Your favorite book......

daveT · #1 08-15-2007, 01:05 AM

Here are the rules. Give a shining review of your favorite book. I will kick it off:

Travels by Michael Crichton

This book is easily the most influential book of my life. When I first started traveling the country, I found this book at the library in Miami. I was not able to make sense of what I was doing at the time, and this book put it all into focus.

The title, "Travels," is three-fold. The first deals with the actual traveling of the world. Crichton started out seeing the common trotter destinations. One day, he was having a conversation with people he happened upon, and asked where certain cities where. They all looked at him and laughed. No, these aren't cities, they are countries. Crichton continues on a journey to the most remote part of the globe. His description of the people, his experiences, and the environment are complete and subtle.

The second meaning of "Travels" is his own spiritual journey. Although he is educated as a scientist, he attends several spiritual retreats, meets psychics and mediums, and attempts to find his own meaning of god. He uses his own self as a guinea pig, trying several of the practices himself. Crichton does not preach or demand that you believe in any arcane thinking-- he simply puts his thoughts down, and analyzes them.

Finally, the book is a collection of memoirs about his life. He never fails to realize that his own life is a journey. Although he focuses attention on himself, he is at his best when he is observing others. One may not agree with his thinking on women, ceo's and patients, but his perspective is well thought out.

I have lost this book several times. But I have always bought a new copy. It is one of the few books that has a permanent place on my bookshelf. It is a book that I have read no less than 15 times. In fact, when I first read it, I read it three times.

I do loathe Crichton as a fiction author. If he was able to write with have the color and subtlety in his fiction books that is found in "Travels," he would be elevated to the highest of all literary geniuses.

RobertJohn · #2 08-15-2007, 01:18 AM

It’s a great overview of the tumultuous 50s and 60s from a perspective that most Americans would never receive. It also has an important lesson to teach about dogmatism and equality.

gwp · #3 08-15-2007, 08:13 AM

Life changing.

Bostaevski · #4 08-15-2007, 11:29 AM

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Life changing.

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Is this a level or what? If not, please elaborate [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I am having a hell of a time quitting

DoubleDealDecker · #5 08-15-2007, 12:03 PM

Huckleberry Finn. The great American novel. Period.

TheDudeAbides · #6 08-16-2007, 11:03 AM

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Life changing.

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Is this a level or what? If not, please elaborate [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I am having a hell of a time quitting

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Yeah - can someone elaborate on this? Maybe it deserves its own thread, but I could use any help I can get.

evolvedForm · #7 08-17-2007, 03:03 AM

My favorite book is usually the one I just finished reading. So I'll go with the Trial by Franz Kafka.

Chronicling the plight of modern man in the face of rampant beauracracy, not to mention the feeling of inner disconnectedness that comes with it, this book hits home.

Guilt is another central theme to the novel - not in the Christian sense, however. Joseph K's guilt revolves around a primordial aspect of man in which he condemns himself by virtue of his never realizing his own ideal. Perhaps it's that he can never escape death, and thus can never become God. The guilt Joseph K. experiences is similar to Heidegger's in Being and Time.

Not reccommended for those easily susceptible to depression.

evank15 · #8 08-17-2007, 03:14 AM

Should be compulsory reading for high school/university students.

gwp · #9 08-17-2007, 03:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
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Life changing.

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Is this a level or what? If not, please elaborate [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I am having a hell of a time quitting

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No level.

Before I read this I'd tried the gum, the patches, cold turkey and zyban pills, many times over with no success.

A co-worker was stopping and doing it pretty easy. I asked what her secret was and she told me about this book. I was sceptical at first, but for the price of a couple of packets I gave it a shot.

It doesn't go into the scare tactics you'd expect. It logically deconstructs any reason you think you have for smoking.

It obviously won't work for everyone, but I stopped easily after reading this. Two years and four months without a ciggie now, and I was a pretty heavy smoker [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Allen Carr at wikipedia

Tigermoth · #10 08-17-2007, 06:09 AM

I'm just reading The Master and Margarita now. Hadn't read it since university, and I think I like it even more now.

Favorite book is Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. Kay is technically considered a fantasy writer, but before you judge, know that he was recruited to help Christopher Tolkien edit The Silmarillion after JRR died. Pretty amazing writer.