Which three books helped to make you the person you are today? I read all mine at school between the ages of 13 and 15. They are:
Orwell's Animal Farm. Revolution and power, and the eventual realisation that power is corruptible.
Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. Ostensibly a story of an alienated teenager, I've later come to think that Holden Caulfield might be a far more universal figure, simply trying to make sense of the phoney adult world.
Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge. A rollicking good yarn. Stupidity, good fortune, friendship and mentoring, romance, downfall and the spirit-crushing line in Michael Henchard's will, 'that no sexton be asked to toll the bell'.
With thanks to my English teacher, Mr Purcell. I've often wondered to what extent these were his choices.
What are yours? What is it about them that affected you?
Chris
Posted on: 19 March 2017 by sjbabbey
oops I've only listed 2 books so here's a fun/educational one that I return to from time to time.
13 Things That Don't Make Sense - Michael Brooks.
Posted on: 21 March 2017 by andarkian
Proust - A la recherche du temps Perdue.
James Joyce - Ulysses
Robert M. Pirsig - Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Only joking!
W.E. Johns - Biggles Goes To War
Ian Fleming - Doctor No
Ian Rankin - Any Rebus novel
Any author with Ian in his name.
Posted on: 22 March 2017 by Ron Brinsdon
"Playpower" - Richard Neville. Got me started on a lot of fun things when I was about 16
"Triplanetary" - E.E. (Doc) Smith . My first serious sci-fi foray.
Finally, and I am not joking ANDARKIAN
"Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" - Robert M.Pirsig. I have lost count of the number of times I have read this but I still find it entertaining and thought provoking. Could not get into his follow-up though.
Posted on: 22 March 2017 by andarkian
Ron Brinsdon posted:
Finally, and I am not joking ANDARKIAN
"Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" - Robert M.Pirsig. I have lost count of the number of times I have read this but I still find it entertaining and thought provoking. Could not get into his follow-up though.
Ha! Ha! The only one I never attempted to read was Proust. I tried Zen and the Art of Motorcycke Maintenance several times and always failed. Ulysses, again I have tried several times but lose the plot when Dedalus, Mulligan, Bloom etc get caught up in their unpunctuated streams of consciousness. However, as an adolescent, the scene of sleazy old Bloom in the park watching the girl on the swing, for him to be literally deflated when she jumps off and is revealed to be crippled was, to me, a marvellous piece of reasonably innocent eroticism.
Posted on: 22 March 2017 by Stephen D
Hmmm....
Have a little faith - Mitch album
The moon is a harsh mistress - Robert heinlein
Catch 22 as noted by others here.
i have read all at least a dozen times and always get entranced by each , old friends we are now.
