|
|
|
|
#1
07-15-2006, 11:17 PM
|
|||
|
|||
5 Books Everybody Should Read
This can be different than what you think are the greatest 5 books, so this isn't a GOAT (greatest of all-time) but a post about books that you feel are important and should be read by all, maybe that goes hand in hand...oh well. Here's my list:
1. Blood Meridian- Cormac McCarthy (Greatest living American author) 2. Ulysses- James Joyce (Not many books rival the impact that this one had on literature. There is even a day--Bloomsday--celebrated in honor of the main character. The banned publications, errors, incredible vocabulary of 30,000 words and its introduction of "stream of conciousness" writing makes this book as important as any book ever) 3. The Alchemist- Paulo Coelho (Inspirational, each line seems to have wisdom and he seems to do it without pretention) 4. In Cold Blood- Truman Capote (Greatest Non-fiction book ever written) 5. Johnny Got His Gun- Dalton Trumbo (The essay on war at the end is something everyone, IMO, should read. Plus his background and his genius make this book a must read) List your additions... 
|
|
#2
07-15-2006, 11:48 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: 5 Books Everybody Should Read
Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan. A great book by a great writer, making science and its methods accessible while capturing the sense of wonder.
|
|
#3
07-15-2006, 11:48 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: 5 Books Everybody Should Read
That is a good list. I would like to know how many out there have read "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy? It is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest novels and pieces of history together and should be required reading by anyone who considers themselves well read. But perhaps the length throws some people off.
So throw that and "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoyevsky onto the list as well.
|
|
#5
07-16-2006, 02:26 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: 5 Books Everybody Should Read
[ QUOTE ]
That is a good list. I would like to know how many out there have read "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy? It is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest novels and pieces of history together and should be required reading by anyone who considers themselves well read. But perhaps the length throws some people off. So throw that and "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoyevsky onto the list as well. [/ QUOTE ] Yeah, read both of these. War and Peace is worth reading, but only once. Crime and Punishment I read many years ago, and do intend to read again. 'Brothers Karamazov' would also be worth adding, as we're getting Russian here. Huck finn is a great suggestion too. My own 5 are smaller, and consist of things I read and read again, and definitely lower brow than some of the suggestions here. Note mine are inspired roughly equally by the ideas and knowledge about the way the world works as much as the writing. 1. 1984 2. Lord of the Flies 3. Silas Marner 4. Dune 5. Different Seasons - (this is the Stephen King collection containing Shawshank Redemption, The Body (made into 'Stand By Me'), and Apt Pupil, each of which I consider significant works about different aspects of the human condition.
|
|
#6
07-16-2006, 12:11 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: 5 Books Everybody Should Read
I tried to like In Cold Blood and I simply hated the book and found it torturous to read and I gave up after about 100 pages. I really wanted to like the book and I just couldnt. The book moves at such an incredibly slow pace and I kept waiting for there to be some payoff..some buildup or something worthwhile. I can't think of another book that I didnt finish.
I mean this is all seriousness - what is so good about this book? funny - I asked Mrs. Utah if this post sounded stupid and she confessed that she couldn't make it through the book either.
|
|
#7
07-16-2006, 12:25 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: 5 Books Everybody Should Read
[ QUOTE ]
I tried to like In Cold Blood and I simply hated the book and found it torturous to read and I gave up after about 100 pages. I really wanted to like the book and I just couldnt. The book moves at such an incredibly slow pace and I kept waiting for there to be some payoff..some buildup or something worthwhile. I can't think of another book that I didnt finish. I mean this is all seriousness - what is so good about this book? funny - I asked Mrs. Utah if this post sounded stupid and she confessed that she couldn't make it through the book either. [/ QUOTE ] I was greatly dissapointed, also. As far as true crime goes, Helter Skelter is light-years better.
|
|
#10
07-16-2006, 11:50 AM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: 5 Books Everybody Should Read
The Magic Mountain - Thomas Mann (Greatest writer of the 20th century)
The Capital - Karl Marx (Influenced one of the systems for society) Faust - Goethe (The most important piece of fiction ever written) The Bible (That's were Western culture is build on. A must read even for atheists.) The Art of War - Sun Tzu (This is how you deal with everybody in society)
|
 |
|
|
Hybrid Mode
