Must Read Books

[HD333]

I was given a couple of CD's with over 1000 kindle formatted books on them.

What are some of the classics that every man should read? You name it I now have it, I just do not know where to start. I am thinking of starting off with Hemingway, any other must reads?

 

[Geoff]

Arthur Conan Doyle's complete set of Sherlock Holmes short stories plus Hound of the Baskervilles

Samuel Shellabarger's historical novels from the 1940's like Prince of Foxes and Captain from Castille

 

[ctenidae]

Twain's always a good start.
You could go a bit further afield, if you want- The Deerslayer is a good one, a bit different from what you think of as a "classic," if Cooper is your cup of tea.
Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies, are both good.
"Down and Out in London and Paris" by George Orwell is pretty good (just finished it). Not at all 1984 or Animal Farm.

 

[Edd]

You could read As I Lay Dying by Faulkner, or bang your head against concrete. Equally enjoyable, I imagine.

 

[jack97]

This may not be labeled as a classic but imo it should be, Dune just first three. It has so many analogies to the present situation we are in.

 

[ScottySkis]

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

 

[snoseek]

Walden-Thoreau along with his essay Civil disobedience is for sure a classic. Jack Kerouac was another author that wrote some pretty cool stuff, start with On The Road, a progressive piece at the time....think late 50's beatniks. I also think Cormac McCarthy will soon be considered classic, someday, The Border Trilogy is a great start for his stuff. Finally Steinbeck is so great, If you haven't read the Grapes of Wrath do so, one of my favorite stories ever.

 

[snoseek]

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold" With an opening line like that you know its gonna be a wild ride!

 

[ScottySkis]

"We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold" With an opening line like that you know its gonna be a wild ride!

RIP Hunter Thompson

 

[KevinF]

War And Peace : Leo Tolstoy. I found this book to be fascinating when I had to read for a class back in school.
Lord of the Rings: Tolkien. Even if you have seen the movies, it's worth reading.
Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn: Mark Twain. Classic American

And I think that anybody interested in mountaineering, adventures, etc. should, at some point, read "Touching the Void". It is the only book I have ever read that I literally could not put down.

 

[ScottySkis]

Rum diary.

 

[ScottySkis]

Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail.

 

[ScottySkis]

Gonzo

 

[ScottySkis]

Where The Buffalo Roam

 

[snowmonster]

Re-read The Catcher in the Rye. If you read it as a teen, you'll see other things as a grown up.

 

[Sky]

Hmmm...I "listened" to Wuthering Heights and loved it. The woman who did all the voices was amazing. Not sure reading it would be the same...if the "dialogue" is written as it would be at that time.

I struggled through Catcher in the Rye this past summer. A short book (200 pages?), but the dialogue, certainly legit for the time it was written, was tedious (to me). And the funny thing was, I'd read so much Steven King (Gunslinger series) that I kept waiting for something horrible to happen...struck by a bus or something. :>

Non-classics...Into Thin Air. Amazing.

King's Gunslinger series. So good I read Book 1 a second time (and got so much more out of it).

Currently STUGGLING through Team of Rivals...Lincoln and his cabinet, the basis for the recent "Lincoln" movie. Stuggling because the author is going into great detail, quotes from all aquaintences of all characters. I'm 200+ pages (of 1200) in and Lincoln hasn't been nominated for president yet.

Certainly re-learning about the No Nothing party. No politics please. :>

Enjoy whatever you pick. Must be tons of great options on the CD!

 

[Abubob]

Patrick O'Brian - Master and Commander series - anything of his really. Early 19th century Royal Navy action in a language late 20th and early 21st century people can understand. No offence to Mr. Clemens and Sir Doyle.

 

[Abubob]

Non-classics...Into Thin Air. Amazing.

Awesome book. While you're at it "Touching the Void". You've probably seen the movie. Obviously the book is better.

 

[ctenidae]

Patrick O'Brian - Master and Commander series - anything of his really. Early 19th century Royal Navy action in a language late 20th and early 21st century people can understand. No offence to Mr. Clemens and Sir Doyle.

I've made it through 3 of the 6 volumes, I guess 6-8 books so far. Has to be done in doses, because there's a lot there. Good, and well written, but extensive.

 

[Abubob]

I've made it through 3 of the 6 volumes, I guess 6-8 books so far. Has to be done in doses, because there's a lot there. Good, and well written, but extensive.

There are (ready for this?) 20 completed Master and Commander novels plus one unfinished book published after O'Brian's death. I have read all of them - some twice.