| MUST-HAVE books
Posted: 6/7/2005 9:23:04 AM | Thus, Spoke Zarathustra ---- Friedriech Nietzsche
The Gods Were Watching ----- Zora Neale Hurston
The Holy Qur'an
Things Fall Apart ----- Chinua Achebe
The Stranger ------ Albert Camus
The Essential Rumi ----- Jelaludin Balkhi
The Ambiguity Of Ethics ----- Simone De Beauvoir
Going After Cacciato ----- Tim O'Brien
The Birth Of Tragedy ----- Friedriech Nietzsche | |
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| MUST-HAVE books
Posted: 6/7/2005 7:14:22 PM | aljamal : I am impressed that a man of your age has such interests. Not that I share with you the same taste but I respect your choice.
IMO, there is no 'must-have' books, it all depends on what you are looking for in a book. It is entretainment? It is passion, love? Or it is knowledge or philosophy?
I do not read contemporary authors, with few exceptions: Umberto Eco ('The name of the rose') and Carlos Castaneda ('The teachings of Don Juan').
MY must-have books are:
Homer: 'Odysee' and 'The Illiad'
Basilius Valentinus (s. XVII): 'The charriot of triunph of the Antimony'
Nicolas Flamel (s. XV): 'The book of the hieroglyphical figures'.
(You may remember this author because it's mentioned in the first book of Harry Potter).
Michael Sendivogious (s. XVI). 'New chemical light'
Heinrich Aggripa (s. XVI) 'De Occulta Philosophae'
Any book of Eliphas Levi (s. XIX), and many more, the list would be infinit | |
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Posted: 6/9/2005 1:57:46 AM | thanks 4 da comment joaquin...
u know i've never even heard of [except homer & castaneda] ure authors...u should give me a good list of ure recommended readings...i'm trying to delve away from the contemporariness, if u know wut i mean! going waaaaayyyy back in time. thanks | |
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Posted: 6/9/2005 9:20:41 AM | so many great recommendations! I don't want to relist anything that has already been mentioned, so I'm just going to mention one outstanding book which I've read a couple of times (cuz it's just THAT good).
He, She and It by Marge Piercy. | |
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Posted: 6/9/2005 7:39:25 PM | aljamal: Many of the authors I mentioned were philosophers and alchimists. You can download some of the above-mentioned texts for free on:
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/texts.html
The guys from that site have no deep idea about philosophy or alchemy. Nevertheless, they have some good books, not all..
Other book you may enjoy is:
'The Kybalion': A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece, by Three Initiates (more general about natural philosophy)
I re-read many of the books I have, since all of them are more or less 'encripted' ('Lege, lege, lege, ora et inventis', Mutus Liber by Altus). I like though this other latin sentence better: 'Primus sapientia is falsa intelligere, secundus vera cognoscere' which translated means something like: 'first wisdom is false understanding, second true knowledge'.. | |
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Posted: 6/9/2005 7:42:29 PM | The source of my screen name is also a must-have for Tolkien fans and cat-lovers alike:
"Tailchaser's Song," by Tad Williams | |
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| MUST-HAVE books
Posted: 6/10/2005 1:34:07 PM | The Four Vedas, texts concerning Hindu mythologly and philosophy are also interesting
Rig Veda
Sama Veda
Yajur Veda
Atharva Veda
These also found the basis for Bhuddist teaching and the underlying philosophy for many of the Eastern martial arts. | |
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Posted: 6/10/2005 2:45:34 PM | | thanks joaquin...currently looking thru the site. | |
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Posted: 6/17/2005 5:25:10 PM | Some of the books mentioned here are in public domain and can be found at Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/
Someone mentioned the Lord of the Rings parody "Bored of the Rings", I think that was rereleased when the movies came out so it might be available in stores or at Amazon.
Most of my serious reading has been research into issues my kids have faced, so the books that I read for fun are just that FUN! though a few of the fantasy novels I've read have very deep philosophical themes running through them.
Harry Potter is fun and I'm looking forward to the next one
Lois McMaster Bujold writes some great sf and fantasy stories and I need to go buy her latest.
Anne McCaffery is an old favorite
Clive Cussler
John Sanford
Louis L'Amour (when I'm in the mood for something with a VERY predictable happy ending)
Tara K. Harper
Lynn Flewellyn
Andre Norton (rip)
I'm sure I'm missing several good ones...OH *smacking self upside head* HOW could I forget??? No clue...my mind isn't here today.
Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series is GREAT! I love Ranger...wish I could find Ranger on this site somewhere.... too bad he's not real. ;)
But lately I haven't had time to go to the bookstores and pick up any of the major authors. I've been reading e-books and small press authors for the website I write book reviews for. It's great being a reviewer. :D People send me books for free. :D | |
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Jurfer
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Joined: 6/13/2005
Msg: 36 | |
| MUST-HAVE books
Posted: 6/18/2005 11:52:49 PM | I noticed the Notebook was listed. One of the best books I've ever read. I'm studing English at university at the mo and have now had the pleasure of reading Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austin), Dr Jekyl & Mr Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson), Mrs Dalloway (Virginia Wolf) which is one of the toughest reads I have encountered. But by far the best book I have ever read is Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. | |
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Joined: 6/19/2005
Msg: 37 | |
| MUST-HAVE books
Posted: 6/20/2005 10:47:12 PM | I'm glad people are including Shakespeare in this list. However, comparing George Lucas to him? Come on, you can't be serious, right? Shakespeare wrote a banquet of the soul, on so many topics and working on so many levels, which have been mimicked and copied countless times since. Lucas, I’ll give him credit for the Indiana Jones series (although he did have help), but, in general, he’s not much of a writer. This is painfully obvious in the new Star Wars trilogy where even talented actors (Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, Samuel L. Jackson) could not pull off the dialogue. I wish he had accepted some help writing these new ones like he did for episode four and five… Science fiction and action movies are rarely rich in acting and dialogue anyways, which is a crying shame when considering how works of authors such as Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert get turned into crap when they hit the big screen. Compared to even them, Lucas' writing abilities are like the meanderings of a four year old with a crayon compared to the works of Da Vinci.
Just my two cents. | |
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Posted: 6/21/2005 8:45:46 PM | null
In his time Shakespeare was the most marketable of properties. He was an illiterate farmboy who rose to fame on his ability to create prose and scenes that entranced the common masses and nobility alike. If this is not what George Lucas does, then they do not share the commonality of being in the same business-Entertainment.
I do agree that the big screen destroys the works of even the most talented of writers, the plots, sub plots and motivations cannot be easily summed up in a few hours of celluloid or digital content. But, as with any artist the true test will be "Will these works still be read/watched/listened to 200-1,000 yrs in the future?" | |
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Joined: 6/19/2005
Msg: 39 | |
| MUST-HAVE books
Posted: 6/22/2005 1:42:20 AM | dapi,
I see your point, but I think you're oversimplifying it a little bit. Yes, they are both people that wrote some stuff that a bunch of people liked. I think my point was that Shakespeare wrote works that are rich on a literary level, not just on a crowd-pleasing level. I don't believe it's just a matter of who gets remembered (i.e. that's the 'true test'). If they remember, people will probably remember Lucas' and Shakespeare’s works for very different reasons, as they have very different appeals. However, I think there is an intrinsic value in works that can be judged with at least some level of objectivity... and my point was that on a literary level, I would count Shakespeare as one of the foremost of writers, and Lucas... not so much. | |
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Posted: 6/22/2005 3:05:43 AM | null
Shakespeare as the foremost of playwriters and spinartists-yes, that he's withstood the test of time while so many of his contempories faded into oblivion-yes! Still I wonder, if he were alive today would MacBeth be a bigger than life space action movie with lightsabers, robots, aliens and a climatic duel on a forest planet? | |
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Posted: 6/22/2005 10:54:34 AM | Chronicles of Narnia....still reread them now.......
AA Milne ....just because
Jack Whyte......any and all,retelling of Authurian legends
Mary Stewart........any and all,set the bar for Authurian legends
Orson Scott Card, and and all, but Enchantment...it sucked
Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire
Elizabeth Smart, By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept
TH White, The Once and Future King | |
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Posted: 6/22/2005 1:23:40 PM | Has anybody ever read anything by David Gemmell (hope that's right) as there is an offer on play but I've never read any nor heard about any. Could someone please advise some titles if any? Thanks
Anyway OT
Faves,
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
A Midsummer Night's Dream - W Shakespeare
Lord Iffy Boatrace & The Missionary Position - Bruce****nson (I am a Maiden fan, I find them funny, please don't hate me!)
Angels and demons - Dan Brown (I liked it better than DC, but I think it depends on which order you read them as to which you'll prefer)
The Shining - S King
The Firm - John Grisham
Harry Potter (all of them)
The last book I've read,
"Whiteout" by Ken Follett. It's worth a look too! | |
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Posted: 6/22/2005 8:20:07 PM | "Has anybody ever read anything by David Gemmell (hope that's right) as there is an offer on play but I've never read any nor heard about any. Could someone please advise some titles if any? Thanks"
That's right. I struggled through LEGEND but that's the only thing I've read by him. I know a couple of writers who think he's fabulous but I didn't care for him at all. It's all a matter of taste. I thought he needed to develope his characters a little more and that he used some very contrived plot devices at the end of the novel, but I've heard that LEGEND is a "classic" by him so you might start with that one. If you like his work, you might like David Drake as well. Their styles are very similar, though I made it through 4 of Drake's books before throwing in the towel and vowing to spend my time reading books I like better.
Currently reading THE HALLOWED HUNT by Lois McMaster Bujold and enjoying it tremendously. (I need more time to read!) | |
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Posted: 6/23/2005 6:34:52 PM | On the Road- Keroak
One Flew Over the Cuckoos nest-Kesey
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas-Hunter S Thompson | |
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Posted: 6/23/2005 11:40:39 PM | Good thread, got some good leads.
Will have to say,
Of Human Bondage,...William Maugham (hope i spelled that right)...if I only had to pick one.
Oliver Twist...Dickens
Great Expectations...Dickens
Crime and Punishment...Dostoyevsky
And others already mentioned. | |
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Posted: 7/18/2005 11:21:40 AM | My list of must haves:
Dante's Inferno
The Stand-Stephen King (and many others, but this book is his best by far, in my opinion)
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy + The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
The Count of Monty Cristo - Alexander Dumas
Dark Rivers of the Heart - Dean Koontz
Choke - the author of Fight Club (so sorry don't know his name)
Life of Pi - Yan Martel
The Bone Collector - Jeffrey Deaver
The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
and so many many others, but these were the ones that came to my mind :)
For all you readers who like books about vampires/lycanthropes/faeries...here's an alternative to Anne Rice....Laurell K Hamilton. She has two fantastic series....
Anita Blake, Vampire Slayer
Meridith Gentry, Faerie Princess
These novels contain a lot of graphic sex and violence and some would call them smut, but if you want an enjoyable read that isn't too heavy, these are great books.
Great suggestions listed in the previous posts....there are some there that I haven't read and am now anxious to read! 
Good to see so many book lovers on here! | |
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Posted: 7/18/2005 12:10:37 PM | My pics by genre:
Science: Anything by Carl Sagan (science for the layman with a knack at making it easy to digest) but in particular Cosmos
History: The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Very informative for those that want to truly understand how it could happen.
Theoretical Science: The Arrow of Time. Ever wanted to know what a black hole really is or understand why we can't go back in time? This book explains it all. It's astrophysics really but don't let that deter you.
Anthropology: Guns Germs and Steel. How did things end up the way they are today? This book will tell you from the perspective of the geography, culture, and climate. Very informative although it does have a mild left-wing bent to it.
Science Fiction: The Ring. No, I guarantee it's not any of the ones you've heard of.
Myth Exposure : 50 Things You Aren't Supposed to Know. Think the cops have to go to your door when you call them? Guess again.
Political: The New Thought Police. Written by a lesbian feminist, had I known that when I bought it I probably wouldn't have done so. Glad to see I had that wrong. Tells you the things you may not want to hear but are definitely the truth.
True Crime: Mind Hunters. How does profiling work? That's what this book will tell you. Lots of stuff you can learn to apply to daily life as well.
Literature: The Count of Monte Christo. Toss up between this and Les Miserables but you can't go wrong with either.
Humour: Chris Rock, Rock This. You will honestly find yourself laughing hard at some of the stuff he has to say.
Fiction: London. Too complex to explain but the name should give you a hint.
Horror: Havoc Junction. An older book but easily the best horror novel I've ever read. Very eerie and keeps you wondering the whole way through.
Biography: Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Okay, he may not be your favorite actor or anything (he sure isn't mine) but once you read this book you will not be one bit surprised that he has made his way to governor of a state in the most powerful nation on Earth. And he started in a little backwoods village that might as well have been pulled right out of the fifth century. Inspirational? No, not really. Eye opening....you be the judge.
Spriritual: The Bible or the Qu'ran (or if you're a Jew like I am) the Torah. Okay, you don't have to believe it's the truth handed down from god. But if you can think objectively these books will tell you how to live a decent , moral life. Sure, you probably already do of course but they offer much more than that. They tell you WHY you should want to live that way. Doesn't make you a raving zealot to be open to the words they have written in them. And you'll probably find yourself surprised at how people have interpreted these books since their number one message is peace and love.
Romance? You tell me. lol | |
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Posted: 7/18/2005 12:46:10 PM | Romance suggestions:
Lady Chatterly's Lover or Madame Boverie if you want a good read. I've read both of these.
If you want smut....well there's about a million Harlequin novels out there lol | |
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Posted: 7/18/2005 1:02:30 PM | Good call on the St Exupery, Le Petit Prince was a truly inspirational story to me, I actually try my best to live my life by it. Though it should be said that some of its truth is lost in translation, so if you understand french then read the french on, even if you need a dictionary with you :P
A couple of other truly great stories (though they may have been metionned already) are:
Animal Farm - George Orwell -> great commentary on why communism doesn't work
1984 - (same) -> you really should have read this already
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - Ken Kesey -> Kesey took a lot of the drugs he was writing about to get the description accurate, its about a nuthouse in the 60s
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe -> chronicles Kesey's adventures with acid in the mid to late 60s
Island - Aldous Huxley -> this is a little known one, ut it was the utopia that contrasted Brave New World
Cats Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut (spelling is wrong my bad) -> This was an odd one, a lot of people have heard of it but the plot is very train of thought, the religeon in it is pretty cool though and the writing style is great
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (A Trilogy in Four Parts) - Douglas Adams -> yeah yeah the movie was cool but the full story is hilarious
Anything by Robert Rankin is good too hes hilarious, I've read so far the Witches of Cheswick, and the Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse (crazy read and brillliantly written)
Thats all for now but theres lots of good stuff out there, keep reading, killl your TV! | |
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Posted: 7/18/2005 2:29:45 PM | Just an after thought for all you music lovers....
Did you know that the song (Welcome Home) Sanitarium by Metallica is based on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest? (I don't know if this song is part of anyone's music interests, but I still love heavy metal)
Just a useless bit of trivia, but it seems to be a popular read around here....thought maybe someone might be interested in this little fact | |
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