Readers Anonymous : Readers Anonymous

[Cate]

Reading is, without a doubt, one of my favorite ways to spend time and I'm one of those people who will hang onto my favorite books and re-read them over the years.

Here's my list:

Women Who Run With the Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
The Swallows of Kabul - Yasmina Khadra
tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran
The Women's History of the World - Rosalind Miles
I know This Much Is True - Wally Lamb
The Shack - WM. Paul Young
Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

 

[reallydown]

Oh...I also love The Road by Cormac McCarthy

 

[James B.]

Lots of great ideas here folks. The Brain That Changes Itself is on my list.

Felt Lolita the most powerful novel of my experience. Nabokov is a mind blowing writer IMO. Really liked a lot of the French; Celine, Camus, Genet and Sartre. Non fiction is where I'm at these days with Robert Greene's The 48 Laws Of Power. Please don't pre-judge by the title; not about "control". Also finally got The Pragmatics Of Human Communication back in my little library. In Robert Greene's book I am beginning to learn why I failed at so many seemingly good jobs; I found my family (especially my abusive dad, siblings and mom), many former employers (highly insecure male managers), my few real friends and even my (former) trustee within the many incredible historical anecdotes Greene writes about in this amazing phenomena of a book. I like reading things that are controversial and strip away the facade of the human condition. Guess thats why i had to agree with Celine's companion novels - Death On The Installment Plan and Journey To The End Of The Night - as being two of the most important and influential of the 20th century. Thanks again for all the suggestions. :smile:

 

[reallydown]

It's been while since I posted here...LosFrida, if you're into Frida Khalo (and you seem to be) you may try Frida's Bed by Slavenka Drakulic

I also like The Trial ...so hopefully I'll read a bit more Kafka soon. I've also enjoyed Durbravka Ugresic's work, especially Lend Me Your Character ...

Right now I'm reading an interesting book by Miroslav Krleza ...The Banquet in Blitva.

JamesB...Thanks for the suggestions...I haven't read Celine or really any 20C French lit (other than Camus...and only L'Etranger...I did enjoy my Balzac though...

 

[James B.]

Sorry for the slow reply. Celine is a trip. His stuff is very life affirming. Left me feeling invigorated. His companion novels rock. Death On The Installment Plan was a sensation when it came out. The first part is surreal. Celine is having a malaria attack in Paris. Then the story starts. I liked Camus L'Etranger, too. Another bad-ass is Gene Genet. Everyone who's read his stuff is blown away. Still like to read his plays.

I failed reading Kafka, so props to those who can.