Recommend me some classics (books)

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Theokhoth

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#1 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

I'm going to BAM tomorrow (the day before school starts! :D) and I want books. I've been wanting to read some cIassics. Here are a few ideas (tell me if you recommend any), but feel free to recommend anything else you like. Nothing ancient, though (like Homer ancient).

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Descent Into Hell by Charles Williams

The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton

Phantastes by George MacDonald

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

And no, I've never read any of these. My high school never had any "required reading" crap over the summer (it was, I confess, a terrible high school) or anything like that, so my experience with classic literature is very limited.

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LoG-Sacrament

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#2 LoG-Sacrament
Member since 2006 • 20397 Posts

i recommend against a catcher in the rye. anyway, you should read some kafka if you havent already. the metamorphosis is one of his best works and also happens to be one of his most approachable (mostly because it was finished :P ).

i know youre a cs lewis fan. while its not a classic, id recommend trying the book of the new sun by gene wolfe.

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chessmaster1989

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#3 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts
I really recommend The Sun Also Rises, since you haven't read it. Anyway, here are some great classics: For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) The Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas) The Three Musketeers (Dumas) Brave New World (Huxley) Dracula (Stoker) Invisible Man (Ellison) Heart of Darkness (Conrad) Great Expectations (Dickens) A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway) Those are ones that come immediately to mind. Unfortunately, most of my books are off at college... :(
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Theokhoth

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#4 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

i recommend against a catcher in the rye. anyway, you should read some kafka if you havent already. the metamorphosis is one of his best works and also happens to be one of his most approachable (mostly because it was finished :P ).

i know youre a cs lewis fan. while its not a classic, id recommend trying the book of the new sun by gene wolfe.

LoG-Sacrament

Why do you not like CitR?

I'd rather not start a new book series at the moment, but I do plan to check out BotNS eventually.

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_BlueDuck_

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#5 _BlueDuck_
Member since 2003 • 11986 Posts

Lord ofthe Flies (William Golding)

The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)

The Time Machine (H.G. Wells) ..Not sure if this is considered a classic per se, but it's old and quite good.

Out of what you mentioned the only one I've read is To Kill a Mockingbird.. which I thought was pretty decent. I liked the ones I mentioned above more though. Lord of the Flies is pretty much a must-read.

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Theokhoth

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#6 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

I really recommend The Sun Also Rises, since you haven't read it. Anyway, here are some great classics: For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) The Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas) The Three Musketeers (Dumas) Brave New World (Huxley) Dracula (Stoker) Invisible Man (Ellison) Heart of Darkness (Conrad) Great Expectations (Dickens) A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway) Those are ones that come immediately to mind. Unfortunately, most of my books are off at college... :(chessmaster1989

I knew you'd recommend Hemingway. :P

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Lebbin

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#7 Lebbin
Member since 2007 • 2049 Posts

I second To Kill a Mockingbird...

1984

Brave New World

Ender's Game (about 25-30 years old. Not sure if that constitutes a "classic" but it's worth a read if you have read the other books mentioned in the thread)

Animal Farm (would take a day or two to read. Short and great.)

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chessmaster1989

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#8 chessmaster1989
Member since 2008 • 30203 Posts

[QUOTE="chessmaster1989"]I really recommend The Sun Also Rises, since you haven't read it. Anyway, here are some great classics: For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) The Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas) The Three Musketeers (Dumas) Brave New World (Huxley) Dracula (Stoker) Invisible Man (Ellison) Heart of Darkness (Conrad) Great Expectations (Dickens) A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway) Those are ones that come immediately to mind. Unfortunately, most of my books are off at college... :(Theokhoth

I knew you'd recommend Hemingway. :P

Well, I would think so, seeing as he's my favorite author. :D Seriously, though, you should definitely pick up one (or all of) For Whom the Bell Tolls/The Sun Also Rises/A Farewell to Arms. The first two are (imo) Hemingway's best works, and AFtA is also fantastic.

And, as to what BlueDuck said, The Great Gatsby is fantastic, and The Time Machine is good as well. Honestly, though, I think Wells has better books. If you feel like reading H.G. Wells, I'd probably recommend either The Invisible Man or The Island of Dr. Moreau; The War of the Worlds is great as well.

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LoG-Sacrament

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#9 LoG-Sacrament
Member since 2006 • 20397 Posts
[QUOTE="Theokhoth"]

[QUOTE="LoG-Sacrament"]

i recommend against a catcher in the rye. anyway, you should read some kafka if you havent already. the metamorphosis is one of his best works and also happens to be one of his most approachable (mostly because it was finished :P ).

i know youre a cs lewis fan. while its not a classic, id recommend trying the book of the new sun by gene wolfe.

Why do you not like CitR?

I'd rather not start a new book series at the moment, but I do plan to check out BotNS eventually.

it just comes off as so pretentious. the main character is snotty and obnoxious and you have to deal with his whining the time. theres never any real conflict, just the main character annoying the **** out of you the whole time. of course, thats why its soooo genius. its like...a metaphor for life, maaaan.
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UnamedThing

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#10 UnamedThing
Member since 2008 • 1761 Posts
Try Animal farm. It's about the fall of the Tzars. George Orwell wrote it. I would also recommend Brave New World. That's pretty good, but I can't remember the author.
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Senge

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#11 Senge
Member since 2009 • 139 Posts

[QUOTE="LoG-Sacrament"]

i recommend against a catcher in the rye. anyway, you should read some kafka if you havent already. the metamorphosis is one of his best works and also happens to be one of his most approachable (mostly because it was finished :P ).

i know youre a cs lewis fan. while its not a classic, id recommend trying the book of the new sun by gene wolfe.

Theokhoth

Why do you not like CitR?

I'd rather not start a new book series at the moment, but I do plan to check out BotNS eventually.

Don't skip Catcher. A lot of people will tell you it's an emo book as it is branded nowadays, but it's not. If that is what people got from it then they missed the book's essence.

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Gally66

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#12 Gally66
Member since 2007 • 2322 Posts
1984 is an awesome read, George Orwell of course. Also Catch 22 is a good book, I can't remember the auther unfortunately.
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ArchonBasic

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#13 ArchonBasic
Member since 2002 • 6420 Posts
  • All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque. Arguably the greatest war novel ever, and an unforgettable book
  • One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Solzhenitsyn. A landmark book from a literary perspective. It also had a huge political impact in the last century.
  • Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Required reading for everyone. If you didn't read this in high school then you owe it yourself to read it now.
  • Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. A Singular, creative masterpiece.
  • Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. One of the best books to come out of Africa. If you'd like to go there, let this book take you.
  • Charles Dickens. Great Expectations was recommended. David Copperfield and Oliver Twist are also excellent.
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Senge

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#14 Senge
Member since 2009 • 139 Posts

1984 is an awesome read, George Orwell of course. Also Catch 22 is a good book, I can't remember the auther unfortunately.Gally66

I agree with George Orwell recommendations; you learn a lot. And Catch-22's author is Joseph Heller. He continued with Closing Time but it wasn't as well received or it came with mixed feelings.

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Theokhoth

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#15 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

I second To Kill a Mockingbird...

1984

Brave New World

Ender's Game (about 25-30 years old. Not sure if that constitutes a "classic" but it's worth a read if you have read the other books mentioned in the thread)

Animal Farm (would take a day or two to read. Short and great.)

Lebbin

I've read Ender's Game and yes, I would consider that a classic.

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matisrock

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#16 matisrock
Member since 2007 • 679 Posts

1984

Animal Farm

A Clockwork Orange

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

The Great Gatsby

In Cold Blood

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CBR600-RR

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#17 CBR600-RR
Member since 2008 • 9695 Posts

Bookmarking this thread for future references. :D

Thanks Theo, I've already finished Of Mice and Men, loved it, and the film too. :)

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SamusFreak

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#18 SamusFreak
Member since 2004 • 1932 Posts

The Illiahd and the Odyssey by Homer.

basical read works by ( insert famous scientist, philospher, miitary commander, leader here)

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domatron23

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#19 domatron23
Member since 2007 • 6226 Posts
Well let me first recommend that you ought to avoid Catcher in the Rye (angsty & unlikable protagonist), What you should read though is Matthew Lewis' The Monk. It's such an awesome and under-appreciated work that definitely deserves your attention.
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Locke562

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#20 Locke562
Member since 2004 • 7673 Posts
Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro Catch 22 - Joseph Heller On The Road - Jack Kerouac The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald The Crying of Lot 49 - Thomas Pynchon Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Ubik - Philip K. Dick Basically all the books you mentioned in your OP.
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ContraQueen

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#21 ContraQueen
Member since 2009 • 2460 Posts

I would have to strongly recommend The Catcher in the Rye. It's my favourite book. The narrator is not a typical protagonist but is instead an anti-hero who can be unlikeable for some, but I simply loved his character and found him easy to relate to. Along with some things that really made me think, it also has some really funny parts in it. Read it. Some people really hate this book, some really love it, only thing to do is read it yourself.

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Locke562

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#22 Locke562
Member since 2004 • 7673 Posts
Well let me first recommend that you ought to avoid Catcher in the Rye (angsty & unlikable protagonist), What you should read though is Matthew Lewis' The Monk. It's such an awesome and under-appreciated work that definitely deserves your attention.domatron23
I'd really recommend you do read The Catcher in the Rye, just so you can form some sort of opinion on it. It's around 200 pages, I believe. So a pretty quick read.
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Swanogt19

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#23 Swanogt19
Member since 2008 • 24159 Posts

1984, Brave New World, and Lord of the Files for sure

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freek666

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#24 freek666
Member since 2007 • 22312 Posts

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Brave New World by Alduos Huxley
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Dune by Frank Herbert
Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

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pyromaniac223

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#25 pyromaniac223
Member since 2008 • 5896 Posts
If you aren't averse to some older, more philosophical work, I'd recommend The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. It's stoicism. It's very good.
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Theokhoth

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#26 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Brave New World by Alduos Huxley
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Dune by Frank Herbert
Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

freek666

I've read Crime and Punishment and Anthem (loved the first, hated the latter). I've thought about Interview With the Vampire and came close to buying it once, but I put it back for some reason. I'd pick up Dune if it was a standalone book, but seeing as it begins a six-part series (and that's just the ones written by Frank), I'd rather wait.

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freek666

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#27 freek666
Member since 2007 • 22312 Posts

[QUOTE="freek666"]

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Brave New World by Alduos Huxley
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Dune by Frank Herbert
Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

Theokhoth

I've read Crime and Punishment and Anthem (loved the first, hated the latter). I've thought about Interview With the Vampire and came close to buying it once, but I put it back for some reason. I'd pick up Dune if it was a standalone book, but seeing as it begins a six-part series (and that's just the ones written by Frank), I'd rather wait.

IWTV is sorta half half as a stand alone book as the sequels all tie in with it, but their like an RPG sidequest, optional but they open up a lot about the characters and story.

Have you read The Brothers Karamazov? Also check out Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon.

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tester962

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#28 tester962
Member since 2004 • 2881 Posts
Im just happy that no one posted Harry Potter and pretended it was a classic book =p I went through the pages expecting to find some idiot who did =o
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Theokhoth

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#29 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

[QUOTE="Theokhoth"]

[QUOTE="freek666"]

The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
Brave New World by Alduos Huxley
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Dune by Frank Herbert
Lord of The Flies by William Golding
Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche
Anthem by Ayn Rand
Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice

freek666

I've read Crime and Punishment and Anthem (loved the first, hated the latter). I've thought about Interview With the Vampire and came close to buying it once, but I put it back for some reason. I'd pick up Dune if it was a standalone book, but seeing as it begins a six-part series (and that's just the ones written by Frank), I'd rather wait.

IWTV is sorta half half as a stand alone book as the sequels all tie in with it, but their like an RPG sidequest, optional but they open up a lot about the characters and story.

Have you read The Brothers Karamazov? Also check out Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon.

The book I want to read in that series is Memnoch the Devil; I hear it's the most boring but it sounds the most interesting.

No, I've never read The Brothers Karamazov (and I'm reluctant to do so; from what I've hear it was to begin a series but Dostoyevsky died before he could finish). I'll look up Pynchon.

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Theokhoth

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#30 Theokhoth
Member since 2008 • 36799 Posts

Im just happy that no one posted Harry Potter and pretended it was a classic book =p I went through the pages expecting to find some idiot who did =otester962

Nah, I've read Harry Potter anyway. :P

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freek666

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#31 freek666
Member since 2007 • 22312 Posts

Im just happy that no one posted Harry Potter and pretended it was a classic book =p I went through the pages expecting to find some idiot who did =otester962
You insult my supreme intellect.

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#32 dylanmcc
Member since 2008 • 2512 Posts

The Catcher in the Rye is great, highly recommend that to you. I read Of Mice and Men, it wasn't that good.

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#33 dann14v
Member since 2005 • 689 Posts

I really recommend The Sun Also Rises, since you haven't read it. Anyway, here are some great classics: For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) The Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas) The Three Musketeers (Dumas) Brave New World (Huxley) Dracula (Stoker) Invisible Man (Ellison) Heart of Darkness (Conrad) Great Expectations (Dickens) A Farewell to Arms (Hemingway) Those are ones that come immediately to mind. Unfortunately, most of my books are off at college... :(chessmaster1989

That one for sure.

Also Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky