I think 1984 by George Orwell is a good book that has a certain "apocalyptic" feel to it in the sense that it applies to today's political climate.
The Stars My Destination - Bester
"a womans book"? what exactly does that mean? is this implying that men should read "men's" books and women should read "women's" books?
I consider classics like Shakespeare, The Bible, Tolkien, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky as going without saying!
So here are a few less obvious recommendations:
1. Journey to the End of the Night / Death on Credit by Louis Ferdinand Celine - these are two of the best novels ever written. Although the second, Death on Credit, takes a dive in quality after the first 300 pages imo. It's funniest when the narrator is with his dysfunctional family. His father is a hysterical failure who goes into fits.
2. True Grit / Dog of the South by Charles Portis - great dialogue on practically every page of both of these books. The first is a Western, the second is a sort of cod about a guy who wants an adventure.
3. Tropic of Cancer / Black Spring by Henry Miller. A lot of people don't like these because the author is ego-mad, sex-mad and politically incorrect so your mileage may vary. Very absorbing if you like the irreverent mood which I do.
4. Eugenie Grandiet by Honore de Balzac. A lot of great books by this author. This is fairly short and one of his best, a sort of love story. A great devastating ending and it works even though you can guess exactly what's going to happen. Worth reading any well-regarded Balzac novel imo.
5. Crock of Gold / The Charwoman's Daughter by James Stephens. These are Irish so you might know them. Worth reading. I've read Crock of Gold about four times. Will read again. It's a kind of cod fairytale.
6. Post Office / Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski. Very plain spoken and straightforward honest books. Ham on Rye is very sad. Bukowski is an egotist but not so bad as to ruin these works.
7. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy / The Honourable Schoolboy by John Le Carre. As much subtle examinations of office politics as they are spy novels. Very enjoyable.
8. Platform by Michel Houellebecq. Great but shocking/provocative so not everyone will like it.
9. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson. Great comic novel. This is notorious for having a druggy theme but is better written than almost any novel in English.
10. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. I suppose this is well known. I've read it four times and look forward to reading it again. Some people will find the narrator annoying. I think its much deeper than it seems on the surface.
Cancer Ward by Solzhenitsyn. I love this story, you really empathise with the characters and there's lots to get your teeth into.
The Shining by Stephen King. I know King isn't held in great esteem but this is a book that is a brilliant character study. There's so much going on and the tension is built nicely.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo. More for the story than the writing but its a fascinating look at an intricate universe she's created and deals with issues that are not always touched upon.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. He's my favourite current author and this is typical of his style, probably the apex of what he initially did. There's dozens of characters, there's lots of violence but its a stunning insight into life in Jamaica and for Jamaicans.
The Sea by John Banville. While the plot isn't anything entirely ground-breaking, this is literature as art. The writing borders on poetry. It is astounding.
The Big Nowhere by James Ellroy. I'm a big fan of Ellroy and love the original LA Quartet. This is the best one for me as its setting out his preferred formula (multi-person narrative) but isn't as complicated as later books.
Strumpet City by James Plunkett. Heartbreaking and bleak. A brilliant story of a fascinating time in Dublin's history and a great overview of class at the time.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. A defining book in post-colonialism African literature. It lays bear how colonialism destroys societies in a flash with a very human cost while also removing the romance around traditions.
God's Bits of Wood by Ousmane Sembene. Something of a blend of the last two, its about a strike by railway workers in colonial Senegal. Some of the writing is incredible and it also highlights the important role of women and addresses inequalities in their treatment.
Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. This is the most satisfying Murakami book I've read and is him at his best in terms of plot and character development.
Paddy Samurai wrote: » Loved Lonesome Dove.If you like westerns I would recommend Apacheria by William Alimari and In the Rogue Blood by James Carlos Blake. These books are poles apart in style and content but I love them both for different reasons. In the rogue blood is quite graphic violence wise while Apacheria is a old style western beautifully written from the point of view of a young girl
Caesar_Bojangle wrote: » Seen the movie, its more of a womans book so i was told. Maybe you could elaborate more on the books by giving a brief description so we know before we try.
Mick McGraw wrote: » Lonesome Dove is probably my favourite of all time, it's an incredibly enjoyable book that has a bit of everything.I'm looking forward to reading the 3 prequels at some stage. If you like Lonesome Dove you should read All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy it's a western as well and it's probably my favorite along with Lonesome Dove.
Comic Book Guy wrote: » I was going to get Lonesome Dove on my kindle having read the last few posts but was just wondering should I read the prequels first or read the series in the publication order? Thanks
megadodge wrote: » Having just finished 'Lonesome Dove' by Larry McMurtry this morning my first thought was "That's the best book I ever read". So, up it goes to my No. 1.
megadodge wrote: » The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini Life of Pi - Yann Martel 1984 – George Orwell Perfume - Patrick Suskind Secret Scripture – Sebastian Barry Star of The Sea – Joe O'Connor The Sicilian – Mario Puza Seabiscuit – Laura Hillenbrand Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha – Roddy Doyle A number of honourable mentions (there's loads more I just can't think of right now): Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – Robert M. Pirsig A Star Called Henry – Roddy Doyle Alone in Berlin – Hans Falada Five Star Billionaire – Tash Aw The World According to Garp - John Irving
CWF wrote: » Anybody got anything else to add?
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