My Awesome List of books that i want you to Read

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

....

Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" is the top winner for me: It still stands up as a great fantasy and as a great work of literature.

[Samtully]

1984 (George Orwell)

A novel of seminal importance that’s influenced society and pop culture like few others. 1984 is the novel that invented the term Big Brother (and no, we’re not talking about that uber crappy reality TV show that locks half a dozen sex-starved drug addicts into a room for a month).

1984 has often been used as a battleground tool in the war waged by the supports of personal privacy against the forces that push for more government control in our daily lives. It’s a stark warning for the 21 century against the pitfalls of government control.

[Dr. Drib]

Here's the entire quote, by the way, although you only used part of it. (It's apparently written by someone who calls himself JahadiConservative):


"A novel of seminal importance that’s influenced society and pop culture like few others. 1984 is the novel that invented the term Big Brother (and no, we’re not talking about that uber crappy reality TV show that locks half a dozen sex-starved drug addicts into a room for a month).

1984 has often been used as a battleground tool in the war waged by the supports of personal privacy against the forces that push for more government control in our daily lives. It’s a stark warning for the 21 century against the pitfalls of government control.

The pacing of the book is slow and often methodical, building on ideas and concepts that are now so familiar you don’t even bat an eye. Back in the day, these were the cutting edge of controversy.

What’s ironic is that 1984 was considered a work of dystopian “horror” when first released, yet many of the ideas and concepts present in the novel have been so seriously subsumed by culture that many parts of the book (parts that decades ago would have been horrific invasions of privacy) simply details what amount to the average day of life for a 2013 American.

Frankly, this book has had so much impact on society, has been so bloody right (if a bit over zealous in its early prediction of 1984; had Orwell named it to 2084, he might be pretty close to the mark) that it should be a must read for everyone. I rate this up there with the Bible in terms of cultural significance. At the very least you should read it so you know what all those references mean.

The book is certainly not a novel for the faint of heart. But it must be read. And remember, Big Brother is Watching you!"


I decided to read it back in 1984, when Apple introduced a new advertising campaign to launch their new Macintosh computer to the world and based the shock-content of that ad upon aspects of the novel. I'm glad I read it, but I found it a bit turgid in its prose and the narrative drive somewhat plodding. Because I was quite used to reading science fiction (by that age), I didn't find the ideas as shocking as perhaps some readers who encountered SF and the novel's depicted dystopian society who might have been introduced to those ideas for the first time.

I then went and read "Brave New World," by Aldus Huxley, which I found somewhat more palatable. It's a lot faster read, too, and not because it's a smaller novel.

You may wish to check out the writings of H.G. Wells and Olaf Stapledon. I know I'm probably missing a few others of that classic period that you may find of interest.

Perhaps some members here can give additional recommendations.

[Dopedangel]

Originally Posted by Samtully

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The Bartimaeus Trilogy

This series is hilarious from start to finish.With just the right amount of feels.
The plot involves a Government run by Magicians, who use Demons(Djinni) to fight in wars.They also make the djinni do menial tasks like driving cars or assassinating enemies.The main characters are; Bartimaeus,a Djinni,and Nathaniel,the kid who summoned him. The three books involve them; stealing a powerful artifact,fighting a Golem and finally fighting an army of Djinni that have possessed the Government.So basically,a bunch of completely insane plots.It also has a rebel faction that tries to destroy the government and an Afrit(stronger being) that possesses a dead body and runs around causing havoc.
The books are set in Britain and told from Bartimaeus' perspective,which gets pretty funny because Bartimaeus has a snide comment on everything and everyone.

Are you recommending just the first 3 books in this series or am I missing something. Fictfact show 5 book in this series.

https://www.fictfact.com/series/2043/bartimaeus

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Are you recommending just the first 3 books in this series or am I missing something. Fictfact show 5 book in this series.

https://www.fictfact.com/series/2043/bartimaeus

I thought it was a trilogy, too. The fourth book is news to me.

It looks as if book four is a prequel and book five is a graphic retelling of book one. The trilogy is complete in itself.

[Samtully]

Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Friedrich Nietzsche

A tremendously influential philosophical work of the late nineteenth century, Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a literary masterpiece by one of the most important thinkers of modern times.

I would just like you to read this yourself..

It is Awesome I assure you.

[Lordblacknail]

It would be a great help if you include the name of the author in your book reviews. The name of the book is great, but it is the author that is important. Thanks bud. I will read the first two in your list.