Books!

dynamiterose77

I feel like I wasn't allowed to read a LOT of books when I was younger, a lot of which I'm discovering are positivly phenomenal.

I was allowed to read Edgar Allan Poe, who remains my all time favorite writer. But, I've discovered the joys of Stephen King, Anne Rice, Joyce Carrol Oats, Neil Gaiman, George R. Martin, David Sedaris... and so so so many more.

I'm currently getting through "The Shining" so I can move on to "Doctor Sleep"

I'm interested to see if anyone else that discovered the many joys of "worldly" literature, jumped immediately into what they weren't allowed to read... and what was your favorite?

villagegirl

You might even delve into some really great stories in the

so called "classics" like Chekov, (Selected Stories)

and Leo Tolstoy 's Anna Karenina.

Try reading; A Room with View by E M Forster, or

Where the Angels Fear to Tread, or Passage to India.

all by E.M. Forster. Also please read Henry James.

A Portrait of a Lady, and The Ambassadors

These writers are superb storytellers.

Magnum

I have a massive library with literally thousands of books. Most of the stuff is not really stuff that I wouldn't have been allowed to read, but would not have had time to read as a JW. Most of my books are non-fiction - everything from biochemistry to philosophy.

I see you like modern fiction. I haven't really given it a chance; some of it might be great. The only fiction I have is that that would be considered classic, or that might be on a college reading list or covered in a literature class - stuff like ancient Greek fiction, Moby Dick, Dickens stuff, etc.

I do have non-fiction stuff that would be a no-no for JWs - stuff by Richard Dawkins, stuff by Bart Ehrman, evolution books, etc.

dynamiterose77

I've been meaning to read some Dawkins. I actually got to see Stephan Hawking speak at MIT... highlight of my adult life for sure. I also ADORE Richard Feynman. PS COSMOS!!!!!

LOL

I have a huge library too, most of it is from the husband, I have a lot on my list to get too now. hehe. Some that I have (and have read )the complete works of Shakespeare, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle... Poe, of course... Been meaning to get some Tolstoy. Big fan of Lovecraft. Oscar Wilde... Jane Austen... Charlotte Bronte... Mary Shelly...

I also love certain poets... Pablo Neruda is a favorite... Robert Frost. I need to get the collected works of Jack Keroac.

I think I'm saying I'm a huge nerd.

Just keep Twilight and 50 shades out of my view... not a fan...

snare&racket

I have always loved books, they excite me. A small paper rectangle of pages....but enclosed within are worlds and stories and charachters just waiting to be discovered. My mum was a reader, so I just used to read her books and loved looking through them in the attic. I don't think she knew looking back. I remember reading 'all quiet on the wester front' and I was 9yrs old. I have a very visual mind and memory and so books to me are like hooking into another world and it was very much so like that when I was younger, I can still picture some of the places I visited only in books etc, even as a kid.

I remember at age 6 or 7 reading Fantastic Mr Fox, Famous Five, Stig of the Dump...

but my fav books.....

HM's Moby Dick is amazing, just so human, I read as a teen for escapism and Moby Dick is all about escaping life on land to the sea.

I can't reccomend enough the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series. It is long and deep, a whole continent of cultures, charachters, regions, wars and a great core of central charachters that you eventually feel like you know in person. I loved them as a JW, got quite a few into the series, actually prefer them to Game of Thrones.

For little easy weekend reads, David Gemmel is great. Waylander 1&2 or The 4 drenai Novels....again escapism in bundles. Easy to read.

Sci Fi I enjoyed the hidden empire series and 'do androids dream of electric sheep' aka Blade Runner. I prefer to watch sci fi over read it.

Historical authors are a plenty, I was into the 'Emperor' (story of caesar) series, also different author 'The Wolf on The Plains' (G Khan story), Vagabond series is also great. I love the Hornblower (english navy) books too.

Best world war 2 book I have read is Stephen E Ambrose 'Band of Brothers' ......became an amazing tv prog.

Med school killed my reading. Reading all evening and weekend, killed any urge to pick up a book. Makes me a bit sad as I used to devour them. I remember reading a new wheel of time book that came out and I couldn't stop it reading it well over 24hrs. They are big books so they last a good while, which is great, but I was lost in the huge story and it was fantastic.

Books are so important for the brain, they are essential for kids, get them reading super young and get them excited babout books early!

snare x

p.s. sorry i can talk books all day. Would love to write one, always starting one...then binning it lol

BizzyBee

Well, you have many delights ahead! So many good story tellers......

Reading was always my salvation - I could sit in a corner and be ignored.

Currently reading Ken Follett - Fall of Giants. Just finished To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. So many good books, so little time.

littlerockguy

Right now I'm about to start A Prologue To Love by Taylor Caldwell. I read her book Captains and the Kings and I was hooked to her writing. I read Testimony of Two Men and Ceremony of the Innocent and The Devil's Advocate. Many of her paperback covers of her books look like cheap romance novels, however within her writings are deep insights into human nature and world events.

LRG

chicken little

I remember coming across this thought "Anyone who reads novels cannot become a fanatic". I really think there is a lot of truth in that statement. When you read a novel, you open your mind to so many new thoughts, possibilities and allow your mind to dream. I remember hearing a circuit overseers wife commenting on the subject of books. She said we did not need to read anything other than the bible and the publications, they covered all our needs. I sat there wanting to choke her, reading has been my lifeline through out my whole life. I have escaped a violent family background by reading, I have educated myself through reading. I hope you continue to get great enjoyment. I love Audrey Niffenegger, The Timetravellers Wife and Her awful symmetry. Orhan Parmuk, The museum of Innocence, Rabith Alameddine's Hakawati....oh life would be unbearable without books.

I have usually 12 books a month on loan from my library. Keep reading it adds colour to our lives in a dreary everyday world at times.

Band on the Run

I read class literature, if it is heavily annotated, modern fiction, nonfiction, and legal books. When I was younger, all I read was nonfiction. We went to the children's library every day it was open. Alas, the only books at home, other than a children's encyclopeida from the grocery store, were Witness books. One day I pulled out Russell literature and screeched.

For a while, the library made me stay in Young Adult. There were hardly any holdings. Public school was a cruel joke. Newspapers would print list of books for college bound students. I tried to read it all in a few weeks. My teachers gave me a note so I could use the Adult Library. Books were banned then. There was a university in town. They carried the Beat poets, Dylan, banned books.

The college students wanted to help poor students so they held a discussion group for books. I was the only white person in the group. It was so different from high school discussions. We had no discussion. I received As if I could name the main character.

I try to balance the books I read. When I was ill, I visited an Anglican convent. When they bowed to the Mother Superior, I lost it and laughed so hard at the thought of bowing to my mom. She would take me to the ER. The Mother Superior remarked that every one should have a novel in their lives at all time.

It is much easier today with online forums and book clubs galore. I love watching C-Span 3, where they record lectures given at book clubs/stores by history writers.

princecharmant

If you haven't read One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), give it a try.

pc

Books!

Share this