|
|
Post by Fairweather on Apr 9, 2008 21:22:18 GMT -5
Ran across this at AOL News today: a new Harris poll ranking the favorite books of Americans.
In order, they are:
1) The Bible
2) Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
3) The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien
4) The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
5) The Stand, by Stephen King
6) The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
7) To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
8) Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown
9) Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand
10) The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
Confession time: I love the Bible for the stories and wisdom; the Tolkien trilogy and the Potter series for just being great reads; and Harper Lee for a great portrait of the South as it was (and to some degree is).
However, I've read both Dan Browns and thought them exciting but mediocre thrillers; my favorite Stephen Kings are Firestarter and Bag of Bones; I tried Ayn Rand and was totally repelled; I got into a fight with my favorite college history prof because frankly, Gone with the Wind has always struck me as the earliest of the big fat trashy romances that most commentators date to Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber (he didn't agree); and I've never even peeked into J.D. Salinger.
What do y'all think about the list?
|
|
|
|
Post by moonstone on Apr 9, 2008 21:48:12 GMT -5
Ran across this at AOL News today: a new Harris poll ranking the favorite books of Americans. In order, they are: 1) The Bible 2) Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell 3) The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien 4) The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling 5) The Stand, by Stephen King 6) The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown 7) To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee 8) Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown 9) Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand 10) The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger Confession time: I love the Bible for the stories and wisdom; the Tolkien trilogy and the Potter series for just being great reads; and Harper Lee for a great portrait of the South as it was (and to some degree is). However, I've read both Dan Browns and thought them exciting but mediocre thrillers; my favorite Stephen Kings are Firestarter and Bag of Bones; I tried Ayn Rand and was totally repelled; I got into a fight with my favorite college history prof because frankly, Gone with the Wind has always struck me as the earliest of the big fat trashy romances that most commentators date to Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber (he didn't agree); and I've never even peeked into J.D. Salinger. What do y'all think about the list? For starters, I can't believe enough people have read Atlas Shrugged to put it on this list; most people read The Fountainhead if they read any Rand at all. |
|
|
|
Post by Fairweather on Apr 9, 2008 21:50:25 GMT -5
THAT'S the Rand I couldn't remember the name of--the one they made a movie of, with Gary Cooper and Patricia Neal.
|
|
|
|
Post by bluestocking on Apr 9, 2008 21:59:59 GMT -5
My first Ayn Rand was "We the Living" -- which if I recall correctly wasn't all that bad...it was semi-autobiographical about her life in immediately post-revolution Russia. Sort of explains her point of view in Atlas and Fountainhead -- but those were definitely not exactly my cup of tea.
I agree with Katie on Potter, Tolkein, Dan Brown, Gone with the Wind, and Salinger.
Hate Stephen King with a passion; love Mockingbird with a passion.
Just where the heck are Shakespeare, Austen, Gaskell, thingyens, Trollope, and all the Brontes on this list?
|
|
|
|
Post by moonstone on Apr 9, 2008 22:08:16 GMT -5
My first Ayn Rand was "We the Living" -- which if I recall correctly wasn't all that bad...it was semi-autobiographical about her life in immediately post-revolution Russia. Sort of explains her point of view in Atlas and Fountainhead -- but those were definitely not exactly my cup of tea. I agree with Katie on Potter, Tolkein, Dan Brown, Gone with the Wind, and Salinger. Hate Stephen King with a passion; love Mockingbird with a passion. Just where the heck are Shakespeare, Austen, Gaskell, thingyens, Trollope, and all the Brontes on this list? Good question, and although it's not exactly my cup of tea, where on earth is Mark Twain? |
|
|
|
Post by Laura on Apr 9, 2008 23:14:25 GMT -5
Ran across this at AOL News today: a new Harris poll ranking the favorite books of Americans. In order, they are: 1) The Bible 2) Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell 3) The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien 4) The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling 5) The Stand, by Stephen King 6) The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown 7) To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee 8) Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown 9) Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand 10) The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger Confession time: I love the Bible for the stories and wisdom; the Tolkien trilogy and the Potter series for just being great reads; and Harper Lee for a great portrait of the South as it was (and to some degree is). However, I've read both Dan Browns and thought them exciting but mediocre thrillers; my favorite Stephen Kings are Firestarter and Bag of Bones; I tried Ayn Rand and was totally repelled; I got into a fight with my favorite college history prof because frankly, Gone with the Wind has always struck me as the earliest of the big fat trashy romances that most commentators date to Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber (he didn't agree); and I've never even peeked into J.D. Salinger. What do y'all think about the list? Well, I've read and always refer to the Bible, I've not read any of the others, but I've seen Gone With The Wind, The Stand, To Kill A Mockingbird. |
|
|
|
Post by nanalinda on Apr 10, 2008 0:21:55 GMT -5
Many of my favorite authors who hadn't previously injected politics into their books are now doing just that. Funnily enough they all tend to be Democrats. I used to read Michael Crichton's books and enjoy them until he wrote one about the "myth" of global warming. A new find I made was Steve Alten who wrote "The Shell Game". This book is gripping. I'll read anything by Lee Child, Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, John Lescroart and Val McDermid. They are all good friends to this insomniac.
|
|
|
|
Post by Krista on Apr 10, 2008 7:35:21 GMT -5
Ran across this at AOL News today: a new Harris poll ranking the favorite books of Americans. In order, they are: 1) The Bible 2) Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell 3) The Lord of the Rings trilogy, by J.R.R. Tolkien 4) The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling 5) The Stand, by Stephen King 6) The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown 7) To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee 8) Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown 9) Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand 10) The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger Confession time: I love the Bible for the stories and wisdom; the Tolkien trilogy and the Potter series for just being great reads; and Harper Lee for a great portrait of the South as it was (and to some degree is). However, I've read both Dan Browns and thought them exciting but mediocre thrillers; my favorite Stephen Kings are Firestarter and Bag of Bones; I tried Ayn Rand and was totally repelled; I got into a fight with my favorite college history prof because frankly, Gone with the Wind has always struck me as the earliest of the big fat trashy romances that most commentators date to Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber (he didn't agree); and I've never even peeked into J.D. Salinger. What do y'all think about the list? is my all-time favorite book and helped make me into the trouble-maker I am today! I was drug to church every Sunday for the first 18 years of my life, so I think I've got the Bible covered. I liked the movie Gone with the Wind more than the book. Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter?! EEEeeeeWWWwww! I haven't read The Stand, but I love Pet Cemetery. I'm on DaVinci Code overload. I loved both the book and movie of Mockingbird. |
|
|
|
Post by g1 on Apr 10, 2008 8:44:05 GMT -5
Hmmm... Still read the Bible a fair amount, looking for loopholes. (And to try to keep up with my sweety, who's a seminarian.)
Never read most of these as I'm not a reader of novels with the exception of Tolkien and things assigned in English classes (Mockingbird, Catcher) Horror novels generally bore me, though I liked King's Gunslinger series (at least the first two -- I've lost track of these) mostly because they reminded me of the late, great Roger Zelazny. And I like Anne Rice's vampires, mostly.
I wonder if their sample was skewed toward conservatives? Ayn Rand had a resurgence a few years back in those circles due to Newt's influence. Aside from her Anthem, I could never get past pg 17 of any Rand work.
|
|
|
|
Post by Laura on Apr 10, 2008 10:18:53 GMT -5
Many of my favorite authors who hadn't previously injected politics into their books are now doing just that. Funnily enough they all tend to be Democrats. I used to read Michael Crichton's books and enjoy them until he wrote one about the "myth" of global warming. A new find I made was Steve Alten who wrote "The Shell Game". This book is gripping. I'll read anything by Lee Child, Harlan Coben, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, John Lescroart and Val McDermid. They are all good friends to this insomniac. Thrillers, yes. I love true crime. Was that Michael Crichton's book titled Hot Zone? BTW..Nanalinda..did you make up a new word? "Funnily"..I must consult with our English Professor Krista to see about this. I love the sound of it. If it's a new word, we must think of how we can use it in a sentence. |
|
|
|
Post by nanalinda on Apr 10, 2008 10:48:50 GMT -5
Thrillers, yes. I love true crime. Was that Michael Crichton's book titled Hot Zone? BTW..Nanalinda..did you make up a new word? "Funnily"..I must consult with our English Professor Krista to see about this. I love the sound of it. If it's a new word, we must think of how we can use it in a sentence. Yes Laura, 'Funnily" is a legitimate word. I had to make certain as I use it without thinking. I can't remember the name of the Crichton book, I'm afraid. It was one of the few I've given away without a qualm. |
|
|
|
Post by bluestocking on Apr 10, 2008 11:52:57 GMT -5
My preferences are generally to 18th-19th century fiction, but my tastes are pretty eclectic. I do like well-done historical fiction -- Iain Pears' "Instance of the Fingerpost," most of Sharon Kay Penman's stuff, including her medieval murder mysteries involving Eleanor of Acquitane's men and her son John...
A couple favorites from David Liss are "The Coffee Trader" set in mid-1600s Amsterdam -- coffee is the new tulip in the commodities market, plus elements of religious freedom in Holland and the Spanish Inquisition thrown in to spice things up.
Another Liss book, which takes place roughly a generation later in England is "A Conspiracy of Paper" -- excellent tale of London intrigue during the time of the South sea bubble, class conflicts, murder and how crime solving worked at the time.
Then there is Matthew Pearl's "The Dante Club" -- set in Boston in the immediate post Civil War era ... it involves a series of murders being done that echo some of the punishments from Dante's Inferno. Which, conveniently, is being translated into English by the local literary Brahmins who meet at Longfellow's house. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. is one of that group and is one of the principal amateur detectives.
Pearl also wrote "The Poe Shadow" -- which I didn't like as well, but it is still interesting. It is set in Baltimore in 1849, and there is a young man who begins to be obsessed with the idea that Poe was murdered, and sets out to prove it. His personality starts to echo that of some Poe's more out-there characters, and that gets a little wearing in a full-length novel, but there are a lot Poe details here ... including ideas on Poe's inspiration for his fictional detective M. Dupin.
|
|
|
|
Post by moonstone on Apr 10, 2008 13:08:14 GMT -5
BTW..Nanalinda..did you make up a new word? "Funnily"..I must consult with our English Professor Krista to see about this. I love the sound of it. If it's a new word, we must think of how we can use it in a sentence. We can use it funnily. |
|
|
|
Post by Fairweather on Apr 10, 2008 13:22:16 GMT -5
Lately among my favorites there are a lot of "cooking" mysteries--they feature chefs, bakers and etc. who get involved in crime, usually murders. The first ones of this genre I read were by Peter King (not the SI dude who was on Sunday night football w/Costas and co.), who features a character called the Gourmet Detective, sort of a cross between Tony Bourdain and Clint Eastwood's Nameless--then there's Diane Mott Davidson, Tamar Myers, and the most recent one I've glommed onto, Jo Fluke. Although King's do not, Davidson's and Fluke's works contain some of the most mouthwatering recipes (especially Fluke's; hers feature a baker who owns her own cookie shop) and almost--note the almost--make me wish I were truly interested in cooking.
g1, I liked Anne Rice's vamps too, but I liked the Mayfair witches better.
And blue, didn't Iain Pears also have a series about art that featured an English art historian and an Italian fraud detective? If he was the one who wrote those, I've read a few of them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Laura on Apr 10, 2008 13:31:25 GMT -5
Lately among my favorites there are a lot of "cooking" mysteries--they feature chefs, bakers and etc. who get involved in crime, usually murders. The first ones of this genre I read were by Peter King (not the SI dude who was on Sunday night football w/Costas and co.), who features a character called the Gourmet Detective, sort of a cross between Tony Bourdain and Clint Eastwood's Nameless--then there's Diane Mott Davidson, Tamar Myers, and the most recent one I've glommed onto, Jo Fluke. Although King's do not, Davidson's and Fluke's works contain some of the most mouthwatering recipes (especially Fluke's; hers feature a baker who owns her own cookie shop) and almost--note the almost--make me wish I were truly interested in cooking. g1, I liked Anne Rice's vamps too, but I liked the Mayfair witches better. And blue, didn't Iain Pears also have a series about art that featured an English art historian and an Italian fraud detective? If he was the one who wrote those, I've read a few of them. Oh Katie..I'm so glad I found another Diane Mott Davidson fan. I love, love, love her books. Read most of them, and will read them all one day. The recipes are fabulous, the stories even better. Goldy, the caterer is one great detective. |
|
|
|
Post by Fairweather on Apr 10, 2008 13:42:58 GMT -5
Definitely, Laura. And the books are exceptionally well-written, too--which you don't always find in crime fiction.
Speaking of which, I'm also a major fan of Joseph Wambaugh (who doesn't write a whole lot anymore) and the classic crime fiction writers: Agatha Christie, John D*i*c*kson Carr, Rex Stout, Ellery Queen, and Dorothy L. Sayers--oh yes, and A. Conan Doyle--the Holmes stories are so wonderfully atmospheric and the characterizations so vivid.
|
|
|
|
Post by moonstone on Apr 10, 2008 13:44:59 GMT -5
Lately among my favorites there are a lot of "cooking" mysteries--they feature chefs, bakers and etc. who get involved in crime, usually murders. The first ones of this genre I read were by Peter King (not the SI dude who was on Sunday night football w/Costas and co.), who features a character called the Gourmet Detective, sort of a cross between Tony Bourdain and Clint Eastwood's Nameless--then there's Diane Mott Davidson, Tamar Myers, and the most recent one I've glommed onto, Jo Fluke. Although King's do not, Davidson's and Fluke's works contain some of the most mouthwatering recipes (especially Fluke's; hers feature a baker who owns her own cookie shop) and almost--note the almost--make me wish I were truly interested in cooking. g1, I liked Anne Rice's vamps too, but I liked the Mayfair witches better. And blue, didn't Iain Pears also have a series about art that featured an English art historian and an Italian fraud detective? If he was the one who wrote those, I've read a few of them. Oh Katie..I'm so glad I found another Diane Mott Davidson fan. I love, love, love her books. Read most of them, and will read them all one day. The recipes are fabulous, the stories even better. Goldy, the caterer is one great detective. Maybe we should start a recipe thread. I read a couple of Davidson's books a few years ago, but at this moment I'm interested in whether she has anything interesting that can be done with sugar-free jello. |
|
|
|
Post by Laura on Apr 10, 2008 13:46:03 GMT -5
Definitely, Laura. And the books are exceptionally well-written, too--which you don't always find in crime fiction. Speaking of which, I'm also a major fan of Joseph Wambaugh (who doesn't write a whole lot anymore) and the classic crime fiction writers: Agatha Christie, John D*i*c*kson Carr, Rex Stout, Ellery Queen, and Dorothy L. Sayers--oh yes, and A. Conan Doyle--the Holmes stories are so wonderfully atmospheric and the characterizations so vivid. Yes, I'm also a fan of Joseph Wambaugh, have been since he was working for LAPD, which at the time I was also. He retired to devote his time to writing full time. BTW, he does have a new book out. I'm not sure of the title. His books made great movies too. |
|
|
|
Post by bluestocking on Apr 10, 2008 13:48:46 GMT -5
Lately among my favorites there are a lot of "cooking" mysteries--they feature chefs, bakers and etc. who get involved in crime, usually murders. The first ones of this genre I read were by Peter King (not the SI dude who was on Sunday night football w/Costas and co.), who features a character called the Gourmet Detective, sort of a cross between Tony Bourdain and Clint Eastwood's Nameless--then there's Diane Mott Davidson, Tamar Myers, and the most recent one I've glommed onto, Jo Fluke. Although King's do not, Davidson's and Fluke's works contain some of the most mouthwatering recipes (especially Fluke's; hers feature a baker who owns her own cookie shop) and almost--note the almost--make me wish I were truly interested in cooking. g1, I liked Anne Rice's vamps too, but I liked the Mayfair witches better. And blue, didn't Iain Pears also have a series about art that featured an English art historian and an Italian fraud detective? If he was the one who wrote those, I've read a few of them. Iain Pears' art theft murder mysteries are fabulous fun. He wrote another more serious novel called the "Dream of Scipio" -- not quite as accessible as "Fingerpost" or the murder mysteries, but excellent in a different way. It interweaves the stories of three men living hundreds of years apart, bound together in their study of a manuscript, and each living at a time when the barbarians are literally at the gate -- central theme is what is one's duty in a time when society falls apart, is it okay to be selfish or must sacrifices be made for the greater good. On a lighter note, for theme murder mysteries -- Monica Ferris has a series involving a needlework shop in suburban Minneapolis, and all include a pattern for needlepoint, lace, etc. at the end. The first in the series is "Crewel World." There is a local stand up comedian who has written a couple of hilarious murder mysteries -- "Stand Up and Die" and "Hotdish to Die For" -- which includes a collection of hotdish recipes. For those not from the Midwest, hotdish is the church-basement supper versions of casseroles. |
|
|
|
Post by Fairweather on Apr 10, 2008 13:49:01 GMT -5
Oops, I would be remiss if I did not mention--sort of as a counterbalance to Rice's Gothic vamps--Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire mysteries. These center around a Louisiana barmaid named Sookie Stackhouse who's telepathic and who has a lot of encounters with "supes"--supernatural creatures like vampires, werewolves and other shapeshifters, maenads, witches and most recently aliens from other dimensions. The outstanding feature of these books (the earliest ones of which are hysterically funny) are that Harris finally explains all the sightings of Elvis: he was brought across by a vampire mortuary attendant. Uh--unfortunately the drugs in Elvis's system messed up the blood exchange and he's been a little off ever since. He hates it when people call him Elvis--he'd rather be called Bubba--and he only likes (sorry, Laura!!!!) cat blood. He can however be persuaded once in awhile to sing--
|
|
|
|
Post by Laura on Apr 10, 2008 13:49:23 GMT -5
Oh Katie..I'm so glad I found another Diane Mott Davidson fan. I love, love, love her books. Read most of them, and will read them all one day. The recipes are fabulous, the stories even better. Goldy, the caterer is one great detective. Maybe we should start a recipe thread. I read a couple of Davidson's books a few years ago, but at this moment I'm interested in whether she has anything interesting that can be done with sugar-free jello. Oh, that would be fun. Sugar-free jello, if you're serious, can be used like regular jello in recipes. |
|
|
|
Post by Fairweather on Apr 10, 2008 13:51:54 GMT -5
Oh Katie..I'm so glad I found another Diane Mott Davidson fan. I love, love, love her books. Read most of them, and will read them all one day. The recipes are fabulous, the stories even better. Goldy, the caterer is one great detective. Maybe we should start a recipe thread. I read a couple of Davidson's books a few years ago, but at this moment I'm interested in whether she has anything interesting that can be done with sugar-free jello. In the Fluke book I just finished she has a recipe for a cake that uses orange jello, but unfortunately she specifies it can't be sugarfree--I'll keep an eye out for some though. |
|
|
|
Post by moonstone on Apr 10, 2008 13:56:41 GMT -5
Maybe we should start a recipe thread. I read a couple of Davidson's books a few years ago, but at this moment I'm interested in whether she has anything interesting that can be done with sugar-free jello. In the Fluke book I just finished she has a recipe for a cake that uses orange jello, but unfortunately she specifies it can't be sugarfree--I'll keep an eye out for some though. Post that one. I only said sugar-free because that's what I've got in the house right now. |
|
|
|
Post by bluestocking on Apr 10, 2008 14:01:08 GMT -5
Maybe we should start a recipe thread. I read a couple of Davidson's books a few years ago, but at this moment I'm interested in whether she has anything interesting that can be done with sugar-free jello. In the Fluke book I just finished she has a recipe for a cake that uses orange jello, but unfortunately she specifies it can't be sugarfree--I'll keep an eye out for some though. Yikes, now I've got the song "Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise" going through my head. Lest you thought this is just a novelty tune, in reality it was another cruel joke played on children at the churchbasement suppers of my youth. Not as bad the orange jello with grated carrots and tunafish topped with mayonaise, though. Brings me to a Louise Erdich short story where one of the characters objects to going on a trip to North Dakota, because she didn't want to go anywhere they "put the d*mn radishes in the jello." After a complicated series of unfortunate events, this character gets payback by putting washers and bolts into some jello... can't remember the name of the book it was in. The standup comedian with the hotdish recipes is Pat Dennis, btw. |
|
|
|
Post by bluestocking on Apr 10, 2008 14:06:01 GMT -5
|
|
