Down and Out in Paris and London
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One Hundred Books to Read - Please Advise
Saul
Apr 20, 2015 06:36AM
Dear all,
I have recently joined this site in order to do some research on compiling a definite reading list of the 100 books one should read. Rather than getting stuck in the 'maze' of the WWW, I wonder if you could advise me on what books should make that list. I should say that, I this stage of my life (I am 40), the list should contain books that are both educational and enjoyable but without the flowery language of so called classics. I'm looking for novels that are both relevant to our days (fiction or non) relatively easy to digest, but that can stir one’s interest as well as perhaps ‘leaving’ a positive ‘legacy’ in one’s general culture.
To give you an idea of my taste - I am a huge fan of George Orwell, I have read all his novels and essays many times. I love his direct style of writing his implicit empathy and desire to share his observation with the world without sounding elitist, aloof or patronising. I would like to dare a bit more now but still keeping the characteristic of the books that I love so much – truth telling, non-indulgent language, unusual and controversial point of views and perhaps a good story to boot would be ideal.
Thank you all so much in advance,
I have recently joined this site in order to do some research on compiling a definite reading list of the 100 books one should read. Rather than getting stuck in the 'maze' of the WWW, I wonder if you could advise me on what books should make that list. I should say that, I this stage of my life (I am 40), the list should contain books that are both educational and enjoyable but without the flowery language of so called classics. I'm looking for novels that are both relevant to our days (fiction or non) relatively easy to digest, but that can stir one’s interest as well as perhaps ‘leaving’ a positive ‘legacy’ in one’s general culture.
To give you an idea of my taste - I am a huge fan of George Orwell, I have read all his novels and essays many times. I love his direct style of writing his implicit empathy and desire to share his observation with the world without sounding elitist, aloof or patronising. I would like to dare a bit more now but still keeping the characteristic of the books that I love so much – truth telling, non-indulgent language, unusual and controversial point of views and perhaps a good story to boot would be ideal.
Thank you all so much in advance,
I think you may like anything by Paul Theroux: both his fiction as well as his nonfiction. "Riding the Iron Rooster" could be a place to start. Same goes for Peter Matthiessen, fiction and nonfiction. Start with "The Snow Leopard", perhaps. They both have their personal slants evident in all of their writings.
Jon Hassler's Rookery Blues and Dean's List. Hassler is one of the great secrets of American lit.
Paul Theroux is present on the legendary list '99' compiled by Anthony Burgess (himself no slouch, and who's own book 'A Clockwork Orange' ought well be included). Anyway, this is definitely the list I would start this aspiring reader on.
Burgess, one of the century's most astute minds and a world-shaking author in his own right, assembled the '99'. The 99-best-novels-of-the-Twentieth C. in his considered opinion.
In it, he lists the books written by his peers which awed him. It is really a list which any modern reader can feel comfortable with, without fearing any of the pitfalls which pock-mark so many other lists out there. There's no L. Ron Hubbard or Ayn Rand on Burgess' list, of that you may be sure. Only top talents are represented, and no paper-lions or sacred cows either.
(Has anyone noticed that accompanying the decrease in public attention spans, list-making has ballooned?)
Burgess, one of the century's most astute minds and a world-shaking author in his own right, assembled the '99'. The 99-best-novels-of-the-Twentieth C. in his considered opinion.
In it, he lists the books written by his peers which awed him. It is really a list which any modern reader can feel comfortable with, without fearing any of the pitfalls which pock-mark so many other lists out there. There's no L. Ron Hubbard or Ayn Rand on Burgess' list, of that you may be sure. Only top talents are represented, and no paper-lions or sacred cows either.
(Has anyone noticed that accompanying the decrease in public attention spans, list-making has ballooned?)
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Apr 27, 2015 10:26AM · flag