Favorite Books

[monorail77]

George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.

You'll also like Guy Gavriel Kay. i recommend starting with "The Lions of Al-Rassen" or "Tigana"

[SilentBobX]

So far, my favorite book is of course Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by the greatest author who ever lived(IMHO), Hunter Stockton Thompson. Right now however, I'm reading a little book I found on the discount shelf. The Last Days of the Reich by James Lucas. I love WW2 books, and I'm gonna get a paperback about Gen. Patton. I thought for a second that the Reich book would be a bit 'pro-german' for a second(after all, bookstores sell Mein Kampf still), but it is informative.

As for graphic novels, I need to dig out my old Invisibles one. Never really all that popular, but I like it nevertheless.

Current fave books:

F&L in Las Vegas by HST
F&L Campaign Trail 1972 by HST
Ain't It Cool by El Grande Rojo
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them by Al Franken
Private Parts by Howard Stern

Okay, I'm no intellectual, but I read what I like

Here's hoping I can get Lono by HST later on if it gets discounted.

[monorail77]

I'm liking the William Gibson right now. Just finished "Idoru". Will definately chek out some of Six's recommendations too.

Have had a hankering lately for some more Timothy Findlay too. "Not Wanted on the Voyage" and "Famous Last Words" are near perfect, in my opinion.

Big fan of Larry Niven's "Ringworld" and Philip Jose Farmer's "Riverworld" series.

Also adored Niven and Pounelle's "Mote in God's Eye" and, to a lesser extent, the sequel "The Gripping Hand". Also really loved their "Oath Of Fealty"

So much more. will write more as i think of 'em

[Keepcoolbutcare]

I'm liking the William Gibson right now. Just finished "Idoru".

by far, the best of the "Bridge Trilogy". "All Tomorrow's Parties" disappoints simply by being derivative of his previous works. There are actual passages where he's quoting himself for Christ sakes!

but if you haven't read "Pattern Recognition", do so, NOW! He found his voice again, big time.

[St. Alphonzo]

I love WW2 books,

If you haven't read it yet, An Army At Dawn - The War In Africa 1942-1943 by Rick Atkinson is one of the best WWII histories I've ever read. It covers a front in the War that is just not focused on much nowadays. The African theater was vital not just to the eventual Allied victory, but to the foundation of the American military as we know it today. Atkinson really brings it alive.

Hell, I'd recomend this one to people even if they aren't into books about war. I can't wait for the next two parts of his "Liberation Trilogy".

[magicmonkey]

Jose Luis Borges (astounding short stories

Second the Borges love, the dude is a legend. I've had to buy two copies of his Labrinths anthology. Captivating brain twisting work. I read a great short too recently by Kafka called "The Mole" which captured alot of the oddity of Borges but with a little more anxiety thrown into the mix.

Fav books? Hmmm, big fan of the Shannara series by Terry Brooks for my fantasy.

The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen - A fantastic feat of American lit.

[mushookie]

One thing i have to add: To Kill a Mockingbird blows balls!!!!!!!!!



My favorite book would have to be War of the Worlds (original). Also, my other favorite would be Eragon (movie coming out this year)!!!

[St. Alphonzo]

One thing i have to add: To Kill a Mockingbird blows balls!!!!!!!!!

Wow. I just... wow.

I weep for the future.

[Lady Sheridan]

Picking a favorite book is almost impossible for me. Many of my favorites remain books I read as a kid, like Paddington, who still makes me laugh out loud, or Bunnicula.


One of my absolute favorites (as mentioned in the quotes thread) is "Wuthering Heights." Yeah, it's a "chick" book but it's so wonderfully twisted. Heathcliff is a masterpiece of characterization--a man you absolutely loathe and yet can't help rooting for because he's just so carelessly vicious. Plus, how many chick books are there with heavy doses of necrophilia?

Connie Willis' "Doomsday Book" remains my favorite sci-fi/historical fiction book ever. Every time travel book pales in comparison. Why no one has optioned this into a film is beyond me.

If "Beowulf" counts as a book, it's on my favorites list. I've loved it since the first time I read it and if anything sucks me into an English MA, it will be that poem.

My favorite short story is Chekhov's "The Lady with the Pet Dog," I've read it so many times and I am always sighing by the end.

[Doc Holliday]

Picking a favorite book is almost impossible for me. Many of my favorites remain books I read as a kid, like Paddington, who still makes me laugh out loud, or Bunnicula.


One of my absolute favorites (as mentioned in the quotes thread) is "Wuthering Heights." Yeah, it's a "chick" book but it's so wonderfully twisted. Heathcliff is a masterpiece of characterization--a man you absolutely loathe and yet can't help rooting for because he's just so carelessly vicious. Plus, how many chick books are there with heavy doses of necrophilia?

Connie Willis' "Doomsday Book" remains my favorite sci-fi/historical fiction book ever. Every time travel book pales in comparison. Why no one has optioned this into a film is beyond me.

If "Beowulf" counts as a book, it's on my favorites list. I've loved it since the first time I read it and if anything sucks me into an English MA, it will be that poem.

My favorite short story is Chekhov's "The Lady with the Pet Dog," I've read it so many times and I am always sighing by the end.

I have a "Paddington Bear Hundred Yard Stare". Or was it thousand? Dammit

[Lady Sheridan]

I have a "Paddington Bear Hundred Yard Stare". Or was it thousand? Dammit

Hahahahaha!

"He gave the man a very hard stare..."

I loved how he could always make people shrink and gulp with his hard stare. I have one too. I pity those who don't--and so does Paddington!

[monorail77]

I'm fond of the phrase "giving a furious frowning" but I don't remember where it came from. Is this a Douglas Adams perhaps?

[Logan5]

My list (fiction):

J.G. Ballard: Super-Cannes, Cocaine Nights, Crash, Running Wild, Atrocity Exhibition
Orson Scott Card: Ender and Bean series.
G.K. Chesterton: The Man Who Was Thursday
H.P. Lovecraft: Almost everything
Neil Gaiman: Stardust
Clive Barker: Imajica

Didn't see any of these names above.

[RaulMonkey]

One thing i have to add: To Kill a Mockingbird blows balls!!!!!!!!!

Wow. I just... wow.

I weep for the future.

My guess is mushookie is in High School and has been recently forced to read TKAMB by the cirriculum. Books always seem shittier when you're forced to read them (though it's different in University since you're electing to be there in the first place.) Like, I had to read Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE in grade 12, and was completely soured on the man. Then I had to direct a scene from HEDDA GABLER for my third-year directing class in University, so I had to teach myself how to like him. And I'm glad to say that I was successful, and as a matter of fact I just finished a collective creation based on the works of Ibsen, where his characters live on in the purgatory of his stroke-addled mind after the plays have ended.

Next, I sincerely believe that I have to teach myself to like Aldous Huxley, after being soured on him by reading BRAVE NEW WORLD in grade 11. And Timothy Findley, whose WARS I was forced to read in grade 10.

[monorail77]

One thing i have to add: To Kill a Mockingbird blows balls!!!!!!!!!

Wow. I just... wow.

I weep for the future.

My guess is mushookie is in High School and has been recently forced to read TKAMB by the cirriculum. Books always seem shittier when you're forced to read them (though it's different in University since you're electing to be there in the first place.) Like, I had to read Henrik Ibsen's A DOLL'S HOUSE in grade 12, and was completely soured on the man. Then I had to direct a scene from HEDDA GABLER for my third-year directing class in University, so I had to teach myself how to like him. And I'm glad to say that I was successful, and as a matter of fact I just finished a collective creation based on the works of Ibsen, where his characters live on in the purgatory of his stroke-addled mind after the plays have ended.

Next, I sincerely believe that I have to teach myself to like Aldous Huxley, after being soured on him by reading BRAVE NEW WORLD in grade 11. And Timothy Findley, whose WARS I was forced to read in grade 10.

I love Ibsen. Good luck with the creation.

And you MUST revisit Timoth Findley, in spite of "The Wars" (which I didn't really like either). As I said above, go for "Not Wanted on the Voyage".

Hey Raul, I just noticed that's a CTV mic in your av. Is that you in front of Salisbury House restaurant in Winnipeg?

[RaulMonkey]

Yeah, I'm definitely going to be reading the dramatic adaptation of NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE soon, since Mob Hit Productions here in Calgary are doing it next season and I intend to audition for them.

And dude, re: my avatar, you must be Thick as a Thief. I won't name names, but I will post this peculiar German magazine cover I found one time.

[monorail77]

Raul, I don't know what the dramatic adaptation of NWOTV is, but I recommend the book first.

So, you're in Cowtown and you're in theatre. I bet we have mutual aquaintances. I'm up the QE2 from you in Edmonchuk. (I used to do a little theatre in Cowtown, once upon an ago).

And as for the weird German comic cover, yep, colour me thick. I have no idea what you're getting at with that, nor how it answers my question about your av. Neat comic, tho'.

[RaulMonkey]

Yay, another Albertan! So now you, me and Retardo have to have a drunken meet-up some time.

My av features former Thick as Thieves front-man and CANADIAN IDOL hipster, Zack Werner.

[monorail77]

Mystery Hilariously Solveed!!!!

You can't really blame me for not getting it. Who watches Canadian Idol anyway

[RaulMonkey]

Yeah, I've thought about starting a CANADIAN IDOL thread, but I'd have to subtitle it "Raul and Havoc's private wank room."

[monorail77]

My list (fiction):

J.G. Ballard: Super-Cannes, Cocaine Nights, Crash, Running Wild, Atrocity Exhibition
Orson Scott Card: Ender and Bean series.
G.K. Chesterton: The Man Who Was Thursday
H.P. Lovecraft: Almost everything
Neil Gaiman: Stardust
Clive Barker: Imajica

Didn't see any of these names above.

Now that Raul and I are done hijacking the thread...

Looks like some good recommendations there Logan. I loves me some Scott Card, so I'll have to check out your Gaiman and Ballard suggestions.

[raasnio]

My favorite dead author would be H.P. Lovecraft, while my favorite living author would be Clive Barker.

Barker's Abarat series (2 of the 4 novels have been released) might be the best things I've read in I don't know how long. I daresay I like it better than Imajica, which I never thought I'd say, though Coldheart Canyon came close.

Another great couple of books are the 2 that make up Robert R. McCammon's Speaks the Nightbird. It drips with atmosphere and the pacing is excellent.

Lastly, the Rama series by Clarke & Gentry is without a doubt my favorite science fiction series in novel form. The scope and depth of it is everything I could hope for. (Too bad the studios wouldn't let Freeman & Fincher bring it to the big screen)

[LeFlambeur]

Fiction:
Crime and Punishment
Fight Club
Moby Dick
Brave New World
Dubliners (I don't know if that counts)
A Christmas Carol

Graphic Novels:
The Dark Knight Returns
Kingdom Come
Blankets
Sin City: That Yellow Bastard
Maus
Understanding Comics
Osamu Tezuka's: Phoenix Vol. 4 (or was it 3?)

[darkjedijaina]

I also dig A Brave New World.

also Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow.

but I think my favorite is Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub.

[monorail77]

Fiction:
Crime and Punishment
Fight Club
Moby Dick
Brave New World
Dubliners (I don't know if that counts)
A Christmas Carol

Graphic Novels:
The Dark Knight Returns
Kingdom Come
Blankets
Sin City: That Yellow Bastard
Maus
Understanding Comics
Osamu Tezuka's: Phoenix Vol. 4 (or was it 3?)

Hey, I'm reading Kingdom Come right now! Very very good graphic novel. Just amazing artwork. And good story too.

Just finished Marvel 1602 and was very impressed.

Side note: I had one panel from 1602 blown up and framed to hang in my office. Its a close up of Dr. Stephen Strange's eye, staring wildly and eyebrow raised. The balloon says "I have absolutely no idea!" Great pic!

[Peven]

for classic American fiction, my favorite author would have to be Steinbeck. my single favorite piece of work by him is the short story, "Junius Maltby". i really enjoy "The Red Pony" and the birth scene near the end can still get me choked up when i read it. "The Pearl" made a real impression on me when i first read it as a teenager too.


"Brave New World", "1984" and "Animal Farm" were all very influential in my "coming of age" years, and my admiration for Orwell and Huxley's vision and insight only grows over the years as i see how the ideas in their books manifest themslves in reality.


Ray Bradbury and Edgar Allen Poe are probably my two favorite short story specialists. i own the complete works of both. short story anthologies are one of the forms of literature i cut my reading teeth on, actually. "The Martian Chronicles", and "The Illustrated Man" are two great short story compilations. Poe's stories are more chilling and creepy than most, if not all, of the crap "horror" writers today pull out of their asses.


C.J. Cherryh is my favorite pure science fiction writer, and her Chanur series is fantastic. its a real shame none of her stuff has been optioned/adapted for the big screen.


my favorite author, overall, as i have said on here more than once in various threads, is Stephen R Donaldson. his Thomas Covenant Chronicles, published in the late 70's/early 80's, which were on NYT's best seller list, are the modern day equivalant of LOTR, imo, and in the opinion of some reviewers back when the series was published. his sci-fi "Gap" series is also kick ass and would make a superb hard-R-rated movie.

[Eunuch Provocateur]

Currently Reading and Enjoying: Heart of Darkness.

Favorite books? As I lay Dying, Cannery Row, The Poisonwood Bible, Grapes of Wrath, Ham on Rye, Waiting for Godot (yea, so it's technically a play), and Prelude to Postscript (shameless plug.)

[bastard_robo]

Wow.. This is all i did during my last 2 years of High School (when i gave up collage ambitions and decided to become a bum!) I got a job and just started buying books every fucking week and read them all druing class (much to my suprise, the teachers wernt to happy about this)


Some of my favorit books (in not particular order or class)

Battle Royale
I am Legend (read this fucker cover to cover 4 times in a week)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Have a nice day!
Beowulf
Reble with out a crew (my bible)

and some series i read too!

Random House's Godzilla Series (which was actually good!)
Random House's Resident Evil Series (Code Veronica was my graduation report!)
Tarzan

Then thers manga and graphic novels

Battle Royale
Watchmen
Battle Angel



But the worst and most headach endusing book i ever fucking read...

THE GREAT GATSBY!

WORST BOOK EVER!

[Chilli]

Terry Pratchett is a brilliant writer.

Men At Arms - one of the funniest books out there.

[darkjedijaina]

Ray Bradbury and Edgar Allen Poe are probably my two favorite short story specialists.

i dig them, too. muchly.

[DDMAN26]

If I had to pick an absoulute favorite it would be the Hobbitt. A book I've read just about every year since I was in high school. After that there are lots of books I like:

Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Adventures of Huckelberry Finn
The Once and Future King
Lord of the Rings
Harry Potter series
Treasure Island
Of Mice and Men(second favorite)
Grapes of Wrath
Hound of the Baskervilles
The Bible-Please note this is not a religious endorsement of any sort but I do read it once in awhile for the stories.

[Keepcoolbutcare]

The Bible-Please note this is not a religious endorsement of any sort but I do read it once in awhile for the stories.

God is my favorite fictional character...

[Nachokoolaid]

I'm throwing my shout out once again. Long ago in this thread I mentioned PREACHER, and it's still great, but Watchmen and Sandman are both great graphic novels.

Also, AMERICAN GODS (Gaiman) is the greatest piece of contemporary fiction. I'd be willing to argue it with someone, but why? Just check it out. And if you don't enjoy it, shit... I can't imagine that happening.

[Ribbons]

books I like:

Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Adventures of Huckelberry Finn
The Once and Future King
Lord of the Rings
Grande Rojo Potter series
Treasure Island
Of Mice and Men(second favorite)
Grapes of Wrath
Hound of the Baskervilles
The Bible

You ever read Kidnapped, DDMAN? It's not especially well-known, but it's by RLS, and it's structured very similarly to Treasure Island. I think you might like it.

[Al Shut]

Rumo & his Miraculous Adventures by Walter Moers

I wish I could form and express coherent thought to tell you more and get people to read it.

[unikrunk]

I'm throwing my shout out once again. Long ago in this thread I mentioned PREACHER, and it's still great, but Watchmen and Sandman are both great graphic novels.

Also, AMERICAN GODS (Gaiman) is the greatest piece of contemporary fiction. I'd be willing to argue it with someone, but why? Just check it out. And if you don't enjoy it, shit... I can't imagine that happening.

I am liking Anansi Boys much more than American Gods.

[thebostonlocksmith]

I do go through this thread and other book inspired threads on a frequent basis... and take the advice of my fellow Archivists and will likely purchase a book on the say so of others...

I was wondering how many people do the same... I was also wondering why nobody seems to have heeded my small piece of advice in seeking out 'the shadow of the wind' which is brilliant...

Fortunately i was given a copy for christmas, and in a 'group' excercise i am willing to forward it to whoever wants it... So if you're interested then let me know...

I've already got two books for Doc Holiday that we discussed months and months ago, shame is the little fella disappeared...

[unikrunk]

oh yeah, favorite books - here are a few of unikrunk's:

- A History of Pi
- Eternal Curse On The Reader Of These Pages
- The Silmarillion
- Art & Physics
- The Decameron
- No Exit - Four Plays
- The Talisman
- Marvin K Mooney Will You Please Go Home Now?

[DDMAN26]

books I like:

Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Adventures of Huckelberry Finn
The Once and Future King
Lord of the Rings
Grande Rojo Potter series
Treasure Island
Of Mice and Men(second favorite)
Grapes of Wrath
Hound of the Baskervilles
The Bible

You ever read Kidnapped, DDMAN? It's not especially well-known, but it's by RLS, and it's structured very similarly to Treasure Island. I think you might like it.

It's on my shelf but I haven't gotten to it yet.

[Maui]

Ah, new territory, the book forum 8)

Here's some of my favourite books:



My cat is kinda in the way, but some of my favs are:

100 Years of Solitude - Marquez
Love in the Time of Cholera - Marquez
QBVii, Trinity - Leon Uris
Shogun, Gai Jin, Noble House - James Clavell
Jane Austen - all of em
Agatha Christie - lots

Maui's a bookworm, eh?

[Wolfpack]

Edward Rutherfurd, Douglas Adams, Brian Jacques, and Stephen King have always spun a good yarn for me.

[Seppuku]

I don't think I've ever posted on this thread. Well, time to make amends. I don't think I'll ever be able to come up with a cohesive, top 10 list (of anything), so I'll just spout a few titles I heart of the top of my head:

Seven Pillars of Wisdom - T E Lawrence. It's a slog, to be sure, but one rich in everything I'd want from a book.

A Hundred Years of Solitude by GG Marquez. Sometimes I think I see the world like this, just slightly off. Also...MELQUIADES LIVES!

Njal's Saga - by an anonymous Icelander 800 or so years ago. For anyone who thinks that America's degenerated into a morasse of law-suits and bickering, well here's evidence that nothing's changed.

HG Wells' book of short stories. Bought this off a drunk Welshman for a quid. Best buy ever. I prefer some of these to his actual novels.

Alfred Bester - Tiger Tiger (The Stars my Destination). Would make an incredible standalone comic book. Not surprising, considering Bester worked for Action Comics for a while. Cold war scifi at its best.

Nietzsche - Thus Spoke Zarathustra. No, just because I like this that doesn't make me a Nazi. An elitist, sure, but not a Nazi.

Dostoyevsky - Notes From the Underground. This is like Palahniuk and Bukowski rolled into one, 200 years before the fact.

Iain M Banks - Feersum Enjinn. Having spoken to the guy in person, I have no idea how such an unassuming, normal guy squeezed this book out of his psyche.

[The Todd]

Stephen King's The Dark Tower books. And for the literature quiz players, I'm being serious and no I didn't pick the questions.

[minstrel]

Stephen King's The Dark Tower books. And for the literature quiz players, I'm being serious and no I didn't pick the questions.

But you PAID the people who pick the questions, didn't you?

[DennisMM]

I have never posted in this thread!

The Glass Teat and The Other Glass Teat by Harlan Ellison
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Bluebeard and Hocus Pocus by Kurt Vonnegut --those are particular favorites, though I enjoy 90 percent of Vonnegut more than 99 percent of all the other fiction out there
The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters by George Orwell (4 volumes)
To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Those come to mind at the moment. Tomorrow I'd probably give a different list. This one is heavier on fiction than most would be.

[havocSchultz]

Stephen King's The Dark Tower books. And for the literature quiz players, I'm being serious and no I didn't pick the questions.

But you PAID the people who pick the questions, didn't you?

He paid me in SPANKINGS-FIVE!!!

[Crimson King]

Also, AMERICAN GODS (Gaiman) is the greatest piece of contemporary fiction. I'd be willing to argue it with someone, but why? Just check it out. And if you don't enjoy it, shit... I can't imagine that happening.

It was good, but not my favorite Neil Gaiman. I prefer Neverwhere and, without a doubt, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (co-authored with Terry Pratchett).

Here are some of my other favorites:

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
The Dark Tower by Stephen King
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon


Ok, shit, I'm getting carried away here. There are lots of books I've read and enjoyed and I could probably go on. I haven't read as much as I want to, especially lately. But there you have it for now.

[XOMuffintop]

Since I am at work and really shouldn't be doing this, here is a quick list of books I love in no particular order
Novels:

1) American Tabloid
2) Neuromancer
3) The Road
4) Fight Club
5) More Than Human
6) The Martian Chronicles
7) Do Androids Dream of Electronic Sheep?
8) Frankenstein
9) The Stand
10) The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay

[Spandau Belly]

My favorite novels:

Cancer Ward by Alexander Solzhyntsin
La Bete Humaine by Emile Zola
Le Havre by Emile Zola
Hunger by Knut Hamsun
Post Office by Charles Bukowski
The Good Soldier Svjek by Jaroslav Hasek
The Diviners by Margaret Lawrence
The Magus by John Fowles
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

[Chris a.k.a StuntMike]

The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S Thompson

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls is also an interesting read.