godismygoldfish on 3/3/2006 at 01:13
I feel the need to bring up The House of Leaves, it is not only the scariest book I have ever read, but it also is seriously doing something to me.
I say it with all honesty when I tell you to avoid this book at all costs if you have a weak psyche.
Aja on 3/3/2006 at 01:33
Quote Posted by Stitch
While I applaud the (surprising) fact that a TTLG literary classics thread hasn't plummeted into the realm of Dragonlance and Discworld, I do find many of the offerings here predictably standard. Are we really that influenced by academia that we're so depressingly orthodox when listing literary classics defined by <I>us</I>?
Well, no one wanted to feel stupid by saying Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a literary classic.
The classics are designated so for a reason, and the academia has a good eye for what's worthy of being classified as literature. Are there that many great novels that have somehow slipped under the radar? I can't answer, nor can I add to the list, since I really haven't read enough.
Enchantermon on 3/3/2006 at 02:18
Quote Posted by Aja
Well, no one wanted to feel stupid by saying Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a literary classic.
(
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1413342#post1413342) Ahem. ;)
Oh, and if you're reading Dahl, besides Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator you should also check out George's Marvelous Medicine. Great stuff!
Gillie on 3/3/2006 at 02:35
Quote Posted by godismygoldfish
I feel the need to bring up The House of Leaves, it is not only the scariest book I have ever read, but it also is seriously doing something to me.
I say it with all honesty when I tell you to avoid this book at all costs if you have a weak psyche.
This books sounds too Interesting.I will have to look it up.I like a book which plays on the mind!.
I do not read "Classics" Much.I like a Biography though
Virginia Andrew's Novel "Flowers in the Attic" were a good read as were the Sequels.
Mingan on 3/3/2006 at 04:25
I REMEMBERED MORE!
Tolstoï(not sure anymore...), Anna Karenin
Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary
Both relate much the same story, though on vastly different context. One is set in semi-urban France, the other in aristocratic Russia. Both interesting reads, if a tad on the boring side..
Risquit on 3/3/2006 at 04:50
Quote Posted by Headphones
Someone already gave
Cormac McCarthy a shout out. It would be difficult to stress how staggeringly brilliant Blood Meridian is. Not really bedtime reading though. Haha.
Couldn't agree more. It is a towering achievement presented in prose that will take your breath away. Definitely not for the squeamish, though...it may be the most violent piece of art in existence.
theBlackman on 3/3/2006 at 07:39
The Header says "as defined by you"... So Classics as defined by literature freaks and "critics" are allowed, but so is any book any poster thinks is a Classic. Either in a genre, or in thier judgement.
For my money, the reader and not the Pundits, are the best judge.
For my part Steven King sucks. Whereas Harlan Ellison rules. But then that's what makes horseraces.
Gingerbread Man on 3/3/2006 at 07:40
Harlan Ellison.
And yes, he does rule as long as you forget about what a pretentious Tarantino-esque twat he is in real life.
theBlackman on 3/3/2006 at 08:19
True, keyboard dyslexia strikes again, but then most of them seem to be pretentious pricks in real life.
There are exceptions, but a few best sellers seem to bring the ego to the fore for the men. :)
MorbusG on 3/3/2006 at 09:21
Quote Posted by Scots_Taffer
I guess I'm also fishing for any really interesting philosophical or ideological books
Hi,
Check out
Robert M. Pirsing's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in case you haven't already. It has nice philosophical pondering about quality, and I feel it has affected somewhat on how I think on things.
