Books everyone needs to read

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Gyrx
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Books everyone needs to read

Postby Gyrx » Thu Aug 28, 2003 4:17 am

What books do you think would be very beneficial for any person to read? Why?
  1. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. At times when i'm feeling realy down and need an uplifter, and under many different situations I simply open up this book and read for a bit. For some reason it always helps me
  2. Love is the Answer: Creating Positive Relationships by Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., and Diane V. Cirincione. The title seems pretty corny and i'm only about 1/4th of the way through the book, but just reading a lot of things that I already knew in my head really help put things in a clearer perspective. Oddly enough, I feel that this book and Fight Club are very similar in many ways.
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Postby Daz » Thu Aug 28, 2003 7:29 am

The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran

Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy

Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

Narcissus and Goldmund, and Siddhartha, both by Herman Hesse

The Kama Sutra, by Vatsyayana

The Prophet is an amazing book that lays down core values and beliefs that we can all apply to our lives regardless of any outside religious affiliation. The Prophet's values are powerful enough to guide just about any decision in a moral and positive direction.

Jude the Obscure is a lesson in humility and pride that every human being in this age could use a dosage of, particularly the rest of you happy folks. Being in my emotional state, I enjoyed reading a well written book that was not a happy tale, but rather a snide slap in the face to all of society.

The Lord of the Rings is a classical epic that towers above its contemporaries in a field rife with copycat work and a lack of originality. While his work was not the first to have every element contained within, it WAS the first to bring them together, and Tolkien's vibrant world has spanned generations to continue reigning as the ultimate epic saga of the struggle of balance between good and evil.

Narcissus and Goldmund, and Siddhartha are wonderful examples of segregation of sins and values. While they are not the same story, the writing does not vary greatly between these two tales, and you feel as if you are with the characters. Awesome.

The Kama Sutra has been horribly maimed and perverted from its original form, but in its original incarnation, it is a wonderful lesson in behavioral practices for most relationships. While there are many dated examples and religious-specific moments, overall the book has many wonderful points that helps guide a relationship in a strong direction. The only real issue I feel that anyone can have with this work, is that while it is not sexist, it definitely applies to a traditional relationship where the woman is the passive and the male is the aggressive partner. For the most part this was written before the Women's Rights' Movement skewed the gender roles in relationships and added an entire new level of complexity to what should honestly be a simple set of values and principles that would guide a relationship in a healthy and positive direction. Everyone should read at least once, though.
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Re: Books everyone needs to read

Postby Xisiqomelir » Thu Aug 28, 2003 7:48 am

Oh god I've read all of those (except for "Love is the Answer", what the hell is wrong with you Gyrx)

Most essential novel = The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, with William Gibson's Neuromancer sooooooo close behind.

Most essential nonfiction = The High Frontier by Gerard O'Neill.
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Postby Daz » Thu Aug 28, 2003 8:01 am

OMG how could I have forgotten Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged!!! Thanks Xisi

Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged are a pair of novels that shine alone, but are positively brilliant together. Fountainhead I feel demonstrates what became known as objectivism on an individual and personal level through some very wonderful character development and strong writing skills. Atlas Shrugged took those same principles, and applied them to a broader spectrum and approached objectivism from the level of its impact on a society. If nothing else, these stories will captivate you and carry you along, but most readers will let these stories take you on a journey of thought and contemplation that will make you a better person for it.
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Postby Eza » Thu Aug 28, 2003 3:27 pm

1984
The Catcher in the Rye
Stranger in a Strange Land
The entire Wheel of Time series
Ditto the Sword of Truth
LoTR


Anything and everything *ever* written by Dean Koontz
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Postby Corth » Thu Aug 28, 2003 10:59 pm

Agree Xis.. The Fountainhead... and Atlas Shrugged also for that matter.... most essential reading.

Catch-22 is the funniest book you'll ever read...

The count of Monte Cristo and Three Musketeers are great books and demonstrate that France hasn't always been a cultural sewer....

In the fantasy realm, I've always been partial to Raymond E. Feist's riftwar saga...


Corth
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Postby Snurgt » Thu Aug 28, 2003 11:48 pm

I have to agree w/Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, those are pretty much life changing.

Also:

1984
Brave New World
Stranger in a Strange Land
WoT Books are starting to really suck hardcore, but started off awesome
I like all the Drizzt books :P
Also really good was Lullaby by the author of Fight Club, Chuck Palalkjdskjs or something
Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story was pretty good too - by Chris Moore

Also THE must read, one of my favorite books of all time:

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
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Postby Gormal » Sat Aug 30, 2003 5:09 pm

Snurgt tells you 'my actual favorite book is "Shaving Your Back for Dummies".'
I do have to agree that the last few installments of WoT have been sadly dissapointing.

I think its mandatory in the fantasy world to have read at least the core books from the Dragonlance series.

I've always had a huge attachment to the Narnia Chronicles.

I'm finally reading Atlas Shrugged now, and can't say that I'm enjoying it that much at the halfway mark.

- Animal Farm, George Orwell
- Brave New World, Aldus Huxley


I'm contemplating reading "Ulysses", anyone here read this and liked it?
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Postby Vandic » Sat Aug 30, 2003 5:46 pm

Gormal wrote:I'm contemplating reading "Ulysses", anyone here read this and liked it?


If you wanna understand Ulysses, make sure you light up a nice big doob before you read it.

I read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man a while back, and it was interesting if not confusing. I'll credit James Joyce with being brilliant, but in many ways far too cryptic for my tastes.
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Postby Daz » Sat Aug 30, 2003 6:44 pm

Gormal, I hope you read fountainhead before reading atlas shrugged? if not you just seriously misread them and its gonna damage your thinking :P
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Postby mynazzaraxxsyn » Sat Aug 30, 2003 7:17 pm

Good Omens by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaimen

Hitchhiker series by Douglas Adams

Dune series by Frank Herbet, Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson

The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey
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Postby Disoputlip » Sun Aug 31, 2003 10:59 am

Never read 1984. :?

But Animal farm is really good.

Else:
Thus spoke Zarathustra - Friedrich Nietzsche

And not sure I translate these correct but:
The Glassbead Game -Herman Hesse
on the prison island -Kafka (short story)


/Disoputlip
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Postby thanuk » Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:57 pm

Gormal wrote:I'm contemplating reading "Ulysses", anyone here read this and liked it?


Don't bother, it doesn't make sense. I took a James Joyce class in college and we spend 11 of the 12 weeks on this book. It was a level 400 honors class and nobody understood what was going on. This isn't a book you read for fun:)
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Postby Yayaril » Sun Aug 31, 2003 3:30 pm

8)

James and the Giant Peach
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Matilda
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
The Big Friendly Giant
The Witches
and other Roald Dahl classics!
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Postby Gormal » Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:31 pm

Haven't read The Fountainhead, but I think my problems with Atlas Shrugged come from just disagreeing with Rand too much.

Has anyone ever read the book Fool's War? It was the first Scifi book I ever enjoyed reading.
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Postby yud » Sun Aug 31, 2003 10:20 pm

The Art of War - SunTzu
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Postby amolol » Sun Aug 31, 2003 10:27 pm

um can we say the ender series...thanx

also every thing ever written by piers anthony and the shanara series humm i think thats about all that wasnt mentionsed that is a must read
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Postby Snurgt » Mon Sep 01, 2003 2:59 am

mynazzaraxxsyn wrote:Good Omens by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaimen


I actually am in the early part of this book, they just had the 'mix up'. Its great so far, cant wait to get through it.
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Postby Tasan » Mon Sep 01, 2003 9:47 am

Kinda partial to these two books. If ya don't like em, don't blame me.

The Talisman - 1982(?) - Steven King and Peter Straub
Black House - Sequel - same authors

Right here and now!

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Postby Teyaha » Mon Sep 01, 2003 8:06 pm

Dragon by clive cussler

anything by cussler..

because the world takes itself way too seriously, and we all need an escape.
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Postby Gormal » Mon Sep 01, 2003 8:31 pm

I'm dissapointed with the newer Dirk Pitt novels, and can't say I'm a fan of his new hero. The older ones are great though!

WTF was that crap about Al getting married about? Like hey lets throw a random huge plot point in then can it next book. *gag*
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Postby Kifle » Mon Sep 01, 2003 11:40 pm

I'm quite suprised that nobody has said anything about Les Miserables. That book is by far my favorite.

Others that are good...

1984 which is just creepy

One flew over the Cuckoo's nest is also a sweet arse book.

I didn't really like the first part of catcher in the rye, so i never finished it. I hear it's good though.
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Postby moritheil » Tue Sep 02, 2003 7:24 pm

Snurgt wrote:
mynazzaraxxsyn wrote:Good Omens by Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaimen


I actually am in the early part of this book, they just had the 'mix up'. Its great so far, cant wait to get through it.


If you like Good Omens, you'll love In Nomine!

http://www.angelfire.com/in4/nomine

Sorry for the shameless plug, but it really is the same subject matter.

I don't believe that these books are necessarily things that EVERYone should read, but if we're going for a thinking man's reading list, how about adding some stuff like No Exit by Jean Sartre or The Garden of Forking Paths by Borges (I think)?

Those are essential for understanding some other things, such as Sandman, by Neil Gaiman.
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Postby Ionari » Wed Sep 03, 2003 1:59 am

Probably my favorite books of all time, this top list of books influenced me in ways beyond words...

The Eight - Catherine Neville
Future Shock - Alan Toffler
The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
Master of the Game - Sidney Sheldon
Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength - Clive Staples Lewis
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
Profile of a Prodigy - Frank Brady
The five Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books - Douglas Adams
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - Dr. John Gray
The Bourne Trilogy -- Robert Ludlum
The Hobbit + Lord of the Rings Trilogy + The Silmarillion - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
The Foundation Trilogy - Isaac Asimov
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Homeland - Robert Anthony Salvatore

-Ammending list here, found a couple of books in a box today-

Hackers - David Levy
Beat The Dealer - Edward Thorp
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success - Deepak Chopra

Io
Last edited by Ionari on Sat Sep 06, 2003 1:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Xisiqomelir » Wed Sep 03, 2003 9:21 am

Ionari wrote:The five Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books - Douglas Adams


Heretic! That's "The ever-increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy"!
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Postby Arafen » Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:58 pm

dont you guys read the Lost Years of Merlin series? i read when i was about 15 and the best book (besides LOTR of course) that i have ever read .. its basically about merlin (duh) and his "struggles" with trying to save the world amungst he lives in now and the world in which his sister lives. The book is written by TA Barron .... here is the order of the books (5 in the series)

Lost Years of Merlin
Seven Songs of Merlin
Fire(s) of Merlin
Mirror of Merlin
Wings of Merlin


trust me .. AWESOME BOOKS 8) 8) 8)

read!!!!!! its good fer the mind


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Postby Yadir » Fri Sep 12, 2003 2:39 am

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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