[hongda]

Just finishing up Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. Finished Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk also. Forgot how much I actually enjoyed reading before it became homework. Any suggestions on more books to read? This forum seems to be flooded with well-versed, well educated people. Doesn't matter if it's long or short, just a good read

 

[Galileo's Dad]

It would be hard to go wrong with the following authors. I've mentioned some titles where I thought it would help.

fiction:

Iain Pears, "An Instance of the Fingerpost"
any of Umberto Eco's novels
John Crowley, "Little, Big"
any Gene Wolfe, esp. the four books comprising the Book of the New Sun (start with "The Shadow of the Torturer")
Joe Lansdale's Hap Collins/Leonard Pine novels
Iain Banks
Ross Macdonald
James Ellroy

nonfiction:

Plato (philosophy)
Aristotle (philosophy)
David Hume (philosophy)
Galileo
Isaac Newton
Alexandre Koyre (history of science)
Amatya Sen (philosophy/economics--I may have misspelled his first name)

 

[rohorn]

Lately, I've given copies of Dr Robert Bakker's "The Dinosaur Heresies" as gifts. They have been well recieved. It is a very engaging book on paleontology. The whimsical illustrations were done by the author. His writing style makes it seem like he is very enthusiastic about the subject and at least some of that enthusiasm rubs off onto the reader.

None of the other paleo books in my library are as much fun to read. A good intro to the subject is "Hunting Dinosaurs" by Louis Psyhoyos (sp?). It has EXCELLENT photography - and it's out of print.

 

[jhoelter]

While this may not be the "well-versed, well educated" answer you're looking for, I've found great enjoyment in reading the Harry Potter series of books. Even though they're written for kids aged approximately 10-12 I have thoroughly enjoyed them, and I'm 24. Since they're written for kids they're quick reads, and they're fun adventures. You won't necessarily feel *enlightened* after reading one, but they definitely are fun. Give book #1 a chance and see what you think.....they only get better from there, and book #4 is a whopping 700+ pages - a lot for a little kid.

The time reading gives me ample time to listen to my new Etymotic ER-4Ps.

Later,
Jeff

 

[legoman]

I personally would recommend anything by David Sedaris if you like dry humorous observations.

 

[coolvij]

Harry Potter is cool..........but...I dunno, I can't always get into it as easily, as say, the:

-- Cartoon Guide To Genetics (Larry Gonick & Co.

)
-- Cartoon Guide To Physics (Larry Gonick & Co.

)
-- Cartoon Guide To Statistics (Larry Gonick & Co.

)

I have the first and last - flipped throught the Physics one at Barnes And Noble.....seems as good.

They are all basically *very* funny primers for the various subjects.....excellent.

Just my kiddie choices

More serious, less funny books:

- The Picture Of Dorian Gray (Wilde)
- Notes From Underground (Dosteovsky)
- The First Circle (forgot his name...russian, tho - Nobel Prize 1970)
- The Andromeda Strain (Crichton)

 

[aeberbach]

A second vote for Harry Potter.

Almost anything by Philip K. Dick. If nothing else it will probably help you to resist any curiosity you might have about perception-altering drugs

Patrick O'Brian's epic series about Captain Aubrey and Stephen Maturin of the Royal Navy - some think of this as one book, but 5000 pages long. Forster's Hornblower books are perhaps better known but I think are only a close second.

 

[morphsci]

Quote:

Originally posted by coolvij Harry Potter is cool..........but...I dunno, I can't always get into it as easily, as say, the: -- Cartoon Guide To Genetics (Larry Gonick & Co. ) -- Cartoon Guide To Physics (Larry Gonick & Co. ) -- Cartoon Guide To Statistics (Larry Gonick & Co. ) I have the first and last - flipped throught the Physics one at Barnes And Noble.....seems as good. They are all basically *very* funny primers for the various subjects.....excellent. Just my kiddie choices More serious, less funny books: - The Picture Of Dorian Gray (Wilde) - Notes From Underground (Dosteovsky) - The First Circle (forgot his name...russian, tho - Nobel Prize 1970) - The Andromeda Strain (Crichton)

Excellent call on the cartoon guides. I use the genetics one whenever someone appears to be interested in genetics.

The First Circle was written by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

For lighter reading I suggest:

First Among Equals by Jeffrey Archer
Foucalt's(spp?) Pendulum by Umberto Ecco
The Ender Series by Orson Scott Card (Enders Game, Speaker For The Dead, Xenocide and Children of the Mind)

 

[shivohum]

Fiction:
The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
Catch-22, Joseph Heller
Les Miserables, Victor Hugo

Non-Fiction:
The Pathfinder, Nicholas Lore
The Mind's I, ed. Douglas Hofstadter and Daniel Dennett

 

[TerriblySorry]

Something Happened, Joseph Heller
A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irvine
The World Acording To Terribly Sorry Garp, John Irvine

 

[raymondlin]

I give a thumbs up for Harry Potter too, read all 4 books in a weeks last summer. No TV at all, just reading. Just got The Hobbit today (Limited Edition with a chapter read J.R.R. Tolkien himself on a CD supplied) and started to read The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien too.

 

[hongda]

wow. Knew I'll get some good responses

I've read the Hobbit and the rest of the series, found them enjoyable when I read them a couple years ago, but wasn't really in the mood for them when I tried rereading them recently. Guess it's time to go to the bookstore and check out all the recommendations

 

[gloco]

The Alienist by Caleb Carr.

One of the best reads i ever endured. It was for an english class in college, i wound up reading 100 pages at a time when i was only supposed to read 20-30...its a great read..pick it up paperback!

George

 

[ai0tron]

1984, 1984, 1984!!! You must read this.

Isaac Asimov's the foundation series is really cool. If you have the time and the patience you might try hunting down the entire Foundation and Empire series... Some of the books are out of print but I have them all and I really didnt look all that hard so I would say that with a bit of diggin you can find them.

Kurt Vonnegut is by far the most humorous writer I have ever really, really enjoyed. All his books are great IMO.

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. Also his collections of short stories are interesting.

The Social Contract by Rousseau

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

Nietsche - this guy will warp your mind.

 

[dhwilkin]

Definitely agree w/ the Ender series by Orson Scott Card, and The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings by Tolkein. Additionally, try The Reality Dysfunction saga by Peter Hamilton, the Death Gate Cycle by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, and Kindred by Octavia Butler.

Also, by far the coolest choice ever for a college textbook... Men, Women, and Chainsaws by Carol Clover.