20 or so books to read.

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What's it called?: Snow Crash
Who wrote it?: Neal Stephenson
When? 1992

What's it about? Our protagonist, aptly named Hiro Protagonist is a pizza delivery man, a world class hacker, and the worlds greatest swordsman. He exists in a world where no governments exist and corporations rule the landscape. He soon uncovers plot to create what would be the infocalypse, a modern day tower of bable.

Why should I read this? If you weren't hooked by the protagonists name being Hiro Protagonist...then I don't know what to tell you. The book is a biting satire on consumerism, a brilliant study into religion and linguistics, and above all it's one entertaining yarn. There is nothing quite like it out there and is a very engaging read.
 
I'm heading out drinking, so that's all for tonight. Will continue tomorrow.
 
Sexy Beast said:
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What's it called?: All Quiet on the Western Front
Who wrote it?: Erich Maria Remarque
When? 1929

What's it about? The book follows a German solder's life during the first World War. It talks about how he was convinced to join the army, the deplorable conditions of trench warfare, and the horrors of war.

Why should I read this? Probably the greatest book on war ever written. It's a heart wrenching tale filled with bleak imagery and unimaginable horror. The fact that it was written by someone who experience this first hand is all the more reason to be horrified by the soldiers experience. It's a must read.
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I had to read this in my english class

therefore it should not show up here

jk sexy :D
 
Rukus. said:
Theres 2 movies about that :3
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Yes...I've reviewed one of them.


TheyCallMeC said:
I had to read this in my english class

therefore it should not show up here

jk sexy :D
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Proof of how terrible the Florida school system is; I had to read this independently, because the school system didn't assign it.


Shadowesh said:
Read the Ambler Warning or the Bourne series... good books.... good books.
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I haven't read any Ludlum. Though my grandfather seems to love his books. He recommended the original Bourne series too, but said to stay away from the Post-Ludlum series.
 
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What's it called?: Breakfast of Champions
Who wrote it?: Kurt Vonnegut
When? 1973

What's it about? Dwayne Hoover is a big time businessman in a small time town of Midland City. Dwayne Hoover is also slowly going insane. Kilgore Trout is a prolific, but unknown Science Fiction author whose going to a convention in Midland City. There two people are destined to meet and this meeting will cause Dwayne Hoover to run amok...or to just rampage violently

Why should I read this? Well it's either this or Slaughterhouse-Five and everyone tells you to read Slaughterhouse-Five. Breakfast of Champions is Vonneguts sarcastic masterpiece. It's a tale that as Vonnegut puts it is about "two lonesome, skinny, fairly old white men on a planet which was dying fast." Sure read Slaughterhouse-Five, but be sure to pick this one up when your finished.
 
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What's it called?: Red Harvest
Who wrote it?: Dashiell Hammett
When? 1929

What's it about? A man known only as the Continental Op is sent to Personville, or as the locals Poisenville, by the editor of the Personville newspaper, Donald Willsson. When Willsson is murdered, the Continental Op is hired by Donald's political boss of a father to solve his sons murder and to take down the various criminal organizations that exist in Personville.

Why should I read this? This is a prototypical tale that first introduced "the man with no name" character. A character which has since permeated into a common staple of literature and film. Hammett does an amazing job with the story and manages to create one that is both methodical and action packed.
 
I've read slaugherhouse-five...I did not like it, I felt like nothing really happened and it seemed like he was bored writing it
 
If you liked Ellis book "American Psycho" You will also Like his "Glamorama"

Also Iain Banks "Wasp Factory" Is another good read.

Currently looking for another book to read at the moment. So I'll be checking back on this post :P
 
Death said:
I've read slaugherhouse-five...I did not like it, I felt like nothing really happened and it seemed like he was bored writing it
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Unlike Breakfast of Champions, Slaughterhouse-Five lacked a traditional plot. In SH5 we get glimpses into the protagonists life as he jumps through time, but there isn't exactly in over arching plot to follow. I liked the book, partly because of the atypical plot structure and partly because of Vonnegut's trademark sarcasm.


ChocolateVillain said:
If you liked Ellis book "American Psycho" You will also Like his "Glamorama"

Also Iain Banks "Wasp Factory" Is another good read.

Currently looking for another book to read at the moment. So I'll be checking back on this post :P
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The only other Ellis that I've read was Lunar Park, which I enjoyed. I'll have to check out Glamorama after I finish my back log of books to read. Which comprises of; Job: A Comedy of Justice by Heinlein, Crash by Ballard, and Killing Pablo by Bowden.


Artinz said:
If Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut isn't on here I might kill you. :)
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You're gunna have to kill me then. I'm only doing one per author.
 
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What's it called?: The Trial
Who wrote it?: Franz Kafka
When? 1925

What's it about? A man by the name of Joseph K. is arrested in his apartment on his thirtieth birthday by two men who refuse to identify themselves and refuse to say what crime he has committed. To further our protagonists confusion these two men don't even take him away to prison, they let him go and tell him to await further instructions from the Committee of Affairs. Thus begins the bizarre tale Joseph K.'s trial.

Why should I read this? There aren't very many authors out there that can make the reader feel small and insignificant, but Kafka can. The Trial is a bureaucratic horror story which has no equal. It's about a man who for no apparent reason has gotten the attention of the legal of a large and uncaring bureaucratic system. It's only equal that I can think of is Terry Gilliam's film Brazil.
 
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What's it called?: Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West
Who wrote it?: Cormac McCarthy
When? 1985

What's it about? Our protagonist, simply known as "The Kid", leaves his family in Tennessee and heads out west. Only to find a land filled with hate, violence and depravity. He eventually joins up with the famed Glanton gang, a group that hunts Indians, scalps them, and then sells their scalps for cash.

Why should I read this? There is a good chance that Cormac McCarthy is the greatest American author living today. Blood Meridian is McCarthy's masterpiece, it's fill to the brim with neo-biblical imagery and larger than life characters. This is truly one of the greatest pieces of fiction of the 20th century.
 
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What's it called?: Candide: or, Optimism
Who wrote it?: Voltaire
When? 1759

What's it about? Candide is about a young man named Candide who lives in a castle in the kingdom of Westphalia. He wasn't royalty, but was still lucky enough to be raised there, because in that castle also lived on of the greatest minds in all of Westphalia, Dr. Pangloss. Who taught the young man to be optimistic about everything and to remember that what ever situation that you are in is the best of all possible situations. Candide also loved a young princess named Cun?gonde, who because of her royalty was forbidden to fraternize with Candide. But young people being who they are they kiss, only to be caught. Candide is evicted from the castle where the real world begins to prove to the young optimist that everything Dr. Pangloss was wrong, terribly wrong.

Why should I read this? This book is a full frontal assault on optimism, the series of unfortunate events that befall our protagonist are terrible and unexpected. Voltaire puts the optimistic view point through the wringer with this novel. It's also one of the most bitingly sarcastic and satirical pieces of literature ever written.
 
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What's it called?: The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Who wrote it?: Douglas Adams
When? 1979-1992

What's it about? The series follows the misadventures of Aurthur Dent, the last earthling in existence.

Why should I read this? If this book wasn't on the list I would be hunted down, drawn and then quartered while the entire community watched. That's is how fervent the fans of this series are...and to tell the truth, this is one series that completely deserves it's fans. Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's series is quite possibly one of the funniest things ever committed to paper. No joke, this series has some of the most insanely hilarious things ever created. Frankly I don't think you can consider yourself a well adjusted person if you haven't read this series...or at least the first book.
 
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What's it called?: Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories
Who wrote it?: H. P. Lovecraft
When? 1917-1935

What's it about? The book is comprised of 18 short stories written by Lovecraft.

Why should I read this? When Lovecraft hit the scene, he single-handedly changed the horror genre forever. He introduced a much more grandiose idea of horror, bringing fourth the concept of ancient gods of chaos that predate humanity and of cosmic horror changing the world. Today you can see his influences all over modern media. This book is a perfect sampling of his writings.
 
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What's it called?: Catch-22
Who wrote it?: Joseph Heller
When? 1961

What's it about? Yossarian is a coward or to put it another way, he wants to live a long life. Unfortunately for Yossarian he is the air force and it's World War II. To make matters worse for him, his squadron commander continually raises the number of missions that Yossarian can fly before he can go home. He is stuck with no way out of his situation and to make matters worse everyone around home is completely insane.

Why should I read this? Catch-22 just might be one of the most honest books ever written. The character of Yossarian is so brilliantly written and so human that he is hard not to associate with. Frankly, out of all the books that I've read, Catch-22 is my favorite.
 
Sexy Beast said:
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What's it called?: The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Who wrote it?: Douglas Adams
When? 1979-1992

What's it about? The series follows the misadventures of Aurthur Dent, the last earthling in existence.

Why should I read this? If this book wasn't on the list I would be hunted down, drawn and then quartered while the entire community watched. That's is how fervent the fans of this series are...and to tell the truth, this is one series that completely deserves it's fans. Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's series is quite possibly one of the funniest things ever committed to paper. No joke, this series has some of the most insanely hilarious things ever created. Frankly I don't think you can consider yourself a well adjusted person if you haven't read this series...or at least the first book.
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a great read to be sure

to those of you saying

"i saw the movie, and it was terrible"

that can be said about many good books turned into movies

its worth a read if you feel like laughing
 
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