Top 5 Books You've Ever Read

[Ugly Bastard]

Another Top 5 thread for my 1100th post.

I am not quite sure if I've read 5 books in my life, but nonetheless, I press on.

1. The Chamber-John Grisham
2. A Catcher in the Rye-(I should know this, but I forget)
3. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe-C.S. Lewis
4. To Kill A Mockingbird-(Again, I really should know....)
5. The Awakening-Kate Chopin

Your list? (If you've never actually read 5 books, just put down as many books as you've read).

-Ugly Bastard

[Jake]

Havent read many novels, so i only put down ones i thought worthy of posting.

1. Great Gatsby
2. 20,000 leagues under the sea.
3. Scarlet letter

Honorable mention: Lion, witch and wardrobe was pretty good also, and creative.

[Titan]

1. Tao of Jeet Kun Do (I can't remember how to spell it, by Bruce Lee)

2. The Phantom Tolbooth

3. The Avatar Trilogy (of the Forgotten Realms series)

4. Star Wars: The Truce at Bakura (takes place in between "Empire" and "Jedi", it's one of the best Star Wars books, a good one to start on)

5. The Great Gatsby

[Lethal]

I'm not sure that I've read 5 whole books but we will see.

1. 1984
2. Sphere
3. Great Gatsby
4. Huck Finn
5. The Polar Express (not a novel but a damn good book)
Those are all that matter.

[Titan]

Holy shit Lethal!

The Polar Express is the FUCKING SHIT!

Props to you for knowing that classic, holy shit.


Damn, The Giver... that's a fucking good one I missed too.


FUUUUUCK!!! THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES IS THE SHIT... SO IS FARENHEIDT 451. THAT BOOK KICKS /ASS/.

[This message has been edited by Titan (edited January 23, 2003).]

[Rufus]

1. The Giver
2. Jurassic park
3. The Great Gatsby
4. The Jackal
5. The Island of Dr. Moreau

[tonguegina]

1. The Shining - Stephen King
2. Sacred - Denis Lehane
3. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton (kicks the crap out of the movie)
4. Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
5. Seinlanguage - Jerry Seinfeld
The Martian Chronicles - Ray Bradbury (if you don't think that Seinlanguage should count, since it's not a novel)

[Ugly Bastard]

tonguegina-

Of course Seinlanguage is the greatest publication in the history of the world.

But due to it's lack of plot, I would prolly fail to consider it a "book" per se.

-Ugly Bastard

[Titan]

UB, were you just talking about novels then? ... I'm pretty sure "Seinlanguage" is a book...

[tonguegina]

That's why I tried to clearify...I put in a buffer book, which completely kicks ass anyway, in, just in case you wanted novels.

[Ugly Bastard]

Titan-

I realize that "Seinlanguage" is a book. But I'm talkin about books that actually have characters, and a plot, and other shit like that.....so "novels" instead of "books" might be proper for the title of this thread. My sincere apologies for the apparant grief I have caused you.

-Ugly Bastard

[St. Anky]

1)The Giver- Lois Lowry
2)Slaughterhouse Five- Kurt Vonnegout
3)1984- George Orwell
4)Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
5)The Hatchet, The River, and Brian's Winter - Gary Paulson (if you're wondering, they are all sequels)

I've read the giver at least 5 times. I love that book. All time favorite I must say.

[StabMaster Arson]

-Of Mice and Men
-Helter Skelter
-The Brothers Karamazov
-Deliverance
-The Lost Books of the Bible

[tonguegina]

I have to say that I am pleasantly suprised at the large amount of people that have read this many books...I've even gotten a few suprises on it. Kudos, kids.

1. The Giver
2. Journey to the Center of the Earth
3. Airframe
4. Moby Dick
5. Animal Farm

[StDx]

-Crime and Punishment- Dostoevsky
-Breakfast of Champions- Vonnegut
-Player Piano- Vonnegut
-On the Road- Kerouac

how about 4 for now

1. The Lorax by Dr. Suess (fuck all of you who say it's not a novel, this book has a great political message)
2. The Prince - Machiavelli
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
5. The Art of War - Sun Tzu

[St. Anky]

I think you're ok there pliedes, the title of the thread is books.

While we're on Dr. Seuss, ever read "are you my mother?". Goddamn book brings a tear to my eye. I remember my mum reading it to me all the time.

[Combat Chuck]

Hurm...

The Things They Carried - Tim O'Neill

- Read this book for summer reading and thought it was the most profound example of the shit that war does to people. It jumps around like a flea, but that adds so much to the characters....it actually reads like a non-fiction book, but it is actually fiction.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers

This book is a non-fiction, so I'll add a buffer at the end. Gotta say though, it's got character, and fuck load of it. When you want social commentary mixed in with a real life story of a 22 year old man who looks after his younger brother when both their parents die, pick up this book. And the title is a masterpiece. The book is funny as hell, but also fucking depressing. It takes you around the spectrum of feelings, and it feels wonderful.

Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons

- Alright, this is a Graphic Novel, but I count it as a book. Cause it is a book, just with pictures.

Anyhoo, one of the best examples of the power that comics can have. This story is lauded as the best of the best in the comics world. When the government has outlawed most superheroes, either that or made them register and work for the government, a couple of people are thrown into a massive whirlwind of conspiracy when one of their old teammates is killed. Thing is, everyone hated the guy.

Not to mention, Russia's finger is on the button that's marked world annihalation, a mysterious vigilante named Rorshach (coolest character ever....guy's mask is a constantly changing Rorshach test with just dirty trenchcoat) is on the run from the authorities while trying to find the killer, the human equivalent of America's only chance at not getting nuked decides to be a hermit on Mars, and all the worlds premiere philosophers, artists, and technicians are building something strange on an abandoned island, a hero that hasn't touched his costume in years and finds that that's the reason for his impotence.....well, there are sooo many layers to this book, and when everything comes together in the end, you'll be stuck with a shocked look on your face like no other....it's seriously the best story I've ever read.

- The Discworld Series - Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett's work is extremely out of this world, but yet, so down to earth. This guy writes parody like no other. He's a British writer that takes insane ideas and makes them even more insane....let me give you an example.

In his book, Thief of Time, there is a monastery of Chinese Monks that are in charge of Time itself....and Time is a being. A thing with a personality.

There is a machine that they use that controls the amounts of time. Here's what it can do. They have scales that measure time. They can move time around.....such as, they can take time away from the bottom of the ocean (I mean, really....how much time do those fish with the dangly light thingies really need?) and divert it to the city, where there's 'never enough time'. However, they always have to make sure that all time streams are equal, and that at the End of Time, they always match up.....it's got some really hard concepts to grasp, but in all of it, Time finds out that she's pregnant, and otherworldly beings find that humanity needs fixing, and the only way to do that is to end it.

A bunch of freaking awesome characters (like all four horsemen of the Apocolypse are retired and now they're mad cause they're being called to ride and they don't want to) and as I said, insane ideas, and this book is just one in the 22 book series. They're all as good as this one, if not better.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy - J.R.R. Tolkien

You can't NOT have this on your list. Even if you hate fantasy, this is a definite exception to your hate. If you don't like these books, you're a moron. Really. Tolkien is an insane mutha, but man, you can't get any more creative or expansive as this genius....there's not much more I can say, except that if you haven't read the books, you need to NOW.

Catcher In The Rye - J.D. Salinger

UB, Salinger is the author of this quirky story that's so hard to classify.....it's definite social commentary, but then again, it seems to wander aimlessly....thing is, the reader doesn't care. The character of Holden Caufield is so repugnant and lovable, you just can't help but either be disgusted or riveted with his every word. Either way, there is no denying the fact that this tale of soul searching and individual growth is one of the greatest pieces of American Literature.

I also wanted to mention stuff like Of Mice and Men or The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, The Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks (besides Tolkien, there is no better fantasy weaver), or all the crazy stuff by Bradbury (I'll get to him if we ever get into short stories.....he's got my favorite short story of all time)...there's just so much that is out there that I love.

I highly suggest that you guys check these books out if you haven't. You won't regret it.

[Titan]

Chuck - I really want to get a copy of that "Watchmen", and the "Discworld Series", they both sound extremely interesting. Where/How can I?



[This message has been edited by Titan (edited January 26, 2003).]

[Ugly Bastard]

Titan-

You see, they have these new things now, they're called, "bookstores".

My advise to you, would be to pop into one of those sexbears, and ask them if they can assist your needs.

-Ugly Bastard

[Titan]

My advice to you would be... to... do something bad.

These being comics, they are not always available at bookstores. If either are rare comics, then they probably wouldn't even be at Borders or Barns & Nobles, I was assuming pessimistically that they were of the rare variety.

[Ugly Bastard]

Titan-

One Word: Ebay

-Ugly Bastard

[Rufus]

most bookstores will order anything.

[Combat Chuck]

Titan - Obtaining a copy of Watchmen shouldn't be too hard....last time I checked, the Trade Paperback Format (all the issues are collected into one nice little package with a few extras) is widely available at bookstores.

However, if you want a copy on discount (since I think that the original is around $19.95.....check out www.amazon.com for a good price. That's where I tend to get my TPB's in good fashion.

The Discworld Series is available in all bookstores, except they only have them in paperback form. If you're like me, I enjoy having a hardback book. I don't like the paperback format because it's usually smaller, and more of an annoyance to read, because you have to keep on constantly bending the binding, and when you're done with the book, it looks like shit.

You can find his most recent books in hardback still, and Theif of Time is one of his most recent ones. Others, like The Truth, The Fifth Elephant, and....Night Watch should also be available in that format. There's a Science Fiction Book Club that has incredible discounts on SF classics, and that's where I get older Discworld books for really really cheap prices in hardback format.

PM me if you want more info....