'Amazing' books..

[corzzx]

I'm looking for suggestions. I want to read something that you would describe as 'amazing'.
I recently read A Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde and I truly thought it was incredible. I can't describe why but there was something about the way it was written that I loved so much. Similarly, I love books such as The Time Travellers Wife, 1984, Great Expectations.. Books that just have that something special about them.


Soo any recommendations? Thanks in advance

[daringone]

Have you read "The Kite Runner"? Its a great read.

[Emoore]

Have you read The Mists of Avalon?

[SearMeCarefully]

I can't wait for The Time Travalers Wife to come out (the movie..if it ever does..)
I love all those books - except Wilde's, I've yet to read that.
I would suggest:
Jane Eyre
I Know This Much Is True
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Memoirs of a Geisha
My Name is Asher Lev
The Crystal Cave (maybe? it's written really well, it's the story of Merlin - some don't like that kind of stuff though)

Those are some of my favourites that I think, based off what you listed, you may enjoy =]
They're all quite different kinds of stories/cultures as well so hopefully one of them will perk an interest
..perk.. Perks of Being a Wallflower. It's a young adult but so so good lol ahem - Yea books

[sif]

The Great Gatsby
Middlesex

both great reads tbh

[pacificgrl]

Classics:
To Kill a Mocking Bird
Catcher in the Rye
Madame Bovary
Anna Karinina
Farenheit 451
Great Gatsby
The Sound and Fury

Contemporary:
Virgin Suicides
The Corrections
The Bluest Eye, Beloved, or another Toni Morrison novel
She's Come Undone
Love in the Time of Cholera
The Book Thief
Memory Keepers Daughter
Poisonwood Bible
Heartbreaking Work of a Staggering Genius
Bel Canto

[SearMeCarefully]

Oh yeah I think you'd like Farenheit 451 its very 1984ish lol
The Sound and Fury is good as well but it can be tough to get used to

[dunkonu9]

Anything your looking for in a book.

Romance
Great literature
Thriller
Classic

Or just a book you could not put down?

[pacificgrl]

Originally Posted by SearMeCarefully

Oh yeah I think you'd like Farenheit 451 its very 1984ish lol
The Sound and Fury is good as well but it can be tough to get used to

Totally agree.

P.S. I know this much is true is amazing!! He released another book in Jan or so. Have you read She's Come Undone?

[Deborah_Lyn]

I just read this Monday. I got it hard back copy & cheap ($5.49) at the book store:

http://www.amazon.com/Mistress-Art-D...5568224&sr=1-1

The Washington Post has a summary at the link about the book.

Chaucer meets Patrica Cronwell!

[corzzx]

Thanks for all the replies.
Some suggestions that I have heard a few times before, so I think I may be looking in to some of these.

Has anybody read A Catcher in the Rye? What is that like? I've always been interested in seeing what the fuss is about it.

Anything your looking for in a book.

Romance
Great literature
Thriller
Classic

Or just a book you could not put down?

Not too fussed on thriller or romance. The only 'thriller', if it would be classed as a thriller, that I enjoyed was 'Small Sacrifices' which was very good but too complex and quite drawn out, which I find most thrillers to be.

I can't wait for The Time Travalers Wife to come out (the movie..if it ever does..)

Nooo I disagree! I'm afraid that it will ruin such an amazing book buy turning it into a silly 'Notebook' kind of thing. I've seen who's in it, and stills from behind the scenes, and I think it's going to be a bit of a let down. I don't see how it could possibly reflect the emotions that are given over in the book. And the stars are completely wrong, they don't look anything like I imagined Henry and Claire to be.

[corzzx]

Originally Posted by daringone

Have you read "The Kite Runner"? Its a great read.

I keep hearing this a lot. It's sad I'm guessing?

[AmandaFit]

"The book of Negros" Amazing..

"Bookends" Amazing again I just finished it.

Hope this helps

[SearMeCarefully]

Originally Posted by pacificgrl

Totally agree.

P.S. I know this much is true is amazing!! He released another book in Jan or so. Have you read She's Come Undone?

I have read that but it's been so long I need to reread it. I remember really liking it though. I haven't read his newest yet..

Originally Posted by corzzx

Thanks for all the replies.
Some suggestions that I have heard a few times before, so I think I may be looking in to some of these.

Has anybody read A Catcher in the Rye? What is that like? I've always been interested in seeing what the fuss is about it.


Nooo I disagree! I'm afraid that it will ruin such an amazing book buy turning it into a silly 'Notebook' kind of thing. I've seen who's in it, and stills from behind the scenes, and I think it's going to be a bit of a let down. I don't see how it could possibly reflect the emotions that are given over in the book. And the stars are completely wrong, they don't look anything like I imagined Henry and Claire to be.

Lol I know what you mean, it will, of course be a disappointment compared to the book but it will still be fun to see. I don't think it could ever ruin the book itself though, I've read it too many times for the movie to influence future readings lol

I read the Catcher in the Rye and really didn't see anything that special about it. I of course read it after hearing how "good" it was so maybe I was expecting it to really be amazing..? I was highly disappointed and didn't even buy it or read it ever again - however tastes change over time and it has been quite some time.. lol

[Chrinealine]

hands down Ender's Game is one of my favorite books, ever. and I'm a very picky reader.

i read Catcher in the rye when I was in hs, kinda related to it, could relate to being angsty especially in adolescent years. other than that it's mostly quotable.

[ahez1991]

Im currently reading "my sister's keeper" its definatly not something you read to go to bed on, but it definatly makes you think
im enjoying it immensely

[SearMeCarefully]

Originally Posted by Chrinealine

hands down Ender's Game is one of my favorite books, ever. and I'm a very picky reader.

i read Catcher in the rye when I was in hs, kinda related to it, could relate to being angsty especially in adolescent years. other than that it's mostly quotable.

I love Ender's Game as well. I read it about once a year (since jr high lol) Most that hate science fiction, or reading in general tend to really like this book. It is an awesome read

Originally Posted by ahez1991

Im currently reading "my sister's keeper" its definatly not something you read to go to bed on, but it definatly makes you think
im enjoying it immensely

I loved this book as well - totally awesome and would second the recommendation

Yea books, I love reading

[Hishiad]

*subbed great thread idea!*

Hrm...


Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore (conetemporary vampire romanceish)


Neil Gaiman any and all baby!
Ranked:
1. American Gods
2a. Neverwhere
2b. Stardust
4. Anasasi Boys


The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (book blew my mind)


Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger


Observatory Mansions by Edward Carey


The Keep by F. Paul Wilson (quite possibly my favorite all time horror/suspense type book could not put this down)


In Cold Blood by Truman Capote (his style of writing is like no other)

[Dwnshft]

I just finished reading The Alchemist. Great great book. I highly recommend it!

[BeefyMcNasty]

Mother Night and Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut (Anything by Vonnegut is great in my opinion).

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller


And others have said The Road and Farenheit 451, both are excellent.

[punchdance]

My two favorite books are Catcher in the Rye by Sallinger and Mao II by DeLillo. Mao II is really complex and thought provoking. If you want a book that will really make you think and affect you, you have to read it. Either book will do that for you, actually.

[besel]

John Steinbeck "The Grapes of Wrath"
Joseph Conrad "Heart of Darkness"
William Burroughs "Junkie"
Patrick White "The Solid Mandala"
Jose Saramago "The Double"
Mark Twain "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
Haruki Murakami "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle"
Margaret Atwood "The Handmaid's Tale"

[Hishiad]

Originally Posted by besel

John Steinbeck "The Grapes of Wrath"
Joseph Conrad "Heart of Darkness"
William Burroughs "Junkie"
Patrick White "The Solid Mandala"
Jose Saramago "The Double"
Mark Twain "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
Haruki Murakami "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle"
Margaret Atwood "The Handmaid's Tale"

I heard Atwood's Blind Assassin was good too.

[corzzx]

Originally Posted by besel

John Steinbeck "The Grapes of Wrath"
Joseph Conrad "Heart of Darkness"
William Burroughs "Junkie"
Patrick White "The Solid Mandala"
Jose Saramago "The Double"
Mark Twain "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
Haruki Murakami "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle"
Margaret Atwood "The Handmaid's Tale"

Currently 3/4 the way through the Handmaid's Tale, and have to write an essay about it for my English lang/lit coursework

[norinicole]

Originally Posted by AmandaFit

"The book of Negros" Amazing..

I'm reading this right now, and I cannot put it down!!

Some of my favourites:

Hidden - Victoria Lustbader
Memoirs of a Geisha
Sevenwaters series - Juliet Marillier
Nigger - Dick Gregory

[Hishiad]

Originally Posted by norinicole

Memoirs of a Geisha

There's a local bookstore where I live with signed copies of this for sale :P

[besel]

Originally Posted by corzzx

Currently 3/4 the way through the Handmaid's Tale, and have to write an essay about it for my English lang/lit coursework

I am not surprised, a highly regarded author crossing over to a si-fi genre to write a superb futuristic vision of a dystopian society based of past social norms, a critique on fundamentalism as well as a fantastic read.

Considering most nerds believe women can't write si-fi, the writing of the book is a statement in itself. I loved it.

[SunnyAZGrl]

Catcher in the Rye is definitely one of my favorites. Recently, I've also read "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton which gives you an interesting perspective on global warming. Another favorite is "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig and "Gone Baby Gone" by Dennis Lehane. I also recommend anything by Ken Follett, my favorite being "Code to Zero."

I have a tendency to enjoy historical political fiction, but I also quite like the classics, such as Huckleberry Finn, Catcher in the Rye and the Great Gatsby.

If you like 1984-ish books, I believe it's "Brave New World" that is somewhat similar. I haven't read it since high school though.

[corzzx]

I seriously urge you all to read A Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde! Honestly, best ever, ever, ever.

[MuscleSouth]

Right now I'm reading "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck.