THE BORE

General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: TakingBackSunday on November 07, 2014, 11:24:09 AM

Title: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 07, 2014, 11:24:09 AM: The last two or three years or so, I have been neglecting my intellectual duty to further broaden my mind and explore the depth of both classical and modern literature, as well as nonfiction pieces as well. This lack of a constant intake of knowledge has made me feel, quite honestly, stupid. My writing has suffered, my understanding of the world around me has dwindled, and I fear that my 20s will be defined by a 9-5 and beer, and only those two things. I want to correct that!

So for some of the big readers on the Bore (who I respect and believe to be some of the more intelligent forum-goers I've encountered), can you recommend me some books and pieces to start back up with? What about some resources on how to find new books that are getting critical praise (that ISN'T the NYT Best Seller list)? How can I keep track of the best modern authors?

To help you out, my favorite materials happen to some of the following:

Catcher in the Rye, Slaughterhouse 5, Brave New World, most Oscar Wilde materials, the works of Author Rimbaud, T.S Eliot, old english literature (Chaucer), Lord of the Rings books, most of JD Salinger's work

I realize that is an embarrassing list of Creative Writing 101 bullshit, but as I said, I really want to start digging and finding great works that I'm missing out on. I'd love to get more into sci-fi and horror fiction, but I'd also like to get more familiar with modern authors as well.

Please excuse my ignorance – I'm trying to get better :-\
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 11:27:24 AM: (http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417MRXK68JL.jpg)

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ce/Eragon_book_cover.png)

(http://cultnation.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/ramses1.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Yulwei on November 07, 2014, 11:35:53 AM: There is nothing better than sitting down and reading a damn good book.

I could geek the fuck out with Sci-fi recommends but I will simply recommend this

(http://i.imgur.com/AOBmxbh.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 11:36:47 AM: Quote from: Yulwei on November 07, 2014, 11:35:53 AM
There is nothing better than sitting down and reading a damn good book.

I could geek the fuck out with Sci-fi recommends but I will simply recommend this

(http://i.imgur.com/AOBmxbh.jpg)

Just started reading Iain Banks shit

(http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327951890l/8935689.jpg)

:mindblown
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Yulwei on November 07, 2014, 11:38:14 AM: The Culture :lawd

Consider Phlebas is a good book, but the series gets much better after that entry.

The two books that come after that, The Player Of Games and Use Of Weapons, are amazing.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Eric P on November 07, 2014, 11:38:48 AM: New York Review of Books, LA Review of Books are good places to start for mainstream publishing. It's where I find a lot of interesting sounding things in a variety of different genres / disciplines.

http://www.nybooks.com/
http://lareviewofbooks.org/

If you want to keep hipster cred high, check out Volume 1 http://www.vol1brooklyn.com/ though be forewarned, like many hip places, it seems to place a lot of emphasis on novelty and recursion. Unlike with music where you can pretty much instantly tell if something isn't for you, it can take a bit longer for a book.

If you don't mind delving into the past a bit, everything I have read from Valencourt Books has been excellent, regardless of genre.
http://www.valancourtbooks.com/
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 07, 2014, 11:42:09 AM: Thanks Eric! Resources like that are just what I've been looking for.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Supermanisdead on November 07, 2014, 11:50:25 AM: (http://thehungryreader.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/shoplifting_taolin.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Mr. Gundam on November 07, 2014, 01:28:28 PM: Fuck Tao Lin so hard.

I don't read much anymore. I think the only book I've read this year was the new Haruki Murakami, which I managed to read in it's entirety on the flight from Seattle to Detroit.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Madrun Badrun on November 07, 2014, 01:33:43 PM: I'm reading Harry Potter right now because PD is always talking about Harry Potter and every time he mentions it I feel like I should also read harry Potter. I fought the urge for years but finally submitted two weeks ago.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: jakefromstatefarm on November 07, 2014, 01:49:32 PM: Quote from: BrandNew on November 07, 2014, 11:24:09 AM
Slaughterhouse 5, Brave New World, most Oscar Wilde materials
:lawd I fuck with these

Sounds like you'd like T. H. White, check out The Once and Future King.

Dune is the alpha and omega when it comes to sci-fi. You might also wanna see if Terry Pratchett is up your alley, but I'm way outta my element when it comes to this genre.

spoiler (click to show/hide)
Chaucer is Middle English, fwiw
[close]

as for non-fic, what are you looking for specifically?
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 01:50:39 PM: Dune :kobeyuck
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 01:54:41 PM: Dune

:snoop
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 01:55:35 PM: Quote from: Esch on November 07, 2014, 01:55:18 PM
Dune :rejoice

:larry
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Mr. Gundam on November 07, 2014, 01:58:49 PM: Dune :dead
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 01:59:53 PM: (http://media.gamerevolution.com/images/misc/dunecat.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 02:06:50 PM: Quote from: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 01:59:53 PM
(http://media.gamerevolution.com/images/misc/dunecat.jpg)
Better than the books
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: ToxicAdam on November 07, 2014, 02:07:52 PM: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fierce_Invalids_Home_from_Hot_Climates

There are chapters in this book that are hot fire and will seer into your brain. The story is an absurb comic romp and merely a vehicle to let Robbins throw out some wild shit, but it's worth it.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 02:08:10 PM: (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DEU09zxTDAY/UTW8wpyvP7I/AAAAAAAAPw0/KK27ssk6BtA/w506-h348/tumblr_m2clwwZOCK1rnjhuro1_400.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 02:09:44 PM: If BrandNew hasn't read Tom Robbins we can take away his hipster card
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 07, 2014, 02:11:25 PM: of course I fucking haven't, didn't you read my OP. I'm an embarrassment
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Madrun Badrun on November 07, 2014, 02:11:41 PM: The scifi channel Dune mini series are great. New your pretty enough that you don't need to read anyways. Watch those.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 02:11:57 PM: :goty2

You have some catching up to do my friend.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: ToxicAdam on November 07, 2014, 02:14:00 PM: Dune starts off really rough though. I had to read those first 3-4 chapters about three times before I even knew what the hell was going on. I was only 13 at the time, but had really good reading comprehension for my age.
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 02:15:02 PM: The David Lynch Dune is the only one you need. it doesn't make any sense, but that production design :rejoice
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 07, 2014, 02:18:55 PM: Jodorowsky's Dune sounds like it would've been an even bigger mess, just prettier and more rapey
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 02:23:01 PM: So it has one more good thing than the book is what you're saying :hitler
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 02:24:00 PM: (http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/59/1e/c4/591ec483d9a679c0fee197bb2aa97b48.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Positive Touch on November 07, 2014, 02:24:21 PM: stay away from that fancy booklearing bullshit, boy. cone with me to the illiterate side
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Steve Contra on November 07, 2014, 02:24:45 PM: When someone finally recommends Franzen just say "no thank you, I'm white but not that white"
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Am_I_Anonymous on November 07, 2014, 02:32:47 PM: I could do this all day

(http://assets.diylol.com/hfs/297/897/4a2/resized/dune-paulatreides-meme-generator-hey-i-just-met-you-and-this-is-crazy-my-name-is-paul-last-name-atreides-e12cca.png?1339740259.jpg)
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: TakingBackSunday on November 07, 2014, 02:55:00 PM: you think I know these words you write

I don't
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Phoenix Dark on November 07, 2014, 03:49:05 PM: was gonna neg AiA for recommending Eragon, but his Iain Banks post makes up for it.
:lawd
Title: Re: Help BrandNew get back into reading them book things
Post by: Yulwei on November 07, 2014, 04:52:36 PM: Quote from: Phoenix Dark on November 07, 2014, 03:49:05 PM
was gonna neg AiA for recommending Eragon, but his Iain Banks post makes up for it.
:lawd

:rofl :rofl

fuck, making me laugh this hard when i have a cough