Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|6621|London, England

Uzique wrote:

Mekstizzle wrote:

Outside of school given books (Lord of the flies etc..) the only books, as in proper books, I have actually bothered to read is Lord of the rings. It's true. I'm not a book person, I should read more but I don't. It's down to the simple fact that I grew up hating books/fiction because of the shit they used to make us read in school and how the teachers would analyse books and poems in the most ridiculous way, it really put me off.
Most books that are worth reading are meant to be analysed and understood for deeper meanings. It's not 'ridiculous', you're clearly a part of the demographic that is happy reading 5-words-per-sentence Jeremy Clarkson and considering that as 'enlightening literature'. Proper books... Lord of the Rings? Did you even understand the allegory before watching the films? These book threads make me rage.
Nah, I don't try to put myself across as a guy that reads enlightening literature by giving examples. I know what I am when it comes to lit. When I said proper books, I meant as in reading outside of the classroom, reading a full book and not a Journal or a Magazine or something like that. Not proper as in "I think it's proper cos it's intelligent, unlike other books which aren't proper cos they're unintelligent"

I actually never really paid attention to the films until I started reading the book (talking about lord of the rings).

And I still find it ridiculous, I had uninspiring middle aged women teachers for most of my school life. They really killed alot of things for me. Ranging from Art to English lit. It's just how some people are, it's not that I didn't understand or appreciate, it's that I simply didn't like it.

Last edited by Mekstizzle (2009-07-11 09:47:32)

AussieReaper
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
+5,761|6153|what

3 good books of the top of my head:

Sphere - Michael Crichton
Nightwatch - Terry Pratchett
Moby Dick - Herman Melville
https://i.imgur.com/maVpUMN.png
M.O.A.B
'Light 'em up!'
+1,220|6223|Escea

I remember reading Jurassic Park (Crichton) years ago, and then thinking how vastly different it was from the movie.
Benzin
Member
+576|5998

Uzique wrote:

Intelligent and mature? Like all the pseudo-intellectual fuckers that list 1984 and other cliché-classics that they were made to study in high-school for their age-16 exams? Or do you mean the other group of people that read Stephen King and Tom Clancy recycled-borefests, nicely filling that stereotype of casual-reader that bases their book tastes much in the same way an apathetic listener would base their music-tastes from the 'Top Albums' chart? There are no intelligent readers on BF2s, and the proof for that lies in the fact that no single member has mentioned James Joyce in 2 entire pages of contribution.
Actually, some people mentioned some good classics as their favorite books. I think the people that can actually appreciate the classics are certainl towards the top of the intelligent/maturity list.

I had a lot of teachers that almost turned me off from reading stuff, but I just read whatever I wanted and kinda grew into it over time. Always loved reading, though. I can remember always reading with my mom, because she reads A LOT, so perhaps I picked it up from her.

M.O.A.B wrote:

Not yet, busy reading a book on Operation Valkyrie at the moment.
Start it as soon as you get a chance. It will probably blow your mind when you really think about what the writer is talking about throughout the book and the meaning it has on an international scale.
Roomba
You will pay the price for your lack of vision.
+26|6492|Land of Cotton

KingCheese wrote:

Lai wrote:

Roomba wrote:

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the whole series is good)
Damn, how could I forget that. It is probably thé most epic modern work. However, I do not think the whole series is good, in fact I particularly disliked the later added (fourth) chapter ("Mostly Harmless" I think).
Mostly Harmless was the fifth in the series I'm pretty sure, the fourth was "So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish."  But I do agree that Mostly Harmless isn't the best in the series.
I originally heard it as a joke: it was a five book trilogy. The original series stopped with the third book Life, the Universe and Everything.  So I don't know if the last two were after thoughts or what. All in all, the entire series was easy to read and very imaginative. I re-read them every so often. I keep forgetting various parts and it's good for a laugh. RIP Douglas Adams.
TuataraDude
Member
+115|6522|Aotearoa
So much great literature out there and we have to reduce it to three? Tough call.

E=MC2 by David Boudanis
Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams (counts as one book)
Can't decide between Lord of the Rings (Tolkein of course) and Red Storm Rising (Tom Clancy's best book by a mile, or a kilometre if you're European).
LaidBackNinja
Pony Slaystation
+343|6709|Charlie One Alpha
1. 1984 G. Orwell.
2. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, including the rest like So Long and Thanks for all the Fish and Mostly Harmless etc.
3. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King.
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine SecuROM slapping your face with its dick -- forever." -George Orwell
LaidBackNinja
Pony Slaystation
+343|6709|Charlie One Alpha

Uzique wrote:

Intelligent and mature? Like all the pseudo-intellectual fuckers that list 1984 and other cliché-classics that they were made to study in high-school for their age-16 exams? Or do you mean the other group of people that read Stephen King and Tom Clancy recycled-borefests, nicely filling that stereotype of casual-reader that bases their book tastes much in the same way an apathetic listener would base their music-tastes from the 'Top Albums' chart? There are no intelligent readers on BF2s, and the proof for that lies in the fact that no single member has mentioned James Joyce in 2 entire pages of contribution.
Oh please.
I listed both 1984 and Stephen King in my list. But guess what? I study English at university. I've read James Joyce. Tom Stoppard. All those "real" authors. I've written endless essays on them - but I still don't like them. I can't even be bothered to make a list of them. I quite liked Heart of Darkness, the Red Badge of Courage, The Things they Carried, but simply not well enough to place them in my top 3. Does that make me unintelligent? I think not, good sir.
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine SecuROM slapping your face with its dick -- forever." -George Orwell
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6470

LaidBackNinja wrote:

Uzique wrote:

Intelligent and mature? Like all the pseudo-intellectual fuckers that list 1984 and other cliché-classics that they were made to study in high-school for their age-16 exams? Or do you mean the other group of people that read Stephen King and Tom Clancy recycled-borefests, nicely filling that stereotype of casual-reader that bases their book tastes much in the same way an apathetic listener would base their music-tastes from the 'Top Albums' chart? There are no intelligent readers on BF2s, and the proof for that lies in the fact that no single member has mentioned James Joyce in 2 entire pages of contribution.
Oh please.
I listed both 1984 and Stephen King in my list. But guess what? I study English at university. I've read James Joyce. Tom Stoppard. All those "real" authors. I've written endless essays on them - but I still don't like them. I can't even be bothered to make a list of them. I quite liked Heart of Darkness, the Red Badge of Courage, The Things they Carried, but simply not well enough to place them in my top 3. Does that make me unintelligent? I think not, good sir.
Well then I pity your incredibly poor taste, "good sir".
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
Fat_Swinub
jaff
+125|6435
uzique tell me if i should read uylsses
S.Lythberg
Mastermind
+429|6447|Chicago, IL
Anything by Michael Crichton, sphere, timeline, jurassic park  (I haz signed copy of the lost world)
Tom Clancy is good as well, but sometimes drags on.
Catch 22 was chillingly hilarious
LOTR

and I did like the harry potter books (engage flame suit)
Bertster7
Confused Pothead
+1,101|6581|SE London

Kmarion wrote:

Most of the books I read are history or science related.

Not exactly literary masterpieces but entertaining non-the-less. These are just three that come to mind right now.

A Brief History of Time
America's Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation
Five Points

Currently finishing up What Hath God Wrought
Anything historical by Oxford Press is good . They are long reads but detailed.
If you like long detailed reads and books about science, then I really can't recommend Penrose's Road to Reality enough. It's hard work, but worth it.
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6470

Fat_Swinub wrote:

uzique tell me if i should read uylsses
Why do you need me to tell you? You won't get it, anyway.
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
Fat_Swinub
jaff
+125|6435
i value Internet Opinions
Fat_Swinub
jaff
+125|6435
how does James Joyce compare with the satirical wit of Jim Davis?
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6470
You're not very good at this. I'm not a fervent James Joyce fanboy; you're barking up the wrong tree.
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
FatherTed
xD
+3,936|6500|so randum
can't believe i missed discworld et al of my list
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Fat_Swinub
jaff
+125|6435
uzique is cool because hes like "hah you FAGGOTS dont even read james joyce" then he gets called out on it and is like "errr i dont actually read james joyce"
Uzique
dasein.
+2,865|6470

Fat_Swinub wrote:

uzique is cool because hes like "hah you FAGGOTS dont even read james joyce" then he gets called out on it and is like "errr i dont actually read james joyce"
Err, I do read James Joyce - his novels, poetry and political prose - but I'm not a "fanboy" of his works, i.e. you're not going to wind me up by trying to "call me out" on it. How exactly are you hoping to go about winding me up by talking to me about James Joyce anyway? Pretty ridiculous, your technique is absolutely terrible. The reason I (joke-mockingly) said that this thread isn't a legitimate 'top books' thread without Joyce is because his novels are generally considered to be the best examples of 20th century literature by the canonical establishment. Nothing to do with my personal preferences.
libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual. http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/
RoosterCantrell
Goodbye :)
+399|6480|Somewhere else

Currently, but not always (and in no particular order)

Under and Alone  -William Queen
Smartest Guys in the Room   -Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind
The Average American Male - Chad Kultgen
CameronPoe
Member
+2,925|6555
Nineteen Eighty Four
The Grapes of Wrath
The DaVinci Code 2: Revenge of the Illuminati Zombies
Gawwad
My way or Haddaway!
+212|6685|Espoo, Finland
Hmm, haven't read anything in ages. Should get my hands on some good book again.

Anyway, I suck at listing things, can't come up with a third one
These two I really enjoyed though

The Hotel New Hampshire
Hirtettyjen kettujen metsä (finnish)

Oh Uzique, why don't you list your favourites? I heard you read alot

Last edited by Gawwad (2009-07-14 14:53:49)

presidentsheep
Back to the Fuhrer
+208|5961|Places 'n such

Uzique wrote:

Intelligent and mature? Like all the pseudo-intellectual fuckers that list 1984 and other cliché-classics that they were made to study in high-school for their age-16 exams? Or do you mean the other group of people that read Stephen King and Tom Clancy recycled-borefests, nicely filling that stereotype of casual-reader that bases their book tastes much in the same way an apathetic listener would base their music-tastes from the 'Top Albums' chart? There are no intelligent readers on BF2s, and the proof for that lies in the fact that no single member has mentioned James Joyce in 2 entire pages of contribution.
Wow, you're a bit of a prick aren't you?

Ever considered people put 1984 because they actually like it
I cant actualy believe someone's trying to be elitist about fucking books.
I'd type my pc specs out all fancy again but teh mods would remove it. Again.
Gawwad
My way or Haddaway!
+212|6685|Espoo, Finland
It's Uzique.
presidentsheep
Back to the Fuhrer
+208|5961|Places 'n such

Gawwad wrote:

It's Uzique.
He sounds like a 12 year old with a thesaurus to me.
I'd type my pc specs out all fancy again but teh mods would remove it. Again.

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