Books, authors, genres, etc...

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintJust to let you all know, "East of Eden" has been nothing short of amazing and I'm just over halfway through it. (Its 600 pages long, so I'd say I'm not reading THAT slowly) Definitely the best read I've experienced yet. I'll be happy if I get into more books that make me think like this one does.

Glad you're enjoying it. Steinbeck was a GREAT American author who often does not get the same recognition that many of the other authors from that time did. I've always enjoyed his style, finding it more accessible than Fitzgerald and even Faulkner.

Steinbeck was definitely one of the best. And I think "East of Eden" may be the best book ever written, as far as I'm concerned.

How I would've loved to sit and have a cold one or 5 with the man and discuss everything in the world...In order to write the way he did, he had to think that way too. And its nothing short of brilliance. I've found application and relation to myself in the book a few times now, and its just about knocked the wind outa me.

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintHow I would've loved to sit and have a cold one or 5 with the man and discuss everything in the world...In order to write the way he did, he had to think that way too. And its nothing short of brilliance. I've found application and relation to myself in the book a few times now, and its just about knocked the wind outa me.

I know what you mean; there are so many authors that I would love to have sat down with and discussed their craft. Steinbeck had such a profound ability to write deep and meaningful prose but in a way that made it interesting reading. It's not like you would have to slog your way through it. I felt a very similar feeling with 'The Grapes of Wrath'. I am really pleased that you're enjoying the book.

I just finished 'Night' by Elie Wiesel which won the Pulitzer in 1986. It's a first hand account of a young man (15 years old) in Auschwitz. Horrifying. Each page just breaks my heart. I am a bit of a history buff and thought I knew a bit about the Holocaust and I suppose I do but nothing I have ever read about the subject before has presented it in such a personal and painful way.

Whew. I think I need to go sit in the dark for a while and contemplate how man can do something so foul and evil to his fellow man. It's beyond comprehension. :(

I believe this reading thing will be a habit that sticks with me. I've been doing it on my morning break, my lunch break, all hours of the night..... Time passes so quickly while I do it, so I figure it can't hurt. Next on the lineup is "A Clockwork Orange" because I purchased it, but after that, I'm just gonna hit the library and see what I can find.

Originally Posted by: grizzlymintI believe this reading thing will be a habit that sticks with me. I've been doing it on my morning break, my lunch break, all hours of the night..... Time passes so quickly while I do it, so I figure it can't hurt. Next on the lineup is "A Clockwork Orange" because I purchased it, but after that, I'm just gonna hit the library and see what I can find.

You're gonna like it, my droog. It's a good raskazz. A real treat for the glazzies.

Well finished up East of Eden tonight, and it was exactly what I was looking for in a book. Made me feel like I got punched in my non-existant uterus but at the same time made me think. It had a fairly happy ending anyways, so I didn't feel too bad.

I'll ram through "A Clockwork Orange" and then I believe I'm gonna do Steinbeck's whole collection, starting off with Grapes of Wrath.

Thanks for the recomendations and the encouragement. :)

Originally Posted by: hunter60Glad you're enjoying it. Steinbeck was a GREAT American author who often does not get the same recognition that many of the other authors from that time did. I've always enjoyed his style, finding it more accessible than Fitzgerald and even Faulkner.

Call me cynical, but that is probably why he did not get as much recognition, at least in academic circles. An ACCESSIBLE author!! GASP!!! ;)

I will say about Faulkner, though, "As I Lay Dying" is absolutely hilarious if you're into black humor.

I love Steinbeck, though, cried like a baby last time I read "Of Mice and Men," so of course I had to read it again and cried even worse!!! The Pastures of Heaven is also a really good read.

Well, enough of my blathering!
Peace,
Tom

Originally Posted by: adevotedoneI love Steinbeck, though, cried like a baby last time I read "Of Mice and Men," so of course I had to read it again and cried even worse!!! The Pastures of Heaven is also a really good read.

Yeah, I'm thinking of buying a copy of Of Mice and Men, because it's the kind of book I could read over and over. I own Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden (which is the best book in the world) and have read a lot of his other books from the library. I have always really enjoyed Steinbeck, I guess because he knew how to get across the things people can't put into words. I think that he must have thought much the same as I do, just that he was smart enough to say what he thought...or at least give examples of it.

I agree, Pastures of Heaven was good. Definitely an improvement over Cup of Gold. I just finished In Dubious Battle today, and that one was pretty good too.

I have to read and write a report on the book 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' for my College US History class... I am dreading this :\ Has anyone read this book before?


(Btw Of Mice and Men is a sweeet read)

Originally Posted by: ThraxionI have to read and write a report on the book 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' for my College US History class... I am dreading this :\ Has anyone read this book before?


(Btw Of Mice and Men is a sweeet read)

I read it a few years ago. As a matter of fact, I may still have a copy at the house. Not sure, I'll have to check. Interesting read. Essentially, it covers a lot of aspects of US history that are told in an incomplete fashion in most schools. There are a number of details (of course) or motivations that were involved that are often times over-looked or glossed over by the old-school historians. A good example (and this is just off the top of my head) is that it is often taught that the civil war was fought over slavery. That may have been a peripheral reason but the main reason was economic (like most wars more basic motivation) and then it goes on to explain the same.

There are many other history books like it. One of my personal favorites is 'Don't know much about history'. Very similar to the above.

If I were writing the paper (and I have written several much like it), I would start with the quote "The winners get to write the history'. That's not an exact quote but you can find the original in a copy of Bartlett's Quotations. That's a very accurate description.

Good luck with your paper.

Yep, I've read Of Mice and Men. Good book. Good movie. Though after reading East of Eden, I'm gonna be impressed if anything lives up to it. I'm still consumed in it, and I finished it a couple days ago. I think I fell in love with Abra myself.

A Clockwork Orange is getting more interesting by the chapter. It took a bit to warm up to because of the slang, but I'm starting to translate it with ease now.