docoflove1974 Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Perhaps the Powers-That-Be wish to move some of the posts on the Don Quixote thread here...which would suit me fine. But we were starting to tangent off of the topic...and brought up an interesting topic in and of itself: Favorite literature. Yes, this is fiction-related. As for me, the list isn't nearly as long as it probably should be...but years of research burned me out for a while. The concept of reading 'for pleasure' (aka not for research) was headache-inducing. But, now that I have more free time, as well as a self-imposed pace, I'm reading more and more. So, just for kicks and grins...let's discuss! Among my favorites are many, many classics--all of which should be read by the time one graduates from college: [*]Don Quixote--I read it in Spanish, but there are various English (and other) translations which are very good. [*]La Divina Commedia--same as DQ, in that I read it in Italian, but there are some very good translations, even online! [*]The Decameron--sadly, I've only read this in English, but I do wish to read it in Italian. [*]The Miracles of Our Lady--I've read the Castilian ones (Milagros de Nuestra Se Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Does 'The Prince' by Machiavelli count as literature, or is it philosophy? I have read this several times and find it very captivating. I have also read Orwell's 1984 many, many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docoflove1974 Posted January 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Does 'The Prince' by Machiavelli count as literature, or is it philosophy? I have read this several times and find it very captivating. I have also read Orwell's 1984 many, many times. Well, in this thread it's only fiction, so I didn't put it on my list. I put it under literature/non-fiction; it's really a treatise and 'book of council' by Machiavelli, and is one that also must be studied by all students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) I can see myself in that fiction head-ace place too Doc. Not counting the summer holidays, it's almost 2 years since I read anything but what could be useful for my education. Anyway among the favorites are: Isaac Asimov Tolkien Con Iggulden Jules Verne Anyway I will now have to pick up my sister at the bus, I will be back for more later. Edited January 21, 2008 by Klingan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 British lit for the most part, everything from Shakespeare's plays to Orwell. My all time favorite novel though has to be "Brothers Karamazov" by Dostoevsky. Not that I agreed with the writer's Slavophile beliefs, but as far as penetration of psychology and spirituality its one of the best books out there. Nikolai Gogol is barely known in the West but has written some of the most droll novels around. And Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons" is a true classic as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlapse Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham has struck me as one of the best that I've ever read, though if you can't relate to the story, it must be horribly boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 I enjoyed Orwell's novels, but I don't read much fiction. I enjoy the novels of Frank Herbert, Bernard Cornwell, Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff and a few others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladius Hispaniensis Posted January 23, 2008 Report Share Posted January 23, 2008 Ave I still think Dickens is incomparable. To me each one of his classics has special memories. I do like Hardy, Bronte, Lawrence and others, but Dickens to me is the standard with which I measure other classic fiction. On the poetry side I like Tennyson and Shakespeare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingsoc Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 In fiction I'm mostly reading the Disc World serie by Terry Pratchett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Augusta Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 I mainly lean to classics - Hardy remains a part of my soul, as does Austen (Pride and Prejudice stands to be read again and again). I enjoy the Brontes, although I do find a thread of neurosis in most of their work. I also adore George Eliot and her Adam Bede is, IMHO, one of the great underestimated achievements of English literature. E.M. Forster ranks quite high with me too. As for Dickens - his characterisation is pure genius - and no matter how many times I read A Tale of Two Cities I still cry when Sydney mounts that scaffold! For modern authors, Renault cannot be surpassed for me in historical fiction terms; I'm sorry but there is no one to touch her, although when Manda Scott learns to trim her prose she may approach that holy altar. I also enjoy playwrights such as Alan Bennett and the Irish playwright Martin McDonogh. For poetry, I am hopelessly in love with the Romantics, and have always expressed a wish that my leather-bound Shelley be buried with me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanista Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 For modern authors, Renault cannot be surpassed for me in historical fiction terms; I'm sorry but there is no one to touch her, although when Manda Scott learns to trim her prose she may approach that holy altar. I would say that Donna Gillespie has that title. I think that Scott writes great, but Gillespie is a great writer - for me, she's the natural successor to Mary Renault. Of course, it's all about opinion, but the Light Bearer and Lady of the Light are modern classics - for me, that term is bandied about too often, but with Gillespie its deserved. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of Manda Scott but Gillespie's writing transcends anything I've ever read. I feel that her work will be more appreciated as time goes on. Her biggest "fault" is that her output is slow, but I guess genius takes time! Put it this way, if you read her user comments on amazon, you'll find more than one person saying that the works changed their lives. I've not put that comment on there, but it is true for me too. I can't recommend her work highly enough. Cheers Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladius Hispaniensis Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 and no matter how many times I read A Tale of Two Cities I still cry when Sydney mounts that scaffold! I feel the same way about Fagin awaiting death in his cell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 In fiction I'm mostly reading the Disc World serie by Terry Pratchett. That goes for me - they really are superb reading!! Anyway among the favorites are: Isaac Asimov Tolkien Con Iggulden Jules Verne Anyway I will now have to pick up my sister at the bus, I will be back for more later. If you like Tolkien, chances are you'll like Pratchett!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Some short stories to go to sleep with a smile on your face. "Don Camillo" (Don Camallo), the priest with three nostrils and his encounters with a communist mayor in 1940's Italy. By Giovanni Guareschi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 Some short stories to go to sleep with a smile on your face. "Don Camillo" (Don Camallo), the priest with three nostrils and his encounters with a communist mayor in 1940's Italy. By Giovanni Guareschi. Wow! I've found someone else who enjoys the Don Camillo stories! My absolute favorite (and I can't remember the title, it was so long ago) was the one about the hunting dog that was absolutely useless at hunting. And Peppone the mayor was going to have his henchman kill the dog. But Don Camillo saved the dog. (This was actually a very funny story, despite the way it sounds.) I've got to dig out those stories again and read them, now that you've reminded me of them. Wonderful, wonderful stories of humanity. And, while I'm at it... Damon Runyon rules. -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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