Best book you ever read

[jon cole]

"light in august" william faulkner.

l've read hundred's of book, and faulkner is just a genius.

[The True Adonis]

I'll take a stab at it, Stunt. McCarthy has got a reputation because he deals (I'm guessing, here) life and death, not romance or interior monologue stuff. He's been likened to Melville in this way, and that's not a bad comparison. For McCarthy, life is 'nasty, brutish and short' so when characters get killed off with no satisfying explanation, that is just how he sees the world: people live, and people die; good people die in bad ways, and bad people get away with murder. There's a lot of speculation about McCarthy and his work precisely because he rarely does interviews, readings etc. and prefers to let his books say everything. I suppose it will take his death to really sort out his literary posterity, and where and if he lies in the pantheon of American lit.

Very astute analysis.

Life itself is irrelevant-what makes up our lives-the good-the bad-the evil is eternal.  Especially the evil.  The kid is irrelevant from the start with his gutter upbringing to his meaningless death.  The Judge, the embodiment of the cruel world, lives forever and is relevant as he-and what he represents will continue to eternity.

[The True Adonis]

Whenever I read Blood Meridian, I get these two songs in my head:

[The True Adonis]

Stunt, you oughta play Red Dead Redemption.  Its plays like actively experiencing Blood Meridian.

[The True Adonis]

One More for Blood Meridian 

[CalvinH]

Bernard Cornwell's-The Saxon stories is a great series.it tells the story of Alfred the Great and his descendants.


...it's fictional history at it's best

[Tito24]

i thought bodybuilders only red books about bodybuilding and training

[chris-a]

Bernard Cornwell's-The Saxon stories is a great series.it tells the story of Alfred the Great and his descendants.


...it's fictional history at it's best

ditto his king arthur series, rollicking good reads 

[Mr. Magoo]

Probably John Rawls, A Theory of Justice

[Grape Ape]

Nothing brings out the faux educational superiority than a good old book thread.

I'm not seeing that here - just good discussion for a change.

[El Diablo Blanco]

The bible. Great fiction short stories about spirits, magicians and con men.

[CalvinH]

ditto his king arthur series, rollicking good reads 

Yeah for sure.I started with the Richard Sharpe series and went from there.


....The Starbuck series is great and I wish he'd continue it!

[garebear]

The bible. Great fiction short stories about spirits, magicians and con men.

with talking snakes!

[dantelis]

Shakespeare is awesome stuff, but you have to read a few before you get the Victorian English down pat.  Thank good for the side notes that most Shakespearean works come with.  Bouncing back and forth b/w the side notes and the story can be time consuming, but after 3 or 4 stories you'll have 'er down to a science.  

I think you mean Elizabethan English.  Shakespeare is much better to see performed on stage than to read, since that was the original intent of his plays.  Still, very helpful to read before or after seeing a performance since many of the allusions and references and language are hard to understand when seeing it for the first time on stage.

[BigCyp]

with talking snakes!

Yes, maybe we should read the hindu texts about fire monkeys and gods with 18 arms 

[bighead]

The bible srs?

If you think that is good literature you need to read more. The bible from a litrature point of view is shit.

And as far as story wise maybe you should try the brothers grim if you like fairytails.  

  A myth is not something that is neccesarily true, but eternally TRUE.

[George Whorewell]

1984

A Confederacy Of Dunces ( funniest book I've ever read)

The story of O ( good jerk off material)

[mik1111]

the bible, in particular the old testament is great literature. Superior, some said, to the greek and roman epics.... And you must admit, those prophets have great style... fuck, everyone knows eziquiel 25 17 -- 

[The True Adonis]

the bible, in particular the old testament is great literature. Superior, some said, to the greek and roman epics.... And you must admit, those prophets have great style... fuck, everyone knows eziquiel 25 17 -- 

Garbage only to be used to wipes ones ass with.

[mik1111]

your ignorance is growing a legend status

[Raymondo]

the bible, in particular the old testament is great literature. Superior, some said, to the greek and roman epics.... And you must admit, those prophets have great style... fuck, everyone knows eziquiel 25 17 --  

That pulp fiction quote is largely fictional.

[stuntmovie]

TA, DOc! Thanks for your comments once again on Blood Meridian.

I guess I'm the type of reader who 'gets' the story but not the 'message' that most good authors intelligently deliver.

I other words, I guess I'm more impressed by the " ...... and they lived happily ever after" stories.

Some other inquiries that some of you GetBiggers might be able to answer. .......

Who was the first author to use that 'happily ever after' line?

Which book was the first to start with , "Once upon a time."

Who was the first to open his/her book with, "It was a cold and windy night!"

Name the first 'monster' book.

What is the average percentage of Hollywood movies that are based on a published novel each year?

Who wrote "Dick and Jane""  And what was the little sister's name?

What is Superman doing on the first Superman comic cover .... and was it even called "Superman"?

What is the value of that comic book today?

Does Superman really fly or does he just have real powerful legs?

What comic book today is the most valuable among collectors?

What did Billy Barton used to say?
And then what happened?

In what movie did "DEN" appear? And what magazine?

How many comic books do you presently possess?

Do you still read comic books?

Yada, yada, yada.......

[stuntmovie]

Recently sold for 2.16 million dollars (US). Previously owned by Nicholas Cage I believe. Has any author's novel ever sold for anywhere near this price?

[dr.chimps]

Who was the first to open his/her book with, "It was a cold and windy night!"

I think it's 'dark and stormy night,' and that would be the opening line of Bulwer-Lytton's novel 'Paul Clifford.' I only know this because there is an annual contest for bad writing in his name.    

[EH]

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

... & #2, Security Analysis, Ben Graham.