Books of your life

2

Comments

  • Patrick Süskind - Perfume
    Tom Robbins - Villa Incognito
    Pascal Bruckner - Lunes de fiel (Bitter Moon)

    VILLA INCOGNITO!!! "tanuki's scrotum was flapping in the wind"... or something like that :D

    have you read Robbin's other stuff? I like 5/6 books of his better than Villa Incognito (which is pretty darn good)
    i could easily post ..Jitterbug Perfume .
    the guy is genious..

    Jitterbug is my favorite... followed by Another Roadside Attraction.

    3rd would probably be Still Life with Woodpecker, then Skinny Legs and All.

    After those four, I'd put Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Villa Incognito in the same class.

    The other two were "meh"
    Everything not forbidden is compulsory and eveything not compulsory is forbidden. You are free... free to do what the government says you can do.
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam NINUNINOPRO Posts: 139,136

    Jitterbug is my favorite... followed by Another Roadside Attraction.

    3rd would probably be Still Life with Woodpecker, then Skinny Legs and All.

    After those four, I'd put Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Villa Incognito in the same class.

    The other two were "meh"
    Still Life with Woodpecker is so smart book!!
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    In order to keep this post from running WAY too long, I'll only list one favorite from any one author (tortuously difficult to do!):

    Abbey, Edward: THE FOOL’S PROGRESS
    Alexie, Sherman: FLIGHT
    Andrews, F. Emerson: UPSIDE-DOWN TOWN
    Bechard, Gorman: THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
    Berry Wendell: THE WILD BIRDS
    Bly, Robert: THE MAN IN THE BLACK COAT TURNS
    Boyd, Malcolm: AREYOU RUNNING WITH ME, JESUS?
    Bradbury, Ray: FAHRENHEIT 451
    Brown, Dee: BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE
    Bulgakov, Mikhail: HEART OF A DOG
    Burnford, Sheila: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
    Carlin, George: LAST WORDS
    Capote, Truman: OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS
    Choinard, Yvon: LET MY PEOPLE GO SURFING
    Hayden, Tom: THE LOST GOSPEL OF THE EARTH
    Hemingway, Ernest: THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
    Hempton, Gordon: ONE SQUARE INCH OF SILENCE
    Huxley, Aldous: THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION
    Jensen, Derrick: ENDGAME
    Joyce, James: ULYSSES
    Kunstler, James Howard: THE LONG EMERGENCY
    Laing, R.D.: THE POLITICS OF EXPERIENCE
    Lee, Harper: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
    McCullers, Carson: THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER
    McKibben, Bill: EAARTH
    Miller, Henry: TROPIC OF CANCER
    Morrow, Betty: SEE UP THE MOUNTAIN
    Murphy, Beatrice M.: EBONY RHYTHM, AN ANTHOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY NEGRO VERSE
    National Geographic Society: FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA
    Nelson, Willie: THE TAO OF WILLIE
    Orwell, George,: 1984
    Peacock, Douglas: WALKING IT OFF
    Plath, Sylvia: THE BELL JAR
    Richards, Keith: LIFE
    Rowling, J.K.: HARRY POTTER AND…
    Seton, Ernest Thompson: ROLF IN THE WOODS
    Stegner, Wallace: CROSSING TO SAFETY
    Steinbeck: THE GRAPES WRATH
    Tolkien, J.R.R.: THE LORD OF THE RINGS
    Traven, B.: THE JUNGLE SERIES
    Vonnegut, Kurt: A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY
    Warner, Brad: HARDCORE ZEN
    Weaver, Harriett E.: THERE STAND THE GIANTS
    Weisman, Alan: THE WORLD WITHOUT US
    Wilson, Edward O.: THE FUTURE OF LIFE
    Zim, Howard: INSECTS

    Sorry my list is so long- that’s as short as I can make it. All are essential to my life... thus far.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    "Watership Down"-Richard Adams
    "The Future of Life"-E.O. Wilson
    "Kingbird Highway"-Kenn Kaufman
    "Swan Song"-Robert McCammon
    "Battleship Bismarck..A Survivor's Story"-Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg
    "The Song of the Dodo"-David Quammen
    "WE3-The Absolute Edition"-Grant Morrison and Frank Quiteley
    "The Tao of Pooh"-Benjamin Hoff
    "The Ghost with Trembling Wings..Science, Wishful Thinking, and the Search for Lost Species"-Scott Weidensaul
    "The Big Year...A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession"-Mark Obmascik
    "The Lorax"-Dr. Seuss
    "Tigers in the Snow"-Peter Matthiessen
    "Winter World...The Ingenuity of Animal Survival"-Bernd Heinrich
    "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever"-Stephen R. Donaldson
    "The Return of Tarzan"-Edgar Rice Burroughs
    "Vanishing Wildlife of North America"-Thomas B. Allen
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn
    "The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America"-David Allen Sibley
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    tybird wrote:
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn

    Yeow! A big omission from my list: +1 :thumbup:
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    You're all PJ fans and none of you have read Ishmael?! :shock: It's like, recommended reading...
  • marcosmarcos Posts: 2,111
    Jeanwah wrote:
    You're all PJ fans and none of you have read Ishmael?! :shock: It's like, recommended reading...

    I've heard Eddie mention it before, sounds interesting, but I usually don't read anything philosophical written in the last 20 years. I really need to get with the times I suppose, though do Pearl Jam lyrics count?
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    brianlux wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn

    Yeow! A big omission from my list: +1 :thumbup:
    Shout to you for the Nat Geo Field guide....which I also have a copy...or two..of.. :lol:

    ...and "Lord of the Rings".....and I hope to read E.O.'s "Insects" one day....a very engaging gentleman...I have met him a couple of times...and we share a home state. :mrgreen:
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • brianluxbrianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,592
    tybird wrote:
    brianlux wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn

    Yeow! A big omission from my list: +1 :thumbup:
    Shout to you for the Nat Geo Field guide....which I also have a copy...or two..of.. :lol:

    ...and "Lord of the Rings".....and I hope to read E.O.'s "Insects" one day....a very engaging gentleman...I have met him a couple of times...and we share a home state. :mrgreen:

    Wonderful that you got to meet E.O. Wilson! Excellent! I met Wendell Berry once and had a hard time getting a few words out, but he was very kind and humble. I thanked him for responding to a letter I wrote to him about how his words had changed my life. He said, meekly, "Well, I'm glad I did something right." I can picture Wilson being the same kind of person. And Terry Tempest Williams- another writer I'd love to meet. She belongs on my list for her recent amazing columns in The Progressive. First rate all the way.
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • The art of the deal
  • RFTCRFTC Posts: 723
    Jeanwah wrote:
    You're all PJ fans and none of you have read Ishmael?! :shock: It's like, recommended reading...

    gotta get this one next purchase and 'insects' by zinn have read 'us history and moving train', not familar w/this one. about?
    San Diego Sports Arena - Oct 25, 2000
    MGM Grand - Jul 6, 2006
    Cox Arena - Jul 7, 2006
    New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival - May 1, 2010
    Alpine Valley Music Theater - Sep 3-4 2011
    Made In America, Philly - Sep 2, 2012
    EV, Houston - Nov 12-13, 2012
    Dallas-November 2013
    OKC-November 2013
    ACL 2-October 2014
    Fenway Night 1, August 2016
    Wrigley, Night 1 August 2018
  • to be fair. ismael is the best book ever. a life bible almost.
  • I thought Ishmael was pretty good and it sure does gets you thinking quite a bit... I forgot to mention it along with so many that will keep coming to mind :) Incidentally a friend of mine just read it on my recommendation and she loved it too :D
    ~Can't escape from the common rule
    If you hate something, don't you do it too...~
  • redrockredrock Posts: 18,341
    For those who have read Ishmael, have you also read the other two books of this trilogy (Ishmael being the first) - The Story of B and My Ishmael? What did you think of those books?
  • Ops... Shame on me... Didn't even KNOW it was the first of a trilogy! Are those as good as Ishmael???
    ~Can't escape from the common rule
    If you hate something, don't you do it too...~
  • redrockredrock Posts: 18,341
    For some reason I preferred Story of B to Ishmael as I think it goes a bit further than the first one - a bit more thought provoking maybe? Or just different thoughts? As with the other two, I find the plot quite thin but I think that's not the real purpose of the book - the message is. My Ishmael is my least favourite - I found it a bit 'disjointed'. A lot of words for less thoughts/ideas.
  • Great! I'm going to buy Story of B as soon as possible, I'm really curious now... Is the story completely connected? I mean, is it important to remember everything I read on Ishmael? I'm asking because I read it like.... 11 or so years ago, so it isn't really "fresh"...

    Edit - I was just reading on wikipedia that Story of B is a sequel for both Ishmael and My Ishmael... Does this make sense to you?
    ~Can't escape from the common rule
    If you hate something, don't you do it too...~
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    tybird wrote:
    "Watership Down"-Richard Adams
    "The Future of Life"-E.O. Wilson
    "Kingbird Highway"-Kenn Kaufman
    "Swan Song"-Robert McCammon
    "Battleship Bismarck..A Survivor's Story"-Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg
    "The Song of the Dodo"-David Quammen
    "WE3-The Absolute Edition"-Grant Morrison and Frank Quiteley
    "The Tao of Pooh"-Benjamin Hoff
    "The Ghost with Trembling Wings..Science, Wishful Thinking, and the Search for Lost Species"-Scott Weidensaul
    "The Big Year...A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession"-Mark Obmascik
    "The Lorax"-Dr. Seuss
    "Tigers in the Snow"-Peter Matthiessen
    "Winter World...The Ingenuity of Animal Survival"-Bernd Heinrich
    "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever"-Stephen R. Donaldson
    "The Return of Tarzan"-Edgar Rice Burroughs
    "Vanishing Wildlife of North America"-Thomas B. Allen
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn
    "The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America"-David Allen Sibley

    I see you have a thing for animals. Some of these books look pretty cool.
  • redrockredrock Posts: 18,341
    Story of B was the second one published (before My Ishmael). It's been a while for me as well, but I wouldn't see the books as 'sequels', rather books based on the same areas of thoughts/concepts, looking at these concepts in a deeper/different way maybe and presenting others. I think as as long as you remember some of Ishmael - more the greater picture of what Quinn is trying to say, you should be OK.
  • JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    redrock wrote:
    For those who have read Ishmael, have you also read the other two books of this trilogy (Ishmael being the first) - The Story of B and My Ishmael? What did you think of those books?

    I purchased the Story of B used, but haven't read it yet. I wish I was more of a bookworm...
    But now after reading that you prefer it to the others, redrock, I may pick it up sooner than later...
  • redrockredrock Posts: 18,341
    Jeanwah wrote:
    redrock wrote:
    For those who have read Ishmael, have you also read the other two books of this trilogy (Ishmael being the first) - The Story of B and My Ishmael? What did you think of those books?

    I purchased the Story of B used, but haven't read it yet. I wish I was more of a bookworm...
    But now after reading that you prefer it to the others, redrock, I may pick it up sooner than later...

    It's just my thoughts.. might not be the same as others as I might be slightly weird.. :? :mrgreen: I preferred Story of B because I thought it went into things a bit deeper.

    Though, I must admit, whilst I did like those books, they are not amongst some of my big favourites.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    Byrnzie wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    "Watership Down"-Richard Adams
    "The Future of Life"-E.O. Wilson
    "Kingbird Highway"-Kenn Kaufman
    "Swan Song"-Robert McCammon
    "Battleship Bismarck..A Survivor's Story"-Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg
    "The Song of the Dodo"-David Quammen
    "WE3-The Absolute Edition"-Grant Morrison and Frank Quiteley
    "The Tao of Pooh"-Benjamin Hoff
    "The Ghost with Trembling Wings..Science, Wishful Thinking, and the Search for Lost Species"-Scott Weidensaul
    "The Big Year...A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession"-Mark Obmascik
    "The Lorax"-Dr. Seuss
    "Tigers in the Snow"-Peter Matthiessen
    "Winter World...The Ingenuity of Animal Survival"-Bernd Heinrich
    "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever"-Stephen R. Donaldson
    "The Return of Tarzan"-Edgar Rice Burroughs
    "Vanishing Wildlife of North America"-Thomas B. Allen
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn
    "The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America"-David Allen Sibley

    I see you have a thing for animals. Some of these books look pretty cool.
    You would be correct, sir
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    tybird wrote:
    Byrnzie wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    "Watership Down"-Richard Adams
    "The Future of Life"-E.O. Wilson
    "Kingbird Highway"-Kenn Kaufman
    "Swan Song"-Robert McCammon
    "Battleship Bismarck..A Survivor's Story"-Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg
    "The Song of the Dodo"-David Quammen
    "WE3-The Absolute Edition"-Grant Morrison and Frank Quiteley
    "The Tao of Pooh"-Benjamin Hoff
    "The Ghost with Trembling Wings..Science, Wishful Thinking, and the Search for Lost Species"-Scott Weidensaul
    "The Big Year...A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession"-Mark Obmascik
    "The Lorax"-Dr. Seuss
    "Tigers in the Snow"-Peter Matthiessen
    "Winter World...The Ingenuity of Animal Survival"-Bernd Heinrich
    "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever"-Stephen R. Donaldson
    "The Return of Tarzan"-Edgar Rice Burroughs
    "Vanishing Wildlife of North America"-Thomas B. Allen
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn
    "The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America"-David Allen Sibley

    I see you have a thing for animals. Some of these books look pretty cool.
    You would be correct, sir

    :lol:
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    Byrnzie wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    "Watership Down"-Richard Adams
    "The Future of Life"-E.O. Wilson
    "Kingbird Highway"-Kenn Kaufman
    "Swan Song"-Robert McCammon
    "Battleship Bismarck..A Survivor's Story"-Burkard Baron von Mullenheim-Rechberg
    "The Song of the Dodo"-David Quammen
    "WE3-The Absolute Edition"-Grant Morrison and Frank Quiteley
    "The Tao of Pooh"-Benjamin Hoff
    "The Ghost with Trembling Wings..Science, Wishful Thinking, and the Search for Lost Species"-Scott Weidensaul
    "The Big Year...A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession"-Mark Obmascik
    "The Lorax"-Dr. Seuss
    "Tigers in the Snow"-Peter Matthiessen
    "Winter World...The Ingenuity of Animal Survival"-Bernd Heinrich
    "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever"-Stephen R. Donaldson
    "The Return of Tarzan"-Edgar Rice Burroughs
    "Vanishing Wildlife of North America"-Thomas B. Allen
    "A People's History of the United States...1492-Present"-Howard Zinn
    "The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America"-David Allen Sibley

    I see you have a thing for animals. Some of these books look pretty cool.
    "The Future of Life" by E.O. Wilson would probably strike a cord with you.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • BinauralJamBinauralJam Posts: 14,158
    Into The Wild - John Krakuer

    Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert Heinlein

    Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brien (20 books)

    Tikki Tikki Tembo - Arlene Mosel

    Drizzt Series - R.A.Salvatore

    Lestat Series - Anne Rice

    Harry Potter Series - J.K.Rowling

    Star Wars Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
  • EnkiduEnkidu So Cal Posts: 2,995
    So many to list. What I've liked recently:

    Fiction:

    Let the Great World Spin - Colum McCann
    Matterhorn - Karl Marlantes
    The Custom of the Country - Edith Wharton
    (House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is one of my favorite books ever)

    Non-fiction:

    King Leopold's Ghost - Adam Hochschild
    The Inextinguishable Symphony - Martin Goldsmith
    Dancing in the Glory of Monsters - Jason K. Stearns
    (The Edmund Morris three volume Teddy Roosevelt biography is great)
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    Enkidu wrote:
    Non-fiction:

    King Leopold's Ghost - Adam Hochschild

    (The Edmund Morris three volume Teddy Roosevelt biography is great)
    King Leopold's Ghost almost made my list....."The Scramble for Africa" by Thomas Pakenham some how got left off the list.....have the first two Morris Teddy books....just have not got around to reading them.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    ...
    Lestat Series - Anne Rice
    ...

    the vampire chronicles you mean. :P


    i just picked blackwood farm off my shelf and realised im part way through it. i wish i was more disciplined with my reading.
    hear my name
    take a good look
    this could be the day
    hold my hand
    lie beside me
    i just need to say
  • EnkiduEnkidu So Cal Posts: 2,995
    tybird wrote:
    Enkidu wrote:
    Non-fiction:

    King Leopold's Ghost - Adam Hochschild

    (The Edmund Morris three volume Teddy Roosevelt biography is great)
    King Leopold's Ghost almost made my list....."The Scramble for Africa" by Thomas Pakenham some how got left off the list.....have the first two Morris Teddy books....just have not got around to reading them.

    Somebody here on the board recommended King Leopold's Ghost. And I read Scramble for Africa after - GREAT book.
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam NINUNINOPRO Posts: 139,136
    ill update later..remember some more.. :)
    "...Dimitri...He talks to me...'.."The Ghost of Greece..".
    "..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
    “..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
Sign In or Register to comment.