Your Top Five Favorite Books?

[K-town]

What are your top five favorite books? The ones you never lend out, will read over and over again, rave about to friends and relatives ad nauseum, etc.

These are the books you want to have if your trapped on a deserted island (though not if you're airplane crashlands on a deserted island, because then you'll have Evangeline Lilly and the Others to distract you from reading). Alternately, these are the books you want with you when you have a 15 hour layover in a really bad airport (personally, I hate Atanta's, but that's just me).

I'll start with my top 5:

A Catskill Eagle by Robert B. Parker
The Killer Angels Michael Shaara
The Stand Stephen King
The Deus Machine Pierre Ouellette
The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien (okay, cheated a little there)

I welcome your input, comments, suggestions, etc.

[MadtownPacker]

S King: Dark Tower series
Lord of the Flies
ummm let me think about it.

[pacfan]

My favorite Books:

The Prey series by John Sandford
The Alex Delaware series by Jonathan Kellerman
IT by Stephen King
The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

There are tons more.....

[Anti-Polar Bear]

1. Brave New World
2. Shakespeare's stuff
3. Lolita :wink: (although I am only 23, this is a fascinating novel)
4. Bad As I Wanna Be, by Dennis Rodman
5. Beowulf

Books I want to read but is too lazy: Game of Shadow, Di Vinci Code....

The book I think Tarlam may like: Mein Kampf.

[Rastak]

1. 1984
2 This perfect Day
3 Lord of the rings
4 Harry Potter
5 Wheel of Time

[jack's smirking revenge]

I don't have a top 5, but The Stand is my favorite book. Wish they could've made a better production out of that than a TV miniseries (at least it starred Gary Sinise).

tyler

[MJZiggy]

Da Vinci
The Midwives
Harry Potter series
The Alchemist
Organizing from the Inside Out (sadly hasn't helped much)

[GBRulz]

Does anyone here read James Patterson? I think the latest installment in his ongoing murder books is on#5. I didn't read #4 as I kinda lost interest in #3...

[MJZiggy]

I liked Beach House and Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas.

[Homer Jay]

Does anyone here read James Patterson? I think the latest installment in his ongoing murder books is on#5. I didn't read #4 as I kinda lost interest in #3...

I enjoy his Alex Cross series. I just watched Kiss the Girls again. The Lifeguard was good too. Stephen King is probably the author I have followed most. The Stand is my favorite, and It was tough to put down.

[Deputy Nutz]

I read Friday Night Lights at least once a year.

The Prey Series by John Sanford has already been mentioned, but I have been reading those since my senior year of high school

The Alex Cross series by James Paterson is also one of my favorites

I finished the Harry Potter series and I really liked it. I thought it would be very childish but I was impressed.

Anything by Stephen Ambrose.

[Badgepack]

When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombardi -- by David Maraniss
The Tommyknockers; Stephen King
Twilight Eyes; by Dean Koontz
Under the Lake; by Stuart Woods
When the Wind Blows; by James Patterson

[Rastak]

I love Koontz's stuff....


Tha Taking
Twilight Eyes
Dragon Tears
Sole Survivor
The Face was really cool......

[Badgepack]

Koontz has a couple books about a guy who can't go into the sunlight that are good, don't remember the name of the books though. Seems I never have fricking time to read anymore.

[MJZiggy]

When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombardi -- by David Maraniss
The Tommyknockers; Stephen King
Twilight Eyes; by Dean Koontz
Under the Lake; by Stuart Woods
When the Wind Blows; by James Patterson

I loved When Pride Still Mattered!!!

[Rastak]

Koontz has a couple books about a guy who can't go into the sunlight that are good, don't remember the name of the books though. Seems I never have fricking time to read anymore.


Yes, I read both.....they were very good.

[pacfan]

I loved When Pride Still Mattered!!!

I forgot to list that one, a great book. Every Packer fan should find time to read it, it provides some great insights into the 1960's and the Pack.

Maraniss third book (not great) "They marched into the Sunlight" has ties into the Lombardi book. Its about the UW-Madison campus, Viet Nam, and the Government. One of the Black Lions killed in October '67 was a star player for Lombardi when he was a coach at West Point. Both books show a different side to the events at the time.

Stephen Ambrose has written some great books about the soldiers in WWII.

If you're into detective stories with some supernatural elements; John Connolly has a series about a guy that sees dead people while investigating various murders. Be warned its pretty dark with some heavy religious content.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

1.Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
2.One Hundred Years of Solitude-Gabriel GarcÃÂÂ*a Márquez
3. The Canterbuy Tales - Chaucer
4. Going After Cacciato - Tim O'brien
5. Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins

[MJZiggy]

How is 100 Years of Solitude? I have taken it on the last two vacations with me and it's sitting on my "Must-Read" bookshelf, but I'm afraid I'm going to get so immersed that I will get nothing else done all day so I haven't cracked it yet.

[Badgepack]

Tyrone Bigguns, Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins


Damn, it's been a long time since I thought about that book. It was really good from what I remember, think I'll read it again.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I move that Tank and T. Bigguns be forever banned from the forum for listing "Beowolf" and "Cantebury Tales" as favorite books. What a couple of liars. Damned liars, the worst kind. We left JSO to get away from such bullshit.

Hard to name favorites, but a few books I liked recently:

"Empire Falls"
"Catch 22"
"A Confederacy of Dunces"
"The Adventures of Augie March"
"Life of PI"

[MJZiggy]

Was it the tiger or not?

[Badgepack]

Hey MJZiggy, how was Da Vinci Code?

[MJZiggy]

I thought it was a page turner. I read it on vacation and was accused of ignoring the whole family for a full day (it's true, but still, it was vacation). Everyone I've talked to who read it said they loved it as well.

[Badgepack]

OK, thanks.

Think I'll read the book before seeing the movie

[Harlan Huckleby]

Was it the tiger or not?

Ziggy, I sorta lied, I haven't finished that book yet, but am really liking it.

[Rastak]

I thought it was a page turner. I read it on vacation and was accused of ignoring the whole family for a full day (it's true, but still, it was vacation). Everyone I've talked to who read it said they loved it as well.


It was excellent as was Angels and Demons...both outstanding. I also listened to Dan Browns other book, I forget the name but it was a very good thriller.

[Badgepack]

Hey Rastak,

OT here but,

Your a Queens fan right?

What did you think of signing Baskett, I really wanted him on the packers?

[MJZiggy]

Deception Point.

Also the Poisonwood Bible is very good.

[Iron Mike]

Tyrone Bigguns, Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins


Damn, it's been a long time since I thought about that book. It was really good from what I remember, think I'll read it again.

I've got that one around here somewhere..........this one is also pretty good:

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Books/Pix/covers/2000/12/14/fierce.jpg

[Iron Mike]

It was excellent as was Angels and Demons...both outstanding. I also listened to Dan Browns other book, I forget the name but it was a very good thriller.

Digital Fortress???

[Iron Mike]

Did 'ja ever read the book after watching the movie, then feel cheated 'cuz the book was soooooo much better???

Read a little excerpt from Forrest Gump:

Chapter One

Let me say this: bein a idiot is no box of chocolates. People laugh, lose patience, treat you shabby. Now they says folks sposed to be kind to the afflicted, but let me tell you -- it ain't always that way. Even so, I got no complaints, cause I reckon I done live a pretty interestin life, so to speak.

I been a idiot since I was born. My IQ is near 70, which qualifies me, so they say. Probly, tho, I'm closer to bein a imbecile or maybe even a moron, but personally, I'd rather think of mysef as like a halfwit, or somethin -- an not no idiot -- cause when people think of a idiot, more'n likely they be thinkin of one of them Mongolian idiots -- the ones with they eyes too close together what look like Chinamen an drool a lot an play with theyselfs.

Now I'm slow -- I'll grant you that, but I'm probly a lot brighter than folks think, cause what goes on in my mind is a sight different than what folks see. For instance, I can think things pretty good, but when I got to try sayin or writin them, it kinda come out like jello or somethin. I'll show you what I mean.

The other day, I'm walkin down the street an this man was out workin in his yard. He'd got hissef a bunch of shrubs to plant an he say to me, "Forrest, you wanna earn some money?" an I says, "Uh-huh," an so he sets me to movin dirt. Damn near ten or twelve wheelbarrows of dirt, in the heat of the day, truckin it all over creation. When I'm thru he reach in his pocket for a dollar. What I shoulda done was raised Cain about the low wages, but instead, I took the damn dollar an all I could say was "thanks" or somethin dumb-soundin like that, an I went on down the street, waddin an unwaddin that dollar in my hand, feelin like a idiot.

You see what I mean?

Now I know somethin bout idiots. Probly the only thing I do know bout, but I done read up on em -- all the way from that Doy-chee-eveskie guy's idiot, to King Lear's fool, an Faulkner's idiot, Benjie, an even ole Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird -- now he was a serious idiot. The one I like best tho is ole Lennie in Of Mice an Men. Mos of them writer fellers got it straight -- cause their idiots always smarter than people give em credit for. Hell, I'd agree with that. Any idiot would. Hee Hee.

When I was born, my mama name me Forrest, cause of General Nathan Bedford Forrest who fought in the Civil War. Mama always said we was kin to General Forrest's fambly someways. An he was a great man, she say, cept'n he started up the Ku Klux Klan after the war was over an even my grandmama say they's a bunch of no-goods. Which I would tend to agree with, cause down here, the Grand Exalted Pishposh, or whatever he calls hissef, he operate a gun store in town an once, when I was maybe twelve year ole, I were walkin by there and lookin in the winder an he got a big hangman's noose strung up inside. When he seen me watchin, he done thowed it around his own neck an jerk it up like he was hanged an let his tongue stick out an all so's to scare me. I done run off and hid in a parkin lot behin some cars til somebody call the police an they come an take me home to my mama. So whatever else ole General Forrest done, startin up that Klan thing was not a good idea -- any idiot could tell you that. Nonetheless, that's how I got my name.

My mama is a real fine person. Everbody says that. My daddy, he got kilt just after I's born, so I never known him. He worked down to the docks as a longshoreman an one day a crane was takin a big net load of bananas off one of them United Fruit Company boats an somethin broke an the bananas fell down on my daddy an squashed him flat as a pancake. One time I heard some men talkin bout the accident -- say it was a helluva mess, half ton of all them bananas an my daddy squished underneath. I don't care for bananas much myself, cept for banana puddin. I like that all right.

My mama got a little pension from the United Fruit people an she took in boarders at our house, so we got by okay. When I was little, she kep me inside a lot, so as the other kids wouldn't bother me. In the summer afternoons, when it was real hot, she used to put me down in the parlor an pull the shades so it was dark an cool an fix me a pitcher of limeade. Then she'd set there an talk to me, jus talk on an on bout nothin in particular, like a person'll talk to a dog or cat, but I got used to it an liked it cause her voice made me feel real safe an nice.

At first, when I's growin up, she'd let me go out an play with everbody, but then she foun out they's teasing me an all, an one day a boy hit me in the back with a stick wile they was chasin me an it raised some fearsome welt. After that, she tole me not to play with them boys anymore. I started tryin to play with the girls but that weren't much better, cause they all run away from me.

Mama thought it would be good for me to go to the public school cause maybe it would hep me to be like everbody else, but after I been there a little wile they come an told Mama I ought'n to be in there with everbody else. They let me finish out first grade tho. Sometimes I'd set there wile the teacher was talkin an I don't know what was going on in my mind, but I'd start lookin out the winder at the birds an squirrels an things that was climbin an settin in a big ole oak tree outside, an then the teacher'd come over an fuss at me. Sometimes, I'd just get this real strange thing come over me an start shoutin an all, an then she'd make me go out an set on a bench in the hall. An the other kids, they'd never play with me or nothin, cept'n to chase me or get me to start hollerin so's they could laugh at me -- all cept Jenny Curran, who at least didn't run away from me an sometimes she'd let me walk nex to her goin home after class.

But the next year, they put me in another sort of school, an let me tell you, it was wierd. It was like they'd gone aroun collectin all the funny fellers they coud find an put em all together, rangin from my age an younger to big ole boys bout sixteen or seventeen. They was retards of all kinds an spasmos an kids that couldn't even eat or go to the toilet by theyselfs. I was probly the best of the lot.

They was one big fat boy, musta been fourteen or so, an he was afflicted with some kinda thing made him shake like he's in the electric chair or somethin. Miss Margaret, our teacher, made me go in the bathroom with him when he had to go, so's he wouldn't do nothin wierd. He done it anyway, tho. I didn't know no way of stoppin him, so I'd just lock mysef in one of the stalls and stay there till he's thru, an walk him back to the class.

I stayed in that school for about five or six years. It wadn't all bad tho. They'd let us paint with our fingers an make little things, but mostly, it jus teachin us how to do stuff like tie up our shoes an not slobber food or get wild an yell an holler an thow shit aroun. They wadn't no book learnin to speak of -- cept to show us how to read street signs an things like the difference between the Men's an the Ladies' rooms. With all them serious nuts in there, it woulda been impossible to conduct anythin more'n that anyway. Also, I think it was for the purpose of keepin us out of everbody else's hair. Who the hell wants a bunch of retards runnin aroun loose? Even I could understand that.

When I got to be thirteen, some pretty unusual things begun to happen. First off, I started to grow. I grew six inches in six months, an my mama was all the time havin to let out my pants. Also, I commenced to grow out. By the time I was sixteen I was six foot six an weighed two hundrit forty-two pounds. I know that cause they took me in an weighed me. Said they jus couldn't believe it.

What happen nex caused a real change in my life. One day I'm strollin down the street on the way home from nut school, an a car stop longside of me. This guy call me over an axed my name. I tole him, an then he axed what school I go to, an how come he ain't seen me aroun. When I tell him bout the nut school, he axed if I'd ever played football. I shook my head. I guess I mighta tole him I'd seen kids playin it, but they'd never let me play. But like I said, I ain't too good at long conversation, an so I jus shook my head. That was about two weeks after school begun again.

Three days or so later, they come an got me outta the nut school. My mama was there, an so was the guy in the car an two other people what look like goons -- who I guess was present in case I was to start somethin. They took all the stuff outta my desk an put it in a brown paper bag an tole me to say goodbye to Miss Margaret, an alls of a sudden she commence to start cryin an give me a big ole hug. Then I got to say goodbye to all the other nuts, an they was droolin an spasmoin an beatin on the desks with they fists. An then I was gone.

Mama rode up in the front seat with the guy an I set in back in between them goons, jus like police done in them ole movies when they took you "downtown." Cept we didn't go downtown. We went to the new highschool they had built. When we got there they took me inside to the principal's office an Mama an me an the guy went in wile the two goons waited in the hall. The principal was an ole gray-haired man with a stain on his tie an baggy pants who look like he coulda come outta the nut school hissef. We all sat down an he begun splainin things an axein me questions, an I just nodded my head, but what they wanted was for me to play football. That much I figgered out on my own.

Turns out the guy in the car was the football coach, name of Fellers. An that day I didn't go to no class or nothin, but Coach Fellers, he took me back to the locker room an one of the goons rounded me up a football suit with all them pads an stuff an a real nice plastic helmet with a thing in front to keep my face from gettin squished in. The only thing was, they couldn't find no shoes to fit me, so's I had to use my sneakers till they could order the shoes.

Coach Fellers an the goons got me dressed up in the football suit, an then they made me undress again, an then do it all over again, ten or twenty times, till I ...

[oregonpackfan]

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry is my all-time favorite book. If you ever have a chance to rent the video series of that book, please do so. It is one of the rare times where a movie version almost completely follows the book.

I liked The Da Vinci Code very much and look forward to watching the movie version coming out May 19th.

Oregonpackfan

[MJZiggy]

I just hope they don't screw it up. I heard they made a lot of concessions doing that movie. Has anyone heard of any news with the lawsuit against Dan Brown?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

How is 100 Years of Solitude? I have taken it on the last two vacations with me and it's sitting on my "Must-Read" bookshelf, but I'm afraid I'm going to get so immersed that I will get nothing else done all day so I haven't cracked it yet.

It is brilliant, but I don't see you getting so immersed. It is magical realism, so it takes some thinking and paying attention, which almost prevents you becoming immersed. Think of a good movie like Mememto, where you are absorbed,but at the same time puzzled and trying to figure out the "who dunnit" part while also trying to figure out the narrative.

It is the story of a family, but almost all the characters have the same names...so, that really makes it tough to get immersed..you are constantly going to the family tree illustration.

I would highly recommend it or Love in the Time of Cholera.

And, for a quick and easy read, but one that will have you near tears, A Million little Pieces, or whatever Frey's book is called. I don't care if it isn't autobiographical...it is an outstanding work. A true story like that is Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I move that Tank and T. Bigguns be forever banned from the forum for listing "Beowolf" and "Cantebury Tales" as favorite books. What a couple of liars. Damned liars, the worst kind. We left JSO to get away from such bullshit.

Hard to name favorites, but a few books I liked recently:

"Empire Falls"
"Catch 22"
"A Confederacy of Dunces"
"The Adventures of Augie March"
"Life of PI"

Hey, back of BLUE DOG. Watch who you calling a liar, or i'll spay you. :cool:


Beowulf, i would agree with, but Canterbury (and I didn't say to read it in old english, get a modern version) has everything great in a book...sex, murders, cheating, skewering the false priests, flatulence, etc.

BTW, you are just recently reading Dunces and March? Have you just switched from LPs to CDs.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Did 'ja ever read the book after watching the movie, then feel cheated 'cuz the book was soooooo much better???

Read a little excerpt from Forrest Gump:

Chapter One

Let me say this: bein a idiot is no box of chocolates. People laugh, lose patience, treat you shabby. Now they says folks sposed to be kind to the afflicted, but let me tell you -- it ain't always that way. Even so, I got no complaints, cause I reckon I done live a pretty interestin life, so to speak.

I been a idiot since I was born. My IQ is near 70, which qualifies me, so they say. Probly, tho, I'm closer to bein a imbecile or maybe even a moron, but personally, I'd rather think of mysef as like a halfwit, or somethin -- an not no idiot -- cause when people think of a idiot, more'n likely they be thinkin of one of them Mongolian idiots -- the ones with they eyes too close together what look like Chinamen an drool a lot an play with theyselfs.

Now I'm slow -- I'll grant you that, but I'm probly a lot brighter than folks think, cause what goes on in my mind is a sight different than what folks see. For instance, I can think things pretty good, but when I got to try sayin or writin them, it kinda come out like jello or somethin. I'll show you what I mean.

The other day, I'm walkin down the street an this man was out workin in his yard. He'd got hissef a bunch of shrubs to plant an he say to me, "Forrest, you wanna earn some money?" an I says, "Uh-huh," an so he sets me to movin dirt. Damn near ten or twelve wheelbarrows of dirt, in the heat of the day, truckin it all over creation. When I'm thru he reach in his pocket for a dollar. What I shoulda done was raised Cain about the low wages, but instead, I took the damn dollar an all I could say was "thanks" or somethin dumb-soundin like that, an I went on down the street, waddin an unwaddin that dollar in my hand, feelin like a idiot.

You see what I mean?

Now I know somethin bout idiots. Probly the only thing I do know bout, but I done read up on em -- all the way from that Doy-chee-eveskie guy's idiot, to King Lear's fool, an Faulkner's idiot, Benjie, an even ole Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird -- now he was a serious idiot. The one I like best tho is ole Lennie in Of Mice an Men. Mos of them writer fellers got it straight -- cause their idiots always smarter than people give em credit for. Hell, I'd agree with that. Any idiot would. Hee Hee.

When I was born, my mama name me Forrest, cause of General Nathan Bedford Forrest who fought in the Civil War. Mama always said we was kin to General Forrest's fambly someways. An he was a great man, she say, cept'n he started up the Ku Klux Klan after the war was over an even my grandmama say they's a bunch of no-goods. Which I would tend to agree with, cause down here, the Grand Exalted Pishposh, or whatever he calls hissef, he operate a gun store in town an once, when I was maybe twelve year ole, I were walkin by there and lookin in the winder an he got a big hangman's noose strung up inside. When he seen me watchin, he done thowed it around his own neck an jerk it up like he was hanged an let his tongue stick out an all so's to scare me. I done run off and hid in a parkin lot behin some cars til somebody call the police an they come an take me home to my mama. So whatever else ole General Forrest done, startin up that Klan thing was not a good idea -- any idiot could tell you that. Nonetheless, that's how I got my name.

My mama is a real fine person. Everbody says that. My daddy, he got kilt just after I's born, so I never known him. He worked down to the docks as a longshoreman an one day a crane was takin a big net load of bananas off one of them United Fruit Company boats an somethin broke an the bananas fell down on my daddy an squashed him flat as a pancake. One time I heard some men talkin bout the accident -- say it was a helluva mess, half ton of all them bananas an my daddy squished underneath. I don't care for bananas much myself, cept for banana puddin. I like that all right.

My mama got a little pension from the United Fruit people an she took in boarders at our house, so we got by okay. When I was little, she kep me inside a lot, so as the other kids wouldn't bother me. In the summer afternoons, when it was real hot, she used to put me down in the parlor an pull the shades so it was dark an cool an fix me a pitcher of limeade. Then she'd set there an talk to me, jus talk on an on bout nothin in particular, like a person'll talk to a dog or cat, but I got used to it an liked it cause her voice made me feel real safe an nice.

At first, when I's growin up, she'd let me go out an play with everbody, but then she foun out they's teasing me an all, an one day a boy hit me in the back with a stick wile they was chasin me an it raised some fearsome welt. After that, she tole me not to play with them boys anymore. I started tryin to play with the girls but that weren't much better, cause they all run away from me.

Mama thought it would be good for me to go to the public school cause maybe it would hep me to be like everbody else, but after I been there a little wile they come an told Mama I ought'n to be in there with everbody else. They let me finish out first grade tho. Sometimes I'd set there wile the teacher was talkin an I don't know what was going on in my mind, but I'd start lookin out the winder at the birds an squirrels an things that was climbin an settin in a big ole oak tree outside, an then the teacher'd come over an fuss at me. Sometimes, I'd just get this real strange thing come over me an start shoutin an all, an then she'd make me go out an set on a bench in the hall. An the other kids, they'd never play with me or nothin, cept'n to chase me or get me to start hollerin so's they could laugh at me -- all cept Jenny Curran, who at least didn't run away from me an sometimes she'd let me walk nex to her goin home after class.

But the next year, they put me in another sort of school, an let me tell you, it was wierd. It was like they'd gone aroun collectin all the funny fellers they coud find an put em all together, rangin from my age an younger to big ole boys bout sixteen or seventeen. They was retards of all kinds an spasmos an kids that couldn't even eat or go to the toilet by theyselfs. I was probly the best of the lot.

They was one big fat boy, musta been fourteen or so, an he was afflicted with some kinda thing made him shake like he's in the electric chair or somethin. Miss Margaret, our teacher, made me go in the bathroom with him when he had to go, so's he wouldn't do nothin wierd. He done it anyway, tho. I didn't know no way of stoppin him, so I'd just lock mysef in one of the stalls and stay there till he's thru, an walk him back to the class.

I stayed in that school for about five or six years. It wadn't all bad tho. They'd let us paint with our fingers an make little things, but mostly, it jus teachin us how to do stuff like tie up our shoes an not slobber food or get wild an yell an holler an thow shit aroun. They wadn't no book learnin to speak of -- cept to show us how to read street signs an things like the difference between the Men's an the Ladies' rooms. With all them serious nuts in there, it woulda been impossible to conduct anythin more'n that anyway. Also, I think it was for the purpose of keepin us out of everbody else's hair. Who the hell wants a bunch of retards runnin aroun loose? Even I could understand that.

When I got to be thirteen, some pretty unusual things begun to happen. First off, I started to grow. I grew six inches in six months, an my mama was all the time havin to let out my pants. Also, I commenced to grow out. By the time I was sixteen I was six foot six an weighed two hundrit forty-two pounds. I know that cause they took me in an weighed me. Said they jus couldn't believe it.

What happen nex caused a real change in my life. One day I'm strollin down the street on the way home from nut school, an a car stop longside of me. This guy call me over an axed my name. I tole him, an then he axed what school I go to, an how come he ain't seen me aroun. When I tell him bout the nut school, he axed if I'd ever played football. I shook my head. I guess I mighta tole him I'd seen kids playin it, but they'd never let me play. But like I said, I ain't too good at long conversation, an so I jus shook my head. That was about two weeks after school begun again.

Three days or so later, they come an got me outta the nut school. My mama was there, an so was the guy in the car an two other people what look like goons -- who I guess was present in case I was to start somethin. They took all the stuff outta my desk an put it in a brown paper bag an tole me to say goodbye to Miss Margaret, an alls of a sudden she commence to start cryin an give me a big ole hug. Then I got to say goodbye to all the other nuts, an they was droolin an spasmoin an beatin on the desks with they fists. An then I was gone.

Mama rode up in the front seat with the guy an I set in back in between them goons, jus like police done in them ole movies when they took you "downtown." Cept we didn't go downtown. We went to the new highschool they had built. When we got there they took me inside to the principal's office an Mama an me an the guy went in wile the two goons waited in the hall. The principal was an ole gray-haired man with a stain on his tie an baggy pants who look like he coulda come outta the nut school hissef. We all sat down an he begun splainin things an axein me questions, an I just nodded my head, but what they wanted was for me to play football. That much I figgered out on my own.

Turns out the guy in the car was the football coach, name of Fellers. An that day I didn't go to no class or nothin, but Coach Fellers, he took me back to the locker room an one of the goons rounded me up a football suit with all them pads an stuff an a real nice plastic helmet with a thing in front to keep my face from gettin squished in. The only thing was, they couldn't find no shoes to fit me, so's I had to use my sneakers till they could order the shoes.

Coach Fellers an the goons got me dressed up in the football suit, an then they made me undress again, an then do it all over again, ten or twenty times, till I ...

When has the movie ever been better than the book?

BTW, I hated Forrest Gump. Didn't like the message at all.

[Harlan Huckleby]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/books/fiction-25-years.html

May 21, 2006
What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years?
By THE NEW YORK TIMES

Early this year, the Book Review's editor, Sam Tanenhaus, sent out a short letter to a couple of hundred prominent writers, critics, editors and other literary sages, asking them to please identify "the single best work of American fiction published in the last 25 years." [Read A. O. Scott's essay. See a list of the judges.] Following are the results.

THE WINNER:
Beloved
Toni Morrison
(1987)

THE RUNNERS-UP:
Underworld
Don DeLillo
(1997)

Blood Meridian
Cormac McCarthy
(1985)

Rabbit Angstrom: The Four Novels
John Updike
'Rabbit at Rest'(1990)
'Rabbit Is Rich'(1981)
'Rabbit Redux'(1971)
'Rabbit, Run'(1960)

American Pastoral
Philip Roth
(1997)

THE FOLLOWING BOOKS ALSO RECEIVED MULTIPLE VOTES:
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
(1980)

Housekeeping
Marilynne Robinson
(1980)

Winter's Tale
Mark Helprin
(1983)

White Noise
Don DeLillo
(1985)

The Counterlife
Philip Roth
(1986)

Libra
Don DeLillo
(1988)

Where I'm Calling From
Raymond Carver
(1988)

The Things They Carried
Tim O'Brien
(1990)

Mating
Norman Rush
(1991)

Jesus' Son
Denis Johnson
(1992)

Operation Shylock
Philip Roth
(1993)

Independence Day
Richard Ford
(1995)

Sabbath's Theater
Philip Roth
(1995)

Border Trilogy
Cormac McCarthy
'Cities of the Plain' (1998)
'The Crossing' (1994)
'All the Pretty Horses' (1992)

The Human Stain
Philip Roth
(2000)

The Known World
Edward P. Jones
(2003)

The Plot Against America
Philip Roth
(2004)

[Guiness]

Wow - good thread.

I'm a pretty avid reader, and I tend to read series more than single novels.

Any other fantasy readers here? Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is one of my favorites. Problem is, it's up around 8000 (no, not a typo) pages for the series.

I know Piers Anthony is pretty pulpy, but Death Rides a Pale Horse is great. This is also a 6 or 7 book series. Kind of a comedy/fantasy thing, like most of his stuff.

What's that, three? Well, no one has mentioned Tom Clancy's Red October yet. It's great.

One more, eh? How about Orson Scott Card's A Woman of Destiny. He's a sci-fi writer for the most part, but did a book about his great-aunt, who was a founding member of the mormon church. Great story.

Couple of other mentions here that I really like, but wouldn't make my top five.
Harry Potter
Dean Koontz - he combines genres very well. Anyone else here read Lightning? It's my favorite of his.
Cantebury Tales is actually really good. Get the book on tape, complete with accents.
Roger Zelany

Lots of S. King fans here. He can't hold my interest. I enjoyed Tommyknocker, and The Stand, but I liked the intro to The Dark Half better than anything else he's written. A Long Walk was good as well.

[RashanGary]

When I was really young I read Gary Paulson and other nature books. I grew up spending a ton of time in the woods that were my back yard. I loved White Fang and whatever I could get my hands on in that subject field. As I got into my teens I read the J.R.R. Tolkien series and those bookes were something I remember being particularly fond of.

In the last 10 years or so, all I've read was non-fiction. Men are from Mars, Unconditional parenting, ect.....

I used to enjoy reading but I now get more pleasure in learning and self improvement. I might lighten up some day and pick up non-fiction pleasure reads.

I'm not a big reader though. My bro has a frikkin library of books that he's had to of spent 1000's of dollars on. It's pretty impressive. I pretty much jsut read to my kids at this point. Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb ect.....

[Badgepack]

Guiness; Yeah, loved Koontz's Lightning book also.
May have to re-read that, been a long time.

[Iron Mike]

I pretty much just read to my kids at this point. Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb etc.....

Been there, done that.............................................. ..........................
http://www.chinesetapes.com/children_bilingual_book/images/guess_how_much_i_love_you.jpg

[MJZiggy]

I still quote Dr. Seuss involuntarily.

[Little Whiskey]

Been there, done that.............................................. ..........................
http://www.chinesetapes.com/children_bilingual_book/images/guess_how_much_i_love_you.jpg


mike, isn't that the book where they keep saying "the big nutbrown hare, and the "little nutbrown hare"?

I'm was wondering the other day if he was really the furry white rabbit, before the big black bear got ahold of him??

[Deputy Nutz]

How about On The Road by Jack Kerouac? On of my all time favorites, especially when your a twenty year old college student that doesn't know what the fuck to do with his life! It made my little life alot easier back then.

I would also have to throw in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson.

The last really good book I read was titled Mafia Summer. I love mob books, even more than mob movies.

For anyone that likes sports and fiction, go to your library and check out the Youngest Hero by Jerry Jenkins. It ain't gonna when no award but its a good read.

[pacfan]

[quote="Guiness"]What's that, three? Well, no one has mentioned Tom Clancy's Red October yet. It's great.[\quote]

I read the Clancy's series when I was in the military. Its a good read, the earlier books are better than his current installments. When he had Ryan become President, I lost interest.

[mraynrand]

Atlas Shrugged - Rand
Brothers Karamazov - Dostoyevsky
War and Peace - Tolstoy
Foundation - Asimov
Summertide - Sheffield

[Rastak]

[quote=Guiness]What's that, three? Well, no one has mentioned Tom Clancy's Red October yet. It's great.[\quote]

I read the Clancy's series when I was in the military. Its a good read, the earlier books are better than his current installments. When he had Ryan become President, I lost interest.


Actually I thought Red Storm Rising was better than Red October...altough both were very good.

[Rastak]

Hey Rastak,

OT here but,

Your a Queens fan right?

What did you think of signing Baskett, I really wanted him on the packers?


They signed a few UFA that I liked, including him. They had the whole 6th and 7th rounds to get ready for the signings.

[Rastak]

It was excellent as was Angels and Demons...both outstanding. I also listened to Dan Browns other book, I forget the name but it was a very good thriller.

Digital Fortress???

No Ziggy was right...deception point...I havn't gotten to that one yet.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don' t read all that much, I spend too much time watching movies and farting around on internet. But everytime I read a book, it is a great adventure, and I tell myself, "Man, I gotta do more of this."

I think people who love to read tend to read ALL KINDS of stuff. Classics, detective novels, mysteries, romance novels. Real readers devour everthing. Lazy readers like me try and pick only "good books", thinking I got to make every book count.

[FavreChild]

The last really good book I read was titled Mafia Summer. I love mob books, even more than mob movies.

Underboss by Sammy the Bull and Peter Maas is one of my all time favorites. Wiseguy from Nicholas Pileggi with Henry Hill is outstanding, also - even though you know the basic story from Goodfellas.

[RashanGary]

I don' t read all that much, I spend too much time watching movies and farting around on internet. But everytime I read a book, it is a great adventure, and I tell myself, "Man, I gotta do more of this."

I think people who love to read tend to read ALL KINDS of stuff. Classics, detective novels, mysteries, romance novels. Real readers devour everthing. Lazy readers like me try and pick only "good books", thinking I got to make every book count.

LOL...Me too...It's like a chore to get started but then I can't put it down. Real readers can't wait to pick it up...

WTF is wrong with them.

[Rastak]

I don' t read all that much, I spend too much time watching movies and farting around on internet. But everytime I read a book, it is a great adventure, and I tell myself, "Man, I gotta do more of this."

I think people who love to read tend to read ALL KINDS of stuff. Classics, detective novels, mysteries, romance novels. Real readers devour everthing. Lazy readers like me try and pick only "good books", thinking I got to make every book count.

LOL...Me too...It's like a chore to get started but then I can't put it down. Real readers can't wait to pick it up...

WTF is wrong with them.


I listen to audio books rather than read them. I can be doing things and still listen...I just don't have the time to completely dedicate to reading.

[Iron Mike]

Atlas Shrugged - Rand


I figured that's where the user name came from............ :cool:

[Iron Mike]

mike, isn't that the book where they keep saying "the big nutbrown hare, and the "little nutbrown hare"?

I'm was wondering the other day if he was really the furry white rabbit, before the big black bear got ahold of him??

Laugh all you want......I can tell you've read that book!!!!! :lol:

[Little Whiskey]

mike, isn't that the book where they keep saying "the big nutbrown hare, and the "little nutbrown hare"?

I'm was wondering the other day if he was really the furry white rabbit, before the big black bear got ahold of him??

Laugh all you want......I can tell you've read that book!!!!! :lol:

yep, many times!! he loves that book, and i laugh about the big black bear every time

[K-town]

I totally forgot about NON-fiction. So these are some of my favorites:

Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War Michale MacLear
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century Barbara Tuchman
Son of the Morning Star Evan S. Connell

[AtlPackFan]

Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit - Tolkein
Harry Potter series - Rowling
The Borne Identity, Supremacy and Ultimatum - Ludlum
Angels and Demons - Brown
The Godfather - Puzo

[Iron Mike]

Books, Schmooks........I got favorite authors:

i) Ken Follett when I'm in spy mode

http://www.bokrecensioner.se/Images/045/116/0451163494.jpg

ii) Dave Marsh when I'm in Rock 'N Roll mode

http://www.press.umich.edu/coverImages/047203023X.gif

iii) William Cooper when I'm in conspiracy theory mode

http://www.cuttingedge.org/ahpimages/beholdAPaleHorse.jpg

iv) Tom Robbins when I'm in strange intellectual mode

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/Froghalf.jpg/180px-Froghalf.jpg

v) John Hagee when I'm in eschatology mode

http://images.parable.com/ProdImage/89/0785268189.jpg

[Noodle]

Damn fine thread, and reading other picks brings back good memories of boodks gone by.

Now, as to movies that were better than books, I'd say the Godfather movies (I and II) were better than Puzzo's novel. Also, the Silence of the Lambs flick beat the crap out of the book. And, I always thought the Lord of the Rings trilogy was ponderous and enjoyed the movies much more than reading Tolkien.

Next topic, yes, Red Storm Rising was cooler than the Hunt for Red October, and I'm surprised that hasn't been done as a movie.

Finally, top five books is tough, tough, tough. I'm going to limit this to post 1960 fiction that other folks haven't listed:

Gravity's Rainbow So hard, but so worth it. You have to work at this one, but man, it makes you wonder at how brilliant a mind can be.

Possession What's not to like? Drives home the point that "nothing is as it seems."

Gorky Park If you're of a certain age, and have a love for the great Russian novels, you can't resist this modern incarnation of the tortured Russian soul. Plus it has KGB dudes doing KGB stuff!

Winds of War/War and Remembrance Melodramatic, sure, and a crappy TV series. But if you want to get a sense of the horror of the holocaust and of the honor of US warriors, then these books are tough to beat.

Slaughterhouse-Five Whoa. Strap in for a disturbing ride with Kurt V.

[K-town]

Gorky Park If you're of a certain age, and have a love for the great Russian novels, you can't resist this modern incarnation of the tortured Russian soul. Plus it has KGB dudes doing KGB stuff!


Wow, Gorky Park. Great, great book. The sequels were actually really good, too: Polar Star, Red Square, Havana Bay.

Martin Cruz Smith is an excellent author. Everything I've read from him was well written, thoughtful and intelligent.

BTW, another author who does series novels is Bernard Cornwell. Liked the Sharpe series, but thought the Archer series (about an English archer in the English/French 100 Years War, and the search for the Holy Grail) was better.

[MJZiggy]

This was a good thread...

[digitaldean]

Mine are probably more slanted toward the spy type of novels....

Debt of Honor - Tom Clancy
Flags of Our Fathers - James Bradley
Executive Orders - Tom Clancy
The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany 1944-45, Steven Ambrose
Distant Replay - Jerry Kramer
(had to get a Packer theme in there somewhere)

[oregonpackfan]

I'll mix a group of "Grown-Up" books and children's books.

Lonesome Dove

Shogun

Undaunted Courage

Where The Red Fern Grows

Love You Forever

[Freak Out]

Best fucking book ever:

Me write book...it bigfoot memoir.


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51i7%2BCM5GLL._SS500_.jpg


Iron Mike......your sig scared me you fucker.

[DonHutson]

The last really good book I read was titled Mafia Summer. I love mob books, even more than mob movies.

Underboss by Sammy the Bull and Peter Maas is one of my all time favorites. Wiseguy from Nicholas Pileggi with Henry Hill is outstanding, also - even though you know the basic story from Goodfellas.

Try 'The Outfit' by Gus Russo. Great history of the Chicago mob starting after Capone went away.

I love that so much of the narration from GoodFellas came straight from Wiseguy. No screenwriter could have come up with some of those lines.

[Iron Mike]

Iron Mike......your sig scared me you fuck.

Bwahahaha!!!!

[Iron Mike]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51B25ZRESJL.jpg

http://www.cunepress.com/cunemagazine/ximages/bookcovers/gemscovers/stillwoodpecker.jpg

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/f4/cf/1ecb62e89da0e15a27be3110._AA240_.L.jpg

http://www.unexplainedresearch.com/books/book_images/cover_wisconsin_road_guide1.jpg

http://www.bradyresidence.com/booksmall.gif

[wist43]

1984

Year may be off, but it is prophetic... just a matter of time. Obama gets in, we're all the closer :x

Ironically, Orwell was a socialist... go figure :shock:

[mraynrand]

Good choice. Books for November reading:

1984
Animal Farm
We
Brave New World
Anthem

[Iron Mike]

Good choice. Books for November reading:

1984
Animal Farm
Brave New World


Just go ahead and add in The Outsiders and The Catcher in the Rye and you've covered my Sophmore English Class. :P

[Tyrone Bigguns]

What? No "Native Son?"

Racists!!

[mraynrand]

What? No "Native Son?"

Racists!!

I prefer Invisible Man - but if you need a Native, how about Return of the Native?

[Tyrone Bigguns]

What? No "Native Son?"

Racists!!

I prefer Invisible Man - but if you need a Native, how about Return of the Native?

I would not prefer some euro trash writer who published his story in some effete magazine.