List the Books You Read In One Year Starting .... NOW!

[jmnixon95]

After January 1, 2011:

1. Mindblind by Jennifer Roy
2. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
3. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
4. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
5. Doraemon by Fujiko F. Fujio
6. After by Amy Efaw
7. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
8. Be Different by John Elder Robison
9. Physics of the Impossible by Michio Kaku
10. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
11. The Philosophy Book by DK Publishing
12. My Friend Has Autism by Amanda Doering Tourville
13. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
14. Livvie Owen Lived Here by Sarah Dooley
15. Episodes by Blaze Ginsberg
16. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
17. The Panic Virus by Seth Mnookin
18. The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson
19. Asperger's Syndrome by Tony Attwood

After June 8, 2011:

20. With the Light Volume 7
21. American Nerd by Benjamin Nugent
22. With the Light Volume 1
23. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Dumick
24. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
25. Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison
26. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
27. Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
28. Dibs in Search of Self by Virginia Axline

After July 3, 2011:

29. Contemporary Thought by Joan A. Price
30. The Science of Evil by Simon Baron-Cohen
31. A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
32. The Heavens are Empty by Avrom Benadid-Val
33. Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet
34. A Child Called Noah by Josh Greenfeld

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Rather than just continue listing, why don't we do a one line summary of the novel we've listed and mark it out of 10 or something? It might make the thread abit more useful than it is.

That's cool. Really, there's no rules here, as far as I'm concerned, and I really don't see it as a competition. I like the ratings idea, though. I think I'll do that, with a line or two of thoughts.
List for 2011

Note: My rating are mostly based on *enjoyment*, and do not take into account the historical literary value of the text.

1. An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10
2. The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10 for Abraham's The Long Price Quartet. Lyrically written with original ideas, which is quite rare and refreshing for the fantasy genre.
3. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne -- 8/10. Excellent book. I love Hawthorne's haunting prose.
4. City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer -- 7/10. Nice and bizzarre set of short stories set in an equally bizzarre fantasy world. It's like 50s, 60s film noir with a bunch of fungus.
5. Don Quixote by Cervantes -- 7/10. Good, but too long--I was board by the end. Probably a better idea to read the first half, put it down for a while, and then read the second half. Alas, I didn't do that.
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- 7.5/10. It was good. Nice historical piece.
7. Inferno by Dante -- 9/10. I love hell, so I loved this. A must read if there ever was one.
8. Purgatorio by Dante -- 8/10. Not as enjoyable a read as Inferno.
9. The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams -- 5/10. It was okay. Its strong point was the world Williams' creates, but annoying characters ruin it.
10. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis -- 8/10. The wonderful historical setting and good writing redeem the draggy plot.
11. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair -- 5/10. A wonderful novel completely ruined by the preachy, soapbox ending.
12. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. The first book in my favorite fantasy series. Excellent characters, gritty plot, and good writing. A must-read for any fantasy lover.
13. Paradiso by Dante -- 7/10. Just couldn't get into it. The 7 is mostly for the beautiful language. I like the dark imagery of hell--the light and exuberant imagery of heaven does not interest me.
14. Bartleby the Scrivener by Melville. (novella/short story) -- 8/10. It's slow and over-descriptive, but I just love Melville's writing. Plus, it's an interesting story, at times funny, and other dark and disturbing.
15. The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 7/10. Okay fantasy story. A bit overrated, in my opinion.
16. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck -- 8/10. Surprisingly good family narrative. Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
17. The Darkness that Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. Dark and gritty fantasy. Too much misogynism, though.
18. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon -- I honestly don't know what to give this. Definitely the strangest book I've ever read.
19. The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker -- 6/10. Continued with the dark grittiness.
20. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf -- 5/10. Not sure what the big deal is. The stream-of-consciousness writing is good, but the story was just boring. Maybe I missed something.
21. The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. And okay ending to an okay trilogy. I don't plan on reading the rest of the series (this trilogy was just part 1).
22. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- 7/10. It was alright. Not much more to say, really.
23. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe -- 3/10. Overly preachy, stereotypical and racist depictions of African Americans, one-dimensional characters, and uninteresting writing. I'm being generous with a 3.
24. Moby Dick by Herman Melville -- 10/10. One of the greatest novels ever written, period.
25. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Much more enjoyable than the first story of Le Guin's Earthsea series.
26. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Another really good story. Good adventure.
27. Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. Out of the four Earthsea novels I read, this was the most different, which is why I liked it. Not much action or magic, but a wonderfully subdued story.
28. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon -- 9.5/10. Excellent story with wonderfully fleshed-out characters. Plus, I love comic books, so it was a great read.
29. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky -- 6/10. I liked the writing and parts of the story, but it just didn't seem like much happened, which I guess was part of the point.
30. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. A wonderfully inventive and unique sci-fi novel. One of my faves in the genre.
31. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde -- 8/10. Wonderfully witty dialogue paired with a very dark story. A very good read.
32. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. Repeat what I said for A Game of Thrones.
33. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley -- 8/10. A good, dark story written very well. A little heavy on the philosophical meanderings at times, though.
34. Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon -- 7.5/10. A much more accessible book than Gravity's Rainbow. Bizzarre and funny.
35. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy -- 10/10. Dark, violent, and disturbing. In the hands of a less talented writer it would seem nothing more than a book going for shock value, but the lyricism of McCarthy make it a masterpiece.

[Paulclem]

Ok - I'll do that too. I thought I'd better ask as it's your thread mate.

It looks as though you made skilful choices by your scores. Looking through the comments, there are a number that would be great for threads. it might be a good idea to refer back to them sometimes and start off a thread or add to a current one.

[Paulclem]

1. Surface Detail by Iain M Banks - Excellent sci fi actioner that also considers the concept of hell, and by definition religion. packed full of brilliant ideas. 9/10
2. Lustrum by Robert Harris The second part of Cicero's life. A surprisingly good thriller. arris is a great writer. 7/10
3. Berlin by Antony Beevor Shocking account of the chaos and carnage as WW2 ended. 8/10
4. The City and The City by China Mieville Not as good as other Mieville novels, but an interesting idea set in the form of a murder investigation. 6/10
5. The Iron Council by China Mieville Excellent steampunk/ fantasy/ sci-fi. some fantastic ideas told in a great story. 9/10
6. If The Dead Rise Not by Philip Kerr Berlin PI escapes to Argentina. Good thriller. 7/10
7. A Quiet Flame by Philip Kerr A good noir thriller following Kerr's Policeman/ PI to Cuba.
8. Frankenstein Book 3 by Dean Koonz 2/10 for ripping off Shelley's title in a series that has only a nomnal relation to the old classic. (Was given it)
9. War and Peace by Tolstoy Expansive novel of the battle with napoleon's invading armies. A good read on many levels 8/10
10. The Left hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin Sci fi with an interesting premise - an experiemntal world full of hermaphrodites and a view of them Intelligent and thought provoking. 7/10
11. Notes From a Big Country by Bill Bryson Short column pieces written for a newspaper and compiled. A good anytime read. 7/10
12. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel Interesting narrative style and fascinating historical era combine with skillfully drawn characters to make a great read. 9/10
13. Field Grey by Philip Kerr Berlin PI/Policeman returns to Germany and enters the cold war conflict. Good development through flashback. 8/10
14. The Assassins of Isis by Paul Doherty Decent thriller with interesting historical context n ancient Egypt. 6.5/10
15. A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines Great account of a gritty northern existence in the form of soon to leave school Billy Caspar who trains a kestrel. 9/10
16. I Claudius by Robert Graves Good political thriller charting the lives and deaths of the Roman ruling class. 8/10
17. The Vulture by Gil Scott Heron interesting crime thriller howing life in the Harlem Housing Projects in the late 1960s. 7/10

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Note: My rating are mostly based on *enjoyment*, and do not take into account the historical literary value of the text.

1. An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10
2. The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10 for Abraham's The Long Price Quartet. Lyrically written with original ideas, which is quite rare and refreshing for the fantasy genre.
3. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne -- 8/10. Excellent book. I love Hawthorne's haunting prose.
4. City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer -- 7/10. Nice and bizzarre set of short stories set in an equally bizzarre fantasy world. It's like 50s, 60s film noir with a bunch of fungus.
5. Don Quixote by Cervantes -- 7/10. Good, but too long--I was board by the end. Probably a better idea to read the first half, put it down for a while, and then read the second half. Alas, I didn't do that.
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- 7.5/10. It was good. Nice historical piece.
7. Inferno by Dante -- 9/10. I love hell, so I loved this. A must read if there ever was one.
8. Purgatorio by Dante -- 8/10. Not as enjoyable a read as Inferno.
9. The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams -- 5/10. It was okay. Its strong point was the world Williams' creates, but annoying characters ruin it.
10. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis -- 8/10. The wonderful historical setting and good writing redeem the draggy plot.
11. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair -- 5/10. A wonderful novel completely ruined by the preachy, soapbox ending.
12. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. The first book in my favorite fantasy series. Excellent characters, gritty plot, and good writing. A must-read for any fantasy lover.
13. Paradiso by Dante -- 7/10. Just couldn't get into it. The 7 is mostly for the beautiful language. I like the dark imagery of hell--the light and exuberant imagery of heaven does not interest me.
14. Bartleby the Scrivener by Melville. (novella/short story) -- 8/10. It's slow and over-descriptive, but I just love Melville's writing. Plus, it's an interesting story, at times funny, and other dark and disturbing.
15. The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 7/10. Okay fantasy story. A bit overrated, in my opinion.
16. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck -- 8/10. Surprisingly good family narrative. Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
17. The Darkness that Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. Dark and gritty fantasy. Too much misogynism, though.
18. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon -- I honestly don't know what to give this. Definitely the strangest book I've ever read.
19. The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker -- 6/10. Continued with the dark grittiness.
20. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf -- 5/10. Not sure what the big deal is. The stream-of-consciousness writing is good, but the story was just boring. Maybe I missed something.
21. The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. And okay ending to an okay trilogy. I don't plan on reading the rest of the series (this trilogy was just part 1).
22. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- 7/10. It was alright. Not much more to say, really.
23. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe -- 3/10. Overly preachy, stereotypical and racist depictions of African Americans, one-dimensional characters, and uninteresting writing. I'm being generous with a 3.
24. Moby Dick by Herman Melville -- 10/10. One of the greatest novels ever written, period.
25. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Much more enjoyable than the first story of Le Guin's Earthsea series.
26. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Another really good story. Good adventure.
27. Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. Out of the four Earthsea novels I read, this was the most different, which is why I liked it. Not much action or magic, but a wonderfully subdued story.
28. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon -- 9.5/10. Excellent story with wonderfully fleshed-out characters. Plus, I love comic books, so it was a great read.
29. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky -- 6/10. I liked the writing and parts of the story, but it just didn't seem like much happened, which I guess was part of the point.
30. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. A wonderfully inventive and unique sci-fi novel. One of my faves in the genre.
31. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde -- 8/10. Wonderfully witty dialogue paired with a very dark story. A very good read.
32. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. Repeat what I said for A Game of Thrones.
33. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley -- 8/10. A good, dark story written very well. A little heavy on the philosophical meanderings at times, though.
34. Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon -- 7.5/10. A much more accessible book than Gravity's Rainbow. Bizzarre and funny.
35. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy -- 10/10. Dark, violent, and disturbing. In the hands of a less talented writer it would seem nothing more than a book going for shock value, but the lyricism of McCarthy make it a masterpiece.
36. Paradise Lost by John Milton -- 10/10. Brilliant. I've never read epic poetry that's grabbed me so completely.

Ok - I'll do that too. I thought I'd better ask as it's your thread mate.

It looks as though you made skilful choices by your scores. Looking through the comments, there are a number that would be great for threads. it might be a good idea to refer back to them sometimes and start off a thread or add to a current one.

Any in particular that you think would make a good thread?

[Pensive]

Lately I have been suffering from short-time attention span which doesn't usually allow me to complete a book in one sitting. Can anybody tell me of a way to cure myself out of it?

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

What have you been attempting to read, Pensive? Maybe it's just bad choices.

[Paulclem]

Lately I have been suffering from short-time attention span which doesn't usually allow me to complete a book in one sitting. Can anybody tell me of a way to cure myself out of it?

Complete a book in one sitting?

I rarely, if ever, do this, so when you find out the cure for your lack of attention, then let me have it because it's been a lifelong malady.

Having said that, my wife can read a novel in an afternoon and evening. She has a particular way of scanning the page - down the middle of the page taking in a line at a time. I find that amazing.

[Delarge]

So far in 2011:

1. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk -- 9/10. Orhan Pamuk is simply brilliant and one of my favorite authors. It reminds me alot about Ecos "Name of the Rose" though I greatly prefer Pamuk.
2. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy -- 7/10 First book of McCarthy I ever read. Liked it very much.
3. The Crossing by Cormack McCarthy -- 6/10. Second book in the Border trilogy. Bacame a bit too repetitive at the end.
4. Cities of the Plain by Cormac McCarthy 5/10. Not much to say about it. Didn't leave a permanent impression on me.
5. A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking -- 5/10. Pretty nice write up of the history of astro physics by one of the most intelligent persons alive. It was meant for the lay man without much knowledge of physics. Too simplified for my taste.
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- 4/10. Dickens novelle takes plave in propably the most interesting time in the history of mankind: The French Revolution. However, I just felt dissapointed. The characters seemed shallow and I din't get to care for them. Really looses in comparison to Hugos master piece Les Miserable
7. The Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin -- 7/10. Very inspirational from a man that lived an incredible life and shaped the fate of a nation.
8. Dracula by Bram Stoker -- 8/10. So chilling. I loved the prose and way it was written in letters.
9. Invitation to a Beheading by Vladimir Nabokov -- 5/10. If Nabokov hadn't grew up in the Soviet Union and never heard of Kafka I would say I would say he was in for a law suit on plagiarism.
10. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -- 6/10. It was entertaining. But I expected more. Actually liked the movie better...
11. Complete Works by John Keats x/10. I have no right to judge this work. I expected some kind of love poetry and wasn't prepared for all those greek/roman epics. It was educational though.
12. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway 10/10 -- Read it in one sitting of two hours. Two of the best hours of my life. It totally moved me.
13. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway 8/10 -- I have never read Hemmingway before, but now consider myself a fan.
14. Ditte Menneskebarn by Martin Andersen Nexø -- 8/10. A danish classic about the tragic life of the poor Ditte. Social realism from the turn of the century. Well written and heart gripping.
15. A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami -- 7/10. I was pleasently surprised by Murakamis first big novelle. A really nice read.
16. Lingua Tertii Imperii by Victor Klemperer -- 9/10. Worth reading for anyone interested in how the Nazis seduced the germans, propaganda or holocaust. It really makes you wonder about the language being used in the media today.
17. The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin -- 10/10. A work of genious. One of the true achievements of mankind. So clearly written, so many great examples. It completely stunned me how Darwin 150 years ago came to his conclusions based on nothing more than careful observations of life. Still worth reading today. And it really made me happy that nowhere in the book does Darwin make any insinuations that man descended from apes.
18. Mord i San Francisco by Dan Turell -- 6/10. Just another chrime novel by my favorite Danish author. They never have great plots, but the prose is outstanding.
19. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley -- 7/10. At times dull and slow, but the questions it raises about life and death and mans place in the world, him playing god, is still very much important.
20. Heart of Darkness and Selected Short Fiction by Joseph Conrad -- 3/10. I didn't like it. At all. To me it was just boring.
21. The Road by Cormac McCarthy -- 8/10. When I think of The Road I think of the colour grey. I found it to actually be very scary. Very brutal.
22. On the Road (The Original Scroll) by Jack Kerouc -- 10/10. One of the best novels I have ever read. I loved it from start to end. I loved Jack. I loved Neil. I loved everything about it. It made me want to leave everything behind and go out into the unknown- to "know time".
23. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami -- 7/10. It is so much more than a book about running and so much more than a book about Murakami.
24. The Possessed by Fjodor Dostojevskij -- 9/10. Great literature and unforgettable characters (is it weird to actually like Verkhovenskij?!). Though it can't compare to his very best works.
25. Doppler by Erlend Loe -- 6/10. Funny little Norwegian book.
26. Populärmusik från Vittula by Mikael Niemi 6/10. Funny little Swedish book.
27. Dance Dance Dance by Haruki Murakami -- 3/10. The follow-up to A Wild Sheep Chase. To me this is Murakamis worst work.
28. Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink -- 5/10. I am trying to brush up my German before starting on the great one (Kafka, Nietzsche, Grass etc). This wasn't great.
29. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy -- 7/10. Blood Meridian has gotten alot of praise on these boards. I don't really know what to think about it. I found it a bit dull and very American in a Steinbeck way. I might have to come back for a reread someday.
30. History of the World volume IX: Spains Century by Carl Grimberg 6/10. Th 16th century isn't that interesting..
31. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee --9/10. I will never forget Scout, Boo and Atticus.
32. History of the World volume X: The Age of Luis XIV by Carl Grimberg 6/10. The 17th century isn't that interesting..
33. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce --8/10. To my surprise I liked it alot. Had my fears after having read Ulysses but Artist was actually readable.

34. After Dark by Haruki Murakami -- 8/10. Very strange and pleasent. One of his best works after Kafka on the Shore and Norwegian Wood.
35. Dubliners by James Joyce -- 7/10. Another pleasent surprise from Mr. Joyce. I might actually consider rereading Ulysses now.
36. History of the World volume XI: England Takes the Lead by Carl Grimberg -- 7/10. The 18th century IS that interesting.

Non-fiction:
1. Patologi by Marcussen M, Sørensen FB, Holck S and Steinche T -- 8/10.
2. Basal og klinisk farmakologi by Kampmann JP, Brøsen K and Simonsen U -- 7/10.

Ratings and comments are completely subjective and not based on the "greatness" of the literature.

[Drkshadow03]

7. Inferno by Dante -- 9/10. I love hell, so I loved this. A must read if there ever was one.
8. Purgatorio by Dante -- 8/10. Not as enjoyable a read as Inferno.

13. Paradiso by Dante -- 7/10. Just couldn't get into it. The 7 is mostly for the beautiful language. I like the dark imagery of hell--the light and exuberant imagery of heaven does not interest me.

You know, I'm reading through the Divine Comedy and I also am struggling through the Paradiso. I admire its depth, the beauty of the language (when I can actually keep my attention span on the work), and even the way it compliments the previous parts so that it all functions as one organic work and everything made deeper by the relationship between the three, but man, I just find myself bored and struggling to prevent my mind from wandering.

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

You know, I'm reading through the Divine Comedy and I also am struggling through the Paradiso. I admire its depth, the beauty of the language (when I can actually keep my attention span on the work), and even the way it compliments the previous parts so that it all functions as one organic work and everything made deeper by the relationship between the three, but man, I just find myself bored and struggling to prevent my mind from wandering.

Yeah, I felt pretty much the exact same way. It's beautifully written, and probably "deeper" than the first two parts, but it just didn't grab me. It was almost like, okay, he's in heaven, so now what? We get to hear about how wonderful it is for 33 cantos? I really don't care--after Dante left Purgatory, his journey was over for me.

It kind of reminded me of the end of the third Lord of the Rings movie, where Sam and Frodo are sitting on Mount Doom having just destroyed the ring, and Frodo says that wonderful line, "I'm glad to be hear with you Samwise Gamgee, at the end of all thing," and the screen fades, it you think, "Man, what a perfect ending." And then it comes back, and the fellowship reunites, and you think, "Okay, not as good of an ending as it could have been, but still good," and then it does this like four more times, and by the end you're ready to get up and go. That's how it felt to me, anyways.

P.S. I'm going to make another thread for this, just for the heck of it. It's here.
Note: My rating are mostly based on *enjoyment*, and do not take into account the historical literary value of the text.

1. An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10
2. The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10 for Abraham's The Long Price Quartet. Lyrically written with original ideas, which is quite rare and refreshing for the fantasy genre.
3. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne -- 8/10. Excellent book. I love Hawthorne's haunting prose.
4. City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer -- 7/10. Nice and bizzarre set of short stories set in an equally bizzarre fantasy world. It's like 50s, 60s film noir with a bunch of fungus.
5. Don Quixote by Cervantes -- 7/10. Good, but too long--I was board by the end. Probably a better idea to read the first half, put it down for a while, and then read the second half. Alas, I didn't do that.
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- 7.5/10. It was good. Nice historical piece.
7. Inferno by Dante -- 9/10. I love hell, so I loved this. A must read if there ever was one.
8. Purgatorio by Dante -- 8/10. Not as enjoyable a read as Inferno.
9. The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams -- 5/10. It was okay. Its strong point was the world Williams' creates, but annoying characters ruin it.
10. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis -- 8/10. The wonderful historical setting and good writing redeem the draggy plot.
11. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair -- 5/10. A wonderful novel completely ruined by the preachy, soapbox ending.
12. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. The first book in my favorite fantasy series. Excellent characters, gritty plot, and good writing. A must-read for any fantasy lover.
13. Paradiso by Dante -- 7/10. Just couldn't get into it. The 7 is mostly for the beautiful language. I like the dark imagery of hell--the light and exuberant imagery of heaven does not interest me.
14. Bartleby the Scrivener by Melville. (novella/short story) -- 8/10. It's slow and over-descriptive, but I just love Melville's writing. Plus, it's an interesting story, at times funny, and other dark and disturbing.
15. The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 7/10. Okay fantasy story. A bit overrated, in my opinion.
16. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck -- 8/10. Surprisingly good family narrative. Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
17. The Darkness that Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. Dark and gritty fantasy. Too much misogynism, though.
18. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon -- I honestly don't know what to give this. Definitely the strangest book I've ever read.
19. The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker -- 6/10. Continued with the dark grittiness.
20. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf -- 5/10. Not sure what the big deal is. The stream-of-consciousness writing is good, but the story was just boring. Maybe I missed something.
21. The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. And okay ending to an okay trilogy. I don't plan on reading the rest of the series (this trilogy was just part 1).
22. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- 7/10. It was alright. Not much more to say, really.
23. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe -- 3/10. Overly preachy, stereotypical and racist depictions of African Americans, one-dimensional characters, and uninteresting writing. I'm being generous with a 3.
24. Moby Dick by Herman Melville -- 10/10. One of the greatest novels ever written, period.
25. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Much more enjoyable than the first story of Le Guin's Earthsea series.
26. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Another really good story. Good adventure.
27. Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. Out of the four Earthsea novels I read, this was the most different, which is why I liked it. Not much action or magic, but a wonderfully subdued story.
28. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon -- 9.5/10. Excellent story with wonderfully fleshed-out characters. Plus, I love comic books, so it was a great read.
29. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky -- 6/10. I liked the writing and parts of the story, but it just didn't seem like much happened, which I guess was part of the point.
30. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. A wonderfully inventive and unique sci-fi novel. One of my faves in the genre.
31. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde -- 8/10. Wonderfully witty dialogue paired with a very dark story. A very good read.
32. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. Repeat what I said for A Game of Thrones.
33. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley -- 8/10. A good, dark story written very well. A little heavy on the philosophical meanderings at times, though.
34. Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon -- 7.5/10. A much more accessible book than Gravity's Rainbow. Bizzarre and funny.
35. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy -- 10/10. Dark, violent, and disturbing. In the hands of a less talented writer it would seem nothing more than a book going for shock value, but the lyricism of McCarthy make it a masterpiece.
36. Paradise Lost by John Milton -- 10/10. Brilliant. I've never read epic poetry that's grabbed me so completely.
37. A Storm of Swords -- 9/10. Probably the best out of the series so far (though I've yet to read the fifth book). Wonderful surprises, good action, good characters, and an engaging plot. What more could one want from a fantasy story?
38. Franklin Evans; or The Inebriate by Walt Whitman -- 6/10. I had to read this for a class. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

[GothMan]

1. Magick of the Beast by Osara and Saddie LaMort (8/10)
2. Sunpath to the Gods by Osara LaMort (6/10)
3. Sex and Spirit by Clifford Bishop (6/10)
4. Mysteries and Secrets of Magic by C. J. S. Thompson (5/10)
5. The Seven Churches by Milos Urban (6/10)
6. Magicon by Yliaster Daleth (6/10)
7. The Symbols and Meanings of Numbers by Hajo Banzhaf (7/10)
8. The Bloody Reign of Slayer by Joel McIver (6/10)
9. Shocking Murders by Torrente del Bosque (4/10)
10. Conspiracy Theories by Torrente del Bosque (5/10)
11. The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts (9/10)
12. Modern Sex Magick by Donald Michael Kraig (8/10)
13. The Black Art by Rollo Ahmed (3/10)
14. A Brief History of Secret Societies by David V. Barrett (8/10)

[Mutatis-Mutandis]

Note: My rating are mostly based on *enjoyment*, and do not take into account the historical literary value of the text.

1. An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10
2. The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham -- 9/10 for Abraham's The Long Price Quartet. Lyrically written with original ideas, which is quite rare and refreshing for the fantasy genre.
3. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne -- 8/10. Excellent book. I love Hawthorne's haunting prose.
4. City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer -- 7/10. Nice and bizzarre set of short stories set in an equally bizzarre fantasy world. It's like 50s, 60s film noir with a bunch of fungus.
5. Don Quixote by Cervantes -- 7/10. Good, but too long--I was board by the end. Probably a better idea to read the first half, put it down for a while, and then read the second half. Alas, I didn't do that.
6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens -- 7.5/10. It was good. Nice historical piece.
7. Inferno by Dante -- 9/10. I love hell, so I loved this. A must read if there ever was one.
8. Purgatorio by Dante -- 8/10. Not as enjoyable a read as Inferno.
9. The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams -- 5/10. It was okay. Its strong point was the world Williams' creates, but annoying characters ruin it.
10. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis -- 8/10. The wonderful historical setting and good writing redeem the draggy plot.
11. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair -- 5/10. A wonderful novel completely ruined by the preachy, soapbox ending.
12. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. The first book in my favorite fantasy series. Excellent characters, gritty plot, and good writing. A must-read for any fantasy lover.
13. Paradiso by Dante -- 7/10. Just couldn't get into it. The 7 is mostly for the beautiful language. I like the dark imagery of hell--the light and exuberant imagery of heaven does not interest me.
14. Bartleby the Scrivener by Melville. (novella/short story) -- 8/10. It's slow and over-descriptive, but I just love Melville's writing. Plus, it's an interesting story, at times funny, and other dark and disturbing.
15. The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 7/10. Okay fantasy story. A bit overrated, in my opinion.
16. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck -- 8/10. Surprisingly good family narrative. Didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.
17. The Darkness that Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. Dark and gritty fantasy. Too much misogynism, though.
18. Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon -- I honestly don't know what to give this. Definitely the strangest book I've ever read.
19. The Warrior Prophet by R. Scott Bakker -- 6/10. Continued with the dark grittiness.
20. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf -- 5/10. Not sure what the big deal is. The stream-of-consciousness writing is good, but the story was just boring. Maybe I missed something.
21. The Thousandfold Thought by R. Scott Bakker -- 6.5/10. And okay ending to an okay trilogy. I don't plan on reading the rest of the series (this trilogy was just part 1).
22. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- 7/10. It was alright. Not much more to say, really.
23. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe -- 3/10. Overly preachy, stereotypical and racist depictions of African Americans, one-dimensional characters, and uninteresting writing. I'm being generous with a 3.
24. Moby Dick by Herman Melville -- 10/10. One of the greatest novels ever written, period.
25. The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Much more enjoyable than the first story of Le Guin's Earthsea series.
26. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 8/10. Another really good story. Good adventure.
27. Tehanu by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. Out of the four Earthsea novels I read, this was the most different, which is why I liked it. Not much action or magic, but a wonderfully subdued story.
28. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon -- 9.5/10. Excellent story with wonderfully fleshed-out characters. Plus, I love comic books, so it was a great read.
29. Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky -- 6/10. I liked the writing and parts of the story, but it just didn't seem like much happened, which I guess was part of the point.
30. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin -- 9/10. A wonderfully inventive and unique sci-fi novel. One of my faves in the genre.
31. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde -- 8/10. Wonderfully witty dialogue paired with a very dark story. A very good read.
32. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin -- 9/10. Repeat what I said for A Game of Thrones.
33. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley -- 8/10. A good, dark story written very well. A little heavy on the philosophical meanderings at times, though.
34. Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon -- 7.5/10. A much more accessible book than Gravity's Rainbow. Bizzarre and funny.
35. Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy -- 10/10. Dark, violent, and disturbing. In the hands of a less talented writer it would seem nothing more than a book going for shock value, but the lyricism of McCarthy make it a masterpiece.
36. Paradise Lost by John Milton -- 10/10. Brilliant. I've never read epic poetry that's grabbed me so completely.
37. A Storm of Swords -- 9/10. Probably the best out of the series so far (though I've yet to read the fifth book). Wonderful surprises, good action, good characters, and an engaging plot. What more could one want from a fantasy story?
38. Franklin Evans; or The Inebriate by Walt Whitman -- 6/10. I had to read this for a class. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
39. Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant -- 6/10. Rather disappointing. After hearing so many great things about Maupassant, I was expecting more. The language was just dull, though maybe it was the translation's fault. There were moments of brilliance, like the dual scene and the death of Forestier.

[bouquin]

The Yiddish Policemen's Union, Michael Chabon
Le Brave Soldat Chveïk, Jaroslav Hasek
The Vicar of Wakefield, Oliver Goldsmith
Et Mon Mal Est Délicieux, Michel Quint
Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf




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Currently reading : White Noise (Don DeLillo)

[TheFifthElement]

34. After Dark by Haruki Murakami -- 8/10. Very strange and pleasent. One of his best works after Kafka on the Shore and Norwegian Wood.

Hi Delarge We're just having a discussion about After Dark over here: http://www.online-literature.com/for...ad.php?t=63797 would you care to join?