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Post by KarotsaMused on Nov 21, 2004 13:47:40 GMT -5
Hm. I haven't been here in a while. I now get to play squealing fangirl. Indulge me Name: Franny and Zooey; A Perfect Day for Bananafish; Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters; Seymour: An Introduction Author: J. D. Salinger Genre: Realism Summary: I suppose I shove them into the genre of realism because Salinger is a realistic writer...and really, I'm not sure how otherwise to classify the books. They center around the Glass family, a Jewish-Irish Catholic upper-class New York-bred brood of genius-level intelligence and star-quality charisma. For all of their merits, however, each member of the family has his or her own series of crises and revelations, and each one of those events has serious effects on everybody else in the family. Suicide, crises of faith, family bonding, and a misplaced prophet. Warnings: It's a hell of a lot to slog through. In terms of mental capacity, I'd rate it 15+, though I would have had a pretty hard time staying interested when I was 15. Also, frequent cursing (your basic "goddam" and "hell" are the extent of it). Why I love it: The books are not so much profound as fantastically mundane and exceedingly complex - I went through a sentence-by-sentence discussion of "Franny and Zooey" and, really, that book is at least five hundred pages long in my mental volume. They are, for all of their worth, very hard to appreciate. For those of you who care much for plot, you will be sorely disappointed. The entire plot of "Zooey" goes as such: Zooey takes a bath. Zooey gets out of the bath and shaves while talking to his mother. Zooey talks to Franny. Zooey calls Franny, impersonating his brother, Buddy. Franny goes to sleep. ...Boring? Only superficially. If you want to compare them to "Catcher in the Rye", there are a few similar themes. But the Glass family has more outlets to explore even deeper meaning, venturing unabashedly into the religious versus the intellectual...it's a level Holden didn't really reach. And, kind of as a side note, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" is hilariously funny. In that it'll-leave-you-feeling-sick sort of way. But honestly, my entire first period lit class is quite obsessed with the Glass family now, and maybe it's just the atmosphere of discussion we all created...but not everybody is reading "Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters" and the few of us that have enjoyed it as well.
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Post by elven dreamer on Nov 21, 2004 18:59:20 GMT -5
Blood_Debt I began watching the movies first. I watched a bit of FotR and then began with the books. Then I read TTT, watched it, read RotK, watched it. Then reread, and reread. And reread. And Sigmund is so cool!
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Post by Blood_Debt on Dec 1, 2004 4:01:46 GMT -5
Name: Angels and Demons
Author: Dan Brown
Genre: Physics, I guess
Summary: A cult - the original satanic organisation - is returning, and they are about to blow up the Vatican city. They hav stolen a quarter gram of anti-mass from a brilliant (and religious) scientist to achieve this goal. A high school teacher, Robert Langdon is recruited to find where it may be hidden and before twenty four hours are up, or the Italian city will be destroyed, along with all inside.
Warnings: A few adult scenes, violence
Why you love it: Backed up by solid evidence, believable theories, yet not so much that you are drowning in fantasy. It is firmly rooted in reality and brilliantly written.
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Post by elven dreamer on Dec 1, 2004 5:29:04 GMT -5
Just read a review of The da Vinci Code, also by Dan Brown.....generally it said there is a lot of fact but there is also tonnes of embellishment and fiction and fabrication as well. I have to say, I believe that. It's a great book, but it's not fact, and not all of what it describes is fact. He mentions conpiracy lovers and all that...well, I have to say, the whole "Holy Grail" thing in The da Vinci Code and the "Illuminati" in Angels & Demons...these are also theories. An incredibly good read, nonetheless. I have amazing respect for whoever designed the ambigrams in A&D....stunning. It mentioned his name in the acknowledgements, but Blood_Debt has my copy...I mean, my dad's copy....hehe. I am so glad I asked my dad to buy these. *sigh of relief*
And I wouldn't say the genre is "physics". Realism..is that the right word? It's in this world, not a fantasy one. Thriller, suspense....
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Post by treneka on Dec 14, 2004 0:48:01 GMT -5
Just had to recommend.
Name: Neverwhere Author: Neil Gaiman Genre: Dark Fantasy Summary: It's an interesting look at an ordinary man who becomes entwined in a dark and fantastic realm beyond/beneath the real world. The trouble becomes that one cannot live in both and a choice must be made as to which shall become one's own reality.
I like this book because Gaiman's writing is elegantly poetic, without straying from the realm of prose. The story can be grasped at the narative level, but can also be explored in the deeper realms of philosophy if one is so inclined. I just adored it, and found it a lovely thing to read, while curled up in my arm-chair with a glass of red wine and snow falling beyond the window.
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Post by MsCongeniality on Dec 15, 2004 9:54:18 GMT -5
You mean there are people out there who haven't read Neverwhere? Or watched the miniseries?
That...that doesn't compute...
Seriously folks, Neverwhere is a master work of modern fantasy. Neil Gaiman is a skilled writer who creates highly believable worlds and populates them with a dizzying panopaly of characters. Neverwhere is quite possibly my favorite of his straight text works, but if you're looking for lighter, more traditional fantasy there is also Stardust and if you're looking to go in the other direction there is American Gods. He also has a dizzying array of short works and graphic novels that I can (and will) recommend highly.
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Post by Salmastryon on Dec 15, 2004 10:11:43 GMT -5
While I have all of sandman and have been a fan of Neil Gaimen for years. I've not read any of his prose. I keep meaning to but things keep happening and I never seem to get my paws on a book to read.
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Post by slizziechan on Jan 20, 2005 2:49:25 GMT -5
ooh, Wow. I can't believe I'm just going to do ONE rec, usally I'm pouring them down peoples necks!
Name: Eyes of Eagels Author:William W. Johnstone Genre:Westren, romance Summary: About a boy whoes family is killed by indians and Jamie Ian MacCallister who is seven at the time, is captured by the Shawnee, well, about five years later he escapes and finds him self in a town. Falls in love with a lovly girl named Kate Olmstead. Her daddy won't let her marry Jamie because Jamie made him mad(Jamie shot Kates cousin in the butt with an arrow, the man had been trying to steal horses) and Kate and Jamie run away and get married, and keep running, the're both about 14 years old, and the year is about 1824.
Warnings: Blood, gore, pain, scalpings(Jamie was RAISED by indians people!), and rape.
Why you Love it: Not really sure, I think it has something to do with the fact that Jamie is part of my *fantasy* man. Not all of him, just parts, like the fact that he protects those he loves. And if you insult his wife or mother, you'll be dead within about ten seconds.
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Post by Me-Nuriko on Jan 25, 2005 9:29:34 GMT -5
For quite some time ago I mentioned somwhere on this MB that I had a friend who had written her thesis at university about fandoms. (She studied social antropology.) I asked if someone was interested in reading her thesis, and I know at least someone said 'yes'. I thought she had written it in English, but it turned out she had written it in Swedish. So it's not much point giving it to anyone who wants it (unless it's lurking some other Swede here, who's not saying. ) Anyway, I thought I could recommend a couple of the books she used as reference in her thesis, and since I don't remember where I posted the above mentioned, I post it here. Susan J. Napier: Anime - from Akira to Princess Mononoke - Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation Henry Jenkins: Textual Poachers - Television fans & Participatory Culture Just in case someone is interested.
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Post by Me-Nuriko on Jan 25, 2005 11:39:30 GMT -5
Oops. I didn't wrote a summary or anything like that. Actually I think it's kind of hard to write a summary, so I settle for telling the names of the chapters. They are like teasers in my opinion. Anime by Susan Napier Textual Poachers by Henry Jenkins (Henry Jenkins is a fanboy himself.) 'Textual Poachers' is the one I like best.
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Post by kitsuneoni on Jan 27, 2005 5:06:36 GMT -5
Well Me-Nuriko... the chapter titles have interested me... *g*
I enjoyed the Da Vinci Code, although I think Dan Brown's other books aren't half as good. *shrugs* Angels and Demons was okay, Deception Point was just ... too fantastical, they escape death about 1000000 times!
Anyway, on to my recommendation.
Name: The City of the Beasts
Author: Isabel Allende
Genre: Adventure/fantasy
Summary: (taken from the front flap of the book) 15 yr old Alexander Cold has the chance to take the trip of a lifetime. Parting from his family and ill mother, Alexander joins his fearless grandmother, a magazine reporter for International Geographic, on an expedition to the dangerous, remote world of the Amazon. Their mission, along with the others on their team--including a celebrated anthropologist, a local guide and his young daughter Nadia, and a doctor--is to document the legendary Yeti of the Amazon known as the Beast.
Warnings: There are a couple deaths, but nothing gory.
Why you Love it: Primarily because the story really enchanted me and as soon as I started reading I was hooked. I normally prefer slightly more fantastical stories, but this one really touched my heart. I think I can relate strongly to the main character, who is taken from everything he knows and has to face a world he at first cannot accept, but then welcomes with open arms. I think the reason why this book is such a favorite is summed up by She’s comment (on the back of the book): “A wonderfully evocative and beautifully told adventure, threaded through with a sense of the magical.”
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Post by slizziechan on Feb 2, 2005 17:16:33 GMT -5
Ohh! I've got another one!!
Anyway, on to my recommendation.
Name: To Green Angel Tower
Author: Tad Williams.
Genre: Adventure/fantasy
Summary: Its the third part of a series, Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. Its about Simon a kitchen scullion and how he and his friends defeated the Storm King. Very fast pace for the most part...
Warnings: A few deaths, and both light and dark magic.
Why you Love it: I just do, it is a wonderful adventure and story. Plus I felt close to Simon because of his stupidity and wanted to know how he turns out in the end. Sangfoid recommended it to me. And now I recommend it to you.
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Post by sheepichan on Mar 8, 2005 18:55:13 GMT -5
^_^ This looks like fun... I hope I can recommend something good:
Name: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Genre: Fiction/Realism (I guess...)
Summary: Set in South Carolina in the year 1964, the story is about a young girl named Lily who lives with her abusive father, whom she calls "T.Ray". The story is about her running away after an incident (I'll try not to spoil it...) along with her housekeeper Rosaleen. ...If I say anymore, it'll ruin the plot for everyone...
Warnings: Lots of racist remarks (tis around the Civil Rights movement) and some mild swearing, although nothing horrible. Highest rating would be a PG-13
Why I love it: At first, it was simply a book assigned to me for English, but after I started reading it, I fell in love with it. So much that I went out and bought myself a copy. (XD; Well... that and the fact that I lost the school copy...) The story about a young girl looking for motherly love in her life was really intriguing. (I can't really say it moved me... although if I was in tune with my emotions, I'm sure it would've!) Usually I don't read in this genre (I'm more science fiction/fantasy) but I really enjoyed this book.
I hope this helped!
Ja!
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Taltos
Lazy Member
I already told you, nothing's real.
Posts: 8
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Post by Taltos on May 25, 2005 20:39:22 GMT -5
Name: Speaker for the Dead Author: Orson Scott Card Genre: Sci-Fi/Philosophy (sorta?) Summary: This book is a follow-up to Card's "Ender's Game," a book I read and enjoyed years ago. This story takes place twenty years later and follows Ender "The Xenocide" as "the Speaker for the Dead" as he quells rising hostilities between the humans and natives of the planet Lusitainia. Warnings: Sequelness...but "Ender's Game" rocks out, too, I recommend that as well. Why you Love it: "Speaker" is just such a lovely book, and I finally figured out why a few days ago: its tone. What I first categorized as "kinda horrifying" is really a beautiful balance of irony and a kind of numb sadness. Card draws incredible parallels between what humans view as sentinence and what other cultures see as impotence. As I read, I found myself murmuring, "Oh, wow. Oh...god." If a book can make me do that, I just have to love it. ;D
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