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06-29-2003, 04:50 PM
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Ok the last book i read that was on some good list was House of the spirits in 1997. I have read Neruda and that 100 years of solitude.
I need to widen my horizions with books, not only fantasy or politics and stuff. So any good books that are entertaining and that will keep the attention of a 21 year old horny male? (I use that definition to explain my very short attention span)
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06-29-2003, 05:14 PM
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Cracked Magazine 
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06-29-2003, 05:24 PM
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The Life of Pi by Yann Martel is an excellent read. It won the Man Booker Prize a while back. It's really fresh and orginal.
Among other books I recently finished, I found Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to be on the the best scifi political/social commentaries I've ever read.
I have lots, but those are my top 2.
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06-29-2003, 05:39 PM
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| |  Quote: Originally posted by CM
Ok the last book i read that was on some good list was House of the spirits in 1997. I have read Neruda and that 100 years of solitude.
I need to widen my horizions with books, not only fantasy or politics and stuff. So any good books that are entertaining and that will keep the attention of a 21 year old horny male? (I use that definition to explain my very short attention span) | "One Hundred Years of Solitude" is by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, not Pablo Neruda. Neruda is a poet. "Love in the Time of Cholera" is better than "One Hundred Years of Solitude", in my opinion.
"House of Spirits" is by Isabel Allende. I don't like her novels. I can think of lots of novels I enjoyed but I don't know if you'd like them. Ever read the novels of Ian Banks (not his sci-fi ones)?
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06-29-2003, 05:47 PM
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| | Quote: Originally posted by ObsidianReturns
Among other books I recently finished, I found Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury to be on the the best scifi political/social commentaries I've ever read. | I can confirm Fahrenheit 451 is a fantastic book, thoroughly enjoyable. Quote: Originally posted by Enchantress
"House of Spirits" is by Isabel Allende. I don't like her novels. I can think of lots of novels I enjoyed but I don't know if you'd like them. Ever read the novels of Ian Banks (not his sci-fi ones)? | Iain Banks is another amazing author, if you want his non sci-fi literature, he wrote under just Iain Banks for those, his sci-fi he penned under Iain M. Banks.  The Wasp Factory was probably my favourite, he writes very well.
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06-29-2003, 07:27 PM
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| | | The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is really awesome; here are a couple of reviews:
This novel captures the human spirit in all its paradoxical splendor. The story is a mystery about mystery with wonderful literary references, some subtle, some even more subtle. It may be read casually or it may serve as the central book in a course on medieval history and theology. Eco evokes a sense of vastness and awe of the infinite in his fictional account of serial murders of monks living in a medieval monastary, murders which on the surface seem historically insignificant. There is a strong sense that the author worked very hard in weaving this tale, ever crafty and inventive, ever watchful of his creation and all who dwell there; yet at times the tale seems to tell itself, rather, the writer was merely re-iterating a story told to him. The margins dividing fact and fiction become arbitrary and all that remains is our belief (or suspension of disbelief) in the story. Indeed, important literary and philosophical questions remain unanswered in the end despite the conclusion of the murder-mystery. Our curiosity and need for an answer are temporarily satiated, until we realize that while the story is over the mystery continues. This book is obviously the result of painstaking labor and momentous inspiration, the finite and infinite united in art. Wonderful stuff.
~ ~ ~
This intellectual achievement can be read from different perspectives and tells different stories. Yes, it is a mystery thriller, with a XIV century Sherlock Holmes and a young and peculiar Watson. But it is also a metaphor of censorship and political control; a reflection of the theological disputes of the time; an illustration of the socioeconomic trends of that century; a parody of the Book of Revelations; a depiction of life in Medieval monasteries, etc.
William of Baskerville and his assistant, the young Adso of Melk, are appointed to investigate a case of murder at a Franciscan monastery in Italy. The work seems to be endless, as seven more murders are committed while they are there. During the course of their investigations, they discover the devilish perversions, the obscure story, and the mysterious secrets of the abbey. Moreover, they get to participate in a hsitorical confrontation between the representatives of Pope John XXII and those of the Emperor Ludwig of Bavaria. In this conference, fundamental matters are put to discussion, especially the poverty of Christ and the heresies derived from Franciscanism. The solution to the murders is fantastic.
The mystery is a lot deeper than just the "who killed the dead?" level. It is an intellectual mystery. Eco's erudition is wonderful, even if it makes for a demanding reading. It is very much worth the time and attention you'll have to put into this book. If you can find the companion to the book (which I think should be included in subsequent editions) the enjoyment will be much more. Go, then, with William of Baskerville and find out who and why is killing monks in this dark monastery.
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Last edited by dragon wench; 06-29-2003 at 07:40 PM.
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06-29-2003, 07:49 PM
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| | | yup, The Name of the Rose is a damn good book. I'd also reccomend anything by Haruki Murakami, and The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa is truly excellent.
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06-29-2003, 08:22 PM
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| | and his three "Eagle" novels.
Setting is imperial Roman empire (40-45 AD?). This is about the adventures of the Centurion Macro of the Sixth Century of the Second Legion and his trusty but young optio, Cato.
Under the Eagle
Eagle's Conquest: Macro and Cato are off to invade Britain
When The Eagle Hunts: Macro and Cato against the Druids of the Dark Moon
Coming soon: The Eagle and the Wolves. 
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06-30-2003, 01:21 AM
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| | Quote: Originally posted by ObsidianReturns
The Life of Pi by Yann Martel is an excellent read. It won the Man Booker Prize a while back. It's really fresh and orginal. | Find Tim Winton's Dirt Music, an amazing book that should of beaten Life Of Pi last year. Damn it, I'm just overtly biased towards Australian authors 
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! | If you are into fictionalized history...
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06-30-2003, 01:31 AM
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| | Quote: Originally posted by Tamerlane
Find Tim Winton's Dirt Music, an amazing book that should of beaten Life Of Pi last year. Damn it, I'm just overtly biased towards Australian authors | ...then may I suggest Colleen McCullough's The First Man in Rome and then The Grass Crown, Fortune's Favorites, Caesar's Women, and then The October Horse.
So far I have just started the first book although I've got the next three books ready at hand.
Colleen btw, I believe, is Australian. 
Last edited by Maharlika; 06-30-2003 at 01:48 AM.
| Re: If you are into fictionalized history...
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06-30-2003, 01:36 AM
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! |  Ooops...
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06-30-2003, 01:46 AM
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| | ...the final novel of the Masters of Rome series is already out: The October Horse.
edit - There are five books in the Masters of Rome series and The October Horse is supposed to be the fifth and last book.
I would love to Tammy but I'm about to have class in a few minutes.
Hope things are swell down there.
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06-30-2003, 01:49 AM
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Take care Mah, maybe another time
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! | Re: Re: Books i should read
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06-30-2003, 04:34 AM
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| | Quote: Originally posted by Enchantress
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" is by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, not Pablo Neruda. Neruda is a poet. "Love in the Time of Cholera" is better than "One Hundred Years of Solitude", in my opinion.
"House of Spirits" is by Isabel Allende. I don't like her novels. | I agree with all of this I have not read "Love in the Time of Cholera", though. I am no fan of Garcia Marquez in general, but I found "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" better than "100 years...etc".
If you like the South American novel tradition, you should try Jorge Luis Borges, one of the finest authors of the 20th century IMO. He wrote short stories, "The Library of Babel" is a masterpiece. I can also recommend the novel by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, that Delacroix recommended to me, "The Post-humous Memoirs of Bras Cubas". It's stylistically innovative and very much before it's time, but it's good and quite funny. Quote: Originally posted by dragon wench
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco is really awesome | Quote: Originally posted by Robnark
yup, The Name of the Rose is a damn good book. | Couldn't agree more, Name of the Rose is a modern classic and the most well known by my favorite contemporary author. although I personally like Foucault's Pendulum better, but that one is a heavier read and perhaps not suitable for someone with a very short attention span
An author most suitable for people with short attention span is the Russian absurdist Daniil Charms, who wrote extremely short and witty stories with underlying critisism against the Soviet regime. The Russian traditions has many great authors, Gogol if you enjoy shorter, absurdistic style with a deeper symbolic meaning, Dostoyevsky of course although I am not sure "entertaining" is the right word for him, Gorkij if you like a realistic, hard-boiled style without much stylistic decoration (I love him), Solochov for one of the best story-tellers in modern time (quite depressing stuff though).
If you are into novels with a thriller aspects although not thrillers, Donna Tartts "The secret history" is a good novel about people your age who are drawn into a fantasy world they create themselves based on Ancient Greek history, and the trance like states they manage to induce in themselves lead to bad events that only gets worse...a very good story and good character development by Bret Easton Ellis' best buddy. (IMO she is the better writer.)
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06-30-2003, 06:40 AM
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Enchatress i know that. I was giving examples of two other latin american authors i had read. Never liked Magical realism. 100 years of solitude was tooo messed up for my taste. Give me a book, it has to be grounded in some form of reality.
Anyway thanks for the books. Gonna try to see what i can get here, well when i am in geneva atleast.
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