A Gentlemans thread of Classic Literature: From A to V

[Athias]

With all these Twilight and Inheritance books clogging up the book discussion, I decided to start up a fresh conversation; namely one about great writers, both dead and alive. For example, the late, great Kurt Vonnegut and the also great but also quite alive George R. R. Martin.

Absolutly no one is to mention Twlight, Harry Potter, Eragon or the like, if you think what you're going to mention might not be appreciated, simply don't!

I absolutly love Vonnegut, his books are just so orriginal, so thoughtful, so filled with bitter irony. They don't drag on longer than they have to, they don't have any real point or apparent direction, they just exist, and I love them for it.

I also love Dan Simmons, George R. R. Martin, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick and god knows how many others, but out of all of them, Vonnegut just stands out.

How about you?

[iamsheena]

I have to say that I have not heard of him. What types of books does he write? What genre?

I've been looking for something good to read, so what are some of his book titles? Maybe I'll check them out.

[Athias]

I have to say that I have not heard of him. What types of books does he write? What genre?

I've been looking for something good to read, so what are some of his book titles? Maybe I'll check them out.

What genre? He write Vonnegut my good sir/madame, that is, you can not simply catagorize his works under any specific genre; that would be a travesty!

[Irish Wolf]

Victor Hugo wrote Les Misérables, which by the way makes an awesome play!

[Remæus]

Didn't you know, Kurt Vonnegut teaches roleplaying? I wrote this article quite some time ago, but it's just as good now as it was then.

Kurt Vonnegut is an absolutely incredible writer, he definitely makes it into my top 10 list of favorite authors. His works of fiction set a solid example of what we should all aspire to, I encourage everyone to go pick up one of Kurt Vonnegut's Books (you'll get a discount if you use this link!) - they're something that belongs in everyone's personal library.

[Athias]

Why did I get one star for expressing my opinion? I didn't say anything critical about Kurt Vonnegut. I'd never even heard of him until this topic. I'm simply saying that he should not be given such a lofty title. I have my own authors I like, but you don't see me creating praise topics. I simply asked that his assertion be done away with. Obviously, that is too much to ask. Why not say 'The greatest writer on this forum, in my opinion'? That makes it completely different, and I never would have even made my first post on here had you said that.

Because if you read the title, that's exactly what I said...

[Mr. Riin]

Is it bad that I almost attributed an Ian M. Banks novel to him?

[True_Grave]

Ian M. Banks? I've never heard of him, either. I can't really answer your question, Mr. Riin, as I've never read a book by either of them. As for the issue at hand, I've decided to call it off. Athias has an opinion of Kurt Vonnegut, and that's all. Also, maybe there have been no other writers mentioned in the Discussion and Debate forum. In that case, Kurt Vonnegut ould be the first. He sounds like a good writer, and if he teaches roleplay, well done. I wouldn't mindlearning something from a guy who seems to know wat he is doing. I call the argument over, and may pop in every now and then to make comments.

[Xemba]

Would Orson Scott Card, writer of Ender's Game be right to discuss here? I did enjoy the book, and I am currently reading some of his other works.

[True_Grave]

Well, you can discuss it with me via PM with me if it isn't. I read Ender's Game and the two books following it. Still trying to get Ender's Game to see what the fourth book is.

[Arietraekos]

Some Of My Favorite Authors Include Susan Cooper, and Rick Riordain. I absolutely adore Susan Cooper and Her series of "The Dark is Rising" and Rick Riordain Has kept me up at Midnight or longer reading his Lightning theif series. It's a tough contest but I love them both to much!

[True_Grave]

Well, forgive me if it seems like I'm insulting your tastes in lierature, but I think we're supposed to talk about classic literature, such as the Old Man and the Sea and the like. I have several book series' that I like, but they are not classics. I tell you this just so Athias doesn't. He's strikes me as someone who would be particular about that.

[ThatsNotPoetry]

Mmm, worthwhile thread!

The definition of "classical" is always up for debate. Some say the "classics" are those of Greek and Roman descent. There's also the distinction of Classical English Literature and Classical Non-Western Literature. Logically the intent of this thread is to avoid pop-culture authors. All we need to do is use our heads. :3

Now! I've been waiting all DAY for this thread title to change so that I could smack RPGateway with some of my favorites:

Favorite Shakespeare: Hamlet. Sure it's a mainstream one, but it was so damn funny and dramatic, and the person I loved 2nd best was the only one who lived! (Don't gimme that crap, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were the same effing person and we all know it, so they both occupy space numero uno.)

Favorite Kafka: The Metamorphosis. Really, The Trial and The Castle were quite good as well. Anything about psychologically distressed folk in a depressingly faulted society is pretty good. Man, get the hell outta Prague.

Favorite Huxley: Brave New World. Dystopia is one of my favorite subjects, and the mess about Soma made it particularly personal for me. High five, Aldous. I also have to pay respects to Lowry's classic The Giver and Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Both are warped utopia works which really opened my eyes when I was little.

Favorite Gilman: The Yellow Wallpaper. That bitch is crazy and her room freaks the HELL out of me. <3

Favorite Orwell: ...I can't even answer it. I'll play it safe and say that his literary criticisms were superb. :3

As my user name likely hints, I am not a fan of poetry. But I gotta hand it to Robert Frost. His wit allowed me to forget my severe distaste for Lord Byron. Dirty old perv... (Gotta give him props though. Sigh.)

And yanno, while we're here, I'll hand it to Hesse for his Siddhartha and Steppenwolf.

For the record, I liked Gardner's Grendel way more than the original Beowulf.

[OrangexDoorhinge]

Oohh...This seems like a very interesting topic

I shall name a few of my favorite authors (Most aren't very well-known):

My all-time favorite authors are tied between Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. They are both fantasy writers, and are very far-out in thier thinking and imaginations. Their plots are usually very dark and unhopeful, but they always seem to bring light into the situation. My favorite book of all time was written by both of them; House. If you haven't read it, GO READ IT NOW. I started reading it at 10:00 at night my first time, and I finished at 3:00 AM because I couldn't put it down.

I also like the works of a lesser known author known as William P. Young. He wrote the spiritual fantasy-thriller The Shack.

And, finally, we come to one of the most classic writers of all time. It may sound cliche, but...
William Shakespeare
I love his works. I certainly wish that literature was just as unique as it was when he was writing. His use of language was incredible, and it makes me wish that people still spoke like that. My favorite work of his is Romeo and Juliet. I know, cliche again, but I love it. Especially the end, where they both die.

It may sound weird, but my favorite types of literature are depressing and emotional novels. The type of book that makes me cry is my favorite. I love the end of Romeo and Juliet, because it shows what true love really means. They couldn't live without one another, and that just makes me fall in love with them.

[Bithack]

I love George R. R. Martin! He is with a doubt my favorite author of all times! I love his his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". Simply stunning and compelling, I recommend it to anyone. Though it touches pretty controversial(sp) subjects. Read the series with an open mind.

Talk more later, gonna be late for class lol!!!

[iamsheena]

Favorite Shakespeare: Hamlet. Sure it's a mainstream one, but it was so damn funny and dramatic, and the person I loved 2nd best was the only one who lived! (Don't gimme that crap, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were the same effing person and we all know it, so they both occupy space numero uno.)

Favorite Kafka: The Metamorphosis. Really, The Trial and The Castle were quite good as well. Anything about psychologically distressed folk in a depressingly faulted society is pretty good. Man, get the hell outta Prague.

Last year for school, I read Hamlet, Macbeth, and As You Like It. I read Romeo and Juliet in grade 8 and then A Midsummer Night's Dream in both grade 9 and 10 also. I plan to read others as my dad gave me a book with quite a few of Shakespeare's plays, poems, and sonnets. Well, I would just like to say that out of what I've read so far, I think my favourite has been As You Like It followed by Hamlet just because the former was somewhat easier to wrap my head around and the way I approached it was better, I suppose. Although, when I had to make a script for a missinge scene from Hamlet, I owned it like mad... yes, sorry for getting a little off topic.

Anywho, I just read The Metamorphosis in September and did an essay on it for October. I'm quite grateful that it was so full of meaning; it made my life so much easier. I love how it can be so simple on the surface but upon thinking about its real meaning(s), your mind can become so full of possibilities and the novella becomes super complex. Fantastic.

As for my own 'classics', I'm not sure. If we go into 'proper' classics like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens then my favourite Austen book is Pride and Prejudice and I've read it multiple times; I haven't really enjoyed any of her other novels.

Last year I read Dickens' Great Expectations in class and that was pretty good, but I did have to rush through the end, which caused me to enjoy it a little less. I also read A Tale of Two Cities, which I also had to rush through (I'm bad with procrastination), but which I also know I would have found more enjoyable if I took the time to take it all in as there were parts that were absolutely brilliant and humourous for me (if in a dark way).

There's an author's books I've been into for the last couple of years about ancient Greece, Rome, Persia, etc. They're based on actual people/soldiers/etc. that have lived and events that have happened. Michael Curtis Ford is able to take lesser known men who were great leaders/warriors and bring them to life, telling their story. My favourite novel by hims is called The Last King about Mithradates (sp..). I've also read The Ten Thousand about Xenophon and Gods and Legions about Julian and they have both been fantastic in their seperate ways. In total, he has five novels out, and I'm pretty sure I'll read those soon too. If you're into the war-like stories, then you'd probably like these novels.

If I feel up to it, I'll add other favourites and 'classics' of mine later but I have to go for the time being.

[CR22]

I'm not sure if it would really be considered 'classic', but Danielewski's House of Leaves is a wonderful and visually intriguing book.

But other than that, Orwell and Vonnegut are excellent authors. Hawthorne too, to some extent. And Twain is a necessary, if not for the eloquence of his writing but for its colloquialism.

[Arietraekos]

Oh Classic eh? Well then i'd have to say Charles Dickens then.....

[St.Jimmy]

George Orwell, with Nineteen Eighty-Four. Jane Austen, with Pride And Prejudice. Harper Lee, with To Kill A Mockingbird. And, of course, my very favourite J.D Salinger with A Catcher In The Rye.

I know he's a modern author, but I believe that he should go down with the classics for his novel, The Road. That's Cormac McCarthy, and although I didn't enjoy No Country For Old Men and have never read any of his other work, The Road stands out to me as a book which should go down forever for its inescapable brilliance.

[iamsheena]

George Orwell, with Nineteen Eighty-Four. Jane Austen, with Pride And Prejudice. Harper Lee, with To Kill A Mockingbird. And, of course, my very favourite J.D Salinger with A Catcher In The Rye.

I love To Kill a Mockingbird and I can't believe I totally forgot about it for a moment. I think I may have to read it again as it's been about two years.

I've wanted to read Nineteen Eighty-Four but I haven't got around to it as we were supposed to read it in class, but there was too much to do, which is also the case with Catcher in the Rye. My friends all read it in their classes but I was unable to.

--

Books that I have read and have not already listed differ greatly from one another. I love Douglas Coupland's Shampoo Planet, although it was somewhat depressing in a non-depressing sort of way ... if that makes sense. Coupland is a great author though, although I've only read the one, but I plan to read Generation X as well.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch is also one of the better books I have read, although it seems to be endlessly horrid for the protagonist. I think it's absolutely wonderful and there are two of my friends, one who is a crazy critic of everything and one who is into summer/girly/high school books, are both great fans of the books as well, and they both (along with me) could not put it down.

Oh dear, I have to go clean ... if the topic still lives, I'll add more later within another reply to some one else's post most likely.