Recommend Some Literature

[Unbeliever]

What are the books and authors that absolutely everyone should read?

My personal list:
- anything by Terry Pratchett
- anything by H. P. Lovecraft
- Dune (but nothing else) by Frank Herbert
- The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever by Stephen R. Donaldson

[SecularStudent]

I highly recommend Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth for any atheist/agnostic who needs some more fuel for debates

On the lighter side, I recommend:
- "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (the original sci-fi!)
- The Harry Potter series. Anybody who hasn't yet read them is missing out!
- Anything written by Bryce Courtenay
- Anything written by Dr Seuss

I also highly recommend that everybody expose themselves to the wonders of poetry at least once. Give it an honest chance

[Unbeliever]

(31-08-2010 02:34 PM)SecularStudent Wrote:  I also highly recommend that everybody expose themselves to the wonders of poetry at least once. Give it an honest chance

Blech. I can't stand poetry. But to each their own, I suppose. I've read enough poetry to find that it isn't for me, but I have no issue with others reading it.

I have read enough, though, to find one poem that I loved.

Behold the majesty of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's unfinished masterpiece, "Kubla Khan". If you haven't read it, do so.

[Cetaceaphile]

The Lord of The Rings - J R Tolkien

Wet Goddess - Malcolm J Brenner

Raptor Red - Robert Bakker

And everything by Richard Dawkins

[Blogopolis]

D.M. Bennett: The Truth Seeker by Roderick Bradford. It is an engrossing real life tale of a man raised by Shakers who stakes out on his own, gradually becomes a skeptic, and eventually publishes a newspaper entitled "The Truth Seeker". His adversary is Anthony Comstock, the self appointed leader of the Society for the Suppression of Vice. A cracking good read. Seek it out!

[Dregs]

Frankenstein is my favorite book period! It's a shame no one has ever made a movie that captures the true story as told in the book. They all seem to turn into monster movies no matter how hard they try.

You guys have got to read Christopher Moore he is really the american Douglas Adams!

I also truly believe you would all thoroughly enjoy Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, etc..)

A bit heavier try some Milan Kundera he's a superb writer (The Unbearable Lightness of Being)

[Stark Raving]

I'm going to secong Chuck Palahniuk. Haunted is a good bunch of short stories that gives a good taste of what Chuck is all about. Lullaby would be another good intro. After that you'll be hooked, and you can get into his really good stuff! lol

[Dregs]

(01-09-2010 08:09 AM)Stark Raving Wrote:  I'm going to secong Chuck Palahniuk. Haunted is a good bunch of short stories that gives a good taste of what Chuck is all about. Lullaby would be another good intro. After that you'll be hooked, and you can get into his really good stuff! lol

Don't start with Pygmy though. I can't speak for Stark R but for me it was unreadable. I was bummed.

[2buckchuck]

Some worthwhile readings re atheism:

Everything You Know About God Is Wrong: The Disinformation Guide to Religion – Neil Gaiman and Richard Dawkins, Russ Kirk – Editor. ISBN-10: 1932857591, ISBN-13: 978-1932857597

God: The Failed Hypothesis – Victor J. Stenger. ISBN-10: 1591024811, ISBN-13: 978-1591024811

The God Delusion – Richard Dawkins. ISBN-10: 0618918248 ISBN-13: 978-0618918249

The Portable Atheist: Essential readings for the Nonbeliever – Christopher Hitchens. ISBN-10: 0306816083 ISBN-13: 978-0306816086

All of these can be found and purchased at Amazon.com and when you do, you'll find links to related books.

[Stark Raving]

Dregs> I agree. Try it again now though. Once you know Palahniuks style, it's an easier read.