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Micah Ward · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 4:38 pm Post subject: Favorite Five Books of All Time

Since Duck's Fan brought up movies I thought books would be interesting too. One thing that is in common with the books I picked is that I have read all of them numerous times and I never tire of them. So in no particular order:

Shogun by James Clavell - An epic story of the clash between two cultures. The Japanese warlord Toronaga is one of the most fascinating characters I have ever encountered.

The Horn of Africa by Philip Caputo - A novel that explores the question of how far a violent man would go if placed in a situation where there was nothing and no one who could stop him. Some interesting philosophical and psychological aspects to this story.

Anything by Frederick Forsyth - Forsyth has written a succession of novels containing spies, mercenaries, assassins and sweeping world events. Great entertainment.

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty - Forget the movie and read the book. A story of spiritual doubt and shattered faith. His writing style is pure art.

The Bible - Haven't made it all the way through but still trying.

Honorable Mention: Into Thin Air by John Kraukaur, Tai Pan by James Clavell, A Rumor of War by Phillip Caputo, Islands in The Stream by Ernest Hemingway.

Books I want to read: East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Ulysses by James Joyce. I'm afraid of that last one though. I tried War and Peace three times and haven't finished it yet.
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Dan · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 4:54 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure I've read enough books to form a top-5 list. Neutral

I'd have to start with any of Kurt Vonnegut's better works (Slaughterhouse 5 and Cat's Cradle, to be sure), The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, the Narnia series, maybe Heart of Darkness. Not much else coming to mind just now.

Dan
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Micah Ward · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 4:57 pm Post subject:

Are you refering to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness? If so, the Horn of Africa has been compared to it.
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Dan · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 8:07 pm Post subject:

Correct. Haven't heard of Horn of Africa...

Dan
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Indeurr · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 6:21 pm Post subject:

The Real Top List (no--religious--books list):
1. (One must read them in this order):
(Religious Books: 1, 2, and 3):

1 (4): Read together: Beyond Good and Evil and Thus Spake Zarathustra (check my spelling, please)
2 (5): Solaris by Stanislaw Lem (a Russian and American movies have been made based on this novel)
3 (6): Middle Passage
4 (7): Dortmunder Series: Bad News and What's Worst that Could Happen?
5 ( Cool

: The Nazi Doctors: Medicinal Killing and the Psychology of Genocide by Robert Jay Lifton

Worst Sci Fi book that I read till the end:
The Labyrinth of Dreams--Why worst? Bcause of the lock of immagination. The Book was written a quater--of--a--century ago, and states the old truth (for the first half of it) that everyone who works for the governmnet in NJ, any level of the governmnet, either looks the other way or works for some kind of mob. This is reality. I wantted sci fi!

The Old List:

1. Bad News -- Dortmunder series
2. Garbage -- poems
3. Middle Passage
4. With Fire and Sword (by Henryk Sienkiwicz - a Noble Prize Winner in about or dead on 1904)
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Paul · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2003 12:46 am Post subject:

For those of you who can't wait to tackle Indeurr's third pick, you might want to get started: 1135 pages!

Dan · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2003 7:49 am Post subject:

Might be a good time to pull out my motto to live by ... Don't judge a cover by its book.

Dan
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LATL · Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:45 am Post subject:

I'm reading Emotional Intelligence right now it's a good book
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YUKON QUEST · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:48 am Post subject:

1 FAR PAVILLONS- M. M. KAYE
2 THE CITY OF JOY - DOMINIQUE LAPIERRE
3 IN THE FIRE :question: NICHOLAS EVANS
4 RUNNING NORTH. YUKON ADVENTURE- ANN MARIAH COOK
5 IMZADI PETER DAVID (star trek serie)

special mention to all the Steve Martini, Sara Paretsky books and the Lorenzo Carcaterra books APACHES , SLEEPERS
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Conway · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 12:46 pm Post subject:

Hmmmm ... Not necessarily in order, and cheating slightly since most are more than 1 book:

1. The Lord of the Rings trilogy - Tolkein
2. The Dune series (Dune, Children of Dune, Dune Messiah, et al) - Herbert
3. The Harry Potter series - Rowling
4. The Foundation trilogy - Asimov
5. Guns Germs and Steel - Diamond
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Micah Ward · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 1:13 pm Post subject:

Conway, What is number 5 about? It has an interesting title.

Yukon, Have you read Gangsters by Carcaterra?
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Conway · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 1:19 pm Post subject:

It talks about the history of mankind from a biological point of view ... And discusses how guns, germs and steel enabled inferior biology to overcome others in conquest ... And why the minority have ruled the majority ... Actually a Pulitzer Prize winner ...
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Paul · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 5:57 pm Post subject:

It took me quite awhile to get started with the Harry Potter series, but I have found them very appealing. I've read through all 5 twice.
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YUKON QUEST · Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:49 pm Post subject:

Micah Ward · Posted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:48 am Post subject:

I'm not sure if Gangster is translated to Italian but the other Carcaterra books you mentioned are in English so maybe they are all in both languages.

I noticed the Yukon adventure book on your list and combining it with your user name I wonder if you like books about outdoor adventure? If so, I am reading one now titled No Horizon Is So Far. It is about the first two women to cross Antartica on foot. I've just started it but it looks like it will be fasinating.
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