Help..Help...Urgent...Help...

[subterranean]

Ok, I need the title to catch your attention :D.

I need some reccomendations for currently pusblished novels. This is for personal need only, so don't worry about me taking your ideas for school projects :D.

I went to bookstore last saturday, and as always, I got lost in finding recently published novels. I mean there are bunch of them, but I don't know which one is worth reading. There's this one novel, I forgot the title, which has some interesting words in the cover: Catch 22 re-written . Of course it got my attention right away, but after reading it briefly, I think the cover is quite an exagerration : :rage:
And I ended up buying classics again, The Time Machine and The War of The Worlds (Wells), Far from the Madding Crowd (Hardy), and Siddharta (Hesse).

So anyone, please reccomend your fav recently published novels (from 2002-2004), any genre, and appriciate if you could give a little intro about it. Like it's about bla bla..:)

Thanks a buch for those who care to help :angel:

Sub

[Sitaram]

I am quite please with Milan Kundera "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" which I am reading simultaneously with his collection of essays entitled "The Art of the Novel."

Kundera is a Czech who fled the communist governent to live in exile in France for the past 30 years.

He commences "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" with a meditation upon Nietzsche's notion of "eternal return," namely that everything repeats over and over. Kundera says in his first two chapters that we can bear one French Revolution and one Robspierre lopping off heads, if it is now over and in the past, but to think of an infinite number of Robspierres lopping off an infinite number of heads throughout the corridors of time, is such a HEAVINESS that each of us should feel like we have been nailed to the cross with each of our actions (since they shall be eternally repeated.) Well, if eternal return is NOT the nature of time and reality, then that is LIGHTNESS, the unbearable lightness of being. My personal conjecture is that this lightness is a kind of existentialism, like Camus, that there is no reason or cause or consequence, or like Ivan in Brothers Karamazov, (or whoever it was there) who said, "if there is not God then all is permitted."

If you purchase the paperback, you will see on the cover a man's bowler hat being held by two hands. This comes from a scene where a man and a woman are together, lovers, and the woman is undressed, standing before a mirror, and the man is fully dressed, and she takes a bowler hat and holds it over her head.... making the scene in the mirror quite comical."

[avid reader]

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - susanna clarke

it is a cross between fantasy and historical fiction. basicly it is about an england in the early 1800's where magic used to exist, but now all the magicians are theoretical ones. But then Mr. Norrell comes out and shows that he can actually preform magic. Jonathan strange follows suite, and it is basicly the story of how magic came back to england.

Bel Canto - ann prachett

about a japanese business man who is invited to a birthday party in south america because they want him to start up some business there. he refuses at first, but then they hire his favorite opera singer and he goes. but then the party is taken hostage by armed terrorists

[Jack_Aubrey]

Atonement-Ian McEwan. I had a hard time discerning what kind of a suggestion you want due to the "conflict of interests" in two words-currently and recently- you used. So I went with the latter and submitted my suggestion.

[Snukes]

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

About a boy from India who is stranded on a life raft with a bengal tiger - really beautifully written, and containing some very intriguing symbolism... One of my favorite books published in the last couple years.

[Scheherazade]

'One For My Baby' by Tony Parsons http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0006514812/ref=pd_bxgy_text_2_cp/026-4936075-5532465

and its sequel 'Man and Boy' http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0006512135/qid=1106568431/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/026-4936075-5532465

After reading your questions about love, maybe 'Bridget Jones's Diary' by Helen Fielding http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0330375253/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_1/026-4936075-5532465 and its sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0330367358/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2_cp/026-4936075-5532465

All these books might help you find your own answers regarding love :) Both authors are cleverly funny (satire in abundance in their work) and understand the troubles plaguing the modern day singles. They offer a male and female perspective on things.

[subterranean]

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

About a boy from India who is stranded on a life raft with a bengal tiger - really beautifully written, and containing some very intriguing symbolism... One of my favorite books published in the last couple years.


Yes.. I had it on my hand...Life of Pi...I almost bought it...but not sure...Ok, this will be one of my choices :D...Thank ya Snukes..


Posted By Scherey; All these books might help you find your own answers regarding love

Oh you making me shy :blush:...and Schery, I have read those Brigget stuffs..and watched the movie also..But why would you reccomend me chicklit stuffs..C'mon gimme something harder :D

[nothingman87]

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

[Scheherazade]

What is 'chick lit'? and why not? You are a chick too afterall? Why do we put ourselves down? Is there a 'guy lit'? Does it have the same negative connotation?

[simon]

The Fire of Origins- basically it covers the entire history, geography, religion, and politics of Africa in one mans life in a great fictional tale, that is probably one of the most well told myths I have ever read.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
It's about a guy who goes up an elevator and spends the next while describing his life and surroundings in quiky detail.

[imthefoolonthehill]

for ten dollars, i'll email you my book.

[subterranean]

for ten dollars, i'll email you my book.


ROLMAO


Gimme the list first then we talk about the price.



And Scher, please don't take it seriously

[Scheherazade]

And Scher, please don't take it seriously

Oh man! Why didn't say so earlier??? I was up all night, thinking about it! :rolleyes:

[subterranean]

Err.. I mean the chicklit/dudelit/manlit or whatever lit thing...I still thank you for your recommendations.

[Scheherazade]

for ten dollars, i'll email you my book.

*wonders what genre thefool would be writing in*
'foollit'?, 'guylit?', 'prophetlit'? ;)

[mono]

I am quite please with Milan Kundera "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" which I am reading simultaneously with his collection of essays entitled "The Art of the Novel."
I love Milan Kundera, and I strongly second Sitaram's recommendations.

[crisaor]

Hapiness TM
by Will Ferguson

It's a funny novel which explores what would happen if all those self-help crap books really worked (one of them, at least). Hilarious and well written, not the average new novel IMO.

[Snukes]

Chicklit: (n) 1. Polar opposite of the Romance Novel (tm). The heroine may never be helpless. She may be occasionally confused or frustrated, but never frail. 2. Novels in which strong, independent women prove to the male-dominated world that they can excell in whatever path life takes them. Usually aided along by witty best friends. Frequently rewarded for efforts and charm with a Fulfilling Relationship (tm), although it should be made clear that the man, in this situation, is not a rescuer or a necessity, but rather a pleasant distraction that is on par with acquiring a fabulous new handbag. 3. Novels men run away from like the emotional cowards they are. 4. Fluffy reading, likely to cause laughter, may induce tears. Read in public at your own risk.

Dudelit. I love it. I must say, however, I'm having a very hard time imagining what it might be. At least, in opposition to my above definitions of Chicklit. ;)

*runs away before she can get pelted with rotten eggplants*

[subterranean]

Chicklit: (n) 1. Polar opposite of the Romance Novel (tm). The heroine may never be helpless. She may be occasionally confused or frustrated, but never frail. 2. Novels in which strong, independent women prove to the male-dominated world that they can excell in whatever path life takes them. Usually aided along by witty best friends. Frequently rewarded for efforts and charm with a Fulfilling Relationship (tm), although it should be made clear that the man, in this situation, is not a rescuer or a necessity, but rather a pleasant distraction that is on par with acquiring a fabulous new handbag. 3. Novels men run away from like the emotional cowards they are. 4. Fluffy reading, likely to cause laughter, may induce tears. Read in public at your own risk.

Exactly!!!!


Dudelit. I love it. I must say, however, I'm having a very hard time imagining what it might be. At least, in opposition to my above definitions of Chicklit. ;)

Yeah, maybe someday the males want to show their "acts" too ;)




*runs away before she can get pelted with rotten eggplants*

By the way, I HATE eggplants :D

Thanks for sharing everyone..:wave: