Technically, Invisible Man should not count, because I did once read the entire book; it was an AP English Literature assignment, so I had little choice, but it was probably the only novel I read for school that I absolutely hated. Plus, I will always remember the time it helped me win a Quiz Bowl competition (Never forget -- Invisible Man and The Invisible Man are two different books).

As I've mentioned, I'm making an effort to infuse my reading with more diversity, and generally I've found that to be a really rewarding challenge. And certainly I would agree with most high school English teachers that this is a book Americans should read But because I've already read it, I can be smug and complain about how little I enjoyed it. Naturally, a book that seeks the dramatize the African American experience in the first half of the twentieth century is not going to be a laugh riot. It's not just that the plot is plodding, joyless, struggle, but that the writing reflects this; because our nameless protagonist is treated as an "invisible man" by the world around him, he lacks development in a way that is frustratingly effective. It completely succeeds in its assertions about being African American, but as a result, it's incredibly tough to get through. Sometimes struggling through a difficult novel can be a really enriching experience, and often stellar African American literature is the best example of this -- Beloved is gut-wrenching, and there were so many times I had to put it down and take a break, but it absolutely deserves all the praise it has received and more, and Toni Morrison's incredible prose really eases the pain. Ralph Ellison is not trying to make this easy for the reader, however; the difficulty is the whole point. So in the end, I'm glad I read it and now I never have to read it again.

Books I Can't Even (apologies for the use of Internet cliches) is a recurring post on books I absolutely could not finish, usually after several attempts.

My relationship with Toni Morrison started young and was very deeply forged. I was blessed with a terrific and highly influential English teacher in 11th grade, who assigned The Bluest Eye, Morrison's first novel. I gulped down the entire thing in a day, and then immediately started re-reading it, this time with a pencil in hand to make notes in the margins. I still have that copy, and there is not a single page in it without my underlines, denoting the most sublime moments of her prose.

Beloved is where most folks start with Toni Morrison, and for good reason. It's brilliant and is often tossed around in discussions about the Great American Novel. I spend a good deal of time examining reading lists, and spend even more time reading in order to cross titles off the lists. When I was a younger reader I understood these lists to be sacred, but the more I read the more skeptical I become in many cases, but Beloved deserves every accolade it has received. I'm very curious if it's still taught in high schools as much as it was, but I'm disappointed that I managed to make it through high school and college without having read it.

I read Song of Solomon a few years ago after reading that it was one of President Obama's favorite books. Presidential endorsements don't usually influence my reading habits, but Barack Obama is a talented writer himself, and Harold Bloom admires Toni Morrison as well so it's okay. I was initially disappointed because I knew it took place in Detroit and wanted very deeply to have a stronger personal connection to it as a result, which wasn't the case. That said, it was truly excellent and really exemplifies everything Morrison does best.

Morrison is an author to be read and read again, and as excited as I am to recommend her to anyone, I'm equally as excited to continue discovering her other novels.