# Book Recommendations, Please!



## Mr. Big Noodles (Feb 13, 2011)

I've lately become interested in the canon of Existentialist, Realist and Absurdist text, and have been building a small collection of books. However, I don't think I'm quite ready to jump into Being And Nothingness, so I'm looking for some recommendations. I'm not too particular about the genre or author(s), so long as the material is thought-provoking. Short stories, poetry, bildungsromans, essays and non-fiction are all good. I have read plenty of 400-2000 page novels, but I've also read novels of equal philosophical magnitude at less than 70 pages. I generally don't like elves and fantasy stuff, on the principle that most fantasy books that I have seen are pure fluff (and I'm the kind of reader that likes to turn his nose up ), but you can try to convince me otherwise. Science fiction is kind of in the same boat, but I find that the genre's speculative nature tends to explore morality and man's place in the universe somewhat more, pending on how adept the author is with literature.


Stuff I have read recently:
Crime And Punishment - Dostoevsky
The Stranger - Camus
The Sun Also Rises - Hemingway
The Razor's Edge - Maugham
Of Human Bondage - Maugham (Almost done, and it's a fucking good book.)
The Day Of The Locust - Nathanael West
Miss Lonelyhearts - Nathanael West
Siddhartha - Hesse
The Red And The Black - Stendhal (Though I need to read this one again.)

Stuff I have in my possession, but have yet to read:
Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance - Pirsig
The Ruined Map - K&#333;b&#333; Abe
The Woman In The Dunes - K&#333;b&#333; Abe
Le Grand Meaulnes - Fournier
A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man - Joyce (Need to read this one again.)
Dubliners - Joyce (I actually don't know if this one fits my criteria.)
Le Père Goriot - Balzac
Eugénie Grandet - Balzac
The Age Of Reason - Sartre
A Cool Million - Nathanael West
The Dream Life Of Balso Snell - Nathanael West
À la recherche du temps perdu - Proust (Fuuuuuck, this is going to be a long read.)
Voices From The Street - Phillip K. Dick

I have some Ayn Rand on my bookshelf, but I don't know what any of that is about.


----------



## FretWizard88 (Feb 13, 2011)

THE PARADISE WAR: The Song of Albion 

it is the first book of three and they are all awesome!


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Feb 13, 2011)

I'm reading up on this book, and I am so far not impressed. Does it have a theme, some sort of underlying message? or is it all plot? (Sorry, but I exercise extreme scrutiny when it comes to this genre.)


----------



## defchime (Mar 23, 2011)

How did you like Siddhartha? I read that book as an assignment for a writing class I was in and I swear to god it changed the way I approached philosophy and just learning in general.

I'm in another writing class this year (Short Fiction Lit.) and I was introduced to the term "magic realism" through Franz Kafkas "A Report to an Academy", its a short story but i'd recommend it to anyone just to see what they think of it. I'd really like to read some more from Kafka, especially "The Metamorphosis" in which a man wakes up only to find he has become a beetle. 

Through Kafka I found Jose Saramago, and I'm now reading "Blindness". They made a Blindness movie and I really liked it, but when I found out the structure of his writing is completely avant garde I jumped on board. In case your unfamiliar; in this one everyone goes blind except one woman...great story so far. Jose's also got "Seeing" which Im going to read after Blindness. 

I really want to read those Zombie Fiction books by Max Brooks, but I haven't heard anything too amazing about his stuff. 

Ive gotten myself into trouble by buying a bunch of books and never reading them...ive got 3 by Nietzsche and 2 by Karl Marx that have been sitting on my shelf for 2 years at least. 

Heres some links:
Amazon.com: Blindness eBook: Jose Saramago: Kindle Store

Amazon.com: The Metamorphosis (9781936594009): Franz Kafka: Books

If you could recommend me something kinda allegorical, avant garde or surrealist that would be cool, Bro....we should start an SS.org book club!


----------



## Xaios (Mar 23, 2011)

To try and convince you differently regarding "elves and shit..."


Actually, there are no elves in this book, but for a good fantasy read, check out "The Name Of The Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. The sequel, "The Wise Man's Fear" just came, but there's no way to understand it without reading The Name Of The Wind first. Excellent novel.


----------



## SirMyghin (Mar 23, 2011)

> I have some Ayn Rand on my bookshelf, but I don't know what any of that is about


Read the Rand..... Her fiction works are excellent. Anthem is probably the weakest though. Definitely one of my favourite authors.


For something completely different read Freakonomics (and Super Freakonomics) they are bloody hilarious, borderline absurd, while highly sensible. They deal with applying economic theories to real world problems outside the economy. Written in a way not necessarily requiring previous knowledge.

Most fantasy is indeed pure fluff, that is generally because more of it is ridden with prophecy and tropes. There are some exceptions (cooks black company is an excellent one, as is malazan the fallen) but they are few and far between, and of varying quality. Typically the genre of low/dark fantasy is a little more character driven, and a lot less plot driven.


----------



## Origin (Mar 24, 2011)

Paradise Lost
Roadside Picnic
Day of the Jackal
The Odessa File
2001: A Space Odyssey

preeee much my top 5 right now


----------



## eerieinhabitant (Mar 28, 2011)

Since you are clearly fond of existentialist literature, I'd strongly suggest the following: 

Death On The Installment Plan (Celine)
The Room (Hubert Selby, Jr.)
The Story of The Eye (Bataille)

For short, thoughtful essays:
The Braindead Megaphone (Saunders)
Consider The Lobster (David Foster Wallace)


----------



## SirMyghin (Mar 28, 2011)

Schector, for something 'different' have you ever read Wootens 'The Music Lesson'. I am enjoying it profoundly, it is a nice step away from traditional music instruction and theory, and presented ina entertaining way.


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks for the recommendations, guys. I haven't been checking up on this thread lately, so sorry for the lateness of response.



Xaios said:


> To try and convince you differently regarding "elves and shit..."
> 
> 
> Actually, there are no elves in this book, but for a good fantasy read, check out "The Name Of The Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. The sequel, "The Wise Man's Fear" just came, but there's no way to understand it without reading The Name Of The Wind first. Excellent novel.



I read up on The Name Of The Wind, and while the structure of the plot seems intriguing, I still feel as though I would have a hard time turning off my bullshit meter with all of the magic and whatnot. I took some time to read a Chinese classic called Outlaws of the Marsh (also known under a few other names) back in high school, and were it not for the fact that the novel was 600 years old and in four volumes, I don't know if I would have read it. It has some interesting episodes, and it enhanced my cultural understanding, but the entire thing is just a story chugging along with a few fantastical elements and an excessive use of the word "fart". I think that I may not have had a problem with that, even, were it not for the theme; moralism and Good v. Evil is boring and overplayed, perhaps because it is a simple formula and doesn't require critical thinking in order to grasp. And that's where I lose fantasy, because so much of it seems to follow the same story. Sure, Frodo has to throw the ring into a volcano to vanquish evil, but what about the thousands of orcs that are now out of a job? Mordor will sink into a depression, and the destitute will bring another generation into the world to perpetuate the cycle of misery. Elijah Wood doesn't seem so great now, huh? I think it has something to do with the genre: legends and mystical creatures are invented to describe glory days and accomplishment. You couldn't really set Chekhov's Three Sisters in the land of trolls, warlocks, and tiger blood - it would seem a ridiculous juxtaposition (Although, maybe I'm on to something...). So long as a literature is so confined to a moral theme, I'm going to be skeptical. Nevertheless, if I see The Name Of The Wind around, I'll give it my consideration.

eerieinhabitant - 

Mort à crédit - Going to check it out. Thanks.
The Room - Sounds like another winner, and it shares a title with one of the greatest films of all time.
The Story of the Eye - Reading the Wikipedia article, I get the sense of Zola's influence... and maybe a bit of Freud. I'll look around for this one.
The Braindead Megaphone - Sounds good. I don't read many essays, but I should.
Consider The Lobster - Hmm. I get an inkling of doubt reading up on this collection, but I'll look it up.


Origin -

Paradise Lost - A cool poem. I'll have to read it again.
Roadside Picnic - Wow, this sounds really interesting. Reading about it, I get a Lovecraftian vibe, but it seems more intellectual than that. The publication history is intense, too.
Day of the Jackal - Sounds a little Tom Clancy, but I'm intrigued.
The Odessa File - Like the other Forsyth novel you mentioned, the subject matter isn't my normal cup of tea, but it sounds interesting.
2001: A Space Odyssey - I was thinking about the film tonight. I may just pick up the book.



defchime said:


> How did you like Siddhartha? I read that book as an assignment for a writing class I was in and I swear to god it changed the way I approached philosophy and just learning in general.



Siddhartha was one of those books that made me start thinking as a teenager. It has influenced my approach toward the world, but I can't really say how. Interestingly, the novel is the first thing that comes to my mind in a discussion of body image. I thought the form of the plot was unique and efficient, but still maintained an air that was both exotic and intellectual. It really helped to open my mind to literature, and it's just a fantastic novel.

On the subject of Hesse, Der Steppenwolf is supposed to be a really good read.



> I'm in another writing class this year (Short Fiction Lit.) and I was introduced to the term "magic realism" through Franz Kafkas "A Report to an Academy", its a short story but i'd recommend it to anyone just to see what they think of it. I'd really like to read some more from Kafka, especially "The Metamorphosis" in which a man wakes up only to find he has become a beetle.


Oh, yeah. The guy wakes up to find he has turned into Ringo, and his parents reject him for not being a better drummer.

My singer is really into Kafka. Maybe he can hook me up.



> Through Kafka I found Jose Saramago, and I'm now reading "Blindness". They made a Blindness movie and I really liked it, but when I found out the structure of his writing is completely avant garde I jumped on board. In case your unfamiliar; in this one everyone goes blind except one woman...great story so far. Jose's also got "Seeing" which I'm going to read after Blindness.


I will keep note of this author. Thanks.



> I really want to read those Zombie Fiction books by Max Brooks, but I haven't heard anything too amazing about his stuff.


Yeah, I generally avoid parodies. Like I said earlier, I'm a snob. 



> Ive gotten myself into trouble by buying a bunch of books and never reading them...ive got 3 by Nietzsche and 2 by Karl Marx that have been sitting on my shelf for 2 years at least.
> 
> If you could recommend me something kinda allegorical, avant garde or surrealist that would be cool, Bro....we should start an SS.org book club!


I don't know if I'm quite the guy to make literature recommendations, but I consider this thread sort of my personal book club, so feel free to partake. The Nathanael West novels I mentioned are all pretty good reads, and they're not the usual novels. The author was a screenwriter, so Hollywood and that sort of society of fakeness factors into his writing. All four of his novels are super short (I've only seen them published two to the volume), and what I have read is well-written. Miss Lonelyhearts might be what you would consider avant-garde, so I'd say you should check that out. Also, Day of the Locust has a character named Homer Simpson, so you can't go wrong.


----------



## SirMyghin (Mar 29, 2011)

SchecterWhore said:


> I read up on The Name Of The Wind, and while the structure of the plot seems intriguing, I still feel as though I would have a hard time turning off my bullshit meter with all of the magic and whatnot. I took some time to read a Chinese classic called Outlaws of the Marsh (also known under a few other names) back in high school, and were it not for the fact that the novel was 600 years old and in four volumes, I don't know if I would have read it. It has some interesting episodes, and it enhanced my cultural understanding, but the entire thing is just a story chugging along with a few fantastical elements and an excessive use of the word "fart". I think that I may not have had a problem with that, even, were it not for the theme; moralism and Good v. Evil is boring and overplayed, perhaps because it is a simple formula and doesn't require critical thinking in order to grasp. And that's where I lose fantasy, because so much of it seems to follow the same story. Sure, Frodo has to throw the ring into a volcano to vanquish evil, but what about the thousands of orcs that are now out of a job? Mordor will sink into a depression, and the destitute will bring another generation into the world to perpetuate the cycle of misery. Elijah Wood doesn't seem so great now, huh? I think it has something to do with the genre: legends and mystical creatures are invented to describe glory days and accomplishment. You couldn't really set Chekhov's Three Sisters in the land of trolls, warlocks, and tiger blood - it would seem a ridiculous juxtaposition (Although, maybe I'm on to something...). So long as a literature is so confined to a moral theme, I'm going to be skeptical. Nevertheless, if I see The Name Of The Wind around, I'll give it my consideration.
> .



If good /evil is the issue with fantasy, definitely check out Erikson or Cook ( black company notably), or even Martin the whole good / evil heavy interplay is common in high fiction but not so common in low fantasy, much more grey. I really hate the cut and dry good/evil stuff too.


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks, I'm still apprehensive toward fantasy, but I'll give your suggestions a go.

I bought Story of the Eye today. My singer and I basically walked around B&N making wiener poop jokes. I'm still looking for a print copy of Roadside Picnic, but I downloaded a PDF.


----------



## -42- (Mar 29, 2011)

Regarding the above post, Black Company blows away pretty much all traditional epic fantasy, and may change the way you feel about fantasy in general. It probably doesn't ask the philosophical questions you want, but in terms of mood and atmosphere, it's quite good.

Regarding the OP. It's not a book, but Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead changed my perception of plays, and can be enjoyed whether you read it, or see it on stage. Also, have you read any Tim O'Brien lately? In the Lake of the Woods is fantastic.


----------



## heavy7-665 (Mar 30, 2011)

The Book of Swords series


----------



## Demiurge (Mar 30, 2011)

eerieinhabitant said:


> Consider The Lobster (David Foster Wallace)



 On the DFW. You could dive in head-first and read Infinite Jest- no book has ever been good enough for me after reading that, though.


----------



## synrgy (Mar 30, 2011)

ANYTHING by Eiji Yoshikawa. Highlights are _Musashi_ and _Taiko_.


----------



## Xaios (Mar 30, 2011)

SchecterWhore said:


> I read up on The Name Of The Wind, and while the structure of the plot seems intriguing, I still feel as though I would have a hard time turning off my bullshit meter with all of the magic and whatnot. I took some time to read a Chinese classic called Outlaws of the Marsh (also known under a few other names) back in high school, and were it not for the fact that the novel was 600 years old and in four volumes, I don't know if I would have read it. It has some interesting episodes, and it enhanced my cultural understanding, but the entire thing is just a story chugging along with a few fantastical elements and an excessive use of the word "fart". I think that I may not have had a problem with that, even, were it not for the theme; moralism and Good v. Evil is boring and overplayed, perhaps because it is a simple formula and doesn't require critical thinking in order to grasp. And that's where I lose fantasy, because so much of it seems to follow the same story. Sure, Frodo has to throw the ring into a volcano to vanquish evil, but what about the thousands of orcs that are now out of a job? Mordor will sink into a depression, and the destitute will bring another generation into the world to perpetuate the cycle of misery. Elijah Wood doesn't seem so great now, huh? I think it has something to do with the genre: legends and mystical creatures are invented to describe glory days and accomplishment. You couldn't really set Chekhov's Three Sisters in the land of trolls, warlocks, and tiger blood - it would seem a ridiculous juxtaposition (Although, maybe I'm on to something...). So long as a literature is so confined to a moral theme, I'm going to be skeptical. Nevertheless, if I see The Name Of The Wind around, I'll give it my consideration.



Let me tell you right now, you've got nothing to worry about. The magic system in this book is among the most intriguing you'll ever come accross in fiction. It's nothing like your typical "casting spells 'n shit!" like Harry Potter. In the universe of this book, it's treated more as a science. It feels like a completely natural part of the world and it's not overused. In fact, it's used quite infrequently.

The Name Of The Wind is much more a character study that happens to take place in a fantasy setting. It's not like Harry Potter where he becomes a "great wizard" simply by virtue of his inherent power, in spite of himself. Although Kvothe, the main character, IS a great "wizard" (it feels so wrong to have to use that word to describe him, the title for such characters in the book is an "archanist"), the book breaks down the fact that much of the "legend" status surrounding his character is more hearsay and exaggeration than actual truth, partly because of the character's intervention, partly because stories simply evolve that way naturally as well.

This is a spoiler, but it accurately describes what I'm talking about.



Spoiler



In one part of the book, the main character is trying to convince a professor at the "university" of the novel to teach him the art of naming, one of the more fantastical elements of the book (thankfully it's used so infrequently over the course of the two books that it isn't overdone). Said teacher, who is presented to be slightly insane, leads the character to an insane asylum on the premises of the university and gives him a tour. Finally, the character asks "what do I have to do for you to teach me?" The teacher replies, "jump off this roof," which the character proceeds to do without hesitation. Subverting genre expectation, the teacher merely looks down at the main character from the top of the roof and says "you're an idiot."

Continuing on my original point though, later in the book, rumours begin that the main character had somehow made this teacher so mad that he threw him off the roof of this building. The main character goes along with it because it adds to his infamy.


There are lots of examples like that. You come to understand just how the character employs equal measures of truth and half-truth to influence the formation of his legend. THAT is what the story is about.

And thankfully, the main character isn't perfect either. He's often undermined by his own petulance, impatience and pride.


----------



## Marko (Mar 31, 2011)

I've been reading a lot of Fante lately, judging by the books you mentioned - you might like it 

"Ask The Dust" seems OK for a first choice: Ask the Dust - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## FretWizard88 (Mar 31, 2011)

Go to Barns and Noble, find the book House of Leaves, and prepare to have your brain explode.


----------



## Explorer (Mar 31, 2011)

I've greatly enjoyed the books of Jose Saramago. I find "All the Names" the most appealing. "The Shadow of the Wind" ("La sombra del viento") by Carlos Ruiz Zafón fits that same feeling for me. 

I stumbled across a movie called "&#1053;&#1086;&#1095;&#1085;&#1086;&#1081; &#1076;&#1086;&#1079;&#1086;&#1088;" ("Night Watch") when I was looking for something to push my Russian again, and it led me to read the book series from which it came, by Sergei Lukyanenko (English spelling?). They had a very different feel from European/American fantasy and Latin American magical realism... which might be because they were in Russian. *laugh* However, given that the Saramago and Zafón books feel the same in both English, Spanish and Portuguese, I think it's a matter of the Russian viewpoint behind the "Watch" books. 

----

One of my favorite of the Hesse books is "Journey to the East."

----

The film adaption of "Day of the Locust" was a complete revelation when I first saw it. It starred William Atherton Jr., who also played that annoying reporter in Die Hard and the EPA guy in Ghostbusters. (Remember that line where Bill Murray says, "Yes it's true... this man has no dick"? I saw this film on a flight at some point in German, and the line was almost exactly the same. *laugh*) 

----

I found Ayn Rand's books to boil down to pot-boiler romance novels, with women being taken by strong men. I read two of them, after I had bought them used for ten cents each. I took them back and asked for a refund. "You can't give me back those hours of my life, but you *can* give me back my twenty cents." And they did. *laugh* 

Ah, well, different tastes for different people. I know that a lot of people rave about L. Ron Hubbard's ideas as well.


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 1, 2011)

Ah, more recommendations! I'll be keeping an eye out for all of these.

Read Roadside Picnic all the way through this morning. Good stuff. Not the most mind-blowing fiction ever, but it was entertaining and reasonably intellectual.

Explorer, which Ayn Rand books did you read?


----------



## Edika (Apr 1, 2011)

As a historical novel The name of the rose by Umberto Eco is very good. The main plot and "detective" events are the same as the movie but the book has a ton of information on the various christian sects of the period making it very interesting to read. If you want non fiction you can read : _Semiotics and the Philosophy of Language _again by Eco. Very interesting.

From science fiction some there are some very nice thought provoking books that are very well written:
-The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams, very enjoyable with a lot of satire for the human race
-World War Last by Norman Spinrad, a lot of political comments about the cold war that can still apply today with huge doses of humor
-The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia by Ursula Le Guin, amazing book
-Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick, on this book the Blade Runner movie was based so that should say everything

Fantasy books
-The Elric books by Michael Moorcock, not your standard fantasy books, very dark and pessimistic
-Any book by Ursula Le Guin

And some more "serious" books I read recently:
- The Consolation of Philosophy by Alain de Botton, it is easy to read and discusses of how to use the works of great philosophers to make some sense with our lives 
-Thus spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche, still reading it, quite difficult book and I don't quite agree with all of his view points but it is worth reading.

There are just some of the books I can think of at the moment. There are a lot of books I have read that I have forgotten the titles but these popped in my mind. The sci-fi and fantasy books I wrote are worthwhile your time and have more substance than most "serious" novels I have read.


----------



## matty2fatty (Apr 1, 2011)

We seem to have similar tastes so I'll recommend just about anything by Nabakov, but I particularly enjoyed Despair, an Invitation to a Beheading and Lolita. 

I saw someone mention Kafka, which I'll second. Read either The Trial or the short story The Penal Colony.


----------



## Explorer (Apr 1, 2011)

@Schecter-W: The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

It was only later that I saw what was truly sad and ironic about Objectivism: people who claim to follow it never actually leave places where they are protected by the laws, police and military of that place, but instead argue that they shouldn't have to contribute to the community services and defenses through taxes. I'd have a shitload more respect for them (well, considering I have contempt for them, anything is an improvement) if they were to set something up like Sealand, taking over an oil rig and setting up their own country, paying for their own defenses against pirates and such, and actually producing all the wondrous things they keep bringing up as theoretical ideas. 

Sure, I might be able to sell the monkeys if I could perform the Mysterious Production of Winged Monkeys from My Butt, but until I do, arguing about how wondrous and profitable that activity would be seems a little misguided. Saying that I should be free of contributing to defenses when I have the advantage of them is lame and ignorant. 

Anyway, if you liked the ideas behind "Atlas Shrugged," but want better writing and characters, I recommend the "Beggars in Spain" trilogy (or is it five books now?) by Nancy Kress.

----

@Edika: It took a while for the action to pick up in Umberto Eco's "Foucalt's Pendulum," but that book sets the standard for what a book should be when claiming to deal with conspiracies. It was much better done than that Dan Brown travesty about a Da Vinci code.


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 2, 2011)

Explorer said:


> @Schecter-W: The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
> 
> It was only later that I saw what was truly sad and ironic about Objectivism: people who claim to follow it never actually leave places where they are protected by the laws, police and military of that place, but instead argue that they shouldn't have to contribute to the community services and defenses through taxes. I'd have a shitload more respect for them (well, considering I have contempt for them, anything is an improvement) if they were to set something up like Sealand, taking over an oil rig and setting up their own country, paying for their own defenses against pirates and such, and actually producing all the wondrous things they keep bringing up as theoretical ideas.



Of course, those are the two volumes that I own. 

I've personally never encountered anybody that identifies their self as an Objectivist. Maybe I don't live in the right state for that.

Also, I bought a couple more books the other day:

The Plague - Albert Camus
The Pornographers - Akiyuki Nozaka (Seems this guy didn't do much.)
The Man In The High Castle - Phillip K Dick

And I went ahead and ordered Roadside Picnic in paperback, just to have a hard copy around.

As soon as Spring Break gets here, I'm going on a reading binge. If I'm not disturbed, I can probably knock out a bunch of these going at a leisurely pace.


----------



## The Somberlain (Apr 3, 2011)

You need not read Ayn Rand, her philosophy is simplistic, childish and naïve, and her writing is as subtle as Cannibal Corpse lyrics.

Now onto the good stuff:

Anything by Aldous Huxley, he is one of the best writers ever! He is one of the wittiest, deepest, and most versatile writers of all time. I especially recommend his novels "Eyeless in Gaza" and "Ape and Essence" as well as his treatise, "The Perennial Philosophy"

"VALIS," "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," and "A Scanner Darkly" by Philip K. Dick

"Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke

"The Death of Ivan Illych" and "The Kreutzer Sonata" by Leo Tolstoy

"The Trial" and everything else by Franz Kafka

"The Sorrows of Young Werther" and "Faust" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The Kullervo Cycle of "the Kalevala" the national Finnish epic poem

"A Picture of Dorian Gray" and "Salomé" by Oscar Wilde

If you want nonfiction and philosophy, check these authors out:

Michel Foucault
Jacques Derrida
Bertrand Russell
Arthur Schopenhauer
Georg Hegel


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 3, 2011)

The Somberlain said:


> You need not read Ayn Rand, her philosophy is simplistic, childish and naïve, and her writing is as subtle as Cannibal Corpse lyrics.



 That's brutal. Reading the synopsis of The Fountainhead, it seems as though one would really have to go out of one's way to conceptualize Roark's eventual success. That's nothing bad if you can pull it off, except that the ending sounds totally lame. The murder of Cinna the poet in Shakespeare's _Julius Caesar_, though for something so meaningless and removed as his name, is at least believable, since mob mentality and moralism has historically resulted in people being total dickbags that develop faulty rationale. With Roark, it just sounds like he was stubborn and was more concerned with his art than accessibility, and just magically willed the world to accept his art. Pbbbbbbt. Anyway, I'll get around to reading it eventually just to see if it's as silly as it sounds.



> Now onto the good stuff:
> 
> Anything by Aldous Huxley, he is one of the best writers ever! He is one of the wittiest, deepest, and most versatile writers of all time. I especially recommend his novels "Eyeless in Gaza" and "Ape and Essence" as well as his treatise, "The Perennial Philosophy"



Thanks for the Huxley endorsement. I've been eyeing his works, but his whole involvement in mysticism made me a bit apprehensive.



> "VALIS," "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," and "A Scanner Darkly" by Philip K. Dick
> 
> "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke
> 
> ...



Sweeet.


----------



## The Somberlain (Apr 3, 2011)

I'm still not sold on the whole mysticism thing, but despite my ontological doubts, it seems to play an all-important role of preventing people from being dickwads by his logic.


----------



## stryker1800 (Apr 13, 2011)

The art war- as original a copy as can be found, I'm sure looking at the stuff you've read you probably have it but its always worth a re-read. also if you can follow complex math theory Godel, Esher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid is an interesting read on infinite loops and the like.


----------



## Cadavuh (Apr 13, 2011)

For the love of all that is holy, do NOT try to read Hegel. You will not understand a thing. I would recommend that you also stay away from Being and Nothingness as well, but my judgment should be taken with a grain of salt. I would start with what you might call the pre-existentialists, Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. You will get a good flavor of both theistic and atheistic existentialism. Also, you might want to find an introduction to Heidegger. Being and Nothingness has actually been said to be a misinterpretation of Heidegger, both by Heidegger himself and by notable Existentialist scholars.


----------



## Mr. Big Noodles (Apr 14, 2011)

Cadavuh said:


> For the love of all that is holy, do NOT try to read Hegel. You will not understand a thing. I would recommend that you also stay away from Being and Nothingness as well, but my judgment should be taken with a grain of salt. I would start with what you might call the pre-existentialists, Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. You will get a good flavor of both theistic and atheistic existentialism. Also, you might want to find an introduction to Heidegger. Being and Nothingness has actually been said to be a misinterpretation of Heidegger, both by Heidegger himself and by notable Existentialist scholars.



I don't know, I'm leafing through Hegel's Philosophy of History, and it doesn't seem so bad. Thanks for all of the recommendations, I'll give it a whirl.



stryker1800 said:


> The art war- as original a copy as can be found, I'm sure looking at the stuff you've read you probably have it but its always worth a re-read.



Nope, haven't read it. However...



> also if you can follow complex math theory Godel, Esher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid is an interesting read on infinite loops and the like.


I do have this, and have read a good chunk of it (before the great Busy ). Interesting read, although I felt that it got too pedestrian at times, like the intellectual's version of the Guinness Book of World Records or something. I'll have to go back and finish it; I want to at least get through the palindromic chapter.


----------



## SenorDingDong (Apr 14, 2011)

The Celestine Prophecy.. I didn't think I would like it, but it was an amazing read.


----------



## Encephalon5 (Apr 14, 2011)

Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre. I'm currently reading it. My introduction to Existentialism was Neitschze. I've only just started this but it's quite good thus far.


----------



## Origin (Apr 14, 2011)

Other than the obligatory 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,' I recently finished Metro 2033. That book took me by the goddamn balls. No bullshit Western heroism or romanticism, just realistic fate-discarding semi-fantasy. Loved it. The game is (loosely) based on the book, not the other way around, so instead of being an awful awful commissioned shitty fan-fiction, it's a work of art in my eyes.  It also managed to disturb and terrify me as many times as the game does on a regular basis.


----------



## Holy Katana (May 20, 2011)

Anything by Thomas Pynchon or Haruki Murakami. Anything.


----------

