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I'm just recently started re-reading Asimov's Foundation series. Damn good series.
Recommend a Classic
- Thread starter boooeee
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Loss Leader
I would save the receptionist., Moderator
Good lord, I couldn't stand that book. As a contemporary critic [is reputed to have] said, "I learned more about whaling than I ever wanted to know."
Just read Father Mapple's sermon and throw the rest of the book away.
Alliebubs
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I think I love you.
Someone mentioned Candide. That's a good one, at least what I remember of it.
I am ashamed to admit that I've read several novels written by American authors -- all pre-1900s -- and I can't recall one that I liked. Sigh.
Alliebubs
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JamesDillon
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Oh, great, more America bashing. Bloody Canadians. Why do you hate freedom?
Alliebubs
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My comment was actually more about me having a crappy memory, than America bashing. Methinks the American doth protest too much.
(By the way, your fondness for the word "bloody" is a bit skewed, since it happens to be a British slang word. The Brits, as you know, colonised Canada many years ago and kicked your American asses all the way back to your White House. Yep. It happened.)
To keep on topic, any books you care to recommend?
a_unique_person
Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
In the non-fiction vein.
Julius Caesar - The Conquest of Gaul. Apparently he might have twisted the truth a bit to make him seem more impressive, still a good read.
Seutonius -The Twelve Caesars.
Julius Caesar - The Conquest of Gaul. Apparently he might have twisted the truth a bit to make him seem more impressive, still a good read.
Seutonius -The Twelve Caesars.
Hmm. I don't read that many classics, to be honest, and most of the ones I have read have already been recommended. I'd add Henry James, though, especially "The Pupil."
I absolutely have to second the recommendations for "Cyrano de Bergerac" (I hear that in English, the Brian Hooker translation is considered particularly good, though I haven't gotten my hands on it yet to verify). Also second Jane Austen ("Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion" in particular) and Mark Twain (especially his short stories from his later years.)
I have to take issue with FOOLMEWUNZ, though, for saying that Connie Willis' "Passages" is a woo book. I thought that it was one of the few books I have ever seen in which the heroine actually applies critical thinking to her own thought processes. So the ending is somewhat "feelgood" and ambiguous - I don't think that it invalidates the fact that throughout the book, the reader is urged to consider whether his/her own thinking is of the comforting or critical variety, or that it teaches how to test for evidence. And most of all, it talks about dealing with the discomfort of being uncertain, and of possibly never knowing for certain. Since I believe that fear of those two things drive far too many people into belief, I have to recommend "Passages" wholeheartedly.
I absolutely have to second the recommendations for "Cyrano de Bergerac" (I hear that in English, the Brian Hooker translation is considered particularly good, though I haven't gotten my hands on it yet to verify). Also second Jane Austen ("Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion" in particular) and Mark Twain (especially his short stories from his later years.)
I have to take issue with FOOLMEWUNZ, though, for saying that Connie Willis' "Passages" is a woo book. I thought that it was one of the few books I have ever seen in which the heroine actually applies critical thinking to her own thought processes. So the ending is somewhat "feelgood" and ambiguous - I don't think that it invalidates the fact that throughout the book, the reader is urged to consider whether his/her own thinking is of the comforting or critical variety, or that it teaches how to test for evidence. And most of all, it talks about dealing with the discomfort of being uncertain, and of possibly never knowing for certain. Since I believe that fear of those two things drive far too many people into belief, I have to recommend "Passages" wholeheartedly.
I second any Austen, Emma over P&P precisely because, as Van notes, Emma herself is such an obnoxious bitch.
I wholeheartedly vote against 3 Men in a Boat, as I believe it to be one of the least funny novels ever.
And how about some Wilkie Collins? Specifically The Woman in White, as all his other ones I have read have plot holes the size of elephants.
I wholeheartedly vote against 3 Men in a Boat, as I believe it to be one of the least funny novels ever.
And how about some Wilkie Collins? Specifically The Woman in White, as all his other ones I have read have plot holes the size of elephants.
a_unique_person
Director of Hatcheries and Conditioning
The best bit is that, AFAIK, they are all free.
I'd like to cast my vote for the following as well:
The Odyssey
Kipling's stories, particularly, of course, The Jungle Books
The Thousand and One Nights, but make sure you get a complete translation. Particularly one that doesn't take out the breaks between nights.
The Origin of Species which is surprisingly readable, can make you laugh out loud with delight, and had me stunned at the insight it showed.
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds in particular the chapters on the Crusades (I particularly enjoyed the bits where the idiot crusaders got themselves killed) and on witch-hunts. But there's a lot more - from alchemy to haunted houses, and all written with style and wonderful wit. Quite an interesting book that shows that credulity is certainly not a new thing, nor are it's negative repercussions.
Oh, and I don't know if they qualify, but the short stories of Summerset Maugham are pretty awesome.
The Odyssey
Kipling's stories, particularly, of course, The Jungle Books
The Thousand and One Nights, but make sure you get a complete translation. Particularly one that doesn't take out the breaks between nights.
The Origin of Species which is surprisingly readable, can make you laugh out loud with delight, and had me stunned at the insight it showed.
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds in particular the chapters on the Crusades (I particularly enjoyed the bits where the idiot crusaders got themselves killed) and on witch-hunts. But there's a lot more - from alchemy to haunted houses, and all written with style and wonderful wit. Quite an interesting book that shows that credulity is certainly not a new thing, nor are it's negative repercussions.
Oh, and I don't know if they qualify, but the short stories of Summerset Maugham are pretty awesome.
I've not read through this entire thread so apologies if I replicate something someone else has recommended:
Which classics to recommend? Depends on the subject.
The Decline and Fall ... By Gibbons
The Peloponnesian War - Thucydides (some things never change)
The Art of War - Sun Tzu
I am not sure if he counts as classic but I've always like HP Lovecraft as well.
Anything by Verne, Doyle or Wells.
How on earth do you narrow it down? "So little life; so much to read..."
Which classics to recommend? Depends on the subject.
The Decline and Fall ... By Gibbons
The Peloponnesian War - Thucydides (some things never change)
The Art of War - Sun Tzu
I am not sure if he counts as classic but I've always like HP Lovecraft as well.
Anything by Verne, Doyle or Wells.
How on earth do you narrow it down? "So little life; so much to read..."
Chaos
Penultimate Amazing
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I am almost done re-reading "Ivanhoe" by Sir Walter Scott.
I´m not sure I can recommend it, as it is a bit long-winded, and the characters use dreadfully antiquated language, even in situation where they probably wouldn´t. I mean, a guy confined to bed by his wounds who is locked in his room in a burning building probably wouldn´t talk like he´s on stage in a Shakespeare play, right?
The book is, of course, written for early 19th-century readers, and apparently especially for those who don´t know anything about the time period in question (late 12th century), as it explains a lot of things.
I´m not sure I can recommend it, as it is a bit long-winded, and the characters use dreadfully antiquated language, even in situation where they probably wouldn´t. I mean, a guy confined to bed by his wounds who is locked in his room in a burning building probably wouldn´t talk like he´s on stage in a Shakespeare play, right?
The book is, of course, written for early 19th-century readers, and apparently especially for those who don´t know anything about the time period in question (late 12th century), as it explains a lot of things.
Darth Rotor
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Make sure you read the Griffith's translation of Sun Tzu, annotated.
Also:
Treasure Island and Kidnapped by RL Stevenson (Pre 1900)
Post 1900
Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
DR
Ulysses
I, too, never could get into Ulysses, but many well-read people say it's the best book written in the English language. My library has a continual sale on books they don't want. I picked up this multi-cassette audio edition of Ulysses for 50 cents. It's a performance with actors and music. I haven't listened to it yet. But maybe I'll get an idea about what is so great about Ulysses. It's from the BBC.
I will tell you the titles of 2 books which I feel are classics.
If you love Gothic stories, this is the one. Green Darkness by Anya Seton. It's about forbidden love and terror, reincarnation and retribution. Much of the book is written in old English. But it's mastered immediately and the tale is so rich. A wonderful book, which I've read 3 times cover to cover. The cover illustration on the book, origianally in 1973 seems lost to history. I loved that illustration -- of a monk and a young woman in the green darkness of a forest. What an excellent book.
And here's the best book I ever read written by a person to whom English was a second language: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. The tale is juicy and how he weaves words. It was a condemned book in the fifties.
kc440
I, too, never could get into Ulysses, but many well-read people say it's the best book written in the English language. My library has a continual sale on books they don't want. I picked up this multi-cassette audio edition of Ulysses for 50 cents. It's a performance with actors and music. I haven't listened to it yet. But maybe I'll get an idea about what is so great about Ulysses. It's from the BBC.
I will tell you the titles of 2 books which I feel are classics.
If you love Gothic stories, this is the one. Green Darkness by Anya Seton. It's about forbidden love and terror, reincarnation and retribution. Much of the book is written in old English. But it's mastered immediately and the tale is so rich. A wonderful book, which I've read 3 times cover to cover. The cover illustration on the book, origianally in 1973 seems lost to history. I loved that illustration -- of a monk and a young woman in the green darkness of a forest. What an excellent book.
And here's the best book I ever read written by a person to whom English was a second language: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. The tale is juicy and how he weaves words. It was a condemned book in the fifties.
kc440
brooklyn44
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KC440 wrote:
And here's the best book I ever read written by a person to whom English was a second language: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. The tale is juicy and how he weaves words. It was a condemned book in the fifties.
"Juciy" is an unfortunate choice of word, I believe.
Nabokov has managed to write a beautiful prose work who's central theme and character are despicable. I guess it's difficult to be transgressive and brilliant at the same time. "Lolita" is an important book, but I never plan to reread it....it's too painful to witness human degradation.
And here's the best book I ever read written by a person to whom English was a second language: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. The tale is juicy and how he weaves words. It was a condemned book in the fifties.
"Juciy" is an unfortunate choice of word, I believe.
Nabokov has managed to write a beautiful prose work who's central theme and character are despicable. I guess it's difficult to be transgressive and brilliant at the same time. "Lolita" is an important book, but I never plan to reread it....it's too painful to witness human degradation.