"we wish you a morbid christmas . . ."

Christmas break has arrived, and we all know what that means, yes?

Well, 
a) it means that I am halfway though my sophomore year of college {weird}, 
and, more importantly, 
b) it means that it is finally time to tackle my rather substantial reading list.


Ah . . . this is why I love Christmas break. There exists absolutely nothing too pressing or important to pull me away from the glorious stack of books on my bedside table.


This year's pervading theme?
Morbid literature. And yes, I do find this to be slightly ironic. 
{'Tis the season to be jolly?}

• The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury
• The October Country - Ray Bradbury
• Edgar Allen Poe short stories
• That Hideous Strength - C.S. Lewis
• Candide - Voltaire (if I have time . . . at least this one isn't really morbid, just satirical)

Looking at this list, I have also come to the realization that I have apparently developed a taste for science fiction that is slightly more sophisticated than Doctor Who or Star Wars, which is most definitely a good thing . . . though I do plan to watch those movies before I head back to school.
I should probably stop there before I give away just how much of a nerd I truly am. 


So, why morbid literature? You mean, other than the fact that I enjoy creepy stories? 
I'm so glad you asked.
I love morbid literature because real life doesn't always end "happily ever after", and I'm pretty sure that it hardly ever ends the way you expect it to. Furthermore, man is not by nature good. Apart from God, can man ever be truly happy? Will he ever find the answers? How does man react to stressful and/or cataclysmic situations when his reality and his morals are completely subjective? Personally, I find the different answers submitted by various authors through the vehicle of morbid and/or distopian literature to be fascinating.


And besides . . . it's just a really good read.