Shakey-Lo on 28/2/2006 at 14:16
The only 'classic' book which I have read and quite enjoyed is Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. I just think it's a good story, well written, with many different elements that come together well.
In contrast when we were asked to read Pride & Prejudice for our Year 12 studies I just about died of boredom.
Vernon on 28/2/2006 at 14:47
Quote Posted by Paz
I still haven't decided if he's a genius or just writes utter, utter wank.
Some slag forced me into reading 'Hard-Boiled Wonderland and The End of The World.' I was quite impressed, but I came to the same quandary as you.
Quote Posted by BR796164
Also, Vernon, since you enjoy Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, you consider Chekhov as "modern"?
Well the emote indicated two separate trains of thought. I guess most of what I read
is modern in the 'modern literature' sense of the word (i.e. post-mid C19th), but not exactly twenty first-century modern, if you get what I mean.
Rogue Keeper on 28/2/2006 at 15:28
Quote Posted by Vernon
Well the emote indicated two separate trains of thought. I guess most of what I read is modern in the 'modern literature' sense of the word (i.e. post-mid C19th), but not exactly twenty first-century modern, if you get what I mean.
Sure, I just wondered, since all three of them lived in roughly the same period and all of them actually explored 19th c. Realism in their own manner (putting aside occassional Romantic trips), it just sounded to me as if you considered Chekhov as "more modern past 19th c. Realism" than the rest two.
Jennie&Tim on 28/2/2006 at 15:57
You are all much better read than I. Philosophy makes my head explode.
Rogue Keeper on 28/2/2006 at 16:13
Just balance all that heavy metaphysical stuff with adequate doses of violent videogames and disgusting splatter horrors and you should be fine. ;)
Stitch on 28/2/2006 at 18:53
I actually polished that book off shortly after that thread and I fully intended to open up a line of discussion on it, but I never did and now the book isn't fresh in my mind :(
I'd still consider it to be one of the best books I've read within the past couple years.
WAREAGLE on 28/2/2006 at 18:58
1.Catch-22
2.All the Kings Men
Shoshin on 28/2/2006 at 19:27
When I'm not reading scifi or fantasy fluff, I enjoy a little John Barth. In particular, The Sot-Weed Factor, The Tidewater Tales, and The Last Voyage of Somebody the Sailor. Mr Barth loves to play with language, narrative, and structure. I feel like I'm immersed in the English language when I'm reading him.
thefonz on 28/2/2006 at 21:54
Robert Ludlum's "Bourne Trilogy" has me hooked at the moment. What i find interesting is that on the front cover he is described as "the number 1 writer of the world" - and his writing style is vastly different to what i would call top class.
still, he does steam a good clam.
bukary on 28/2/2006 at 22:22
Jaw-on-the-floor books:
Poetry: W. H. Auden Collected Poems
Prose: Thomas Mann The Magic Mountain
Drama: W. Shakespeare The Tempest
Literary Criticism: books by Harold Bloom and Northrop Frye, M. H. Abrams The Mirror and the Lamp
Philosophy: mystical treaties by Juliusz Slowacki (not necessarily true, but extremely... interesting)
"Light" books: Umberto Eco The Island of the Day Before
