The Book Thread

[Jekkar]

Let's talk literature.

What are your favourite books and why? Tell us why you've become attached to them and what attracts you in literature.
I'm a classics fan myself, with Heart of Darkness being on the top of my list. it somehow manages to capture the exact things I'm looking for, as I generally go for dark, realistic literature.

There's the Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin, which I must have gone through a dozen times now, as well as falling asleep to the audiobook versions. For those unfamiliar with the series; there's an upcoming TV adaptation produced by HBO scheduled to air in April.

I've recently begun to read Dante's Comedy, starting with the Inferno. I liked the prose translation I've read while not even getting most of what is being said (Dante's focus is on medieval Florentine politics of his time). Though I've been listening to some audio lectures on the subjects by The Teaching Company and they help a lot.
To stick with the Medieval tone, I would also suggest reading The Monk by Matthew Lewis, a bizarre book that takes the gothic style of writing and mocks it till it leaves you silent for a week when you've read the last chapter.

Steven Erikson's Malazan books are also a must get for the fantasy readers among us.

There's an annual bookfestival in Holland which I always visit, I get a whole bag full of books at an incredibly cheap price and go through those in a year.

Tell us about your taste.

[Elkarway]

The Picture of Dorian Gray.  I just love the way Wilde writes, and wnjoyed thinking about the symbolism for weeks after finishing it.  It's my favourite book, quite easily.

The Gambler by Dostoevsky.

Besides that, though I enjoyed The Prince and many Norse and Greek myths, my favourites would be the much less sophisticated but wonderful Drenai Tales.

[Caym]

I thought Twilight was very well written and very immersive.

[Jekkar]

I thought Twilight was very well written and very immersive.

To each our own tastes. I've tried to get into that series, my girlfriend originally proposed me to read them, claiming they were great, promising me I wouldn't regret it. The start was quite doable but as I read on it became more and more dragging and stale to me. Though I enjoy her company I must say I've never forgiven her for this.

[Caym]

I thought Twilight was very well written and very immersive.

To each our own tastes. I've tried to get into that series, my girlfriend originally proposed me to read them, claiming they were great, promising me I wouldn't regret it. The start was quite doable but as I read on it became more and more dragging and stale to me. Though I enjoy her company I must say I've never forgiven her for this.

One would indeed expect men to feel threatened by those books in that they can't possibly live up to the expectations created by them in terms of relationship commitment, romanticism and adventure.

[Jekkar]

I thought Twilight was very well written and very immersive.

To each our own tastes. I've tried to get into that series, my girlfriend originally proposed me to read them, claiming they were great, promising me I wouldn't regret it. The start was quite doable but as I read on it became more and more dragging and stale to me. Though I enjoy her company I must say I've never forgiven her for this.

One would indeed expect men to feel threatened by those books in that they can't possibly live up to the expectations created by them in terms of relationship commitment, romanticism and adventure.

Agreed.

[Caym]

I would have expected roleplayers to be interested in literature. I guess PS players aren't as cultured as they want others to believe they are 

[Sangwa]

Ice & Fire owns. RR Martin rocks the whole world.

Besides that as Fantasy is concerned, I've read LOTR, some of Robin Hobb's books, "Colour of Magic" (great, easy to read book) and some others, I think.

Lately I've been reading economy, history and finance books which I won't bother you with.


I'm getting Heart of Darkness once I find it.

[BoevenF]

I'm a bookworm. mostly science fiction, Asimov, Clarke, Dick... . I tried reading fantasy but anything except Tolkien seems to me lacking something, or deja-vu.

I've recently begun to read Dante's Comedy [...]

 Don't worry, Dante's Comedy is really tough to understand even in original, because of the complex historical links . Anyway I still remember by heart the Charon encounter... After studying it in school for two or three years, finally you can even grasp the concepts on the fly, and the rhythm is simply magnificient. I'd like to see a translation...
Edit: I've found this, great!
http://etcweb.princeton.edu/dante/pdp/

Ah, and I've read Asimov's Foundation series... well, I stopped counting at the seventh, and Herbert's Dune series as well.

[Elkarway]

I loved the Hyperion series actually, the only sci fi that I've really enjoyed.

[verden]

Elric of Melnibone by Michael Moorcock.
Fahferd and the Grey Mouser, Fritz Leiber.
The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander.
The Chronicles of Amber, by Roger Zelazny.
The Keep by F. Paul Wilson.
The Lives of the Caesars, by Suetonius.
The Mysteries of Paris, by Eugene Sue.
Everything by H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne.
To name a few... and many, many more.

[Vakachehk]

I would have expected roleplayers to be interested in literature. I guess PS players aren't as cultured as they want others to believe they are 

Oh Planeshift's players don't even like RPing culture, because 'its racist'.

[Mekora]

Read James Joyce's Ulysses' ... You won't enjoy it. But if you can last the whole book, I have faith in your abilities

[Roled]

I had a temp job once, answering the phone for the president of some company. He came into the office at about 11 am, then went to lunch, came back sometimes at 2 , stayed a half hour, then left. The rest of the workers worked their asses off , but my job was to answer his private phone (maybe a dozen times a day at most), and tell people he was not there. Two weeks!

So I read:
War and Peace
Brothers Karamazov
Uncle Tom's Cabin
The Magus (John Fowles- magnificent, eerie book)
Daniel Martin (another Fowles novel, I was on a roll)
All of Shakespeare's comedies and sonnets
Metamorphosis
Plato's Symposium
Remembrance of Things Past
Ulysses ( and yes I liked it and yes it was kinda hard to understand until you get it then it's like mystical singing, and so sexual/sensual)
most of Tom Stoppard's plays
and ... well, who knows what else.

Best temp job of my life!

[Sarras Volcae]

the tale of peter rabbit