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C.S. Lewis once said that any book worth reading is worth reading one a year. While I highly doubt that any of us are quite that avid in our reading, I am quite certain (based on this thread) that we all seem to enjoy reading on some level. What books have either most influenced you or were just plain fun to read? If you had to make a list, which ten would come out on top? Please list your choices (attempt to limit your choices to novels or non-fiction - no graphic novels or comics, please) and briefly describe why each made your list.
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Who will I break next? 15000+ posts
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This is going to take me a while. See my sig for most of my choices.
November 6th, 2012: Americas new Independence Day.
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I walk in eternity 15000+ posts
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1 - Have Space Suit, Will Travel - Robert Heinlein
2 - Time For The Stars - Robert Heinlein
3 - Tunnel Through Time - Lester Del Ray
4 - Runaway Robot - Lester Del Rey
5 - Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire - JK Rowling
6 - The Lost Race of Mars - Robert Silverberg
7 - Nine Tomorrows - Isaac Asimov
8 - There Will Be Time - Poul Anderson
9 - Paradox Alley - John DeChancie
10 - The first seven Stainless Steel Rat books by Harry Harrison.
"I offer you a Vulcan prayer, Mr Suder. May your death bring you the peace you never found in life." - Tuvok.
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In no particular order ('cause I love them all):
Any of the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" books by Douglas Adams
--absolutely hilarious and brilliant!
"The Green Mile" by Stephen King
--it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me cry some more...
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger
--I have read this book many, many times and I still love it and identify with the main character sometimes.
"Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller
--A professor suggested it and I LOVED it.
"Gerald's Game" by Stephen King
--I really love all of his books, but this one was another one of my favorites.
The "Harry Potter" series. I can't pick just one that I like 'cause I liked them all.
Crap. I can only think of 6. I know there are some others that I enjoyed reading...
Last edited by sweetmarlene; 2006-04-18 6:21 PM.
Stewie (to one of the prostitutes at Cleveland's house): So, is there any tread left on the tires? Or at this point would it be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?
--Family Guy
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graemlin protector 6000+ posts
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this is more than ten, but they are series, so i will just put them
split infinity (i believe) piers anthony
death gate cycle (i forget the author)
wheel of time (robert jordan)
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Your death will make me king! 15000+ posts
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A lot of sci-fi stuff on these lists.
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i haven't read much non fiction, excpeting mythology, or history, and then i have no idea the names or authors of any of those books.
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tim thinks mythology is real! you heard it here first, folks!
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mythology isn't, but reading about the mythology, where it came from, and when it ended, as far as common practice is. as well as the beliefs of it.
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Joined: Jan 2003
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Your death will make me king! 15000+ posts
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Don't try to confuse me with your monosyllabic jargon and simple truth!
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graemlin protector 6000+ posts
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the simple truth will confuse, that my misinformation can prevail!
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fudge 4000+ posts
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In no particuliar order
The sword of truth series up until and including Faith of The Fallen (nr. 6) Terry Goodkind
The Dark Glory War Michael A. Stackpole
Magic the Gathering: Arena William R. Forstchen
The Riftwar series Raymond E. Feist
The Icarus Hunt Timothy Zahn
The Great Dune Trilogy Frank Herbert (I'm currently reading this, but it's good stuff!)
Racks be to MisterJLA
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Sex Offender Since 1978 3000+ posts
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I brew beer now. Brewing beer is cool.
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graemlin protector 6000+ posts
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isn't that the wrong title?
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Sex Offender Since 1978 3000+ posts
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I brew beer now. Brewing beer is cool.
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devil-lovin' Bat-Man 15000+ posts
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devil-lovin' Bat-Man 15000+ posts
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Pink Floyd - Point me at the Sky The Beatles - Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End/Her Majesty Derek and the Dominoes - Layla The Doors - The Soft Parade David Bowie - All The Madmen The Velvet Underground & Nico - All Tomorrow's Parties The Pixies - Where's My Mind? Modest Mouse - Float On Pearl Jam - Baba O'Riley (Live The Who cover) Super Furry Animals - Sidewalk Surfer Girl
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kung-fu treachery 5000+ posts
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"Hey this is PCG342's bro..." 15000+ posts
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"Are you eating it...or is it eating you?" [center] [/center] [center] [/center]
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I walk in eternity 15000+ posts
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"I offer you a Vulcan prayer, Mr Suder. May your death bring you the peace you never found in life." - Tuvok.
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brother from another mother 15000+ posts
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Don't know Much about History-Kenneth C Davis Among Madmen- Jim Starlin Lightning- Dean Koontz Dolores Claiborne-Stephen King The Iron Marshal- Louis L'amour
"My friends have always been the best of me." -Doctor Who
"Well,whenever I'm confused,I just check my underwear. It holds most answers to life's questions." Abe Simpson
I can tell by the position of the sun in the sky, that is time for us to go. Until next time, I am Lothar of the Hill People!
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The Matthew Scudder thrillers by Lawrence Block - tight continuity over a 30+ year period, stylish noir writing and outstanding characterization. 16 books and not a bad one yet.
The Dark Tower series by Stephen King - excluding the disappointment of the final 1 and a half books, one of the best finite series ever.
The "Prey" series with Lucas Davenport by John Sandford - Solid crime fiction reminiscent of the better, earlier Spencer novels.
Greg Rucka's Atticus Kodiak books - well crafted and clever.
The Stand by Stephen King - The pinnacle of his work, in my opinion. Though, for a shorter but still enjoyable read, I'd recommend Needful Things
The "What to Expect" series of child care books - Takes much of the mystery and fear out of child rearing from pre-birth to toddler stage. Absolutely essential reading for any mother- and father-to-be.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X - I try to read this book once every couple of years. Excellent, if a bit dated, book on race and perception in America.
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison - read it 20 years ago for a contemporary lit class and it's still one of the finest novels I've ever read.
A Season Inside by John Feinstein - Does a great job of capturing the essence of big time college basketball in the 80s.
King Con by Stephen Cannell - Great caper book. If you liked the movie "Confidence", you'll like this book. Probably doesn't deserve to be in the company of the above mentioned books but it popped into my head so it makes the list.
Oderint, dum metuant.
You are a god damned idiot, you know that? You ought to be smacked upside your dumb-fuck head, even after all these years. Shame on you! -USCHI showin' some love
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Educator to comprehension impaired (JLA, that is you) 50000+ posts
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If there was a poetry book collecting the works of Peter J. Pappas I would read that.
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devil-lovin' Bat-Man 15000+ posts
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If you want to read Pappas' poetry all you have to do is go outside and look at the common man.
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The somewhat random 2000+ posts
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The somewhat random 2000+ posts
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Lost Souls by Poppy z Brite
Bram Stocker's Dracula
Piercing the Darkness: Undercover with Vampires in America Today by: Katherine Ramsland
Ghost: Investigating the Other Side By: katherine Ramsland
Anne Franks Diary
cant recall what else
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Off the top of my head right now I would say the entire WILD CARD series.
YOU PUT SOUP IN IT!
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THE Franta 3000+ posts
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THE Franta 3000+ posts
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That of course does not include recognized classics (Tom Sawyer, Gullivers Travels etc)
YOU PUT SOUP IN IT!
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WHAT ABOUT PENTHOUSE LETTERS?
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Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan (11 books total) Dark Elf Series - R A Salvatore (12 or 13 total)
Both of these you can cheat on now since they've been made into comics. Well, only one of the WoT books so far, but I'm hoping for more.
Zanth Series - Piers Anthony (Original "trilogy" was 9 books) Only read these if you can tolerate really bad puns, since thats what the whole series is based off.
Discworld - Terry Prachett (Lots of books, can be read in any order)
Clan Novel Saga - Various Authors (Books based off Vampire: The Masquarade)
Anything in the Forgotten Realms series, especially the Harpers books. They're not called that naymore, tho.
Theres a Monster at the end of this book and Theres another monster at the end of this book (Both are Sesame street books, both star Grover and the second one co-stars Elmo. I highly recomend these to the guy that just had the really cute baby girl (sorry, I don't rememberhis name)
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In no particular order, although the first two are my two favorites of all time...
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Hitchiker Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
True Detective and True Crime by Max Allan Collins
The Stand by Stephen King
Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
And a bunch more I can't think of off the top of my head...
Get the fuck out!
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Who will I break next? 15000+ posts
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Who will I break next? 15000+ posts
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Atlas Shrugged Jurassic Park High Fidelity Patriot Games Star Wars The Thrawn Trilogy Watership Down Choke Survivor
I reviewed most of them, I consider all of these books must reads.
November 6th, 2012: Americas new Independence Day.
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