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Favorite books (Fiction)


zen

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4 minutes ago, zen said:

I read Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons, a long time ago, and still remember those. We may see the 10th anniversary edition launched :dontknow: .... Many of the other books on your list, I read when I was in school/college .... yet to read Reacher 

 

So what are your favorite 5?

Five is difficult, I will name fav 3 - Da Vinci Code, The Power of the Dog, The Odessa File.

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2 hours ago, Vijy said:

there were parts I liked from books 4 and 5 but the original trio were my favs. I agree with what you said regd writer's block, etc

IMO Storm of Swords is easily the greatest fantasy book ever written even surpassing the fellowship. It had everything from adventure to humor to mystery and suspense. 

I agree with your assertion that George peaked by that one. 

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8 minutes ago, Jimmy Cliff said:

Haven't read fiction in a long time but I remember liking Sacred Games quite a bit. It was a quite a dense and atmospheric read despite a tame ending. The web series did zero justice to it.

 

Btw any recommendations on books on Geopolitics?

If you are interested in the rise of Islamic radicalism starting from its initial days of Syyed Qutb's dream of ummah during his university days in the US and all the way to the attack on the twin towers, I would recommend A looming tower. 

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On 1/25/2020 at 4:58 PM, zen said:

I don't own this book and read it a long time ago but it has stayed with me subconsciously. And I always feel like wanting to read this graphic novel again, so will give it a spot:

 

The Maus by Art Spiegelman 

 

The four in no particular order:

 

  • Candide by Voltaire 
  • On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming
  • Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 
  • The Maus by Art Spiegelman 

 

One more to go .... which one will it be :om:

 When I look at my list above, I see a pattern (in my current taste) where most of the books meet some of the combination below: 

  • They are novellas or relatively short novels  (around 300 pages or less) 
  • They touch upon serious topics in a light manner and/or are satirical 
  • These are books that I can read multiple times esp. Candide 

 

I still have to list one. Now there are books that I could list but I have reserved the spot for one book, which I am yet to read. Have ordered it and it is on its way: 

 

 

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Those who like books such as Da Vinci Code, there is The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco as well.  The book has been in my library for some time but I have started to read it.  Also just finished watching the TV series based on the book. 

 

With monks, a monastery in the mountains, history, etc., it reminds me of my own book as well :proud: 

 

 

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On 1/29/2020 at 6:57 PM, zen said:

Those who like books such as Da Vinci Code, there is The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco as well.  The book has been in my library for some time but I have started to read it.  Also just finished watching the TV series based on the book. 

 

With monks, a monastery in the mountains, history, etc., it reminds me of my own book as well :proud: 

 

 

umberto eco's writings are almost invariably good-to-excellent. bona fide intellectual IMO.

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50 minutes ago, Vijy said:

too many to name, and I don't have a clear top 5 either.

It can be difficult to pick 5 out of numerous great books .... I found that difficult too but to  address that I set some criteria, along with some preferences .... of course, my list is dynamic so it can change (and of course if the criteria change) 

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32 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

I prefer reading non fiction. On topic->

1984

Animal Farm

Point Counterpoint

Piccadilly Jim

Crime and Punishment

The Picture of Dorian Gray

 

@zen Strictly speaking 'Maus' isn't fiction. Its what Artie's dad lived through during the Holocaust. Its an allegorical representation of his struggle at survival.

Have You by any chance had the chance to read the Brothers Karamazov? 

An absolute must if you are into classics. 

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Quote

@zen Strictly speaking 'Maus' isn't fiction. Its what Artie's dad lived through during the Holocaust. Its an allegorical representation of his struggle at survival.

Yeah, the author had requested Time to move the book to non-fiction category but he also contradicted by suggesting it to be a work of fiction (maybe many parts of it), so I guess, it is a mix of both .... I read it a long time ago and also felt that it could have been a mix of both. Though a new reading of it could make me form a different opinion 

 

I would be happy to replace it on my list with another book. Since I am reading and like The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco , maybe it can take Maus's place! 

 

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17 minutes ago, Stradlater said:

Have You by any chance had the chance to read the Brothers Karamazov? 

An absolute must if you are into classics. 

I absolutely liked Brothers Karamazov. It does require some pre-reading on the trends in philosophy of the era and life of the Russian peasant and land owning class.

I was a part of a book appreciation club hosted by the marhoom Eunice D'Souza. She generally shared her expositions at the end of every discussion. We discussed the Russian classics for 8 of the 10 months that I could attend their sessions.

The authors we covered were: Dostoevsky, Asimov, Chekov, Nabokov and Tolstoy.

 

If philosophy is your thing, a must read is "the story of Philosophy" by Will Durant. I read this book after/during I read Brothers Karamazov.

 

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Updated lis:

 

  • Candide by Voltaire 
  • On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming
  • Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut 
  • The Maus by Art Spiegelman  The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco  (bullied by @Mariyam to classify Maus as non-fiction :((
  • In Parenthesis by David Jones (In the process of reading this unique book)
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