The Giver. One of the First important books I ever remember reading. One that actually got me thinking. Still to this day I’ll pick it up and do a quick read. I find it funny how I view the book at different ages of my life.
[quote]zenontheterrible wrote:
[quote]Irish Daza wrote:
I’ve read and agree with almost all the selections here so far - so I thought my taste must be fairly mainstream.
I have seen that recommendation for the Prince of nothing series in a few places, so picked it up a few weeks ago. I’m stubborn so I don’t want to give up, but it is easily the hardest read since Ulysess.
I find the characters dull and unempathetic. The pace of the story glacial. The writing style weak at best.
Please tell me why this reminds anyone of Joe Abercrombie or GRR Martin?[/quote]
I agree with you about the characters (in prince of nothing). By the second book i realized i was rooting for all of the characters to die, and i hated all of them. At this point i thought, Why keep reading? So i didn’t.
I thought he did a good job on combat description though. I thought his writing style was “technically sound” but un-involving.
[/quote]
I actually am still mixing characters up as they have caught my interest so poorly that their names just blur into each other.
Practically everyone in Abercrombie’s books are right bastards, but you root for or against them depending on who they are up against, and what situation they find themselves in.
Martin blindsides you time and again by upsetting your expectations and showing the difference between just motivation and just action. But all of those characters are engaging and keep you turning the pages to find out what happens to them.
Not turning the pages to get the damn book over with.
[quote]roybot wrote:
[quote]Derek542 wrote:
[quote]XanderBuilt wrote:
[quote]Derek542 wrote:
Lord of the Rings: read 7-8 times
[/quote]
Respect. I found Tolkien to be long winded. Sorry man.[/quote]
I read really fast, so I tend to try to find books that are long and detailed.
I read the last Lee Childs Reacher book in 4 hours. I love the Hobbit and cant wait to see the movie actually. Whenever I re-read the LOR I always start with the Hobbit, to me that is a 4 book series.[/quote]
I thought ‘Fellowship’ was an easy read. The battle scenes slowed the last two books down, but they never dragged. Silmarillion was more like a textbook.
P.S. There will be two Hobbit movies, expanded from the book. Hopefully this is a creative not financial decision…[/quote]
Looking forward to the Hobbit movies, the photo shoots with the dwarves on IMDB looks unreal (awesome). The book was great. Every RPG involving a Red Dragon has had me think of this book.
I will try to read LOTR again. Tolkien’s genius cannot be downplayed, considering the era in which he wrote he gave new meaning to the concept of mythical creatures (I’m quite sure those not familiar with elves will probably still think they link to Santa’s workshop and not the rich mythology that Tolkien or writers after him created. PS - I seem to recall Tolkien invented a language/s too.
This is the edition of LOTR I have, a beautiful hardcover in a slipcase. If I show you my hardcover collection of Conan by Robert E. Howard you will experience too much jealousy I think.
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME.
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME. [/quote]
Where can I get a copy?
[quote]Nards wrote:
[quote]Derek542 wrote:
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
[quote]Derek542 wrote:
^ Dude you really need to lay off the bong[/quote]
Bongs don’t make you think like that. Years of acid abuse do.[/quote]
Lol okay I am just a drunk scottish weight lifter, never did anything harder than Everclear.[/quote]
I really think we may have been separated at birth.[/quote]
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME. [/quote]
Why do you have a southern accent?
Your from Michigan
thats like being from Delaware
yea we are in Delaware…
Favoutrite books would probably be:
The Dice Man - Luke Rhinehart
1984 - George Orwell
Wilt - Tom Sharpe
The Robert Patterson crimer/thriller books are probably my favourite series of books.
Right now I"m reading the Power of Now by Eckart Tolle - it will change your life if you’re ready for a change!
[quote]pgtips wrote:
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME. [/quote]
Where can I get a copy?[/quote]
Step 1: get drunk
Step 2: kick some ass
[quote]Derek542 wrote:
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME. [/quote]
Why do you have a southern accent?
Your from Michigan
thats like being from Delaware
yea we are in Delaware…[/quote]
Careful son, you keep usin’ them big fancy words n you’ll find out what my book is all about!
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Some great shouts in here, some have already been mentioned:
Three Musketeers, Count of Monte Cristo - Dumas
Catch 22 - Heller
This thing of Darkness - Thompson
LOTR, Hobbit - Tolkein
1984 - Orwell
Fight Club
period.
[quote]pgtips wrote:
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME. [/quote]
Where can I get a copy?[/quote]
I guess online or even ask your local bookseller to order it for you. I thinkit’s called the deluxe edition by Houghton Mifflin. I could be wrong about it being Houghton Mifflin, sorry, I’m not at home right now to check.
[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:
[quote]golferguy12 wrote:
[quote]Gmoore17 wrote:
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathan Safran Foer[/quote]
I was told to read Everything is Illuminated. I didn’t think it was that good, mostly weird, but thought his writing style was pretty interesting/ unique. I read Extremely Loud next and was blown away by how great it was.
My tops are:
The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay
Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann
Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts
Catch 22
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Michael Chabon
Have just started reading the Wheel of Time Series (on book 2) and think they are awesome so far.[/quote]
I actually really, really liked Everything is Illuminated as well, it was probably my favourite novel at the time I read it. But then Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close did just blow it out of the water. I felt like every page there was something written that made me go wow.
Also, x2 to whoever said Slaughterhouse Five. And Harry Potter.[/quote]
Semi-related, apparently they’re making a movie of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which, even though it has Tom Hanks, I am not happy about, as it was probably the least plot-driven book I’ve ever read. Most of what made it amazing was what the characters were unable do, not what they did. Also it looks like they’ll focus mostly on the boy’s story, when I thought the grandfather’s was the best part.
Though it seems it may just be Golferguy and myself who have read it here, so this is a fairly pointless post, but I had nowhere else to say it, so, here we are.
[quote]pgtips wrote:
Whats your favourite book / series of books you have read?
My Favourite book of the many I have read is - The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie. I Love all his other books aswell.[/quote]
Dune (series) - Frank Herbert (his son’s continuation of the series is palatable)
Eon- Greg Bear
Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
All Star Superman (comic series) - Grant Morrison
[quote]StevenF wrote:
Nards…should be Nerds. Y’all think you’re so smart readin’ them there big fancy books. Only book I ever read was ‘How to kick some ass’ written by ME. [/quote]
Yeah “How to Kick Some Ass” does list the author as ME. But that’s me me…as in ME!: Nards.
[quote]simpstr1 wrote:
Right now I"m reading the Power of Now by Eckart Tolle - it will change your life if you’re ready for a change![/quote]
x2 - amazing book. Not your typical self-help garbage.
Since a lot of the best fiction out there has already been mentioned, a few of my favorite non-fiction/business/life books:
Your Brain at Work by David Rock
The 50th Law by Robert Greene and 50 Cent (serious)
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran