Old Books, New Readers discussion

Think of some great and universal books everyone should read. I think everyone should read To Kill a Mockingbird, Hamlet, Wuthering Heights, and crime and punishment

Hey I moved the thread. A good idea for a topic though :D

I personally think everyone should read the King James version of the Bible. For other books I think you should read The Hobbit and the Space Trilogy.

Cool :-) what's the space trilogy?

Ah good point. I meant the Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. The first one is "Out of the Silent Planet" then "That hideous strength" and there is one more but the name escapes me at the moment.

I think everyone should read LOTR and TCON (The Chronicles of Narnia) before they die. Those are very important books.

Oh goodness. I'm sure I will add more at another time, but, off the top of my head I'd say everyone should read:

The Hobbit and at least The Fellowship of the Ring
Redeeming Love
Ender's Game
The Book Thief

What's the ender's game about? I keep hearing about it. Could you compare it to other works?

It's my favorite book in the world, has been since i read it in fifth grade, and quite frankly no, I can't compare it to other works :D it's a sci-fi book set in the future where there is a threat of another alien war coming to earth, so many kids are taken to Battle School at a young age so they can learn to be soldiers and commanders. Ender's Game follows Ender, who is six then the story starts, because the military- without telling him- thinks he's the one who has to lead the army in this war if they want to win. We have a topic about it, you should check it out.

Haley wrote: "It's my favorite book in the world, has been since i read it in fifth grade, and quite frankly no, I can't compare it to other works :D it's a sci-fi book set in the future where there is a threat ..."
sounds really good :) my kind of story. I'll check it out as soon as I can. Is it really easy page turner?

Oh man. I'd have to go with Christa for my first book, King James version of the bible.
After that,
LOTR
Chronicles of Narnia
Anything by N.D. Wilson
Fablehaven
And many more but those are the main ones...

Love story by Erich Segal
The Catcher in the rye by J.D Salinger

Jada wrote: "Haley wrote: "It's my favorite book in the world, has been since i read it in fifth grade, and quite frankly no, I can't compare it to other works :D it's a sci-fi book set in the future where ther..."

I think so. And if it's the kind of book you like then it will be. I've reread that book probably a dozen times and it's just as gripping and easy to read every time.

http://thetyee.ca/Books/2012/04/07/Wr...
http://thetyee.ca/Books/2010/05/14/Te...
Its funny how I have read more books in the 'Harmful list' :D
But, considering I can't write..it's not big a deal. :D

Just thought of posting these sites. :)

Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
That Hideous Strength
Those are the three of Lewis' space trilogy.
I would say:
Yes, scripture.
Narnia.
Pilgrim's Progress.
Jane Eyre
LOTR
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Great Divorce

East of Eden

John Steinbeck's finest work. He has a beautiful way of making you visualise landscapes and get to know characters.

There are thousands of books I'd want everyone to read - however, Cry to Heaven, The Persian Boy and Interview with a Vampire would be the definitive three!

Romeo and juliet

Oh and narnia

A lot. I think all should have at least read a book by Marquis de Sade and Georges Bataille.

And also everyone should read a book by at least one author from as many countries as you can.

Thomas wrote: "There are thousands of books I'd want everyone to read - however, Cry to Heaven, The Persian Boy and Interview with a Vampire would be the definitive three!"

WWOWOWO we have exactly the same tastes Thomas. =P

Adam wrote: "East of Eden

John Steinbeck's finest work. He has a beautiful way of making you visualise landscapes and get to know characters."

I agree! I haven't read a lot of Steinbeck but East Of Eden was amazing. I couldn't put it down.

Agree with reading John Steinbeck. Also, the book I tell everyone they must read is The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak. It's an amazing novel that stays with you long after you've read it. I think it's the book I've bought the most for everyone, ensuring that everyone I know has read it :)

Someone mentioned Crime and Punishment (and I agree) but The Brother's Karamazov is my favorite book by Dostoyevsky (and probably my favorite book ever) so that goes to the top of the list.

I'd add:
*A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
*Narnia and LOTR
*To Kill a Mockingbird
*The Bible (or just the Gospels, as the whole thing is quite daunting)
*Confessions by Augustine

I'd probably add a few more...

A midsummer night's dream should definitely be read at least once.

If I had to recommend one book, that would be To Kill a Mockingbird.
I put it off for a while because the first chapter was a little boring but I'm glad I picked it up again.
Best book I ever read!

There are so many wonderful books that it's hard to pick just one that someone should read once before they die, but the one I would choose is one of the few books I've read three times. It is Middlemarch by George Eliot. What makes her novels in general, and this one in particular so great is the way she can dissect the human psyche, and portray so clearly what motivates the characters to do what they do, and make the decisions they make. This is the type of book that exemplifies why, when choosing to read the book or see the movie, you should always choose the book; the real action of the novel can't be seen, because it takes place in the mind. Virginia Woolf described it as "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people". I would agree.

I'd say The Brothers Karamazov...

In my opinion, I think that each of us should read first the books written by their compatriots because I believe that each country has its own values which we should not ignore.
I recommend "The Olympus Legends", written by Alexandru Mitru, both volumes. I think that essential for us to know something from other cultures, and the Greek one is really impressive. Hope you'll enjoy reading them!

I also think the Host is very good and inspiring story. Its about what it truly means to be human through the eyes of someone who is not. Very different and unique take on the whole aliens-invading-the-world type of story. A sci-fi for people who don't like sci-fi.

Grimme's fairy tails and gone with the wind

I have never read Grimmes fairy tales, I keep looking in old book stores for a cool old copy, but so far no luck.


I am reading a book currently called Created to be His Help Meet: Discover How God Can Make Your Marriage Glorious. I don't know if it is for everyone. Mostly Christian women, but every Christian woman should read this book at least twice, it is great and really thought provoking.

Crime and punishment, Brothers Karamazov and The old man and the sea

Ok...I was about to post, but to jog my memory of great books, so's not to list what others have said, I scrolled up and discovered I have already added a list in response. At least I can say that I still agree with myself!

Hahaha! That is funny.

The Bible, The Hobbit, Ender's Game, The Great Gatsby, and The Odyssey are my picks for books to read before you die.

Christa - Ron Paul 2016 wrote: "Ah good point. I meant the Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. The first one is "Out of the Silent Planet" then "That hideous strength" and there is one more but the name escapes me at the moment."
Perelandra.

1. Crime and Punishment
2. The Hobbit
3. Great Expectations
4. The Catcher In The Rye
5. Boy's Life
6. The Bottoms
7. To Kill a Mockingbird

Hmmm catcher in the rye keeps coming up. I might need to see if we've read that one yet....

any of murakami books

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo

I've only read it twice, but it's immensely soulful, and the writing is so beautiful.

Also
War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

Love 'The Crueal Sea' by 'Nicholas Monsarrat' , though not blindly: it is the cynical, self-contemptuous love of a man for a mistress whom he distrusts profoundly but cannot do without.

I am reading Gone with the Wind now for a Buddy Read on Goodreads.

Helen of Troy

Lust for Life

Leona wrote: "I am reading Gone with the Wind now for a Buddy Read on Goodreads."

We read this book in the summer of July 2019. Below is the thread of final thoughts:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Frankenstein
1984
Animal Farm
The Color Purple
The Diary of a Young Girl
Kindred
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Some Frontier/Western classics:.
Shane by Jack Schaefer
The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains by Owen Wister.
True Grit by Charles Portis.
The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark.
The Leatherstocking Tales by James Fenimore Cooper (five novels): The Last of the Mohicans; The Pioneers; The Deerslayer; The Pathfinder; The Prairie.
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
O Pioneers! by Willa Cather.
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey.
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough.
Llano River by Elmer Kelton.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.
Authors Max Brand and Louis L'Amour.

Jim wrote: "Some Frontier/Western classics:.
Shane by Jack Schaefer
The Virginian: A Horseman of the Plains by Owen Wister.
True Grit ..."

Lonesome Dove, Shane, and True Grit were excellent.