The Must Have Book

[Skeddan]

I don't know about 'must have', but some books I enjoyed and enoyed re-reading.

 

Ryszard Kapuściński : 'Another Day of Life', 'Shah of Shahs', 'Imperium'. (He is a master at painting a place with words).

George Orwell : 'Homage to Catalonia' (if only because it gives one greater appreciation for hot buttered toast).

Leonardo Sciascia: (various novels and short stories mainly to do with Italian Mafia) - Wine Dark Sea, Scicilian Uncles.

Mikhail Lermontov: 'A Hero of Our Time' (brilliant structuring - maybe even a precursor to Kubrick and Tarantino).

Alan Duff: 'Once Were Warriors' (different from the film, and worth reading for its literary style alone).

AA Milne: 'The House at Pooh Corner' (I think this is a 'must have').

[Freggyragh]

1) At Swim Two Birds - Flann O' Brien. - Deconstructs literature - and very, very funny.

2) Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond - A compelling view of history that demolishes the case for racism and imperialism.

3) The Fatal Shore - Robert Hughes. - a history of Austalia that exposes the brutal potential of the human soul.

4) The Flashman Series - George MacDonald Fraser - great entertainment and introduction to 19th C history.

5) The Gospel of St John. A powerful, thought provoking read, whether you are Christian or not.

[cheeky boy]

I was lucky enough to have a girlfriend who gave me a copy of "The Outsider" by Albert Camus because I reminded her of the protaganist, who faced execution rather than join in the lies & bullshit. Cheers Lyns, will love you forever for that

 

In similar vein, Catcher in the Rye, On the Road, Catch 22

 

For pure entertainment: Trainspotting, American Psyco, Bonfire of the Vanities, Life if Pi, The English Passengers

 

The perfect short story :"The Dead" from "Dubiners " by James Joyce

[Foxtrotlima]

Well a decent dose of sciatica put me in bed for a few days and I got round to reading some books that I have been meaning to read for ages.

 

I bought Philip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy for my daughter. Needless to say she hasn't seen them yet. I thought that they were brilliantly written and was more than pleasantly surprised.

 

The other one I managed to get round to reading that had been lying there for a while was Will Self's PsychoGeography. I have been an avid reader of his column in the Indy on a Saturday but the book is infinitely better.

 

(The illustrations by Ralph Steadman are just an added bonus!)