Sasun Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Folks, now that we shared where we shop for clothes, what rabiz singers we listen to, what scary movies we like, etc. we might also share what books we like to read? What ganres, what authors, etc? I am curious... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormig Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Mostly historical stuff, even if fiction. I mean, you did ask about books, not specifically novels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sip Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I'm not into books at all. I think I've read one novel back in 96 when I was bored and had nothing to do at work (and no internet). I can comfortably say that I hate reading books although I used to read a lot when I was young (pre teen) and bored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormig Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Pressed the "add reply" button there by mistake.Anyway, last novel I remember reading was Greg Bear's Slant.And the BIG question - have I read James Joyce' Ulysses?Tried hard the first two hundred pages, then threw away the book. What kind of crepe is that (excuse my French)...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel4hope Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 iv read so many books i cant even remember them all-heres a short list....The Member of the Wedding-Carson McCullersGreat Expectations- Charles Dicken’sAntigone- SophioclesThe Oddyssey- HomerRomeo and Juliet- ShakespeareAngel of Mercey- Laurlene McDaniel Frankenstein- Marry ShellyLes Miserables- Victor HugoJulius Caesar- ShakespeareThe Once and Future King- T.H. WhiteThings Fall Apart- Chenua AchebeTale of Two cities- Charles DickensA Brave New World- Aldous HuxleyBlack Like Me- Howard Griffin Angela’s Ashes- Frank McCourt---BEST BOOK EVER The Human Comedy- William SaroyanThe Scarlet Letter- Nathaniel HawthorneHuckleberry Finn- Mark Twain- Samuel ClemensHow To Rise Emotionally Healthy Children- Gerald Newmark Ph.D. Pride and Prejudice- Jane AustenEmma- Jane AustenThe Tempest- ShakespeareDante’s InfernoMac Beth- ShakespeareBeowulfGulliver’s Travel- SwiftModest Proposal- Swift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nairi Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 What kind of crepe is that (excuse my French)...? I like mine with syrup I mostly read literary novels and poetry, both fiction and non-fiction. I don't have a choice. It's part of my course, but I really enjoy it. So for me, it's mainly classics. I hardly find the time to read anything else. My favorite book this year so far has been Melville's Moby Dick. An absolute must, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExtraHye Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I really enjoy reading historical, biographies and books written by Nicholas Sparks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Ever since internet came to my life, books have been mostly out of my life. That's terrible I used to read a lot before the internet, I read mostly novels and short stories, more fiction than non-fiction. Last 1 or 2 years I have been much into spiritual books and poetry. One good thing about poetry is that I can read it on the internet, novels would be hard to read from the monitor because they are too long.For non-spiritual part, my all time favorite writer is Marquez (in some way he has influenced me more than others), but I like many others as well - Boris Vian, Arthur Rimbaud, Rilke, Bodler, etc. etc. I don't even remember all the names. I must confess, at this point for me nothing compares to spiritual literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 My favorite book this year so far has been Melville's Moby Dick. An absolute must, IMO. I started to read it 6-7 years ago but didn't finish. Then I saw the movie - its a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I'm not into books at all. I think I've read one novel back in 96 when I was bored and had nothing to do at work (and no internet). I can comfortably say that I hate reading books although I used to read a lot when I was young (pre teen) and bored. That's too bad Sip... books are man's best friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nairi Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I guess it depends on how you define spiritual literature. I have a feeling you mean literature that explictly discusses spiritual ideas and lifestyles (to put it simply). But I also consider a good literary novel to be spiritual: even just Moby Dick and the main character's quest for the meaning of life -- you should definitely finish it!! And then there are the so-called spiritual autobiographies: people writing about a specific period in their lives when they made great spiritual (or mental, if you will) changes. Think Thoreau, Douglass, Franklin, to name just a few. Anyway, clearly, a good literary novel, play or poem isn't just a story, it's a whole philosophy as well. And not only just a philosophy, but also a spiritual quest, opening new vistas and allowing the reader to learn and question these in their own lives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 (edited) What you re-read sounds better. Jerom K. Jerom, Vonegut, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Joseph Heller, O'Henry, Jack London and many more...when I have time. And I always have time for Three men in a Boat Edited November 20, 2003 by gamavor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I guess it depends on how you define spiritual literature. I have a feeling you mean literature that explictly discusses spiritual ideas and lifestyles (to put it simply). But I also consider a good literary novel to be spiritual: even just Moby Dick and the main character's quest for the meaning of life -- you should definitely finish it!! And then there are the so-called spiritual autobiographies: people writing about a specific period in their lives when they made great spiritual (or mental, if you will) changes. Think Thoreau, Douglass, Franklin, to name just a few. Oh I see... yes, I mean spiritual-spiritual, like what I quote from Sri Chinmoy, or religious scriptures and commentaries/writings about them written by spiritual people, I also very much like mysticism... this type of things. Of course, there is spiritual dimension in other literature like you are desribing. I think any noteworthy poetry has at least some degree of spirituality. In fact that is what I value in poetry mostly. Anyway, clearly, a good literary novel, play or poem isn't just a story, it's a whole philosophy as well. And not only just a philosophy, but also a spiritual quest, opening new vistas and allowing the reader to learn and question these in their own lives. Very well said, and I very much agree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armat Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 (edited) I love reading! My next one on the list Godel, Escher, Bach An Eternal Golden Braid Douglas Hofstadter This book is a modern classic, an intellectual tour de force. Combines mathematics, music, and logic philosophy.Domino, Sasun I think you will love this book and I suspect Domino you perhaps already read it. Synopsis This groundbreaking Pulitzer Prize-winning book sets the standard for interdisciplinary writing, exploring the patterns and symbols in the thinking of mathematician Kurt Godel, artist M.C. Escher, and composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Topics CoveredJ.S. Bach, M.C. Escher, Kurt Gödel: biographical information and work, artificial intelligence (AI) history and theories, strange loops and tangled hierarchies, formal and informal systems, number theory, form in mathematics, figure and ground, consistency, completeness, Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry, recursive structures, theories of meaning, propositional calculus, typographical number theory, Zen and mathematics, levels of description and computers; theory of mind: neurons, minds and thoughts; undecidability; self-reference and self-representation; Turing test for machine intelligence Edited November 20, 2003 by Armat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anoushik Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 For non-spiritual part, my all time favorite writer is Marquez (in some way he has influenced me more than others) Sasun, I read Marquez' "One Hundred Years of Solitude" two years ago. I totally fell in love with that book! I can honestly say that every single paragraph of that novel felt like it was written for me. I love Marquez... Unfortunately ever since I started college I haven't had much time to start and finish another literary classic. For now the only thing that I read besides college books is the Time magazine every week. I also enjoy philosophy, especially Greek philosophy and because of lack of time I just read some chapters that I find interesting from "Classics of Western Philosophy", a book from my philosophy class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KavorKin99 Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 i read time magazine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azat Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I read TV Guide I actually do not. I am on and off about reading. The last 2-3 months have been reading alot. Mostly self improvement books(Business), but I also enjoy reading memoirs. Currently am reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown and I just finished his latest book Da Vinci Code in 2 days. it was SUPER fun read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominO123 Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Armat, you will eat this book, YUM! YUM! YUM! One of the best on the subject, there is some points which I disagree with, but it is writting in a so easy to understand English, ordered, the way the chapters are cut... I give it 5/5. There is some of the same types of works which I can refer to you. After you read it, start a thread if you'de like about the subject. Oh, I forgot to say, I live with books... if I were not the kind of dyslexic type of guy, my language skills would be perfect considering the numbers of books I have read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I read alot of Sci-Fi...but other things as well...historical & military mostly.... I like the Harry Turtledove alternate histories, and the 3 Bs (Bear, Brin & benesford) (Sci-Fi...some of the best being writtren now I think)..and lots of other stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Sasun, I read Marquez' "One Hundred Years of Solitude" two years ago. I totally fell in love with that book! I can honestly say that every single paragraph of that novel felt like it was written for me. I love Marquez... Unfortunately ever since I started college I haven't had much time to start and finish another literary classic. For now the only thing that I read besides college books is the Time magazine every week. I also enjoy philosophy, especially Greek philosophy and because of lack of time I just read some chapters that I find interesting from "Classics of Western Philosophy", a book from my philosophy class. When I finished reading that book (maybe 10 years ago) I lost my sleep for one night, I was very impressed - that was weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 How about the oddest book you read? Hitler's 'Main Kampf" was OK (mostly because of the richly illustrations and believe it or not Hitler was talented, or semi-talented painter). Marx's "The Capital", too bad I had to do it for some of the classes, but most of the time I was in a happy mood due to the alcohol content in my blood so I didn't pay attention too much, although hard to disagree with some of the postulates in the book.But the one that really pissed me off big time was Trotsky’s 'The Permanent Revolution'. I reached up to 27p. and gave the book as a present to a neighbor of mine who I profoundly disliked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anoushik Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Sasun, I read Marquez' "One Hundred Years of Solitude" two years ago. I totally fell in love with that book! I can honestly say that every single paragraph of that novel felt like it was written for me. I love Marquez... Unfortunately ever since I started college I haven't had much time to start and finish another literary classic. For now the only thing that I read besides college books is the Time magazine every week. I also enjoy philosophy, especially Greek philosophy and because of lack of time I just read some chapters that I find interesting from "Classics of Western Philosophy", a book from my philosophy class.When I finished reading that book (maybe 10 years ago) I lost my sleep for one night, I was very impressed - that was weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheekY Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 science is interesting... also i like reading medical books...diseases and treatments and all... i like literature too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasun Posted November 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 How about the oddest book you read? Hitler's 'Main Kampf" was OK (mostly because of the richly illustrations and believe it or not Hitler was talented, or semi-talented painter). Marx's "The Capital", too bad I had to do it for some of the classes, but most of the time I was in a happy mood due to the alcohol content in my blood so I didn't pay attention too much, although hard to disagree with some of the postulates in the book.But the one that really pissed me off big time was Trotsky’s 'The Permanent Revolution'. I reached up to 27p. and gave the book as a present to a neighbor of mine who I profoundly disliked. The oddest book (odd in a good sense) I read was "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tzu. It is a very short book yet has so much meaning. I felt shocked in a way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THOTH Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 Why shocked Sasun? And yes one of my favorites as well...a classic...can always get some useful meaning out of just opening it up to about any random page... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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