Top Ten Books

[black bart]

Way too many good books out there for me to limit myself to just ten. I may have to come up with a list of authors, instead.

I'll have to get back to you on this...it could take a while.

It doesn't matter if you do more than one list the idea is to give people ideas of what to read next...eg I've noticed quite a few people mention Sandman by Neil Gaiman, and Men Against the Sea sounds like a must read for me .

[Edd]

Every time I look for a book I'm looking for a good one, of course. Consequently, my list changes pretty regularly. Also, it's hard to pick favorites when there are so many different styles, subjects, associated memories, etc. I'll probably end up posting several lists of 'Ten of My Favorite Books.'

[Valanthe]

Gaiman's Sandman is well done, but I couldn't get into it. I loved American Gods and Neverwhere, and laughed my ass off while reading Good Omens, which was co-authored by Terry Pratchett. I haven't read much Terry Pratchett, but what I've read I thoroughly enjoyed.

On a similar vein, I like Robert Asprin's M.yth series, especially if you can dig up Mythadventures in the Phil Foglio comic adaptation. Fun stuff!

[rog]

No particular order, but some books I've enjoyed over the last half decade or so:

Weaveworld - Clive Barker
Slaughterhouse Five - Vonnegut
Hocus Pocus - Vonnegut
Harry Potter series
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
HGTTG
LOTR


As far as recomendations go, there's nobody I recommend more highly than Vonnegut.

I'm currently reading non-fiction mostly. I'm halfway through Noam Chomsky's "Failed States", and Hofstaedter's (sp?) "I am a Strange Loop".

[PKMKII]

10 random books from my bookcase:
The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien
The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
Freakonomics - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Anthem - Ayn Rand
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
What Liberal Media? - Eric Alterman
Everything Bad is Good for You - Steven Johnson
The Emerging Democratic Majority - John B. Judis & Ruy Teixeira (published in 2002, mind you)
Vampire Hunter D - Hideyuki Kikuchi
The Elements of Style - William Strunk & E.B. White

[Nef Yoo BlackBeard]

Way too many good books out there for me to limit myself to just ten. I may have to come up with a list of authors, instead.

I'll have to get back to you on this...it could take a while.

It doesn't matter if you do more than one list the idea is to give people ideas of what to read next...eg I've noticed quite a few people mention Sandman by Neil Gaiman, and Men Against the Sea sounds like a must read for me .

yup yup yup !
Angel Square an Up to Low

uhm gunna ask anty PoN if she wull weed ta me !
i gunna sit on her lap !
me eye leffel shud ave me starrin rite at her
hanz on tha book

[Detective TurtleHolmes]

Everyone should read Coraline. It's the one that new film's based on. It's only short, you can knock it off in an hour or two, but it's really quite good. Neil Gaiman wrote it.

I wouldn't say it's in my top ten, but definitely my top twenty.

[KMill]

Ivan, Divan e Zariman - Marta Koci
The Monster that Ate Canberra - Michael Salmon
Mulga Bill's Bicycle - A.B. Patterson ... yeah, it's just a poem, but I like the illustrations in this edition:

[pieces o'nine]

uhm gunna ask anty PoN if she wull weed ta me !
i gunna sit on her lap !
me eye leffel shud ave me starrin rite at her
hanz on tha book

Wun shalle reede this wun t'ye, wiv 'er moste mell if yoo lus voyce, ladde:

[black bart]

aint ye goin ta be put orf wiv Nef Yoo starin at yer...hands...

I remembers one toim when I was given a readin, at pophular rekwest, of the Best of The Long Winded Tales...I say pophular, I had the hentire audience of four tied to thee Capstan...it appeared that one of the haudience had a glass eye an he kept starin at me knees wiv an hintensity wot provoked my ire...I threw a rollock at im an hit im straight in thee midships...but it turned out thee fellar had died o boredum.

[Edd]

Here is my first list.

I attempted to stay away from books and authors already mentioned in order to encourage you to read something new. Every author included is very talented and I own more than one book by each. Keep in mind that I read a lot of fiction (especially science fiction) and just about any list of books I make will reflect that.

Ordered alphabetically by author

1) Radix - A.A. Attanasio

2) Cities in Flight - James Blish (really four short books - They Shall Have Stars, A Life for the Stars, Earthman, Come Home, and The Triumph of Time)

3) Dhalgren - Samuel R. Delany

4) Ubik - Philip K. Dick

5) Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco

6) The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World - Harlan Ellison

7) The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin

8) Behold the Man - Michael Moorcock

9) Last Call - Tim Powers

10) Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny

[black bart]

That's a good list...the only one I've read is The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin. I've always wanted to read her other books.

But I shall make a note of the others, I fancy the Umberto Eco one.

Over the last few years I've become a big fan of Graphic Novels as well, but I have not managed ten yet:

1. Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
2. The Dark Night Returns - Frank Miller
3. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill
4. 5 is the perfect number - Igort
5. V for Vendetta - Alan Moore, David Lloyd

[Mad Willyum Bonney]

That's a good list...the only one I've read is The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. LeGuin. I've always wanted to read her other books.

But I shall make a note of the others, I fancy the Umberto Eco one.

Over the last few years I've become a big fan of Graphic Novels as well, but I have not managed ten yet:

1. Watchmen - Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons
2. The Dark Night Returns - Frank Miller
3. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - Alan Moore, Kevin O'Neill
4. 5 is the perfect number - Igort
5. V for Vendetta - Alan Moore, David Lloyd

The Lathe Of Heaven , has always been my favorite Le Guin novel , I'm surprised you haven't read that one .

Zelazny has a decent series named The Princes Of Amber that you might enjoy .

As for graphic novels , try to find Kingdom Come and Kid Eternity , both from DC comics .
Also , have you heard of Miracleman ?
It's in graphic novel format at the moment and is written by Alan Moore , be forewarned though , it is not for the faint of heart and may leave you wishing you never read it .

Also , may I recommend Future Shock , by Alvin Toffler .

[Detective TurtleHolmes]

I didn't mind Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. I couldn't help but imagine Sean Connery's voice in my head, though.

[Edd]

Zelazny has a decent series named The Princes Of Amber that you might enjoy .

I liked the Amber series (which is actually The Chronicles of Amber; Nine Princes in Amber is the first book) but much of Zelazny's stuff is better.

I didn't mind Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. I couldn't help but imagine Sean Connery's voice in my head, though.

That was the book that introduced me to him. FP is faster paced, more complex, and is a great read for conspiracy theorists.