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[snarkylightning]

Hey, folks. I obviously have spent too much time looking at lists of 'must-read' books, so I have a question. If you had to recommend 5 books to someone, what would you recommend? They can be anything--nonfiction, fiction, comics, volumes of poetry, whatever--and they can be specific, such as horror or sci-fi or fantasy, or general, or a mix. Your

Comments

[spikora]

... but I recommend books depending on the person. Do you want me to recommend five books for you, or just five books in general?

[snarkylightning]

In general, dude. Like you know those lists of YOU SHOULD READ THESE BOOKS IN YOUR LIFE TIME? I mean, obviously some people might start a book and not like it personally, and not finish it, but at least they attempted it, you know? That's what I'm talking about. Books that are good or well-written or inspire a thought. Like one of the books on my personal list I would only recommend reading the first half. But the first half is still worth it IMO.

[spikora]

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Bellwether by Connie Willis
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Niel Gaiman
Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

... that's all I can think of at the moment.

[snarkylightning]

AWESOME. Any reasoning in particular, or just 'cause? I totally need to reread Ender's Game so bad. I barely remember it. And Staying Fat! ♥

[el_em_en_oh_pee]

jellicoe road by melina marchetta and hunger games by suzanne collins are both books i've read in the past few weeks that totally blew me away. jellicoe road is set in a small australian town and features a really awesome female protagonist who is like, FLAWED and LIKEABLE and features a rivalry that has lasted for years between the Townies and the Cadets and the students of the local boarding school and it's just. sdlkjfhg so good. and hunger games is in a future where 24 kids are forced to fight to the death on a reality tv show

[snarkylightning]

I'm not sure I've read any of those. BUT I REALLY WANT TO READ HUNGER GAMES BUT FORGOT ABOUT IT SO THANKS FOR BRINGING IT TO MY ATTENTION! WAIT, I READ THE HERO AND THE CROWN AND THE BLUE SWORD ... LIKE TEN YEARS AGO.

I love your icon because I always think it's Jensen but it's not. :(

[____ero__sennin]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Okay. So. People SHOULD READ.

Stephen King. Just. Anything. To narrow it down, though, It, Different Seasons, or On Writing. Really, anyone who wants to write should read On Writing.
Lord of the Flies. Fast, involving, grim.
Frankenstein. The movie [the old one, I don't know if I've seen any of the more recent], lovely as it was, has done this book a great disservice. You need to see the Monster as he really is.
Battle Royale. This shit will make you think, and worry deep down in your soul, "what would I do." Dark question.
The Golden Compass. Another one to make you think. Rather an ugly look at humany, and a dissertation on religion. Also, armored polar bears make it worth it all the way.
Harry Potter. Because, really, it's shaped a generation. It's at least worth a look.
Dante's Inferno. Wow it took me way too long to think of this one. And no, you don't need a reason. Just read it.
Paradise Lost. Kind of goes hand in hand with Dante. The nature of sin, the nature of man, etc. etc.
Good

[____ero__sennin]

I REMEMBERED SOME MORE.

To Kill a Mockingbird. Duh.
The Odyssey. Because Greek myth never goes out of style.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It's one of the THE Four Great Chinese Novels. That's saying something.
Othello. I'm not one for reading plays, so you should really see it performed, or the movie. But. It's my favorite Shakespeare.
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters. Which is quite a title I know. But it's an incredible Victorian-era mystery, with great characterization. Also, lots of sex and dead people. Oh, and opium. SO.

[lady_lyca]

I recommend Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman to everyone. Just 'cause I love it and want to discuss it. XD Most of her books are really good though. I just remember talking about them with my history teacher in high school. :P Blackbird House is a really good one too.

I've heard good and bad things about She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, but I really liked it. Very depressing though.

A slightly less "important" book I liked was A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb. My mom didn't get it though, but I haven't heard a lot of other people's opinions. And I could've only liked it because I've encountered a lot of people like the family the main characters lives with towards the end.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch.

And I also recommend Good Omens. That shit is amazing! XD

[snarkylightning]

OH MY GOD. WHITE OLEANDER IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER! It totally took me by surprise, but I loved it and reread it this summer and loved it even more!

I haven't read any of those, but I will definitely check them out, especially Practical Magic. :D

I hate the feeling of reading a book and never meeting someone who has even heard of it, let alone read it, because you want to discuss ~everything~ with everyone you meet. It seems like the only books that you regularly run into people having read are the Harry Potter books, Twilight, and The Da Vinci Code. :(

[snarkylightning]

Sweet! I haven't heard of any of these so I'll definitely have to check 'em out. :D