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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Book Reccommendations
Book Reccommendations
2008-01-21, 3:31 PM #1
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html

Basically anything under "The Board's List" (left side column) are books my teacher wants me to read. I've already read Slaughterhouse-Five and 1984 from the list.

I'm looking for an interesting book that wouldn't take much time to read from the list (sort of delayed on the reading)

Animal farm is one of my choices and for my other one I'm thinking of reading Lolita as well, but I'm not too sure about it.

Any suggestions on what to read?
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2008-01-21, 3:40 PM #2
Catcher in the rye.

I bought it ages ago and still haven't read it.

:P
nope.
2008-01-21, 3:56 PM #3
Oh dear, the top ten of the Reader's List includes 3 L Ron Hubbard and 4 Ayn Rand titles:suicide:

Oh, and I'd recommend On the Road by Jack Kerouac for awesome Beatnik-ness
2008-01-21, 3:58 PM #4
Yeah, I found that a little odd, myself.
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2008-01-21, 4:22 PM #5
Your teacher wants you to read Lolita? I've seen teachers fired for suggesting much less.
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2008-01-21, 4:33 PM #6
Lolita was good. I totally wouldn't have picked up on most of it though, if it weren't for our in-depth in-class discussions, so you might want to stay clear of that.

A Clockwork Orange was good. Get the version with 21 chapters, not the one with 20.
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2008-01-21, 4:40 PM #7
As I Lay Dying is great if you like macabre humor (and can wrap your head around stream of conscious writing). It isn't too long but it can take awhile to wade through. I haven't read Heart of Darkness, but I've heard it's pretty dense. It may be of interest if you like Apocalypse Now, which was based on it.

I haven't read I, Claudius or Deliverance, but I've seen screen adaptations of both and they were good. I, Claudius is really interesting if you're into Roman history, but it's probably pretty long (they got 12 or so one-hour episodes out of it). Deliverance is an adventure tale that will make you squeal like a pig, boy.
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2008-01-21, 4:55 PM #8
Just came back from the bn and I got Ender's Game, Lord of the Flies, and Heart of Darkness and other selected short fictions.

I think I'll read Lord of the Flies first.
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2008-01-21, 5:02 PM #9
Ender's Game and LotF are both awesome.
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2008-01-21, 5:04 PM #10
Ender's Game is quite possibly the best book I've ever read.
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2008-01-21, 5:13 PM #11
Catch-22 is an awesome and hilarious book. If you enjoyed Slaughterhouse Five, then you'd probably like Catch 22--similar dark humor.
2008-01-21, 5:54 PM #12
Well, that list had three of my absolute favorite books: Invisible Man, Heart of Darkness, and As I Lay Dying. All of them are definitely worth reading, although I'm not sure I'd recommend any of them if you're worried about time. As I Lay Dying is pretty short, but it's told from about 16 different perspectives (some of which are more sane than others).

Stay away from the Joyce at all costs.
2008-01-21, 5:56 PM #13
Animal Farm is a good easy read and doesn't take long to get through. I'd recommend it.

Also, that list must not be in any particular order. There's no way Brave New World is better than 1984. :colbert:
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2008-01-21, 6:22 PM #14
Anthem by Ayn Rand is short, and enjoyable.
The Great Gatsby is one of the best books I've ever read.
D E A T H
2008-01-21, 6:50 PM #15
I'd suggest Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies. Both relatively short and easy to read, as well as good.
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2008-01-21, 7:56 PM #16
You NEED to buy, "I am America and so can you", The Stephen C. book.

All i need to say is its amazing...
" I am the Lizard King, I can do anyhthing... "
2008-01-21, 8:25 PM #17
just dont read catcher in the rye. you might try to kill a john lennon impersonator.
My girlfriend paid a lot of money for that tv; I want to watch ALL OF IT. - JM
2008-01-21, 8:34 PM #18
So it goes.
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2008-01-21, 8:57 PM #19
Most people love Catcher in the Rye. I absolutely hated it. maybe if I tried to read it again now it would be better but damn.

Catch 22 was pretty funny.
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2008-01-21, 9:04 PM #20
Catcher in the Rye is really good. I need to re-read The Great Gatsby. I first read it in 9th grade for English class, and I think it lost it's meaning somewhere within my apathy. (which I believe is rather ironic)
I heard that Animal Farm is really great.

On the "Readers List"
Ender's Game is one of the best books I have ever read; I need to pick up some more Orson Scott Card.
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:omgkroko:
2008-01-21, 9:38 PM #21
Unfortunately, Orson pretty much had his swan song with Ender's Game. Everything from there on out is meh to me.

Fortunately, it's an awesome book.
D E A T H
2008-01-21, 10:04 PM #22
Originally posted by Warlockmish:
So it goes.


Or anything else by him. Can't miss.
2008-01-21, 10:08 PM #23
Originally posted by Recusant:
Oh, and I'd recommend On the Road by Jack Kerouac for awesome Beatnik-ness


Great book. Read that along with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey in 12th grade English class. They are my two favorite books I have read for English classes.
2008-01-21, 10:47 PM #24
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
2008-01-22, 9:53 AM #25
Originally posted by Dj Yoshi:
The Great Gatsby is one of the best books I've ever read.


The Great Gatsby is my least favorite book of all time. Anything by Rand is like sanding yourself in the chest with a belt sander. Fahrenheit 451 is good but it's in the other list. Too bad this is limited to contemporary novels or I'd suggest Thoreau.
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2008-01-22, 11:44 AM #26
Gatsby was an excellent illustration of classism and human debauchery--how could you not like it?

Ayn Rand is extremely preachy, but her best book is Anthem which, if you take the preaching out, is just an interesting story.
D E A T H
2008-01-22, 12:16 PM #27
Originally posted by Freelancer:
The Great Gatsby is my least favorite book of all time.

That's what I thought when I first read it. Hearing everyone else give it so much praise is why I'd like to read it again.
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:omgkroko:
2008-01-22, 11:35 PM #28
Just finished Ender's Game.

I'm going to have to re-read the book (mainly the ending) sometime in the future. Plus, I'm not too sure if i want to read the sequels.

Now it's time for the Lord of the Flies!
Back again
2008-01-23, 1:36 AM #29
Catch-22 and The Great Gatsby were both amazing. Gatsby was pleasurable when I read it in school, but Catch-22, while I also read it in school, I've also read on my own time.
2008-01-23, 6:11 AM #30
Originally posted by Michael MacFarlane:
Animal Farm is a good easy read and doesn't take long to get through. I'd recommend it.


Poor Boxer. :(

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