The greatest novel ever written

Ultradog MN

Well-known Member
Location
Twin Cities
Not many threads about reading here.
Might be nice to have some now and then.
I used to read a lot but the internet took up most of that time so i don't read much any more.
Lately though I've taken it up again. Renewed my library card and read several books on the war in the Pacific.
I returned a book today and placed a hold on two other books. They email you when they're in.
So I thought I would pick up something a little lighter this time.
A novel I've read at least a dozen times.
'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen
I do think this is the greatest novel ever written.
I don't mind if you guys scoff at me.
But read (or reread) the book First before you sling your barbs.
 
I have read all 6 of Miss Austen's books multiple times and enjoyed them very much. She was a very acute observer of human behavior, and had a very dry sense of humor. She is quite an inspiration to the rest of us in my opinion.
Zach
 
Like you, I used to read quite a few books before the internet. Now I read on the internet mostly. I've gotten a few good books over the past few years and mostly ok ones. I'll have to look into Pride And Prejudice.
 
I will try it,,I Have some books to return the end of this week.When my daughter was in grammar school she would have to read books.I would get a copy and read them too.I remem ber reading The old man and the sea,Animal Farm,the Grapes of Wrath,,,and one called watership downs, This winter I went to our library and just read a book all about the hog farming industry,,it was called Pig Tales.
 
I read some every day. I am eclectic in my choices, but fiction is the foremost. I go to the library every other Friday and bring home 6- 8 books. If you want some interesting stuff , try Ranulf Fiennes and his adventures/treks in the frozen areas of our planet. ;^)
 
P.S. He is VERY determined and tough guy. He cut the frost-bitten ends off his fingers with a jig saw in his own garden shed !
 
Ah, yes: Watership Down by Richard Adams, my favorite book ever! Certainly not high-brow, but riveting, and almost no humans involved! A long-time NY Times best-seller when it came out in the early 1970s. Thanks for mentioning it. I think I'll dig it out and read it again for probably the sixth or seventh time. Those rabbits are wonderful. For those who haven't read it, Google it for a hint.
 
Hi, one of my favorite books is OUTBACK. by Eron Fletcher. Australia in early settlement and a huge sheep station. Its likevyou were right there. I hope some of you will read it and enjoy vs as much as me. Ed Will.
 
I doubt you will get 'scoffed' or barbed here. I still love to read. I'll bet I'm in good company here.
 
I recomend Readers Digest condensed books, I pick them up at used book stores, flea markets etc. They usually have two male and two female related stories in each edition. I read both and I THINK I have a better understanding of the female point of view.
The condensed version of a book eliminates most of the chaff ie "...she wore a yellow...".
 
Last thing I read by myself was Joe Foss' autobiography and read Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo out loud to the boys.

The wife and I did bore through all six seasons of Downton Abbey. Not a novel but thematically similar to Austen's work.
 
The best books I ever read were "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" by Herman Wouk. This is actually one long story divided into two volumes. If you want to learn about World War II, with in-depth information presented in a concise, logical form, and conveyed through the lives of interesting fictional characters, this is your book(s). I was sorry when I reached the last page.

These are the books that were made into the two mini-series of the same name. These movies were excellent, very true to the books, but the books provided much more insight and analysis regarding the progression of the war.
 
If you care for (farm related) animals at all you would like All Creatures Great and Small. First of four books about vet work in England. Never was good with names, so cant say who authored them,
 
When I was in high school as a freshman, I had little care for the #$@& novels in the library. I loved TRACTORS and anything dirty. One of my best friend's mother was telling my mom that her son brought home the most filthy book she had ever seen; it was called The Grapes of Wrath. The next morning on the bus I told my friend not to check back in but let me check it out for you and in for me. On the cover it had a tractor pulling a one way disc destroying the Oklahoma homestead. I could relate to the first chapter because across the road they were plowing old pasture fields with a McCormick Deering W9 the greatest tractor built at that tine! I knew meaning of the few dirty words but knew several other good ones too. I loved Steinbech! I now have a full library of Steinbeck's work Every published piece. I went to school 18 years with a MA in education but still like old big tractors and Steinbeck. I have a full library and 10 tractors, I am happy and blessed. I wrote a course paper on the religious writings of Steinbeck. English teacher did not like it but gave me a C. I deserved an A-
 
I too love books. Two favourites are "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Remarque, and " It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis. Both of these could use a re-read after watching the news. Read what you love, be it books or e-books or the internet. My better half shakes her head when I get immersed in some nice light reading like an I&T or service manual. :wink:
 
A great book. The author was one of the narrators in Jim Burns' Dust Bowl documentary film. Egan's book was better.
 
I read that several years ago. I read a lot mostly non-fiction, but some fiction added. I've read a lot of Louis L'Amour's books. Some of the best are "The Haunted Mesa", "The Walking Drum", and "The Lonesome Gods". As far as his western novels go, he basically re-wrote the same book at least 50 times. Down at the heels cowboy meets rich girl who detests him. Bad guys try to get the girl's money, cowboy fends them off and the girl decides he isn't so bad after all. Or variations of the same theme.

Recent non-fiction includes "Ghosts of the Air" by Martin Caidin, a collection of tales of paranormal activity in the air that airplane pilots will tell each other, but not non-pilots for fear of being branded a nut case. One example is an airline pilot making an approach down aptly named Diablo Canyon to land at Salt Lake City in a cloud cover so dense the pilot couldn't see his own wingtips. A man standing behind the pilot ordered him to turn left. The pilot complied and turned left. Minutes later, the plane broke out under the cloud cover and the pilot saw his right wingtip literally only a few feet from the canyon wall. The man who had stood behind him and ordered him to turn left was a buddy of his who had been dead for several years. Caidin solicited stories, but threw out 90% and used only the ones for which there was absolutely no explanation.
 
I too have been a prolific reader, UD, but have never read Pride and Prejudice.

I will, however, put it on my list on your suggestion.

There is also a new WWII book about the New Guinea campaign that I plan to read. At the moment, I cannot remember the title but I believe it is something like Douglas MacArthur: American Warrior.

Dean
 
Mark Kurlansky wrote two books I found to be engrossing on two obscure subjects. One, on the history of the New England codfish industry, and the other on the historical economic and cultural impact oysters had on that area. "Cod. The History of the Fish that Changed the World" and "History on the Half-Shell". The subjects would seem to be dead-ends for books but they are fascinating stories. I can't say I couldn't put them down, I've got other things to do, but I came right back to them when I had the chance.
 
For someone like you, UD, that enjoys military history, I would also recommend Dreadnought and Castles of Steel, both by Thomas Massey.

Dreadnought is an in depth analysis of the mostly British and German world leaders of the late 19th and very early 20th centuries that made the decisions that resulted in the naval arms race leading up to WWI. Castles of Steel is more about the ships that were built as a result. Fascinating history.

Dean
 
If you want an interesting read, try The man in the rockefeller suit by mark seal. True story about a serial impersonator, passed himself off as a rockefeller.
 
I have read some of these here and there but I like doing some types of reinacting. Just to do it and I did read. "Don Quhotey" It was translated by a woman who lives outside of Philly about twelve years ago. A huge 900 plus page tome. She translated it from an original printing of the book in older Spanish. What a bear of a long read. It was worth it because your brain must shift gears and slow way down to digest how this book is written. What you see in tv or movies is just a sample of what is here.
 
I'm not much for non-fiction but Stealth was a great read about the skunk works run by Kelly Johnson. Patrick O'Brien has a great historical fiction series about the British navy in the late 1700s.

Oldest son didn't want to read Jane Austen so the wife re-covered it.

32692.jpg


Terry Pratchet is great if you like laughing while you read.
 
Read Sense & Sensibility and Emma also. Really like Emma a lot. Got told once they were chick books...dont much care. :)
 
All Creatures Great and Small books were written by James Herriot.

I agree - they are among my favorites too.
 
Most of my readings drifted into science fiction, but I read a lot of books back when.

Like you, the Internet kinda took over. Little sad on that, I should pick up so etching paper more often.

Paul
 

I read every evening before going to sleep. Mostly history. Last night I finished a biography of John Fremont the explorer. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and very irresponsible. It is hard to remember many right off hand but one that I recall was "Into Thin Air". It is an account of the day when some fifteen hikers got killed on Mount Everest.
 
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Monte Walsh by Jack Schaefer, Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, just a few I have enjoyed.
 
If you enjoy history, and would like a picture of life on the great plains before and during the time of the early settlers, read "The Buffalo Book" by David A. Dary.
He documents the numbers, movements, and eventual eradication of the American bison, and in doing so, paints a very good picture of early North America.
I have also enjoyed reading the journals of Lewis & Clark, although it's a bit hard to follow, and also another small book called "Journal of A Trapper" by Osbourne Russell. He was a trapper that worked the Yellowstone area long before it became a park. He tells of being attacked by Indians on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. They killed his horse, and he was forced to walk back to Fort Hall, Idaho, a distance of 100 miles.
 
I've been reading most of Jeffery Archer's books more or less as they come out, I got the first of his prison diaries for Christmas this year. I used to read Tom Clancy but haven't tried any of the new books with his characters that have come out since his death or any of the co-authored books. I've read a lot of Dale Brown's books but not sure I've read all of them I think I missed a few in the middle. As a young man I read a lot of Steinbeck, Hemingway, Leon Uris and James Michener. I read all the James Herriot books and the one his son wrote about his Dad explaining the differences between James Herriot and Alfred Wight (his real name). As a kid I read every thing I could get a hold of by William E Butterworth, but resisted reading any of W.E.B. Griffins stuff, a few years ago I found out they were the same guy, so I read a couple of his W.E.B. Griffin books, when I have the opportunity I may read some more of his work. Two other authors I've enjoyed over the years are Ben K Greene and Raplh Moody, both wrote of their tales growing up with a little ranching and horse trading in the pages. For Christmas this year I got a few books, some of which I first heard about here Iron Coffins the wartime biography of a WWII German U-boat commander, another was a collection of tales written by SR-71 pilots about there adventures at the top of the Air Force pilot food chain. I currently have a few books on my reading stand, Winterkill a novel that looked interesting, The Wily O'Reilly by Patrick Taylor, this is a collection of short stories he wrote about a fictional Doctor practicing in Northern Ireland. The short stories were published in a magazine, I first became aware of him after reading novels with the same characters he wrote after the short stories became popular. He has one about Doctor O'Reilly's wartime service that'll I be reading as soon as I get the stack down on my reading stand. That'll be a while as Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" is currently sitting on the bottom of the stack.
 
Not necessarily lite reading at nearly 900 pages, but Norman Mailers "The Naked and the Dead" is a great WW2 novel. It's been probably 30 years since I read it in high school for a book report, and I can't remember much at all about it beyond the fact I thoroughly enjoyed it.
 
(quoted from post at 17:56:02 02/08/16) Not many threads about reading here.
Might be nice to have some now and then.
I used to read a lot but the internet took up most of that time so i don't read much any more.
Lately though I've taken it up again. Renewed my library card and read several books on the war in the Pacific.
I returned a book today and placed a hold on two other books. They email you when they're in.
So I thought I would pick up something a little lighter this time.
A novel I've read at least a dozen times.
'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen
I do think this is the greatest novel ever written.
I don't mind if you guys scoff at me.
But read (or reread) the book First before you sling your barbs.

Margaret Mitchell's 'Gone With The Wind', or James Michener's 'Centennial' or 'Chesapeake' and a bunch more of his. :)
 


For entertainment- Louis Lamour, Michner, Clancy, Faulkner, Gene Hill or Nash Buckingham (last 2 outdoor writers). For laughs, Patrick McManus. For thought provoking- Ayn Rand, Tom Sherry. Classics- Jack London, Kipling, Jules Vern, Mark Twain.

I think I read all the All Creatures books, good stuff. I've read a lot of history too. I tend to look for the real stories and not the stuff that aggrandizes certain historical figures. I'd rather learn about the real person and how they overcame their faults, or didn't, than just read a cheer leading book.
 
Hi, one of my favorite books is OUTBACK. by Eron Fletcher. Australia in early settlement and a huge sheep station. Its likevyou were right there. I hope some of you will read it and enjoy vs as much as me. Ed Will.
 
(quoted from post at 00:56:02 02/09/16) 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen

Then go see 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' for a twist on the tale.
 
I was never much for novels. I always liked other books. I came to read novels when Tom Wolfe started to write them [Bonfire of the Vanities , A Man in Full,I am Charlotte Simmons] . I was taken from Wolfe's sociology books to his novels. I will read a novel if my library is having a discussion about the book. Just read one about the Riviera nightclub in Fort Lee New Jersey. But then I realized when the author is having the book discussion at the library I am away in Fl. It was a book I never would have chosen otherwise. There are many classic American novel writers I hope to read in the future. Just got a late start on novels.
 
Have read some of the Curwood stories. These are by James Oliver Curwood. He was a writer from Owosso MI If you get in town take the time for the tour to his castle as they call it.
One of the good reads is Mickey and Newah About a dog and a cub bear.
Another good but graphic read is Dee Browns Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee. About the ending of the American Indian on the plains being free to roam.
 
Great books mentioned here, some I have read and some good tips on next ones to read. 'The Worst Hard Time' looks very interesting. Got that one queued up behind Plow Peddler and Orphan Train.
 
(quoted from post at 13:04:03 02/09/16) Have read some of the Curwood stories. These are by James Oliver Curwood. He was a writer from Owosso MI If you get in town take the time for the tour to his castle as they call it.
One of the good reads is Mickey and Newah About a dog and a cub bear.
Another good but graphic read is Dee Browns Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee. About the ending of the American Indian on the plains being free to roam.

Good stuff those Curwood stories. That era produced good fiction writers you can still let your kids read. Stephen Meader is another as is Rutherford Montgomery. Ernest Thompson Seton is another.
 
Hard Times, by Studs Turkel is a pretty interesting read. I'm currently into the planes, ships, and tanks of WWII. Reading Log of the Liberators now. What people go through in war is almost unspeakable. gm
 


Nothing high brow here in the slightest and name dropping (title dropping?) them at the country club cocktail party probably won't impress anyone, But they are all enjoyable.

The last of the husbandmen, A novel of the farming life by Gene Logsdon. Follows a couple of Ohio farm families and the changes in farming from the 1930's until the 1980's.

Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. A guided tour of America as it was in 1960.

Ten acres enough by Edmund Morris. Interesting look at life on a small farm a few years before the civil war.

The land of milk and Uncle Honey, Memories of the farm of my youth by Alan Guebert. Basically a collection of articles the author wrote for a farm magazine about growing up on a dairy farm in the late 60's and early 70's.

I enjoy it because it reflects my own childhood fairly close except that the Guebert's had a couple hundred more acres,25 more cows and different colored tractors.
 
War and Peace. But it is a b!tch to read. I struggled through it once, that was enough, but well worth it.
 
(quoted from post at 15:43:30 02/09/16) Confessions of Nat Turner, Sophies Choice by Styron. King Rat by Clavell. Most anything by Steinbeck, especially The Red Pony.

I read the book "Shane" when in grade school and that got me started reading books other than text books. Lots of authors that I like have already been mentioned although I read Mark Twain in my early years. I enjoyed Moby Dick and Michener is good in my opinion. Don't seem to have time anymore.
 
Excellent book about president Garfield's assassination - "Destiny of the Republic: A tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a president", by Candice Millard. Book is a quick and fascinating read about the botched attempt to save Garfield's life after he was wounded by an troubled man. Supposedly, he would have lived if the docs had left him alone.
 
One doctor, a Dr. Bliss, crowded out a dozen or so other doctors and assumed full responsibility for
Garfield's care. He ignored admonitions from others who subscribed to the new idea that cleanliness and
antiseptics were important to the healing of wounds, using unwashed hands and unsterilized instruments to
inspect Garfield's wounds. Even his assassin, Charles Guiteau, told jurors at his trial, "The doctors killed
him; I just shot him."

A shame; Garfield would likely have made a good president.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top