know that one of the remaining people is the killer, but the suspicions on who it might be keep changing with rapid succession. Just when you think you might be on to something, Agatha proves you wrong. The escalating tension of the story comes through in a brilliant manner, making for one of the ultimate classics in the genre.

3. Curtain (1975)

Written during World War II, intended to be released as the final Poirot adventure, and released by Christie's daughter a year before the author's death, Curtain is quite the swan song. The parallel between the author who wasn't in good enough shape to release the book on her own and the fictional Belgian detective who is old, frail and on his last breaths in the book is gripping. Poirot may be in poor physical health and nearing the end of his life, but his brain is sharp as ever, making for a glorious final mystery.

Appropriately enough, the case takes place at Styles Court, the setting of the very first Poirot novel, as Poirot and his friend Hastings are reunited to solve their last murder mystery together. It is also appropriate that the murderer in question is the smartest and most terrifying antagonist that Poirot has gone up against, and that the final set of twists and reveals is nothing short of ultimate. While not quite the most clever Christie novel, Curtain is certainly the most emotional, as Hercule Poirot is sent off in a majestic and poetic manner.

2. Murder on the Orient Express (1934)

First of all, the setting. The Orient Express, making its way from Istanbul to Paris with its passengers being a melting pot of all sorts of cultures, makes for a delicious murder mystery milieu - especially once (first-act spoiler alert) the train breaks down and they're stuck in the middle of a snow storm. Within this intense setting, the story takes a conventional Agatha Christie approach: one by one, Poirot interviews all of the suspects, after which he comes to a conclusion.

And what a conclusion it is. Truly one of the most imaginative twists I have come across in the detective fiction genre. Although, there is one even better conclusion to be found from the very same author...

1. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926)

I can't do this. I can't discuss what makes this book great without giving away major spoilers. The setting is interesting but quite average for a Christie novel, Poirot is delightful as ever, the locked-room circumstances of the murder are eyebrow-raising, but none of that is why this is my favorite book from the author. Read it for yourself, and see just what Christie as an author is capable of. The unconventional nature of the way the story is told and the final twist unfolds is nothing short of creative genius, making The Murder of Roger Ackroyd into a game-changer in detective fiction and even literature history, in addition to being a personal favorite.

And so, the mystery is solved. While I suspected many different books as my #1 favorite, the overwhelming majority of the evidence points to The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Case closed.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week, as my Literature Month continues with my ranking of the top 10 Shakespeare plays.

Literature Month: Top 10 J.R.R. Tolkien Books

"The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began

Now far ahead the Road has gone

And I must follow, if I can"

For March 2021, I'm focusing on literature in this blog of mine for a fun little change - come April, we'll be back to business as usual with movie- and television-themed lists. The first of my four literature-themed posts is a ranking of the 10 best books by my all-time favorite author, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Tolkien's immense creativity, epic storytelling and themes of fellowship and hope have meant a lot to me throughout my childhood and youth, and continue to do so today. All of the books with an asterisk in the title are ones that were released posthumously, edited by Tolkien's son Christopher.

10. The Return of the Shadow (The History of Middle-Earth VI)* (1988)

The sixth volume of the History of Middle-Earth series is a peculiar one, as it focuses more on the real-life history of the first Lord of the Rings book than the fictional lore of Tolkien's fantasy world. After providing some general background on the context of Tolkien writing The Fellowship of the Ring, the book dives into its main premise: showing how the iconic book came to be, one draft at a time. Tolkien's original ideas for the book were vastly different from the story we know: the character Treebeard was first envisioned as a villain, a hobbit called Trotter had the role that later went to the iconic Aragorn, and so on.

The Return of the Shadow consists largely of various versions of the same chapters, as we slowly see Tolkien's original ideas transforming into the fully-realized story we know and love. The repetition of the same chapters with slight changes can get a bit boring at times, but overall the book is a fascinating read for die-hard Tolkien fans.

9. The Story of Kullervo* (2015)

A few things that I have in common with my favorite author: we've both read the Finnish epic Kalevala, and we're both of the opinion that the tragic hero Kullervo is the most interesting character in its mythology. I love the fact that Tolkien was a fan of Finnish folklore, and that it inspired his own works to some degree - he has admitted that the character Turin Turambar in The Silmarillion is more or less based on Kullervo (or, as Finnish schoolbooks like to report it, "The Lord of the Rings is pretty much based on Kalevala").

This posthumous publication has a lot of interesting content, from Tolkien's own analyses of Kalevala and a translation of the original Kullervo story to Tolkien's own take on the story and how it morphed into the story of Turin Turambar, which would later fit into the author's larger fantasy canon as one of its best parts. If you're Finnish and a fan of Tolkien, like me, this is a must-read.

8. Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth* (1980)

Unfinished Tales is a cool addition to Tolkien's fantasy world, as it essentially expands on the stories from The Silmarillion and shows what sort of books we might've gotten if the legendary author had lived longer. The book is a collection of stories throughout the history of Middle-Earth and its surrounding lands, and it is intriguing to read more detailed versions of these stories than what is found in The Silmarillion.

Stories from the age of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings shine a fascinating light on what was happening in other parts of Tolkien's universe while they took place, and mysterious lore elements such as the Istari and the Palantíri are properly explained. The book might not make much sense if you haven't read a lot of Tolkien, but it's a great treat for fans (read: nerds) such as myself.

7. Beren and Lúthien* (2017)

Simply put, the story of Beren and Lúthien is one of the greatest fictional love stories ever told. Its original premise was imagined by Tolkien way before his fantasy world had really come together, and many parts of it were inspired by his own love for his wide Edith. While working on The Silmarillion, Tolkien inserted this story into the history of his fantasy world, making for one of the book's better chapters. Making a book that focuses on this particular story was one of the many projects that was left undone when the author passed away, but thankfully his son Christopher was there to pick up the pieces as he did with so many great unfinished stories.

Beren and Lúthien tells the same story as the "Beren and Lúthien" chapter in The Silmarillion, but with much more detail and much more beautiful language. The story is told almost entirely in the form of lyrical poetry - if you remember the parts in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings where the characters burst into song, this is like an entire book consisting of just that. The language, just like the story at hand, is some of Tolkien's most emotional and powerful work.

6. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (1954)

Even the least good part of my all-time favorite fictional trilogy is quite amazing. The reason for The Fellowship of the Ring being ranked lower than the other two Lord of the Rings books is that I always found its first half to have a bit too much filler material - I love the individual side adventures and encounters in The Hobbit, but this trilogy is so focused on its epic large-scale story that it feels like a drag to spend so much time with little adventures that don't advance the plot. Fans often complain that the Tom Bombadil section of the story didn't make it into Peter Jackson's movies, but on the other hand, it says something that the movies were able to skip several consecutive chapters from the book without disrupting the story at all.

That's enough negatives, because everything else in this book is awesome and praiseworthy. It serves as an intriguing pseudo-sequel follow-up to The Hobbit, with familiar character popping up on the sidelines, new characters taking the main stage, and a somewhat darker and more high-stakes feel compared to the child-friendly adventure tone of Tolkien's original Middle-Earth tale. The Fellowship of the Ring introduces us to the grand story of The Lord of the Rings, that would only get better in the two later installments - but it's all built on the strong foundation that this book sets.

5. The Hobbit or There and Back Again (1937)

One of my favorite aspects in Tolkien's writing is just how meticulously he crafts his fictional worlds - from creating several languages just as fully fleshed out as real-life languages and envisioning different cultures with their own customs and rules, to penning down thousand-year-spanning histories for different parts of his fantasy world and crafting maps that take all possible geographical factors into account, this man was the king of worldbuilding.

However, there is something to be said for the most simple and least-thought-out book I've read from Tolkien, because the man also just knew how to create a cool adventure story.

The Hobbit is fun, entertaining, and easy to read (at least by Tolkien's standards; my definition of "easy to read" has likely been ruined by the likes of The Silmarillion and Kalevala). It is filled with humorous dialogue, awe-inspiring depictions of fascinating fantasy locations, and depictions of what is going on in Bilbo Baggins's head that will feel relatable for anyone who has ever been in a situation where they've felt like an outsider. I loved reading The Hobbit as a little kid, and I love re-reading it to this day.

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (1954)

The second Lord of the Rings book is like the first, but better. Every element of the story is engaging, and the following of multiple storylines is fascinating. The first half of the book focuses on the storylines of Aragorn and company making their way from the island of Amon Hen to the battle of Helm's Deep and beyond, as well as Merry and Pippin encountering all sorts of adventures from being imprisoned by the Uruk-Hai to befriending Treebeard the Ent. Meanwhile, the second half of the book follows the same timeline but from the point-of-view of Frodo and Sam, and their adventures with the treacherous Gollum on their way to Mordor.

Tolkien's beautiful use of language when describing fantastical locations is at the top of its game, as places such as the ancient and mysterious Fangorn Forest or the dark and wretched pass of Cirith Ungol come to life through some masterful writing. Peter Jackson's cinematic adaptation of the trilogy may be my favorite movie franchise of all time, but there's still no beating Tolkien's original work.

3. The Silmarillion* (1977)

Purely story-wise, this is Tolkien's best book. That is kind of obvious, since all of the canon stories from his fantasy universe are told in this gargantuan work, which many call "the Bible of the Tolkien world". I don't think the Bible comparison is exactly fair, although I do get the point - one is the greatest story ever told, and the Bible is also pretty neat.

Worship complexes aside, The Silmarillion honestly is my favorite fictional story, as it tells the entire history of Tolkien's fantasy world, which includes an astonishing amount of well-written characters, poetic archs, epic battles, fascinating encounters and dramatic turns. The reason for it being at third place instead of first is the language - one of the best things about Tolkien is how beautifully he writes and describes things in great detail.

I do understand that The Silmarillion has so much story to tell that it has to tell it in a compact, objective and distant manner, but unfortunately that is what keeps this larger-than-life epic from being my favorite Tolkien book. The man had such a brain for beautiful choices of words and poetic, slow-paced depictions of locations and characters, that my favorite book from him can't be one that doesn't have time for such things due to having to tell so much story in a matter-of-fact way. Still, a 10/10 masterpiece in its own category.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (1955)

If the second Lord of the Rings book was better than the first, then the final instalment of the trilogy took things to a whole new level. In terms of the style of writing, it's just as good as its other two counterparts, but the reason for The Return of the King being the best part of the trilogy is the story it tells. Of course, the build-up of the first two books is to be thanked for this book's series of payoffs as the trilogy works best as a whole, but that doesn't change the fact that nearly all of my favorite chapters and moments from the trilogy take place in the final instalment.

The Return of the King is well-paced with its utter lack of dull moments, emotional with the way it brings major storylines to an end, and most of all, epic. Peter Jackson's cinematic adaptation of the film wouldn't have won eleven Oscars if it wasn't for the fact that the film's literary source is, perhaps, fiction's most ultimate work of grand-scale adventure and dramatically high stakes. The trilogy's central themes of heroism, loyalty and fellowship are also more evident than ever, which is appropriate for the work that brings home the trilogy that I consider to be the ultimate good vs. evil story in all fiction.

1. The Children of Húrin* (2007)

Like Beren and Lúthien, this is essentially an individual chapter from The Silmarillion, but expanded with more detail. Essentially, The Children of Húrin is what happens when you combine the very best storytelling elements of The Silmarillion with the more grounded, descriptive and beautiful writing style of The Lord of the Rings. In other words, it is all of Tolkien's greatest strengths as an author rolled into one exquisite book.

The main character, Turin Turambar, is without a doubt one of the greatest fictional characters of all time. The archetypes of the tragic hero, the anti-hero, the lone warrior and many others are combined into a fleshed-out individual with a poetic journey across the book. The story is heartbreaking, epic and dramatic, while the various fascinating locations come to life brilliantly through Tolkien's words.

It was a tough decision to say that The Children of Húrin (or pretty much any book ever made) is better than The Silmarillion or the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but that is where I stand when all is said and done. Although the stakes aren't as high as in The Lord of the Rings and the story isn't as grand-scale as in The Silmarillion, the book still manages to feel even more larger-than-life due to the sheer poetic gravitas of the story. Some of the most powerful moments from any literature I've read come from this book.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week, as I continue Literature Month with a ranking of my favorite Agatha Christie mysteries - which book will be at first place, and who is to blame?