[Chadforpresidentin08]

In this thread, tell us about books you've read that you've enjoyed or didn't enjoy.
I finished All Quiet On The Western Front yesterday. I thought it was a very good book, it's about a German soldier in the trenches during WWI accounting all his fights with the French, English and Americans while he fights his own battles about the whole idea of war and life. It was kinda dry, like the first 50 pages are really boring, but after that it's pretty good. Giving it an 8.5 out of 10.
I also read Lord Of The Flies. It was a rather interesting book but a good one that has a deep plot and theme. It's about a bunch of boys on a deserted island. However, soon kids start being incooperative and the rules they set up crumble, and tribes form with enemies and murders. Giving it an 8 out of 10.
Finished Namath's autobiography that he made not a year ago. Was really good, I like how he had such vivd memories of all the games. Giving this a 10.
Right now I'm starting a book called Clemente about Roberto Clemente, and great Pirates rightfielder that dyed so tragically. I'm only on page 7 but I've learned quite a bit about him. I'll give a review on this once I finish it.
So feel free to post any books you've read!!!

[HarlemHxC814]

What the hell are books? (kidding)

I thought Lord Of The Flies was pretty good. I liked The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah. Herm's book was actually pretty good

[XvNukemHighvX]

Hmmm Alas Babylon was a good read. If you have seen the show Jerricho it is basically the same thing only written in the mid 90s and in a town in FL. All about surviving after a nuclear attack.

American Psycho was awesome. It's more of a post modern book so you have to be in to that type of thing. the movie ruined it but the book is really good. It's about a guy working on wallstreet who is also a serial killer but no one ever suspects him because he is froma rich family and does his job well. Kind of a killer next door book.

[Smedsthejet]

I recently read Berlin Games: How Hitler Stole the Olympic Dream by Guy Walters. It was a very interesting read and well written and has a lot on the story of Jesse Owens. It is a bit wordy though and can be tough to understand in places but is well worth a read if you are interested in any aspect of Nazi Germany.

[Smedsthejet]

p.s. I have put in bold all the book titles to make it easier to show what books you guys are reviewing.

[socaljetsfan]

CATCH 22 by Joseph Heller, good book to read, tough to sometimes understand, funny, action and a little drama all in one, classic book though

[Chadforpresidentin08]

For my English class, we had to read The Odyssey. For those that have come across the great fortune of not having to read this book in your high school tenure, don't read it now. Even through it's about 3000 years old, the book is simply flat out boring. It's about one man, Odysseyus, trying to return home from the Trojan War while his wife is being courted by various suitors. It's hard to give a 3000 year old oral tale a bad grade, but this deserves it, considering I've read parts of the Epic of Gilgamesh, which is 1000 years older and 1000 times better. I'm giving The Odyssey 0.5 out of 10.

[smallguy]

I have been reading multiple short stories by Ernest Hemingway. His stories are random and strange but not bad overall.

[JettingAwayAC]

I have been reading multiple short stories by Ernest Hemingway. His stories are random and strange but not bad overall.

I was recently very moved by one of his works, "A Very Short Story"...have you read that one?

[smallguy]

I was recently very moved by one of his works, "A Very Short Story"...have you read that one?

haha yea I have. I loved the ending and how the man's name was never mention. Did you ever read "The Battler" by him?

[JettingAwayAC]

haha yea I have. I loved the ending and how the man's name was never mention. Did you ever read "The Battler" by him?

No I have not but I suppose you suggest it? I'll take a look.

[smallguy]

No I have not but I suppose you suggest it? I'll take a look.

If you like reading about gay hobos, than pick it up! "The Battler" was probably one of the strangest stories I ever read....ever. I am going to be reading bits from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, since his book is my term paper topic.

[JettingAwayAC]

If you like reading about gay hobos, than pick it up! "The Battler" was probably one of the strangest stories I ever read....ever. I am going to be reading bits from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, since his book is my term paper topic.

I'm actually majoring in homosexual hobology right now.

[Smedsthejet]

I'm actually majoring in homosexual hobology right now.

At what university is this?

[socaljetsfan]

Of Mice and Men...very good book, its short only about 100 pages, but good action and a surprising ending, i highly recommend it. Also just read A Raisin in the Sun, its kind of like a play but its more of a story, its ok, dont recommend spending time reading it, nothing too special coming out of it.

[Smedsthejet]

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

Really good book about what it's like to be a teenager and also quite moving too. The style it's written in is great too - the character is writing letters to an unknown person and it really allows the author to convey the character's feelings fully.

[Chadforpresidentin08]

I've read several books since I went MIA.
I started this Summer reading Mystic River by Dennis Lehane, which was made into an Academy Award winning movie in 2003, 2 years following it being published. I thought it was an excellent book, Lehane's writing syrle is excellent, as he deos a superb job of showing the wounds and scars of the characters. The story is about 2 friends; Jimmy, Dave, and Sean, who were friends as kids. One day when they're about 11, a car pulls up to them that they think is the cops, which scares them since they were thinking about stealing a car. Dave, a jumpy little fellow, gets in, and doesn't come back till 4 days later and is not the same. Fastforward 25 years later, with Dave happilly married, Jimmy redeemed after spending 2 years in jail for theft, and Sean a successful cop but troubled by his wife leaving him. Jimmy's beloved daugter Kattie is brutally murdered, and Sean is assigned the case. What evolves after that is superb, as each character reveals deep emotions and events from their past. The buildup is excellent, but once you found out who is guilty, though suprising, I thought it was like Lehane rushed the ending, since the guilty person(s) is a rather random choice. Fortunately, Kattie's death will turn out to be a side story really, because the story takes on a darker turn. Mystic River was a great book, and I'm definetly gonna buy the movie. 9.5 out of 10.
So stunned by Mystic River, I decide to crack open another Lehane book, Shutter Island, which is actually a movie in the making (directed by Martin Scorsese with Leo DiCaprio, so it should be good). The story is about US Marhsal Teddy Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule as they investigate the disappearance of a murderess, Rachel Solando, from Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane on Shutter Island in New England. A great combination of Stephen King creepiness and Sherlock Holmes clue hunting is packed in this story as the investigation points to the Hospital possibly doing experimental surgury. Another ending with a MAJOR twist, but it's believable and enjoyable. 9.5 out of 10 as well.
And for the posters above, I read some Ernie Hemmingway as well, but I think I'm done with him. I read A Farewell to Arms and I'm glad I got it over for Summer Reading, because I thought it sucked. In short, it's Romeo and Juliet in World War I, and let me tell you, Romeo and Juliet isn't very good. It's about an ambulance driver in the Italian army who falls in love with a Brit nurse, with a boring story line and horrific dialogue that's basically repeated over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Did not like it much at all. 2 out of 10.

[Chadforpresidentin08]

Of Mice and Men...very good book, its short only about 100 pages, but good action and a surprising ending, i highly recommend it. Also just read A Raisin in the Sun, its kind of like a play but its more of a story, its ok, dont recommend spending time reading it, nothing too special coming out of it.

Just finished Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 2 days ago, and it was excellent. Just as you said, it's a quick read (I finished it in one day, granted I got nothing else to do) and a really good one. It's about these 2 guys, Lennie and George, who are wandering across the country looking for work, with high hopes to own a ranch someday. A charming story with plenty of action, and as Socal said, an ending you'd never have seen. 9 out of 10.
Also read Body of Lies by Washinton Post writer David Ignatius, which was a really good CIA/spy thriller. It has to tell with a secret sect of the CIA that is attempting to bring down a master Al Qaeda terrorist named Suleiman, who seems invinceable to the CIA. They plan to have a dead body of a man who looked like he worked for the CIA to be found by Al Qaeda, and on him the fake CIA man will have false info that makes it look like the CIA has recruited within Al Qaeda. An accurate, thrilling, and up-to-date novel on the crisis in the Middle East and on Islam, but the story got a bit caught up in some romance. A movie based off this book with Leo DiCaprio and Rus Crowe will be released in October, which I'm looking forward to. 8.5 out of 10.

[Maynard13]

I was never much of a book reader, the only book I ever remember reading until High School was Crash an I loved that, but the only book I ever loved to read and ever read a second time was To Kill A Mockingbird. I'm 100% sure you've all read it. its pretty much forced on us all, but its message is so well sent. The son of what is truly a great hearted person is on the fence of how it is he should be while noticeing all the bad things going on at that time. I loved this because I can relate(somewhat) to its story. And when they did the 100 greatest heros and Villans in cinema, Atticus Finch was called the #1 Greatest Hero not because he could shoot 'em up or anything unrealistic, but because he had the best tool of all, a big heart.....I love that book.


Feirenheit 451 and One Flew Over the Choo Choos Nest are also both amazing books that tell a strong, and realizable, story.

[socaljetsfan]

The Walrus was Paul by Gary Paulson...Very interesting read for any Beatles fan. About the Paul McCartney death hoax and all the "clues" in the music and the art of the Beatles covers, highly reccommended for a Beatles fan because you do need to know their music if you want to fully understand it and have fun with it.