Great books

[glittertigger]

In the past month I've finally made time for some of the books which have been on my "to read" list for years. It was well worth it; I've already found three books, from different genres, which contain beautiful prose, compelling narratives (I sat up late into the night because I couldn't bear to put them down) and thought-provoking writing which doesn't shy away from difficult questions. In case you are curious they are,

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
Stalingrad - Anthony Beevor

I also read the sequels to Ender's Game but rather regretted it, as the series seems to get worse as it goes along. I'd be interested in suggestions for other books you think I'd like. Don't assume I read anything worthwhile at school, as I went to left wing comprehensives in the days before the national curriculum and we mostly read trendy 1960s rubbish! We didn't do any Shakespeare; we read Arthur Miller plays instead as they were more "relevant". We missed out all pre-20th century poetry and got landed with bollocks like Philip Larkin. And yes, I am still cross...

Comments

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

You might count yourself lucky that you never did Shakespeare etc at school; that usually has the effect of putting people off for life... at least as an adult you can come to it with an open mind.

Much of Steinbeck's other stuff -- Of Mice and Men, East of Eden, Cannery Row -- is also pretty enjoyable and interesting I think, if you can find it in print.

Card very rapidly degenerated into self-indulgent twaddle post Ender's Game (most recently, he's been calling for armed overthrow of the US govt if same-sex marriage is authorized). But some of the short stories he wrote prior to that, collected as Unaccompanied Sonata, are good if occasionally rather gruesome.