What are your classic reads?

toecutter · 08-08-2007

Assuming you have a collection of books (because you're in the Literature forum

), what books do you occasionally go back to read from time to time, or what books that you've read recently do you plan to read again?

I've read the Hobbit/Lord of Rings foursome probably 3 or 4 times, and the Robots/Foundation/Empire series by Asimov twice (there's 17+ books total!), and in the last couple of years I've discovered the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds, which I plan to read again in the future.

Just wondering if anyone else is like me and re-reads their favorites?

narayan · 08-10-2007

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
and
Siddartha - Hermann Hesse

I re-read these often. My all time favourites.

madmimi · 08-13-2007

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
anything by Steinbeck
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I find more in these books each time I read them. Especially since I have read them again at different stages of my life. Its amazing how perception changes over time.

illu45 · 08-13-2007

A Fine Balance is quite a powerful-if depressing-book. But it isn't one that I've re-read. The book that I've re-read most often would have to be The Little Princeby Antoine de Saint-Exupery. When I was younger, I used to read it for the story. Now, I mostly read it for its take on life.

Aside from that, I've also re-read The Old Man and the Sea a few times, most recently for a school paper.

stonelizard91 · 08-14-2007

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

1984 / Animal Farm - George Orwell

About a Boy / High Fidelity - Nick Hornby

Iandefor · 08-14-2007

Anthem and Animal Farm I have both read several times.

Master Shake · 09-01-2007

My favorite books...

Of Mice and Men -- Stienbeck
1984 -- Orwell
Devil in the White City -- Erik Larson. I must have read this one five times. Its an interesting fact-based story about the building of Chicago's Columbian exposition, intertwined with the story of the US's first serial killer who set up shop just out side. Its is both at hte same time inspiring (Especially the account of hteb uilding of the ferris wheel) and uncomfortable (The story of Dr. HH Holmes).

Mr. Jaggers · 09-02-2007

deleted

robocoastie · 09-03-2007

1984, Animal Farm, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Gilgamesh, all of Dickens' works, there's many others but these are the ones I find myself coming back to time and again throughout my life.

x1a4 · 09-19-2007

Classics that I've read are Paris in the Twentieth Century by Jules Verne, Justine by the Marquis de Sade, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and The Basic Writings of Nietzsche by Friedrich Nietzsche which is a collection of Nietzsche's best books, essays and a section of aphorisms.

As for books I read repeatedly...there are so many.

Right now I'm finishing All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson which is the third in a trilogy preceded by Idoru and it's prequel Virtual Light. I also can't get enough of Dan Brown's books especially Digital Fortress--an excellent book. Joseph Finder's Paranoia and Company Man about corporate espionage are both great reads with awesome endings.

The Great Winter trilogy by Sean McMullen is a very unique story with well developed characters. This is one of those stories where you love one character and can't stand another, then things change and the character you were rooting for becomes the villain and the a*hole turns out to be good. Great read, I highly recommend it. The titles are Souls in the Great Machine, Miocene Arrow, and Eyes of the Calculor.

eljalill · 09-30-2007

I've reread all my children's books- several times, or I've given them away. Am not quite sure why, but I return to some of my children's books quite often. Basically all of Astrid Lindgren's work and "From Anna" and the books I have by Tonke Dragt.

I tend to reread not so high literature books more often, because mostly I am just looking for a bit of distraction, and with most of them I don't mind to know the story.

And strangely there are some books I'll never forget which I could never reread though. They are too dense or so. The "Kite Runner" e.g.

Rasczak · 09-30-2007

A Soldier in the Great War - Helprain

RedSam · 09-30-2007

Animal Farm is the only book I have read more than once.
Reading them again takes away the anticipation of what is going to happen, I think.

Jeremiah · 10-01-2007

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.

Iandefor · 10-02-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.

Is that like The Profit by Kehlog Albran?

pkslot · 10-03-2007

The case of Charles Dexter Ward - H. P. Lovecraft
Syv aldres galskab - Svend Aage Madsen
Sprawl trilogy - William Gibson
Idoru - William Gibson
Timbuktu - Paul Auster
New York Trilogy - Paul Auster
Moonlight palace - Paul Auster
Onkel Danny fortæller alt - Dan Türell

That's what's on my bed shelf. I think i've been through them all, at least three times, and some even more. I don't know why, but sometimes i just have to go through them once again. My favorite though, is by Svend Aage Madsen (Syv aldres galskab) a danish writer with his heart and brains in the right place. A truly recommendable piece of literature.

tadpole · 10-03-2007

Huckleberry Finn is definitely a must-read American classic.

Rasczak · 10-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by tadpole

Huckleberry Finn is definitely a must-read American classic.

Good one! I had forgotten about that.

Jeremiah · 10-04-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iandefor

Is that like The Profit by Kehlog Albran?

Actually I just had a quick look at that now not knowing what to expect. It is similar but there are some differences. The Prophet was published in 1926 so its relation is "older", and the topics he covers are more open and explained in more detail.

Iandefor · 10-04-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremiah

Actually I just had a quick look at that now not knowing what to expect. It is similar but there are some differences. The Prophet was published in 1926 so its relation is "older", and the topics he covers are more open and explained in more detail.

Methinks you may have missed something.

08-08-2007	#1 (permalink)
toecutter Commentator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Derby, UK - formerly TX & CA Posts: 31	What are your classic reads? Assuming you have a collection of books (because you're in the Literature forum ), what books do you occasionally go back to read from time to time, or what books that you've read recently do you plan to read again? I've read the Hobbit/Lord of Rings foursome probably 3 or 4 times, and the Robots/Foundation/Empire series by Asimov twice (there's 17+ books total!), and in the last couple of years I've discovered the Revelation Space series by Alastair Reynolds, which I plan to read again in the future. Just wondering if anyone else is like me and re-reads their favorites?
	wannabe hippy Few people are capable of expressing with equanimity opinions which differ from the prejudices of their social environment. Most people are even incapable of forming such opinions. - Albert Einstein

08-10-2007	#2 (permalink)
narayan Au revoir Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 280	Re: What are your classic reads? The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho and Siddartha - Hermann Hesse I re-read these often. My all time favourites.
narayan Au revoir Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 280	Do You Do It or Does It Do You?

08-13-2007	#3 (permalink)
madmimi Just getting started Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 10	Re: What are your classic reads? A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison anything by Steinbeck To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee I find more in these books each time I read them. Especially since I have read them again at different stages of my life. Its amazing how perception changes over time.
	"No one can draw more out of things, books included, than he already knows. A man has no ears for that which experience has given him no access." -Nietzche

08-13-2007	#4 (permalink)
illu45 Interested participant Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 15	Re: What are your classic reads? A Fine Balance is quite a powerful-if depressing-book. But it isn't one that I've re-read. The book that I've re-read most often would have to be The Little Princeby Antoine de Saint-Exupery. When I was younger, I used to read it for the story. Now, I mostly read it for its take on life. Aside from that, I've also re-read The Old Man and the Sea a few times, most recently for a school paper.

08-14-2007	#5 (permalink)
stonelizard91 Commentator Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 53	Re: What are your classic reads? To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 1984 / Animal Farm - George Orwell About a Boy / High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
stonelizard91 Commentator Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 53

08-14-2007	#6 (permalink)
Iandefor Super Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: The rainy dreary horrible northwest corner of the US Posts: 460	Re: What are your classic reads? Anthem and Animal Farm I have both read several times.
	Bovina Sancta! Mohandas Gandhi broke the law, too.

09-01-2007	#7 (permalink)
Master Shake Interested participant Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 15	Re: What are your classic reads? My favorite books... Of Mice and Men -- Stienbeck 1984 -- Orwell Devil in the White City -- Erik Larson. I must have read this one five times. Its an interesting fact-based story about the building of Chicago's Columbian exposition, intertwined with the story of the US's first serial killer who set up shop just out side. Its is both at hte same time inspiring (Especially the account of hteb uilding of the ferris wheel) and uncomfortable (The story of Dr. HH Holmes).

09-02-2007	#8 (permalink)
Mr. Jaggers Commentator Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 39	Re: What are your classic reads? deleted Last edited by Mr. Jaggers : 09-02-2007 at 09:26 PM.
Mr. Jaggers Commentator Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 39

09-03-2007	#9 (permalink)
robocoastie Just getting started Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8	Re: What are your classic reads? 1984, Animal Farm, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Gilgamesh, all of Dickens' works, there's many others but these are the ones I find myself coming back to time and again throughout my life.

09-19-2007	#10 (permalink)
x1a4 Discussion starter Join Date: May 2007 Location: Mississauga Posts: 98	Re: What are your classic reads? Classics that I've read are Paris in the Twentieth Century by Jules Verne, Justine by the Marquis de Sade, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and The Basic Writings of Nietzsche by Friedrich Nietzsche which is a collection of Nietzsche's best books, essays and a section of aphorisms. As for books I read repeatedly...there are so many. Right now I'm finishing All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson which is the third in a trilogy preceded by Idoru and it's prequel Virtual Light. I also can't get enough of Dan Brown's books especially Digital Fortress--an excellent book. Joseph Finder's Paranoia and Company Man about corporate espionage are both great reads with awesome endings. The Great Winter trilogy by Sean McMullen is a very unique story with well developed characters. This is one of those stories where you love one character and can't stand another, then things change and the character you were rooting for becomes the villain and the a*hole turns out to be good. Great read, I highly recommend it. The titles are Souls in the Great Machine, Miocene Arrow, and Eyes of the Calculor.
	hex1a4.net \| xubuntu.mirror.hex1a4.net \| art.gallery.hex1a4.net \| amazon.shop.hex1a4.net

09-30-2007	#11 (permalink)
eljalill Just getting started Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 10	Re: What are your classic reads? I've reread all my children's books- several times, or I've given them away. Am not quite sure why, but I return to some of my children's books quite often. Basically all of Astrid Lindgren's work and "From Anna" and the books I have by Tonke Dragt. I tend to reread not so high literature books more often, because mostly I am just looking for a bit of distraction, and with most of them I don't mind to know the story. And strangely there are some books I'll never forget which I could never reread though. They are too dense or so. The "Kite Runner" e.g. Last edited by eljalill : 09-30-2007 at 12:37 PM.

09-30-2007	#12 (permalink)
Rasczak Stirrer Of Shit Join Date: May 2007 Location: Oahu Posts: 3,520	Re: What are your classic reads? A Soldier in the Great War - Helprain
	Eric "For whoever habitually suppresses the truth in the interests of tact will produce a deformity from the womb of his thought." -Sir Basil H. Liddel-Hart http://self-composed.com

09-30-2007	#13 (permalink)
RedSam Discussion starter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Leeds, UK. Posts: 70	Re: What are your classic reads? Animal Farm is the only book I have read more than once. Reading them again takes away the anticipation of what is going to happen, I think.
	I'm not a liberal, I'm a fucking socialist.

10-01-2007	#14 (permalink)
Jeremiah Eligible for a custom title Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 283	Re: What are your classic reads? The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.
	MySpace - Blog - Last.fm

10-03-2007	#16 (permalink)
pkslot Eligible for a custom title Join Date: May 2007 Location: Denmark Posts: 312	Re: What are your classic reads? The case of Charles Dexter Ward - H. P. Lovecraft Syv aldres galskab - Svend Aage Madsen Sprawl trilogy - William Gibson Idoru - William Gibson Timbuktu - Paul Auster New York Trilogy - Paul Auster Moonlight palace - Paul Auster Onkel Danny fortæller alt - Dan Türell That's what's on my bed shelf. I think i've been through them all, at least three times, and some even more. I don't know why, but sometimes i just have to go through them once again. My favorite though, is by Svend Aage Madsen (Syv aldres galskab) a danish writer with his heart and brains in the right place. A truly recommendable piece of literature.
	..........And on the first night, god made coffee!

10-03-2007	#17 (permalink)
tadpole Interested participant Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 22	Re: What are your classic reads? Huckleberry Finn is definitely a must-read American classic.