For fiction, I'd probably say Gravity's Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon. You need a Ph.D. in history, literature and mathematics to understand all of the obscure references buried in its magesterial text, but that's part of what makes it great.
Best book you've ever read
- Thread starter Rimshot
- Start date
A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY by John Irving.
I think I sat there for about an hour in silence after I finished that book..
I think I sat there for about an hour in silence after I finished that book..
I love the Riftwar saga by Raymond E. Feist, which begins with Magician: Apprentice.
Another series that I love is the Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, which kicks off with Heir to the Empire. It gives the original Star Wars trilogy a run for its money, and surpasses it in many ways IMHO.
His Majesty's Dragon is one of my favorites that has been published within the past handful of years. The rest of the series sort of tails off a little bit, but HMD is a great read as a stand alone novel.
There is lots of great stuff out there and I look forward to mining this thread for ideas.
Dave
Another series that I love is the Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, which kicks off with Heir to the Empire. It gives the original Star Wars trilogy a run for its money, and surpasses it in many ways IMHO.
His Majesty's Dragon is one of my favorites that has been published within the past handful of years. The rest of the series sort of tails off a little bit, but HMD is a great read as a stand alone novel.
There is lots of great stuff out there and I look forward to mining this thread for ideas.
Dave
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
"East Of Eden" by John Steinbeck.
Non-fiction: "Retribution" by Max Hastings. Here's the link to the New York Times book review: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/books/review/Thomas2-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
I can't pick a single work of fiction as a favorite. My favorite author is probably Richard Russo.
I can't pick a single work of fiction as a favorite. My favorite author is probably Richard Russo.
"Great Expectations" by Dickens and "The Halloween Tree" by Ray Bradbury are two of my favorites. I'm also a big fan of "Animal Farm" by Orwell and "On the Road" by Kerouac.
For non-fiction, I was really inspired by "Days of Grace" by Arthur Ashe and really enjoyed "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" by Peter Biskind.
For non-fiction, I was really inspired by "Days of Grace" by Arthur Ashe and really enjoyed "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" by Peter Biskind.
Atlas Shrugged
I read it for the first time this past year. The Luca Brasi who threw his baby into the furnace was a far cry from the somewhat cartoonish character muttering "And may their first child be a masculine child".
For non fiction: Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. If you have a will to live or are in a leadership position this is a must read.
Fiction: I also agree with Atlas Shrugged.
Fiction: I also agree with Atlas Shrugged.
Now that's a tough one because I have read a large number of books in a number of different genres, so I'm going to give you a list.
Best psycological thriller/mystery - Red Dragon
Best Heroic Fantasy - The Two Towers (this is the second book in the Lord of the Rings more on this below).
Best Science Fiction - Stranger in a Strange Land
Best Philosophy (fiction) - Focualt's Pendillum
Best Sword's and Sorcery Fantasy - Witch World (yes I'm probably pushing this as it could just as easily be considered an alternate universe study)
Best non-fiction - The Money Game
Best of those I had to read in school - Tale of Two Cities
Now to the matter of the two towers - Tolkien intended the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to actually be a single volume in six books so it's probably not right to separate the middle two books as I have here. Taken as an entity, The Lord of the Rings is still quite good, but probably not the best piece of heroic fantasy I have ever read. In fact, take as a whole it is probably more of a constructed racial myth than just fantasy.
Best psycological thriller/mystery - Red Dragon
Best Heroic Fantasy - The Two Towers (this is the second book in the Lord of the Rings more on this below).
Best Science Fiction - Stranger in a Strange Land
Best Philosophy (fiction) - Focualt's Pendillum
Best Sword's and Sorcery Fantasy - Witch World (yes I'm probably pushing this as it could just as easily be considered an alternate universe study)
Best non-fiction - The Money Game
Best of those I had to read in school - Tale of Two Cities
Now to the matter of the two towers - Tolkien intended the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to actually be a single volume in six books so it's probably not right to separate the middle two books as I have here. Taken as an entity, The Lord of the Rings is still quite good, but probably not the best piece of heroic fantasy I have ever read. In fact, take as a whole it is probably more of a constructed racial myth than just fantasy.
Just finished -- highly recommended as probably the best novel written about the Viet Nam War: Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
I loved those books growing up, and I loved the movies, but in dipping into them again as an adult I have to say that I find that they have too much of a "master race" element for my taste.
I don't know about best, but I think Nostromo by Joseph Conrad may be my favorite.
I also enjoyed the aforementioned East of Eden and Great Expectations. Oh, and the Master and Margarita I enjoyed, as well.
I also enjoyed the aforementioned East of Eden and Great Expectations. Oh, and the Master and Margarita I enjoyed, as well.
Well....no one has suggested it yet...so I'll be the first. If you've never read the Bible it is a very good and historically important book. I'm not trying to start a flame war for Pete's sake....it's just a suggestion.
For fiction perhaps my favorite read is Roger Zelazny's "Nine Princes in Amber." It is the first in a series, and IMO is the finest series I've ever read. I've read it probably around 10 times! It really just keeps getting better.
I'd also say +1 or Asimov. The Foundation Trilogy is a masterful work.
If you are looking for a few newer authors I would suggest:
David Weber - His Honor Harrington series is very quality sci-fi.
Ursala LeGuin - She deals in the sci-fi and fantasy worlds, but her works are far more philosophical in nature. Good books to get you thinking.
Orson Scott Card - Ender's War in particularly is one of my favorites, but his other works are quite serviceable as well.
For fiction perhaps my favorite read is Roger Zelazny's "Nine Princes in Amber." It is the first in a series, and IMO is the finest series I've ever read. I've read it probably around 10 times! It really just keeps getting better.
I'd also say +1 or Asimov. The Foundation Trilogy is a masterful work.
If you are looking for a few newer authors I would suggest:
David Weber - His Honor Harrington series is very quality sci-fi.
Ursala LeGuin - She deals in the sci-fi and fantasy worlds, but her works are far more philosophical in nature. Good books to get you thinking.
Orson Scott Card - Ender's War in particularly is one of my favorites, but his other works are quite serviceable as well.
Johnny Got His Gun - Dalton Trumbo (I once thought it was an anti-war story about Viet Nam, but it was written in 1939)
Killer Angels - Michael Shaara (a very interesting and educational novel about the Cival War battle of Gettysburg)
Killer Angels - Michael Shaara (a very interesting and educational novel about the Cival War battle of Gettysburg)
Recently read books that I consider excellent reads;
- Santiago- Mike Resnik
- Cryptonomicon and Diamond Age- Neal Stephensen
- Deliverance- James Dickey
- All the King's Men- Robert Penn Warren
- I, Claudius- Robert Graves
Same here, I'm glad it's finally being made into a movie. I just hope they stay true to the book.
I'll second Zen, it's one of the few books I can pick up anytime I have a lull and read over and over without fail.
