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how many of you have read these books? https://www.obner.org/board/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=16843 |
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Author: | Patrick Bateman [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:10 pm ] |
Post subject: | how many of you have read these books? |
so this is my list of books i have to read, whos read them and are there any clunkers i should avoid at all costs? Lunar Park The Informers Private Parts On The Road Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Naked Lunch Spontaneous Mind 1984 Animal Farm Teddy Bear Cannibal Massacre Slaughterhouse-Five A Clockwork Orange The Wanting Seed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Kesey's Jail Journal Catch 22 Closing Time The First Third The Metamorphosis The Grapes of Wrath Brave New World Be Here Now Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying Waking the Tiger Harold's End Exquisite Corpse Fahrenheit 451 Notes from the Underground The Killer Inside Me Fight Club The Acid House Trainspotting A Confederacy of Dunces Scooter Foop! The Losers' Club Girlfriend in a Coma Jennifer Government All of Will The Motorcycle Diaries Requiem for a Dream The Catcher in the Rye Perv: A Love Story High Fidelity A Long Way Down Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture Killing Yourself to Live The Post Office A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius You Shall Know Our Velocity Me Talk Pretty One Day The Idiot Girls' Action-Adventure Club I Love Everybody (And Other Atrocious Lies) To Kill a Mockingbird Bongwater Downers Grove The Stranger Mein Kampf A Million Little Pieces Running With Scissors Beyond Good and Evil Being and Nothingness Lolita The Sun Also Rises A Working Stiff's Manifesto: A Memoir of Thirty Jobs I Quit, Nine That Fired Me, and Three I Can't Remember Deliverance Steal This Book The Fuck Up Last Exit to Brooklyn You Can't Win A Hip Hop Story Stranger in a Strange Land Last Night a Dj Saved My Life Fargo Rock City Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs Stupid White Men Fast Food Nation The Dirt Less Than Zero The Rules of Attraction American Psycho Glamorama A Tale of Two Cities Baroque-a-Nova Hey Nostradamus The Gospel According to The Simpsons Dude Where's My Country Tietam Brown Sarah The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things Blow The Devil in Sonny Liston King of the World |
Author: | shmoo [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:13 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
I counted 22 I've read on there. They're all worth it. My least favorite were probably Notes From The Underground and Slaughterhouse Five. |
Author: | cemeterypolka [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:18 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
i like slaughterhouse five. i am a vonnegut fan. id like slaughterhouse five more if i didn't lend it out (brand new) and have it returned water worn, torn up, with chunks of pages torn out. i was so sad. i miss my brand new book. it's like sending a loved one off to work and on the way they get into a car accident and lose half of their face, their arm has to be amputated, and they're a vegetable. |
Author: | daystar [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:19 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
here's what i've read: On The Road Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Naked Lunch 1984 Animal Farm Slaughterhouse-Five A Clockwork Orange One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Catch 22 Closing Time The First Third The Metamorphosis The Grapes of Wrath Brave New World Fahrenheit 451 Notes from the Underground Trainspotting The Catcher in the Rye High Fidelity To Kill a Mockingbird Bongwater Being and Nothingness Lolita Fast Food Nation Less Than Zero and this one....i just got for xmas but haven't started yet: Killing Yourself to Live and....of all those....i'd probably say 'bongwater' was probably the only true clunker. though, i think the title is great. because it really brings to mind a lot of things (for me anyway). however, the book didn't live up to the title's potential, i don't think. |
Author: | Radcliffe [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:19 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
From that list, there's no question you need to read these: On The Road Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Naked Lunch 1984 Animal Farm Slaughterhouse-Five A Clockwork Orange One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Catch 22 The Metamorphosis The Grapes of Wrath Brave New World Harold's End (I'm thinking this is Howard's End?) Fahrenheit 451 Notes from the Underground A Confederacy of Dunces The Catcher in the Rye To Kill a Mockingbird The Stranger Being and Nothingness Lolita The Sun Also Rises Last Exit to Brooklyn Most of the others I've either forgotten or haven't read, except for: Private Parts Less Than Zero American Psycho All three of which I consider junk. Brett Easton Ellis writes the fiction equivalent to a grocery list. |
Author: | bluejayway [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:24 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
Hmm, B.E. Ellis was pretty good around Less Than Zero but decided accomplishment wouldn't get him the press that shock would. Subsequent efforts worth no thinking persons time. (Why are you Patrick Bateman if you haven't read the book?) Mix Tape - fine to flip through, but don't buy it. Grapes of Wrath will appear staggeringly heavy-handed at your age. Heartbreaking Work...isn't. Stranger in a Strange Land has the most sex of late period Heinlein but isn't his best - I guess if you read and liked all the others go for it. Jennifer Government - wanted to like it, didn't. Fear and Loathing bored me but I hear it's a guy thing. Wank wank. The rest of the ones I've read are ok to great. |
Author: | ayah [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:30 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
i have also read 22 of these. there's different levels of enjoyment here but this is my "a" list: Patrick Bateman Wrote: Slaughterhouse-Five
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Catch 22 The Grapes of Wrath The Catcher in the Rye To Kill a Mockingbird The Stranger Lolita Last Exit to Brooklyn A Tale of Two Cities like i said, this is my "a" list which is not to say that less than zero was not fun to read on my lunch hour. -Naked Lunch--over-rated hipster blah-then and now. -1984--dated and dull. i would not waste my time -Animal Farm--dated and obvious but you probably should read it. it goes fast. -Be Here Now--probably dated. makes me laugh to think about it. -Harold's End--do you mean howard's end? -Fahrenheit 451--it's okay. -A Confederacy of Dunces--a lot of people love this book. i've tried to read it 3 different times and i just don't get it. -Me Talk Pretty One Day--sedaris cracks me up. is this the book where he licks the lawn gnomes? -Mein Kampf--pretentious read. who really gives a fuck? -Running With Scissors--liked dry better -The Sun Also Rises -Steal This Book--still selling well. loved it in the 70's. i'm sure it's pretty dated. -American Psycho--his incredible hatred of women freaked me out. i did like bright lights. |
Author: | cemeterypolka [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:30 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
I liked Grapes of Wrath from what I read of it. I don't have that much left. How old is he? |
Author: | bluejayway [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:34 pm ] |
Post subject: | |
I had the impression he was early 30s or so. Could be wrong. Dunno. It's a good book, but it's more Billy Bragg than Bruce Springsteen - if you're not a true believer, I don't know how much there is for you. And I say this as someone considering the BB box set. |
Author: | Elvis Fu [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:43 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
Jesus. I don't read and even I've been through some of these. Patrick Bateman Wrote: Private Parts Read it on the shitter. Patrick Bateman Wrote: Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas I really like it, but it ain't high literature either. I really like the spoken word version with Harry Dean Stanton (I think). Patrick Bateman Wrote: Slaughterhouse-Five It was okay, but nothing to jizz over. Patrick Bateman Wrote: The Grapes of Wrath Didn't make it past Chapter 3, except to read the chapter where they get the shits. Patrick Bateman Wrote: Notes from the Underground I've seen more than one person throw this book in a fire, and not the political rally kind. I still own it, but I have no idea why. Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Confederacy of Dunces Vastly overrated and not very funny. Then again, I think "Arrested Development" is unfunny horseshit, so take that into consideration. Patrick Bateman Wrote: The Catcher in the Rye Readable. I've read plenty better, but this isn't terrible. A few people on the board make me think of Ackley kid. Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Million Little Pieces Are you serious? Stephen King--a former addict--wrote a good opinion piece on this book and why it shouldn't be obvious that it's bullshit. Patrick Bateman Wrote: The Sun Also Rises I've started this several times and loved every word I read. Somehow though, I always end up putting it down and forgetting that I meant to read it. Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Working Stiff's Manifesto: A Memoir of Thirty Jobs I Quit, Nine That Fired Me, and Three I Can't Remember KonstantinL? Patrick Bateman Wrote: Steal This Book Horseshit. Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Tale of Two Cities
Ugh. Where did you go to school, or are you still in? I read a chunk of these back then. Also, you have that username and never read American Psycho? |
Author: | bluejayway [ Sun Feb 12, 2006 11:57 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
bluejayway Wrote: (Why are you Patrick Bateman if you haven't read the book?) Elvis Fu Wrote: Also, you have that username and never read American Psycho?
Seriously. I have magical mystery tour on tape somewhere, Fu has heard both elvisses and seen a kung fu flick, what the hell kind of poseur are you? (x-ray spex spelling choice deliberate). |
Author: | ptrck [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:01 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Million Little Pieces
ahem |
Author: | Senator LooGAR [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:03 am ] |
Post subject: | |
Elvis Fu you are an asshat. Seriously. You should subtitle your post as "an illiterate dolt" or "someone who hates literature as an art form." I know HST is held in high regard by some here, but I doubt anyone but me or Bloor will uphold F&L in LV as a work of art. The economy of words and the way that he captures his paranoia in words IS literature. The fact that you liked Sun Also Rises, hate Gatsby, and think this is just something tossed off shows you know nothing of writing. You get a better appreciation for F&L if you can read and really grasp the other two. Thompson retyped passages of these to get the cadence and wordplay of unadulterated masters down. Oh yeah, and its FUNNY. I don't mean funny like chuckle, I mean belly laugh, possibly the best piece of comedy produced on paper. Just phrases like "He visibly stiffened" and "Not a Major!" can make me double over in laughter. (Then again, I think Goodfellas is one of the top5 funniest movies I've ever seen. A lot of these other books are sort of hit and miss, but if you can find an author you like, I would encourage you to read all of there works, you get agreat appreciation for what they may have been doing or trying to do. The second best book on this list is Electric Kool-Aid. Sort of a companion piece, yet alternative way of "reporting" vis-a-vis "New Journalism." Participatory vs. Fly on the Wall, and they both work in their own ways. And if you read both of these, you should read Cuckoo's Nest, because it'll give you a better historical perspective on the happenings contained within. AND you will never find a better written evocation of what being on A is like, even though its never mentioned anywhere in the book. IT JUST IS. Catch 22 is the book that got me to start reading books like Catch-22. Pretty good snapshot of the Army (and war in genera)l as an absurd institution. Confederacy of Dunces is really funny when it isn't what's his names "journal" entries, which basically distract from the plot, and are pretty much about him jacking off into a glove. On The Road is good, but I liked Dharma Bums better, and Big Sur best. But you have to read them in that order, over a period of years to really experience them that way. And it helps to be so drunk during the times that you are not reading it that you can't remember if what you are thinking is the plot of the book, a dream or what happened at the bar the night before (yes this happened to me.) I've read more than this, but the last book I'll comment on is Tale of Two cities, which I wholeheartedly endorse, because Sidney Carton is the manifestation of the loser/drunk with a heart of gold that most of us picture ourseleves as. But what the fuck do WE know? Grab a few of em, read the first 5 or 6 pages and see if you like teh subject matter and the author's style. If not, toss the bugger aside and grab a Penthouse Forum. |
Author: | ptrck [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:04 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
Elvis Fu Wrote: Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Confederacy of Dunces Vastly overrated and not very funny. Then again, I think "Arrested Development" is unfunny horseshit, so take that into consideration. Patrick Bateman Wrote: The Catcher in the Rye Readable. I've read plenty better, but this isn't terrible. A few people on the board make me think of Ackley kid. I guess its all what you want out of a book. Those are easily two of my favorite books of all time, and I've read each about 10 times. Of course, I did a thesis on Salinger, so... And Dunces needs to be read to be believed. We all know an Ignatius somewhere. |
Author: | Leon [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:06 am ] |
Post subject: | |
A Clock Work Orange and The Wanting Seed are two of my favorite books of all time. |
Author: | Flying Rabbit [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:06 am ] |
Post subject: | |
35 of em. The Informers Private Parts On The Road Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test Naked Lunch 1984 Animal Farm Slaughterhouse-Five A Clockwork Orange One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Catch 22 The Metamorphosis The Grapes of Wrath Brave New World Fahrenheit 451 Notes from the Underground Fight Club The Acid House Trainspotting A Confederacy of Dunces The Motorcycle Diaries Requiem for a Dream The Catcher in the Rye High Fidelity Me Talk Pretty One Day To Kill a Mockingbird Lolita The Sun Also Rises Deliverance Steal This Book Last Exit to Brooklyn Less Than Zero The Rules of Attraction American Psycho Glamorama Tietam Brown Blow The Devil in Sonny Liston I read a bunch in hs. Many of these are considered modern classics of fiction. It looks like you are trying to catch up on many of the cultural references that are made to these books yearly. Without reading some of these, I don't know how you would even make it through a Simpsons episode. Of the one's listed above, my faves are: Naked Lunch-no other piece of literature has had my mind swirling and gurgling for air after on page...ok, I lied, Gravity's Rainbow was the other. Notes From Underground-Fyodor Dostoevsky was a bad man. His ideas were so far ahead of his time, it wasn't even funny. Of course the Soviet filmmakers knew a good thing though, and based a bunch of their films around ideas he came up with in his novels. To Kill A Mockingbird-I remember reading this in middle school and being blown away by it. Plain and simple. Last Exit To Brooklyn-I really heralded this book to many of my friends. They didn't read it--their loss. Gives you a look at just how dirty society can be. All the Bret Easton Ellis books-he's one of my faves. |
Author: | Flying Rabbit [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:08 am ] |
Post subject: | |
I should also add that this looks like a book list that is definitely banned in some schools. |
Author: | jsh [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:21 am ] |
Post subject: | |
"You Shall Know Our Velocity" is the only book that ever made me cry. There were three typos on one page, the story and writing sucked, and so I wept that I was still reading it. |
Author: | Elvis Fu [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:23 am ] |
Post subject: | |
Senator Top Cat LooGAR Wrote: Elvis Fu you are an asshat. Seriously. You should subtitle your post as "an illiterate dolt" or "someone who hates literature as an art form."
DAT MARFAN'S acting up again? |
Author: | Patrick Bateman [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:24 am ] |
Post subject: | |
sorry i should have added, some of these i've allready read, including a tale of 2 cities and all but 1 of the b.e ellis books, so yes i've read american psycho, which i thought was pretty funny in a lot of places but squirmy in others, so no i am not a poseur!~ Elvis Fu Wrote: Patrick Bateman Wrote: A Million Little Pieces Are you serious? Stephen King--a former addict--wrote a good opinion piece on this book and why it shouldn't be obvious that it's bullshit. whether its fact or fiction really is irrelevant to me, from what i've read and heard its a great book bluejayway Wrote: Hmm, B.E. Ellis was pretty good around Less Than Zero but decided accomplishment wouldn't get him the press that shock would. Subsequent efforts worth no thinking persons time. did you try glamorama? its my favorite of his books Radcliffe Wrote: Harold's End (I'm thinking this is Howard's End?) harolds end, by jt leroy, which i'm sure is gonna draw some remarks cemeterypolka Wrote: I liked Grapes of Wrath from what I read of it. I don't have that much left.How old is he? 25 Senator Top Cat LooGAR Wrote: Elvis Fu you are an asshat. Seriously. You should subtitle your post as "an illiterate dolt" or "someone who hates literature as an art form."
I know HST is held in high regard by some here, but I doubt anyone but me or Bloor will uphold F&L in LV as a work of art. The economy of words and the way that he captures his paranoia in words IS literature. The fact that you liked Sun Also Rises, hate Gatsby, and think this is just something tossed off shows you know nothing of writing. You get a better appreciation for F&L if you can read and really grasp the other two. Thompson retyped passages of these to get the cadence and wordplay of unadulterated masters down. Oh yeah, and its FUNNY. I don't mean funny like chuckle, I mean belly laugh, possibly the best piece of comedy produced on paper. Just phrases like "He visibly stiffened" and "Not a Major!" can make me double over in laughter. (Then again, I think Goodfellas is one of the top5 funniest movies I've ever seen. A lot of these other books are sort of hit and miss, but if you can find an author you like, I would encourage you to read all of there works, you get agreat appreciation for what they may have been doing or trying to do. The second best book on this list is Electric Kool-Aid. Sort of a companion piece, yet alternative way of "reporting" vis-a-vis "New Journalism." Participatory vs. Fly on the Wall, and they both work in their own ways. And if you read both of these, you should read Cuckoo's Nest, because it'll give you a better historical perspective on the happenings contained within. AND you will never find a better written evocation of what being on A is like, even though its never mentioned anywhere in the book. IT JUST IS. Catch 22 is the book that got me to start reading books like Catch-22. Pretty good snapshot of the Army (and war in genera)l as an absurd institution. Confederacy of Dunces is really funny when it isn't what's his names "journal" entries, which basically distract from the plot, and are pretty much about him jacking off into a glove. On The Road is good, but I liked Dharma Bums better, and Big Sur best. But you have to read them in that order, over a period of years to really experience them that way. And it helps to be so drunk during the times that you are not reading it that you can't remember if what you are thinking is the plot of the book, a dream or what happened at the bar the night before (yes this happened to me.) I've read more than this, but the last book I'll comment on is Tale of Two cities, which I wholeheartedly endorse, because Sidney Carton is the manifestation of the loser/drunk with a heart of gold that most of us picture ourseleves as. But what the fuck do WE know? Grab a few of em, read the first 5 or 6 pages and see if you like teh subject matter and the author's style. If not, toss the bugger aside and grab a Penthouse Forum. that was a lot of good advice, i'm starting off with on the road which i'm loving, totally exciting and captivating read |
Author: | chowgurt [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:28 am ] |
Post subject: | |
They are all good! You should read them. |
Author: | splates [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:28 am ] |
Post subject: | |
I didnt like Catch 22, i thought it was poorly written. I like a bunch of similar books though. And how is 1984 dated ayah (excluding the title)? |
Author: | chowgurt [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:33 am ] |
Post subject: | |
splates Wrote: I didnt like Catch 22, i thought it was poorly written. I like a bunch of similar books though.
And how is 1984 dated ayah (excluding the title)? It's a pointless read after seeing that famous Apple commercial in 1984. http://www.apple-history.com/movies/1984.mov |
Author: | tentoze [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:39 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: how many of you have read these books? |
What I've read: On The Road- pretty essential still, I suppose. Dharma Bums is better. Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas- everyone should read it. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test- period piece these days, but interesting. Naked Lunch- never could get through it 1984- I guess you have to. Animal Farm- See above Slaughterhouse-Five- I'm a Vonnegut nut. Everyone should be. A Clockwork Orange- read it, but if it wasn't for the movie, I don't kow how much I actually would remember One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Kesey was very talented. Catch 22- First book I remember reading that made me laugh so hard I was literally crying. The Grapes of Wrath- Steinbeck bored me to distraction. Brave New World- I guess you have to, again. Fahrenheit 451- I remember liking it well enough to read it a few times. Notes from the Underground- somebody made me read it. A Confederacy of Dunces- Was discussed here before, I think. I'm still in the minority- I didn't like a page of it. Surprised that Walker Percy, who WAS an excellent novelist, had anything to do with it seeing the light of day. The Catcher in the Rye- should be read before 17th birthday. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius- couldn't finish it. Wanking. Me Talk Pretty One Day- read this on a cross-country plane ride. I think I liked it alright, but couldn't tell you much more than that about it. To Kill a Mockingbird- Essential. Lolita- Must read. The Sun Also Rises- I liked Hemingway a little more than Steinbeck. But not much. Deliverance- Dickey was a better poet (and monger) than novelist, but a decent book. Steal This Book- not very relevant these days. Stranger in a Strange Land- good read from the guy before he went senile and started writing op-ed pieces about monorails falling from the sky onto LA. American Psycho- never finished it. A Tale of Two Cities- If you have to. |
Author: | ayah [ Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:43 am ] |
Post subject: | |
chowgurt Wrote: splates Wrote: I didnt like Catch 22, i thought it was poorly written. I like a bunch of similar books though. And how is 1984 dated ayah (excluding the title)? It's a pointless read after seeing that famous Apple commercial in 1984. http://www.apple-history.com/movies/1984.mov hey thanks, chowgurt. my daughter is reading this for english now and i was telling her about this commercial. splates, i think that the concept of big brother watching was more worrysome (sp?) and had more impact on our culture from the time this book was written through the '70's. most people are pretty jaded about this kind of stuff now. corporate speak/thought/theory is something most of us have experienced at this point. not a lot of people have read orwell beyond these two books. i highly recommend the orwell reader to see a very different side of him. he writes about a lot his personal experiences that helped shape him as a writer. some really good essays and short stories too. |
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