Booktastic

[Dibbie]

This is the place to plug all those books that you love and you think other people should read. All you need to do is name it and give a good reason to read it - that way we can avoid having an "Innit fooking smart" thread about every book that was ever written!

I'll start:

Book: Googlewhack by Dave Gorman

Reason: Truly superb travelogue about what can happen with a little imagination, a little prodding and a LOT of cash.

[RamblinYeti]

a really fantastic book is 'around ireland with a fridge' by tony hawks-reason -its written by tony hawks(no not that tony hawks but the one who has been in red dwarf several times) and is quite funny- oh yeah and hitch hikers guide to the galaxyreason 42

[Elessar]

THE LORD OF THE RINGS

[RamblinYeti]

Originally posted by Elessar
THE LORD OF THE RINGS
well thats an original idea

[I'm Jim Too]

V Good if not V Unexpected. :p

Can I give a couple?

Fiction
Book: Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Giaman
Reason: The best collection of short stories I've ever read.
Ranging from Fantasy to Sci-Fi. Spiffy.

Graphic novel
Book: The Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.
Reason: Stunning writing and atmospheric artwork add to the most thoughtful and mature comic book ever created. If you only read one graphic novel, it should be this.

Collected Essays
Book: The Art of Fiction by David Lodge
Reason: Ever wanted to study literature but couldnt face the tuition fees? Worry not. Read this instead. Funny and insightful.

[BigShimmeryWall]

Book: Vurt by Jeff Noon

Reason: It's like the fantastic bastard offspring of Irvine Welsh and Lewis Carrol imbued with a light fantasy/sci fi tint. The best psychedelic cyberpunk novel I've ever read

[Panto]

Book: The Most Amazing Man Who Ever Lived

Reason: A hilarious book by Robert Rankin about the 'adventures' of a young man called Cornelius Murphy and his best friend Tuppe.


Also try one of these by RR:
The Book Of Ultimate Truths,
Raiders Of The lost Car Park,
The Garden Of Unearthly Delights,
The Witches Of Chiswick,
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocolypse,
Sex, Drugs And Sausage Rolls,
A Dog Called Demolition,
Nostradamus Ate My Hamster,
Fandom Of The Operator,
Snuff Fiction,
Web Site Story,
Apocalypso
Sprout Mask Replica,
The Dance Of The Voodoo Handbag,
Armageddon I, II & III,
The Brentford Trilogy (which consists of seven books),
Waiting For Godalming.

[dogincognito]

Discworld series is good for comedy.
Anything bu Stephen King.
im not very original

[freddiestarfish]

First And Last Men
By Alfred Bester

It is a very good Sci-fi book, has no main characters so to speak, but outlines the rise and fall of ninteen different species of man over 20million years.
it is a very different style of book, and works really well, and would recomend to all, even if you dont like sci-fi, as its different.

[Space Prawn]

Neuromancer, William Gibson; it's the clunkily-written predecessor to practically every computer orientated sci-fi book or film made after 1985.

The Wachowski Bros should pay Gibson a hell of a lot of royalities.

[dogincognito]

Originally posted by Space Prawn
Neuromancer, William Gibson; it's the clunkily-written predecessor to practically every computer orientated sci-fi book or film made after 1985.

The Wachowski Bros should pay Gibson a hell of a lot of royalities.

quoted for truth +
great book too

[spongmonkey]

All of the tails of the Otori trilogy by Lian Hern(although the last one hasn't been released).
Why?
Because they're great. Incredibly intelligent writing,great ideas and Lian Hern describes everything in amazing detail so that you actually feel and sense the story(without boring You like Thomas Hardy). And in these books you must remember: Just because you're a main character doesnt mean bad shit dont happen to you. These books will completely change the way you look at fantasy stories and good/evil.

Stupid White men by Michael Moore
Why?
Its all so true.

[Generic Student]

Originally posted by spongmonkey
All of the tails of the Otori trilogy by Lian Hern(although the last one hasn't been released).
Why?
Because they're great. Incredibly intelligent writing,great ideas and Lian Hern describes everything in amazing detail so that you actually feel and sense the story(without boring You like Thomas Hardy). And in these books you must remember: Just because you're a main character doesnt mean bad shit dont happen to you. These books will completely change the way you look at fantasy stories and good/evil.

You'd never have even heard of those if i hadnt read them first, and you stole most of those comments from my my review (see Tomsbooks) (http://mysite.freeserve.com/ben_tom_magill). But yes, they are great books.

I would also like to add that Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah is the greatest, most emotive peice of non fiction i have read

[Zweee]

American Psycho

Better than the film...very.... gruesome, but well written and a compelling read.

[mr jones]

flowers in the attic - virginia andrews

such a moving book and a really good read


glue - irvine welsh

shows us that no matter what, mates stick together. most people are put of by the facts its written in dialect,, biut when you get into it, amazing book :D

[Anti - Squirrel]

Originally posted by Dibbie

Book: Googlewhack by Dave Gorman

Reason: Truly superb travelogue about what can happen with a little imagination, a little prodding and a LOT of cash.

I'll be reading that one, soon.

Right now, I'm in the middle of...

Book: Are you Dave Gorman? by Dave Gorman and Danny Wallace

Reason: It's been a long time since I've read a book that has made me laugh out loud with such frequency. The humour is gentle, yet often silly, but always hilarious. The book is written from two perspectives by the two authors, in a way that lets the personality and humour of each shine through.

[vampiress]

oh dibbie, i love you. books are my passion.

smoke and mirrors is an interesting gaiman book to choose. i actualyl didn't enjoy it as much as his full lenght books. I thougth Stardust was fabuouls, i've read it twice now.

trainspotting - irvine welsh... this book took me so long to read because of the dialect, but i've read is several times now. just fascinatingly developed characters. nice inner monologues. interesting because i saw the movie first, and i was confused a bit whe i started reading, because rents isn't really the main character. he is, but it's really a first person from everyone's point of view.

talk,me retty one day is a good comedy by north carolina boy David Sedaris (sister amy was in Strangers with candy) a collection of short stories about family, north caorlina, being gay...

currently reading princess bride by william goldman. fabulous movie. good book so far.

and for a fictional religous trio:

redemtion of althus, david and leigh eddings was an amusing read, fanstasy, but really disecting religion.

small gods - terry prachette again disecting religion in a humours way. really made me think about faith and how it works.

american gods, neil gaiman. again about faith, gods, how the interact, how religions over lap.

[mr jones]

trainspotting - irvine welsh... this book took me so long to read because of the dialect, but i've read is several times now. just fascinatingly developed characters. nice inner monologues. interesting because i saw the movie first, and i was confused a bit whe i started reading, because rents isn't really the main character. he is, but it's really a first person from everyone's point of view.

woo to you for reading the book :) i dont know anyone else who could get past the scotishness :) irvine welsh is such an amazing writter and the film gave him no credit at all.
i must recomended every thing he's written, espcially glue(mentioned earlier) and 'porno' its a sequal to both trainspotting and glue. very strange but very good :) bringing two fantastic books together

[vampiress]

i've read a lot of welsh, i need to get glue. i've read porno and mirabou stork. i love his style of writing, but the dialect kills me a bit. i almost have to read it out loud.

[mr jones]

i didnt find it hard to pick up at all, i dont see why everyone finds it so hard? i first read trainspotting when i was, hhmm, about 11,12 and got straight into it.. iono. iv'e now read pretty much evry thing hes written and love it all, exept one book, cant remeber the title of it now. its a newish one about a police man and his tape worm. its ok. not that great. his short stories are very good though, exept theyre just to short!!

[BooBooKittyFuck]

The Belgariad, The Malloraen(?) by David Eddings.
Reason, Great fantasy books with a complex world and plot that makes you feel almost as if your there..
There are five books in each set so your not gonna finish it in a hurry :D

Im currently reading The Wild Road by new author Gabriel King. Very impressed so far.....






oooo i love books i do:D :D

[l33t k1w1]

My therapist issued me a challenge to read a book. But I have a short attention span and couldn't get through the first chapters of all the books I tried to read.

I'm almost halfway through Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. The subject matter fascinates me, but changing from first to third person every chapter gets me a little lost. I reccomend it, just because I'm still reading it.

Another title would be the Da Vinci Code. Reads like a movie outline but also has some fascinating, if cheesy, content.

[RamblinYeti]

Originally posted by BooBooKittyFuck
The Belgariad, The Malloraen(?) by David Eddings.
Reason, Great fantasy books with a complex world and plot that makes you feel almost as if your there..
:D :D
oh how could i forget the genius that is eddings- i liked the belgariad andredemption of althalus(despite the innacuracies about time travel) and im half way through reading the elder gods

[Mexican Pie]

SCARECROW!!!

Matthew Reileys greatest Novel! Violence, conspiracy and the French all rolled into one glorious action novel! It's a fast paced novel, with dozens upon dozens of memorable action and violent scenes which lead up to the GRAND FINALE!

Shane Shofield, callsign "Scarecrow", was also in these novels:
-Ice Base
-Temple
-Area 7

I have yet to read them- but I do intend to read them in the future.

He saved the world from people 3 times before- now it looks like everyone is after him!

Shofield! Once were done with you, were going to cut off your head and piss down your fucking throat!

Very good novel.

I COMMAND YOU TO READ IT!

OBEY!
OBEY!!
OBEY!!!

[sack the chimp]

Book: Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre.

Reason: Absolute genius of a book. Very funny, very dark, very well written, and very modern. Cervantes recommended this to me some time ago, and for some reason i decided to listen to his opinions (although i know little about him). Very glad I listened though.

[BooBooKittyFuck]

Originally posted by RamblinYeti
oh how could i forget the genius that is eddings- i liked the belgariad andredemption of althalus(despite the innacuracies about time travel) and im half way through reading the elder gods

I adore Eddings. Im in the middle of reading Polgara the sorceress and hopefully i'll get Belgarath the sorcerer soon:D
If u like Eddings try Robin Hobb.

[CheHamstera]

do read: Girlfriend In A Coma by Douglas Coupland.

a nice easy read, but with troubling apocalyptic undertones. well-drawn characters who you follow throughout the 80s and 90s. a very good book.

don't read: Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis.

if you want a satire of consumer culture, read American Psycho instead. Less Than Zero was his first book written aged 19 and you can tell. it's like a weaker version of Psycho. stomach the gore and read that instead. you'll thank me.

[Generic Student]

I work in my schools library, its a lame job but its a big + on my CV. I have realised what terrible taste kids have and have made it my moral duty to frown disapprovingly at those who get out books which basically suck.
It sounds tight, but when the works of Eddings, Shofield and classics like Jules Verne are being ditched in favour of unrealistic portrayals of adolescent life by Jaqueline Wilson and football stories, i cant contain myself.

MUST CONTAIN RAGE......

[lellykelly]

I would say Harry Potter but im sure you'd guess that would be on here. There are a series of books. i can't think of the author right now. the first book was called Angus, thongs, and full frontal snogging. They are the diaries of a 14 year old and are the most funniest things i have ever read. good for a laugh.

[Panto]

Originally posted by lellykelly
I would say Harry Potter ...

The fourth one's the best.

[PieKaos]

I recommend anything by Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code author).

I own all four of his books and he just keeps getting better and better each time I read him. A little gruesome, especially Angels and Demons, but well worth it.

[donkey_pie]

Book: Bird Song by Sebastian Faulks

Reason: WW1 story type thingy, incredibly good, very moving and realistic.. keeps you reading


Book: If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things by Jon McGregor

Reason: Reads like poetry, really beautiful.


Book: The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks

Reason: Very disturbing.. great cult book.

[qwerto]

My wills droun by marth wick very inspiring!

[Generic Student]

Originally posted by lellykelly
There are a series of books. i can't think of the author right now. the first book was called Angus, thongs, and full frontal snogging.


I FROWN AT YOU!

Ok, so not my taste. As for the Harry Potter thing, its a good place for kids to get started and in to reading stuff, but they should branch out, rather than just reading Harry Potter. I know too many kids who think of books as Harry potter, theres so many other great authors for people their age who could interest them just as much and maybe challenge them more.
eg Lian Hern
Phillip Pullman
Peter Dickinson
Kevin Crossley Holland (the "Arthur" trilogy is the best)

[Space Prawn]

The Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams

Reason: It's the accumulation of everything on his Mac (grrr! Heathen) put into a book and published posthumously. Very moving if you practically grew up on Hitchhiker's Guide.

[bigmother]

Originally posted by mr jones
his short stories are very good though, exept theyre just to short!!

the acid house is a very good book, you read that?

[felixdahousecat]

Book: Pimp! The Story of my Life

Author: Iceberg Slim

Why? Its a true story about iceberg slim who was one of chicago's most notorious pimps in the 1940's, he tells it like it is - not glamourous but a cruel and dirty world. its a must for all the people who spend too much time listening to Jay-z and think its all just fur coats and big cadillacs and has nothing to do with beating women to within an inch of their lives with coathangers

[Space Prawn]

The books in the Chopper series are funny. They're the autobiographical works of an Australian hitman who got away with about twenty murders. It's really funny.

[cervantes]

Originally posted by sack the chimp
Book: Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre.
Reason: Absolute genius of a book. Very funny, very dark, very well written, and very modern. Cervantes recommended this to me some time ago, and for some reason i decided to listen to his opinions (although i know little about him). Very glad I listened though.

Glad you liked it:)

"The curious incident of the dog in the night-time" By mark Haddon is well worth reading, brillliantly written and one of very few original books written recently

I can highly recomend the flashman papers, very very funny

Also "Dangerous love" by Ben Okri, tragic story telling without being sentimental or pretentious

i will never tire of recomending "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller to anyone who is willing to listen......yossarian lives!

And of course the good old London A to Z, (dont know where i would be without it) my bible and my diary

plus literaly hundreds more that are just as good, but that i cant be bothered to mention......book's be pages

[Cap'n Zola]

Book: Terry Pratchett - Discworld series

Reason: It's hilarious theories and just becuase its magic!

[PieKaos]

I agree with cervantes on Catch-22. Easily the most bizarre book I've ever read, but very well-written. After reading it for a while, the reality in the book seems normal and the reality in real life seems messed up, as compared to the other way around when you start reading.

[sack the chimp]

glad your still here cervantes, and thank you, that book was excellent (cant help but think of the shawshank redemption slightly).

Im in the middle of the last hitchhikers book (damned good series)at the mo, ill get onto some more of your suggestions after.

oh, and piekaos, how do you tell the difference? Catch 22 reality is reality. You just dont notice all of it till you've read it.

[cervantes]

......that book was excellent, cant help but think of the shawshank redemption slightly

It put me in mind of The trial and Catcher in the rye, but the with Vernon as the antithesis of both Joseph K and Holden Caulfield.

[D00MSDAY]

Anything by R A Salvatore, he's my favourite living author, i prefere his forgotten realms books but his others are good too

[Dibbie]

Book: Mohammed MacGuire by Colin Bateman

Reason: It's like Terry Pratshit for grown-ups and offers one of the most frustrating endings since The Italian Job (British version)

[spongmonkey]

Actually Mohammed Maguire was probably the only Bateman one that I've read that I havent absolutely loved.
Shooting Sean was better.
good taste though Dibbie.

[sheep go moo]

All tom clancy books are great

[Generic Student]

Tom Clancy writes books that are easy for us guys to enjoy. Sorry to stereotype, but there are few other writers that can get enough of testostorone fuelled action into a book to get the majority of guys in the world interested. I opt for more challenging reads, but Tom Clancy has got his market cornered.

[Gin&Tonic]

Book: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Reason: Excellent historical/japanese love story book that isn't too soppy:weebl:

Book: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Reason: Helped me throughout my tortured teen years:p

Book: American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Reason: F*cked up, 80s yuppie goes on nightly killing spree. A gloriously messed up book of which the film did not do justice to.

[CloudNeroZ]

BOOK: A Child Called It
BY: I forget
WHY: It is about a mother who severley abuses her son for almost all of his child hood. It really makes you feel happy for what you have.

BOOK:Ender's Game
BY: Orson Scott Card
WHY: This is the first required reading that I actually liked. It is set in the future why we are at war with an alien race that wants to blow us up. Ender is a child genus and is the last hope of Earth. It is a lot better then what it sounds. If you do read this do not read the ones after it! Speaker for the Dead, Children of the Mind, Shadow of the Hedgemon, and Xenoside ( I think I am missing one) were not as good as Enders game and I do not recomend them.(Yes I read ALL of them.)

BOOK: Prey
BY: Michael Crichton
WHY: I havent actually finished it yet but it is a really good look into the future and nanotechnology. Makes you think if technology is going to fast. Hurry and read before it becomes a movie! All of his books were a hundred times better then the movie. Jurasic Park, Congo, Time Line all of the book were way beter.

[sack the chimp]

Book: 1984

Reason: Well, no-one else has mentioned it, for starters. Plus its a great story, and probably the scariest book i'ver ever read, beats the shit out of stephen king. And of course its relevance in modern society despite being written over 50 years ago is incredible. Read.

[Dead Body]

Book(s): The Football Factory Trillogy (Particularly Headhunters)
Author: John King
Reason: If you like Irvine Welsh read these books! Very well written, often humerous, sometimes morose. It's a look at the life of the aveage British man, from different perspectives. These books follow the same group of characters throughout. If you read any of the three, read Headhunters, it's highly amusing!

[Mooselord]

many many books are good. but two i am thinking of right now are THE HOUSE OF THE SCORPIANS and of course THE HITCHHIKERS GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. the first is a wonderful sci-fi and the latter is a wonderful, intelligent, comedic series.

[felixdahousecat]

Originally posted by CloudNeroZ
BOOK: A Child Called It
BY: I forget
WHY: It is about a mother who severley abuses her son for almost all of his child hood. It really makes you feel happy for what you have.



Its by Dave Peltzer


Book: Mr Nice

By: Howard Marks

Why: Cos its the absolute badgers nadgers (i know thats not a very good explaination) He is an oxford graduate and was britains most wanted man in the 1980's, a hash smuggler with documented links to the IRA, mafia, MI5 and Brotherhood of Eternal love. He tells the story of all his exploits up until his release from Terre Haute USP after serving a 7 year sentence for smuggling.

Well... what are you waiting fro read it. READ IT NOW!!!

[Queen Marge]

Wot Ho! The Best Of PG Wodehouse - it is so funny and a great read for Wodehouse novices and enthusiasts alike :weebl:

[Snoon]

The Stand by Stephen King, yeah I know, Stephen King, but I like it. And it's all about the end of the world so...you know

[sack the chimp]

Originally posted by Space Prawn
The Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams

Reason: It's the accumulation of everything on his Mac (grrr! Heathen) put into a book and published posthumously. Very moving if you practically grew up on Hitchhiker's Guide.

+, definitely.

I only read the hitchhiker books last month, just finished that now.

The man was a genius, im so gutted he's gone. And that speech about an artifical god, that really has made me rethink my view on religion.

[seaempty]

In light of the forthcoming film "Troy", I've started to re read Homer's "The Iliad", which I recommend to anyone who likes fantastical, epic tales of gods and war. It's a bit slow to start, but is a great piece of literature. And you can't really mention that, without mentioning Homer's "Odyssey", which is also superb. It's a bit more light hearted. Go read now!

[Generic Student]

in light of the same thing, i recommend Troy by Adele Geras.
An emotive, realistic, historically accurate and dead interesting read that explores all manner of subjects: The mentality of gods, mythology, love, hate, loss and despair. Cool book.

[sack the chimp]

Originally posted by cervantes
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time" By mark Haddon is well worth reading, brillliantly written and one of very few original books written recently

I can highly recomend the flashman papers, very very funny



Read the curious incident yesterday. Odd but very good.

So, who wrote the flashman papers?

[Angry God]

This has probably been said, but...

The Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy.

I can't be bothered explaining myself. Just go and read the friggin' thing.

Oh, and any Michael Moore books. They're funny (in a good way).

[Brynhilde]

Book: Nightfall (the full novel by Azimov and Silverburg, not Azimov's original short story)

Reason: A science fiction book set in a world not so different from our own, telling the story of a people who have never been without light and how a sudden eclipse plunges their world into chaos. Superb.

[PoofBird]

ooh, nightfall, one of asimov's best, and it hasn't a single robot in it :D

book: Evolution by Stephen Baxter

Reason: beautifully written scifi about the evolution of mankind. It tells a number of tales of a certain breed of furry mammals called primates. Starting with the first primates crawling between dinosaur's feet, following the slow but steady evolution through the shifting continents and steadily ticking time, towards an unprecedented future.

a novel which makes evolution seem even more a reality.

Like Jack Cohen (of Science of Discworld fame) said: "Speaking as an evolutionary biologist, Stephen Baxter has persuaded me that we really could have evolved as he describes in the stories he tells."

[fluffy kittens]

Book: Round Ireland with a fridge

Author: Tony Hawks

Reason: The book follows Hawk's hitchhike, round Ireland, with a fridge (as suggested by the title). Pointless, but in a funny way.

[XxLauraAnnxX]

I, lucifer

by Glen Duncan

:twisted:
It's a good book, you brits would prolly understand it better than me.
alot of british throw backs and references. But it's kick ass writing...
I think anyone with a good sense of humor, and an interest
in theology and history (such as myself) should read it...

[Lewiji]

Book: Firestarter by Stephen King

Reason: Incredibly well written story about a drug test that goes wrong. Entertaining all the way through and piss scary at points. It follows a man and his daughter who both have psychic powers due to a drug test on the man and his wife that had some sort of conspiracy around it...And conspiracy is all around in here. A lot of conspiracy theories in fact, some that relate to real life and could actually be believeable. An amazing read.

[Generic Student]

I just thought of one

books: The Arthur Trilogy by Kevin Crossley Holland
why: Because its an insightful, educational and enthralling look at the world circa 1200AD. Unlike most books about King Arthur, Excalibur, the sword in the stone, and the knights of the round table (we dance whenever we're able) take a back seat in preference to a better story. This story is that of a young squire, and eventually knight, growing up in an ignorant violent medieval world, preparing to go off and fight in a crusade that he doesnt quite believe in. Its interesting to see young Arthurs naiive hope and faith in god and the crusades, installed after the stories of King arthur are revealed to him and he sees them running in parallel with his own life. This blind faith is battered and eventually broken by the reality of mens behaviour, in love and war (ie. the fourth Crusade and the sacking of Constantinople).
Good book, read it and be educated.


+ for fluffy kittens bye the way that book is CrAzY:p

[Fick]

Book: The Andromeda Strain, by Micheal Crichton
Reason: Suspensed filled story about a group of scientists in a race against time to cure a mystery disease.

[Razor Keen]

Originally posted by dogincognito
Discworld series is good for comedy.
Anything bu Stephen King.
im not very original

funny, that. i like exactly those books. speaking of stephen king... the green mile is the best book ever written.

[Razor Keen]

THE GREEN MILE BY STEPHEN KING

tis rather outstanding, really. very easy and enjoyable to read. i never have read anything quite like it. it is better than any of his other books, though it lacks in gore :(

also HIS DARK MATERIALS BY PHILIP PULLMAN< in particular NORTHERN LIGHTS.
so very easy to get into and brilliant to read.

[cervantes]

Originally posted by sack the chimp
Read the curious incident yesterday. Odd but very good.

So, who wrote the flashman papers?

Yea, sorry, i never said who wrote the flashman papers, it was George MacDonald Fraser.

Also worth the read is the bellville series by Daniel Pennac. Loses a bit in the translation to english but still very good.

[Ashling]

I mainly read fantasy books. here are a few of my favourites which I can remember.

Illmade mute trilogy - celcilia dart-thornton
anything by Traci harding (available only in Australia)
Across the nightengale floor
The gift - alice croggon
Alanna series - Tamora pierce (for younger readers)
Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorson - garth nix

I think thats all I can remember..... but there are heaps more...

[Generic Student]

Originally posted by ashlyn

Across the nightengale floor

Hooray!
I cannot stress how good that book is, its fantasy without the silliness.

[Dr S]

I know I started a thread about this but I'm currently reading Dave Gormans Gogglewacking, and Its great

I've also been reading Tom Clancys Rainbow 6 for 8 months now (nearly there) and its also pretty good, I just go throught phases

[bigmother]

currently reading:

Chuck Palahniuk- Diary
Tom Holt- Portable door
and
robert rankin- web site story

[Dead Body]

Originally posted by bigmother
currently reading:

Chuck Palahniuk- Diary

I read Diary a few months ago. That was one of the best books I've read in a while. The ending was crazy!

[GorillaBearBear]

I read the portable door not long ago too. It's kind of like Harry Potter for teens/adults. It's fantastic.

[Snoon]

Originally posted by Razor Keen
THE GREEN MILE BY STEPHEN KING

tis rather outstanding, really. very easy and enjoyable to read. i never have read anything quite like it. it is better than any of his other books, though it lacks in gore :(

Did you read it as one big book or as lots of different books in a series?

[Razor Keen]

Originally posted by Snoon
Did you read it as one big book or as lots of different books in a series?

i read it as one book. i'd imagine it was quite a bit less well-structured as a series.

[foxy]

Originally posted by Dead Body
I read Diary a few months ago. That was one of the best books I've read in a while. The ending was crazy!

I've heard SO many good things, One of my boys from work read it and loved it. I dunno, its on the "to read" list, I just don't know when that will happen.

[scram]

Currently working my way through a few books:-

31 Songs - Nick Hornby:

A book containing little mini essays inspired by 31 songs of the author's choice. Hornby makes it easy to fall in love with his personal taste in music by writing about what these songs mean to him, what they signify in terms of musical culture or why they are important to us all. It's an excellent read for anyone interested in music and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.


Big Fish - Daniel Wallace:

The book that the movie was based on. I loved the movie and wanted to see what the book was like. It's different. At times it reads like a childrens' book like the ones I used to read when I was 8. But then it slides into a more real life narrative and you're forced to change your perspective. It's quite different from the film and I'm not too far into it so I can't make much of a judgment. Looking forward to finishing it though. It's not a very big book.


The Fellowship of the Ring - JRR Tolkien:

Yes I know it's so cliché but the thing is, before the first movie came out, I was told I HAD to read the books and was challenged by a close friend at the time to finish the books before she did. Well I went to go and see the first movie after I was about half way in (before they were even at Rivendell) and kinda skipped my reading straight to TTT and ROTK from there. I still havent finished reading Fellowship, almost two years later and have it beside my bed to finish. When I've done it I've promised myself I'll buy a hardback copy of the whole series with illustrations and everything to keep forever so I can re-read it and maybe even read it to my kids one day. Finishing this book takes me closer to that... maybe that's why I am still in Rivendell... heh.


The Bible - Him up there, (NIV):

Err... prompted by the fact that I'm listening to the Joseph soundtrack (Genesis 37 - 50 if you care ;)) a lot at the moment and that I realised I haven't picked up this book for several years now. It's interesting, trust me :)

[Moose]

Book (series): The Belgariad by David Eddings

Reason:
I hate fantasy books with a firery passion, but my mom made me read these ones and they were awesome! It has all sorts of plot, it does not really envolve the typical fantsay traits (a whole bunch of magic, overpowerful dragons, ect), and it just plain kicked ass.

[Deathdevil]

the testament by john grisham

great book...really worth reading it if you look things like that...it's a real novel, it has some action, some gore, some romance..well you know, everything :p

[EscaflowneDante]

I cant remember who it is by but it is this book called "Duck for President." First a duck becomes the mayor of the farm then of the town then he becomes president. He decides he doesnt like being president and goes back to being a duck!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[House Of Leaves]

Hey,

Book: House Of Leave's

Author: Mark Z. Danielewski

Reason: it is a very weird book... not finished yet.. very weird layout.. keeps you reading.. except when you got exams, but it knows you want to read it... quite disturbing...

best to read whilst listening to the album Haunted by Poe... tis the author's sister.. album inspired by the book..

thts my plug done....

carry on...

[jessabon]

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder is an exceptional, highly readable ( I read it first when I was seven, it's still fascinating), intelligent, dense, accurate, and thought-provoking mystery, which happens to include the entire history of western philosophy, and doesn't skimp on either.

I think this one's called My Name is Red. I don't recall the author. It's a novel which took me a really long time. It's not thaaaat long, but it's just DENSE. I dunno, anyway, it's a novel about miniaturists in 16th century Istanbul. A murder happens and the suspicious artists are drawn into a swirl of deceit, more murder, and lots of subplots. Absolutely brilliant, though timeconsuming.

[GorillaBearBear]

I'm reading this book called "The Minotaur takes a cigarette break". I'm not that far into it but what I've read so far is top notch. I wouldn't call it an easy read but it's damn good. It's about the minotaur living in modern Day southern america. It's kind of a metaphor for human life and loneliness and eternity and stuff. Whatever, it's got gay men and seizures and shit :P

[elliekinz]

Originally posted by lellykelly
There are a series of books. i can't think of the author right now. the first book was called Angus, thongs, and full frontal snogging. They are the diaries of a 14 year old and are the most funniest things i have ever read. good for a laugh.
Louise Rennison wrote them, and i totally agree with you.

i would recomend a book called MEGAN by mary cooper all about teenage pregnacy its really sad but really good. i suppose it would mainly appeal girls but it is a really good read!

[suchmeanness]

one of the best yet least celebrated books of all time concept execution wise: Island by Aldous Huxley. an antithesis to Brave New World.
Reason: Huxley was a genius and this is a genius' view on a debatably workable utopia. Great concepts, there's insights on multiple levels.

unlike the incredible lightness of being which is a pile of vaguely mysogenistic poo but was hailed like a returning messiah. can anyone explain why this was?

[Sir Weebl]

Horrible History:Bloody Scotland.

Reason:Really good and teaches you every thing you want to know about bonny old scotland.

[belletristesse]

Oi, some of the best books I've ever read, I must say.

Books: Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen

Reason: They just kick butt. The way that Garth Nix writes is just amazing.

Another: Wizard and Glass, Steven King [fourth in the Dark Tower Series]

Reason: We all know how good Steven King is... Nuff said. Plus, with the wizard glass and the kansas part, it's just grand. Dave McKean really added to it with his paintings. He truly is an amazing artist.

[bittersweet]

Originally posted by jessabon
[B]Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder is an exceptional, highly readable ( I read it first when I was seven, it's still fascinating), intelligent, dense, accurate, and thought-provoking mystery, which happens to include the entire history of western philosophy, and doesn't skimp on either.



I too would reccomend this, and Maya by the same person. Sophie's World was a major influence in my degree choice (philosophy... duh) and i think it gave me a head start as well as being a really good read.

I have mentioned this on another thread but if anyone who has read cloud atlas by david mitchell then please help me suss it out! its such a beautifully written book (like all of his stuff) that I would fully recommend it and anything else by david mitchell, but i need someone to help me understand it!

on that note, is there some sort thread going where a book is allocated say once every couple of weeks and then discussed, a weebl and bob book club? I miss my english lit classes lol

[Snay]

Good books, Dark tower series of books, by Stephen King.
part western, part fantasy, part horror, part genious.

[pies_for_you]

hope im not repeating anyone, Wild Swans- Three Daughters of China by..argh must remember name...Jung Chang.
Reason: Its an incredibly moving book about one families experiences of China's rather unfortunate past. Its heart rendering to read what these people went through.

[leeroy]

two books for you,

first the rum diary - hunter s thompson,
reason: really good book and its amazing the power of the human liver. its about a bunch of journalists in puerto rico, who spend all their time drinking but its very amusing.

second the elephant vanishes
reason: its like using hard drugs without the side effects, you enter a world of sureal short stories my favorite being one where a husband and wife wake up in the middle of the night hungry, and decide to rob a mcdonalds for hamburgers.

[Destrukto]

Originally posted by bittersweet
on that note, is there some sort thread going where a book is allocated say once every couple of weeks and then discussed, a weebl and bob book club? I miss my english lit classes lol

That would actually be a very good idea :)

Anyone up to start this?

[bittersweet]

well if no one else volunteers that has more experience of doing these things then I will have a go, for once I feel like i should bring an idea to life rather than just suggest it!

[Destrukto]

Set up a new thread with some good rules for it... :)

I really like the idea...

I or Dibbie or another mod will look after it...

Gotta go now, work calls :)

[Indiana Jones]

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- J.K. Rowling

Much darker than the last, written almost like a Stephen King novel.

A clash of Kings- George R. R. Martin

Very good novel, contains some sech though.

[shizzlette]

Don Quixote by cervantes (walter starkie translation)

This is quite honestly the best thing I have read in a long, long time. It is extremely funny.

I find it amazing that this work was first published in the early 1600s. Cervantes was way ahead of his time.

Someone mentioned Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. Personally I enjoyed 'the solitaire mystery' more than 'sophie's world' (which is by the same author). I suppose this is because parts of sophie's world were too much like a history textbook. ;)

[awesome_man]

my favortie book is the adventures of TOM SWYER by mark twain.
its the best book ever

[Mexican Pie]

The Great Gatsby- can't remember who wrote it, but it's a fantastic novel based in the 1920's about a rich fellow called Gatsby. He's rich, has many parties, and could be associated with bootlegging- smuggling in alcohol during the prohibition. A truly fascinating novel.

[queenofself]

f scott fitzgerald...ive had to write many any essay on that one.

i havent got bored of it yet though, i love the image of those two big eyes on the poster board (dr ike or something?) staring into nothing

[Dr_nwa]

My Current favourite book:
Developmental Biology by Scott S Gilbert. 838 pages of exactly what is says on the cover. Essential reading for all biologists, regardless of what area of study you do. (apart from ecologists, but they don't count...)

[HammerandSickle]

Book: Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of The Apocalypse
Author: Robert Rankin
Reason: The humour is very good and sometimes quite random and the fact it is set in a imaginary word and makes a humourous reference to the American president.

[mousearmy]

Anything by Neal Stephenson, but mainly

Snow Crash - Fast paced, slick yet gritty cyberpunk epic. Tells the tale of one Hiro Protagonist and his rise from delivering pizzas in a near-future dystopia. Dont let that put you off though as it takes itself none too seriously in the first chapter, hooking you with it's description of 'The Deliverator' and never letting up.

The Diamond Age (or as it should have been called 'A Young Lady's Primer') - A Cyberpunk story set in an alternate Victorian universe? Yep, as much a story of female emancipation as it is a view of the future and past. Steampunk doesn't get much better than this story of a young lady's education and the rebellion it hides.

Cryptonomicon - Almost a historical documenting of the WWII race to crack the enigma code, but wound round a deeper story of a subtle conspiracy to change the world in the new information age. A real eye opener if, like me the enigma machine and Bletchley Park were just commonly used phrases. I found this a little harder going than his other works but it was even more compelling.

Oddkins - Dean R Koontz
Better known for his horror novels, this is a childrens illustrated book, aimed at adults, telling the tale of a few determined toys and a quest against seemingly overwhelming odds to find a new toymaker. Can't quite describe just how much this made me feel like a child again. Read it snuggled up in bed and the sequel, Santa's Twin.

Memory, Sorrow and thorn - Tad Williams
A fantasy trilogy of awesome scope. A young orphan is taken into a castle and raised as a scullery boy (Pretty standard fantasy fare). Little does he (or you) realise in his tiny adventures around the castle what lies in his very near future and the impact it will have on him and the world. Beautifully evocative and thrilling to read, you feel for the protagonist Simon and rejoice at his every success and development. Borrows many themes and icons from legend and myth but weaves them into a thoroughly believable world. Can't reccomend these books enough to anyone who likes fantasy and even those who wouldn't normally.

Oh dear, I could go on and on and not even scratch the suface of the piles of brilliant books I know. Ooh yes, Robin Hobb is excellent, have to agree with a previous poster. Try 'The Farseer Trilogy'.

Get thee to a library! /me does the happy bookworm dance

[Dr_nwa]

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned, but Perdido Street Station by China Melville is an awesome book.
Sci-fi, about a city under siege from mind eating moths.

[mousearmy]

Mind...Eating...Moths...

Sounds cool :cool:

[Dr_nwa]

Originally posted by mousearmy
Mind...Eating...Moths...

Sounds cool :cool:
seriously, if you read sci-fi, go out and buy that book...

[Scribbly]

Book: Rainbow Six
Author: Tom Clancy
Reason: It's a good book

[Oli]

• The Amulet Of Samakerand.

•By Jonathan Strout


Why Is It A Good Book?

•I could'nt put it down it was so good.

•Quite funny actually

•Great imaginatio Jonathan has.

•Buy it, it's genious.

[Inverurie Jones]

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells.

It's got aliens zapping things and is scarily prescient of the World Wars.

[Misanthrope]

There are so many good books, where do I start?

Hyperion - by Dan Simmons: This is one of the best SciFi books I have ever read. The first 80 or 90 pages are slow, but after that I could not put ths book down. It's told from the point of view of several people talking about why they are all together on a pilgrimage, and it's set up kind of like "The Cantebury Tales" but "Hyperion" is much more exciting. Plus it has are large mysterious metal creature, whose purpose it seems is to randomly kill people.

Slaughter House Five - Kurt Vonnegut: Just a great book, a little confusing at times, but I think he did that on purpose.

Shogun - James Clavelle: It takes place in feudal Japan, and the political intrigue is excellant, the action is really good, and if you are at all interested in acient Japanese culture this is a must read. Plus there are ninjas! :ninja:

I suppose that's all for now

[Generic Student]

Originally posted by Misanthrope-USA


Shogun - James Clavelle: It takes place in feudal Japan, and the political intrigue is excellant, the action is really good, and if you are at all interested in acient Japanese culture this is a must read. Plus there are ninjas! :ninja:



What is it with shogun that everyone who reads it suddenly becomes fascinated with Feudal Japan. I havent read it but everyone i know who has got completely blown away and obsessive.

[Misanthrope]

Originally posted by Generic Student

What is it with shogun that everyone who reads it suddenly becomes fascinated with Feudal Japan. I havent read it but everyone i know who has got completely blown away and obsessive.

I see your point, however, I was already fascinated by Feudal Japan, and that's one reason I read it.

Probably the reason that people obsess over it is because it is so immersive and long (about 1,200 pages) that you can't help but get wrapped up in the world Clavelle creates.

If you read it, I think you will see why everyone goes so gung ho.

Or, maybe Clavelle was trying to start a huge army of followers to take over the world, and he was using that book as mind control. But, since he's dead we don't have to worry about it anymore.

More gratuitous ninjas: :ninja: :ninja: :ninja:

[leeroy]

ok i just finnished reading kingdom of fear by hunter s thompson, and if you liked fear and loathing you'll love this, it starts normal enough but in the last third of the book it looses all plot, and makes little sense but dont let that put you off, its the best bit! i'll just tell you one of the little tales the author tells us about his life. his mate jack nicholson's having a birthday party at his house and so hunter goes along with some presents for him and his kids, he takes a handgun, a 1000000 candle strength spotlight, a flare which resembles the first blinding flash of an atomic bomb and an elks heart. he stops at the hill above nicholsons house starts firing off shots of the pistol, tries to light the flare but it wont work so tosses it at his house, then gets out the spotlight and starts shining it through the windows, he then drives down to the front door, rings the bell and when no one answers leaves the elk heart on the doorstep and fires off a few more rounds just for good measure.

if you want to read more of this insane drug enduced crazines i recomend this book

[Combat_Wombat]

sabriel, liriel, abhorson

By Garth Nix

Excelent fantasy stuff. The last bit of the trilogy is truly gripping.

but no :ninja: s unfortunately :(

[Broche]

I'd say there are five really great books/sets of books I've read.
The david eddings belgariad and mallorean are great,simply because they have such great characters,also,redemption of Althalus was pretty good.

Another great series is the pliocene exile series by Julien May,It is probably the best sci-fi/fantasy series I have ever read.The characters are really believable and it dosent focus too much on the sci-fi side of it,although in the later books it becomes more evident.Still very good though

The Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake.This could be the best story of all time in my opinion.The castle in the first two books just seems so inteesting with all the characters,such as steerpike and prunesquallor(?) make these two great.The third I thought when I started wasnt as good,but once muzzlehatch,one of the greatest characters ever,was introduced,it became great.

Finally,the book I am reading at the moment Perdido Street Station by China Meiville.This reminds me somewhat of the gormenghast trilogy in that the setting of he city of new Crobuzon seems to act like castle gormenghast,also,the way he writes makes it really gripping and the stroyline is excellent.

[Ischiagra]

Yes, books! I love books! I always buy them at thrift stores because I love books! Meep. :p

Dark Tower Series - Stephen King: Just, great reading... I love Roland. Its different from other of King's works, but definitely my favorite. The Talizman is up there but he co-wrote it with Peter Straub who is good too! Read The Throat.

Cry To Heaven - Anne Rice: Word of warning, it involves homosexual erotica, but if you have an open mind, it is a wonderful book. I haven't been able to finish it because I don't want it to end.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - MURAKAMI Haruki: This Japanese author is very creative and spins a good tale. I was recommended by a friend that adores his works. He's also written several short stories. I've read a couple, I suggest Second Bakery Attack.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson: The movie is good and so is the book. The book made me laugh more than the movie did and made more sense, of course. I also have another connection, a character in the story is from my hometown, where I was born! Craziness.

And of course, there are many other good books that I have read but these are the few I feel like promoting. Kthx.

[GorillaBearBear]

Originally posted by Ischiagra


The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle - MURAKAMI Haruki: This Japanese author is very creative and spins a good tale. I was recommended by a friend that adores his works. He's also written several short stories. I've read a couple, I suggest Second Bakery Attack.


I love that book. It's so off the wall anmd weird and intruiging and well written.

[GorillaBearBear]

Sorry to double post, but I figured no one would notice if I just edited. Say the word and I shall merge my posts.

Anyway

I just read a book called "The Minotaur takes a cigarette break"by Steven Sherill. It's about the Minotaur living in modern day midwest america, and the events over about a fortnight. It's quite heart wrenching in a way and it's definately incredibly interesting and even quite funny in places. Considering not much really happens it's definately gripping. Highly recommended to anyone.

[feather]

anything by Celia Rees is amazing. or Holly Black. I love most of the books i read.

[Deathdevil]

Originally posted by Moose
Book (series): The Belgariad by David Eddings

Reason:
I hate fantasy books with a firery passion, but my mom made me read these ones and they were awesome! It has all sorts of plot, it does not really envolve the typical fantsay traits (a whole bunch of magic, overpowerful dragons, ect), and it just plain kicked ass.

it is indeed a very good serie... i'm just trough chronicles of the belgarion and started with the first book of the chronicles of mallorea, a must read top all fantasy fans (it overclasses lotr in many ways if u ask me)

but, dragons? where???

btw it doesn't stop with those 5 books, there 5 more, and then some on belgarath himself and on polgara

[Hannisburg]

Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres because it's an amazingly good book written in a style that allows your imagination to run wild with visuals and possible endings to the book. The actual ending made me cry, partly because I was so hooked on the characters by then and also because it was quite sad, but still very romantic. It's a story about a love story in an age and a situation where love shouldn't have blossomed.

also

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby because it's got everything i love in it - music, romance, thoughtful conversations and interesting viewpoints. The film is good too - haven't reasd the book for a while...

also

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood because it's one of the books I've done for AS level english lit. It's a story about supposed utopia and stands as evidence for dystopia always being the eventual follow up to utopia. The story follows a woman who is a handmaids tale and who's role is to have sex with the upper class commander in order to give him and his wife a baby. Shocking, scary - but not horrific, the book is well worth a read 'cos everything in it is there for a reason.

[gatochy]

My favorite books are anything by Camille Paglia
http://privat.ub.uib.no/bubsy/Bakom2.htm
especially "Sexual Personae". "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte. And "Five Little Pigs" by Agatha Christie.

[laurenceeffect]

I think I'll recommend authors here, rather than specific books...

Firstly, top of the list is Terry Pratchett, especially the Discworld books. They're very well written, and funny. They've got deep enough characters that you start to care about them and they come out at a rate of about 2 a year, which means there's always a new one approaching, but despite this, the quality's very high, and they don't seem to be suffering. Very strongly recommended.

Next up, George R R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. This is still being written, and is expected to be about 5 or 6 books, of which 3 are out now, the fourth is expected early next year. They're quite a lot darker than a lot of fantasy out there, and feel much more 'real' in that there's less magic, people are people - there aren't real goodies and baddies, everyone's in the grey area in between. Characters aren't immortal, accidents happen, people get things wrong. They're a little more adult than other series too, with more sex and violence, but it fits into the story very well and isn't gratuitous. My second favourite author. :)

Thirdly, I'm going to mention Robin Hobb. She's got steadily better through the three trilogies she's written (I won't mention the previous writings as Meghan Lindholm 'cos they weren't very good), although her books are getting scarily large! They're more standard fantasy type, although again, quite dark and the characters have a certain mortality... She's not afraid to hurt them if the story demands it.

Next I'll move away from fantasy a bit, and recommend Iain Banks. He writes two different types of books, real world ones, usually set in Scotland, which're usually pretty gritty and realistic. The Wasp Factory, which someone recommended earlier in the thread, is a good example of these, and probably not for the faint hearted. It's a good book though rather short. The other type he writes are the sci fi ones, usually about a civilisation called The Culture which is a more afvanced version of humanity, with various 'improvements', such as being able to change gender at will (takes a while...), or rapid conversion to changes in gravitational pull. I think the best one of these to start with is The Player of Games, although they're all pretty standalone, although set against a common background.

I think that'll do for now. Might recommend more later!

[Schism]

i recomend the author Orson Scott Card hes a wonderful author because he thinks out all his plots so carefully and always leaves you thinking. He's also great if you want to know more about millitary strategy.
some books he's done you might know

Ender's Game
Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the Mind
Ender's Shadow
Shadow of the Hegemon
Shadow Puppets

as for books to be read, one of my all time favorates is
The Faded Sun Trilogy by C. J. Cheyrish. It starts out a bit slow, but i love the culture shes created and the way she discribes life and honor.

and way to go laurenceeffect for Georgre R. R. Martin
I second that vote. cant wait for Feast for Crows to be done

[Playbus]

My nominations are:

The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Day of the Jackal - Frederick Forsythe
Magician - Raymond E. Feist
The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers - Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices - Brenda Love (most informative!) ;)
Escape from Colditz - P R Reid (the one guy who escaped and was not recaptured in WW2!)

[Schism]

hey playbus, did you mean The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ? becuase Douglas Adams wote all these as a series:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Restruant at the End of the Universe
Life, the Universe, and Everything
Mostly harmless

i love these books too. great suggestion

[Playbus]

I was referring to all the HHGTTG books. As well as those, I've read all the others Mr Adams wrote too, such as "The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul." May he rest in peace.

I have them all compiled into one volume, just under the title "The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy".

No "ultimate" in my copy :p But I did buy it many years ago.

[sack the chimp]

Originally posted by Schism
hey playbus, did you mean The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ? becuase Douglas Adams wote all these as a series:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Restruant at the End of the Universe
Life, the Universe, and Everything
Mostly harmless

i love these books too. great suggestion

You forgot the fourth one, So Long and Thank's For All the Fish.

And I've not seen it with "Ultimate" in the title either, just trilogy of 5.

And anyone who liked any of it, read everything else he wrote. Its all superb and (it saddens me to say) there's not that much of it.

[Schism]

ah, your right. very sorry.

but i do have the "ultimate", and its all of the series plus a bonus story "young zaphod plays it safe."

[robwhite]

Book: Baby's first pop-up book
Reason: From a=apple to z=zoo, baby's first pop-up book educates every toddler in a fun way.

Now for a serious book:

The day of the Triffids
Like this or the triffid will blind you!

[Broche]

:eek: The day of the Triffids is amazing.A really great book.

[Darthwhite]

Dune - the butlarian jihad. [Brian Herbert + Kevin J Anderson]

reasion => one of th best sci-fi books ever written, it has it all, cool robots, cool story, very well written, lots of cool ideas, space battles, tyranical regieme, psychic powers, robots vs humans, and some great ideas about tyranny and humanity.

a must have for any fan of literature, it does for Dune what the Hobbit did for the Lord Of The Rings. [and like the Hobbit, it is better than the Lord of the Rings]

flame away for the last comment, i'm ready...

[Private Bob]

Haven't read the whole thread so sorry if this has already been posted...

Book: The Solitaire Mystery
Reason: it is just damned good! Very philisophical
Author: Jostein Gaardner.

Another one...

Book: To Kill A Mockingbird
Reason: Perhaps the greatest book ever written.
Author: Harper Lee

[Spacemonkey]

I love the 'Nightworld' books by LJ Smith - particularly 'Enchantress' which I think is the second book. Anyone who likes romance or horror will love these - they make me cry :(

Also, to be completely original, I will say Harry Potter - you have to admit they area great read!! :D

[Shnooks]

Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (I think thats right)

Its a great book for anybody who doesn't beleive that they will ever make it in life. Its about a shepard who becomes an alchemist and acheives his "Personal Legend". Its a great book for anyone who doubts themselves.Its a fairly short book. I read it in about 3 hours, so its not that long (maybe about 300 pages).

[Wendy]

Any one a fan of Terry Pratchett?? :)

[Jelibeli]

Most of my faves are already in here, however I recommend the entire series of Red Dwarf books by Grant & Naylor, but specifically the last two, where they wrote independently, higlighting the differences in their styles. Of those two, The Last Human by Doug Naylor is wonderfully dark and humourous. The whole series has much more depth and cohesion than the TV series (which I also loved, up to series 8).

For fans of those books, I'd also say Colony by Rob Grant. Great, entertaining story, just let down by a really, really weak & rushed ending.

If you can stand the academic language, give Lewis Carrol's trilogy of books Out Of The Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength a read. Great stories (from a pre-space age), but the storytelling starts off a bit poor - stick with it, though, 'cause his style develops quite well.

Glad to see Robert Rankin got an early mention. I'm currently reading The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It has nothing to do with Jurassic Park, BTW, just so you're not disappointed.

[Smeagle]

The Wheel of Time trilogy, by Robert Jordan.

Just finished reading the first two in the series, and I must say they're quite possibly some of the best books I've ever read. Wonderfully descriptive, with an enticing, addictive, rapidly-evolving plot. A wonderful array of characters which you soon feel personally involved with, and plenty of spiritual magic and foul demonic creatures, which is always a good sign ;)

I won't start giving away the plot, but if you're into the fantasy genre I'd definitely recommend it!

[Schism]

But the wheel of time has gotten quite bad after so many books, in my opinion. I enjoyed Eye of the World, and so on up to about book 7, but it seems like Robert Jordan really has no where else to go with these charictors.....I may be wrong

http://www.wotmania.com/
for all the lastest Robert Jordan info

[Dr_nwa]

Carter Beats The Devil, By Glen David Gold.
This book is based on the life and career of Charles Carter, a vaudeville magician during the first 20 years of last century. It is absolutely gripping. I had to read the whole book in one sitting, as it is amazing...

[Smeagle]

Originally posted by Schism
But the wheel of time has gotten quite bad after so many books, in my opinion. I enjoyed Eye of the World, and so on up to about book 7, but it seems like Robert Jordan really has no where else to go with these charictors.....I may be wrong
Ooh, there's more? I thought it was a trilogy! More books for me to buy :D

That would also probably explain why I think they're so good - I've only read the first 2 ;)

[Generic Student]

Ok so not fiction, but i just bought a book by Gavin Menzies called 1421. Its a brilliant peice of Historical detective work about how China discovered the entire world before anyone else. Thoroughly convincing and absorbing. However i've stop reading it because i want something to read compulsively and incessantly on the Plane when i go to Zambia. I'll tell ye all what its like when i return.

[Destrukto]

Originally posted by Smeagle
The Wheel of Time trilogy, by Robert Jordan.

Just finished reading the first two in the series, and I must say they're quite possibly some of the best books I've ever read. Wonderfully descriptive, with an enticing, addictive, rapidly-evolving plot. A wonderful array of characters which you soon feel personally involved with, and plenty of spiritual magic and foul demonic creatures, which is always a good sign ;)

I won't start giving away the plot, but if you're into the fantasy genre I'd definitely recommend it!

Pity Jordan went marketwild after the first 4 books, now they are even selling the first two parts(Eye and Great Hunt) as 4 seperate hardbacks :(

The storyline has gotten sooooo slow in part 10 it even annoys me and I like fantasy with a vengeance...

Best fantasy series I know is the Recluce series by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Best characters ever, very fleshed out and a gripping read...

After you read then you want to really take up woodcrafting or blacksmithing :)

Go on, read them

[Cynic]

For me Wheel of Time got lame around book 5/6

The Best fantasy series is "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. He doesen't balk at anything and its just so brilliantly written with no real good or bad guys, just people. And he kills important characters. REALLY importan one

If he wrote Wheel of time Rand, Mat and the Dark one would all be dead by book three

[Private Bob]

Originally posted by Wendy
Any one a fan of Terry Pratchett?? :)

Oh, me!!!

I've read about 14 af his books all brilliant.

Truckers, Diggers and Wings were the ones that got me started, great books.

The best one I've read to date is either Thief Of Time or The Hogfather

[fried pie]

We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson.

Great story. Couldn't put it down.

Anything by Lemony Snickett. I just love his voice.

[Loveli]

Originally posted by Jelibeli
If you can stand the academic language, give Lewis Carrol's trilogy of books Out Of The Silent Planet, Perelandra and That Hideous Strength a read. Great stories (from a pre-space age), but the storytelling starts off a bit poor - stick with it, though, 'cause his style develops quite well.

C.S. Lewis wrote that trilogy. He also wrote The Chronicles of Narnia.

Lewis Carroll wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

[mittens]

today i come forward to spread the enjoiment i find in the works of amy tan
specifically,
the bonsetter's daughter
i don't know why, but i just love ms. tan's style of expression. she has a wonderfully unique way of exploring the parallels she drawns between two lives, each under completely different circumstances.


note: i just found the lemony snicket's a little while back, and they are quite good.

[i-luv-puku]

the best book i have EVER read is ''The Beach'' by Alex Garland,

you may have seen the film but if you havent read the book i suggest you do, the film is pants compared to the book, the film doesnt even make sense compared to the book

i have read it 3 times in one year and will be sure to read it again, it is just filled with fantastic description and subtle sarcasm that has you hooked. the characters all have something special about them, no matter how important they are to the storyline.

its amazing from start to finish, hilarious in som parts, seriously disturbing in others, Alex Garland is absolutely fantastic

[Bisyss]

The Artemis Fowl series is great and funny. Another good book is "White Line Fever" by Lemmy. :rawk:

[Gork]

For Fun: The Zobie Survival Guide. A short read that gives you the basics on how to combat an undead menace. Fun reading, and a great time waster.

For Thought Cat's Craddle by Kurt Vonnegut. If you've read Vonnegut's slaughterhouse five and liked it, Cat's Craddle has the same tone and appeal to it as well, and also has that distincly Vonnegut feel. (And if you haven't read Slaughter House Five, go read that as well.)

And one of the all time best: The Master and Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov, is one of the best pieces of fiction and social satire to emerge from Russia in the 20th century. Filled with colorful charecters including the devil, a struggling Russian author, a talking cat, and even Pontious Pilate The Master and Margarita is a wonderful read and if you had only one book to read for the summer, this is the one.

[N@0m!]

I finiished 1984 a week ago, and its left me thinking quite hard, i think everyone should read it...

[nukespoon]

Books you MUST read:
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Any of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Will try and add more soon. Dan Brown is a genius.

Why no Harry Potter you ask? It sucks. The movie made it suck. Suck bad, at that. So now you know.

[Broche]

Why no Harry Potter you ask? It sucks. The movie made it suck. Suck bad, at that. So now you know.

So very true.

I've just started a series of books called "The Wheel Of Time" by Robert Jordan.Very good so far,I'd urge all to read them :D .

[Ferg]

I agree with N@0m, I read 1984 while I was in hospital a few months ago and it really left me thinking. Don't let its political side put you off and also its not about big brother but about the same sort of idea on a national scale. Go and read it as it makes you think about what could really be happening and the lengths people might go to to keep order.

Oh also while I'm here can anyone reccomend a good detective story. I really liked the sherlock holmes books but I don't know about any other detective stories. Any suggestions?

[Deathdevil]

(I know this has been posted, but this one concludes the replies before)I advise everyone who has any intrest in fantasy books to read the series by the Eddings'!

they have 4 big series: The belgariad (5 books), The malloreon (again, 5 books a sequal of the belgariad), The elenium (3 books), The tamuli (again 3 books, sequal of the elenium). Every book is in between 300-500 pages but reads very fast. They also have a single book "The Redemption of Althalus " and that's 768 pages.

The books are packed with, adventure, the usual magic, the middle-ages atmosphere and a little romance as well as humour. I have to say that i really love these books! You can really connect with the head players because in every book u have about 10 protagonists with different characters, so everyone has a choice. I highly recommend them with a 9/10 !

[groocifer]

Crikey, favourite books (in no particular order)....

The Tamuli by David Eddings - Great fantasy, and as its the first of Eddings's series' that I read, it has a special place in my heart

The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Of Course

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman - I couldn't decide on which Discworld book to include, so I chose a non-disc book instead :)

Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo - Quite hard to find, but amazing: Its about a young American soldier who loses his face, hearing, legs and arms during WW1; a very moving anti-war book. Incidentally it was also the basis for the Metallica song, "One".

Tony Hawks' series of books - As well as Round Ireland With a Fridge, he's also played the Moldovan football team at tennis, and had a top 20 hit in Albania.

and last but not least (and I'm quite disappointed that this classic hasn't appeared on anyone's fave books list yet)...

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss - YAY!

[jif-charge]

Being this a book thread, does anybody know where I can buy any Red Dwarf books? I've searched and searched I would look on the internet but I have never bought anything from it and don't intend to either!

[El Pinguino]

oh my, so many to choose from.

Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Ken Kesey
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee


Recent Reads that you might enjoy:

Vernon God Little-D.B.C. Pierre

The Mysterious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time- Mark Haddon
(watch 'Rainman' after reading this book, or before, or during the course of your reading.)

[sack the chimp]

Recent Reads that you might enjoy:

Vernon God Little-D.B.C. Pierre

The Mysterious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time- Mark Haddon
(watch 'Rainman' after reading this book, or before, or during the course of your reading.)

Both damn good books, both recommended by Cervantes a loooong time ago in this thread.

I'm currently working my way through Bunker 13 by Aniruddha Bahal: Catch-22 meets Fear and Loathing in the jungles of Kashmir. Excellent so far.

[Broche]

Being this a book thread, does anybody know where I can buy any Red Dwarf books? I've searched and searched I would look on the internet but I have never bought anything from it and don't intend to either!

You could probably find them at a big book shop,like waterstones.

[sack the chimp]

Yeah I remember seeing one in waterstones a while ago, head for the scifi section. I'll post the name as soon as I cant find it.

edit: Infinity Welcomes Carfeul Drivers - Rob Grant & Doug Naylor.

There might be another couple, but that's certainly the most famous one.

[jif-charge]

I've checked all big book stores, I'll search agian though, I don't think there is a wterstones in Glasgow!

[sack the chimp]

Well, if it's a book you're lookin for, and you don't wan't to use t'internet, you have only one option - book stores.

I really don't see what else we can do for you.

Sorry.

[Ferg]

I just want to thank who recommended the wheel of time. I started the first book on holiday and it rocks.

[Rojavida]

Best written book I ever read was the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake. I'm also a big fan of Douglas Adams, H.G.Wells, Brian Aldiss and Isaac Asimov. Oh yeah, and the Tolkien trilogy - but at least I can say I read them before the films were made. :angel:

[Slithe]

i quite enjoyed to book Forty Thousand in Gehenna by C.J. Cherryh. It's placed in the future when there are human clones. They are trying to colinize spaze, so they dumped 40 000 or so on a planet, but abandon them, when they were sposed to return in 3 years, only to return in 70. To study them. The people on the planet adapt on learn to ride these large lizards. Good book, read it!

[JimmywiT]

not sure if these have been posted but

Sebastian Faulks - Birdsong
Joseph Heller - Catch 22

admittedly i only picked them up after they had been in the BBCs "Big Read" but i can say that i definatly havent regretted it, Catch 22 is dark, comic and wacky, and birdsong, is simply, well, a bueutiful book.

[Jasmic]

I have seen Iain Banks mentioned, but not my two favourites of his, from each of the genres he writes in.

Crow Road - Brillian book (well, I would say that, wouldn't I), contemporary fiction about a young guys search for his missing uncle, and all sorts of other stuff. The TV adaptation was good, but as in so many cases not a patch on the book. It has my favourite ever first line - "It was the day my Grandmother exploded." I mean, how can you go wrong with that?

Against A Dark Background. Sci Fi that is a joy to read. I love his Culture books. Stuff it, I love all his sci fi books. Interesting Characters, Plots you can get your teeth into and the best names of characters ever. This one has the best ever description of a single wheeled vehicle I have ever come across.

Wasp Factory is a good read, but I read that in a day (couldn't put it down!) but I love a big book that really gives me something substantial to get into.

[Triz]

Veronika Decides to Die by Paulo Coelho is fabulous!! Also The Alchemist is good by him too. Only for peeps who fancy a bit of thinking though, not really 'easy' reads, though I got through them really quickly.

t x

[Dibbie]

The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln

The Holy Grail is a what? :o

It's like The Da Vinci code in that certain passages from The Da Vinci code were lifted from this almost word for word. It also has the advantage of being a non-fiction book instead of a badly written novel.

It was decried by the church as being "Hooey" but it is a well researched if not a little biased eye-opener.

[Cheeky Prophet]

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

I had to read this book in English class, and though I was skeptical at first, it was one of the best books I've ever read. Not only is it beautifully written (the descriptions are fantastic) but it's very thought provoking. Simply, it's the story of a Buddhist named Siddharta searching for his path throughout his life, trying to find Busted. If you ignore the philosophical questions it brings up, you can read it with little thought and just enjoy it (though I find that the questions it brings makes it a very interesting read). Short too, only took me a day to read..


edit: Well, Siddhartha was trying to find Nirvana (the inner peace, not the band) and not Busted.. though that would have made for an interesting book: a Buddhist monk searching for Busted..

[pebble_rebel]

Another hilarious moment is induced as the word filter traps another unknowing victim :)

[allfalldown]

I second whoever it was who mentioned The Day of the Triffids. It's just great. If you liked the film 28 Days Later, you HAVE to read Day of the Triffids.

Book: Wheelers

Reason: How much sci-fi stuff about first contact with aliens tells half the story from the alien's point of view? Probably more than I know. Oh well. Throw in a world-destroying comet (destination: Earth, of course), a good love-hate relationship, a little bit of supernatural goings-on, and some kidnapping and you have one of my favourite books.

As for Lord of the Rings, I won't say I read them before the films were made, but I did read them before I saw the films, and I think I have to say I think I like the films better. The books are good, don't get me wrong, but they do drag on in places and have, in my opinion, at least one or two unnecessary parts (first time I read Fellowship I thought the bit with Tom Bombadillo was never going to end).

[Arkwright]

I third the day of the triffids for its thought-provoking tale of nature and science turning against us and i'd also like to suggest "The Midwich Cuckoos" by the same author in which the female inhabitants of a village are mysteriously found pregnant with children not of this earth...

[Jasmic]

Book: Wheelers

As for Lord of the Rings, I won't say I read them before the films were made, but I did read them before I saw the films, and I think I have to say I think I like the films better. The books are good, don't get me wrong, but they do drag on in places and have, in my opinion, at least one or two unnecessary parts (first time I read Fellowship I thought the bit with Tom Bombadillo was never going to end).

Thanks for the tip on Wheelers. I hadn't heard of it but I know the authors, Jack Cohen and Ian Stewart.. I really enjoyed both of the Science of the Discworld books, so I shall look this up. Apparently they have written another fiction book together, called Heaven.

Well now, as for the Tom Bombadill part of LOTR, I read the books oooh, 'bout 20 years ago (I was very young) and have read it twice more, once before and once after the films. I have to say that I am amongst those fans of the films who really got a bit miffed about the loss of Tom Bombadill. I disagree with Mr Jackson that he was uneccesary, as he was immune to the power of the ring, and the same part of the book provided all the hobits with their weapons, they were not just chucked at them by Strider on weathertop. That fact then impacts events in the third film.

(I am not a geek about this, honest! The films are fantastic and I am so glad they were done by Peter Jackson. I do have a friend who cannot watch the films due to how many changes were made though, Elves at Helms Deep probably being the worst of the lot.)

As for the way the books read, it took Tolkein so long to write, they change lyrically throughout. I love the Two Towers, but find he delves too deep into heroic poetry for Return of the king, the language becomes stilted and prosaic. But I bet there are people out there who think the complete opposite, and love the last book.

Right, a book I have just read that I think others should - Raw Spirit by Iain Banks. A non fiction account of Mr Banks driving around Scotland, having managed to convince his publishers that a book about whisky was a good idea. It is his take on a Bill Bryson'ish sort of travel book, with the whisky as the main topic, but anyone who is fond of his Contemporary Fiction Persona (and fond of whisky too) should enjoy. I did.

[allfalldown]

I do have a friend who cannot watch the films due to how many changes were made though, Elves at Helms Deep probably being the worst of the lot.
That does kind of bug me when people moan a LOT about how film adaptations are different from books (my sister once complained about a Harry Potter film because one of the character's hair was wrong). Back to Lord of the Rings. Some people don't seem to realise that movies are a totally different thing to books. A book can get away with long periods where nothing much happens, but films need to be more consistently exciting. I didn't think much of the bit with Tom Bombadil, because I don't think it advanced the story much. If I'd been in Peter Jackson's position, I'd have cut it too. My main problem is bits REALLY don't matter at all, when he's just gone into too much detail. I'll give a couple of examples.

Frodo and Sam are in the Emyn Muil (before they meet up with Gollum I think) and Tolkien says that a storm has just passed overhead (not in so few words, but fair enough). He then has a paragraph describing where the storm went after that. Why?

Another bit I just read consisted of half a page about flowers. Frodo and Sam are on the borders of Mordor, possibly minutes away from capture and death, and Tolkien describes the flowers that are there. I just don't see why we need to know these things.

I'll stop now. I am actually reading through the books again at the moment.

EDIT- I did actually come here to recommend a graphic novel.

Book: Preacher

Reason: It's really funny, really fucked up, and really engaging. Fans of Dogma will probably like this.

[The Visioneer]

Right, I know that this thread hasn't been used in a while, but its better than starting another one, right?

So, I've just re-read the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman and realised how much I loved the books the first time through. I seriously can't beleive I waited so long, but I'm glad I did, because it meant I had forgotten the subtle details that made it so good. Pullman has a way of describing everything so you know exactly what is happening.

To say the ideas in the trilogy are broad would be an understatement, with ideas from religion, quantum thoery, physics aswell as being full of action and an underlying love story, covering both factual information and fictional fantasy. It doesn't really matter what you look for in a book, I'm pretty sure it's covered.

I could go into vast detail about the characters, but there are so many, and are so diverse, I would recommend reading the books to find out for yourselves. So basically, the two main characters are Will; who is from our world and gains poccesion of a knife that can cut doorways into parallel worlds, and Lyra who is from a parallel world and has an instrument that answer questions truthfully, and she can read by instinct.

The storyline is very complex, following many plots in many worlds by the third book. However, each thread is written to the same standard as each other, and none of the threads will seem a lesser part to the story as you read it, which made the book very enjoyable for me.

Now I don't consider myself an emotional person, but Pullman managed to press the right buttons with the love story that underlies the plot, and eventually becomes the major part in the plot. I'm not going to ruin the story for anyone by telling you what happened, but i was choked up and almost shed a tear at the end, so be warned!

I would highly recommend reading these books to anyone, they are simply fantastic.

Yea, so Philip Pullman
And the books are Northern Lights (or Golden Compass to you yanks!), The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass

collectively known as His Dark Materials

[Jasmic]

I am currently two thirds of the way into The Da Vinci Code, and I have to say that I am not mightily impressed. I like it when authors mix things up a little, and this guy uses the same tired trick of letting the characters in the book see or understand something, but keeping what it is from the reader until later on in the book. This was OK once or twice, but he uses it over and over again.

I shall stick at it though, as it was recommended to me by some other posters in here.

[sack the chimp]

I'm half way through Death and the Penguin be Andrey Kurkov.

Translated form the Russian, its a tale of a lonely man, leading a fairly bleak existence in the Ukraine, who unfortunately becomes involved with the mafia. Luckily, he has a melancholy penguin as company.

Effortless to read; funny, surreal yet somewhat harrowing.

[Chavvy]

Dice Man by Luke Rheinhart.

Quality book.

Synopsis: Psychiatrist becomes bored with life (don't we all?) and decides to let dice decide the outcome of his life. He lets it choose random things to do or become for various lengths of time. They range from cheating on his wife, to murdering someone, to becoming different personalities in various surroundings.

I've tried to not include too many of the outcomes as that would spoil the book but suffice to say, it's easily the best book i've read this year. Effortless reading and, albeit a bit risque' in places (not for kiddies!), is highly entertaining.

Not a book to pose (m)any thought provoking questions but can lead to interesting conversations in the pub (and on a thread I made on these forums about it!)....

What will the dice decide for you??

[allfalldown]

K-PAX, by Gene Brewer.

A man who says he is from outer space is brought to a New York psychiatric institute. Calling himself "prot" (rhymes with "goat", not capitalized) and claiming to be from the idyllic planet K-PAX, he soon makes friends with both the doctors and the patients at the institute. After he announces that he will be returning to his home planet soon, the patients and even some of the staff all want to go with him, leaving his psychiatrist little time to find out the truth behind prot's mysterious past.

It's just a fun book that makes you wonder about all kinds of things. It's really easy to read (I finished it in a day), although I did just re-read Lord of the Rings, and anything is easy to read after that.

I just got the trilogy book, which is all three K-PAX books (K-PAX, K-PAX II: on a beam of light, K-PAX III: the worlds of prot) in one volume, as well the "bonus story" PROT'S REPORT. I reckon this was something of a bargain, considering the trilogy volume was £9.99, while the individual books cost something like £6.99.

[AF632]

I would like to re-iterate the suggesting of Discworld and His Dark Materials, whilst also adding MICHEAL MOORE IS A MASSIVE PILE OF DIDATIC FALSIFIED POOP. However, my opinion, as an empty pie-dish, probably isn't relevant...

My entry into these annals is strangely the works of PG Wodehouse. These early 20th-century class-based novels and short stories are surprisingly easy to read and can sometimes make one sufficiently amused as to plaster one's baby with cornflakes when multi-tasking, as poor little Julian can testify. I inherited a collection of 1920's prints recently, and have found them most enjoyable.

[Jasmic]

I enjoyed The K-Pax books too, abd the film too. Good stuff.

And AF632, I value your opinion on Michael Moore, but I would like just a bit more detail on why you feel that way about him. My feeling has always been that he colours things his own way, but on the whole having someone like that who can make films like Bowling for Columbine is a good thing.

On track, I have just finished reading Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddel to my seven year old son. He loved it. A bizzarre book where rocks float off into the sky if they aren't tied down! We are now just starting the next book, Stormchaser.

[cervantes]

For a fantastic hit of non-fiction have a go at reading Peter the Great by Robert K Massie. A very entertaining read, without being history lite

[monsta fluff]

well, i have to say that my all time favourite book has to be Jane Eyre (girlie, i know!), mainly cause most of what i read is scientific pap (i'm studying public health nutrition)!

the language is poetic, as well as being quite forward thinking for its time. Also the character of jane has more girl power than all of the spice girls put in a blender (oooh, how satisfying would that be - spice girl smoothie!)

Well, i'm an empty pie dish, so my opinion probably does not strike you as being very unique!

[Chavvy]

Ok, a book I read a long time ago but still refer to when needed is called "You'll believe it when you see it" by Dr Wayne Dyer.

This is a self-help book that I can honestly say helped me so much. I didn't take everything said for gospel as, IMO, it's not one of those books but merely took the essence of it.

It helps deals with break-ups, jealousy, bitterness, depression, anxiety and all other manner of feelings that we come into contact with on occasions. It also helped with accentuating the finer points in life and help to appreciate those moments.

I for one am not usually pro self-help books as I feel a lot of them are a load of old shit preying on people who are in bad situations but I can honestly say this one is written with such feeling and empathy towards the reader that you can't help but appreciate it.

There are also a myriad of quotes in the book that are inspirational.

For example:

'Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet leaves on the heel that crushed it.'
"Before enlightenment

Chopping wood

After enlightenment

Chopping wood"

There are many more to be found in this book. Everyone I have recommended this to has found it to be of help in one way or another.

I hope you take time to heed my advice and read at least part of it.

Thanks, Chavvy

[moovok]

Book: Paperback Writer by Mike Rouse-Deane

Reason: First of all, written by me (sorry, have to self plug it), but honestly, real reason here, a lot of people that have bought it are enjoying it because it's short stories, so you don't have to read the entire book, you can stop at one and enjoy that, or if you hate one, just simply flip the pages over and you're into a new one.

Also, there's 81 different stories ranging from different genres - scifi, westerns, conman, fiction, comedy. The people who've read it (and from when I post that, that's about 25 people I know, not counting the people who I've never met who's bought it) say they enjoy at least 7 stories the best. Some love the entire book. Other's think particular stories should be a bit longer but enjoy it. Overall, they're enjoying the book, so I hope someone out there enjoy it too, plus for £10, it's a good stocking filler :D

[1.5_pie]

Harry Potter Series

Sounds like the most obvious thing, but once I started reading these books I just couldn't stop.

If you think the movies are absolutely dreadful and for that reason don't want to read the books, think again! The books are much more complex than the movies. You really get an insight to each character and the pictures you get in your head are amazing. You can imagine Harry to be the ugliest boy on Earth, whilst the movie Harry is anything but. (Yes, I admit it, Daniel Radcliffe is gorgeous!!!)

Personally, my fave book is the third one: Prisoner of Azkaban. An extremely interesting read.

[CloudNeroZ]

Actually this is not a book. It is a play called Anna in the Tropics by Nilo Cruz. My English professor had us read it for a paper. It is set in a Tampa, Fl. (my home town!)In a cigar factory in 1929. It is a very short read but is an excellent play.

[Broche]

I've been reading the "Wheel of Time" series by Robert Jordan recently.Very good,I'm on the fourth book of nine in the series and I have to say there was not a single part of any of the first three that I didn't like.It's a basic fantasy series with magic and swords etc.but the characters are amazingly good and the plot just keeps throwing new things at you so it never gets boring.I'd really recommnd it for anyone who likes fantasy especially,but I'd think anyone would enjoy it.

[hamsternator]

I've been reading the Fighting Fantasy books. Brill stuff! Make your own desicions in it and everything!

[oppernaR]

I'm reading like crazy again, finish about 2 or 3 books a week at the moment.

I'm currently reading The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver. I guess you've all seen the movie and the only way I would like to compare the two is by saying Angelina Jolie was the right choice for Amelia Sachs. Other than that the book pwns the movie half a gazillion times. The bone collector lives in his own fantasy world, the methods of going over the clues is well described and the characters have much more depth... but that's obvious, it's always like that. Going to read The Coffin Dancer after this one, the sequel. Yes, I've read them both already... twice... but that doesn't stop them being good books ;)

Before this I've read All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson, a nice post apocaliptic science fiction/cyberpunk story written in Gibson's lovely style of mixing high tech and low tech worlds. If you liked the Matrix (the first movie that is, and the story behind it) you should definately read the William Gibson books. One of his short stories, Johnny Mnemonic, has made it to the silver screen as well, with Keanu Reeves as the guy who can't act and IceT as the bad ass mofo who can't act either. But I loved the story...

[Snay]

Been said before (I think) but Salmon of doubt By the man himself, Douglas Adams. Its great, not quite like his other works, the actual Salmon of doubt story is only a small portion of the book (less than 1/3), but the rest of it is all good stuff too. Anything and everything they could prise out of his beloved Macs, that was any good. And believe me, its all good. Im not one for unfinished storys, they usually leave me cold, but this book is definatly worth it. It includes pieces of writing of his ranging from speeches to large corporations to his columns for Sunday papers. From Interviews to articles for MacUser. There is a lot in there about technology, and most of that is about Macs. But the other stuff is great too. His letter to his movie producer was sheer genious. Why? Go read the book now and find out.

Definately worth £6-ish off amazon.

[Ly]

The Supernaturalists by Eoin Colfer - some might think of Colfer's books as children's, but the plots of his stories, especially the Artemis Fowl books, have so many twists that you keep reading, and they're so fast-paced that almost every page reveals a new problem or solution.

This book is about Cosmo Hill, a boy trying to escape from an orphanage in the future (which shows how good a writer Colfer is - to write successfully abut the future, you've got to make sure everything connects and come up with ideas of what seems like a reasonable outcome for the future. He does this brilliantly). Cosmo meets up with a group of Supernaturalists who have set out to destroy blue creatures that only they can see - these creatures suck the life force from people.

It's an adventure with well-portrayed characters and a very twisty plot that keeps you hooked all through. On the whole an excellent book (:

[Lozzie Stardust]

I am a Harry Potter fan & Discworld & LOTR fan but they get enough attention as it is so...

1) Northern Lights, The Amper Spyglass & The Subtle Knife (trilogy) Phillip Pullman- vvv good read, very realistic and cleverly written. (sci -fi / fantasy)

2) Sabirel, Lireal & Abhorsen,(trilogy) Garth Nix- original story plot and something a bit diffrent story-wise, lots of twists and turns (sci-fi/fantasy)

3) How I paid for collage a tale of Sex, thieft, freindship and of course, musical theatre - Marcus Ationo - about a kid who wants to go to drama school but his father won't pay for him, involves, alot of sex and the theifts not what you think... alot about growing up & being bisexual. 0.o ...vv rude in places but extraordanirly funny, (fiction)

[Snay]

George Orwell, The Complete Novels.

Most of the Novels contained in this book have been plugged before, in this thread and others, but now you can get "Animal Farm", "Burmese Days", "A Clergyman's Daughter", "Coming up for Air", "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" and "Nineteen Eighty-Four". Buy Now.

Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0141185155/qid=1104451330/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_18_1/026-1287686-0454060)

[Deathdevil]

The 3 books in the Prequel to Dune series.

Being:
- The house Artreides
- The house Harkonnen
- The house Corrino

And:

- The battle of Corrin
- The Butlerian Jihad
- The Machine Crusade


I've never read a book in the Dune series, seen the movies though, but I'm glad something like this exists. It has made it easier for me to understand certain tensions between Harkonnen and Artreides and other things that happen in the Dune-serie. The books themselves are easy to read, full off action and really take you into their grasp. I read the last one (The house Corrino) in 1 day, I wanted to know how all of this would end :p

Conclusion : The perfect start to begin the Dune series with. It's a story on its own and still it manages to give you enough background information to start reading the Dune series. Have fun!

[GorillaBearBear]

Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrel by Susannah Clarke was given to this Christmas.

It's bloody great. It's kind of like Harry Potter meets Terry Pratchett meets Neil Gaiman. The really fun thing about it is it's written sort of in the style of the period it's set (1800s), using that sort of long winded manner of speech and spellings like "shew" and "headach" which isd quite cool. It's sort of an "alternate history" thing, about magicians in England called (unsurprisingly) Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrel. It is a very long book and one might think it's too long, and I would be inclined to agree, except the writing is so good and the characters and events so great to read about that I kind of forgot any thoughts about moaning about the editing and so on. Besides, it's in 3 volumes so you may as well treat it as a 3 book trilogy or something. Very Lord of the Rings (except not). Basically I recommend this book to everyone, as I think anyone who likes reading will find something in this book they like, subtle and quite Janeite humour, interesting story, good characterisation, magic....

The Author lives in my town as well. Apparently my Dad's met her ¬_¬

[FoxDhoj]

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

It got boring so I stopped reading it and tryed to read Lemony Snicket 4, which also got boring, so I tryed to read Dreamcather by Stephen King which I couldn't get into. I also tryed Communion by Whitley Strieber which I managed to read half of. I really need to get some new books...or I will probably go back to the Rings books or something.

I'll borrow The Supernaturalist from my friend maybe.

[RamblinYeti]

im still on my read half a book in a few days then leave it for 6 months mode but a few books i enjoying finishing off at the mo are- the motorcycle diaries-great book and tony hawks's around ireland with a fridge-which is really funny (a lot more than i expected)-if you didnt know its tony hawks (the comedian not the skater) story of how he got involved in a bet to go around the perimeter of ireland htichhiking with a fridge---itsquite uplifitng at time-thouroughly reccomended by me

[Zoidy]

Wow, first time I have registered this thread's existance!

The Cat That Could Open The Fridge

The definitive guide to christmas roundrobin letters and how NOT to write them. Quote from various really smug christmas letters that have been sent to the author (whose names escapes me just now, he's a comedian, I think) and included in this book showing how cringe-worthy some letters can get. And believe me, they can get pretty bad. From boasting about their kids to telling what they didn't do in the summer holiday to explaining the smallest details of their new computer, this book really makes me laugh out loud, sometimes with the quotes from the letters and how much you would want to punch the writer of that certain letter in the face, and also sometimes from the funny inserts the author writes as he guides us through the book.

A must read for comedy.

[Dibbie]

With a flagrant disregard for everything I have ever preched in the meeeeja forums I can't be arsed trawling so:

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Bryson pisses me off! He sucks! He fudgeBackpacks his way around the world, writes various dull but informative and occasionally chuckle-worthy books about it, breaks into TV as a direct result, gets bored and decides to write a book about all teh science EVER. He gets to work alongside top scientists and develops a knowledge and appreciation of applied science. To top it all he manages to be informative, funny and memorable without bamboozling you with maths!!

BASTARD!!!

I recommend that you read the book whether you like science or not. If you LOVE science then you will find little here you didn't already know but the historical accounts of the discoveries more than make up for the lack of true scientific insight. If you are a student of science then you may just get the kind of kick that passes exams for you. If you are daunted by science because of the hard mathematics then this is for you too - Bryson is almost completely innumerate (or claims to be) so you can enjoy the spirit of discovery without the despair of figures.

[Discodoris]

With all the fantasy being mentioned - could I suggest The Fionavar Tapestry - Guy Gavriel Kay? A beautiful emotive trilogy, with some lovely reworkings of Celtic myth.

Guy Gavriel Kay actually helped Chris Tolkein put together the Silmarillion, so he has impeccable fantasy credentials. All of the books I've read of his I have loved.

Biography; Billy - Pamela Stephenson and Bravemouth - Pamela Stephenson. Makes you realise that some people will prevail despite any set back

Chicklit; Jill Mansells books (despite being chicklit, both my brother and husband steal them from me whilst on holiday). Great lightweight comedy romance, purely for entertainment. No hidden meanings with nice feelgood endings.

I'd better stop now, I'm in danger of getting carried away - reading is my passion....

[honeybee]

if you like philosophy then read The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, or indeed any of his books. they're beautiful.

[fotis]

I dont know if this has been mentioned before. it probably has, but
Robert Jordans 'Wheel of Time' series. amazing.

also:

-damn ive forgoten the name. its 10 books alltogether, but split into two series. first is called the belgariad. anyway those two are great.

[EDIT] Aha, they are written by David Eddings and the first part is called The Belgariad (has five books in it), and the second is called The Malloreon (also has five books)

if i was to see decent film versions of those, i would be imensly happy

[FoxDhoj]

I read this a while back, but Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach and The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury and Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

[Bisyss]

The Supernaturalists
Yus. That is a great book.

As much as the book I'm going to mention has been whored about in this forum (in fact this forum is why I read it), I'm going to say The Da Vinci Code. Let's just put it this way. I now want the Lion King on DVD. ;)

[Lozzie Stardust]

I thought that I would be all smart and read 1984 by Mr Orwell

except some n00b told me the ending at school.




wanker.

[GorillaBearBear]

Inferno buy Patricia Melo

It's about a boy who wants to be a Drug Trafficker. Typical brazillian hard-hitting stuff. Absolutely brilliant read. Recommended to anyone who liked the book Fight Club

[Lozzie Stardust]

On a druggie book note!

Junk - Melvin Burgess

A true-to-life story of two teenagers drawn into the dangerous and destructive world of heroin addiction. Tar & Gemma are lovers and decide to run away from their middle class lives as tar is being beaten. They then find out that a lustful elopement is not what it seems... a dark compelling book that has new twists every corner, dealing with issues such as teen prostitution, teen pregnancy, child abuse as well as alcohol & drug abuse! Therefore, I wouldn't advise it to anyone younger then at least 15 as it is very graphic!

[Joppy]

Dont know if it has already been mentioned but I liked Paranoia, by Joseph Finder. It is one of the last books Ive read and my first book by this author.

It was kind of slow at first, but it grew on me and I liked the ending, which is where most of the authors screw up. I was pleasantly surprised. I hope they dont make a movie out of this!

Oh, the plot is about corporate espionage, kinda original idea, huh?

[LeoZ]

bed-time read:

http://img144.exs.cx/img144/381/neerrrd6mp.gif

elementa-ry chemistry

yes, i am a secret nerd. And that cover isn't meant to be ironic, it is a make-shift cover for it made by my dad in the 70's out of parcel paper.

I am also reading 'moab is my washpot', an autobiography by stephen fry. It is just terrific; but how it found it's way into my school library is anyones guess. it has a selection of nearly every swear word under the sun inside. great book.

the last fiction i read was 1984, but everyone knows about that book, so i wont comment on it, other than to say 'it is brilliant'.

[ye olde noob]

There's this random woman who lives down the road from me and she gives me books to read all the time, and most of them are actually very good. I think the best of them was
Pompeii by Robert Harris
A very good book, like so many disaster stories only original, well-written and extemely gripping. It was interesting to see the diaster of Vesuvius unfold from a different perspective, and I managed to annoy my Latin teacher for the next week by telling him that I had read it and he hadn't.....immature I know, but fun all the same.

[GaffaQueen]

I haven't read through all the posts in here, but I hope I'm not repeating anyone...

'The Pillars of the Earth' by Ken Follett

Because it's a really great historical book, and it's exciting all the way through. One of my all-time favourites... and I've read a lot of books, believe me.

[sack the chimp]

I thought that I would be all smart and read 1984 by Mr Orwell

except some n00b told me the ending at school.


Read it anyway. It's worth it :)

I've recently finished How Mumbo Jumbo Took Over The World by Francis Wheen.

It's a non-fiction, about many aspects of modern politics and society, and largely how logic and reason seems to have gone out of the window in modern thinking. It covers the period from '79 till the present day, beginning with the election of Thatcher and Reagan, through the idiotic thinking in the stock market in the 80s (and early 90s), the rise in belief in spiritualism, UFOs and other conspiracies, CIA involvement in US foreign policy, deconstructionist theory, the massive impact of Diana's death, New Labour ideology and other dellusional thinking modern times.

I found this informative, interesting, and at times bloody hilarious, as well as reasoned and objective throughout. Anyone with an interest in modern politics, modern society, or indeed life outside TV and fast food induced ignorance should read this book.

[foxy]

I finished a book entitled Stasiland

Written by an Australian journalist/lawyer Anna Funder about the GDR about five years after the wall fell. The book shows Funder living in east Berlin and working as a journalist there. As the story progresses she meets and documents a variety of people who were all affected by a wall running through their city as well as through their lives. She meets the victims and perpetrators of the human rights abuses delves into why they did what they were doing. Meeting such people as spies, victims of family separation, identity destruction and most interestingly the man who decided where the wall was to go (only to be screwed by his government later on as his wife is forced to divorce him as she fears the Stasi will hurt her child).

The book is quite shocking and literally brought me to tears at some points, the fact that all of this was happening while I was just a little girl brought the story to a deeper level. The stasi in eastern germany do not get much press on this side of the atlantic and I don't think they do very much in the UK either. However I think this is the important part of the book, it suggests that the most terrible aspects of the regime MUST be told from the perspective of the people or we have no clue about how life altering the regime was.

Books like this are important to me, they explain alot about the way the world is or was in a way which the general population can grasp it will not sliip through their hands like the sands of academia but will leave a lasting mark on the way you think and what you know about the world and life.

READ IT ! ITS FAB! <-- Summary

[Oooh Yeah]

Enduring Love by Ian McEwan is worth a read it's about obsessive love, but not romantic love. it's a psychological thriller about an illness called De Clerembaults syndrome and how it affects one person in particular, amazing opening, the changes of perspectives keep it interesting and fresh, however the main character Joe Rose is a scientist and does go into quite some detail about various things. Amazon it.

[Schism]

PARTY MONSTER by James Saint James - Incredibly entertaining true story of the murder of a drug dealer; by a famous New York Club Kid of the 90s, Michael Alig, all told by his best friend the Drag Queen and Special K addict, James St. James.

Did you get all that people? that the most fantastic book Ive read, ever, in, life.

Also worth a read: MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Charlie Chaplin. Its truely genious, just like his work.

[solid marine]

Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen by Garth Nix.

Reason: I came upon these books by mistake but if you like fantasy it is very exiting.

[moovok]

Naked, Stoned and Looking through my Neighbour's Window is what I was currently reading until 2 days later I had already read it and enjoyed it. It's little confessions and thanks to Katie_D for suggesting it, I've really enjoyed reading it, it gave me an insight into people's lives which I like being a writer. Definately good read if you like a good laugh and a good "oh my god?" :D

[Broche]

China Meiville-Iron Council.

I've been reading this book almost non-stop for the past few days. It's very good. I'd definately recommend it.

[Rogue]

"all creatures great and small" by James herriot

These books are so happy and sweet but not in an overly sappy way. Almost every chapter chronicles a different veterinary case that is based on the author's real life experiences.

It is supposed to be about animals (awww puppies, etc) but I think the main attraction is the warmer side of human nature that is frequently illustrated in the stories.

[nukespoon]

On an extreme change of note from Rogue's suggestion, I am now reading 'Operation Certain Death' by Damien Lewis, which is based on a true story. It's when the Royal Irish Rangers (or something) get captured by these permanently drunk, high guerillas who are intent on hacking off everyone's limbs and buggering them. Then, the SAS have to go on a rescue mission. It's based in Sierra Leone around 2000, the governments wanted to supress the story but apparently the people who were there wanted to have their say.
And I've just finished reading Citizen Soldiers, by Stephen Ambrose, who also wrote Band of Brothers.

[deliops]

Cruddy by Lynda Barry is an excellent book. She has a unique style and point if view and it is absolutely captivating. Its an easy read so its a good choice if you're looking for something to read to prevent boredom.

[Chassisbot]

Wilbur Smith... Mweeheehee.

Excellent historical / adventure thrillers. Read Monsoon. If you want to get seriously into him, I'd start with Birds of Prey, then Monsoon, then Blue Horizon.

[Darling]

I'm currently reading Belle De Jour The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl. It is the diary of a London high class call girl, which was originally a web diary )blog) before being serialised in The Times I believe. Now the blog has been turned into a book. It's very explicit, very funny, and also a little sad. If anyone is interested I'll let you know how it ends when I finish it.

[spazmondo]

I am reading Dan Brown - The Da Vinci Code.
Awsome book.