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Favorite books

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Naksu:
the Secret History by Donna Tartt
Moomin books by Tove Jansson
Ronia the Robber's Daughter by Astrid Lindgren
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
The Farseer by Robin Hobb
Belgarion & Mallorea by David Eddings.

sandysmilinstrange:
I was just about to say The Secret History!I wish I could describe what I like about this book so much, but I can't. All I can say is that I could happily read it over and over.

Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal takes you through a full spectrum of emotions while remaining pretty consistantly funny throughout. I haven't read a book by this man that I haven't enjoyed, but for humor and readability, this is probably his best. That or It's a Dirty Job.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. Again, this is a writer who has always impressed me, but this one strikes me as being a little more honest and introspective (but will still make you laugh and laugh).

The Book of Lost Things by an author whose name escapes me. I thought fairy tales were scary before Disney got hold of them. But have a kid take a wizard of Oz style journey as written by a guy who has mainly written horror/suspense and throw in a genuinely gut-wrenchingly beautiful ending and I'll happily read it again.

The Kite Runner Um, you'll probably cry. The last spoken line and paragraph in this book were staggering.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About It's completely ridiculous, but the fact that no matter how outrageous circumstances get it never changes the dynamic of the title relationship is great. Nice P.O.V from total passive agressive man, too.

I run on too much. But these are really good books. If you read them and didn't like them, I'd be surprised.

Nodaisho:

--- Quote from: Dark Flame on 12 Nov 2008, 08:35 ---"Farenheit 451"

--- End quote ---
Got to snag that out of there, I just reread it last night, and it struck me again just how powerful a book it is. The way Clarisse is written is just indescribably beautiful, I can't place my finger on why, but it is. And the way that their society was described as becoming how it was is scarily plausible.

And, of course, it gets a bonus for actually having a hopeful ending, where as in 1984, well... it isn't.

n0tj3sus:

--- Quote from: Dark Flame on 12 Nov 2008, 08:35 ---
--- Quote from: n0tj3sus on 11 Nov 2008, 15:24 ---1984 -George Orwell
Big brother is watching, I mean come on who doesn’t love this book.

--- End quote ---

Me.  The book is far too obvious, far too politically involved, with characterization and imagination cast aside in order to pound home Orwell's message about government.  Certainly a step up over "Animal Farm", but not very good.  I've found it odd that Orwell's last two books are undoubtedly his worst.  I mean, his first, "Down and Out in Paris and London" is easily one of my favourite books.  But then he felt the need to paint his message in bold face instead of engaging writing.  Even in the realm of dystopian novels, "1984" doesn't stand up well, in my mind.  "Farenheit 451", "Bend Sinister", "A Handmaiden's Tale", even the more recent "Gun, With Occasional Music".  All much more interesting, much more engaging.


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Honestly just about anything is a step up from animal farm.
Just as a side not it’s interesting that everyone mentions Fahrenheit 451, which is just one of those books that I was never really able to get into, along with a brave new world.
As for Gun, With Occasional Music, a gun toting mafia kangaroo and a kitten whose brain has been bioengineered...really?
Have you read the man in the high castle by Philip K Dick if so I would be interested in finding out what you thought about it.

Inlander:

--- Quote from: Dark Flame on 12 Nov 2008, 08:35 ---Sounds a lot like Barbara Pym (1913-1980), another excellent, excellent writer who deserves a wide audience.

--- End quote ---

Thanks for the tip! I found a copy of Excellent Women in one of my local bookshops, and I really liked the first page. I'll buy it when my next pay-cheque rolls in!

Tell me, have you read any Muriel Spark?

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