The Reading Recommendations Thread (4 Viewers)

[Tulipa]

As I've read a number of good books lately that I'd love to share, I thought I'd create this thread where others can post their own recommendations. This isn't necessarily a review thread so much as an area to post books that are (in your opinion) must reads.

A rough template:

Title:
Author:
Genre:
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc):
Why You Should Read It:

I'll start with:

Title: The Hunter
Author: Julia Leigh
Genre:"Quest Fiction"
Medium: Fiction/Novel
Why You Should Read It: Not only is it a vivid narrative but it's got this great Heart of Darkness feel to the plot and the characters. Not so much the idea of the journey but the insular feelings of the main character. It's premise is that it's the search for the last Tasmanian Tiger but really it's an amazing story about getting back to basics (in a nutshell). Hard to get a hold of but well worth it.


[NB: Feel free to post about classics but I think most of us are looking for relatively unknown but interesting reads]

 

[Tiffanys]

Title: Lord of the Flies
Author:William Golding
Genre:...classic?
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc):novel
Why You Should Read It: It's a classic so you have to.
Oh and it's dark and compelling.

 

[salco]

Title: Sundowners... & Saffron Skies
Author: Lesley Lokko
Genre: kind of romancy historyish... but not
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc): fiction
Why You Should Read It: coz its beautiful! ... they r really good books ... and they hav like historical bits... like mandella... in it and and... tis just splendid


... that and Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Montgomery..... they are the besterest books
..... and Bookends by Jane Green... i think


lol i feel likes a nerd ..... quite possibly coz ... i am

 

[Kujah]

Title: Power of One
Author: Bryce Courtenay
Genre:Bildungsroman, popular sports fiction, adventure novel
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc): Fiction/Novel
Why You Should Read It: It's a great and inspiring story that looks at South Africa through the eyes of a growing child. Fantastic book!

 

[Artemis.]

Title: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
Author: Agatha Christie
Genre: Detective Fiction
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc): Fiction
Why You Should Read It: Well anything by Christie is great, but this one is a classic, especially the twist at the end. She's a great author and her plots are just so fantastic and well worked out.

 

[beentherdunthat]

Title: Lord of the Flies
Author:William Golding
Genre:...classic?
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc):novel
Why You Should Read It: It's a classic so you have to.
Oh and it's dark and compelling.

We do this as a supplementary text in Powerplay. And though it sits right in my room, on my bookshelf, I CAN'T seem to get my head around it... Is iT REALLY that good? COz then I'll take the chance

Title: The Obernewtyn Chronicles
Author: Isobelle Carmody
Genre:... Fantasy/Adventure/Romance
Medium: Chronicles/Novel
Why You Should Read it: Personally, I've read it twice. And Seriously, the chronicles are hectic. Check out www.obernewtyn.net - There's all sites about it all over the net. The main characters are about our age-- going from 16-25 and so on, it's really engaging. They all have some kind of 'misfit' ability. Isobelle hasn't finished writing the chronicles, there's two more!!! Ones coming out soon. Can't wait!!!

 

[KFunk]

Title: Godel, Escher, Bach
Author: Douglas Hofstadter
Genre: Hard to classify. It mixes ideas from neuroscience, philosophy, logic, art, computing, music, physics, linguistics... and so on. The writing alternates between chapters about general concepts and dialogues (generally between Achilles and a Tortoise) which preceed each chapters and take the structure of a musical work by bach (e.g. a fugue), giving a taste of the ideas to come.
Medium: Creative/speculative non-fiction.
Why you should read it: GEB is one of the single most interesting/intriguing books I have ever read. It explores a vast array of different ideas (as indicated above) in a playful but engaging way. The central question which guides the book is "What is a self, and how can a self come out of inanimate matter?" Anyone who is interested in these questions, or has interests in some of the aforementioned areas, or who simply enjoys a mental challenge will probably get a lot out of this book. I should note, however, that the book has some tough ideas in it but that those I know who have read it have found it very rewarding. Edit: On a further note of trivia, this book won a Pulitzer Prize.

 

[dallaclas]

Title: The lottery
Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Historical? (not sure if its nf or f)
Why you should read it: It's an interesting story, not something you read about often, but sort of similar. It's a small american (i think) settlement, where over population is an issue: enter The lottery.

 

[Tulipa]

Title: The lottery
Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Historical? (not sure if its nf or f)
Why you should read it: It's an interesting story, not something you read about often, but sort of similar. It's a small american (i think) settlement, where over population is an issue: enter The lottery.

That's a short story, which is fine, I'm just wondering if there is a collection of her short stories out there or was this from an anthology?

 

[jhakka]

Title: Catch 22
Author: Joseph Heller
Genre: Postwar fiction?
Why you should read it: This is probably one of the funniest books I've ever read, and if you can wade through the repetition, the lack of coherent timeline, etc, it's very worthwhile.

 

[m0ofin]

Title: The Moonlight Chronicles
Author: Dan Price
Genre: Travel narrative/ Art journal
Medium: Non-fiction
Why You Should Read It: It is a (neatly) handwritten book that details the travels of a man and his family. His colourful and often whimsical drawings reveal an appreciation for the simple aspects of daily life and one that is detached from the shackles of consumerism. It's a bit of a rarity, odd and quirky, which adds to its appeal.

 

[sirfeathers]

Title:Midnight's Children
Author:Salman Rushdie
Genre:Postcolonialism/magic realism/ Indian fiction
Medium:Bildungsroman
Why you should read it:Great evocative descriptions of the chaotic personality of India and it's people, I really wanted to go to India when I finished it. Also it won the Booker of the Bookers a few years ago.

 

[WhirledPeas]

Title: My Sister's Keeper
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Hard to classify...
Medium: Fiction
Why You Should Read It: This story is absolutely amazing! The ending is completely unexpected and i promise you, it will bring tears to your eyes. Jodi Picoult is a fabulous author and all her books are terrific though My Sister's Keeper has to be the best.. it is the sweetest story and all girls will fall in love with it!

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Title: Catch 22
Author: Joseph Heller
Genre: Postwar fiction?
Why you should read it: This is probably one of the funniest books I've ever read, and if you can wade through the repetition, the lack of coherent timeline, etc, it's very worthwhile.

I've only ever read a couple of decent books. This is one of them.

 

[MathsIsWeird]

Title: Tales of the Otori (there are now 5 books in the series i believe)
Author: Lian hearn
Genre: non-fiction
Medium (fiction, non-fiction, novel, novella, poetry, biography etc):
Why You Should Read It: The Tales of the Otori has alot of sections which would be of interest to both Men and Woman (if you want to know more message me)

http://www.theotori.com/Bookfour/

 

[stirred-martini]

title: Seven Ancient Wonders
author: Matthew Reilly
Genre: action triller historical
medium: fiction
why you should read it: i have recommended many matthew reilly book to people. those people got hook. reilly writing is fasting moving and highly motiving. reilly writies about seven ancient wonders and their secret. one man and this small team of nation battling it out with the giant known as 'the almightly American' and the 'old european countries'. it's the mice against a lion. one thing, i didnt read books before i read reilly first book 'ice station' unless i was force too.

 

[cuppas]

title: fear and loathing in las vegas
author: hunter s thompson
genre: gonzo journalism (his term, i honestly dont know)
medium: fiction? again, wouldnt know
why you should read it: its even better than the movie

 

[adreeannuh]

Title: Catcher in the Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Genre: Fiction
Why you should read it: Because. The character digresses and digression keeps you interested.

 

[aeiss]

Title: House of Leaves
Author: Mark Z. Danielewski
Genre: Horror
Why? It will change your life. I guarantee it. It's a very super awesome read, will leave you satisfied. And then there's the online community, and further stuff to enhance your experience, so to speak.

http://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-...204572-6591829?ie=UTF8&qid=1194433407&sr=11-1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_leaves

From wiki:

The format and structure of the novel is unconventional, with unusual page layout and style typical of ergodic literature. It contains copious footnotes, many of which contain footnotes themselves, and some of which reference books that do not exist. Some pages contain only a few words or lines of text, arranged in strange ways to mirror the events in the story, often creating (paradoxically) both an agoraphobic and a claustrophobic effect. The novel is also distinctive for its multiple narrators, who interact with each other throughout the story in disorienting and elaborate ways.

 

[angeee]

Title: The Ill-made Mute + the rest of the Bitterbynde trilogy
Author: Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Genre: Fantasy
Why? I admit that the first half of the first book was kind of boring (so skim that if you must), but the rest of the 2.5 books in the series is unbelievable. Dart-Thornton weaves her magic and you will absolutely love it. The ending may be a surprise (well for me) but its just superb.