Favorite book? (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Casual Banter] >> Off the Grid



Message

LillyBoPeep -> Favorite book? (11/2/2012 4:54:07 AM)

After mistakenly posting on the Gor board, I thought it would be cool to have a generic "fave book" thread.

So have at it!

My favorite book is Grendel by John Gardner. I liked the way he reworked Grendel into a fully formed character that you can relate to, rather than just a shadowy ancient villain. Great book!



DarkSteven -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 5:11:10 AM)

I read that one, and it gave me the creeps. Grendel (as befits a monster) had a view of humans as just prey IIRC.

I loved Donald Westlake's Dortmunder series, especially The Hot Rock and Bad News.

PG Wodehouse's The Code of the Woosters.

And James Lee Burke's Robichaux stories, filled with damaged beauty.



LillyBoPeep -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 5:18:52 AM)

Not at all - Grendel wanted to be with people, but he couldn't. He didn't fit with his mother and the other monsters because he could think and reason and speak a little, but he couldn't fit with humans either. He was preoccupied by Wealtheow, Hrothgar's wife, and the Shaper.
He also got preoccupied by nihilism after he met the dragon. But basically, he turned to "if you can't join 'em, eat 'em" after feeling attacked and rejected. At least that's how I understood it.



MariaB -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 5:20:09 AM)

I can't say I have a favorite book. If I am reading something good that is my favorite book until I find another good book.
I pass on most paperbacks once I have read them. I often leave them on a park bench with a note inviting someone else to enjoy them, but I do tend to hold onto the classics, even if they are in paperback. One of my favorite classics is 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee and the other is '1984' by George Orwell.



Moonhead -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 5:50:22 AM)

That's most people's reading of it, Lilly (and certainly the one Gardner encourages): I think Stephen's probably talking about the portrayal of Grendel in Beowulf rather than the revisionist take, though?

If I had to pick out just one novel (which is almost impossible), I'd probably go for either Angela Carter's Wise Children or John Calvin Batchelor's The Birth Of The People's Republic Of Antartica. As for short story collections, I could be here all day naming those...



AthenaSurrenders -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 7:10:46 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MariaB

I can't say I have a favorite book. If I am reading something good that is my favorite book until I find another good book.
I pass on most paperbacks once I have read them. I often leave them on a park bench with a note inviting someone else to enjoy them, but I do tend to hold onto the classics, even if they are in paperback. One of my favorite classics is 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee and the other is '1984' by George Orwell.


You are awesome. Not only do you have excellent taste, but you are also a kind person. It would make my day to find a book like that.

I don't have many all-time favourites. There are lots that I thought were awesome at the time that are no longer to my taste but I remember fondly.

I just read 'The Night Circus' and enjoyed it. Before that it was 'Life of Pi' which was also good. I've started one called 'Florence and Giles' but can't get into it.

If I had to pick the best I'd probably go for Catch 22, Wuthering Heights, I Capture the Castle.

I also collect children's fiction and picture books and I could talk for hours about that, but I won't bore you!



Marc2b -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 7:28:29 AM)

Favorite Fiction book... Dune, by Frank Herbert.
Also high on the list: Lord of the Flies, 1984, Animal Farm, Brave New World, and Ida B.

Favorite non-fiction book... All But My Life, by Gerda Weissmann Klein.
Also high on the list: Hitler (a Study in Tyranny), Body Watching, The Lucifer Effect, An Ordinary Man, Monkey Girl.


Truth is, I have and love so many books it would take a month to list them all.



SylvereApLeanan -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 7:33:09 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: MariaB

I can't say I have a favorite book. If I am reading something good that is my favorite book until I find another good book.


QFT.

I do have a couple of favorite authors, though. I like just about everything by C. J. Cherryh, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Jacqueline Carey. And by "like" I mean "read and reread until the books are falling apart."



lilmissdefiant -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 7:41:52 AM)

My favorite book is called Rowan Of Rin by Emily Rodder. Its a book my teacher used to read to the class when I was in primary school and it sort of stuck with me.



AthenaSurrenders -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 8:14:37 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: lilmissdefiant

My favorite book is called Rowan Of Rin by Emily Rodder. Its a book my teacher used to read to the class when I was in primary school and it sort of stuck with me.


I read that as a child. I thought it was really obscure and not many people knew it.

'Seven hearts the journey make,
Seven ways the hearts will break,
Bravest heart will carry on,
When hope is lost and ? is gone
Look in the fiery jaws of fear,
and see the answer white and clear,
then throw away all thoughts of home,
For only then your journey's done.'

I haven't thought about that in years, weird I can still remember most of the poem. Kinda like hearing an old song on the radio and being able to sing along. Aren't brains cool?

Edit: according to wikipedia I was nearly right :P 'sleep is death and hope is gone'



culareD -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 8:29:57 AM)

I am an avid reader...Great thread!

Don't laugh too hard, but my favorite book is Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.




Jack45 -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 8:35:47 AM)

The Camp of the Saints by Jean Raspail, changed my worldview...



Duskypearls -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 8:50:48 AM)

Gosh, let me try to wake my sleep-addled brain. All that comes to mind is Watership Down, The Education of Little Tree, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Red Tent.



absolutchocolat -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 8:57:31 AM)

yay for this thread! my favorites right now are the dragon tattoo trilogy books by stieg larsson. the first one, especially.



MariaB -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 9:23:40 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: AthenaSurrenders


quote:

ORIGINAL: MariaB

I can't say I have a favorite book. If I am reading something good that is my favorite book until I find another good book.
I pass on most paperbacks once I have read them. I often leave them on a park bench with a note inviting someone else to enjoy them, but I do tend to hold onto the classics, even if they are in paperback. One of my favorite classics is 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee and the other is '1984' by George Orwell.


You are awesome. Not only do you have excellent taste, but you are also a kind person. It would make my day to find a book like that.

I don't have many all-time favourites. There are lots that I thought were awesome at the time that are no longer to my taste but I remember fondly.

I just read 'The Night Circus' and enjoyed it. Before that it was 'Life of Pi' which was also good. I've started one called 'Florence and Giles' but can't get into it.

If I had to pick the best I'd probably go for Catch 22, Wuthering Heights, I Capture the Castle.

I also collect children's fiction and picture books and I could talk for hours about that, but I won't bore you!


Thank you Athena. Lots of people do that here. I have read many a good book that I have picked up on a park bench!

Three of my friends were on a sinking boat recently. They managed to film a lot of it including the air sea rescue and the boat being abandoned upside down. They compiled the video with some very poignant words from the 'Life of Pi'. I really must re-read that book.



anniezz338 -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 11:16:52 AM)

Anything by Sherrilynn Kenyon, especially the Dark Hunters series....too many to list.



OsideGirl -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 11:29:02 AM)

No way I could pick just one. I have some books that I read over and over.

Stardust
Bag of Bones
The Harry Potter books
Rebecca
Pride and Prejudice
I, Elizabeth
The Stephanie Plum books
The Stone Barrington books
Dune

Thank God for my Kindle.



susie -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 11:47:38 AM)

I go through phases of reading different authors. Love anything by Clive Cussler, Michael Palmer and Len Deighton. Someone recently lent me a book by Lee Child and have been reading all his books.

About 15 years ago I was facing a long wait due to a train cancellation so picked up a book at the station shop. No idea why but A Portion For Foxes by Jane McIlvaine McClary caught my eye. It is the only book I have read more than once.



Rule -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 11:50:38 AM)

At the moment I am reading "Called out of darkness, a spiritual confession" by Anne Rice. It is about her religious life, her many years of atheism and her return to the Catholic faith. It is interesting and - my reason for buying it - well written.



QueenRah -> RE: Favorite book? (11/2/2012 12:08:05 PM)

The Chronicles of Narnia, (whole series), which I first read the summer after kindergarten. I re-read them, on a a fairly regular basis.

Dune, first read the summer of my 12th year - the first, true "big book" I read from cover-to-cover, barely able to put it down.

Blue Champagne, a short-story anthology by John Varley. It crystallized a view of human existence and potential I did not know I possessed.

A Density of Souls, by Christopher Rice



Page: [1] 2 3 4   next >   >>

Valid CSS!




Collarchat.com © 2025
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Spam Policy
0.046875