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Book Suggestion Thread


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"Nausea" by Jean Paul Sartre. It confronts the absurdity of human existence, and there's a bit that matches Douglas Hofstadter's outlook on consciousness, which is fairly exciting considering how many years Sartre predates the theory.

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  1. Title /Author:  The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
  2. Genre:  Defies genre
  3. Cover photo (If possible) This is the cover of the first book in the series
  4. dt1_new_hardcover.jpg
  5. Short description of story (no spoilers):  "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." The gunslinger journeys to The Dark Tower, which stands at the nexus of all times and spaces.
  6. Personal recommendation / reasons to read it. I'm re-reading the series for probably the 5th complete time. Each book in the series has it's flaws and imperfections, but as a whole it is an epic tale of the gunslinger and his ka-tet. 
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  1. Title /Author:  The Dark Tower series by Stephen King
  2. Genre:  Defies genre
  3. Cover photo (If possible) This is the cover of the first book in the series
  4. dt1_new_hardcover.jpg
  5. Short description of story (no spoilers):  "The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." The gunslinger journeys to The Dark Tower, which stands at the nexus of all times and spaces.
  6. Personal recommendation / reasons to read it. I'm re-reading the series for probably the 5th complete time. Each book in the series has it's flaws and imperfections, but as a whole it is an epic tale of the gunslinger and his ka-tet. 

 

 

Ive never really been a big fan of horror as it translates into movies...but books might not be so bad. Ive never read a SK book because of that. 

 

 

 

This heroic fantasy is set in a world of ominous landscape and macabre menace that is a dark mirror of our own. A spellbinding tale of good versus evil, it features one of Stephen King’s most powerful creations—The Gunslinger, a haunting figure who embodies the qualities of the lone hero through the ages, from ancient myth to frontier western legend.

The Gunslinger’s quest involves the pursuit of The Man in Black, a liaison with the sexually ravenous Alice, and a friendship with the kid from Earth called Jake. Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, here is stunning proof of Stephen King’s storytelling sorcery.

 

I looked up the above description and I have to say...Im definitely adding this to my list. It looks really good. Thanks for the suggestion LilRed!

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It's definitely not a horror book, it's more of a sprawling sci-fi western supernatural book, with slight elements of horror. I think you'd like it. :) 

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Not The Philosopher

I found the last three books of The Dark Tower to be rather disappointing - kinda felt a bit rushed and trying too hard to be clever. Anyway,

 

Title/Author: "A Time of Gifts" by Patrick Leigh Fermor

Genre: Travel

Description: During the 1930s Fermor walked from Holland to Constantinople. In the 70s he started writing a trilogy about his journey (he never finished the last book). This is the first volume, covering the trip up until Hungary.

Recommendation: Fermor was one of the great prose stylists of the 20th century, and this book is a very vivid peek into a Europe which no longer really exists. He was also a very erudite man, and anyone who is slightly nerdy about literature or history or languages will find a lot of delightful things here.  The second book, Between the Woods and the Water, is equally good.

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I found the last three books of The Dark Tower to be rather disappointing - kinda felt a bit rushed and trying too hard to be clever. Anyway,

 

I thought the addition of the eighth book was really disappointing. Like, set fire to it disappointing. 

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Not The Philosopher

I thought the addition of the eighth book was really disappointing. Like, set fire to it disappointing. 

 

B'wa...? There's an eighth book? (I haven't paid attention to King in years)
 

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I stopped reading King years ago. He is a great story teller, but often loses direction in verbosity.

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I stopped reading King years ago. He is a great story teller, but often loses direction in verbosity.

 

He's also quite crass, which I can't stand - especially in fiction.

 

 

I can't recommend any good books, 'cause I haven't read any lately.  But what I can recommend is that you stay away from the satanic witchcraft that is Harry Potter.  And I haven't read those, either.

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Title /Author In Parenthesis / David Jones

Genre Epic Poetry / Novel / Semi-autobiographical / Historical

jones_in_parenthesis.jpg

Short description of story (no spoilers) The account of an infantry unit primarily in France in the First World War.

Personal recommendation / reasons to read it. It is one of my top two favourite books.  It's rather dense - you can certainly manage a quick(ish) read-through but even after several re-readings you will not exhaust it.  It tells so much and it's so, so beautiful.  I need to read this again now as a Catholic - the author was a Catholic convert and I'm sure I would pick up more knowing that perspective.  Every page can be pored over indefinitely.  It's like having a Vermeer or a da Vinci in your hands.

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Tried to find this in the local library but they didn't have it. :angry:

Sounds great. 

When was it published?
 

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