100 Books Like A Bit Much

I’m a completionist. I take pleasure in completing a game or task involving many steps that I can tick off as I go.

A to Z lists thrill me like nothing else can! Seeing different minds tackle the same 26 letters each in their own way, never gets old. I was a grown-up when I first discovered Edward Gorey and found him amusing.

But when I discovered this book, the hairs on the back of my neck tingled. He was taking on the A to Z challenge! And he nailed it. Each line is concise and yet tells me everything I need to know.

It’s a short book, but since each line comes with an illustration showing that letter’s victim’s last moments, it’s worth pausing to savor each page.

While watching the movie Logan’s Run, I was delighted to hear T.S. Eliot’s charming poem, “The Naming of Cats,” recited by Peter Ustinov’s character.

I tracked down this book and fell in love with all fourteen cat-centric poems. Some are full of surprises. Others are quite tongue-twisty; those smugly dared me to just try to read them aloud.

My cat listened to my efforts to do so. He seemed fascinated by my struggle to enunciate phrases such as “At prestidigitation, and at legerdemain, he'll defy examination, and deceive you again.”

Almanac, did you say? Why yes, another delight for completionists like me!

There’s plenty of poetry scattered through these 365 entries, but I’m also intrigued by the satire and history pieces, many of which turn a sharp eye on politics, the environment, equal rights, sex, and more, mostly from a historic point of view. 

I received this book as a Christmas gift in 1980, the year it was published. I still have that copy. Many of the “modern” poetry and prose entries are a bit cringey by today’s standards, but the past is what it is. Reading those often leaves me contemplating the course of history and the changes I have witnessed during my own lifetime.

Whenever I’m feeling blue, I can read one of Joshua Seigal’s crisp, silly poems, and in spite of myself, I’ll smile.

The author must have had a constant grin on his face while writing these poems. This book is proof that poetry doesn’t have to be snooty, deep, or dramatic to be worthy.

To quote from “Fun Poem”, one of my favorites, “This is a fun poem. I demand that you enjoy it.” And guess what? I do. This is a breath of fresh air in a genre often weighted down by its own pretentiousness.

This was one of the hardest books to "get into," but a friend of mine told me to stick with it because the rewards of getting through the first quarter would be so great. I'm glad I did. It is an astounding piece of work, quite different from anything I've ever read before or since, and remains one of my top five books.

The tangents the book takes, and the blasé attributes of the leading character are superbly crafted. It was suggested it was "unfilmable," and there's one scene in particular I thought they'd never get away with, but if you look at the movie version carefully, it's in there. 

If you feel like the world has become more narcissistic and entitled, then this book is for you. It examines the root of narcissism and how we can and should remove toxic narcissists from our lives. If you have ever witnessed egregious, inappropriate, and downright nasty behavior from others, you will get a deeper understanding of it and how to disengage from it in your own life.

The joke (but truth) is that people go to therapy because of the people in their lives who refuse to go to therapy. “It’s Not You” is an ideal guide for people who are emotionally beaten down, self-questioning, and depleted from narcissistic abuse. Dr. Ramani provides knowledge so that one can identify the patterns and tactics of narcissistic abuse. This is super important to heal from self-blame and also to prevent falling for future manipulations.

Like my other recommendations- this book is fabulous because it comes from an expert who can channel research and knowledge into understandable terms and blend in relatable narratives from other people. It’s also a book that makes space for grieving dreams and hopes of even toxic relationships. I especially love the advice on how to work on becoming more “narcissist resistant” so that the next time a charming manipulator shows up, you’ll see the red… show more.

Onto the darker side, now. This book outlines how narcissists behave but also posits an opposite force to narcissism (which is why I like it so much).

It’s written by a psychoanalyst, so Freud is lurking in the background, which I don’t always like, but Symington’s ideas are so interesting… Given the plethora of narcissistic politicians in the current world, this book is extraordinarily timely.

Octavia is a self-centered, narcissistic young heiress who thinks she deserves the best of everything. When she meets her friend’s fiancé, Jeremy, she has no compunctions about trying to seduce him. But Jeremy’s best friend, Gareth, has other plans. Brought up in the bad side of town and now a self-made millionaire, he decides to teach Octavia that she can’t play with other people’s lives without suffering the consequences.

This engaging story, full of wit and humor, shows us Octavia’s transformation when she drops from riches to rags, falls in love for the first time in her life, and starts to care about other people than herself. Although the heroine might seem unlikeable at first, the author does a fantastic job in penning her journey, and by the end, most women will identify with Octavia.

When I was in my 20s and ending a relationship with a narcissist, this book was a lifesaver. This book was able to describe exactly what I had been through and made me feel less crazy (being in a relationship with a narcissist can make you feel crazy!). This book also solidified my decision to leave the narcissist once and for all and helped me find a relationship where I was treated well. A must-read for anyone in a relationship with a narcissist or who has been in a relationship with a narcissist.