The Book Thread

[Will Browne]

Anyone read "The Kite Runner"

Yes it's a very moving book, gripping, but at times painful to read because of the seriousness of the subject matter Hosseini is dealing with.

 

[Chewie]

Was more of a Roald Dahl fan myself. Matilda ftw!

I read both. Used to read so much when I was young

 

[King Cricket]

Just started reading '1984'. Very engrossing indeed. Actually, I plan to read a series of novels in the summer holidays which will commence from May. Have a lot of names in my mind- 'To Kill a Mockingbird', 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', 'Jane Eyre'- hoping to finish them all by the time school reopens.

I used to read so much Enid Blyton when I was younger

Same here. I still flick through the pages of Famous Five or Secret Seven when I get time. The magic of Blyton's books will never fade

 

[Chewie]

Just started reading '1984'. Very engrossing indeed. Actually, I plan to read a series of novels in the summer holidays which will commence from May. Have a lot of names in my mind- 'To Kill a Mockingbird', 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', 'Jane Eyre'- hoping to finish them all by the time school reopens.



Same here. I still flick through the pages of Famous Five or Secret Seven when I get time. The magic of Blyton's books will never fade

I just finished 1984, a great book. I want to start reading some more of the 'classics', previously the only ones I've read have been for school.

 

[Varun]

Am currently reading Oliver Twist. The beginning is intriguing, just like other Dickensian novels, but it's different from others I've read in the sense that it's based on the industrial revolution in England.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

I just finished 1984, a great book. I want to start reading some more of the 'classics', previously the only ones I've read have been for school.

crime and punishment.

do it.

 

[Chewie]

ok I'll look at starting that these holidays

 

[6ry4nj]

I've read 'Crime and Punishment' and I didn't really think it was worth the effort. I haven't read 'The Idiot' or 'Brothers Karamazov' but I would recommend them as better intros to Dostoevsky in that they are probably easier reads. The 19th century Russian novel I have read and recommend is Dead Souls by Gogol.

My other 19th century recommendations (that I've actually read) are:
Pride and Prejudice
Silas Marner, by George Eliot
Christmas Carol; and
Frankenstein

My 20th century 'classic' recommendations are:
The Trial, by Kafka
The Glass Bead Game (Das Glasperlenspiel), by Hermann Hesse
Murphy, by Samuel Beckett
Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut

And for a classic scare, Bram Stoker's Dracula...

 

[pcfan123]

Finished "I, Claudius" by Graves as per Colin's recommendation. Easily one of the best works of Historical fiction I've read after Exodus and Grapes of Wrath.

Currently reading "Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic" to sort of balance out and identify the exaggerations and fabrications in I, Claudius.

 

[Papa_Smurf]

At the lack of Jeffery Archer fans on this forum.

 

[King Cricket]

Finished '1984'. Must say that Orwell is a genius. It was my first foray into the world of social science-fiction and I'm thoroughly impressed and enthralled.

BTW, those of you who've read the book, among the minor characters, who, in your opinion, was the most enigmatic? I was quite intrigued with the Parsons. The dreams during which Mr Parsons castigated Big Brother, and the doleful yet smiling face with which he called up how his daughter had denounced him to the Thought Police for his offence are things that convulse your inner self.

I kept on thinking throughout the novel that Parsons was just one of the many orthodox conformers who were gullible enough to be brainwashed by the Party propagandists, and when I read those lines first, it left me bereft of speech for a moment.

The last chapters, that deal with the barbaric torture of Winston and his eventual tragic surrender to totalitarianism, bring you close to tears.

 

[Near]

19 years in age but still can't leave the detective novels of Franklin Dixon - Hardy Boys .

Same here....love the Hardy Boys

Anyone read the Percy Jackson Series?

 

[pcfan123]

@ KC

check out Brave New World if you like the dystopia/big brother type of books

 

[ste_mc_efc]

@ KC

check out Brave New World if you like the dystopia/big brother type of books

yup

and island by the same author

 

[King Cricket]

@ KC

check out Brave New World if you like the dystopia/big brother type of books

'Brave New World' and 'Fahrenheit 451' are on my radar. I'll give them a try after I finish 'To Kill a Mockingbird' which I plan to read next.

I've read 'Crime and Punishment' and I didn't really think it was worth the effort. I haven't read 'The Idiot' or 'Brothers Karamazov' but I would recommend them as better intros to Dostoevsky in that they are probably easier reads. The 19th century Russian novel I have read and recommend is Dead Souls by Gogol.

My other 19th century recommendations (that I've actually read) are:
Pride and Prejudice
Silas Marner, by George Eliot
Christmas Carol; and
Frankenstein

My 20th century 'classic' recommendations are:
The Trial, by Kafka
The Glass Bead Game (Das Glasperlenspiel), by Hermann Hesse
Murphy, by Samuel Beckett
Slaughterhouse Five, by Kurt Vonnegut

And for a classic scare, Bram Stoker's Dracula...

'Frankenstein' is a great read if one gets hang of its iridescent themes. Sadly, not many of my friends, whom I recommended the book to, found it too interesting.