The Ever-growing Book Thread
I know the last one was locked, because it was considered "too spammy". However, since a thread which just had pictures of people's desktops was allowed to continue on for many pages, I see no reason to lock this.
Books are good in many ways. They make you think, improve your writing and speech ability, and provide a good enjoyable activity.
So, let's share some book recommendations, and if it turns into a discussion about a particular book, that would be great.
<a href='http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060188707/qid=1071424385/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-0858175-3585756' target='_blank'>Don Quixote de la Mancha - Miguel de Cervantes</a>
This book is about a man who imagines himself to be a knight, and tries to perform deeds of chivarly to rid the world of evil and to impress his lady, Dulcinea. As the book goes on, though, the imaginary and materal worlds border on the line of being alike. The knight and his squire also form a special bond, fighting against a world that has long forgotten about knights.
This book, although quite long, is worth reading and re-reading many times.
Books are good in many ways. They make you think, improve your writing and speech ability, and provide a good enjoyable activity.
So, let's share some book recommendations, and if it turns into a discussion about a particular book, that would be great.
<a href='http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060188707/qid=1071424385/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-0858175-3585756' target='_blank'>Don Quixote de la Mancha - Miguel de Cervantes</a>
This book is about a man who imagines himself to be a knight, and tries to perform deeds of chivarly to rid the world of evil and to impress his lady, Dulcinea. As the book goes on, though, the imaginary and materal worlds border on the line of being alike. The knight and his squire also form a special bond, fighting against a world that has long forgotten about knights.
This book, although quite long, is worth reading and re-reading many times.
Comments
it give the biggest collection of poems that opens your mind to what the world should be like
A most excellent read. You see, it has alot of plot, and it's a thriller. So don't worry if you don't think you're into "Classical Literature", because it's gotta plenty of action and it rarely stalls.
Also Recommended
"Les Miserables"
"Lord of the Rings"
"Ender's Game"
makes you realise what we could be and what we in fact are by positive example (does a much better job at criticising modern life than Brave New Worlds 'negative example')
the last chapter really shows just how much of a 'hippy mind expansionist' he really was, moksha medicine anyone?
It's about the salem witch trials and is really nice. It's a short play, and is also great when watched.
Sorry to double-post, but I have to guffaw at this. <i>TCoMC</i> bored me to tears, I tell you.
The Kremlin Device - By Chris Ryan. (Great book, little long winded but still good!)
And in my "to-do" pile is:
Frank Skinner - By Frank Skinner (Auto-biography, duh :-P I'm about 50 pages in.)
Land Of Fire - By Chris Ryan
Zero Opition - By Chris Ryan
(I picked all three of those up for £6, in almost new condition.)
I also advise you ALL to read the following two books because I say so <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.natural-selection.org/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> :
Angela's Ashes - By Frank Mc Court
T'is - By Frank Mc Court.
Of Mice and Men
Flowers for Algernon
Two books, short but sweet. Oh, and read Jurassic Park, I'm almost done with it, and it's pretty good.
I'm almost done with The Hot Zone by Robert Preston. It's all true stories about ebola and its sisters, good read. (I read it for school, I never read on my own.)
Edit: rememberd the author <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Microserfs, by Douglas Coupland
A really cool geek book. I think it's a must read if you consider yourself a geek or som'n. It's not really heavy on message or anything, but irunno, its got all these cool quotes and stuff in it. I'm trying to read Coupland's other stuff since I liked this book so much.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
It's two of England's best writers. What can go wrong? This book is really funny with all the weird stuff that these two writers can twist the world into with their take on it. The book is about the end of the world, and the events that lead up to it.
Jurasic Park by Michael Chrichton (It's a good deal different than the movie and pretty cool)
Also liked "The Time and Space of Uncle Albert" - its Einstein's general theory of relativity for Joe Public. Very good.
"Flight" by Jan Burke
Jurasic Park by Michael Chrichton (It's a good deal different than the movie and pretty cool) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you ever read The Lost World? I'm wondering if it's as good as Jurassic Park, and if I should pick it up after Jurassic Park.
if you can read all of that in one sitting...
/bows to dragon_mech
otherwise the disk world series by Terry Pratchet. I am currently reading them and I am finding them incredibley interesting and i am having some good laughs as well.
It was about B-24 pilots in WW2, good read.
"Black House"(sequel to The Talisman)-Stephen King/Peter Straub
Fantastic books.
Jurasic Park by Michael Chrichton (It's a good deal different than the movie and pretty cool) <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you ever read The Lost World? I'm wondering if it's as good as Jurassic Park, and if I should pick it up after Jurassic Park. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Haven't read it yet. I want to go to the library and pick it up to read over the Holiday break. I'll try to remember to post on if it's good or not. I also read Sphere by Michael Chrichton and it was pretty cool but kinda weird.
Quality, but not as good as Jurassic Park.
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
Dune series (Frank Herbert dune, not the new ones which I believe are by his son)
The Alienist (AWESOME BOOK!!!!! Think Silence of the lambs)
Red Dragon
Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal
Elric series (bit rarer, by Michael Moorcock)
/bows to dragon_mech <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yes, I have read Robert Jordan for 16 hours straight (Texas-to-Australia flights). Got to the fourth or 5th book. PH34R MY R34DING SKI11Z!
Anyhow, I also have to add Ice Station by Matthew Riely. Lots of stuff blowing up & being shot in the antarctic. Good stuff.
<u>The Chronicles of Narnia</u> -- C.S. Lewis (even though they are for younger kids, they're still good)
<u>To Kill A Mockingbird</u> -- Harper Lee
<u>The Hobbit</u> -- J.R.R. Tolkien (easy read, but gives more back story for LOTR)
<u>The Odyssey</u> -- Homer
<u>The Call of the Wild</u> -- Jack London
Then others I can't think of...
I plan on reading <u>The Anthem</u> soon, since it's supposed to be quite good.
Okay, for just about the most important book that you will ever read in your entire life, <u>1984</u> by George Orwell.
Another absolutely incredible book is <u>Lord of the Flies</u> by William Golding. Wow, on the surface when you read it, it's just a story, but something just hints at you from behind the words that there's themes tying everything together... and oh, are there. If you want a big schpiel about symbolism, meaning, themes, etc, PM me. Wow.
Other extremely important books?
<u>The Autobiography of Malcolm X</u> by... Malcolm X
<u>Huckleberry Finn</u> by Mark Twain
<u>Brave New World</u> by Aldous Huxley (<u>Ape and Essence</u> I also read, real crazy things going on there)
<u>Heart of Darkness</u> by Joseph Conrad
and for poetry? If you ever read one poem in the entire world, read this one by Ezra Pound.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--><b>In a Station of the Metro</b>
The apparition of these faces in the crowd;
Petals on a wet, black bough.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you don't believe me when I say this is just about the most incredible poem ever, wait a few years, ask a few people, oh man <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->