Books

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 3:59 pm

So, what books you all reading? Any recommendations? I am half way through the picture of dorial gray by oscar wilde. I am going to read Joseph Heller's Catch 22 next. That a good read?

Feeling Very Pink · Post by **Feeling Very Pink** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 4:20 pm

My favourite novel is Ian McEwan's The Child In Time, which is the story of... well, that'd be giving it away. It's very intellectual and extremely well written. Won a prize, I think.

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 5:13 pm

im gonna read Catch 22 this summer keith, my friends tell me its a great book. i just finished Lord of the Flies, which is one of the most incredible books ive read, second to Catcher in the Rye, which is my favorite

Spirit Catcher · Post by **Spirit Catcher** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 5:35 pm

Communion by Whitley Strieber ... Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger

This book is a great way to come to an unstanding of Syd Barrets
terrible misfortune... I recommend it highly

This book has been steeped in controversy since it was banned in America after it's first publication. John Lennon's assassin, Mark Chapman, asked the former Beatle to sign a copy of the book earlier in the morning of the day that he murdered Lennon. Police found the book in his possession upon apprehending the psychologically disturbed Chapman. However, the book itself contains nothing that could be attributed with leading Chapman to act as he did - it could have been any book that he was reading the day he decided to kill John Lennon - and as a result of the fact that it was The Catcher in the Rye, a book describing a nervous breakdown, media speculated widely about the possible connection. This gave the book even more notoriety. So what is The Catcher in the Rye actually about?

Superficially the story of a young man's expulsion from yet another school, The Catcher in the Rye is in fact a perceptive study of one individual's understanding of his human condition. Holden Caulfield, a teenager growing up in 1950s New York, has been expelled school for poor achievement once again. In an attempt to deal with this he leaves school a few days prior to the end of term, and goes to New York to 'take a vacation' before returning to his parents' inevitable wrath. Told as a monologue, the book describes Holden's thoughts and activities over these few days, during which he describes a developing nervous breakdown, symptomised by his bouts of unexplained depression, impulsive spending and generally odd, erratic behaviour, prior to his eventual nervous collapse.

However, during his psychological battle, life continues on around Holden as it always had, with the majority of people ignoring the 'madman stuff' that is happening to him - until it begins to encroach on their well defined social codes. Progressively through the novel we are challenged to think about society's attitude to the human condition - does society have an 'ostrich in the sand' mentality, a deliberate ignorance of the emptiness that can characterise human existence? And if so, when Caulfield begins to probe and investigate his own sense of emptiness and isolation, before finally declaring that the world is full of 'phonies' with each one out for their own phony gain, is Holden actually the one who is going insane, or is it society which has lost it's mind for failing to see the hopelessness of their own lives?

When we are honest we can see within ourselves suppressed elements of the forces operating within Holden Caulfield, and because of that I would recommend this thought provoking novel as a fascinating and enlightening
read.

Warning its not a comfortable reading book..

Feeling Very Pink · Post by **Feeling Very Pink** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 5:57 pm

Lord Of The Flies is certainly a terrific book, Tommy. I read it two years ago for the first time. Thought-provoking, to say the least. For some reason my favourite part of the book is when the parachutist dies... Strange, haunting...

David Smith · Post by **David Smith** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 6:34 pm

I'm sure you've probably already all read it, but for anyone who hasn't 1984 by George Orwell is truelly brilliant and even if you think it sounds boring, beleive me, it's not.

Lord Of The Flies is brilliant yeah.

Last book i read was Porno by Irvine Welsh, i'd recommend that to any fans of Trainspotting. Ok, so it's not as good, but then few books are. Also read Under The Skin by Mike Faber recently to, an awful book with a great story.

Read Hamlet yet Keith?

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 6:37 pm

David Smith wrote:Read Hamlet yet Keith?

No, not yet. Will read them all after my exams!!

grateful pink · Post by **grateful pink** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 8:40 pm

Am reading X Ray by Ray Davies of the Kinks

Will be reading Kink by Dave Davies next.

madcap69 · Post by **madcap69** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 8:48 pm

Genesis Revisted, Zecharia Sitchin

Animal Farm, George Orwell

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence, Robert Pirsig

wgmw · Post by **wgmw** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:35 pm

I'm reading Jim Marrs "Rule by Secrecy". Alot of very interesting stuff in this book. There is a chapter on ancient secrets and mysteries wich I find fascinating. As well as chapters on Secret Societies and all that good stuff the government does'nt want us to read.

Prkl · Post by **Prkl** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:41 pm

Haven't read anything for a while, but here's some authors whose books I used to read a lot:

Terry Pratchett (excellent comedy/fantasy writer)
Sven Hassel (world war 2 books)
H.P. Lovecraft (weird horror/sci-fi stuff)
P.G. Wodehouse (you know, the Jeeves books)
+ some other fantasy stuff (Tolkien, Eddings, Weis & Hickman etc....)

Real Pink in the Inside · Sat Apr 19, 2003 10:27 pm

Keith Jordan wrote: am going to read Joseph Heller's Catch 22 next. That a good read?

I have not read it, but I know it has been banned in many places in the past. Gotta love censorship, huh?

I have recently read Survival In Auschwitz by Primo Levi and Carl Sagan's Billions And Billions (For the umpteenth time!).

My favorite books:

- Almost everything by Carl Sagan
- Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
- Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
- Animal Farm by George Orwell

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 12:48 am

It seems we are all reading controversial stuff!!! I just got home drunk and, upon the command of my mum, went round to out neighbourghs house and shouted at them to turn the music down!!! Parents are away and there are two 20 somethings next door!! Oooohhh!

madcap69 · Post by **madcap69** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 12:53 am

HA....HA...Sounds like Keith had some fun. Have my Sauna warming up right now, so got to go in a bit

Post by **Keith Jordan** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 12:00 pm

Orwell's Animal Farm is one of my favourites too! Such a great little parable.

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