Jordan~
Prolific Member
Do graphic novels count? I just finished Watchmen, having had it recommended. I really enjoyed it, it was excellent.
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OK, it's on.
Favorite Books
- Thread starter lightspeed
- Start date
FacetiousPersona
Banned
I liked the book Doctors a lot. I read it while locked up in a cell.
RobertJ
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Fiction:
Paths of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Fairy Tale by Raymond E. Feist
Brothers in Arms by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman
Non Fiction:
Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock
Supernatural Meetings With the Ancient Teachers of Mankind by Graham Hancock
Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall
Templars and the Assassins by James Wasserman
My absolute favorites are the first listed in both sections.
Paths of Darkness by R.A. Salvatore
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Fairy Tale by Raymond E. Feist
Brothers in Arms by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman
Non Fiction:
Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock
Supernatural Meetings With the Ancient Teachers of Mankind by Graham Hancock
Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall
Templars and the Assassins by James Wasserman
My absolute favorites are the first listed in both sections.
Sugarpop
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Yes. This is a valid statement.
bigC Jarvis
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well you know what my favorite book is? THE BIBLE!!!!!! it is rly fascinating and it is filled with tons of funny short stories, like Jesus and the Leper . . . i know it is a sick kind of humor! but i also rly enjoy the Twilight series, though my chick side rly dont like it cuase she got way too into it and she tried to hide from me, did not work that well as you see.
Fluffdaddy
Member
Favorites here are 1984 and Watership down, and I haven't read Catch 22 but i have heard that it is great
Duragg84
Redshirt
Shogun by James Clavell.
Sugarpop
accepts advice on his English
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What are your Body Mass Indice?
XIII
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Srsly gyz, a little more originality... 1984? I'd expect that kind of answer from a 15 year-old infp who regularly engaged in autofellatio.
9 out of 10 books are painful to me. Instead of presenting a self-created artistic conception of the the information, 9/10 authors whore themselves out to consensus mediocrity. ''Ethics'' and ''shoulds'' and ''rights'' and ''opinions''... I want none of an author's roles and positions in the shared world- I want *his* world. I want to percieve him, not the monolithic cultural authority whose aesthetic penis he sucks with every appeal to common morality.
Co-creators:
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
This book can teach you how to navigate and electrify the world of your imagination. It can teach you how to recreate yourself from the inside. It probably won't unless you're ready, but it can. [note obscure phonetic ref. to this book in my descrition of 'Science and Sanity']
Personality Change - XIII
This short eBook is a manual of heretical perception-change techniques presented in an overarching metaphorical context. It is currently in private circulation. Copies possibly available upon request.
Science and Sanity - Alfred Korzybski
This is an *essential* (you'll get this joke after you've bought it) book for NTs to read. It is a post-Einsteinian theory of semantic relativity, with immediate potential for practical application to your ''thoughts''. It's long and thick, but it tastes good. Like a lolly.
Masterworks of the UKIYO-E - Harunobu
Beautiful, and friends with Lucy. It may or may not have a rare mystical secret visually encoded into the 28th page.
Finnegan's Wake
Using language to transcend language. Contorting this rigid old symbol-system into a rich, alive linguistic organism. Also very good for showing off with (hurhur I understand Finnegan's Wake, but you couldn't even get through Ulysses).
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
It's kind of cute.
Blake, Keats, and Rimbaud help me to transmute my will to death into a will to art. I enjoy Crowley's work. Rand makes me cry, because of what she could have been if she had read ''Science and Sanity'' instead of confusing primitive linguistic maps of reality with actual structural understanding. Robert Anton Wilson is a useful portal to others' work, but his syncretism is horrifying; he also made the mistake of writing successful cult-novels without being a particularly good writer, thus immortalising his mediocrity. A. J. Ayer (ignosticism and all) provides respite from my imagination. Caryle's seriousness is sweet.
Those are the ones I recommend to people of my kind but not of my life, if they exist (which I doubt- if they do, please direct them to me asap). There are other, equally influential, personal/technical/obscure co-creators which are not relevant to a general audience.
9 out of 10 books are painful to me. Instead of presenting a self-created artistic conception of the the information, 9/10 authors whore themselves out to consensus mediocrity. ''Ethics'' and ''shoulds'' and ''rights'' and ''opinions''... I want none of an author's roles and positions in the shared world- I want *his* world. I want to percieve him, not the monolithic cultural authority whose aesthetic penis he sucks with every appeal to common morality.
Co-creators:
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
This book can teach you how to navigate and electrify the world of your imagination. It can teach you how to recreate yourself from the inside. It probably won't unless you're ready, but it can. [note obscure phonetic ref. to this book in my descrition of 'Science and Sanity']
Personality Change - XIII
This short eBook is a manual of heretical perception-change techniques presented in an overarching metaphorical context. It is currently in private circulation. Copies possibly available upon request.
Science and Sanity - Alfred Korzybski
This is an *essential* (you'll get this joke after you've bought it) book for NTs to read. It is a post-Einsteinian theory of semantic relativity, with immediate potential for practical application to your ''thoughts''. It's long and thick, but it tastes good. Like a lolly.
Masterworks of the UKIYO-E - Harunobu
Beautiful, and friends with Lucy. It may or may not have a rare mystical secret visually encoded into the 28th page.
Finnegan's Wake
Using language to transcend language. Contorting this rigid old symbol-system into a rich, alive linguistic organism. Also very good for showing off with (hurhur I understand Finnegan's Wake, but you couldn't even get through Ulysses).
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
It's kind of cute.
Blake, Keats, and Rimbaud help me to transmute my will to death into a will to art. I enjoy Crowley's work. Rand makes me cry, because of what she could have been if she had read ''Science and Sanity'' instead of confusing primitive linguistic maps of reality with actual structural understanding. Robert Anton Wilson is a useful portal to others' work, but his syncretism is horrifying; he also made the mistake of writing successful cult-novels without being a particularly good writer, thus immortalising his mediocrity. A. J. Ayer (ignosticism and all) provides respite from my imagination. Caryle's seriousness is sweet.
Those are the ones I recommend to people of my kind but not of my life, if they exist (which I doubt- if they do, please direct them to me asap). There are other, equally influential, personal/technical/obscure co-creators which are not relevant to a general audience.
lindsayo09
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mine are as follows:
any books talking about the tudor family: Henry VIII, Elizabeth I-ect....
Twilight!-very popular these days
shackespear-Hamlet, Macbeth-ect....
Edger Allen Poe
anything scary
IT, Carrie, 1408-by King
really i read anything and everything that i can get my hands on, my room is like a library all i ever do is read, write, and draw lol
any books talking about the tudor family: Henry VIII, Elizabeth I-ect....
Twilight!-very popular these days
shackespear-Hamlet, Macbeth-ect....
Edger Allen Poe
anything scary
IT, Carrie, 1408-by King
really i read anything and everything that i can get my hands on, my room is like a library all i ever do is read, write, and draw lol
mopo1
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Favorite books are
1.Bible
2.Pseudephigraphical books of the old testament.
3.Rise of the scientific dictatorship Collins brothers.
4.Warhammer 40000 books.
5.All books by Joseph Farrell.
6.Tom Beardens work on scalar physics.
7.Books by Stephen Quayle.
8.Ahriman gate&Nephilim stargates by Tom Horn
9.Genesis of the cosmos Paul La Violette.
10.Codex Magica Texe Marrs.
Hope this opens some new views to you all.
1.Bible
2.Pseudephigraphical books of the old testament.
3.Rise of the scientific dictatorship Collins brothers.
4.Warhammer 40000 books.
5.All books by Joseph Farrell.
6.Tom Beardens work on scalar physics.
7.Books by Stephen Quayle.
8.Ahriman gate&Nephilim stargates by Tom Horn
9.Genesis of the cosmos Paul La Violette.
10.Codex Magica Texe Marrs.
Hope this opens some new views to you all.
The Fury
is licking himself.
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
The Plague - Albert Camus
Do androids dream electric sheep - Philip K Dick
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K Dick
The Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb
The Art of War- Sūn Zǐ Bīng Fǎ
Darker than you think - Jack Williamson
Anything by Terry Pratchett
The Plague - Albert Camus
Do androids dream electric sheep - Philip K Dick
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K Dick
The Farseer Trilogy - Robin Hobb
The Art of War- Sūn Zǐ Bīng Fǎ
Darker than you think - Jack Williamson
Anything by Terry Pratchett
Venture
Banned
"Sieze The Night" Dean Koontz
"Dark Rivers of the Heart" Dean Koontz
Star Wars Republic Commando Series--Karen Traviss
"The Stand' Stephen King
"Dark Rivers of the Heart" Dean Koontz
Star Wars Republic Commando Series--Karen Traviss
"The Stand' Stephen King
merzbau
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here's a few of my favorites:
four arguments for the elimination of television - jerry mander
i have never read anything that i agree more wholeheartedly with. mander
backs up what he says with common sense and actual research, illustrating
just how wrong a path the modern world has taken. and unlike similar authors
he is unafraid of going too far.
the holographic universe - michael talbot
simply fascinating. talbot writes from a journalist's perspective, but is
clear and concise, which is important when dealing with subjects such as
quantum physics and holography. the greatest challenge this book presents is
to reassess our fragile notions of reality, that what we percieve is only a
tiny fragment of what exists.
voltaire's bastards - john ralston saul
it's always enjoyable when a scholar gets angry, rolls their sleeves up and
lays out exactly what's wrong with the world. saul's logic is impeccable,
and his determination deserves credit. although he can get bogged down in
political and economic minutae, he takes a "swift and convincing brickbat to
the soft head of the happy puppy of linear reason."
naked lunch - william burroughs
there is is something lurking within the kaleidoscopic passages of
burroughs' psychedelic prose, something fundamental about the nature of
human existence. burroughs' non-linearity and cut-up techniques were an
attempt to defeat conscious control of language, sabotaging the instinct to
control the reader's interpretation. the ambiguity of this technique
was not a mere ornamental affectation, it was intended in a sense to reveal the truth of the text.
the fluoride deception - christopher bryson
a very disturbing book, that still has not been taken seriously. i imagine
the well-worn theme of cover-ups and government-corporate collusion are
boring to most people by now. or perhaps we believe whatever authorities
tell us, because they carry clipboards, and wear white coats?
well, authorities are just people too, and people are stupid.
bryson's amazing research digs deep into the sinister origins of a
questionable "public health" measure that has eluded scrutiny for decades.
it's as concise as possible in order to head off the usual institutional
accusations of misleading the reader - nearly half the book's length is taken
up with extensive footnotes and references.
the graphic language of neville brody - jon wozencroft
upon its release, ignorant designers treated this as a grab-bag of quick
signifiers to steal, when ironically this was what wozencroft was arguing
against. essential for a critical understanding of modern visual culture.
four arguments for the elimination of television - jerry mander
i have never read anything that i agree more wholeheartedly with. mander
backs up what he says with common sense and actual research, illustrating
just how wrong a path the modern world has taken. and unlike similar authors
he is unafraid of going too far.
the holographic universe - michael talbot
simply fascinating. talbot writes from a journalist's perspective, but is
clear and concise, which is important when dealing with subjects such as
quantum physics and holography. the greatest challenge this book presents is
to reassess our fragile notions of reality, that what we percieve is only a
tiny fragment of what exists.
voltaire's bastards - john ralston saul
it's always enjoyable when a scholar gets angry, rolls their sleeves up and
lays out exactly what's wrong with the world. saul's logic is impeccable,
and his determination deserves credit. although he can get bogged down in
political and economic minutae, he takes a "swift and convincing brickbat to
the soft head of the happy puppy of linear reason."
naked lunch - william burroughs
there is is something lurking within the kaleidoscopic passages of
burroughs' psychedelic prose, something fundamental about the nature of
human existence. burroughs' non-linearity and cut-up techniques were an
attempt to defeat conscious control of language, sabotaging the instinct to
control the reader's interpretation. the ambiguity of this technique
was not a mere ornamental affectation, it was intended in a sense to reveal the truth of the text.
the fluoride deception - christopher bryson
a very disturbing book, that still has not been taken seriously. i imagine
the well-worn theme of cover-ups and government-corporate collusion are
boring to most people by now. or perhaps we believe whatever authorities
tell us, because they carry clipboards, and wear white coats?
well, authorities are just people too, and people are stupid.
bryson's amazing research digs deep into the sinister origins of a
questionable "public health" measure that has eluded scrutiny for decades.
it's as concise as possible in order to head off the usual institutional
accusations of misleading the reader - nearly half the book's length is taken
up with extensive footnotes and references.
the graphic language of neville brody - jon wozencroft
upon its release, ignorant designers treated this as a grab-bag of quick
signifiers to steal, when ironically this was what wozencroft was arguing
against. essential for a critical understanding of modern visual culture.
Deleted member 1424
Guest
As a kid I really liked books that were written an animal perspectives (no not in a childish way) Off the top of my head I remember liking White Fang, the Julie of the Wolves Trilogy, and Call of the Wild.
I started reading a lot of fantasy fiction as I got older the Dragonlance series, Terry Goodkind (only read him if your demented), lotr, and the Wheel of Time Series. (Very good, but extremely detailed). Like many girls I went through a vampire literature phase. However, it was none of the this bland, 1-dimensional, teenaged angst bullshit that is the Twilight series. Vampires drink blood, they're demented, violent, and manipulative. Vampires don't play baseball and fucking sparkle! Dammit fangirls go read some Hellsing and get some perspective! *read right to left*
I guess I should mention manga then too. My favorite mangaka is Kaori Yuki, for her work on Count Cain, Angel Sanctuary and God Child. Don't flame me for liking Angel Sanctuary, the OVA was terrible, but the manga is incredible. The art is gorgeous and the depictions of hell, heaven's hierarchy of Angels, and the origins of man and angel kind are fascinating. The mangas for Fullmetal Alchemist, Hellsing, and Death Note are also much better than their anime adaptations.
I started reading a lot of fantasy fiction as I got older the Dragonlance series, Terry Goodkind (only read him if your demented), lotr, and the Wheel of Time Series. (Very good, but extremely detailed). Like many girls I went through a vampire literature phase. However, it was none of the this bland, 1-dimensional, teenaged angst bullshit that is the Twilight series. Vampires drink blood, they're demented, violent, and manipulative. Vampires don't play baseball and fucking sparkle! Dammit fangirls go read some Hellsing and get some perspective! *read right to left*
I guess I should mention manga then too. My favorite mangaka is Kaori Yuki, for her work on Count Cain, Angel Sanctuary and God Child. Don't flame me for liking Angel Sanctuary, the OVA was terrible, but the manga is incredible. The art is gorgeous and the depictions of hell, heaven's hierarchy of Angels, and the origins of man and angel kind are fascinating. The mangas for Fullmetal Alchemist, Hellsing, and Death Note are also much better than their anime adaptations.
Vegard Pompey
Well-Known Member
I don't get the fuss with the Wheel of Time series at all. I read the first three books and they weren't even decent.
Currently reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, first book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Not very far into it, but I think I love it.
I'll agree with the animé adaption of FMA being inferior to the manga, but I thought the animé adaption of Death Note was great. They didn't leave out too much, and the voices and the soundtrack were great.
Currently reading Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, first book in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Not very far into it, but I think I love it.
I'll agree with the animé adaption of FMA being inferior to the manga, but I thought the animé adaption of Death Note was great. They didn't leave out too much, and the voices and the soundtrack were great.
lindsayo09
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gandolf i have read your books
lord of the rings, a lot of star wars books and some other things
lord of the rings, a lot of star wars books and some other things
lindsayo09
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Deleted member 1424
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First I just liked the expansiveness of the universe he created. I've only read up to Winter's heart, but the later books are better in my opinion. With Death Note I just couldn't get over the potato chip scene, Misa's voice and Lights clown faces. I know they(the funny faces) were in the manga to an extent; but it felt a bit overblown. Death Note's 2nd opening is awesome though.
@Lindsay
Lovecraft's work has started several cults I believe. All hail Cthulhu!
Vegard Pompey
Well-Known Member
Did you watch the animé with subtitles or dub?
(Completely aware that this is off-topic...)
(Completely aware that this is off-topic...)
Deleted member 1424
Guest
I hate dubs >.< I guess I'm being a little nit-picky though. It was very good for an adaptation.
Deleted member 1424
Guest
@ Insanity
Who do you like better Raistlin or Rahl?
Personally: Raistlin
Who do you like better Raistlin or Rahl?
Personally: Raistlin
del
Randomly Generated
I just discovered Anton Chekhov and have been searching for gobs of his work to read.
Insanity
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Raistlin hands down, he's my all time favorite character. I think I can relate to his personality and his power was appealing. After all, he could have become a god if he truely wanted, but was shown the future if he did, his own inner darkness and chose not too. Just a fantastic character...
Deleted member 1424
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I always loved how sardonic Raistlin was. The dialogue between him and Tassleoff is pure gold.
The Mysterious Stranger
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hmm...here are a few that come to mind...there are a few that are only authors because for them I have their works in anthologies...
>Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
>anything Sherlock Holmes, and at that rate I've liked the Arsene Lupin stories I've read as well
>just recently The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain, although since I found it in a collection of short stories I don't know if it counts. (it's apparently an unfinished novel, and I think the version I read was the one heavily edited by his biographer, who is some guy called Paine but I can't remember the full name) It's divided into sort of chapters and all...
>anything Oscar Wilde, but I keep reading De Profundis over and over
>anything Edgar Allan Poe, but especially the telltale heart, the pit and the pendulum, the raven...
>Paroles by Jacques Prevert, as you can tell by my signature...I haven't been able to find his other books yet
>The Joy of Music by Leonard Bernstein
>Yehuda Amichai's poetry
>Sylvia Plath's poetry (and her novel the Bell Jar, but I haven't read that in a long time)
>Einstein (and several other books) for Dummies! Those books are the best gift to humankind there ever was! And there's also one called "Philosophy Made Simple" which I like to read in the bath every so often...
>1984, like many other people here...
>Flatland by Abbott Abbott (I can't remember if his first name was Edwin or Edward...)
Maybe I should stop now...
>Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
>anything Sherlock Holmes, and at that rate I've liked the Arsene Lupin stories I've read as well
>just recently The Mysterious Stranger by Mark Twain, although since I found it in a collection of short stories I don't know if it counts. (it's apparently an unfinished novel, and I think the version I read was the one heavily edited by his biographer, who is some guy called Paine but I can't remember the full name) It's divided into sort of chapters and all...
>anything Oscar Wilde, but I keep reading De Profundis over and over
>anything Edgar Allan Poe, but especially the telltale heart, the pit and the pendulum, the raven...
>Paroles by Jacques Prevert, as you can tell by my signature...I haven't been able to find his other books yet
>The Joy of Music by Leonard Bernstein
>Yehuda Amichai's poetry
>Sylvia Plath's poetry (and her novel the Bell Jar, but I haven't read that in a long time)
>Einstein (and several other books) for Dummies! Those books are the best gift to humankind there ever was! And there's also one called "Philosophy Made Simple" which I like to read in the bath every so often...
>1984, like many other people here...
>Flatland by Abbott Abbott (I can't remember if his first name was Edwin or Edward...)
Maybe I should stop now...
XIII
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Hawkeye
Banned
Wow, there's quite a few books mentioned here!
I'll have to check a few of them out.
Here are some that I enjoyed reading:
A Battlefield Earth - L Ron Hubbard
Consider Phlebas - Ian M. Banks
The Wasp Factory - Ian Banks
Pretty much all Michael Moorcock books (The Corum Chronicles and the Dorian Hawkmoon series in particular)
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
I'll have to check a few of them out.
Here are some that I enjoyed reading:
A Battlefield Earth - L Ron Hubbard
Consider Phlebas - Ian M. Banks
The Wasp Factory - Ian Banks
Pretty much all Michael Moorcock books (The Corum Chronicles and the Dorian Hawkmoon series in particular)
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Deleted member 1424
Guest
I've heard A Battlefield Earth is good, but it's by Hubbard............
Hawkeye
Banned
I know what you mean.
I see it as this. He wrote A Battlefield Earth and then bumped his head and went to the magical fairy land and was never the same there after.
The book is good. His scientology isn't.
Latro
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Several of the books in the MTG series. Notable mentions: The Brothers' War, Time Streams, Invasion, Apocalypse, the entire Ice Age Cycle, The Fifth Dawn.
A Game of Thrones. As of now A Clash of Kings as well.
A Game of Thrones. As of now A Clash of Kings as well.
Venture
Banned
Most of Dean Koontzs novels, in Febuary I finished the first three books of the Star Wars Rebpublic Commando Series ( It may sound like a little childrens book but not as much) The final book "Star Wars Republic Commando: Order 66" is out on the 19th Tuesday YESYESYEYS
But Impreial Commando dosn't come out until September
It's written by Karen Traviss.
I just Recently started reading so not many novels that I have read.
But Impreial Commando dosn't come out until September
It's written by Karen Traviss.
I just Recently started reading so not many novels that I have read.
preilemus
Ashes
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Odd Thomas is a good series
Venture
Banned
I've only read "Dark Rivers of The Heart", "Sieze The Night", and I am currently reading "Tick Tock". I enjoy them, although I am always in search a an author I like more.
Android
Solyaris
These are the books that come to mind off the top of my head right now... tomorrow my list of favorites would almost certainly be different.
-Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
-The Contortionist's Handbook - Craig Clevenger
-Jesus' Son - Dennis Johnson "When I'm rushing on my run, I feel just like Jesus' Son" - Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground - the inspiration for the title
-Naked Lunch - William S. Burroughs
-Tristessa - Jack Kerouac
-The Dharma Bums - Jack Kerouac
-All Families are Psychotic - Douglas Coupland
-The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
-Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
-Dune Series - Frank Herbert
-The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
-Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
-The Contortionist's Handbook - Craig Clevenger
-Jesus' Son - Dennis Johnson "When I'm rushing on my run, I feel just like Jesus' Son" - Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground - the inspiration for the title
-Naked Lunch - William S. Burroughs
-Tristessa - Jack Kerouac
-The Dharma Bums - Jack Kerouac
-All Families are Psychotic - Douglas Coupland
-The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
-Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
-Dune Series - Frank Herbert
-The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
motrhead
Active Member
I have to bump this thread.
I am currently engaged in the writing of another novel; so I have been going back and reading a bunch of classics, favourites, and "dystopian classics", to remind me what good writing should be.
I enjoyed "1984" again: Orwell is great. But I was quite disappointed with "Brave New World" this time through. I never was a huge Aldous Huxley fan, but I really wanted this to be as good a novel as it seemed to be the first time (decades ago). It just wasn't that good. It was interesting, but the writing was strange, and it seemed like he cranked out the last few chapters in an afternoon to meet a deadline.
What I am really impressed by (again), are the works of Ray Bradbury. "The Illustrated Man" is a fantastic collection of short stories. This was an amazingly imaginative and brave collection for 1951. He has become one of my favourite writers. I'm re-reading "Fahrenheit 451" right now.
I have read all of Heinlein's SF, and enjoyed "Revolt In 2100" the most of all his stories.
Other than sci-fi and fantasy, I have enjoyed James Clavell's "Whirlwind",any of Jack Higgins spy stories, W. Somerset Maugham, and non-fiction works by Neil Peart from Rush.
I have to say that I'm not a big fan of Hemingway, but there are a few gems in amongst all those depressing stories. I did like "The Sun Also Rises", but my favourite of all his works is a short story titled "Big Two-Hearted River".
In another thread I mentioned Heinrich Harrer's "Seven Years In Tibet". It's an amazing autobiography.
Funnily enough, I have read pretty much every sci-fi and fantasy book written before 1985, and don't really remember much of any of them. I liked the Narnia series, and passed those on to my kids. I enjoyed most of the stuff by Michael Moorcock at the time I read it, but now I just find it disturbing.
I almost feel like I should be ashamed to say this (though I'm not), but I loved the entire Harry Potter series! J.K. Rowling deserves every Pound she made. I was totally prejudiced against her when I picked up the first book, expecting a ripoff of Tolkien and every other fantasy writer before her, but instead I was forced to admit to my smug daughter that it really was original and good. I do hope she writes some prequels. There is nothing worse than a fantastic imaginary universe going to waste!
I am currently engaged in the writing of another novel; so I have been going back and reading a bunch of classics, favourites, and "dystopian classics", to remind me what good writing should be.
I enjoyed "1984" again: Orwell is great. But I was quite disappointed with "Brave New World" this time through. I never was a huge Aldous Huxley fan, but I really wanted this to be as good a novel as it seemed to be the first time (decades ago). It just wasn't that good. It was interesting, but the writing was strange, and it seemed like he cranked out the last few chapters in an afternoon to meet a deadline.
What I am really impressed by (again), are the works of Ray Bradbury. "The Illustrated Man" is a fantastic collection of short stories. This was an amazingly imaginative and brave collection for 1951. He has become one of my favourite writers. I'm re-reading "Fahrenheit 451" right now.
I have read all of Heinlein's SF, and enjoyed "Revolt In 2100" the most of all his stories.
Other than sci-fi and fantasy, I have enjoyed James Clavell's "Whirlwind",any of Jack Higgins spy stories, W. Somerset Maugham, and non-fiction works by Neil Peart from Rush.
I have to say that I'm not a big fan of Hemingway, but there are a few gems in amongst all those depressing stories. I did like "The Sun Also Rises", but my favourite of all his works is a short story titled "Big Two-Hearted River".
In another thread I mentioned Heinrich Harrer's "Seven Years In Tibet". It's an amazing autobiography.
Funnily enough, I have read pretty much every sci-fi and fantasy book written before 1985, and don't really remember much of any of them. I liked the Narnia series, and passed those on to my kids. I enjoyed most of the stuff by Michael Moorcock at the time I read it, but now I just find it disturbing.
I almost feel like I should be ashamed to say this (though I'm not), but I loved the entire Harry Potter series! J.K. Rowling deserves every Pound she made. I was totally prejudiced against her when I picked up the first book, expecting a ripoff of Tolkien and every other fantasy writer before her, but instead I was forced to admit to my smug daughter that it really was original and good. I do hope she writes some prequels. There is nothing worse than a fantastic imaginary universe going to waste!
motrhead
Active Member
Yesterday, I reread The Chrysalids by James Wyndham. I hadn't read it since elementary school, and while I remembered enjoying it then, I (re-)discovered that I love it now. I can recall how it made me feel the first time I read it. I wanted so badly to be part of a special group like the telepathic children in the book - I thought I was as different from my peers as they were from theirs. It was depressing, but it was empowering at the same time.
It's still a great (but sad) story. I would recommend it to anyone.
It's still a great (but sad) story. I would recommend it to anyone.
Rain
Lighting the Way
The Impressionist-Hari Kunzru
The Prince of Nothing-R. Scott Bakker
Warrior-Prophet-R. Scott Bakker
The Thousandfold Thought-R. Scott Bakker
The Judging Eye-R. Scott Bakker
(The author -R. Scott Bakker's series is about a monk in a very secretive group that live in the mountains (post-apocalyptic fantasy) and was raised to read people's expressions and overcome "the logos" which is the unknown origin of human thought. The group he is a monk in is called the Dunyain and they study the path to enlightenment and utter control of other people through the study of emotional manipulation and facial expressions.) It is a very interesting series.
The Prince of Nothing-R. Scott Bakker
Warrior-Prophet-R. Scott Bakker
The Thousandfold Thought-R. Scott Bakker
The Judging Eye-R. Scott Bakker
(The author -R. Scott Bakker's series is about a monk in a very secretive group that live in the mountains (post-apocalyptic fantasy) and was raised to read people's expressions and overcome "the logos" which is the unknown origin of human thought. The group he is a monk in is called the Dunyain and they study the path to enlightenment and utter control of other people through the study of emotional manipulation and facial expressions.) It is a very interesting series.
Morel Panic
Revenant
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I don't exactly want to start a religious debate (at least not right now 
) but I really enjoyed The Pilgrim's Progress. Not exactly because it was "inspirational" and "life changing" like the back of the book said, but because the writing style was so interesting. I've really never read anything quite like it.
Other favorites (mostly mentioned before)
-Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead, etc. (I found all the Ayn Rand books to be very inspiring and well written.)
-A Clockwork Orange
-The more profound of Stephan King's works (The Stand, Eyes of the Dragon, etc. Misery and it's ilk were just kind of weird)
-The foundation series (If you want a fictional INTP example, Hari Seldon is a pretty good one)
) but I really enjoyed The Pilgrim's Progress. Not exactly because it was "inspirational" and "life changing" like the back of the book said, but because the writing style was so interesting. I've really never read anything quite like it.Other favorites (mostly mentioned before)
-Atlas Shrugged, Fountainhead, etc. (I found all the Ayn Rand books to be very inspiring and well written.)
-A Clockwork Orange
-The more profound of Stephan King's works (The Stand, Eyes of the Dragon, etc. Misery and it's ilk were just kind of weird)
-The foundation series (If you want a fictional INTP example, Hari Seldon is a pretty good one)
nemo
Active Member
Books with a difference are always good.
My favourite book would probably be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's good for taking my mind off everything. I also love the Sherlock Holmes novels and stories. The Pianist is another great book, very sad though. More recently added into my favourites would be Six Months in Sudan. It's different and real... The writing's not great, but that adds to the reality and freshness of it.
My favourite book would probably be Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's good for taking my mind off everything. I also love the Sherlock Holmes novels and stories. The Pianist is another great book, very sad though. More recently added into my favourites would be Six Months in Sudan. It's different and real... The writing's not great, but that adds to the reality and freshness of it.