10 books challenge

Challenges all over Facebook, spamming our News Feeds all the time. Some of us adore them, others would love a new option "Block everything containing the word 'challenge'" to appear. I find myself somewhere in between, just like with the Buzzfeed's quizes. Depending on the proximity of any exam - the closer it is, the higher the frequency of spamming my own wall.

Recently a new wave passed through Facebook - 10 books challenge.
The rules are pretty simple: list 10 books that somehow influenced your life.
I couldn't resist facing up to the challenge immediately I was nominated.
The problem is, choosing ONLY 10 books is as easy as eating soup with a fork. Doable only when you melt the tines and forge a spoon. Goodreads became my smithy, but the decision was still too tough. That's how I ended up with the list of 12 books on Facebook, though I want to make another list on my blog, consisting of a few more items. I'll try to keep the chronological order.
If you're interested, at all.

1. Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
In this case, numer 1 is not random at all. Hobbit was the first book I've ever read, at the age of 7. I couldn't have chosen (or, to be more exact, my parents couldn't have chosen) better. From that moment on my big adventure with literature started.

“Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?” 

2. Mort, Terry Pratchett
Why Mort? This was the first Pratchett's book I put my hands on. Again, thanks to my parents. Sir Terry has become my beloved author, and I'm not sure it's even possible for me to express my respect for him. He is my authority both in writing skills, sense of humour and opinion about the world. He is also my biggest translation challenge, and only when I can say: Translating Pratchett? No problem, I will feel fulfilled. What will never happen, of course.

“It would seem that you have no useful skill or talent whatsoever," he said. "Have you thought of going into teaching?”

3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling
I was such a hipster in primary school. "Everybody's reading a series? It means it has to be weak. I'm not going to even touch it". Fortunately, my curiosity got the better of me. After a few years, when literally everybody was talking about Harry, Hogwarts and everything related, I decided to try and read it - still convinced it's going to be a crap, but to be able to understand all of the popular references (e.g. "You-Know-Who"). Aaaand... The dame's broken. Second, third parts were devoured in as many days. Then the long wait for the fourth part... Oh, the night in the bookstore, awaiting midnight with so many other kids, to grab a copy of the novel the moment it appears on the shelf. The feeling of unity, understanding with all the others wearing strange hats.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

4. Potop, H. Sienkiewicz
The classic of Polish literature. Detested by some kids at school, an obligatory reading. However, I read it a few years before I had to, which may be the reason why I still love it. A historical fiction, it tells the story of love, honour and patriotism. It's full of epic battles and heart-breaking losses. And marks the beginnings of my love for history.

 "– A gdzie ten Piątek?
 – Koło Soboty.
 – Kpisz, Kiemlicz?
 – Jakże bym śmiał, panie pułkowniku!"

5. Winnetou, Karl May
Strange as that may be, it started my love not only for the Indiands, but also for various mythologies. And made me a direct and honest person. It may be childish, and even though I know nobody really cherishes it nowadays, the book intensified my reluctance to lie. Howgh!

"Będąc młodym, nie zastanawiałem się wówczas nad tym, że dopiero życie jest właściwym i prawdziwym uniwersytetem, w którym uczniowie są pytani co dzień i co godzina."

6. Miecz przeznaczenia, Andrzej Sapkowski
I thought long enough if the Witcher series should appear here or not. But then, the answer was easy: a definite yes. I read it when I was 12. I remember the contempt with which I omitted all the sex scenes, quickly going through pages to some action. Still, I guess it was my first contact with this kind of literature.

“-Hej! - ryczał Yarpen Zigrin siedzący na koźle, wskazując na Yennefer. - Coś się tam czerni na szlaku! Ciekawe, co to? Wygląda jak kobyła!
- Bez ochyby! - odwrzasnął Jaskier, odsuwając na tył głowy śliwkowy kapelusik. - To kobyła! Wierzchem na wałachu! Niebywałe!”

7. Tam gdzie spadają anioły, Dorota Terakowska
A beautiful, though strongly religious book. I actually became a Catholic for about one year after reading it. Until I started thinking logically again, of course. The point is: if a book can make ME (even a much younger me) religious, it means it is the most beautiful book you can present to your kid. Besides, this is exactly the moment when my love of angels started.

"Zawsze musi istnieć równowaga – coś za coś, nic za darmo. Szczęście wystawia ludziom swoje rachunki."

8. Letters from the Earth, Mark Twain
Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn - young adults books. But the truth is, Twain was so much more than that. Letters won with the Yankee in King Arthur's Court only slightly. In the end, they made a bigger impression on me - and got me thinking more of the cultural patterns we are forced to follow, especially the ones the Catholic Church loves to impose.

“The difference between a Miracle and a Fact is exactly the difference between a mermaid and a seal.” 

9. Podróże z Herodotem, R. Kapuściński
This is not the first Kapuściński's book I've read. However, it combines my two favourite features of his writings: anecdotes of the daily life in communist Poland AND his coverages of the foreign issues. This man never ceased to amaze me, how coragious you can be and how many adventures you can survive. The ideal journalist - in the times which allowed for real journalism. In the times when killling a journalist was not a sign of your power, but rather of your weakness.

"Jaką funkcję spełnia zemsta? Strach przed zemstą, przed jej nieuchronnością i grozą, powinien powstrzymać każdego z nas przed popełnieniem czynu niegodnego i szkodzącego innemu. Powinien być hamulcem i głosem opamiętania."

10. Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle
Can you imagine your life without the Perfect Detective, the Arrogant Genious? Me neither. If my logical thinking was ever supposed to develop, it happened while reading the stories.

“When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” 

10. Brave New World, A. Huxley
I was never so stunned by Orwell's 1984. Yet this one overtook my mind for many days. It was the impulse to think about the future, not only mine, but of the whole world. About the science and morality. About humanity.

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly -- they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.” 

11. The Master and Margarita, M. Bulgakov
A reknown book about the Devil. Seriously, my journey with the supernatural was not easy. I have no idea as to why. Fortunately, Bulhakov finally unblocked in me the open interest in this kind of books. It's thanks to him that I've read Siewca Wiatru, and later on so many simialar books, including those by Nalini Singh. It's also thanks to him that I started enjoying Biblical stories and created my own published story of Cain.

“Is that vodka?" Margarita asked weakly.
The cat jumped up in his seat with indignation.
"I beg pardon, my queen," he rasped, "Would I ever allow myself to offer vodka to a lady? This is pure alcohol!”

12. Crime and Punishment, F. Dostoyevsky
All I can say is that it had psychological impact on me. It kept me in tension through all the pages, much more than E.A. Poe ever did.

“Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.” 

12. Kushiel's Dart, Jacqueline Carey
As I've written in one of my previous reviews, the first erotic fantasy book I read. I couldn't have chosen better. I fell in love with every word that came from Jacqueline's hand. The series - all three trilogies - took me for an incredible journey through my senses and supplied me with the most lyrical descriptions. Without her I would never learn about Nalini Singh or Patricia Briggs.

“All knowledge is worth having.” 

13. The God Delusion, R. Dawkins
Called the Bible of atheists, really is an incredibly important book, the proof of the freedom of speech. Atheists were afraid to speak loudly about their philosophy of life for so many years. Now we may finally admit to it loudly without the fear of dire consequences. It doesn't matter if the book is controveral or not - it matters that it exists and that so many people know about it.

“We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.”

14. Paradise Lost, Milton
And back to the Devil. I've read the book at university, and found my favourite character of Christian mythology - Lucifer. I've always had weakness for this kind of "villains" - Lucifer and Loki being my favourite ones of all times.

“Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.”


There are so many more novels that deserve to be on the list. Every book I read leaves something behind, changes me in the slightest of ways. How could you not change after living so many lives?