Which Book Have You Read the Most?

[Phoenix]

I read lots of series growing up -


James Herriot's "All Things Bright and Beautiful", etc.

The Chronicles of Narnia

The Dark Is Rising series by Susan Cooper


Probably read each of those series a minimum of six times.

 

[Kalam]

Why?
I didn\t like it either.

What about it didn't you like?

Nope. I'm serious. I think that's THE most overrated novel of ALL TIME.

How's that? Why is it undeserving of its literary reputation?

 

[manifold]

How's that? Why is it undeserving of its literary reputation?

Because it's a piece of shit.

A go nowhere story about the angst of a socially awkward high school pussy! Wow, fucking brilliant.

 

[dilloduck]

How's that? Why is it undeserving of its literary reputation?

Because it's a piece of shit.

A go nowhere story about the angst of a socially awkward high school pussy! Wow, fucking brilliant.

no no--that's Chris' autobiography.

 

[Said1]

Why?
I didn\t like it either.

What about it didn't you like?

Holden was seriously irritating. So, the entire book.

What do you find so exceptional and praise worthy about it, exactly?

 

[American Horse]

And how many times have you read it?

Why that book?

Eric Hoffer's "True Believer" (On the Nature of Mass Movements) perhaps 7 times
Eric Hoffer's "The Passionate State of Mind" perhaps 10 times

They answer so many questions about the motivations of people. Why do they do what they do?

The same question in the past tense, “why did they do it” had been asked about the Kool-Aid drinkers at Jonestown, Guyana, South America; of the Nazi’s leading up to WWII, of their atrocities all through it, and the phenomenon of Hitler; although that reason seems more obscure with the German people, once you’ve read the True Believer, it’s all easier to understand.

Hoffer's "hero" is "the autonomous man".

From the Time/Life Editors Preface: During his Presidency Dwight Eisenhower pressed The True Believer on his associates. That's the reason I always pick up a copy of TTB when I get the chance; to do what Eisenhower did: when that discussion comes up and people ask the same old question, I don’t try to answer it, I just say “I have a book for you!” and give them one of my many copies, with the comment "You don't have to worry about returning this to me. It's a free-be"

 

[Vel]

Gone With The Wind ( more times than I could ever count )

The Foundation Trilogy

Asimov's Robot series

Stephen King's earlier novels


Hmm... This list could get really long. I rarely ever read a book just once.


I've always love historical novels and Asimov always showed the world's possibilities.

 

[Said1]

Does Hoffer give Antonio Gramasci any credit?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

And how many times have you read it?

Why that book?

Probably the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I have read it at least 4 times. Over the years. Lately I have been reading the Bolo Series again it is getting close on some of those too.

I love the Trilogy, just can't read it to often as it is LONG as shit.

The Bolo series of books have multiple writers and all but one book are short stories. Several of those stories are just fantastic.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I've read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Times series about 6 times or so.

I gave up around the 9th book when he got so long winded and couldn't stay on story line.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Catcher in the Rye.
Over and over

You know, he NEVER actually read it, just had to HAVE it.

 

[Luissa]

Catcher in the Rye.
Over and over

I am with there along with Franny and Zooey.

 

[Luissa]

and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

 

[hjmick]

The Stand

Fahrenheit 451

 

[Xenophon]

Another I have read a lot is "Canticle for leibowitz" by Walter M. Miller.

This is the best post apocalyptic novel ever written.

 

[Chris]

"The Oak and the Calf" by Alexander Solzenhitzen.

If you haven't read it, do so.

It is incredible.

 

[American Horse]

Another I have read a lot is "Canticle for leibowitz" by Walter M. Miller.

This is the best post apocalyptic novel ever written.

I thought so too at the time I read it. Enjoyed it a lot. Just recently I looked it up again to re-read some of it. Mostly to see what has developed from it in other authors works over the years since it was first published in 1960.

 

[Kalam]

How's that? Why is it undeserving of its literary reputation?

Because it's a piece of shit.

A go nowhere story about the angst of a socially awkward high school pussy! Wow, fucking brilliant.

Your understanding of the book seems superficial. The story itself is okay... the style in which is was written is unique, its social commentary is incisive, and it describes the socially awkward teenage male psyche incredibly accurately. Did you think it was intended to be meaningless narrative about a bunch of random shit some dropout kid did for a few days?

 

[Kalam]

Holden was seriously irritating. So, the entire book.

What about him did you find irritating?

What do you find so exceptional and praise worthy about it, exactly?

The things I listed above, as well as the extent to which I was able to identify with it when I was Holden's age. That seems to be why a lot of people appreciate it.

 

[Article 15]

I've read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Times series about 6 times or so.

I gave up around the 9th book when he got so long winded and couldn't stay on story line.

I hear ya.

He fizzled out at the end there. I started losing him at book eight.

I started reading the series when book five came out and whenever a new one was released I would just start over from book one.

I got The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, and The Fires of Heaven practically memorized.

Books 1-7 were the poo.