Serious reading

[MrGiggles]

Re: Serious reading

Amazing book, I also think a lot of people need to read this one whether your into Sci-Fi or not.

Yeah, the whole series is truly fantastic, although Xenocide was kind of a weak link IMO.

[RobertsonaIsBack]

Re: Serious reading

i feel so cliche but i think catcher in the rye is my fav book


:teenager:

[xealix]

Re: Serious reading

So I just got a new library card today and checked out three books. The ones I picked up were "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", "The Stranger", and "1984". I am excited for "The Stranger" since people have been calling it life changing and all. xD

[MrGiggles]

Re: Serious reading

Good choices all. Also I bookmarked this thread for future reference whenever I need something to read.

[xealix]

Re: Serious reading

This thread should just be a sticky for book recommendations. xD I will hopefully get to those books soon, but I hate stopping midway through a book just to read one I am more interested in.

[Iam90]

Re: Serious reading

Ugh, I was highly disappointed by Chuck Palanhiuk. He's one of those authors who tries so incredibly hard to be edgy, and really doesn't pull it off. He's the literary equivalent of The Matrix. If you've -NEVER- thought about cartesian dualism, or the mind-body problem, etc etc, The Matrix could very well blow your mind. But if you've even taken some basic introductory philosophy, you look at it and go "Well yeah, obviously I'd thought of that." Chuck's the same way.

hey now, it is really NOT fair to compare the matrix to chuck palanhuk because the former is way, way better.

yes, the matrix was a very obvious rendition of cartesian philosophy, but movies haven't touched very much upon the subject; they certainly didn't do it in such a stylish, culturally relevant, and well produced way as the matrix did.

on the other hand, chuck is just crap. his books are shallow and every protagonist/central character has the same quasi nihilistic typecast. infuriating that he has such a devoted following

[Vendetta21]

Re: Serious reading

I always find One Hundred Years of Solitude to be pretty powerful.

[gnr61]

Re: Serious reading

as literature chuck is shallow, as pop fiction chuck is top-tier; not saying very much, but there is really nothing wrong with the massive amount of people who enjoyed fight club (even if many hold it as a higher artistic achievement than it is). his subsequent books barely register above "amusing," though, and one would be much better off purchasing vonnegut in bulk

[P&P is] overrated

agree that it lacks thematic depth and is not exactly canon-worthy, but the writing and especially the dialogue are very enjoyable, imo. defs worth reading at some point (or just watch the movie, i think this is one book where that is a fair suggestion)

[Raj..]

Re: Serious reading

How come nobody has suggested any James Patterson?

You def need to check out any James Patterson book, the first James Patterson book I ever read was Daniel X which is about a kid with super powers and baby slaves. (way more intense than it sounds) and right after that I read Judge and Jury, which is completely different. Im pretty sure he has something for everybody to enjoy.

Read any of the Alex Cross books.

[xealix]

Re: Serious reading

Okay I have decided that later tonight when I have time I am going to take all the books that have been listed in this thread and combine them into a major list on page 1 that way you wont find yourself always having to look all over the thread. Any books added from this point on will be added to the main list. I will start work on it tonight after I get home.

[RobertsonaIsBack]

Re: Serious reading

chuck palahniuk is the worst author ever

[MrGiggles]

Re: Serious reading

Actually I'm pretty sure James Patterson is Hitler

[RobertsonaIsBack]

Re: Serious reading

oh yea that dude sucks too

[Nyokou]

Re: Serious reading

James Joyce - Ulysses
Kate Chopin - The Awakening
Joseph Conrad - Heart of Darkness
Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter
Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner
Bram Stoker - Dracula
John Steinback - The Pearl
Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man and The Sea

Arthur Miller - The Crucible
Tennessee Williams - The Glass Menagerie
William Shakespeare - Julius Caesar & Macbeth

Keep a thesaurus/dictionary on hand. Don't just read books, immerse yourself in them.

Oh, and reading poetry is pretty useful too. Don't just limit yourself to novels. I listed a few plays above as well.

[MrGiggles]

Re: Serious reading

House of Leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski

It's a book about a book about a film about a house. It's way better than it sounds, though it's definitely a love it or hate it book.