OT: Top 5 Books You've Read

Kel Tec RFB said:
If non-fiction is what you're after, Galipoli, Enemy at The Gates, or Rebels (if you're the least bit Gaelic) are amazing books.
Click to expand...
Boy....you are drawn to dark and morbid subject matters. Enemies at the Gates was one of the most depressing books I've ever read. Personally I think it pales to mediocrity when compared to "All Quiet On The Western Front".
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Boy....you are drawn to dark and morbid subject matters. Enemies at the Gates was one of the most depressing books I've ever read. Personally I think it pales to mediocrity when compared to "All Quiet On The Western Front".
Click to expand...

There are so many small happy moments in Enemy though. Its a book that focuses on the people. If you want depressing, Rebels is the book.
 
Kel Tec RFB said:
You're loss, ludite.
Click to expand...
It is. I'm not denying the art. I'm just saying I dont find that kind of depressing literature entertaining. To use my analogy to "Leaving Las Vegas" it was a truly great film and a great work of art. I did not find it entertaining in the least. Don't get me wrong. I'm perfectly aware that not all art is supposed to be entertaining.
 
Dungheap said:
It is indeed a fantastic book, but who the hell could credibly be cast as Ignatius J. Reilly?
Click to expand...

Several people have been put forward including John Candy, John Belushi, John Goodman and latterly Will Ferrell. Of those, I think John Candy would have been a natural for the role. Indeed any of the others would be good apart from Will Ferrell, he just doesn't seem heavyweight enough in both an acting or a physical sense.
Brandon Whitehead would be an excellent choice, he just looks the part.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/...a-holy-trinity-of-awesome/Content?oid=2300808
 
Last edited:
I would need to separate them into categories. The "top 5" is impossible. The "top 5" sci-fi, I can do that. Or "top 5" non-fiction... or.. well, I think you get the picture.

What type of book do you like the most? Other than romance novels or other junk I pretty much read anything I get my hands on...
 
Damocles said:
I would need to separate them into categories. The "top 5" is impossible. The "top 5" sci-fi, I can do that. Or "top 5" non-fiction... or.. well, I think you get the picture.

What type of book do you like the most? Other than romance novels or other junk I pretty much read anything I get my hands on...
Click to expand...

Yeah right. I always know when a guy says something like this that he has got a ton of well-thumbed Danielle Steel novels hidden somewhere. Damo probably gets Harlequin Monthly.
 
If you like Sci fi... Read Orson Scott Card's 'Ender' series, Dean Koontz Fear nothing/Seize the Night; his Frankenstein series, his Odd Thomas series are all good

If you like action oriented fiction... Jack Higgins series with Sean Dillon are good, Tom Clancy... cant go wrong

Stephen King's 11/22/63 I am currently reading (I am about a third of the way through it) and it is pretty damn good thus far.

If you are looking for classics: Crime and Punishment, Tale of Two Cities, The Illiad & the Oddesy

But all of the above is pointless... Since you are from Ohio AND a USC grad, I would suggest we stick to your reading level... I therefore recommend:

1) See Spot Run
2) Fun with Dick and Jane
3) My Pet Goat
 
Dungheap said:
It is indeed a fantastic book, but who the hell could credibly be cast as Ignatius J. Reilly?
Click to expand...
Put some weight on him and I think John Kusack would win an Oscar playing this role. Cast his sister Joan as Myrna.

If Grind could act he'd be perfect for this role. He's 30, still lives in his parents basement and the only time he ever left Boston it traumatized him. He's also pretentious and full of shit like Iggy. He'd be perfect!

If they cast this book all the A list actors in Hollywood would have their agents beating on the doors for a role as one of the characters.

Here's how I'd cast it.

Iggy - John Kusak

Mrs. Reilly - Sally Fields

Mrs. Bataglia - Shirly McClain

Myrna - Joan Kusak

Claude - Steve Martin

Angelo - Vince Vaugh or Norm MacDonald

Lana Lee - Roseanne Barr

George - Franky Muniz

Darlene - Megan Fox

Gus Levy - John Goodman

Mrs. Levy - Bette Midler

Mr. Clyde - Sam Jackson

Ms. Trixie - Madonna
 
Last edited:
cawacko said:
Since it's been a slow morning on this board and we were discussing books earlier I thought I'd throw out this question. I'm looking for something to read after I finish LBJ: Master of the Senate.
Click to expand...

Just seen this and I thought, 'oh yes I could say Proust and Gibbon and stuff', but then I thought 'nahh. Let others do that.'
My top 5 would be books that I like to have by me always. Books that have a nice feel and often a nice smell. Books that, when you get to the last page you just flip open somewhere and dip in.
1. World Atlas.
2. Complete works of Oscar Wilde,
3. Under Milk Wood (do plays count?)
4.A big book of blank paper and a pencil
5. Complete works of Shakespeare.
 
Lowaicue said:
Just seen this and I thought, 'oh yes I could say Proust and Gibbon and stuff', but then I thought 'nahh. Let others do that.'
My top 5 would be books that I like to have by me always. Books that have a nice feel and often a nice smell. Books that, when you get to the last page you just flip open somewhere and dip in.
1. World Atlas.
2. Complete works of Oscar Wilde,
3. Under Milk Wood (do plays count?)
4.A big book of blank paper and a pencil
5. Complete works of Shakespeare.
Click to expand...


Do you know anyone that has actually read A la recherche du temps perdu or anything by Joyce?
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Put some weight on him and I think John Kusack would win an Oscar playing this role. Cast his sister Joan as Myrna.

If Grind could act he'd be perfect for this role. He's 30, still lives in his parents basement and the only time he ever left Boston it traumatized him. He's also pretentious and full of shit like Iggy. He'd be perfect!

If they cast this book all the A list actors in Hollywood would have their agents beating on the doors for a role as one of the characters.

Here's how I'd cast it.

Iggy - John Kusak

Mrs. Reilly - Sally Fields

Mrs. Bataglia - Shirly McClain

Myrna - Joan Kusak

Claude - Steve Martin

Angelo - Vince Vaugh or Norm MacDonald

Lana Lee - Roseanne Barr

George - Franky Muniz

Darlene - Megan Fox

Gus Levy - John Goodman

Mrs. Levy - Bette Midler

Mr. Clyde - Sam Jackson

Ms. Trixie - Madonna
Click to expand...
It just occurred to me that if you have ever seen Withnail and I then you would know that Richard Griffiths would have been perfect for the role if they had filmed it in the '90s.
 
Aoxomoxoa said:
Do you know anyone that has actually read A la recherche du temps perdu or anything by Joyce?
Click to expand...

Yes, I know a lady in Florida who has and I tried (but failed) to read Ulysses. I read a lot of Richmal Crompton though.
Perhaps we should compile a list of those books one SHOULD read. Gibbon's Decline and Fall (I have an electronic copy and a promise to myself), Adam Smith, David Hume, the complete works of Evelyn Waugh, Brendan Behan, J M Synge, Russell .... no the list would be too long!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top