I was browsing Faceboook a few days ago when I ran across another one of those peculiar Facebook exercises apparently designed to expose the pathetically low level of sophistication of Americans to the world.  

This one was titled 15 Books, and you’re supposed to name 15 books you’ve read that will always stick with you. And your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to compile your list in 15 minutes.

In my case, the time limit is ridiculous, of course, I’ve already been working on it for two days and this is the pathetic result, along with an equally pathetic comment or two about each book.

1.  White Fang, Jack London. Tenth grade. The first book I ever read from cover to cover.

2. Call of the Wild, London. Eleventh grade. The second one I read in full.

3. Count of Monte Cristo, Classic Comics Version, Artist Unknown. A copy of this was available on EBay not too long ago for a few hundred dollars.

4. A People’s History of the U.S., Howard Zinn. One of my favorite books. I especialy like the part where Zinn details the attitudes of America’s rich during the Civil War. In those days, a rich “draftee” could pay a substitute to take his place as a soldier. A high class founder of the Mellon fortune wrote to his son encouraging him to pay a sub: “There are other lives less worthy.”

5. Sundown Towns, James Loewen. Another favorite. It’s about towns that did not permit blacks within the town limits after dark. You may be surprised to find your home town listed and described in the book. There were sundown towns in every state.

6. From Here to Eternity, James Jones. One of those novels of military life that drips masculinity and appeals to testosterone-laden young men.

7. The Power Elite, C. Wright Mills. I don’t know why this title stuck with me.

8. A Difficult Woman, Jeannie Watt. A Western romance set in modern Nevada. For some reason I can’t explain, I like the story and Watt’s treatment.

9. Tobacco Road, Erskine Caldwell. Loaded with suggestive language that appealed to budding adolescent sexuality.

10. American Indian Law, Anderson and others. I was interested in this subject for awhile,

11. Catch 22, Joseph Heller. Another story of men in war. This one was a sort of macabre treatment of a rather twisted cast of characters.

12. True Believer, Nicholas Sparks. The first Sparks’ book I ever read. I wrote a satirical review of it in three parts.

13. Topographic Atlas of Nevada, Author unknown to me. I love maps and always have.

14. Stars in Khaki, James E. Wise. A nostalgic look silver screen stars and actors who actually served in the Army or Air Forces rather than just portraying fighting men on the screen. I plan to write a book review of this one.

15. Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck. The classic tale of the Joads who traveled from the Dust Bowl to California in search of jobs and a new life only to be met with hostility and ultimately death.

When I looked over this list, I had to ask myself one question: If I had my life to live over again, would I read the same books?

Yes, I think I would. I’m still a rather low-level thinker.

Now, I challenge everyone to outdo me in the unsophisticated approach to literature. Bet you can’t score below me on Facebook’s ignorance test.