What book to read? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

DirtyHippieUTE · 05-28-2006, 12:00 AM

Summer is here and I can read whatever I want until August. Over the last few years I've been working on knocking out some of the "classics" in order to finally understand the countless references by the "well read" folks in the world.

Keep in mind that I didn't start reading books for pleasure until I was about 25. I have some catching up to do.

Ideas?

Everybody here talks about Animal Farm.
I'm kind of tired of Hemmingway.
I never enjoyed Kurt V. (but then I haven't really given him a chance).

What are the works that you would consider basic "must read?"

realtall · 05-28-2006, 01:03 AM

Hugo's Les Miserables is wonderful although it takes a sizable commitment because of its length.

Its one of the all time greats.

mpfunk · 05-28-2006, 01:15 AM

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller should be at the top of your list. I am actually a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan and would suggest giving him a chance. Start with Slaughterhouse 5, it is a good starter Vonnegut book.

Couple others I highly recommend
Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison
The Stranger - Albert Camus
A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess

RockyBalboa · 05-28-2006, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by realtall

Hugo's Les Miserables is wonderful although it takes a sizable commitment because of its length.

Its one of the all time greats.

I just started that this week

DirtyHippieUTE · 05-28-2006, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by realtall

Hugo's Les Miserables is wonderful although it takes a sizable commitment because of its length.

Its one of the all time greats.

I saw the movie with Liam Nissen... Does that count?

ute4ever · 05-28-2006, 03:17 AM

My friend was a missionary in NYC, and decided to go back this past holiday season to ring in the New Year. He caught Les Mis on Broadway and thought the actress playing Cosette was beautiful.

The next day he attended the local singles ward, and the same girl - Cosette - walked in and sat down right next to him! Small world.

mpfunk · 05-28-2006, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ute4ever

My friend was a missionary in NYC, and decided to go back this past holiday season to ring in the New Year. He caught Les Mis on Broadway and thought the actress playing Cosette was beautiful.

The next day he attended the local singles ward, and the same girl - Cosette - walked in and sat down right next to him! Small world.

Did he get some action from Cosette?

realtall · 05-28-2006, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ute4ever

My friend was a missionary in NYC, and decided to go back this past holiday season to ring in the New Year. He caught Les Mis on Broadway and thought the actress playing Cosette was beautiful.

The next day he attended the local singles ward, and the same girl - Cosette - walked in and sat down right next to him! Small world.

Good story.

We have tickets to see Les Mis at Fair Park in Dallas next month.

Surfah · 05-28-2006, 06:19 AM

Cosette is my favorite character in Les Mis. I had a kid in my singles ward that played Marius on Broadway. He was very talented. Les Mis while enjoyable was arduous.

Flannery O'Connor's short stories are a must read. To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite novel of all time. I usually read it every summer. The last book that I read that stayed with me for a long time was the Kite Runner.

Right now I am trying to get through the Chronicles of Narnia but I just can't get into them like I did when I was younger.

Robin · 05-28-2006, 08:05 AM

My advice: skip the books all together and go to www.teach12.com and order a couple of university-level lecture series. This company is REALLY amazing. They were introduced to me by an LDS philosophical doctoral student at Yale. He let me borrow the series on existentialism taught by Robert Solomon of the University of Texas in Austin. Solomon is amazing, and featured prominently in the film Waking Life, by Austin native Richard Linklater. Linklater has suggested that Solomon's lectures are what inspired him to start making film. It really shows.

I suggest you get some materials from this company. I can personally vouch for the the existentialism lectures, which are on sale right now for fifty bucks. That is a BARGAIN for what you are getting... a college level course in a great subject taught by one of the world's leading experts.

Solomon emphasizes personal responsibility, so in spite of teaching existentialism, his message is very positive, and LDS friendly.

I think anyone on the list would really dig this lecture series in lieu of one of the other books you might read.

05-28-2006, 12:00 AM	#1
DirtyHippieUTE Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Moscow, ID Posts: 1,151	What book to read? Summer is here and I can read whatever I want until August. Over the last few years I've been working on knocking out some of the "classics" in order to finally understand the countless references by the "well read" folks in the world. Keep in mind that I didn't start reading books for pleasure until I was about 25. I have some catching up to do. Ideas? Everybody here talks about Animal Farm. I'm kind of tired of Hemmingway. I never enjoyed Kurt V. (but then I haven't really given him a chance). What are the works that you would consider basic "must read?" __________________ I reject your reality and substitute my own...

05-28-2006, 01:03 AM	#2
realtall Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Krum, TX Posts: 891	Hugo's Les Miserables is wonderful although it takes a sizable commitment because of its length. Its one of the all time greats. __________________ http://realtall.blogspot.com/

05-28-2006, 06:19 AM	#9
Surfah Master Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: F'burg, VA Posts: 3,211	Cosette is my favorite character in Les Mis. I had a kid in my singles ward that played Marius on Broadway. He was very talented. Les Mis while enjoyable was arduous. Flannery O'Connor's short stories are a must read. To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite novel of all time. I usually read it every summer. The last book that I read that stayed with me for a long time was the Kite Runner. Right now I am trying to get through the Chronicles of Narnia but I just can't get into them like I did when I was younger. __________________ Ernie Johnson: "Auburn is a pretty good school. To graduate from there I suppose you really need to work hard and put forth maximum effort." Charles Barkley: "20 pts and 10 rebounds will get you through also!"

05-28-2006, 01:15 AM	#3
mpfunk Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,619	Catch-22 by Joseph Heller should be at the top of your list. I am actually a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan and would suggest giving him a chance. Start with Slaughterhouse 5, it is a good starter Vonnegut book. Couple others I highly recommend Invisible Man - Ralph Ellison The Stranger - Albert Camus A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess

05-28-2006, 03:17 AM	#6
ute4ever I must not tell lies Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,103	My friend was a missionary in NYC, and decided to go back this past holiday season to ring in the New Year. He caught Les Mis on Broadway and thought the actress playing Cosette was beautiful. The next day he attended the local singles ward, and the same girl - Cosette - walked in and sat down right next to him! Small world.

05-28-2006, 08:05 AM	#10
Robin Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 961	My advice: skip the books all together and go to www.teach12.com and order a couple of university-level lecture series. This company is REALLY amazing. They were introduced to me by an LDS philosophical doctoral student at Yale. He let me borrow the series on existentialism taught by Robert Solomon of the University of Texas in Austin. Solomon is amazing, and featured prominently in the film Waking Life, by Austin native Richard Linklater. Linklater has suggested that Solomon's lectures are what inspired him to start making film. It really shows. I suggest you get some materials from this company. I can personally vouch for the the existentialism lectures, which are on sale right now for fifty bucks. That is a BARGAIN for what you are getting... a college level course in a great subject taught by one of the world's leading experts. Solomon emphasizes personal responsibility, so in spite of teaching existentialism, his message is very positive, and LDS friendly. I think anyone on the list would really dig this lecture series in lieu of one of the other books you might read.