Books

[Bigsy]

Because there's more to life than video games. What are you favourite books? Authors? Got recommendations? Basically anything to do with books or literature can go here. As far as I'm aware, there's no similar thread. I'll put a few down, just to get it kicked off.

Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

It's a wonderful story of a teenager who is misunderstood. No, it's not inspired by Simple Plan, it's about a boy who has strong morals but a weak, young body, and Salinger recounts his coming of age. It's difficult to explain, but if you're into "fish out of water" stories, it's one for you. Also, it's semi-classic, so it's worth reading, even if just for the kudos.

Brave New World - Adolus Huxley

With the future, tales of science-fiction and planet hopping gravel is unavoidable, but Huxley portrays a harrowing, perfect world, where humans are genetically modified into existence, and emotions are controlled through drugs, and sex is a forgotten concept. A disturbing vision of what life could be like in a world where our very thoughts and emotions are controlled.

Jesus' Son - Denis Johnson

Well, Infinity (I don't know if she's still around here) spoke highly of this book and recommended it to anyone, and having read it, I see why. It's a beautiful and brutal while devestatingly honest depiction of American life and desperation. It's a bunch of short stories loosely strung together to give insight into a man's life. I don't do it much justice, but trust me, it's worth how ever any hours you put into it.

Well, I feel I've gone on long enough, but please share your own literary experiences and loves. Pretty much anything counts. But please no comics (ughh) or Alex Rider. NEVER Alex Rider. Never.

[Loco_the_Exclaimer]

Good hell, why not Alex Rider? If you only saw the movie, it sucked ass, but I love the books.


Warriors - Erin Hunter

This is the story of a kittypet (housecat) named Rusty. He dreams of life out in the forest, and finally goes out to explore. There, he joins a Clan of cats called ThunderClan and becomes Firepaw. But some things are amiss, and he can't help but feel something's wrong. But when he learns what, it will take all his strength to make it right.

[Deano]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

Need I elaborate?

[Stormchaser Raijin]

I want to read the Lord of the Rings books.. so far I've only read the Hobbit but I liked it.

[Bigsy]

Good hell, why not Alex Rider? If you only saw the movie, it sucked ass, but I love the books.


Because they're terribly written and they have an awfully tired an unimaginative plot.

Digressing, Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is great. I don't feel like going into much depth here, but it's about the disillusionment and dissappointment of the falability if the American Dream. Circa 1940, I think.

[Deano]

Digressing, Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is great. I don't feel like going into much depth here, but it's about the disillusionment and dissappointment of the falability if the American Dream. Circa 1940, I think.

Of Mice and Men is a fantastic book. Short, but a great read. Think it was set in 1928, during the great depression?

[Bigsy]

Of Mice and Men is a fantastic book. Short, but a great read. Think it was set in 1928, during the great depression?

Yeah, it's about the aftermath of it. It's a wonderfully enlightening read. I was nagging at me, so I went and dug out my copy. It' was first published in 1937, so I was close. :D

And they just keep coming. Graham Greene's ouvre is filled with interesting reads. You can't go wrong with Brighton Rock.

[Infinity]

*revives thread*

You read a book because I raved about it? :'D I'm touched

Erryeah, as Bigsy's already mentioned, Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson is at the top of my list of favourite novels. All other members of the list are subject to random and frequent change, so I won't attempt to number them. Here's a few random recommendations du jour instead:

i. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess: your parents may have seen the film version of this novel (you might like to consider buying it as well, it's an intriguing watch). Anthony Burgess was a genius, and this is my favourite of his novels. A fifteen year-old boy who loves nothing more than a night of 'ultraviolence' finds himself the first test subject of an experimental method to 'conditioning' criminals into functional members of society. It's told from Alex's view, chockful of slang (which, by the end of the novel, you might just find yourself using), and provides a new outlook on morals, life, and growing up.

ii. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes: One of the few books I was assigned in school that I didn't find watered-down and censored to the point of incoherence. It's a little out-there, a little science fiction-esque for my tastes, but there is still that question of morals throughout the novel. Can you really fix a person, and who's to decide when a person is broken? And, yes, a little heartbreaking, too, I suppose.

iii. Fat Kid Rules The World by K.L. Going: Not bad for a young-adult novel. Clumsy, honest, funny, sad, rough around the edges. The story itself is short and simple, but it's more the actual writing that holds such a dear place in my cold heart. That blunt, first-person narration has provided a lot of inspiration to my own writing style. Plus there is a faint ghost of Kurt Cobain hiding in the main character, which I find oddly sweet.

iv. Slaughterhouse-Five and Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut: Hell, anything Vonnegut wrote was offbeat and clever. I've been re-reading every novel of his that I already own since his unfortunate death (about a year ago, if memory serves), and have been greedily prowling the bookstore for more.

SE really ought to have a bookclub, you know.

[Day]

A Catcher In The Rye was amazing. I sat and read it from start to finish without moving from my seat. Good way to burn a few hours, and the ending is so sweet. <3

Honestly? I still like The One Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith. I've been in love with the book ever since I can remember, and it's got all those extra bits in that they cut out of the movies.

Plus, I like Have a Nice Day! and Foley Is Good, both self-penned autobiographies by Mick Foley. Yeah, he used to be a wrestler, but his life has been one personal triumph after another, and with his heart-warming stories and hilarious anecdotes, it makes for a Hell of a read. I've lost count of how many times I've gone through the book. ~<3

[Deano]

Plus, I like Have a Nice Day! and Foley Is Good, both self-penned autobiographies by Mick Foley. Yeah, he used to be a wrestler, but his life has been one personal triumph after another, and with his heart-warming stories and hilarious anecdotes, it makes for a Hell of a read. I've lost count of how many times I've gone through the book. ~<3

Foley's are always awesome. Mick Foley, Axel Foley. *ahem*.

I'm currently reading "In The Mind Of The Machine" by Kevin Warwick, absolutely fascinating and brilliant read, a recommendation to anyone interested in the evolution of cybernetics.

[Eileanach]

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle

Need I elaborate?

This was my favourite book and I guess it's still one of my favourite books. Cute story. Other than that...

Philip Pullman - His Dark Materials Trilogy is amazing. Fantastic read - way better than the films DO NOT accept the film into your hearts. The CGI may be okay but that does not make it right.

David Clement-Davies - Fire Bringer and The Sight. Two fantastic books one based in Scotland and the other based, if I remember in the states. I prefer Fire Bringer as it was the authors first book.

My all time favourite book: Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold. A fictional biography about a real life magician. Moving story. Wonderful ideas and a gorgeous telling to a famous man's life. Had me quite upset at one point but I do not want to spoil it for anyone who likes to read thick books.

I have others but I'll need to think about it. Usually anything that allows me to escape.

Oh and Lord of the Rings? Nonsense, as bad and over-rated as Harry Potter. *yawns* I may have made some enemies with the younger generation after saying that but hey. I'm not going to complain. I believe it to be true. I disliked the books of both series and the movies were poor.

[Deano]

This was my favourite book and I guess it's still one of my favourite books. Cute story. Other than that...


I once read it with a swearword in EVERY sentence. Fantastic I tell you.

[Steel Valor]

Clockwork Orange was a VERY good page turner but they screwed up the movie IMO. Maybe it was the actors I don't know but something about it did not give me the same great feeling as the book did.

Lord of the Flies-William Golding

That's a book, if it isn't I don't know what is. It made me think so much about good and evil, it was so symbolic. The pure vocabulary that Golding used just drew me in within the first sentence. This book actually helped me shape my philosophies on life.

[Eileanach]

I once read it with a swearword in EVERY sentence. Fantastic I tell you.

What swearword exactly? And I'll try it myself...

Lord of the Flies is actually a pretty good book. I feel that most books are butchered by their film counterparts SteelFists. So I do have to agree the book was interesting but the film... naff...

[Deano]

What swearword exactly? And I'll try it myself...

Anything you want, a different one in every sentence is hard, when trying not to repeat words especially. You run out of generics and start on like, "Shitlips!" and "Arsephallus!".

Tried to find myself a copy of The God Delusion today, no fucking luck though. Anyone read it?

[Eileanach]

The God Delusion is a fantastic read. I gave my copy away to a friend and never got it back (obviously they were disowned in my eyes for being so disrespectful) so I too need to get myself a copy. You should try online fantastic deals at the moment.

[Deano]

The God Delusion is a fantastic read. I gave my copy away to a friend and never got it back (obviously they were disowned in my eyes for being so disrespectful) so I too need to get myself a copy. You should try online fantastic deals at the moment.

Richard Dawkins really fascinates me because of his incredibly logical mind and his outrageous "outside-the-box" attitude, he's a true inspiration to me. Amazon has it for £4.44. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/God-Delusion-Richard-Dawkins/dp/055277331X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201021936&sr=8-1)

[Eileanach]

Wow £4.44 that is actually rather good.

Have you ever read "Altered Carbon" by Richard Morgan? It's an unusual Sci-Fi Mystery thing. It's quite violent and stuff but if you perhaps like unusual reads I'd recommend it to you.
It's not my favourite book, but it is an exceptionally enjoyable book to read.

[Deano]

Wow £4.44 that is actually rather good.

Have you ever read "Altered Carbon" by Richard Morgan? It's an unusual Sci-Fi Mystery thing. It's quite violent and stuff but if you perhaps like unusual reads I'd recommend it to you.
It's not my favourite book, but it is an exceptionally enjoyable book to read.

Nah I can't say I have. I'll see if my local library has it.

A good read that just sprung to mind is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-time-Adult/dp/0099450259/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1201023194&sr=8-1http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-time-Adult/dp/0099450259/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=gateway&qid=1201023194&sr=8-1). Quite possibly my favourite book of all-time, and I lost my only copy ;_; Need to order a new one. Definitely recommended to anyone hugely interested in a good novel.

[Eileanach]

What kind of novel is it Deano can you give me a brief sort of synopsis of it? I love good books. Can bury my head in a book for days... Although uni doesn't permit me a lot of time unless it's a holiday.

[Deano]

What kind of novel is it Deano can you give me a brief sort of synopsis of it? I love good books. Can bury my head in a book for days... Although uni doesn't permit me a lot of time unless it's a holiday.

It's basically about an autistic boy who runs away from home to find his mother, but it's a lot of things in the book itself that entice you. It's a first-person story from the POV of the boy, and some of the detail is really interesting, like his use of ONLY prime numbers as chapter numbers. You really gotta read it to even barely understand the brilliance of the writing style used.

[Espio]

My favorites are the James Bond books by Ian Fleming (From Russia With Love is the best!!!!) I read Eragon and liked it but i haven't finished Eldest yet, because its so long!!!!

[Eileanach]

Hmm I think I will definitely have to check it out Deano it sounds pretty awesome as far as books go.

[E-123 Omega]

Eragon-Christopher Paolini
:D I know alot of you will say that this is a kids book but its anything but a kids book. Even though the movie sucked.

[Eileanach]

There is nothing wrong with reading kids books some kids books are far more entertaining that adult ones anyway. I will have to look it up the title sounds familiar but it may be because I've seen the film. I am unsure Omega.

[E-123 Omega]

you won't regret it.