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CHUD's 500 must-read books

post #1 of 202
10/20/06 at 5:39pm
Thread Starter 
Stealing the idea from Ray Abed's music thread, let's do the same thing with the great books. Same rules as the music thread, with one addition:

1) One book per post

2) A Chewer can only post a book every 10 picks

3) Please cut and paste as you post

4) Please give a brief reason beneath your pick as to why you're choosing that particular book. That way it'll be a little more than just a huge list thread.

I'll kick things off....

1. Watership Down - Richard Adams

Surprise! I didn't pick Tolkien, not because he doesn't belong, but because it's a little cliche at this point for me to sing its praises. Instead, I'll vote for this beautiful, lyrical story that resembles LOTR in many ways -- simple heroes on a quest to preserve their way of life in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. And Hazel's meeting with El-ahrairah at the end is one of the most comforting endings I've ever read.

Edited to remove spoilerage
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post #2 of 202
10/20/06 at 5:56pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.

It may be an obvious pick, but I stand by it. It's just a fantastic read all around, expertly written, and it can appeal to people of all stripes, from comic book nerds (like me) to more normal types.

Edited to add more of an explanation.
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post #3 of 202
10/20/06 at 5:57pm
Hey Dickson, how about a spoiler warning?

Just kidding, I'm never going to read Watership Down, anyways. But others may be pissed.
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post #4 of 202
10/20/06 at 5:58pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
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post #5 of 202
10/20/06 at 6:00pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury

When the weather turns crisp and the leaves start falling from the trees, I find myself taking this book down off the shelf. It's the perfect time of the year to read Bradbury's beautiful meditation on the passage of time and aging. Read it for the imagery. Read it for the down-home storytelling. Read it for Cooger and Dark's evil carnival.
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post #6 of 202
10/20/06 at 6:11pm
Am I going to be the first nerd to list Stephen King? Guess so.

1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King

I love several of his more straight-up horror/fantasy novels a lot, but this is the one that stays with me the most as I get older. Works both as a thriller and as a meditation on living on borrowed time, loss and destiny. The final chapter is the most heartbreaking thing King has ever written.
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post #7 of 202
10/20/06 at 6:25pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner

The beauty of a narrative told in different voices. The inscrutable first section. And the damaged civility of Faulkner's Southern charm.
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post #8 of 202
10/20/06 at 6:58pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin

Tolkien may have invented the standard Fantasy genre, but Martin has mastered it. Not only a great Fantasy book, but an extremely well-written book overall with some of the most complex and interesting characters ever created. First book (and the best) in a series where many characters go through progressions that will shock, anger and inspire the reader. Martin doesn't focus on the cliches of "too much magic" or "write the big battle" and instead focuses on creating a world where the characters and their motivations drive the story. Where Tolkein was limited in that he created an interesting and complex world, his characters and dialogue were weak. Not the case here.
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post #9 of 202
10/20/06 at 7:00pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card

As a surprise to my parents and the youngest of three, I identified with Ender in so many ways. It was my first real experience with science fiction literature. Despite the short read, it's got a great socio-political perspective.
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post #10 of 202
10/20/06 at 7:25pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski

If you haven't read it, do so immediately. About the mysterious goings on concerning a family that has a house with a bigger interior than exterior, and that's just the start. Wrapped around a sideplot that takes place in the footnotes, this is one great guilty pleasure book.
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post #11 of 202
10/20/06 at 7:35pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon

The foundation of Homicide, The Corner and The Wire. An exploration of one year's spent in the Baltimore's homicide unit in 1988. The book that shows the frustration, futility and the nobility that comes with being murder police.
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post #12 of 202
10/20/06 at 7:38pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski

A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

The only book that ever made me laugh out loud. I still pray this never hits the silver screen.
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post #13 of 202
10/20/06 at 8:09pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
11. The Call of the Wild- Jack London

This should be read as a companion with White Fang, so I hope someone lists that somewhere in the 500. Awesome story about the Yukon and how close to the savage world all of us are (from a city dog's perspective)
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post #14 of 202
10/20/06 at 8:16pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
11. The Call of the Wild- Jack London

12. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Picture 'The Omen' as done by Monty Python with a dash of Douglas Adams. One of the funniest books I've ever read.
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post #15 of 202
10/20/06 at 8:25pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
11. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
12. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett


13. Henry V -- William Shakespeare

Not his most famous play, perhaps not one that most consider amongst his "masterpieces", but my favorite of his works.
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post #16 of 202
10/20/06 at 8:54pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
11. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
12. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
13. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
14. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
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post #17 of 202
10/20/06 at 8:55pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
11. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
12. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
13. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
14. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis

15. Animal Farm by George Orwell

A sad and important truth about revolutions and power in a compact and readily digestible package. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
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post #18 of 202
10/20/06 at 9:08pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
11. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
12. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
13. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
14. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
15. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein

It's a decent "read".
Couple of people have read it.
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post #19 of 202
10/20/06 at 9:14pm
I wanted to reset the list as one book was omitted.

1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein

~Edit~ Now added with second omission
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post #20 of 202
10/20/06 at 9:15pm
Fix your post, Matt. I've got #15.

Edit: Thanks Ed.
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post #21 of 202
10/20/06 at 9:18pm
Look above, took care of the problem. Let's keep it together now.
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post #22 of 202
10/20/06 at 9:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdHocken
I wanted to reset the list as one book was omitted.

1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein

~Edit~ Now added with second omission
18) 8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE by Lawrence Block

Why? Its a brilliant crime novel, Matt Scudder is your classic P.I. but totally broken and miserable. His drinking is killing him, all his friends are criminals or low-lives and he lives an almost totally solitary life in a small hotel room. Read it for the gorgeous use of language(His talk with Joe Durkin as Durkin gets exceedingly drunk and rants about anything and everything is a lesson in how to write a conversation that moves) and the way he describes the setting of New York in such a way that I had to look outside to remind myself I wasn't in New York. Read it because of the absolutely positive ending that still manages to destroy you emotionally. Finally, read it because its fucking genius
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post #23 of 202
10/20/06 at 9:52pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18.8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block

19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins

It's all about the characters and the dialogue in this one, both of which are viciously real and convincing. The predecessor of all modern crime novels.
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post #24 of 202
10/20/06 at 10:01pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov

It's one of those books that re-read once in a couple of years. It's a very complicated book and I don't think I even understand all of its simbolism, but at the same time I always loved it for the scope, ambition, drama, satire and surreal but extremely funny humor. Probably my favorite novel of all time. HAs anyone read it? Is English translation any good?
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post #25 of 202
10/20/06 at 10:20pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
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post #26 of 202
10/20/06 at 11:33pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

The most disturbingly captivating page turner ever written... it works on so many levels. Brilliant.
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post #27 of 202
10/20/06 at 11:56pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

Haunting to its core.
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post #28 of 202
10/21/06 at 12:11am
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

While it's a book that can completely fuel teenage angst, it's a book you never grow out of or mirred by hormones. Plus, you have to love a book with a history of a recluse author and an assassin.
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post #29 of 202
10/21/06 at 1:25am
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

I never thought I would be able to laugh so hard at a book, but this one proved me otherwise. First time I ever started a book and wanted to finish it entirely in one sitting.
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post #30 of 202
10/21/06 at 1:39am
Choke - Chuck Palahniuk

It manages to take a handful of ugly, largely unlikable characters and weave them into a dense, darkly hilarious study of the further-most impulses of the human condition. An absolutely fascinating read.
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post #31 of 202
10/21/06 at 9:25am
Thread Starter 
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown

A harrowing, saddening look at our country's first attempt to prove to another culture that our way of doing things is best.
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post #32 of 202
10/21/06 at 9:26am
Thread Starter 
Since it's a smaller list and there seems to be smaller participation, I changed it so you can post every ten picks now. Go nuts!
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post #33 of 202
10/21/06 at 10:16am
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon

Possibly the world's great post-modern novel, blending satire and thousands of wonderfully funny and interesting references turning a simple "man on a mission" WWII plot into a bizarre odyssey to hell and back.
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post #34 of 202
10/21/06 at 12:07pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard

Not his most famous or popular. Maybe not even his best. But if my house was on fire and I could only save one Leonard it would be this one. There's something so perfectly Elmore about it. A pleasure to read.
Reply
post #35 of 202
10/21/06 at 12:23pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie

A gorgeously intricate tapestry of a book that requires at least a couple of readings.
Reply
post #36 of 202
10/21/06 at 1:51pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie

31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Still my favourite book of all time and the only one I own in different editions. Lee's prose is so smooth and her characters are so sharply defined that it's sad that she only wrote one book. (I'm ignoring the rumour that Truman Capote ghost wrote it)
Reply
post #37 of 202
10/21/06 at 3:58pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman

A slim set of meditations on time. Lightman takes for raw material humanity's various relationships with time, and builds from them quiet and fantastical cities. A beautiful and thought-provoking hour's read.
Reply
post #38 of 202
10/21/06 at 4:33pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss

Vachss is a terrific crime writer. He's probably best known for his 'Burke' series of novels, but 'Shella' is a stand-alone novel with different characters and a different feel. It's very dark, yet strangely optimistic too. While I love all of his books, I find myself particularly drawn to this one.
Reply
post #39 of 202
10/21/06 at 5:35pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy

I have pretty much the same love-hate relationship with my high school that the protagonist, Will McLean, does with the fictional miltary academy based on Conroy's own experiences at the Citadel. I also have a similar love-hate relationship with the military--I've always said that had my father and I not been confronted with the dual spectres of Vietnam and Iraq, we would have followed the previous two generations into military service--and, as someone who spent summers and holidays south of the Mason-Dixon, the South. So I'd say that of all the books I've read, this is the one that means and continues to mean the most to me. Much of what I believe, much of what I've felt, about all those things, can be found here. It's a novel that I can get something different out of each time I read it (the first few times, I saw it as a "stickin' it to the man" parable, when I returned to last summer, I found the passages about classmates dying in a foriegn war a little too close for comfort), and it's a novel that will always be tied to a specific time in my life.

Let me tell you my favorite passage in the book. This is the book, this is the passage that, more than any of these books on the list, led me to become the persion I am today:

Quote:
"Before I reached the door, I heard him say, 'One last thing, McLean. Do you ever think about your place in history? What do you think will be your place in the history of the Institute. I already know my place. But what about yours? Tell me about your place in the history of the school.'

He was laughing at me, mocking me, and I turned, loathing every single thing he stood for on earth.

'General', I said, 'I want you to hear this and I want you to think about it.'

'What do you have to say, McLean?'

'I plan to write that history, sir.'"
I plan to write that history, one day; of my life, of my school, of my friends and loved ones, found and lost, of this war and of this country. I will, because this book told me that I could.
Reply
post #40 of 202
10/21/06 at 6:26pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov

The stories cover the birth the Robot as we know it in modern Science Fiction. He has better novels, but none are as important.
Reply
post #41 of 202
10/21/06 at 7:50pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell

I'm not a Bruce Campbell fanboy, but I have to admit that it is one of the most funny books I have read in some time.
Reply
post #42 of 202
10/21/06 at 8:03pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood

Fantastic fantasy novel about a guy who is forced to relive the last 25 years of his life over and over again. Riveting, intriguing and quite touching as well.
Reply
post #43 of 202
10/21/06 at 11:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratty
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood

Fantastic fantasy novel about a guy who is forced to relive the last 25 years of his life over and over again. Riveting, intriguing and quite touching as well.
38) The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin- Mark Twain

What a disgrace that this is lower than a Bruce Campbell book.




They say Tom Sawyer is Twain's best book while Huckleberry is his finest.

They aren't wrong. It is also the fabled Great American Novel.

When I was in 11th Grade, my English teacher was hesitant about letting the class read this because of the word nigger. I argued with him that everyone should read this novel at least once just to see that its about so much more. It's a comedy, its a buddy story(One buddy just happens to be an escaped slave) and its an adventure in the deep south. Twain takes jabs at how religious America was in its young age and Huck is a fascinating protagonist as he learns that Jim is a better man than most of the people he knew in Missouri. The dialect is colorful of 1800's American deep south and Twain stresses that America offers so many chances and opportunities and if people just looked beyond their narrow view-point, they could see what a rich land they live in. Huck was recently civilized and ran away from it and Jim ran away from what civilization deemed the only thing blacks at the time were good for. It is strictly American and Twain both celebrates what makes the country great(And you can practically feel how hot the southern air is and taste the food, and the dialogue, oh my God, no one wrote dialogue better than Twain. It was music) while also scolding it for not being everything it could be.
Reply
post #44 of 202
10/22/06 at 1:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes
What a disgrace that this is lower than a Bruce Campbell book.
It's actually higher, but I digress.

Quote:
a) They say Tom Sawyer is Twain's best book while Huckleberry is his finest.

b) It is also the fabled Great American Novel.

c) When I was in 11th Grade, my English teacher was hesitant about letting the class read this because of the word nigger.
a) Who said this? I've never heard this. Ever. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn destroys this book's narrative, social commentary, and relevance to modern times. It's a book that can be read purely for its fantastic story, though it has an obscene amount of subtext for scholars.

b) I guess you can construe anything to be a "Great American Novel." It seems like nowadays, people have turned Fight Club (and many other mediocre books) into it. Nowadays, there are many "Great American Novels," such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Grapes of Wrath, Moby Dick, The Great Gatsby, Gravity's Rainbow, To Kill a Mockingbird, On the Road, The Catcher in the Rye, The Sot-Weed Factor, JR, Catch-22, White Noise, and maybe even A Confederacy of Dunces. The whole notion that a single book can define America is somewhat absurd, turning the idea of a “Great American Novel” into something of a joke.

c) Your teacher was a fucking moron.
Reply
post #45 of 202
10/22/06 at 1:06pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood
38. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
39. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Reply
post #46 of 202
10/22/06 at 1:33pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood
38. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
39. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
40. The Book of the New Sun- Gene Wolfe

As well written as any other book on this list, read sci-fi/fantasy AND experience fine literature? unpossible!
Reply
post #47 of 202
10/22/06 at 2:01pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood
38. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
39. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
40. The Book of the New Sun- Gene Wolfe

41. The Inferno - Dante

I feel ashamed for not making this my first choice. The vivid imagery, the thoughtful allegory, and the beautiful poetry just make me fall in love with this book just by thinking about it.
Reply
post #48 of 202
10/22/06 at 2:04pm
42. A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking

Hawking's personal story is far more intersting than that of most fictional characters. He's also a lot funnier than you'd expect. But the main achievement here is condensing so much of what we know or think we know about the universe into a relatively palatable book for non-experts. A much lighter read than one would expect a guided tour of the limits of human knowledge to be.
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post #49 of 202
10/22/06 at 2:26pm
Thread Starter 
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way - Bruce Campbell
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood
38. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
39. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
40. The Book of the New Sun- Gene Wolfe
41. The Inferno - Dante
42. A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
43. Moby-Dick - Herman Melville

An enthralling exploration of how revenge can consume the human soul, and a thrilling adventure story on top of it.
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post #50 of 202
10/22/06 at 4:37pm
1. Watership Down - Richard Adams
2. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon.
3. 1984 - George Orwell
4. Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury
5. The Dead Zone -- Stephen King
6. The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
7. A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
8. Ender's Game -- Orson Scott Card
9. House of Leaves -- Mark Z. Danielewski
10. Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets--David Simon
11. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
12. The Call of the Wild- Jack London
13. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
14. Henry V -- William Shakespeare
15. The Rules Of Attraction - Brett Easton Ellis
16. Animal Farm-George Orwell
17. Lord of the Rings-J.R.R. Tolkein
18. 8 Million Ways to Die--Lawrence Block
19. The Friends of Eddie Coyle--George V. Higgins
20. Master and Margarita--Mikhail Bulgakov
21. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
22. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky
23. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
24. The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
25. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Choke - Chuck Palahniuk
27. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown
28. Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon
29. Swag - Elmore Leonard
30. The Satanic Verses- Salman Rushdie
31. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
32. Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
33. Shella - Andrew Vachss
34. The Lords of Discipline-Pat Conroy
35. I, ROBOT - Isaac Asimov
36. The Good Soldier Švejk - Jaroslav Hašek
37. Replay - Ken Grimwood
38. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
39. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
40. The Book of the New Sun- Gene Wolfe
41. The Inferno - Dante
42. A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
43. Moby-Dick - Herman Melville

Well, it seems there were some complaints about Bruce Campbell's book in the list, so I removed it and replaced it by one of my favorite anti-war books. Recommended to people that admire Catch-22.
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