Best and Worst Books

felicity shagwell · Post by **felicity shagwell** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:41 am

Best:
The Dispossessed (Ursula K Le Guin)
The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
Past Mortem (Ben Elton)
High Society (Ben Elton)
Dead Famous (Ben Elton)
Harry Potter books (JK Rowling)
A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess)
The Catcher In the Rye (JD Salinger)
The Tomorrow Series (John Marsden)
Animal Farm (George Orwell)
Red Dwarf Series (Rob Grant/Doug Naylor)
The Liar (Stephen Fry)
George's Marvellous Medicine (Roald Dahl)

Worst:
I don't really remember the bad books that I've read... generally they are the ones I've had to read at school and couldn't stand...
No doubt people will hate some of my favourites though...

Jimmy · Post by **Jimmy** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:34 am

GOOD: FHM, RALPH, the comics, playboy, hustler no. 452, Arnolds bodybuilding encyclopedia.

seriously, i did read a book in HS called Flowers for Algernon for yr 9 english i think...it was quite good...i should get into reading books, it would help alot on the train and subway

Magpiespower · Post by **Magpiespower** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 5:03 am

Some that I'd recommend...

Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
The End of Certainty - Paul Kelly
The Fight - Norman Mailer
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S. Thompson
Adventures in the Screen Trade - William Goldman
Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade - William Goldman
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls - Peter Biskind
The Magic Faraway Tree - Enid Blyton
The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Graheme

Jimmy · Post by **Jimmy** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:49 am

actually, im also into true crime books about serial killers...i actually was able to read a book about Jeffery Dahmer which was quite interesting altho the details sometimes freaked me out...

im interested in serial killers like Bundy, Gacy Gein etc...just reading about how ******* freaky these ppl are and how they actually did the things they did is just unfknblvable

Magpiespower · Post by **Magpiespower** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:42 am

Might wanna look in your (old) backyard, Jimmy.

There's books on Truro, The Family, Snowtown.

As well as a heap of other grisly cases such as Milat (Sins of the Brother is a great read.)

Bob Bottom has written a stack of true crime books.

Rik E Boy · Post by **Rik E Boy** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 9:06 am

Sons and Lovers DH Lawrence
The Warriors Sol Yurik
Prisoners of the Japapense Gavin Dawes
Stalingrad Anthony Beevor
A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess
Nineteen Eighty Four George Orwell
The Reasons Why Bob Simpson
Stupid White Men Micheal Moore
The Happy Hooker Xavier Hollander
The Fatal Shore (Robert? can't remember) Hughes
The Other side of the coin (A social history of Australia in cartoons) Jonathon King
Hitler and Stalin: Parrallel lives Allan Bullock
The (Rolling) Stones Phillip Norman
Hammer of the Gods (Led Zeppelin) Steve Davis
A Plague of murder Colin Wilson
Hitler Joachim Fest
Dracula Bram Stoker (the one I've got is hard cover with full on illustrations and annotations)

Probably got a few authors wrong up there. Also proof that it doesn't matter how much you read it still won't make you a great speller LOL.

regards,

REB

Post by **Dissident** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 11:55 am

I just finished Jeremy Pudney's "Snowtown" - really good. I'm facinated by those things as well Jimmy - as long as I don't read them before bed =)

I have a good hour doco on Ed Gein.

JK · Post by JK » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:06 pm

The Lions Game - Nelson DeMille is the singurarly most enjoyable book I've read, especially given it was written prior to certain events on 9/11.

Others include (hope these are right, memory is a little hazy):

Simple Plan - Steven Baldacci
The Devils Teardrop - Jeffery Deaver
Split Second - Baldacci again (I think)
The Poet & Bloodwork (dont go near the movie though) - Michael Connolly
Most by Greg Iles

If you like a good thriller that doesn't skimp on the nitty gritty I'd recommend any of the Lisa Gardner books, great author ... And if you need a hero fix check out the Jack Reacher series of Lee Childs books!

cennals05 · Post by **cennals05** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:55 pm

I also just read Snowtown by Jeremy Pudney. A great book by a great Centrals supporter!

Pseudo · Post by **Pseudo** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:59 pm

Books. The perfect way to wait for the cricket season to pass.

Faves, in no particular order:

Watership Down, Richard Adams.
Works on many levels - as a kids fairy story or a social allegory.

Steppenwolf, Hermann Hesse.
Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups!

Most of John Fowles' oeuvre, particularly The Magus.
Multi-layered story telling with an existential bent.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Perfect exposition of prejudice without ever taking sides.

The Dice Man, Luke Rhinehart.
Not my will, O die, but thy will be done.

The Power And The Glory, Graham Greene
Superb ending.

A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess.
Viddy well my droogs, by the time you finish this book you'll be able to govoreet nadsat real horrorshow.

Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
Simply written but with much depth.

L'Etranger (The Outsider) - Albert Camus
I'm alive. I'm dead. I'm the stranger. Killing an arab.

Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
A poor story with cardboard characters, but as an exposition of Rand's philosophy it works well.

1984, George Orwell
doubleplusgood!

Least faves:

Catch-22, Joseph Heller. Boooooooo-ring.
Jane Eyre, one of the Brontes. See above.
On the Road, Jack Kerouac. See above.

felicity shagwell · Post by **felicity shagwell** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:18 pm

OK, here's one book everyone should read

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

Won't tell you what it's about, as you don't really know what it's about until you start reading it

But it really makes you think about the human race and some of the strange things that we, as a society, do sometimes

It can be found in the young adult section of your local bookshop, but really is not a book for young 'uns. It's quite humourous, but the subject matter is pretty intense.

READ IT!

felicity shagwell · Post by **felicity shagwell** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:23 pm

oh and one for the girls

You know that book Oprah keeps talking about, "He's not that into you"?

Don't bother with that, instead read "Be Honest - You're not that into him either" by Ian Kerner. All about why we sometimes settle for guys when we just don't have any chemistry or real feelings for them...........

Punk Rooster · Post by **Punk Rooster** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 10:45 pm

felicity shagwell wrote:oh and one for the girls

You know that book Oprah keeps talking about, "He's not that into you"?

Don't bother with that, instead read "Be Honest - You're not that into him either" by Ian Kerner. All about why we sometimes settle for guys when we just don't have any chemistry or real feelings for them...........

Women have feelings for someone besides themselves? :wink:

Best books:
Chopper 1-10.5
Underbelly Series 1-8
Any true crime book on professional full time criminals, not homo's who go around practising law by day, & raping boys by night. And no American crap either. The Melbourne Underworld & Sydney to a lesser extent, is where the action happens.

Worst Book:
Anything I haven't read.

felicity shagwell · Post by **felicity shagwell** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:04 pm

Punk Rooster wrote: Women have feelings for someone besides themselves?

ROFL

some of us do :wink:

ORDoubleBlues · Post by **ORDoubleBlues** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:16 pm

The term "settle for" is always an interesting one in that in some cases people have to realise that Brad Pitt or a multi-millionaire isn't going to walk around the corner. It's always staggered me why society teaches adolescent males to treat women with respect, because that's not what they wan't.

ORDoubleBlues · Post by **ORDoubleBlues** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 8:49 pm

Anyhow.......... onto the subject.

Read the new book by Steve Waugh (autobiography) called "Out of my comfort zone". While I wouldn't have gone out and bought it myself, I got it as a Christmas gift and I'm sure glad now that I did get it. A very interesting read that has been written in the chronological order of his career and gives you an insight into the behind the scenes dramas of the Australian Cricket team over a 20 year period. Don't believe that this book would have been anywhere near as interesting if only focused on cricket.
The latest Ian Chappell offering is very interesting as well. Just as he doesn't pull any punches in the flesh, he doesn't in this book either! Some interesting thoughts and stories about World Series Cricket, the modern players, ashes battles, the Australian Cricket Board (now Cricket Australia), Don Bradman and the Tampa. Can't say that I agree with his views on the Tampa though as he hasn't touched on facts that other people wan't to pretend don't exist either.
Felicity, if I remember the story correctly, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger was one of those books that didn't become a massive seller until well after he died (written in 18th or 19th century) but his future generations make a fortune out of the royalties alone.

felicity shagwell · Post by **felicity shagwell** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:24 pm

ORDoubleBlues wrote: It's always staggered me why society teaches adolescent males to treat women with respect, because that's not what they wan't.

Now lets not make any rash generalisations... :wink:

Curious to know what YOU think it is that women want? Maybe some people who have low self esteem seek out partners who will treat them badly, because subconsciously that's what they believe they deserve... But I'd seriously like to know what you think...

ORDoubleBlues wrote: Brad Pitt or a multi-millionaire isn't going to walk around the corner

I'm wasn't saying that we all need to find a Brad Pitt, merely saying that we deserve to be with someone that we genuinely like, not just be with someone because it's better than being alone. Often in insecure moments some of us forget this...

felicity shagwell · Post by **felicity shagwell** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:48 pm

ORDoubleBlues wrote: Felicity, if I remember the story correctly, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger was one of those books that didn't become a massive seller until well after he died (written in 18th or 19th century) but his future generations make a fortune out of the royalties alone.

You must be thinking of some other book...

The Catcher in the Rye was published in 1951, and was a critically acclaimed bestseller, although fairly controversial (it was banned in many countries on release, including America, and is still banned in many countries today). Salinger is still alive, and though his last book was published in 1965, it is believed that he still writes and that the majority of his work will be published after his death.

The Catcher in the Rye was brought to the public's attention again in 1980, when Mark Chapman shot John Lennon dead. Chapman allegedly saw elements of himself in Holden Caulfield, the main character and narrator of The Catcher in the Rye (who's in a psychiatric hospital). Chapman also asked Lennon to sign his copy of the book earlier in the morning on the day he shot Lennon.

Punk Rooster · Post by **Punk Rooster** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 7:53 am

felicity shagwell wrote:
ORDoubleBlues wrote: It's always staggered me why society teaches adolescent males to treat women with respect, because that's not what they wan't.

Now lets not make any rash generalisations...

Curious to know what YOU think it is that women want? Maybe some people who have low self esteem seek out partners who will treat them badly, because subconsciously that's what they believe they deserve... But I'd seriously like to know what you think...

ORDoubleBlues wrote: Brad Pitt or a multi-millionaire isn't going to walk around the corner

I'm wasn't saying that we all need to find a Brad Pitt, merely saying that we deserve to be with someone that we genuinely like, not just be with someone because it's better than being alone. Often in insecure moments some of us forget this...

Stop making sense, after all, you are a woman! :wink:

Punk Rooster · Post by **Punk Rooster** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 8:06 am

ORDouble Blues & Felicity... http://www.sanflfooty.com/forum/viewtop ... 0608#10608

Best and Worst Books

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