Reading any good books lately?

[Dexter Sinister]

I've only read ALL of Shakespeare's known works...

That's part of the point. Biblical narratives and symbols and mythologies are deeply embedded in all western cultures. Shakespeare's works are full of biblical references you won't get unless you're familiar with the Bible. So is most other well known English literature of the last 500 years, and if you don't get them, you'll miss a major dimension of the works. You'll never make sense of William Blake, for instance, without knowledge of both the Bible and John Milton's works, and you can't make sense of the latter without the former either. Literature is created in a cultural context, and the Bible's been a large part of that context for centuries. It's only recently become relatively less important.

 

[Walter]

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

 

[Liberalman]

The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama

 

[jambo101]

Just finished reading Kevin J Anderson's 7th ( Ashes of Worlds)and final book in his Saga of Seven Suns series,great read but took a long time between books,
Why do they actually go to the trouble of publishing a $40 hard cover version of a sci-fi book 6 months before the paperback comes out? does any one actually buy the hard cover version for what is essentially a quick read story.:-?

 

[#juan]

Just finish "Wolves eat Dogs" by Martin Cruz Smith. Martin Cruz Smith also wrote "Gorky Park". The two books are related because they both deal with the life and times of Arkady Renko who is a government investigator. Both books are worth a read.

 

[In Between Man]

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

That is the most horrible book Walter!

I'm surprised Walter! Unless I'm mistaken, aren't you one of the good guys?

Atlas Shrugged is filled with relativist and atheist ideas. My advice is to burn that garbage much like how I burned mine.

 

[In Between Man]

Read a freakin' awesome one recently, and I don't usually like fiction.

"The Shack" by W. Young. Review here.

Every atheist and Christian should read it.

 

[AnnaG]

That's part of the point. Biblical narratives and symbols and mythologies are deeply embedded in all western cultures. Shakespeare's works are full of biblical references you won't get unless you're familiar with the Bible. So is most other well known English literature of the last 500 years, and if you don't get them, you'll miss a major dimension of the works. You'll never make sense of William Blake, for instance, without knowledge of both the Bible and John Milton's works, and you can't make sense of the latter without the former either. Literature is created in a cultural context, and the Bible's been a large part of that context for centuries. It's only recently become relatively less important.

I knew what you meant. It's just for some reason or other, I've felt like poking ribs lately. lol Besides, it got you to explain what you meant in case there were folks who missed it.

 

[AnnaG]

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.

Funny book.

 

[AnnaG]

Les has a 3 or 4 book series called "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" by Stephen R. Donaldson. I read the first one but haven't read the rest yet. Neat book. Stephen R. Donaldson - Official Website

 

[missile]

The latest by James Ellroy,"Blood's A Rover"..still one of the best mystery writers in the world and his first new work since 2001. It concerns the Mafia and Howard Hughes in Vegas and has subplots involving the Kennedy,King murders,too.

 

[missile]

Recently read an interview on James Ellroy ,and one of the sickest characters in the book is based on himself and his "peeping Tom" activities.:-(

 

[Strickland]

Read a freakin' awesome one recently, and I don't usually like fiction.

"The Shack" by W. Young. Review here.

Every atheist and Christian should read it.

This book was recommended by someone I know. I was told that "it's not religious", her knowing I'm an atheist.
It was a good read (hard to read at times since I knew a little girl that was abducted and murdered), but I just saw it as the author trying to justify the evil that exists in this world and attempting to justify it through God's eyes.

 

[Mowich]

Great topic. Right now I am reading Canadian Battles by Norman S. Leach and The Sacred Stones by Mattew Reilly.

I also like to read Minette Walters, PD James, Martha Grimes, and Elizabeth George who are British authors or in the case of Martha Grimes, write British mysteries. Peter Robinson is another favorite, he now lives in Canada.

Slade is at the top of my list of favorite Canadian authors. William Deverell, Alastair MacLeod, Kathy Reichs, and Jane Urquhart are other must reads for me.

On my list of must-read US authors are Harlan Coben, Nelson DeMille, William Diehl, Jeffrey Deaver, Tony Hillerman, Dana Stabenow, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, Michael Crichton, and John Grisham.

I have had a life-long interest in botany though from an amateurs veiwpoint. When I moved to the Cariboo some twenty odd years ago, I decided to learn everything I could about the native plants in our area which meant I also had to learn about all the plants that are not native to the area. I have an extensive library devoted to plants, their origins and identification, uses for medicinal purposes, for food use, and for other purposes such as dyes or in making twines.

 

[JakeElwood]

The latest by James Ellroy,"Blood's A Rover"..still one of the best mystery writers in the world and his first new work since 2001. It concerns the Mafia and Howard Hughes in Vegas and has subplots involving the Kennedy,King murders,too.

The final part of Ellroy's "Underworld USA Trilogy", how does it compare with the first two books?

I enjoyed "American Tabloid", it matched the best of his earlier books, but reading the sequel "The Cold Six Thousand" almost felt like a chore. Ellroy wrote it in his so-called "telegraphic" prose style - where he omits connecting words and uses only short, staccato sentences. While "American Tabloid" and "The Cold Six Thousand" are similar in length, the latter was just too long.

I usually wouldn't bother with "Blood's A Rover", but Ellroy pulled a fast one in the final few chapters of "The Cold Six Thousand", somehow the story came together and left me looking forward to the final part of the trilogy.

But that was about 7 years ago, and now I'm not sure if I want to read "Blood's A Rover", especially if it's as much of chore as most of "The Cold Six Thousand" was.

Is "Blood's A Rover" worth reading?

 

[TheJokkette]

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. The character is from the Dominican Republic, the story is about him, and the people connected to him. I grew really fond of the character almost identifiable.