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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, October 9, 2014 | 22 T Garp, Gatsby, Gursky and other books that `stick like glue' he gauntlet was thrown down on Facebook when a fellow Facebooker issued the challenge to list "10 books that have stayed with you in some way." Hmm, I thought: slightly ambiguous. Not asking for my 10 favorite books or the 10 best books I've ever read -- rather, 10 books that have stuck to my soul "in some way," like bubblegum on the sole of a running shoe. In some way? Perhaps even unfavourably? I mean, I've never been able to shake Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, a book I was obligated to read for a bygone book club, each of its 10-zillion pages a boot to my beleaguered brain. It is possible Eco's purported masterpiece simply sailed over my head. Or, perhaps it's just an exasperatingly esoteric and unfathomably convoluted novel. But I regress. Suf ce to say, I picked up the thrown gauntlet and began straining to construct my list, to the point where I pulled a muscle in my head. And whilst creating this list, I decided to set a limit of one book per author, least the top 10 be all John Irving. Anyway, here goes: The World According to Garp, by John Irving -- a rare beast, this 1978 novel is beloved by both readers and critics alike. Garp is said to have rede ned ction, captured millions of readers, and launched thousands of new writers -- myself included -- all wanting to be like Irving. All that aside, what a read -- what a riotous romp. Whenever I'm asked what is the best book I've ever read, I answer: One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. For me, this epic novel is about math. On a rst read, you might grasp about one-tenth of it -- it's that complex, that deep -- but are nonetheless riveted. And, of course, you'll end up wanting to read it 10 times. So, I suppose, eventually you'll grasp the entire book. When asked what ranks as my favourite book, I reply: The Great Gatsby, by F . Scott Fitzgerald. Every couple of years, I pick it up and once again get lost in the language. Fitzgerald was a poet and Gatsby is pure poetry. Consider the last lines of the novel: "So, we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past...." And then there's The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger. Brimming in teen angst and alienation. Published in 1951, it still rings true today. I can't count how many I've reveled in rereading this book. Sundog, by Jim Harrison. Or, actually, anything by Jim Harrison. Solomon Gursky Was Here, by Mordecai Richler. I discovered Richler That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor BEST SUSHI, SASHIMI & RAMEN NOODLE MUST TRY! JAPANESE RESTAURANT Mye Japanese Restaurant 143 Church St. Oakville 905.849.8989 (Closed Mon) RANDALL ST Mye 2 Japanese Restaurant 360 Dundas St E. Oakville 905.257.7747 (Closed Wed) CHURCH ST 27 CE L EB RATI NG Braised Pork Belly Ramen (available only at Mye2) Years MYERESTAURANT.CA NOW OPEN! in the library in high school and became an ardent, lifelong fan. Likewise, Cannery Row, by John Steinbeck. Rounding out the top 10: Breakfast of Champions, by Kurt Vonnegut; Breath, by Tim Winton; and Beloved, by Toni Morrison. Honourable mentions: The Stone Diaries, by Carol Shields; Salt Water, by Charles Simmons; Fifth Business, by Robertson Davies; The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon; To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee, The Brothers Karamozov, by Fyodor Dostoyevsky; A Thousand Acres, by Jane Smiley; The Color Purple, by Alice Walker; and Lake Wobegon Days, by Garrrison Keillor. Oh, and then there's.... -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook www.facebook.com, or followed on Twitter at @thesportjesters. NAVY ST There's simply no reason to wait. RBC Simplified Life Insurance. ® TM Meet an advisor today Underwritten by RBC Life Insurance Company. At Prince Michael Dr. off Dundas St. E. 905-257-8200 At the Olde Oakville Marketplace 905-815-8121 At Appleby Line near Dundas St. 905-332-2551 ® / TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. *No purchase necessary. Offer ends November 28, 2014 or while quantities last. Redemption must be completed by December 5, 2014. A link will be provided at time of quote to request choice of gift card. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Cannot be combined with any other offer. One card per household.