The Book Thread (Official Thread)

[Robb]

I finished these at the same time, so:

Lunar Park - Bret Easton Ellis: Great read, the ending was a bit of a let down, though. I thought the writing was an improvement over Glamorama, but the story was a bit weaker.

Assasination Vacation - Sarah Vowel: Non fiction book of the author mixing first person experiences visiting historical and memorial sites relating to presidential assasinations. Historical information is mixed in throughout. It started a bit slow, but gets quite interesting. A definite recommendation for anyone interested in the topic.

[A picasso blue]

I am reading Skeleton Crew by Steven King atm, I have never been majorly impressed with this guy before but now, but it's a collection of his stories. The first was...

The Mist

Relatively poor and unimaginative storyline, but written OK. 6/10

The next short story is The Monkey, which is shaping up to be quite good, maybe a 7.
read the one about the guy trapped on an island. i forget the name. i think its just called "The Survivor" or something like that. its a bit nasty

[xglassjawx]

read the one about the guy trapped on an island. i forget the name. i think its just called "The Survivor" or something like that. its a bit nasty

There's one in Skeleteon Crew called Survivor Type, that could be it. It's quite a way into the book though. I should finish The Monkey today.

[shane hennessey]

The Tipping Point by Malcom Gladwell

I found this book very exciting and interesting all the way up until the smoking/suicide chapter. At that point in the book, Gladwell had continued to repeat examples of his previous chapters as if the reader completly missed them. Also I found that he did not bring as much info to the table as he did with the Sesame Street and Blues Clues chapter. I still recommend the book but the end was really bad IMO

7/10

[xglassjawx]

The Monkey-Steven King

A lot better that The Mist. Again though, I thought the storyline was weak and I also found it hard to decipher which characters were which and how they fitted in with the plot.

However, it was very well written and you really got how the characters felt. It worked well as a horror compared to the mist and had a good ending.

7/10

[seconds]

House of Leaves

I read a lot about this book here on the forums and everyone was giving it much attention, which most of it was directed towards the "fear factor" that is distributed throughout the story(ies). I did in fact enjoy the scary parts, but there was also the "fun" parts with all the happenings and chaos going on or even Johnny's situations just seemed humorous.

The book is based around 2 main stories and 1 sub-story that somehow has a greater deal to the two main stories.

The first story is of Johnny, a mid-twenty protagonist who lives in a rundown apartment that an old man named Zampanò once occupied.

The second story is of a family that owns a house to which a door appears after one of the family's outings.

The third is of Johnny's insane mother, which she writes her letters to Johnny when he was just a boy.

I give this a 8/10

- This is a really un-fulfilled review. sorry.

[xglassjawx]

Quite...I was looking foward to seeing a snippet of the plot after you said what the first story was about. It sounds intrigiung haha.

Who's it by?

[seconds]

Mark Z. Danielewski (I think that's how you spell the last name)

[xglassjawx]

Cool. I'll wikipedia it/him.

[seconds]

Do that and post a review you find on the internet. haha

[xglassjawx]

Haha.

The wierd page structure thing sounds interesting.

[Broken Parachute]

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by JK Rowling
Rating: 8/10

This is probably my second favorite out of the first 6 Harry Potter books (this one being #6). Alot of people call Harry Potter a children's series, this book proves that JK Rowling is capable of writing a serious novel for all ages. While this book still for children around 12-14 years old, I appreciated it more for it's seriousness and maturity. Now that books 4 and 5 have set up the last two books, the Wizard World is undergoing a War between Good and Evil. In this book there are some deaths and arrests, as well as corruption in the Ministry of Magic. The vocabulary in the book and some of the wording can tell you that the last two books are more serious. Also, there is alot of underlying plots, mostly having to do with Love (Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione).

I don't expect anything less in the last book. If you are skeptical about Harry Potter and the series, start with book 3 or 4. Book 1 sets up everything up and you can easily watch the movie to learn names and such. Book 2 is quite important, but if you watch the movie that'll help too. Books 3, 4, and 5 are a must read. I encourage everyone who hasn't to read these books, it's really more amazing than people think.

Positives: More serious book, Dumbledore explained everything he knows about Voldemort (alot of information given).
Negative: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK YET AND YOU PLAN ON DOING SO, DO NOT READ THE SPOILER The death of Dumbledore

Next Book: Fahrenheit 451

[xglassjawx]

Nice review there!

It's a great book. I can't remember tons from it though. :(

I'm gagging for a new HP book.

[PaulR]

Mr Nice by Howard Marks

What an absolutely jolly fellow. It's like the genial uncle you don't see enough of, wrote a book and then you find out he's an international criminal. For those of you who don't know - Marks was one of the prinicipal smugglers of cannabis during the late 70s and early 80s. He was caught and put in prison and served 7 years of a setence.

The narrative style is completely charming and Marks is witty and intelligent. The stories he has to tell are always engaging. The locations are delicately described, and his jetsetting lifestyle means that theres a lot of them. I particularly enjoyed the story of the "robbers friend" - a lizard, that when you whack round the head, you can stick it to a wall and then use it as a ladder.

8/10

[AShannon04]

How We Are Hungry by Dave Eggers

9.5/10

Yes, it was my third time reading it all the way through, but that's alright. This book is fantastic and I'm trying to find a reason to not give it a perfect 10. Best collection of short stories ever? Yes.

hmmm, I bought that awhile ago, but haven't really gotten into it all that much. I've read a couple stories, but haven't read the whole thing yet.

[Broken Parachute]

Nice review there!

It's a great book. I can't remember tons from it though. :(

I'm gagging for a new HP book.
The rumor is July/07. It was something like 7/7/07, to comply with the 7th book. It was just a rumor though, there's no official date.

[xglassjawx]

The rumor is July/07. It was something like 7/7/07, to comply with the 7th book. It was just a rumor though, there's no official date.

That is obnoxiously long to wait.

[Broken Parachute]

That is obnoxiously long to wait.
Yeah it's a bitch. The next movie should be out around the same time too, actually.

[xglassjawx]

That does suck.

[wyverna]

Firestarter - Stephen King.

I loved it, although it wasn't what I've come to expect from his work. Some parts dragged a little, but overall it managed to keep my interest and I definitely enjoyed this.

8/10

[miltownrob]

m not going to lie. last book i read was green eggs and ham. i'd give it 10/10. perfect flow and characters. there were no questions in my head when i was done.

[xglassjawx]

Firestarter - Stephen King.

I loved it, although it wasn't what I've come to expect from his work. Some parts dragged a little, but overall it managed to keep my interest and I definitely enjoyed this.

8/10

I've heard a bit about it.

[wyverna]

I've heard a bit about it.

The main reason I like it is because it's about pyrokinesis.

[blinkonce82]

MYTH Inc Link- Robert Asprin

-Great series, I love the way the author writes
- Sarcastic
- Perfect way to waste time. I always spend at least an hour reading, and I get so far ahead in the book.
- Like Harry Potter, but much more interesting + has more books in the series!

[gilatron5000]

Snakes On A Plane:The Official Novelization

I saw this at Barnes & Noble, and I seriously just had to pick it up. One of those spur of the moment, joke purchases.

But enough about that, lets get to the book. You get a good idea of how the movie is going to be, and it's kind of fun. Except for the LOST-esque flashbacks for every character, including characters that get offed in the first 5 seconds of even SEEING a snake. Seriously. It drags really slowly at that point. But for the most part, it's almost like Airplane!3. It even references the first at one point. It's very self-aware, as the characters think that it's a silly plan, and even the bad guys are like "wtf, SNAKES?!"

Over all, I give it an 8/10.

[May 1984]

Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins

It's a difficult book to sum up but it is basically a fictional story about a romance that takes place in Hawaii/Seattle and along the way it takes a very humorous look at some existential questions that arise throughout the formation and completion of a very odd pairing of people. Think of The Princess Bride, but replace the fantasy elements of that story with philosphical musings by both the characters and the author. Robbins writes with a very unique prose, he randomly goes off on tangents that seem out of place at first but at the end come back to the storyline. It's a witty and warm look at both relationships and life and helps answer some questions, both ridiculous and rational. I'd recommend this odd fairy tale to the hopeless romantic type of people.

9.5/10

[UndertheTELE]

Haunted. Definetly the grossest book i've ever read. In the after word of the book, Chuck said that while on book tour reading the short story "Guts," 73 people fainted. Not a bad book, just a little disturbing.

I'm reading U.S.! A Novel now by Chris Bachelder and it's really good thus far.

[reductiondesign]

My second-favorite Palahniuk book.

[FOBPrettyNPunk]

Many people said they didn't like it, I'll probably give it a go.

[EyesOfMadness]

haha once i read the title i immediately thought of Haunted...when i was reading "Guts" i was sitting on the bus and literally had to put it down and take a breather before i could continue...it's still an absolutely fantastic book

[AShannon04]

I read the book but forgot: what was guts about?

[EyesOfMadness]

the one where the guy gets his lower intestine sucked through the pool filter while he's...ahem...rolling the dice if you know what i mean

[AShannon04]

the one where the guy gets his lower intestine sucked through the pool filter while he's...ahem...rolling the dice if you know what i mean

ahh yes

[xglassjawx]

I was about to buy this the other day.

[EyesOfMadness]

i would recommend it if you like any of chuck's books, like i said its pretty nasty and that isn't the only raunchy story in the collection, but at the same time, there's a great commentary on pop culture flowing through it and the writing style is classic chuck. i'd say its a must read

[xglassjawx]

Tricky, seeing as I've never read any of his stuff before haha.

[EyesOfMadness]

welllll it's a pretty unique style of writing, i'd recommend starting with one of his more accessible books and then go from there...fight club is the obvious choice, but choke and survivor are also both good starting points...i definately wouldn't start with haunted because it might put you off right away

[aheroinmyeyes]

I'd say it was my least favorite Chuck book. Interesting, also, to notice that I wasn't really all that disturbed by the stories and I'm the only girl who has responded who has read it so far. Not saying I was smiling and giggling as I read it or anything, but I think that people go overboard with how disgusting the book is, especially with Guts. I can't imagine actually fainting because of this story.

[EyesOfMadness]

i'm sorry but if the idea of someone's intestines being sucked out through their anus and then that someone chewing off said intestine to save themselves from certain drowning because they were masturbating at the bottom of their family's swimming pool doesn't make you feel a bit nauseous...then there's something wrong with you

[fromwithin]

I love this book and I havent cringed one bit.

[Poultrylicious]

Haunted. Definetly the grossest book i've ever read. In the after word of the book, Chuck said that while on book tour reading the short story "Guts," 73 people fainted. Not a bad book, just a little disturbing.

I'm reading U.S.! A Novel now by Chris Bachelder and it's really good thus far.
i've never read haunted because it got bad reviews, but i like his his style so i might pick this up, maybe...

is chris bachelder anything like chuck?

[Robb]

I liked the short stories, but thought the main story tying them together was weak. It would have been better as a collection of stories, rather than the concept he wound up with.

[IAmNietzche]

Awful book, one of the worst I've had the displeasure of reading. Instead try Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by the dude who wrote Everything is Illuminated. Now that is a good book.

[reductiondesign]

Awful book, one of the worst I've had the displeasure of reading. Instead try Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by the dude who wrote Everything is Illuminated. Now that is a good book.

Strongly disagree, strongly agree.

[IAmNietzche]

Strongly disagree, strongly agree.
I have that effect on people.

[dashboard1190]

I'm going to start that tomorrow.

[aheroinmyeyes]

i'm sorry but if the idea of someone's intestines being sucked out through their anus and then that someone chewing off said intestine to save themselves from certain drowning because they were masturbating at the bottom of their family's swimming pool doesn't make you feel a bit nauseous...then there's something wrong with you

Obviously it isn't the most pleasant topic in the world to read a short story about, but I didn't feel the need to vomit or anything. I think people just build that story up a little too much.

[SePaMc]

i just finished it. it wasn't that it disgusted me. i thought the concept of being "the star" was interesting, but overall just didn't care for the story.

i just read lullaby since then. I read haunted in like 2 months. I read Lullaby in 4-5 days. I know which I liked better.

Survivor > Lullaby > Fight Club > Diary > Choke > Haunted
and fight club only goes in the middle since the ending was known while i was reading it. if i had never seen the movie, it would probably be #1.

I am going to read invisible monsters sometime this summer still too.

[Mercy Medical]

Bumping this, I need some more.

[IAmNietzche]

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

[fire on my lips]

The novel 'High Fidelity' by Nick Hornby is excellent. Even if you have seen the film, the book is quite the different beast.

'31 songs' is another one by Nick Hornby and is also fantastic
Just about anythingby Hornby is damn good.

To go with your (punk walker) avatar, somewhat, "How Soccer Explains the World" by Franklin Foer. It's not the most indepth book, but it's good for a casual soccer fan, and it's full of interesting things. The author IAmNietzche recommened remind me of this book.

Someone else suggested "Less Than Zero" and "American Psycho." I haven't read either of them, but I have read "Laws of Attraction" by the same author (Bret Easton Ellis), and I really liked it. His style of writing is very easy to read.

[boysdontcry17]

I don't really read much and I feel like I should get back into it again. It's hard for me to enjoy reading because I have to be fully engrossed by the book to really enjoy it. It has to be to the point that I can't put the book down and there are few books that I come across that actually have that power on me. The last books I read and thoroughly enjoyed was the Lord of the Rings series. Before that I read a lot of Michael Crichton. I guess I'm into more science fiction/fantasy sort of stuff, but I'll take anything that really keeps me interested honeslty.

So anyone have some good recommendations?

what are you into? sci fi? fantasy? social interest? classics? horror? coming of age? hm? i know a few good ones. i always try to read something

[Bishop]

The Messiah of Morris Avenue by Tony Hendra

[Stereo Mike]

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas.

[xllirikx]

Milan Kundera's Unbearable Lightness of Being
Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead
Yann Martel's Life of Pi
Daniel Quinn's Ishmael

you won't read much better.

[xllirikx]

The Joke by Milan Kundera. To (badly) sum it up, it's a story of a man whose life is basically ruined during Communist Czechoslovakia by a simple joke he wrote on a postcard. It's by the same author as The Unbearable Lightness of Being which was suggested earlier. It's really the only book I've had to read for school that I've enjoyed.

Kundera is amazing in general.

[miltownrob]

peter wentz - the boy with the thorn in his side

[Mercy Medical]

what are you into? sci fi? fantasy? social interest? classics? horror? coming of age? hm? i know a few good ones. i always try to read somethingDid you not read my post at all?

I don't really read much and I feel like I should get back into it again. It's hard for me to enjoy reading because I have to be fully engrossed by the book to really enjoy it. It has to be to the point that I can't put the book down and there are few books that I come across that actually have that power on me. The last books I read and thoroughly enjoyed was the Lord of the Rings series. Before that I read a lot of Michael Crichton. I guess I'm into more science fiction/fantasy sort of stuff, but I'll take anything that really keeps me interested honeslty.

So anyone have some good recommendations?

I just got finished reading Zombie Survival Guide, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Angels & Demons.

[xllirikx]

peter wentz - the boy with the thorn in his side

no, no, no. absolutely no. god, no.

[niveK]

Area of My Expertese by John Hodgman (PC guy on Mac commercials, The Daily Show's resident expert)

http://www.areasofmyexpertise.com/

It is about things he is an expert at, and all made up.

[AShannon04]

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genious by Dave Eggers
Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman

[lilRIPsta]

Invisible Man- by Ralph Ellison. probably the most important book in our country's history. Its about finding ones identity and its just an awesome read.

[veronascurse]

Brett Easton Ellis - American Psycho
Chuck Palahniuk - Survivor

[Mercy Medical]

I went out and bought Ender's Game and The Dante Club today.

Should keep me occupied for a while. Thanks so much for the rec's though. I'm sure I'll get around to reading them eventually.

[dashboard1190]

Don't read Dave Eggers. I hated AHWOSG.

Read Augusten Burroughs, David Sedaris, and (yes, cliche, but) Chuck Palahniuk.

[strawberry12]

A Fine Balance...that was the last book I read...back when I was in grade 11 I think...it was really good but really long

[basementsong]

I just got done reading memoirs of a geisha (arthur golden) - no idea if you've seen the film but whether you have or not, the book is well worth checking out. obvously, it isn't sci-fi etc but I still suggest it.

if you want something really awesome go find a book by a guy named robert rankin. his shit is completely insane and is pretty hilarious if you "get" it. there are a lot of running jokes and silly references in it and a lot of them are all interlinked somehow. again, not quite science fiction but it's pretty strange.

[needles & pins]

The Tender Bar by J.R. Moehringer

I loved this memoir. JR grew up around a bar, with the regulars becoming like a second family (or just family), which I can definitely relate to. My mother's friend opened a bar when I was in elementary school and I was there, cleaning and everything before it opened, so I can understand how a bar and the characters that frequent it can be romanticized. I could also relate to a lot of things going on in his life. The epilogue is bittersweet (and downright sad). I read this book in three nights.

8/10

[Broken Parachute]

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Rating: 9/10

Okay, it's been awhile but I finally got down to reading it. This books is extremely short but when you read it, it'll probably take a lot longer than you expect. I started it 4 days ago, I read the first section (it's in three sections, not chapters). After I was done reading the first section, I had to re-read it to get the gist of it. I read it in three days basically, spreading it out, so I would completely get everything that was being told.

This is the type of book that looks so regular, but honestly is very unique. Ray Bradbury wrote this book in the 1950's, yet its message lingers and applies to life in society today. In the story, you follow the life of Guy Montag, a fireman who's job is to start fires not put them out. His job is to burn books and report those who own them. The story starts off at the pace of a snail. You wonder to yourself if the whole book is going to be like this. It's not, however.

The book really picks up towards the middle and takes off from there. The underlying theme in this book is censorship and those who oppose it, and also that life sometimes moves to quick. Everyone is often doing things hastily and they don't take time to stop and look around to learn something new, perhaps. It's a book about the changing of time, how thing evolve over time and nothing stays the same. There are also many undertones pertaining to the subject of Religion. There are several parts in the novel where a quote from the bible is used or the main character talks about the Book of Job.

Lastly, it's a story of courage and firm belief. The novel shows you that maybe in our world there are people who are willing to stand up and do the right thing for a change. Ray Bradbury wrote this book from a 1950's point-of-view as to what the future looks like, and even in the haunting scenario that he portrays we can find similarities and parallels between the real world and the made up one in the story. I highly recommend this book to those of you who enjoy a great story that teaches a life lesson. This is one of my favorite books and I am glad I read it.

Positives: Many lessons to be learned, there is much similarity between the made up futuristic world and that of the one we live in
Negative: The story moves at a very very quick pace once you get deeper in and you sometimes have to reread pages at a time to understand what is taking place, the book starts out on a slow pace however so many readers might shy away from it

Next Book: Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding

[notoaststereo]

i'm reading haunted. i'm not a huge fan of the format of it, but the characters are starting to gain some development. I just somewhat find myself zoning during the theater sequences and wanting to read the stories.

So far, probably my least fav Palahniuk book (Diary,Survivor,Choke,Fight Club I've read, Lullaby is next) and the stories are extremely fucked up.

i liked lot of stories in Haunted Lullby ws my fvorite.

[xglassjawx]

Forty Words For Sorrow-Giles Blunt

Ok, so this novel is set in really rural, snowy Canada. It is about a group of policemen/policewomen investigating a load of bizzare and twisted murders ie a girl found dead in a huge block of ice in some creepy abonded hut. A few of the murders are really sick and described pretty well though.

Pros

The characters were good
Nice simplistic storyline, but with good sub plots without making it too complex
Great description/imagery

Negs
A bit cliche/generic
It could have been longer
The ending was a bit abrupt

7/10

[Broken Parachute]

Wow, that sounds pretty awesome.

And I'm posting all of my book reviews in my journal from now on. I never use it, so I might as well.

[xglassjawx]

Wow, that sounds pretty awesome.

And I'm posting all of my book reviews in my journal from now on. I never use it, so I might as well.

Oooooooor, we could just keep pimping my thread.

[Broken Parachute]

Oooooooor, we could just keep pimping my thread.
I'm doing both ^_^

[xglassjawx]

Ahhh, sweet. I got another book from the Library yesterday. I think it was called Chill Factor. Either way, it's by Sandra Brown, it seems to be exactly the same as Forty Words For Sorrow hahaha.

[Broken Parachute]

hahaha awesome. I have a couple of books I wanna read. After Joseph Andrews, I'm going to read Timeline by Michael Crichton, then I want to read The Once and Future King by TH White and The Testament by John Grisham.

[xglassjawx]

Atm, I just get them from my Library, seeing as it's free. I just wonder around till I see somthing I like haha.

[Broken Parachute]

hahaha when I run out of books (which is pretty soon) I'll start doing the same. I have a stack of books I never read so I figured I'd go through them.

[xglassjawx]

Do you just buy them all the time then?

[Broken Parachute]

No most of the ones I have are ones that my dad or grandpa had on their shelves and they looked interesting, so I stole them. :D

[xglassjawx]

Haha, classy!

[TheTrooth]

the count of monte cristo - alexandre dumas

awesome book. hard to read because of language but great till the last page

[Shatter590]

the overachievers: the secret lives of driven kids by alexandra robbins

my god, never has a book effected me so profoundly. not that im an overachiever (despite whatever my GPA may say about me), but this book has made me reflect on every decision ive made since high school, starting with my choice of college, and made me trace how it has effected me to this point. it made me laugh, cry, suffer near breakdowns, and come to a better understanding of who i am as a person...and also to further the furious internal debate about whether or not i should have gone away for college (I didnt, and i graduated 2 years ago, and I'm still mulling over this...)

[1moreandimfree]

Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala

I'm about half way through right now and am enjoying it very much.

[seconds]

I'm going to be reading Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero and Vonnegut's Slaughter-house Five.

[1moreandimfree]

Just finished it. Great book.

[justbishop]

I am the biggest Anne Rice fan EVER. Now, I know that not everyone goes in for the vampires and such, but if you're not ready to commit to reading the entire Vampire Chronicles (Interview With The Vampire, etc.), then you should pick up a copy of Tale of the Body Thief. It's #4 in the Vamp Chronicles, but it's written so that anyone can enjoy it, even without reading the previous books. It follows Lestat through the experience of voluntarily switching bodies with a human. It's utterly hilarious, but is very Anne Rice at the same time. Always wonderfully written, sexy, mourful at times, etc.

[xglassjawx]

Chill Factor-Sandra Brown 7.5-10

This novel is set in Cleary, North Carolina during the middle of an outstanding blizzard. At the time, local police are searching for a serial killer. Later on, a woman named Lilly encounters the serial killer and becomes isolated in a hut with him during the blizzard. Here, the serial killer intrigues her and then seduces her. And in another fantastic twist, Lilly is also the recently divorced ex wife of a worker for the police. In the end, it is all revealed in tremendous fashion that the wanted man is in fact not the serial killer and that it's actually a different character in the novel. Great stuff. Poor review though heh :)

Pros:

Brown writes well for such a limited plot ie two people isolated together in a hut
The characters are fantastic
The ending is great

Cons:

Aspects of the story are a little unrealistic

[Broken Parachute]

Timeline by Michael Crichton
Rating: 9/10

I cannot say one really horrible thing about this book. Michael Crichton paints a vivid picture of what the past may look like through the eyes of the present.

The book starts off on a slow start, but about 150 pages in it gets amazingly good. Crichton's story is about a company that aims to try and transport human beings to parallel universe, aka going "back in time." ITC funds a group of history students from Yale to go to France and excavate a site from Middle Ages era France, the times of Knights and Kings.

A discovery is made, not too far through the book. The professor, who runs the site and oversees it all, had gone to visit the ITC company and had not returned. The three main characters, Andre, Kate, and Chris, find a chilling discovery. The professor had gone back in time and had messed up somewhere along the line: he was stuck in the year 1347. The three main characters are transported back to 1347 to try and save the professor where they must survive using only what the people back then used. There's horse riding, fighting, jousting, and more.

It's a truly insightful book that shows us what the past may have been like. Crichton must have taken years to even get a rough draft of this novel. There is a lot of historical detail and action in the book. Crichton is also the writer of The Lost World and Jurassic Park, so what else should we expect? I definitely recommend this book for all lovers of fantasy and history.

Positives: NONSTOP action from about 150 pages in until the very end, never a dull moment
Negative: Hard to get into at first
Next Book: Not sure yet

[xglassjawx]

Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets J K Rowling
Rating: 9/10

Well, this was the second book in JK's her-uuuuuge HP series and a great one at that. The characters are really great, such as Professor Lockhart, it shows the skill of Rowling to create a character so easy to hate. The plot twists including Hagrid and his dark past are also very intriguing. Like most Harry Potter books, I could easily read this in just a couple of days, it's that hard to put down.

Pros: Lots of twists and turns, the action and suspense never stops.
Cons: The plot is quite hard to grasp and follow at times.

[Mitch]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316773549/ref=pd_rvi_gw_1/002-0820591-6743247


I urge you all to buy it. Best book I have ever read. It really hit me for some reason.

[matt_rawlings]

To Kill A Mockingbird
A Heartbreak Work Of Staggering Genius


Those are my two

[Robb]

My first life changing book was Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

[Mitch]

My first life changing book was Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

Omfg, I love you. The other day I was trying to remember what the title of the book with all those crazy stories was.

[whocares930]

Omfg, I love you. The other day I was trying to remember what the title of the book with all those crazy stories was.

awesome book.

remember the floor that didn't exist and the kid who kept pulling the girls igtails?

[Anton Djamoos]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0767923227.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V11 15907485_.jpg

[Mitch]

awesome book.

remember the floor that didn't exist and the kid who kept pulling the girls igtails?

Hahaha oh my god, the memories.

I honestly might buy this or go get it out of the library just for nostalgic purposes.

[laxcrs]

to kill a mockingbird i agree with.it is honestly one of the best books i have ever read

[Robb]

Hahaha oh my god, the memories.

I honestly might buy this or go get it out of the library just for nostalgic purposes.

It's worth it. Granted, when you're older it might not have the same effect, but the stories are still very entertaining. Then you can give it to a little kid and make them happy.

[yourneck]

awesome book.

remember the floor that didn't exist and the kid who kept pulling the girls igtails?

whoa memory rush...wasn't there something with cows?

[fluke182]

No book has ever changed my life, and I find the concept strange too.

[notoaststereo]

My first life changing book was Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

absolutely. i miss that book

[dashboard1190]

A Heartbreaking... is so overrated.

[OveriseFan]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0767923227.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V11 15907485_.jpg

I love Bill Bryson, upsettingly, I haven't picked that up yet. :-( Will soon though...

Have you picked up his newest memoir?

[ascitiesburn101]

Black Like Me, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Aerosmiths autobiography, the LOTR trilogy..
The list goes on and on.

[matt_rawlings]

A Heartbreaking... is so overrated.

I don't see how you can overrate someones personal connection with a book

[OveriseFan]

Black Like Me, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, Aerosmiths autobiography, the LOTR trilogy..
The list goes on and on.

No re-readability...

and I can't figure out whether it was always bad writing and I just couldn't see it, or if I've just found so much better since reading it...

P.S. Harry Potter didn't exactly change my life, but it did for loads of kids.

[Broken Parachute]

My first life changing book was Sideways Stories from Wayside School.

Omfg, I love you. The other day I was trying to remember what the title of the book with all those crazy stories was.
I still own mine. Great books.

[OveriseFan]

A Heartbreaking... is so overrated.

So because it's overrated that means that it didn't affect the person who read it?

Also, maybe you should judge it on it's own merit, rather than everything you hoped it would be.

Not to mention: If you like Perks, you should enjoy Heartbreaking..., if not more so.

[reductiondesign]

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.

Something about it really got to me. Absolutely incredible.

[Robb]

absolutely. i miss that book

http://www.amazon.com/Wayside-School-Boxed-Set-Stranger/dp/0380791714/sr=8-2/qid=1162617862/ref=sr_1_2/002-8961273-1131234?ie=UTF8&s=books

$12 for three books of awesomeness (the only downside is the illustrations are different). Actually, I don't think I ever read "Gets a Little Stranger". Shit, I'm buying this.


And I really don't like Harry Potter. At ALL. But anything that gets kids to read long books is cool with me. Anyone who can encourage kids to do that deserves all the money they make from the book(s). I'm sure that will totally make Rowlings' day, as she wipes her ass with $1,000,000 bills, that the US Mint printed solely for her.

[rogwave]

i thought "the perks of being a wallflower" was terrible. because it didn't ring true at all. the kid was just too naive and pure to be a real person.


but wayside school was the shit

[hailthewarrior]

"Speak" and "Catalyst" by Laurie Halse Anderson were life changing books for me, as well as Tolkien's "The Silmarillion"

I'm not sure why on that last one, but the first two are probably two of the best books I've ever read.

For shear beauty, though not life changing, "Inkheart" and "Inkspell" by Cornelia Funke are staggeringly beautiful.

[kissesneverdie]

Okay, so this is the "Your Favorite Book" thread, put your favorite book, the author, title and maybe a couple sentences describing what you read. I have read many books but I would have to say my favorite is either...

The Poet by Michael Connely
or
Cell by Stephen King.

[lilRIPsta]

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. The book that every american should read. its about finded ones identity and purpose

A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin. really fun medieval/fantasy book where the seasons last for years and years. not too much magic going on

[Alex Djaferis]

the chronicles of narnia - cs lewis (namely: the voyage of the dawn treader, silver chair)


life of pi - yann martel

[Kikskrumme]

the perks of being a wallflower-stephen chbosky
thr3e-ted dekker
der satanarchäolügenialkohöllische wunschpunsch(The Satanarchaeolidealcohellish Notion Potion/The Night of Wishes)-michael ende
momo(The Grey Gentlemen)-michael ende
timm thaler-james krüss
anything chuck palahniuk/terry pratchett/douglas adams (...42 haha)
the donna leon series
harry potter

yes, they're all my favorite haha

[cantnokdahustle]

The Brothers Karamazov- Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Malcolm X and Alex Haley

Collection of Short Stories- Mark Twain

The Sirens of Titan- Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Lolita- Nabokov

[TJ Wells]

The Brothers Karamazov- Fyodor Dostoevsky

Crime and Punishment- Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Malcolm X and Alex Haley

Collection of Short Stories- Mark Twain

The Sirens of Titan- Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Lolita- Nabokov
i just got both crime and punishment and oliver twist and not sure what to start with, so thanks for putting one on here.

kurt vonnegut - cat's cradle
stephen king - salem's lot, the dark tower series
also, pretty much anything by c.s. lewis, namely the narnia series, the great divorce, and mere christianity

[notoaststereo]

extremely loud and incredibly close/everything is illuminated - jonathon safran foer

the shinning/everything's eventual - stephen king

thank you for smoking - christopher buckley

choke/lullaby - chuck palahniuk

the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy - douglas adams

post office - charles bukowski

[kshtoinks12]

Definitely Hitchhikers. Next is probably the lord of the rings trilogy or the golden compass trilogy.

[kshtoinks12]

or HP.

[cantnokdahustle]

or HP.

Lovecraft?

[thejetstolehome]

In Cold Blood--Truman Capote.

[reductiondesign]

I can get it down to five:

Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk
American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis
House Of Leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski
A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

[OveriseFan]

Okay, so this is the "Your Favorite Book" thread, put your favorite book, the author, title and maybe a couple sentences describing what you read. I have read many books but I would have to say my favorite is either...

The Poet by Michael Connely
or
Cell by Stephen King.

Favorite Books
Alternative Press Magazine & Guitar World. (http://www.absolutepunk.net/memberlist.php?do=getall&field12=Alternative+Press+Magazine+ %26amp%3B+Guitar+World.),


...

Really?

My favorite authors are David Eggers, Charles Bukowski, Chuck Palahniuk, J. R. R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. I think.

[OveriseFan]

House Of Leaves - Mark Z. Danielewski


I've heard good things...

What's it about?

[takingbackrufio]

In Cold Blood--Truman Capote.
Excellent choice. For me:

Joseph Heller - Catch-22

[Mike Kraft]

i'm a big fan of Michael Crichton, James Patterson, and John Grisham.

[FOBPrettyNPunk]

i'm a big fan of Michael Crichton.
Same, Timeline might be my favorite book.

[Stupendous_Man]

Same, Timeline might be my favorite book.
Thank you. I absolutely love that book.

[remmiz]

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk.

[catchmealone]

Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller

The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne

[fluke182]

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and Dark Rivers of the Heart or Oddkins by Dean Koontz.

I should read more.

[kshtoinks12]

Lovecraft?
Harry Potter.

[shane hennessey]

hot water music by charles bukowski
cats cradle by kurt vonnegut

im reading candid by voltaire now. its definatley the best of all possible worlds

[Jason Tate]

Catcher in the Rye

[Praetor]

Edit...see next.

[Praetor]

Catcher in the Rye
Word.

Also a fan of Les Miserables (Hugo), Velocity (Koontz), Prey (Crichton), War and Peace (Tolstoy), and others that I'm too tired to name.

[smokey7000]

My favorites are probably:
Monkey Taming - Judith Fathallah
Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
Smashed - Koren Zeilckas
Anne of Green Gables series

[pjc1190]

Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
The Rules of Attraction - Bret Easton Ellis
Lord Vishnu's Love Handles - Will Clarke
The Contortionist's Handbook - Craig Clevenger

probably many more as well

[reductiondesign]

I've heard good things...

What's it about?

It's impossible to describe. Just read it--it's the most insane, unique book I've ever come across.

[reductiondesign]

Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
The Rules of Attraction - Bret Easton Ellis
Lord Vishnu's Love Handles - Will Clarke
The Contortionist's Handbook - Craig Clevenger

probably many more as well

Fantastic.

[GINAfreakish]

things change by Patrick Jones
the wind blows backward by Mary Downing Hahn

these are thee best books i've ever read.

[KidLightning]

letters to a young poet by rainer maria rilke

it's advice for improving your art as well as the way you live and it seriously changed my life.

[hobbes2809]

If i had to choose a top 7:

Lord of the Rings - Tolkien
House of Leaves - Danielewski
Crime and Punishment - Dostoevsky
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Adams
The Stranger - Camus
Slaughterhouse 5 - Vonnegut
The Odyssey - Homer, translated by Fitzgerald


I enjoy a little bit of everything

[hobbes2809]

It's impossible to describe. Just read it--it's the most insane, unique book I've ever come across.

are you excited for his new one?

[Broken Parachute]

Timeline by Michael Crichton

Love the Harry Potter series too, though.

[crazycrazy]

I read too much to really narrow my favorites down by much, but here are a few:

No easy answers: the truth behind death at columbine by brooks brown and rob merritt
Harry potter series-j.k. rowling
and
the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky

[reductiondesign]

are you excited for his new one?

Only Revolutions? It's sitting on my bookshelf to be read as soon as I finish Number9Dream.

[cfear]

The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno
The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Indecision by Bejamin Kunkel
P.S. Your Cat Is Dead by James Kirkwood Jr.
Both Jonathon Safran Foer Novels
and dozens more that I can't remember b/c most of my books are at my dorm, and I am not.

[gilatron5000]

Slaughterhouse V or Catcher In The Rye

Fun reads include The Dresden Files or The Nightside Series

[chokeychicken]

the perks of being a wallflower, def.

and survivor by chuck palahniuk

[MIKEY_HORROR]

The Dirt-the motley crue book

[chokeychicken]

Blue Like Jazz by Don Miller



what a great read

[hobbes2809]

Only Revolutions? It's sitting on my bookshelf to be read as soon as I finish Number9Dream.

Its already out? the one where you read it from both ends to the middle?

I need to buy that asap if so.

[1moreandimfree]

Eggers and Rowling.

[fixatedon1star]

perks of being a wallflower, and Catcher in the Rye.
and harry potter of course

[myplasticyou]

anything by bret easton ellis, daniel quinn, and hunter s. thompson

[Harold Wood]

letters to a young poet by rainer maria rilke

it's advice for improving your art as well as the way you live and it seriously changed my life.

this is probably tied for first with a few others

[YearsGoneBy]

On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
The Stranger by Albert Camus

[KB3RG]

Eragon/Eldest
LOTR
His Dark Materials triology
The Great Gatsby
Left Behind Series

[reductiondesign]

Its already out? the one where you read it from both ends to the middle?

I need to buy that asap if so.

Yeah. It came out in October, haha.

I've yet to read it, though...

[hobbes2809]

Yeah. It came out in October, haha.

I've yet to read it, though...

wow I cant believe im this late about it

time for a trip to the bookstore tomorrow

[kissesneverdie]

Favorite Books
Alternative Press Magazine & Guitar World. (http://www.absolutepunk.net/memberlist.php?do=getall&field12=Alternative+Press+Magazine+ %26amp%3B+Guitar+World.),


...

Really?

My favorite authors are David Eggers, Charles Bukowski, Chuck Palahniuk, J. R. R. Tolkien and J.K. Rowling. I think.


So sue me, I didn't list them.... yet.
I also congratulate Praetor on reading War & Peace, that's a fucking huge book.

[atticus1492]

1984-George Orwell
As I Lay Dying/Light in August-William Faulkner
Slaughterhouse V-Kurt Vonnegut

[Smithers]

4 pages of posts and noone mentions Irvine Welsh? the cockney parts are a pain in the ass to read but Porno and Trainspotting are outstanding.

Also, The Westies is a great non-fiction book about the Irish mob in Hell's Kitchen in the 70s and 80s.

[guitargod000]

I haven't seen a specific thread for reviewing or discussing books on AP.net so I figured i would try to start one. Feel free to talk about your favorite books/authors, books you found to be particularly interesting or thought provoking, books/authors you absolutely hate, or anything else related to literature. Hopefully this catches on.

[slickwataris]

Anyone want to talk about Harold Sakuishi with me??

[EnderDove]

I'm reading Fahrenheit 451 right now, it's great.

[catscradle]

I'm reading Fahrenheit 451 right now, it's great.

read the martian chronicles next. Ray bradbury is nothing short of amazing and i honestly think the martian chronicles is the best book i have ever read and i've read a lot of books throughout my 19 year tenure on this earth. The way that man paints pictures with his words is second to none.

[speakhandsforme]

favorite author = charles bukowski

favorite book = i am legend (by richard matheson)

i'd be more than happy to discuss either

[StandMyBrothers]

hey mods sticky a book thread already...

[preppyak]

favorite author = charles bukowski
Yeah...I've been working on building my collection, I have about 10 collections right now of his poetry, and I haven't even really gotten to his books yet

[cfear]

Everyone should read The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno. It's a fucking great book. Meno also wrote Hairstyles of the Damned which is a great book also.

[mutiny]

Everyone should read The Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno. It's a fucking great book. Meno also wrote Hairstyles of the Damned which is a great book also.

i've never read the first, but i agree, hairstyles of the damned was great.

[dashboard1190]

Hm, i'll list a couple things.

1. I hated A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius. I found it way over-hyped on here and was extremely disappointing. Yes, Eggers is a talented writer, but I cannot focus on writing for 400+ pages, I need a good story.

2. My favorite author is Augusten Burroughs (wrote the memoir that was recently turned into a movie, Running With Scissors). He's a hysterical writer. His memoirs (Running With Scissors, Dry, Possible Side Effects, and Magical Thinking) are all heartfelt and mostly extremely humorous (with the exception of Dry, a story about his time in rehab). His novel, Sellevision, is hysterical. Although some of his stories may be a little far-fetched, he's always an entertaining read.

3. I dislike most British Literature, with the exception of Shakespeare.

4. Right now I'm reading a book called High School Confidential by Jeremy Iverson. It's about Jeremy going undercover as a high school student and showing what high school is really like nowadays. So far it's very interesting and fairly on-point with the depiction of what high school is like to me.

[guitargod000]

I'm reading Fahrenheit 451 right now, it's great.


I read Fahrenheit 451 when I was like 13; I think I was too young to really appreciate it. My AP English teacher has a poster for the book hanging in his classroom, so everyday I'm tempted to pick it up again.

[guitargod000]

Anyone read any of Paulo Coelho's books? His stories are incredibly introspective and thought provoking. He's definitely one of my favs.

[cfear]

Hm, i'll list a couple things.

1. I hated A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius. I found it way over-hyped on here and was extremely disappointing. Yes, Eggers is a talented writer, but I cannot focus on writing for 400+ pages, I need a good story.

2. My favorite author is Augusten Burroughs (wrote the memoir that was recently turned into a movie, Running With Scissors). He's a hysterical writer. His memoirs (Running With Scissors, Dry, Possible Side Effects, and Magical Thinking) are all heartfelt and mostly extremely humorous (with the exception of Dry, a story about his time in rehab). His novel, Sellevision, is hysterical. Although some of his stories may be a little far-fetched, he's always an entertaining read.

3. I dislike most British Literature, with the exception of Shakespeare.

4. Right now I'm reading a book called High School Confidential by Jeremy Iverson. It's about Jeremy going undercover as a high school student and showing what high school is really like nowadays. So far it's very interesting and fairly on-point with the depiction of what high school is like to me.

Read Mark Haddon. One of my favorite British authors. Also, when you say you dislike most British literature, what do you mean? Do you mean classic British literature or everything written that has ever come out of the UK?

[dashboard1190]

Read Mark Haddon. One of my favorite British authors. Also, when you say you dislike most British literature, what do you mean? Do you mean classic British literature or everything written that has ever come out of the UK?

I have one of his books.

Oh, I should have made it more clear, classic British literature (ie. Arthurian legends, Bronte, Austen, etc. whatever we're reading this year in English).

[yourneck]

i just finished 'the dead' by james joyce (part of dubliners) and i feel like crying :-(

[Smash Adams]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1932958096.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

It was really good despite the fact that dylan is really good at answering questions w/o answering them if that makes any sense

[catscradle]

what's Kurt Vonnegut's stuff like? he was on the Daily Show last week and seemed like a really funny and witty guy.

it's pretty much some of the best stuff you could ever read. Start with cat's cradle and work your way through his works from there.


i'm in the middle of reading:
the last days of socrates- Plato
World War Z - Max Brooks

both are pretty good.

I'm digging the Last Days of Socrates a lot, enough so that i might pick up the Republic to read on my own, outside the confines of class, b/c it's some pretty interesting stuff and seems deserving of some quality time.

and World War Z, wow..just wow. This book is way better than i thought it would ever be.

[catscradle]

i just finished 'the dead' by james joyce (part of dubliners) and i feel like crying :-(

dubliners is just sitting in my car. I should make it a point to read this some time bc i really enjoyed Araby and to convey that type of emotion means it must pack a hefty punch.

[kissbangkill]

i just finished reading sarah by jt leroy and memoirs of my melancholy whores by gabriel garcia marquez.

i'm currently reading the fuck up by arthur nersesian and the elephant vanishes by haruki murakami.

after these two i'll move on to magic for beginners by kelly link and something by john updike.

[cassadaga]

requiem for a dream-phenomenal writing style-saw the movie ages ago, just read the book.
now i'm reading Fear and Loathing: on the Campaign Trail '72...hunter has a way with me.

[chokeychicken]

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0876855966.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.gi f

[mizoka]

the five people you meet in heaven, by mitch albom.

now i'm reading 'the five people you meet in hell', by billy frolick (under the name Rich Pablum)

[fallout1819]

Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers. I'm now reading Return of the King.

[yourneck]

dubliners is just sitting in my car. I should make it a point to read this some time bc i really enjoyed Araby and to convey that type of emotion means it must pack a hefty punch.

to be fair, i only read it for class and we only read araby, eveline, and the dead. although i really enjoyed all of those stories. they become much more meaningful once you really dissect the stories

[richter915]

the godfather

[zizou1790]

Ordinary People ... it was decent

[thejetstolehome]

Dispatches by Michael Herr.

http://images_us.seekbooks.com.au/0679735259.gif

[FeynmanWannabe]

so..what's the last book you guys read? i enjoy reading a ton and right now I'm at a loss as to what's out there.

the last book I read was Blindness by Jose Saramago.
Thrice recommended it on their website so it had to be good :)
Haha One of my favorite books ever.

Last book I finished reading was The Memory Keeper's Daughter.

[ESundy36]

"Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want To Know About Fast Food" by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson. It's the follow up to "Fast Food Nation".

[slickwataris]

Emma volume 2

http://www.dccomics.com/media/covers/6335_180x270.jpg

[applesrfun]

All quiet on the Western Front

[dashboard1190]

Jeremy Iversen - High School Confidential - 8/10

[Jessooker]

High Fidelity

[buysoap]

http://www.thompsonian.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/clowngirl.jpg

[BirdsNMyEars]

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

It was good but really pissed me off at the end

[Shatter590]

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/0380817926.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsi tb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

this book blows my mind. takes about a hundred pages to take off, but after that...it flies by.

[CrazyNa7e]

'The Alphabet of Manliness' By Maddox

[Shatter590]

'The Alphabet of Manliness' By Maddox

i loved this book.

[chokeychicken]

i loved this book.

as did i.

[catscradle]

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/0380817926.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsi tb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

this book blows my mind. takes about a hundred pages to take off, but after that...it flies by.

oh man, that book looks crazy.

[hailthewarrior]

crowd of swords by robert jordan

or young goodman brown by hawthorne. its a short story, but it's technically the last thing i read.

[CstSnow]

currently about 3/4 of the way through the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay and its effin good

[slickwataris]

Mushishi volume 1

http://www.mushishi.net/images/cover1.gif

[Smash Adams]

currently about 3/4 of the way through the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay and its effin good
I just finished that a couple of months ago- I really liked it, and I'm kind of excited for the movie

[slickwataris]

Vinland Saga volume 2

http://rds.morning365.net/book_img/book_img036/20060311115226871.jpg

[HeinousPixie]

All the President's Men for my news media class

[sdbrown]

I finally jumped on the Chuck Palahnuik wagon and read Invisible Monsters. I liked the end. I don't love his books though.

[burntheaction]

the new postsecret book, haha. 'secret lives of men & women' it's called.

am currently reading 'titus andronicus' by shakespeare, 'a companion to shakespeare', 'linguistic semantics' annnnnnd 'english phonetics and phonology'. all for uni. woo yay.

i'm actually enjoying all the shakespeare stuff though.

[slickwataris]

Welcome to the NHK volume 2

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1598166794.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

[sdbrown]

the new postsecret book, haha. 'secret lives of men & women' it's called.

am currently reading 'titus andronicus' by shakespeare, 'a companion to shakespeare', 'linguistic semantics' annnnnnd 'english phonetics and phonology'. all for uni. woo yay.

i'm actually enjoying all the shakespeare stuff though.
The most violent play I've ever read. Is it for class or free time?

[cfear]

http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/goldsmith/111/contents.html

It is really, really crazy. The whole books can be accessed through that link, so you should all read it if you like literature. Read the info section first, so that you aren't completely thrown off by chapter one.

[chronomic]

yes i didnt read the info section and chapter one completely threw me off

[someonelikeyou]

any genre. doesn't matter.

personally, i have a couple:

1. the perks of being a wallflower- stephen chboskyhttp://images.barnesandnoble.com/gresources/cleardot.gif (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=the+perks+of+being+ a+wallflower&z=y&cds2Pid=9481#1)

i know it's probably cliche but if you're not open to listening to what people keep saying was amazing, you're not gonna read anything good. (unless you find it yourself)

2. running with scissors- augusten bouroughs

if you didn't see the movie yet, read the book first.

[aircourtneys]

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

or

Aimee by Mary Beth Miller

yeah I dunno I read too much it changes everyday

[avengedtbs]

i like reading 20 different threads about the same topic....

[C.R.U.X]

I have currently started reading Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk and am really enjoying it. Not to be cliche but either The Outsiders or Half Blood Prince.

[AShannon04]

Dave Eggers- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering genious

Fantastic book that I read at the perfect time in my life, which made it even better.

[Bob Payne]

Jonathan Letham-Motherless Brooklyn
Will Christopher Baer-Kiss Me, Judas
Jonathan Safran Foer-Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Nora Dunn- Geek Love

[thejetstolehome]

In Cold Blood Truman Capote
The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien
The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fallen Angels Walter Dean Myers
Dispatches Michael Herr
Slaughter-House Five Kurt Vonnegut
Mother Night Kurt Vonnegut

[Bob Payne]

The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien


one of less than a handful of books that can make me cry.

[thejetstolehome]

one of less than a handful of books that can make me cry.

i'm definitely gonna re-read it over spring break. which part makes you cry?

[notoaststereo]

how we are hungry - dave eggars
extremely loud and incredibly close - jonathon safran foer
lullaby - chuck palahniuk
the shinning - stephen king
high fidelity - nick hornby
thank you for smoking - chris buckley

[ghostyouare]

I hate hate hate fallen angels.

I just read perks of being a wallflower on Sunday. It was enjoyable, but it didn't change my life or anything like that. I think we read The Great Gatsby in English next.

[Carlo Marx]

On The Road (by Jack Kerouac for those of you who live under a rock) is single-handedly responsible for changing my outlook on life. It is, without a doubt, the finest piece of American literature ever penned. This book is absolutely essential reading for growing up in America.

[someonelikeyou]

how we are hungry - dave eggars
extremely loud and incredibly close - jonathon safran foer
lullaby - chuck palahniuk
the shinning - stephen king
high fidelity - nick hornby
thank you for smoking - chris buckley


i really wanna read "thank you for smoking".

[notoaststereo]

i really wanna read "thank you for smoking".

way better/differnt than the movie

[JustAnotherPoet]

cats craddle-kurt vonnegut
for whom the bell tolls - ernest hemmingway
the catcher in the rye - j.d. salinger
the outsiders
animal farm - george orwell
a tale of two cities - charles dickens

...the get fuzzy, calvin and hobbes and bone series are all good too...

[dboard789]

1 - Crank
2 - Go Ask Alice
omg amazing books!

[TMartin442]

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk

[someonelikeyou]

i read "crank". that book was craaazy.

[lilRIPsta]

In Cold Blood Truman Capote
The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien
The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fallen Angels Walter Dean Myers
Dispatches Michael Herr
Slaughter-House Five Kurt Vonnegut
Mother Night Kurt Vonnegut


Fallen Angels is def one of my favorite books.

[lilRIPsta]

the whole A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. if u like anything fantasy at all u have to read it

Fallen Angels - Walter Dean Myers

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison. most important book you will ever read.

The Alchemist- Paolo Coehlo

[C.R.U.X]

the whole A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. if u like anything fantasy at all u have to read it

Fallen Angels - Walter Dean Myers

Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison. most important book you will ever read.

The Alchemist- Paolo Coehlo

I never managed to get all the way through the alchemist, i just kept getting bored, even though i thought it was good. Maybe once i finish Lullaby i will have another go.

[C.R.U.X]

1 - Crank
2 - Go Ask Alice
omg amazing books!

Whats Crank about?

[Anton Djamoos]

As I Lay Dying and Light in August by William Faulkner
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

There are so many more but I'm drawing a blank right now. A lot of classic literature.

[matt_rawlings]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0330484559.02._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' by Dave Eggers



http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0099437880.02._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'Platform' by Michel Houellebecq


http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0006514820.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'Man and Wife' by Tony Parsons


http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0140295569.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'High Fidelity' by Nick Hornby (closely follwed by '31 Songs')

[I am all talk]

On The Road (by Jack Kerouac for those of you who live under a rock) is single-handedly responsible for changing my outlook on life. It is, without a doubt, the finest piece of American literature ever penned. This book is absolutely essential reading for growing up in America.
Dharma Bums is better.

[matt_rawlings]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0099437961.02._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'Lullaby' by Chuck Palahniuk

[FOBPrettyNPunk]

Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk
Timeline - Michael Crichton
A Home at The End of The World - Michael Cunningham

[notoaststereo]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0330484559.02._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' by Dave Eggers





http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0140295569.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'High Fidelity' by Nick Hornby (closely follwed by '31 Songs')

im reading How We Are Hungry by Dave Eggars.

and High Fidelity is a fantastic book.

[notoaststereo]

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0099437961.02._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jp g

'Lullaby' by Chuck Palahniuk

the cover you have is way cooler than the cover i have

[AEast317]

the great gatsby - fitzgerald
the perks of being a wallflower - stephen chbosky
watchmen - alan moore
v for vendetta - alan moore
pride of baghdad - brian k. vaughn

[matt_rawlings]

the cover you have is way cooler than the cover i have

That isn't even the cover I have, it was just the first one I found on amazon for it.

My cover is even more badass;

http://a0.vox.com/6a00c22520a529604a00c225219a788e1d-500pi