Most Beloved Books
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And feel free not to limit oneself to just literature. Anything and everything please; books on science, oragami making, Nancy Drew etc.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Veil of Darkness by Gillian White
Regeneration Trilogy (Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, The Ghost Road) by Pat Barker
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Veil of Darkness by Gillian White
Regeneration Trilogy (Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, The Ghost Road) by Pat Barker
lord667
=UM=Heartburn
"Bad Astronomy" - Philip Plait. A handy guide to what you're wrong about, if you ever think about astronomy or space at all.
"The Place Of Dead Roads" - William Burroughs. A kaleidoscope of spaghetti-western, social commentary, dark magic, science fiction, and above all a fucking good read. More coherent than "Naked Lunch", but still pretty delirious at times.
"Schaum's Outlines UML" - Simon Bennett, John Skelton, Ken Lunn. Without which I would have flunked out of uni a long time ago.
"The Iliad" - Homer (as translated by Robert Chapman). Like all the best "literary" works, it takes a very visceral subject and turns it into something timeless and beautiful. This is what I call "a poem".
"The Pendragon Cycle" and "Song Of Albion" - Stephen Lawhead. A very absorbing pair of fantasies, made all the better for the fact that they're both set in Britain (well, Song Of Albion is set in the "Celtic archetype" of a parallel dimension, but what it boils down to is: A much larger version of Britain).
All of Brian Jacques's Redwall books, which were what I grew up reading, and which I still have. OK, they're teen fantasy novels and not the best literature on Earth, but they gave me many happy hours back in the day.
"The Place Of Dead Roads" - William Burroughs. A kaleidoscope of spaghetti-western, social commentary, dark magic, science fiction, and above all a fucking good read. More coherent than "Naked Lunch", but still pretty delirious at times.
"Schaum's Outlines UML" - Simon Bennett, John Skelton, Ken Lunn. Without which I would have flunked out of uni a long time ago.
"The Iliad" - Homer (as translated by Robert Chapman). Like all the best "literary" works, it takes a very visceral subject and turns it into something timeless and beautiful. This is what I call "a poem".
"The Pendragon Cycle" and "Song Of Albion" - Stephen Lawhead. A very absorbing pair of fantasies, made all the better for the fact that they're both set in Britain (well, Song Of Albion is set in the "Celtic archetype" of a parallel dimension, but what it boils down to is: A much larger version of Britain).
All of Brian Jacques's Redwall books, which were what I grew up reading, and which I still have. OK, they're teen fantasy novels and not the best literature on Earth, but they gave me many happy hours back in the day.
DiscipleOfPlato
The Observer
Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead" and "Anthem"
Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"
John Milton's "Paradise Lost"(epic poem)
Voltaire's "Treatise on Toleration and Other Essays" as well as "Candide"
Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and "A Merchant in Venice"
Plato's "The Republic" (what an ironic selection)
As for modern, contemporary literature:
Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange"
Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity"
and James O' Barr's "The Crow" series, if that qualifies...
Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"
John Milton's "Paradise Lost"(epic poem)
Voltaire's "Treatise on Toleration and Other Essays" as well as "Candide"
Edmond Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" and "A Merchant in Venice"
Plato's "The Republic" (what an ironic selection)
As for modern, contemporary literature:
Anthony Burgess's "A Clockwork Orange"
Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity"
and James O' Barr's "The Crow" series, if that qualifies...
Well i guess I will list mine to get this thread going. As one can see from my list, this is lenghty and it looks as if i am showing off- which i guess i am .
Dostoevsky: Notes From the Underground, The Devils, Brothers Karamazov
Gogol: Dead SOuls
Camus: The rebel, The Fall
Hayek: Road to Serfdom
Plutarch: Lives
Hesse: Steppenwolf
Greene The Heart of the Matter
Burckhardt: The civilization of the Renaissance in Italy
Suetonius: The twelve Caesars
Milorad Pavic The Dictionary of the Khazars- brilliant modern serbian author.
Epicurus- principal doctrines and vatican sayings
Voltaire - Candide, Zadig
Dhammapada
Schopenhauer The world as Will and Interpretation
Dostoevsky: Notes From the Underground, The Devils, Brothers Karamazov
Gogol: Dead SOuls
Camus: The rebel, The Fall
Hayek: Road to Serfdom
Plutarch: Lives
Hesse: Steppenwolf
Greene The Heart of the Matter
Burckhardt: The civilization of the Renaissance in Italy
Suetonius: The twelve Caesars
Milorad Pavic The Dictionary of the Khazars- brilliant modern serbian author.
Epicurus- principal doctrines and vatican sayings
Voltaire - Candide, Zadig
Dhammapada
Schopenhauer The world as Will and Interpretation
Voice of God
Harmless Bum
Lots of classics and philosophy on those lists of yours. Two subjects (well... as much as you can call "classic" a particular subject) I've found mostly very boring when ever I've tried to get into them. Especially the classic russian writers... literary valium. Well, me being a fantasy/sf-nerd, here's my list:
Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings - Some one had to say it.
Neil Gaiman: Sandman comic-series (10+2 parts) - Better than 99,9% of the "real" literature I know.
Neil Gaiman: American Gods - Just mindblowingly good. Mixes old world mythology with modern America.
Dan Simmons: Hyperion series (4 parts) - Epic science fiction, classic to be.
Kalevala (national epic poem)
Atkinson et al.: Introduction to Psychology - Only non-fiction that I've liked during the last 5 years.
Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings - Some one had to say it.
Neil Gaiman: Sandman comic-series (10+2 parts) - Better than 99,9% of the "real" literature I know.
Neil Gaiman: American Gods - Just mindblowingly good. Mixes old world mythology with modern America.
Dan Simmons: Hyperion series (4 parts) - Epic science fiction, classic to be.
Kalevala (national epic poem)
Atkinson et al.: Introduction to Psychology - Only non-fiction that I've liked during the last 5 years.
Yeah what can i say i am a classics/history/literature geek if one can call it that as it seems all people read these days are bad romance, mystery, and Tom Clancy like drivel.
For me, fantasy and sci fi are literary valium of absolutely no value. Not that i mind people reading them, nor should i judge people for reading them.
On a serious note, does anyone care for any American authors? I always have a hard time with American authors, I love American plays by Albee, or Oneill, Tennessee WIlliams etc, but american literature is a vast wasteland, Hemingway and Salinger, Hawthorne etc, are all so overrated.
Now that I mentioned ALbee, I remembered his play AMerican Dream is the perfect critique of hollywood and american culture that still stands true today.
For me, fantasy and sci fi are literary valium of absolutely no value. Not that i mind people reading them, nor should i judge people for reading them.
On a serious note, does anyone care for any American authors? I always have a hard time with American authors, I love American plays by Albee, or Oneill, Tennessee WIlliams etc, but american literature is a vast wasteland, Hemingway and Salinger, Hawthorne etc, are all so overrated.
Now that I mentioned ALbee, I remembered his play AMerican Dream is the perfect critique of hollywood and american culture that still stands true today.
DiscipleOfPlato
The Observer
Ah! I can't believe I had forgotten to mention "The Brothers Karamazov!" Although I've yet to read anything else by Dostoevsky, that one in particular happens to be one of the most genuinely entertaining dramatic satires I've ever encountered. "Who doesn't wish his father dead?"-Classic. One of the few lines of literature that still linger perpetually in my head. I'm curious, what would you recommend next for one whom is intrigued by Dostoevsky?
Evil Ernie
Ungodly freak, defiler
Lokakuu
Runs with scissors
Swan Song by Robert McCammon. Great book about post nuclear events and how a few group of people survive.
Id recommend Notes from the Underground, THe Idiot, And the Possessed (Or the Devils) depending on the translation. If you like pure ideas go with the devils, the only problem with the book is it has so many side plots it can become hard to read. Notes from the underground is considered the first literary work of existentialism, and it is a favorite of mine.
So, if you read karamazov- did you enjoy the chapter- Legend of the Grand Inquisitor
So, if you read karamazov- did you enjoy the chapter- Legend of the Grand Inquisitor
Alex78
Fretbuzz Virtuoso
DiscipleOfPlato
The Observer
Hmm...in my book's translation, it's simply entitled "The Grand Inquisitor." Yes, I did enjoy it along with the rest of the book, although I can't vividly recollect its content (I last read "Brothers Karamazov" in 10th grade!). Also, upon reading a brief synopsis of "The Devils," I suspect I'll be reading it next. I've always found the philosophy of existentialism to be interesting, and I'm curious to investigate its origins, so "Notes From the Underground" is likely to follow. Thanks.
I think you will enjoy the character kirrilov in The Devils.
Its nice to see someone else that reads classics on this board. I still vey much dislike your master plato, Ive always found him to be an arrogant authoritative fascist. But anyhow, will have to discuss some literature or something, a UM book club haha.
Its nice to see someone else that reads classics on this board. I still vey much dislike your master plato, Ive always found him to be an arrogant authoritative fascist. But anyhow, will have to discuss some literature or something, a UM book club haha.
manuelgv
Back now...hopefully
Crime and Punishment & Brothers Karamazov by Dostoievski
MAdame Bovary by Flaubert
Anna Karenina by Tolstoi
The party of the goat by Vargas Llosa
100 years of solitude by Garcia Marzquez
The dragonlance chronicles by MArgaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Lord of the rings by Tolkien
More to be added soon
MAdame Bovary by Flaubert
Anna Karenina by Tolstoi
The party of the goat by Vargas Llosa
100 years of solitude by Garcia Marzquez
The dragonlance chronicles by MArgaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Lord of the rings by Tolkien
More to be added soon
Mario Vargas Llosa, I was thining of reading feast of the goat, Ive heard good things about it, its about the hitleresque dictator of the dominican republic right?
NAD
What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
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