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Most important books?

Tonyandthewhale

Are there any books out there that had a major impact on you or the way you see the world?

For me reading 'Consider the Lobster' by David Foster Wallace as incredibly important because Wallace has such a unique and focused approach to writing which is incredibly detailled but never verbose. He says exactly what he feels necessary, no more, no less. Consider the Lobster is probably the best example of this style of writing and although it's as much about Pornography, the Maine Lobster Festival and tennis as it is about the english language I learnt a lot about writing and communicating in general from reading it, probably more than I ever learnt through formal education.

Similarly, 'The Places In Between' by Rory Stewart was a very important book for me. It's about some dude who walked across Afghanistan in January of 2002. This book taught me a lot about fortitude, conviction and that special brand of idiocy which defines great men, as well as, obviously about the joys of walking.

So after hours, are there any books that had a measurable impact on you? 'On the Road,' 'Nuts magazine, the novel' or the King James Bible perhaps?

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Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.
I've never identified with a character as much as I did with the lead. (Even though I read it in my late 20's)

Ellis Dee

tayto lover wrote: »

The Cathechism, I can still feel my hands stinging after all the slaps I got for not knowing it by heart.

If you'd been in Daingean or Artane or Letterfrack or some of those places, your arsehole would probably still be sore as well.:rolleyes:

Shhh

Iris murdoch's writing but in particular; The sea the sea, The philosopher's pupil & The book and the brotherhood..

Cormac McCarthy's The Road..

Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance..

Shryke

You need a bit of everything. Nothing is most important, it's whatever interests you.

I'll give mention to Crime and Punishment though. You really get inside the head of the main character and you almost suffer with him. It's an excellent novel.

coonecb1

The Shock Doctrine - Naomi Klein

The Black Swan - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Conscience of a Liberal - Paul Krugman

RichieC

Hegemony or survival - Noam Chomsky - infact, most Chomsky books I've read...

Shock Doctrine was eye opening as well.

[Deleted User]

Shhh wrote: »

Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance..

A book I regret ever picking up.. Thought Id have the head for it but it just didn't do it for me.

Dudess

Ditto to 1984. Life-changing book for me.

Also The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Scary vision of an America run by Christian fundamentalists. Oh... wait...

the keen edge

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Are there any books out there that had a major impact on you or the way you see the world?

For me reading 'Consider the Lobster' by David Foster Wallace as incredibly important because Wallace has such a unique and focused approach to writing which is incredibly detailled but never verbose. He says exactly what he feels necessary, no more, no less. Consider the Lobster is probably the best example of this style of writing and although it's as much about Pornography, the Maine Lobster Festival and tennis as it is about the english language I learnt a lot about writing and communicating in general from reading it, probably more than I ever learnt through formal education.

Similarly, 'The Places In Between' by Rory Stewart was a very important book for me. It's about some dude who walked across Afghanistan in January of 2002. This book taught me a lot about fortitude, conviction and that special brand of idiocy which defines great men, as well as, obviously about the joys of walking.

Right, just read a couple of online reviews and ordered both books.

So they can put whatever shite they want on the tv this xmas!

Saila

lord of the rings

Kanoe

twilight by Stephanie Meyer. Its about shiny vampires.

Micky Dolenz

Zombie survival guide- Max Brooks.

mr lee

under the eye of the clock-christopher nolan

HalloweenJack

Cancer Ward by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

It somewhat helped me get through depression. What I took from it is that you have to try and enjoy what you have as much as you can, even if times are tough. A quite simplistic review of it but if you read, you'd get a better idea of what I mean.

witty username

Dotrel wrote: »

Nineteen Eighty-Four. That opened my mind a bit.

Definitely. Animal Farm too. And if you want a little more, try "The Gulag Archipelago" by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. You will sit and shake your head at the madness of it all.

John Doe1

Anything George Orwell has written, also reading Richard Dawkins in 5th year cemented my atheism

Tonyandthewhale

John Doe1 wrote: »

Anything George Orwell has written, also reading Richard Dawkins in 5th year cemented my atheism

Yeah, Homage to Catalonia and Down and out in London and Paris would have to appear in any list of my top five favourite books. 1984 is also a seminal read. I read Dawkins in 5th year or leaving cert as well and came out of it an atheist, couldn't read him now though. I agree with the man but he's a bit too dogmatic for my old bones nowadays.

CathyMoran

Dune by Frank Herbert - I love the story but the Litany Against Fear has kept me going in rough times.

Contact by Carl Sagan for the story in general but the ending is awash with memorable quotes. My daughter is named in part after the central protagonist.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - for the strong story and in particular Chapter IX. Some of my earliest memories are of the song by Kate Bush that brought me into the book.

Helgele

Real eyeopener in my early 20s was "The Myth of Sisyphus" Albert Camus
/Lack of Hope doesn't mean Despair/
/Happiness is about being aware of and accepting the absurdity of existence/
/To live without hope is to not make unrealistic demands of life. It is to “live without myths, without consolation/...can't beat that!

Conchir

Nineteen Eighty-Four, definitely.
A World of My Own by Robin Knox-Johnston, it really affected how I look at life.

Also, all the Calvin & Hobbes collections. I'm not messing :P

biko

The Pillars of the Earth.
100 Years of Solitude.
Selected stuff by Asimov.

Kanoe

biko wrote: »

The Pillars of the Earth.

love that book, I've read it about four times, was so disappointed with the sequel.

Norwayviking

We die alone by David Howarth
Best book i ever read

MisterEpicurus

Surprised nobody has mentioned 'The Book of Mormon' yet...

danniemcq

A short history of nearly everything by bill bryson

Celly Smunt

Am i the only person who doesn't care for Orwell?

,I've always found 1984 to be drawn out nothing-ness and terribly predictable from the introduction of all the characters.

splendid101

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Are there any books out there that had a major impact on you or the way you see the world?

For me reading 'Consider the Lobster' by David Foster Wallace as incredibly important because Wallace has such a unique and focused approach to writing which is incredibly detailled but never verbose. He says exactly what he feels necessary, no more, no less. Consider the Lobster is probably the best example of this style of writing and although it's as much about Pornography, the Maine Lobster Festival and tennis as it is about the english language I learnt a lot about writing and communicating in general from reading it, probably more than I ever learnt through formal education.

Similarly, 'The Places In Between' by Rory Stewart was a very important book for me. It's about some dude who walked across Afghanistan in January of 2002. This book taught me a lot about fortitude, conviction and that special brand of idiocy which defines great men, as well as, obviously about the joys of walking.

So after hours, are there any books that had a measurable impact on you? 'On the Road,' 'Nuts magazine, the novel' or the King James Bible perhaps?

Thanks for this thread. Got a few to add to my Christmas list.

On The Road & 1984 are two important books for me.

Chuck Stone

The Greatest Show On Earth: Richard Dawkins

Danny The Champion of The World. Roald Dahl.

The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. Robert Fisk.

Mr Tickle. Roger Hargreaves.

The Troubles: Ireland's Ordeal and the Search for Peace. Tim Pat Coogan.

Essential Chomsky. Chomsky & Arnove.

Kasabian

The Alchemist.

jam_mac_jam

pmcmahon wrote: »

Am i the only person who doesn't care for Orwell? ,I've always found 1984 to be drawn out nothing-ness and terribly predictable from the introduction of all the characters.

Yes, I think you are. Its a matter of taste though as well. Its my favourite book, I love it.