Anyone recommend a decent book? Something that someone who liked writers such as Orwell and Huxley might like
Book Recommendation
Well, I liked 1984 and also liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon and Life Of Pi by Yann Martel.
Dan
GK Chesterton's 'The man who was Thursday' is a weird conspiracy egg, set at the turn of the century. It ends up in a different place from the direction set at the beginning of the book. I'm planning on a re-read so will let you know: been 5 years since I read it last.
Catch-22 is simply one of the funniest books ever. Biting, and bleak.
Thanks. I'll check out - chabon.
Quote: SlagA @ November 28, 2007, 10:31 AMGK Chesterton's 'The man who was Thursday' is a weird conspiracy egg, set at the turn of the century. It ends up in a different place from the direction set at the beginning of the book. I'm planning on a re-read so will let you know: been 5 years since I read it last.
hope it is worth the wait !
monster island by david wellington. its about zombies.
any of the flashman books
catch 22 is really good
you can't beat a bit of flashman.
Quote: Nick Rivers @ November 28, 2007, 10:21 AMAnyone recommend a decent book? Something that someone who liked writers such as Orwell and Huxley might like
Some contemporary(ish) writers who explore dystopian ideas...
Kurt Vonnegut
JG Ballard
Will Self
Margaret Atwood
Other great 20th century comic novelists (hell, it's a comedy site) are Philip Roth, Martin Amis (well, until The Information) and Joseph Heller (Catch-22 anyway).
I second Sweryd, and if you like Kavalier and Clay (one of my favourite books) I heartily recommend Carter Beats the Devil.
You all beat me to Catch 22.
I've read it about 5 times.
Quote: David Bussell @ November 28, 2007, 2:59 PMI second Sweryd, and if you like Kavalier and Clay (one of my favourite books)
Probably the best book I've ever read, in my opinion.
Dan
It is an absolute corker. And sorry for misspelling your fake name there, Dan.
And of course there are about 100 Leslie Thomas books - which inspired my NaNo.
Quote: SlagA @ November 28, 2007, 10:31 AMCatch-22 is simply one of the funniest books ever. Biting, and bleak.
It is truly a great, funny, satirical book. Quite confusing as well with the amount of characters and all the skipping back and forth, but yeah it's brilliant. The film isn't too bad either.
Quote: Martin Holmes @ November 28, 2007, 6:24 PMIt is truly a great, funny, satirical book. Quite confusing as well with the amount of characters and all the skipping back and forth, but yeah it's brilliant. The film isn't too bad either.
I agree. They are both good in their own right.
Incidentally I've read one and a half of Joseph Heller's other books and are nowhere near as good, funny or accessible.
Try 'We' by the Russian author Yevgeny Zamiyatin. It's the archetypal dystopian novel and was recognised by Orwell as the inspiration for 1984. Drags slighty at the start of the final third but it really is a tour de force (if I may be that pretentious). I think it sits nicely between Huxley and Orwell - in style and quality (with Orwell being the optimum).