British Invasion: The 10 Best Imports from Across the Pond

In the past five years there has been an invasion of hotties from Britian. This list will include the best of the best of British actors making their mark on Hollywood. My top 3 are basically in a three-way tie but I had to number them so this is what I came up with. Enjoy!

10. Ben Barnes
 (WireImage.com)
Ben hit the scene in 2008 as Prince Caspian in the Narnia series. He reprised that role in last years The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This year he can be seen in Killing Bono. Ben's other film credit includes the lead in Dorian Grey.

9. Nicholas Hoult
 (MTV)
Nicholas bust on to the scene when he starred as the precocious child in About a Boy. Since then Nicholas has grown into a fine young man and can be seen in this years X-Men: First Class. He was in both A Single Man and Clash of the Titans in 2010 and he currently has two projects in the works to come out in 2012.

8. Rupert Friend
 (Belfast Telegraph)
Rupert has not been a blockbuster type of movie but this guy has leading man qualities. Most will recognize his role as Mr. Wickham in 2005 Pride &Prejudice and as Prince Albert in The Young Victoria. This year he can be seen in 5 Days of August as an American journalist covering the Russia-Georgia conflict in 2008.

7. Jamie Campbell Bower
 (Starz)
Jamie has been in his share of hit movies. He was Anthony in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2007 with Johnny Depp. He then starred in Twilight Saga: New Moon as Caius, the leader of the Volturi. He has managed to star in another blockbuster, in Part 1 and 2 in the finale of the Harry Potter series as Gellert Grindelwald. He will reprise his role as Caius in the Twilight Sage finale as well as star in the TV series Camelot as King Arthur.

6. Tom Sturridge
 (Esquire)
Most people might not know very much about this actor other than he is the best friend of a certain Robert Pattinson. Tom however is well known in his home country as a great young talent. He has had roles in movies like Being Julia and Pirate Radio. I'm most excited to see him in this years On the Road, a film adaptation of Jack Kerouac's novel. It must be hard living in the shadows of your best friend but I think in good time his star shall shine on its own right.

5. Henry Cavill
 (Men's Health)
You may or may not know who Henry Cavill is depending on if you had Showtime or not. He starred in the TV series The Tudors as HenryVIII best friend the Duke of Suffolk. For those who dont know him, you will in the next couple years. He will be starring in this years Immortals about the Greek gods and next year he will put on the famous red and blue spandex in Superman.

4. Alex Pettyfer
 (Disney)
Alex's breakout year has had its ups and downs and its only March. He has starred in two movies so far this year, I Am Number Four and Beastly. It appears that Alex isn't handling his knew found fame because he went on a bit of a tirade after his girlfriend Dianna Agron broke up with him. I have high hopes for Alex getting his life back together and staring in great movies  in the future.

3. Max Irons
 (Getty)
He hasn't yet been seen in his lead role in Red Riding Hood, yet fans are flocking to this Brit. Perhaps partly due to his parents. He is the son of acclaimed actors Jeremy Irons and Sinead Cusack. It appears he got the acting genes from them. Max, though new to American audiences has already impressed his home country with his stage performances. Max's best attributes are his mothers eyes and his fathers charisma...I dare you to not fall in love with him.

2. Robert Pattinson
 (GQ)
Rob has been in Hollywood for what seems like forever but he has just been very productive in the past five years. Rob technically got his start six years in a support role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as Cedric Diggory. The entire world, however,  knows him as Edward Cullen in The Twilight Saga movies. Since he burst through Hollywood in 2008 Rob has been going none stop. He has reprised his role as Edward a couple of times and is currently filming part 1 and 2 of the Twilight finale. In between those movies he has starred in Remember Me and will star in this years Water for Elephants and Bel-Ami. It also was announced a two months ago that he will star in the Cronenberg film Cosmopolis next year. As it stands, Rob is the Hollywood "It" guy and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.
1. Andrew Garfield
 (Vogue)
Andrew hasn't hit the fandom levels that Rob has yet and may not get there but he might have something better. He had a supporting role in last years biggest movie, Oscar nominated The Social Network. Many even believed he deseved a supporting role nomination. He was also in last years film adaptation of the novel Never Let Me Go. His biggest claim to fame might be his next role in which he puts on the famous spidey suit in next years The Amazing Spider-Man.

The 15 Must Read Books

Hey guys I'm sorry it took so long to get this weeks post in but my computer died after six years. Here is the list of books I believe everyone should read. Classics that are the foundation for all that is great in the literary world.

1. Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen just had a way with telling a love story. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy have one of the greatest love stories of all time. Must read for the romantic in us.

2. Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe gives an inside tale of life in colonial Africa from the natives perspective and how they deal with their traditions vs. the changes of tomorrow.

3. On The Road - Jack Kerouac's across country journey that defined the postwar generation.

4. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of life in during Prohabition America.

5. The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck's Wrath is the quintessential American novel. It completely sums up life during the Depression with its humanistic and religious undertones.

6. Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell's tells the tale of the old south on the eve of the Civil War. Plus heres an epic love/hate story between Scarlett and Rhet.

7. Farenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury's commentary of what he saw was wrong with American culture during
 the early stages of the Cold War. The temperature 451 relates to the temp that paper burns.

8. 1984 - George Orwell story of life in an oligarichal society in which the government ( Big Brother) is always watching.

9. Heart of Darkness - Jospeh Conrad's take on colonial Africa from the white mans perpective.

10. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh's novel was ahead of its time. Many have debated the romantic nature of Charles and Sebastians relationship. Great story of life and faith.

11. Sophie's Choice - William Styron's take on a Holocaust survivors story filled with a love story and how
guilt and secrets can eat away at a persons psyche.

12. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger's angst ridden tale of teenager Holden Caulfields journey to
find himself.

13. Lord of Flies - William Golding's novel about the adventures of a group of schoolboys trying to govern
themselves on a deserted island. The debate of human nature is called into question on whether we are
interested in the common good or individual welfare.

14. Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison's novel addresses the social and intellectual issues facing African-
Americans in the early 20th century.

15. To Kill a Mockingbird -  Harper Lee's  novel is a social commentary of life in the post-depression south
and the racial inequality that starts to emerge.