Book Recommendations

[Celesta]

To Kill a Mocking Bird has nothing to do with the civil war, and you're the only person I've heard describe it as trite. Good grief!

[plang]

Sorry all, 'To Kill a Mocking Bird ' for me, was trite.

jbarntt, so you wave the Confederate flag still. North and South divided?
Maybe take a look at world history and expand your thinking somewhat.

[c.d.]

I recently read "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, and couldn't put it down. If you've never read it, give it a shot. Fiction doesn't get much better, IMHO. Easily available new and used.

A couple of good sci-fi/horror mixup novels are Jack Williamson's "Darker than You Think", and Fritz Leiber's "Conjure Wife", both from the mid 1940's. Both still pack a real wallop today.

For a non-fiction book, consider Walter Russell Mead's "Special Providence", a book about American foreign policy from 1789 to 2002, when published. Very readable and Mead is an expert on the subject.


Yes, I have read to "Kill a Mockingbird". It is usually on high school reading lists. It is a classic, no doubt about it.

I will check out your other recommendations. Thanks.

By the way, here is an interesting bit of trivia...the young actor that played Boo Radley is the now famous actor Robert Duvall.

c.d.

[Celesta]

Hi c.d,



I recently read "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, and couldn't put it down. If you've never read it, give it a shot. Fiction doesn't get much better, IMHO. Easily available new and used.

A couple of good sci-fi/horror mixup novels are Jack Williamson's "Darker than You Think", and Fritz Leiber's "Conjure Wife", both from the mid 1940's. Both still pack a real wallop today.

For a non-fiction book, consider Walter Russell Mead's "Special Providence", a book about American foreign policy from 1789 to 2002, when published. Very readable and Mead is an expert on the subject.

Best,

jbarntt

To Kill a Mocking Bird is great stuff, JB. And I will take a look at your recs.

[jbarntt]

The American Civil War has nothing to be proud of. Just think about that.

I have and the more more I think about it the less I think of the North. The South claimed the same right of self determination that the colonies had in 1776. Upon doing so the North invaded the South. Th. Jefferson must have been turning in his grave.

jbarntt

[belinda]

Then of course there's always The Monk By Matthew "Monk" Lewis

Great Gothic Horror

[Mike Covell]

dougie, can't help but chuckle that relatively Lancashire is just up the road a bit. How far can you go in England after all?
plang

You can keep going up the road until you reach Scotland then it's time to turn back!

[jbarntt]

Hi c.d,

I am in need of a good book to read. Does anyone have a recommendation? My tastes are pretty eclectic. I enjoy both fiction and non-fiction and a variety of subjects.

c.d.

I recently read "To Kill a Mockingbird", by Harper Lee, and couldn't put it down. If you've never read it, give it a shot. Fiction doesn't get much better, IMHO. Easily available new and used.

A couple of good sci-fi/horror mixup novels are Jack Williamson's "Darker than You Think", and Fritz Leiber's "Conjure Wife", both from the mid 1940's. Both still pack a real wallop today.

For a non-fiction book, consider Walter Russell Mead's "Special Providence", a book about American foreign policy from 1789 to 2002, when published. Very readable and Mead is an expert on the subject.

Best,

jbarntt

[dougie]

Now I have to read 'The Road to Nab End' as well, dammit.
dougie, can't help but chuckle that relatively Lancashire is just up the road a bit. How far can you go in England after all?

plang

I cant answer your question...ive never been farther than the assylum gates..tried to escape a few times in the laundry basket, but i got nabbed. If I ever get out ill find out for ya.
regards

[belinda]

Another one I love is Anna Of The Five Towns By Arnold Bennett

And if you haven't read The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy you absolutely must

[plang]

Now I have to read 'The Road to Nab End' as well, dammit.
dougie, can't help but chuckle that relatively Lancashire is just up the road a bit. How far can you go in England after all?

plang

[dougie]

Here is a modern "classic" William woodruffs "The road to Nab End"...sub titled "an extraordinary northern childhood"....non-fiction..autobiography....extraordinarily well written, funny in places, sad in others .407 pages and in truth if the book had been 1407 pages long,it still wouldnt have been long enough for me. A true classic.
regards

[plang]

I'm off to the library tomorrow to borrow 'The Great Gatsby'.
Mind you, if I find it trite or anything you will be hearing from me, you all.

[Mayerling]

Certainly enjoyed THE GREAT GATSBY, but I still think that the last couple of paragraphs of Fitzgerald's THIS SIDE OF PARADISE were magnificent and they marched across the reader's brain.

A similar effect happened to me when I read Louis-Fernand Celine's JOURNEY TO THE EDGE OF TIME. Hate Celine's fascist politics, but boy can he write.

As far as 19th Century fiction goes my two favorites for first place are
Crane's THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE and Flaubert's MADAME BOVARY. The latter though has one aspect that makes me have to give pride of place to Crane - Flaubert wrote in French, and I have only read BOVARY in English.
I am certain I miss much as a result.

Also anything by Henri Beyle (Stendhal) particularly THE CHARTERHOUSE OF PALMA and his various books of reminiscenses.

Jeff

[plang]

The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant.
A true life story that is unfolding still at this very moment.
A golden spruce and a white raven that met their demise in the same year in the same place.
This is a truly fascinating tale, but it is real! And it is happening now.

(non-fiction. Vintage Canada/Random House)