Pick one book

[GutenAbend]

What is the one book you feel everyone should at least read one time? Only one!

My pick is Rilke-Letters

2 of my friends picked 1.cannery row-steinbeck
2.catcher in the rye-salinger

[bumbletort]

The Great Gatsby

[Kris K]

Crime and Punishment

[claireee]

Cat's Cradle

[neurotik]

anna karenina by tolstoy
1984 by orwell

[jetsetvenom]

I'd have to say Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

[dajxd]

People will disagree, but The Fountainhead.

[Jay]

catcher in the rye and to kill a mockingbird

[jinp6301]

Franny and Zooey by Salinger

IMO I think its much better then catcher. Its more refined if thats the right word. Slightly off topic, but Salingers books + Elliott Smith's music = heaven

[meepmeep]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/192913214X.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[caaat]

the bible.

(so you won't believe it)

[Kris K]

Cat's Cradle


1984 by orwell


:yes: :yes:

[Mister Grieves]

The Great Gatsby

100% agree with the great Mr. Bumble.

The instant I saw this topic that's the book I thought of.

Favorite book of all time! :yes:

[Adam981]

Oryx and Crake.

[pointyjess]

http://i.biblio.com/b/542m/87638542-0-m.jpg

[Mr_Trout88]

the bible.

(so you won't believe it)

The Bible, for its significance in Western civilization. Or Homer. It's a toss up.

[lexxx]

The Great Gatsby

Crime and Punishment

Cat's Cradle

:O
:O
:O

wow, first three were hits right out of the park! go team!

academic - the scarlet letter
humor - catch-22
drama - death of a salesman

[GutenAbend]

ONE BOOK.NOT 2 OR 3 OR 4....ONE!!!!!!!

[SardonicTexan]

up for The Great Gatsby

its a must


I know its not really a book but

Hamlet


??????

[Fantasy Paradox]

I cant choose one:

The Realm Of Possibility - David Levithan
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower - Steven Chbosky
The Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger
Anthem - Ayn Rand

[Ghostdog]

AL Kennedy's - So I Am Glad is the only book I can think of that I've read that's extremely funny, poetic, complex and at the same time very accessible.

[Thrawn2222]

100 Years Of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

[Junk Bond Sam]

Demian by Herman Hesse

I dont know I could never choose one though. I'm usually partial the last great book I read.

[lost cause]

I have to second the Anthem and Great Gatsby suggestions, just because they are two of my overall favorite works.

And simply on the basis of reading it somewhat recently and loving it, You Shall Know Our Velocity! by Dave Eggers.

[lisa]

the bell jar

[gadzooks]

I can't choose, but I think I will read every book mentioned in this thread. I'll be back in a year or so to tell you which one is the best.

[stee_doc]

If you only read one book this year... shut up!

[stee_doc]

JBS, how did I know Siddhartha would be your favourite book of all time? :rolleyes:

[Dead Pilot]

Anything by Jonathan Safran Foer.

Seriously.

[satisfied mind]

My pick is Rilke-Letters

How in the world can you be such a colossal asshole at times and have this be your choice? Is it just because it's easier to be hateful to people online? It just makes no sense. I'm not asking as a means of baiting or antagonizing you. I'm sincerely curious.

Even though it's been mentioned I'd probably go with Siddhartha.

[tah]

the great divorce - by cs lewis

surely will make you ponder . . .



muchly recommend the brothers karamazov and notes from underground to
any and every one as well, though.

[satisfied mind]

the great divorce - by cs lewis

surely will make you ponder . . .
[/SIZE]

I almost chose this. :yes:

[DrHibbert]

Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger

[Junk Bond Sam]

JBS, how did I know Siddhartha would be your favourite book of all time? :rolleyes:

Dude, I've never actually read Siddhartha, but I know it was written by the same author as Demian. I liked Demian just because it made me feel comfortable, at a time where I thought I was going insane.

But I honestly wouldn’t say Demian is my favorite book, It just popped into my head at the time.

[fake concerns]

the bell jar

[kittybear]

the lorax...

fo reals

[GutenAbend]

Im not an asshole as much as you think i am.I only defend what i believe in and it's too bad other's dont defend themselves more.I have good taste,what else can i say.Letter's to a young poet is just phenomenal.It's a great book to dive into and lose yourself,alot of very deep and meaningful passages.Im sorry if i come off to everyone as an ass,i really dont mean to.I just dont like dealing with stupidity.I have a short temper,and im always under alot of stress with all that is going on around me.




How in the world can you be such a colossal asshole at times and have this be your choice? Is it just because it's easier to be hateful to people online? It just makes no sense. I'm not asking as a means of baiting or antagonizing you. I'm sincerely curious.

Even though it's been mentioned I'd probably go with Siddhartha.

[xangeleso]

the bible.

(so you won't believe it)


I second The Bible

(but so you have the choice/chance to believe) :flirt:

:xo: Stef

[muriel]

Atlas Shrugged

This was my first instinct, even though my favorite of all time is Beach Music

Weird.

[CoreyRoge]

probably "The Idiot"

or maybe "Smile at the foot of the ladder" H.miller or maybe "This is It" Alan Watts.


Bonnie(my better half) picks "The sun also rises"

[CoreyRoge]

Atlas Shrugged

This was my first instinct, even though my favorite of all time is Beach Music

Weird.

My mom keeps telling me to read Beach Music.

[jinp6301]

wow we have a lot of ayn rand fans here!

[muriel]

My mom keeps telling me to read Beach Music.

mama does know best

[satisfied mind]

Im not an asshole as much as you think i am.I only defend what i believe in and it's too bad other's dont defend themselves more.I have good taste,what else can i say.Letter's to a young poet is just phenomenal.It's a great book to dive into and lose yourself,alot of very deep and meaningful passages.Im sorry if i come off to everyone as an ass,i really dont mean to.I just dont like dealing with stupidity.I have a short temper,and im always under alot of stress with all that is going on around me.

I wouldn't have normally said anything, but you've been kind of a mystery to me in the way that you fluctuate from that good taste (and an obvious openness to authentic human expression) to quick-tempered insulting generalizations and name calling. I understand the effects of stress, which can sometimes be directed more easily to people over the internet, but It's just not a very effective way to address those who disagree with you. Good taste means nothing if there's no one to share it with you (I think, anyway), even though in "real life" you probably do have that.

I appreciate your openness and honesty. :yes:

[SomeRockSong]

Prozac Nation

[Kris K]

probably "The Idiot"



Reading that at the moment. Really good so far.

[Ghostdog]

Andy Kaufman's The Idiot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB60OaNT6VA

[xangeleso]

Prozac Nation

I thought that was a really bitchy, whiney book. I mean, I see it's relevance but sometimes it's shit or get off the pot. (and I do understand the character's pov)

:xo: Stephanie

[Kris K]

Ok, I'm going to break the one book rule then...

Orwell's Burmese Days and Keep The Aspidistra Flying.

I think a lot of people just stop at 1984, which is unfortunate because the man has a few classics.

[yeah]

to kill a mockingbird - harper lee
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

[CoreyRoge]

Reading that at the moment. Really good so far.

:yes: :yes:

[fake concerns]

I'm also reading "Everything is Illuminated" by Jonathan Safran Foer at this point and it's quite good, I think. :):yes:

[stee_doc]

gutenabend is like a high-rent troll. For him it borders on philosophy.

[kim]

The Grass Harp - Truman Capote

[bradleybee]

http://www.marionboyars.co.uk/Web%20images/Book%20covers/room.jpg

[GutenAbend]

check out Down and out in paris and london and collected essays.I think these 2 books are orwell's best.



Ok, I'm going to break the one book rule then...

Orwell's Burmese Days and Keep The Aspidistra Flying.

I think a lot of people just stop at 1984, which is unfortunate because the man has a few classics.

[GutenAbend]

I am not a high-rent troll as you say! What borders on philosophy? please explain what you mean by this.I've already said im sorry for my behavior,therefore no need to get me fired up AGAIN.


gutenabend is like a high-rent troll. For him it borders on philosophy.

[lisa]

stee-doc, dont get him fired up, he might send some of this your way!:

http://www.myspace.com/gutenabend

[SomeRockSong]

I thought that was a really bitchy, whiney book. I mean, I see it's relevance but sometimes it's shit or get off the pot. (and I do understand the character's pov)

:xo: Stephanie

Its just not that easy sometimes (the pot reference), but theres certainly very little middle ground with her. People either really pick up on what you picked up on and it completely rubs them the wrong way, or others just don't view it that way and its something greater than that to them.

[john the revelator]

Im not an asshole as much as you think i am.I only defend what i believe in and it's too bad other's dont defend themselves more.I have good taste,what else can i say.Letter's to a young poet is just phenomenal.It's a great book to dive into and lose yourself,alot of very deep and meaningful passages.Im sorry if i come off to everyone as an ass,i really dont mean to.I just dont like dealing with stupidity.I have a short temper,and im always under alot of stress with all that is going on around me.

hmmm...i don't know what this bs is about others not defending themselves or the part about dealing with other peoples' stupidity, but it all boils down to this, friend: i'm all for forgetting things and forgiving them as well but you've posted some of the most offensive and immature shit i've read on a message board, you've tried to make us (and most likely yourself) believe you're a famous musician and now you're asking for respect. well you haven't earned it by any means. you can try becoming a productive member of this board (this thread is a decent start) or just give up and go away. two choices. either one, you'll be better off. you may also want to square away with the "i'm a famous musician" schtick..not healthy bro.

[lisa]

lol hes avoiding his bob dylan thread because hes embarrased that everyone found out just how 'famous' his band truly is.

[Sandkicks]

On The Road, Jack Kerouac

[heavymetalmouthagain]

let shit go..jesus

anyway my fav books

Tao Te Ching- Lao Tse(mitchell translation)...here free and everything :) http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html

Catcher in the rye

Crime and punishment

Fools Die- Mario Puzo

[heavymetalmouthagain]

opps a canadian
w o mitchell who has seen the wind

[Kris K]

check out Down and out in paris and london and collected essays.I think these 2 books are orwell's best.

I've read Down and Out in Paris & London. I guess I'll have to check out Collected Essays, though.

[sombre winds]

lol hes avoiding his bob dylan thread because hes embarrased that everyone found out just how 'famous' his band truly is.

I missed something somewhere. This "famous" Canadian musician, dealing with his well-known label going bankrupt is a fake? What was the point of all that anyway?

[stee_doc]

fudge guten abend, you are the best parody internet persona I've ever read. Your myspace page is great and that track is laugh out lol hilarious. Oh man.

[john the revelator]

On The Road, Jack Kerouac

this would be mine too

[lisa]

I missed something somewhere. This "famous" Canadian musician, dealing with his well-known label going bankrupt is a fake? What was the point of all that anyway?
? im not sure what youre refering to exactly but i was talking about the poster who goes under his bands name 'guten abend'

he has ranted and raved about how hes in a famous touring band, but someone found his myspace link, which i posted above, and he is a one chord wonder on the guitar. one song, repeating the same note over and over, recorded over a computer, no lyrics. its hilarious how someone so lame could have such power trips and anger issues and lie so compulively on a msg board and then completely ignore it when hes called out on his insanity and hipocracy.

go through his thread history and youll see many moments of complete lunacy. sometimes hes randomly normal though, like in this thread. i think its an act, a bad one though.

[sombre winds]

? im not sure what youre refering to exactly but i was talking about the poster who goes under his bands name 'guten abend'

he has ranted and raved about how hes in a famous touring band, but someone found his myspace link, which i posted above, and he is a one chord wonder on the guitar. one song, repeating the same note over and over, recorded over a computer, no lyrics. its hilarious how someone so lame could have such power trips and anger issues and lie so compulively on a msg board and then completely ignore it when hes called out on his insanity and hipocracy.

go through his thread history and youll see many moments of complete lunacy. sometimes hes randomly normal though, like in this thread. i think its an act, a bad one though.

Yes- he's the one. I wonder if he's someone's alter ego- or troll persona.

[errorinparagon]

On The Road, Jack Kerouac


i had this in mind as i scrolled through the whole thread. :bounce:

[Summergirllv]

i really didn't like prozac nation either....in fact I couldn't get past a few chapters... and i hardly ever don't finish a book.


i was going to say to kill a mockingbird too, i reread it all the time

[GutenAbend]

Anyone ever tell you how much of a CUNT you are? Well, i just did.You'll never know so dont bother making comments you have no clue about.Stick to doing what you do best and thats obviously being a simpleton and complete bitch!



lol hes avoiding his bob dylan thread because hes embarrased that everyone found out just how 'famous' his band truly is.

[lisa]

Anyone ever tell you how much of a CUNT you are? Well, i just did.You'll never know so dont bother making comments you have no clue about.Stick to doing what you do best and thats obviously being a simpleton and complete bitch!
oh dont worry i will! im adding your myspace to my sig. lol.

be nice and ill stop laughing at your lunacy. ":D"

[HunterThompson]

anything by Chuck Palahniuk

[OakenCipher]

The Collected Shakespeare, editors at each reader's own discretion.

[loveishell7]

http://www.mrsharkey.com/busbarn/acidtest/twolf1.jpg

[jsunshyne]

ahem...



did someone already say...



















"every book that tom robbins has already written."

[Postcard]

"A Room With A View" E.M. Forster

(Though my eyes lit up at Bumble's mention of Gatsby, and I feel had I been American I would have said that, as it is a marvellous book)

[Anjy]

"every book that tom robbins has already written."

Amen! Jitterbug Perfume is one of the most heavenly books on earth.

[anodyne]

Moby Dick
Catch-22
The Hero with a Thousand Faces

[Wilky]

let shit go..jesus

never read this -- new testament? or a self-help supplemental?

anyhoo --

to kill a mockingbird - ms. harper lee

[Junk Bond Sam]

Right now I'm reading The Lovely Bones

[Fantasy Paradox]

Lovely Bones was so fucking good.

[OakenCipher]

I've already answered, but I'll also say The Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. Its four books, sure--Justine, Balthazar, Mount Olive, and Clea--but its really one text. His prose is staggering!

[Junk Bond Sam]

Lovely Bones was so fucking good.

Yeah I just started it, but so far, I'm hooked. The first line of the book was shocking to me, and such an original way to narrate a story.

Also you know the little paragraph, before the story begins, about the little penguin in the perfect snow globe world? Yeah, that was what caught my attention and pulled me into reading it..

[manu]

well, it's surprising no one mentioned Don Quixote, which seems to me a very obvious choice. It's a literary and philosophical vademecum made novel.

And i'm not saying this cause i'm spanish, in fact there are many other authors i enjoy more, mostly british and american. But if i had to choose the just one book i'd ever read...

[lisa]

never read this -- new testament? or a self-help supplemental?
rep worthy :yes:

[lisa]

The first line of the book was shocking to me, and such an original way to narrate a story.
whats the first line? if i like it ill make a point to read this one.

[Junk Bond Sam]

whats the first line? if i like it ill make a point to read this one.

You open the book and it has a little stand alone page with this:

Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull me into his lap and reach for the snow globe. He would turn it over, letting all the snow collect on the top, then quickly invert it. The two of us watched the snow fall gently around the penguin. The penguin was alone in there, I thought, and I worried for him. When I told my father this, he said, "Dont worry, Susie; he has a nice life. He's trapped in a perfect world"

Then there's a blank page and the first line starts out with:

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, susie.
I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.


You might not be drawn into it as much because it has a different effect when you have the book in your hands I guess. But the line, to me, was totally unexpected. The story is narrated by someone who is already dead. A little girl named Susie who was raped and murdered by a creepy old scumbag, with a perfect row of flowers in his front yard, who made her say she loved him before he cut her up with a knife and dismembered her body.. I'm only on page 50, so I don’t really know how it's going to turn out, but it's good so far. Everybody that I’ve talked to about it has said they liked it. A friend actually sent it to me to read. Check it out if you're looking for a new book to read. Plus it has a really good title.

The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold

[lisa]

hey i saw you post that line somewhere else (random) and it caught my attention. thanks ill definitely check it out when i have a chance.

[StellasAntics]

I'm the only person in existence that hates The Great Gatsby, I just know it.
I tend to only read foreign books or Russian/Icelandic books for that matter.

Right now I'm reading:
The Master And Margarita - Michail Bulgakov

Vladimir Nabokov is a favorite, even though he's overhyped, Ludmilla Derevyanchenko, Björn Th. Björnsson and Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson.

[Lyly]

Moon Palace - Paul Auster
i love Auster..

[peterstillman]

Remarkable. I registered with the forum just for the purpose of recommending that everyone read some Auster and look... here he is mentioned in the post just previous to mine. Remarkable.
Paul Auster - The New York Trilogy. READ IT

[blunar/2^k]

Pick one book
and I read so hard
hard
haaaaaaard
eeeenoooough
if feeewww
oooh-oohhh ooh-ooohh

[dajxd]

I'm the only person in existence that hates The Great Gatsby, I just know it.
I tend to only read foreign books or Russian/Icelandic books for that matter.

Right now I'm reading:
The Master And Margarita - Michail Bulgakov

Vladimir Nabokov is a favorite, even though he's overhyped, Ludmilla Derevyanchenko, Björn Th. Björnsson and Viktor Arnar Ingólfsson.

Master and Margarita is absolutely incredible. Bulgakov needs some statues or something.

[imblah]

huckleyberry finn? i thought it was a fun book to read

[john the revelator]

You open the book and it has a little stand alone page with this:

Inside the snow globe on my father's desk, there was a penguin wearing a red-and-white-striped scarf. When I was little my father would pull me into his lap and reach for the snow globe. He would turn it over, letting all the snow collect on the top, then quickly invert it. The two of us watched the snow fall gently around the penguin. The penguin was alone in there, I thought, and I worried for him. When I told my father this, he said, "Dont worry, Susie; he has a nice life. He's trapped in a perfect world"

Then there's a blank page and the first line starts out with:

My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, susie.
I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973.


You might not be drawn into it as much because it has a different effect when you have the book in your hands I guess. But the line, to me, was totally unexpected. The story is narrated by someone who is already dead. A little girl named Susie who was raped and murdered by a creepy old scumbag, with a perfect row of flowers in his front yard, who made her say she loved him before he cut her up with a knife and dismembered her body.. I'm only on page 50, so I don’t really know how it's going to turn out, but it's good so far. Everybody that I’ve talked to about it has said they liked it. A friend actually sent it to me to read. Check it out if you're looking for a new book to read. Plus it has a really good title.

The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold

wow, i'm sold. thanks.

[manu]

Master and Margarita is absolutely incredible. Bulgakov needs some statues or something.

here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarch's_Ponds), and google maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=es&q=moscow&ie=UTF8&z=16&ll=55.763754,37.592297&spn=0.008438,0.029569&t=h&om=1)

[john the revelator]

huckleyberry finn? i thought it was a fun book to read

the use of different dialects in it is worth the read alone. thumbs up.

[blunar/2^k]

well, it's surprising no one mentioned Don Quixote, which seems to me a very obvious choice. It's a literary and philosophical vademecum made novel.

And i'm not saying this cause i'm spanish, in fact there are many other authors i enjoy more, mostly british and american. But if i had to choose the just one book i'd ever read...

I read the first part (translated : (, my Spanish isn't hardcore enough anymore, but more like rustamadust) and then found out all about Avellaneda's false Quixote Part II and was extremely fascinated and sidetracked everything to go hunt down a copy -- one of two copies of the only faithful English translation in my state of Arizona.

It's actually really funny too and surprisingly good, if a bit repetitive, but then so was the more rambling Part I. I've heard so many good things about Cervantes' real Part II and how he slams Avellaneda's version and changes his characters and am really excited to read it next. I just decided to put it off so I could read them in the order written and understand every reference. People still talk about Avellaneda but few read him and yet without him, Cervantes wouldn't have been spurred on to finish his classic before he died.

The craziest thing is scholars still don't know who the psuedonym "Alonso Fernandez de Avellaneda" really was!! Rival author/playwright Lope de Vega? Aspiring not-quite-peer Jeronimo de Pasamonte, skewered in Part I as a thief and rogue and brought back in the real Part II?

Thrilling Literary Mysteries, indeed.

[manu]

i haven't read avellaneda's... you'll find part ii quite different from part i anyway. used to be the "boring" part when we had it in high school. well, part i used to feel boring too, hehe.

on a side note, if only terry gilliam could've finish the film, i'm kinda intrigued how it'd turn out. surely awesome!

[blunar/2^k]

WHAAAT? Everybody says Part II is better and funnier and more self-referentially post-modern! Like Rocky and Bullwinkle or something. Yeah, crazy breaking the somethingth wall stuff... no? Well I mean I don't expect a ton of it, but dang I'm still looking forward to it because I have about 30 pages left of Avellaneda.

[manu]

WHAAAT? Everybody says Part II is better and funnier and more self-referentially post-modern! Like Rocky and Bullwinkle or something. Yeah, crazy breaking the somethingth wall stuff... no? Well I mean I don't expect a ton of it, but dang I'm still looking forward to it because I have about 30 pages left of Avellaneda.

tell that to a 14-year-old boy. he'll tell you to self-referentially fuck yourself. it's harder for a spaniard to appreciate spanish literature cause all the bullshit you go through in high school, you have to develop a taste for it later in life... i guess it's the same everywhere.

[bogbeast16]

oh! the little prince! i loves that book.

and i could really never get into tom robbins. i read fierce invalids in hot climates and jitterbug perfume, and i decided him over rated and schtick-y. but my older sister is madly in love with him, and my boss protests that's because there was no one else like him at the time.... <shrugs>

[manu]

oh! the little prince! i loves that book.

and i could really never get into tom robbins. i read fierce invalids in hot climates and jitterbug perfume, and i decided him over rated and schtick-y. but my older sister is madly in love with him, and my boss protests that's because there was no one else like him at the time.... <shrugs>

i liked even cowgirls get the blues but i still have to finish skinny legs and all.

[StellasAntics]

Master and Margarita is absolutely incredible. Bulgakov needs some statues or something.

:yes: :yes: