All you book readers!

>And don't forget peeps...ASK AT YOUR LIBRARY...they have real
>trained librarians with master degrees who do readers advisory
>and lead book discussion groups for a living!! (well, they
>also often work with shoestring budgets, deal with pain in the
>butt vendors, deal with library boards, fund raising, deal
>with chronic technology issues, work long hours in underpaid
>and often thankless jobs etc etc but that's another rant for
>another day ;-) )

Beavs, you're so right! I use my local libraries all the time and the folks are always eager to help. In fact whenever I ask I get the impression that they enjoy the hunt for a book or author as much as I do. A few weeks ago I asked for leads on female authors, Indian or Chinese, and the 3 librarians all but jumped over the circulation desk to help me find new authors. :)

I love libraries. Always have. Of course we take them for granted here in the States so people don't remember - or know - what an extraordinary thing it is to be able to walk into a public building and get information on pretty much any topic that interests them. There are many places in the world where that is not allowed.

Sparrow

"The winds of grace are always blowing but it's you who must raise your sail." - Sri Ramakrishna
 
I can hardly believe I am such a literaty genius to have read all of the books on what you must read before you die list,therefore I am very suspect of this list. I also should point out "The Stand" is my favorite book of all time, followed shortly by "Gone with the Wind". I however, took the Dan Brown books with me on vacation to Las Vegas to read on the plane and by the pool. One of them I didn't bring home with me. So I think I could have died happily without reading them...
 
Just a side note to Dan Brown. A woman I work with has a son who caddies on a local golf coarse and he came home (this was two years ago) and said "mom, I caddied for some famous guy today, but I don't know what he's famous for." She asked her son to leave a copy of her book in his car in case he ever caddied for him again, and ask if he wouldn't mind signing it. The next time Dan requested him to caddy, he sheepish asked if he wouldn't mind signing his mom's book for him. Not only did he agree, he followed him out to his car to do so. I just thought that was soooo cool that he wouldn't just brush off this 17 year old kid. He ended up writing a full page inside the book about how much he enjoyed having her son out on greens with him and how polite and professional he was. I've heard other people who have met him gush at over what a down to earth guy he is. I know it doesn't make him a great writer, but it does show that even with phenomenal success, some people can remain human.
 
I ,too, just LOVE to read. I think there is nothing better to do on a hot day than read. I've read all but two books on the list. I just can't get myself to read Ayn Rand and I'm really not a fan of Stephen King. I was also surprised at the authors who were not on the list. How could you leave off Fitzgerald? I have eagerly read all of the Harry Potters and think she has done more for reading than any person on earth. Just my two cents! I also got some great reads from people on this forum!
Ellen
 
Oh wow! Am I proud, well sort of. I have no interest in Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter for some reason they just do not appeal.

But I have read the Bible three times, front to back, love Esther and Ruth, and the gospels best I think.
I have read Atlas Shrugged...oh dear, get to the point Miss Rand, but then, maybe there wasn't a "point".
I have also read Gone the the Wind at least 5 times...and I have read the Da Vinci Code, although I prefer Knights Templar and other more factual books pertaining to the Holy Grail and Mary Magdelene.I read to kill a mockingbird a long time ago...

Need to dig out Catcher and the Rye and Stephen King---he scares me though. :p


The Great Gatsby is one of my all time faves, along with 'A Moveable Feast" by Hemingway. If you have never read that one, get it! It is probably the best book, most engrossing, fabulously amazing book ever!:7
 
Beavs, thanks for the links. I'm happy to report that I've read 8 of the books on the big read list. I think my library participated too. The community read To Kill a Mockingbird last year and Riding the Bus With my Sister the year before.

Tneah, I've read some Hemingway, since I thought I "should," but not A Moveable Feast. I'm putting it on my list...
 
I think I would only agree to about 3 or 4 of the books on the list.... But to each his own! I'm currently trying to read The Stand as it's my sister's favorite, but I keep putting it down and picking up something else. I'll get to it eventually and hopefully it will get to be more of a page-turner at some point.

And 2 Dan Browns? Give me a break. I have read those 2 myself, but I'd never consider them worthy of such a list.

ETA: Hope I didn't sound too harsh. I can sound like a bit of a book snob, but I really am sort of a book slut--I'll read just about anything once (or at least start just about anything--I've tossed a lot of books without getting too far).

[font face="comic sans ms" font color=green]***Lainie***
fitness blog: http://fitnessfig.blogspot.com
http://planetsmilies.net/sport-smiley-7873.gif
"If you want to give God a good laugh, tell Her your plans."[/font]
 
Well, I'm disappointed with that list! I've read all the books on the list, but certainly don't agree that the Dan Brown books deserve to be on some list of books you must read before you die. As an AP English teacher, I'm a bit floored. If "they" were trying to put more contemporary books on the list, then where are the life-changing books?! I don't see The Stand or the Dan Brown books as meeting that qualification. They also don't seem to have the literary merit that other books have.

OK, enough ranting!!
 
<but I really am sort of a book slut>
I always love when someone refers to themselves as a book slut :7
 
>I'm also adding A Moveable Feast to my list. Thanks, Tneah!
>East of Eden is one of my all-time favorites.

Love East of Eden. :) Steinbeck got me through some very lonely times in high school.

This thread reminds me of the quote "she is far too fond of books and it has addled her brain." Now we know what is wrong with all the Catheites. :p

Sparrow
 
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