Must-Read Novels?

Mars wrote:

The bartimaeus Trilogy is very good, and kid friendly.

That series is a 1-in-100 kind of book when it comes to character-building and character development. A true 3-parter, where the middle part is the downer and the ending novel is the redemption. I highly recommend it... for teenagers and preteens. :)

I agree. There isn't a better book to pop in and drive across a couple states too, for family approved material.

Thought of another.



The Traveler series, by John Twelve Hawks is pretty good.



It is like the Jason Bourne series, meets the Matrix.

I don't know how much of "novels" they are, since they are both supposedly biographical, but questionable as to accuracy, but two of my favorites are The Tracker by Tom Brown and Into the Wild by Krakauer.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place - The Aron Ralston Story is great as well. He's the guy who cut off his own arm and turned into the James Franco movie 127 Hours.

Not sure if this got mentioned yet, but The Help was a great movie and my wife tells me is an even better book.

CAFB_04-12 wrote:
Not sure if this got mentioned yet, but The Help was a great movie and my wife tells me is an even better book.

This is TIC, right?



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One of the great WWII biographies, "We Die Alone."



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Finished wwz last night. Parts were great but I was disappointed with a couple of things. The authors complete disregard for the economics of the conflict. A free market economy would always be superior in that sort of situation. Then there is the general problem with all the zombie books - why not use some robots?



The Passage by Justin Cronin was much better.



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tww wrote:

Not sure if this got mentioned yet, but The Help was a great movie and my wife tells me is an even better book.

This is TIC, right?



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No, but if it's not your thing, then that's fine.

CAFB_04-12 wrote:

CAFB_04-12 wrote:
Not sure if this got mentioned yet, but The Help was a great movie and my wife tells me is an even better book.

This is TIC, right?



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No, but if it's not your thing, then that's fine.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I just didn't think you were serious. Maybe you could enlighten me. Haven't seen the movie or read the book. Everything I have seen just looked kinda girly/Oprah/hollywood/liberal.

The Help is actually a very good novel, more about civil rights in the 1960's than women's lib or Oprah.

I suppose its a bit Oprah-esque, but it's more about the 1960s civil rights movement in Mississippi told from the view of black maids who do everything from cooking to raising white babies for rich white folk.



Like I said, I didn't read the book...just saw the movie, but I thought it was good.



To restore the validity of my man card I started WWZ today. :)



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If you're looking for a good 1960's civil rights read, try "Black Like Me"

Fantasy: Agree with Jordan, but going to also add Terry Brooks. I really loved the Shannarra book back in HS

Influential: The Jungle, Of Mice and Men, Grapes of Wrath, 1984

History: 1776 sure, but an even better read is "Killer Angels" on Gettysburg. One of the best books I've read.

Religious: Narnia series. Very well-written and you simply can't go wrong with C.S. Lewis.

most Depressing: Knight of the Black Rose.

Science Fiction: I've read almost everything by Orson Scott Card. Truly a remarkable writer. Ender series was magical, but the Shadow continuations were tiresome for me. Did you know he wrote a sci-fi Book of mormon series? "memory of earth" series.

Best Ending: Pastwatch by Orson Scott Card

Best Movie, worst Book award: Charlie. Worst writing I've ever seen in a published piece of literature. Truly awful. movie was moving and sad and remarkably unlike the book.

Worst movie, Great book award Eragon. What a great book! I'm still waiting for them to make something other than the steaming pile of horse poo that bore the name.

great books, great movie award LOTR. Bravo Peter, now can you NOT split the hobbit into two unnecessarily long movies? PLEASE

Paradigm shifting: How to win friends and Influence People. it's more a manual than a novel. It should be reread once per year by everyone.

Thought provoking: Anything by Malcolm Gladwell. I've loved all his stuff even if it is a little bit Junk science. Tipping Point was amazing.

Book I hated and will never read again: The Color Purple.

tmoney35 wrote:
Catch 22

This, like Catcher in the Rye, goes on my "why is this a classic" list?



I didn't identify with it, laugh at it, or get anything out of it.



Not to say others can't, but why the adventures of Major Major Major Major are relevant to me...i can't say.

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites

CougarClaw wrote:

Catch 22

This, like Catcher in the Rye, goes on my "why is this a classic" list?



I didn't identify with it, laugh at it, or get anything out of it.



Not to say others can't, but why the adventures of Major Major Major Major are relevant to me...i can't say.

to each his own I guess. I just couldn't get enough of the dry, quick witted, sarcastic humor.

I also wondered why Catcher in the Rye was a classic, I really had trouble connecting to it as well.



I just finished reading The Book Thief and it's a great Holocaust book, I definitely recommend it.

Catcher in the Rye was just a dumb book.



Man's Search for Meaning is very good too.

SpiffCoug wrote:
Catcher in the Rye was just a dumb book.



Man's Search for Meaning is very good too.

Man's Search for Meaning is one of those books that should be on everyone's must read list, not for litature's sake but for perspective's sake.