What are you reading?

[MidnightBlue]

Rereading 'Tropic of Cancer' by Henry Miller.

[dolochov]

Just started reading La Nausée by Jean-Paul Sartre.

[Vanna]

Just started The Double & The Gambler.

[munch]

I don't really read much literature... but.. I want to. so, if it's okay to ask here, I'd like some recommendations for some must-read-books, that really leaves you thinking about it. genre doesn't quite matter as long as it's a good read and not too hard to get a copy of

[Faust]

I don't really read much literature... but.. I want to. so, if it's okay to ask here, I'd like some recommendations for some must-read-books, that really leaves you thinking about it. genre doesn't quite matter as long as it's a good read and not too hard to get a copy of

What is it that you want to think about? As in "life"?

[munch]

oh right... I apologize. should be more clear. but yes, things in life and life itself

[Faust]

oh right... I apologize. should be more clear. but yes, things in life and life itself

This is a harder request then you think. And certainly a good exercise. If I recommend Faust and The Little Prince, will I be too obvious?

Anyway, a short list below. I am sure that others can contribute many more wonderful books.

On all the right things in life that we forget

The Little Prince

On maturing

Catcher in the Rye
Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

On the lure of our animal nature

Heart of Darkness

On irrationality

Faust
Notes from the Underground

On self-examination

The Fall

On war

Goodbye to All That (this is technically a memoir)
The Red Badge of Courage
All Quiet on the Western Front

On socio-political control

1984
The Trial
Fahrenheit 451

On sexuality and freedom

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

On human condition

Hamlet

[laika]

waiting to go out, got nostalgic for french lessons.

Reading, Jacques Prévert, "Alicante"

An orange on the table
Your dress on the rug
And you in my bed
Sweet present of the present
Cool of night
Warmth of my life.



Une orange sur la table
Ta robe sur le tapis
Et toi dans mon lit
Doux présent du présent
Fraîcheur de la nuit
Chaleur de ma vie.

[genevieveryoko]

I really enjoyed Blaise Cendrars Moravagine

anarchy, misogyny, racism, and general perversion...quite a hilarious and poetic read.

gonna go catch a train now.

[munch]

This is a harder request then you think. And certainly a good exercise. If I recommend Faust and The Little Prince, will I be too obvious?

Anyway, a short list below. I am sure that others can contribute many more wonderful books.

<insert list here>

that's not really a short list, more than I expected!

I liked the way you categorized the books for me. greatly appreciated!
not sure if I should get all of the books or start with some... hmm.
will you guys kill me if I say I haven't read more than 1984 and Hamlet out of these?

I found all of them in the same store, except for Faust, in hardback binding... hmm. only in german which I don't really understand too much of.
the fall sounds like it would interest me the most... but heart of darkness sounds very interesting too...

.. I should probably just wish for all of those for christmas. I can't really afford them all right now

thanks a lot!

[galia]

Dostoïevsky will teach you all you need to know about life

I am currently reading Maïakovski's letters to Lili Brik. It's too cute ! there are even little drawings of dogs ! Too bad Maïakovski was a bolshie, but I still have a sort of crush on him (but I have a crush on most russian poets, I'm a silly girl like that. Ossip Mandelstam is my No1 crush and the man was truly ugly)

[Sombre]

that's not really a short list, more than I expected!

I liked the way you categorized the books for me. greatly appreciated!
not sure if I should get all of the books or start with some... hmm.
will you guys kill me if I say I haven't read more than 1984 and Hamlet out of these?

I found all of them in the same store, except for Faust, in hardback binding... hmm. only in german which I don't really understand too much of.
the fall sounds like it would interest me the most... but heart of darkness sounds very interesting too...

.. I should probably just wish for all of those for christmas. I can't really afford them all right now

thanks a lot!

Library card. Or walk into a local university library and just sit and read until it closes. Then go back the next day (or when you have time) and do it again. I'd bet there are some people here who haven't paid a cent for tuition but sneak into lectures and use the library. I'm sure no one will notice.

To add to Faust's list (Disclaimer: I'm not nearly as well-read as he):

On the lure of our animal nature
Lord of the Flies
One Hundred Years of Solitude


On war
The Things They Carried
Anything by Winston Churchill (I'm not a fan, but I've heard good things)

On socio-political control
The Chrysalids (I think it has a different name in the US, but the author is John Wyndham in case you have trouble finding it)

On sexuality and freedom

Pig Tails (rather strange, and you must be a certain person to enjoy it. It does not belong at the top of your list)

On human condition

Hopscotch (could be categorized in many other ways, but this category fits this particular list best)

Duality
Anything by Jorge Luis Borges
Some works by Poe

[dolochov]

In addition to the list above, another important aspect of life:

On self-fulfillment/self-realization

Siddharta by Hermann Hesse
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

[Mail-Moth]

On freedom

Robert Walser, The Tanners

On growing up

Mervyn Peake, The Gormenghast trilogy. Can't understand I never hear anyone talk of that one. Imagination of childhood at its purest degree.

[theetruscan]

Maybe should go in random, but awesome:

http://www.instantattitudes.com/shirts/t052.html