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Title: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 2:33pm We have just voted in the UK for what we think as a nation are the greatest novels of all time, and 9 of them are by Americans!! No cheating but any guesses which ones they were??? W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by totka on May 18th, 2003, 2:56pm Hi! Where can I find the list? Sorry but I'm toooo lazy to search on the net ;D totka |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by oringkid on May 18th, 2003, 2:59pm I don't know about the UK, but I like Gone With The Wind. I read it at least once a year. Sherry |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 3:01pm Mark Twain, F Scott Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Henry James, Luisa M. Alcott, Edgar Allen Poe, Harriet Beecher Stoe........... There are so many more!!!!! So..........LOL, what does the UK say? Ooops.sorry. Huck Finn, Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath, Portrait of a Lady, Fall of the House of Usher, Little Women, Uncle Toms Cabin............. Whatchagot? ;D |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by jonny on May 18th, 2003, 3:09pm private parts? ..........................jonny |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 3:17pm Ding, ding Sherry gets a point for a right answer! By the way, sorry there are 11! Kim, cheating, have to name the book! Totka- not telling you! Jonny-you're thinking below the waist again! W the B W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 3:19pm Kim, 3 of yours are right! (Little Women, Grapes of Wrath and the Great Gatsby) 3 points and a coffee maker for Kim |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by jonny on May 18th, 2003, 3:27pm on 05/18/03 at 15:17:30, Wendy the Brit wrote:
Who me? Sorry, but this book spent weeks at #1 on the NY times best seller list. ..............................................jonny |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 3:29pm Is it about sex? Most good books are in some shape or form |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 3:30pm Just what I needed - MORE COFFEE - LOL Edgar was a cheat = short story.... :D |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Not4Hire on May 18th, 2003, 3:54pm ...here's my guess: (in no particular odor) Ketchup in the Wry-JoeBob Salinger The Great Goadsby-F.Scott Fitzsomething Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-Raoul Duke Green Eggs 'n' Ham-Dr. Souse Huckleberry Den-Mark Twang One Flew Over The Hostas' Nest-some ole acidhead The Stand-Steve (the REAL) King Moby Ditch-(some call him Ishmael) On the Road-Jack Kerwhack (that's nine....) ;) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 4:11pm 1,2,7,9 are correct! N4H gets a set of lead crystal goblets! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by don on May 18th, 2003, 4:17pm Huckleberry Finn and Moby Dick for 2 |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 4:22pm Meet yas all in E-bay! :D |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 4:28pm Don Sorry mate, neither of them made the list! W :'( |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 4:30pm Pretty incredible that The Stand was picked but Huck Finn wasn't. Mind you, I thought The Stand was quite brilliant! So far you've got: Wind, Catcher, Grapes,Gatsby,Women, Road,Stand, 4 left to guess! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 4:37pm Jonny A hint for you, one of these books features a man with an enormous MULE! ;D ;D ;D W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by jonny on May 18th, 2003, 4:40pm on 05/18/03 at 16:37:05, Wendy the Brit wrote:
I havent written a book so your reaching, Wendy .................................jonny |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 4:41pm Umhmmmmm. Yes that's interesting. stephen king says it's a miracle that book ever got written - he was drinking heavily.....That - and literature's history in America shows me exactly how it got written - LOLOL! and yep, The Stand was good. Both editions..... Salinger - I was gonna put him there - but for sentimental (and plus i jus hadda cheat ;D) could not omit Edgar. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlett Letter" - we can't forget that one!!!!!!! Fun thred Wendi ;D |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 4:43pm Have you checked your emails Kim? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 4:45pm Are there lots of books written by Americans where the characters have huge schlongers! ??? ??? and dead horses in the bed??? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 4:47pm No. Why? Bahahaaaaaaaa! LOL! .....................................(time lapse)............................... ::) Ok. I checked it. ;D, Girl, you are SWELL! :) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Not4Hire on May 18th, 2003, 4:55pm Catch Twenty-Something-Joe Hellion SlaughterHaus 5-(JamesT)Kirk Vonnegut The Old Fart in The Sea-(or sometink by wheres-my-shotgun Hemmingway) ..probly one o' them depressing books by Faulkner... ...how' I doin'? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 5:02pm Just the one You caught something! 3 left to guess! All three have been made into films as well! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by don on May 18th, 2003, 5:15pm valley of the dolls red badge of courage |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 5:20pm Nope, no cigar for Don- surely you know the one about the dick and the dead horse in the bed? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 5:23pm Shall I tell you and end this thread? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 5:25pm Wuthering Heights................ ??? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Not4Hire on May 18th, 2003, 5:27pm ...Debbie-Does-Dallas...?....nah ...c'mon Dubya da Bee.... 'mericans make movies about *Ever-Damn-Thing*.... ...what was the "non-American" one? ...."1984" or mebbe "Lord of de Fleas"....? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 5:28pm Ha Ha ha. She pretended to be a man, but not an American as far as I know! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 5:30pm N4H There are 100 on the list, and 11 are by Americans (some are by other nationalities as well, not all Brits, though we did invent the novel!) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 5:31pm LOL, the British is overtaking me! LOL :o |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Not4Hire on May 18th, 2003, 5:35pm ...well, ya never said THAT.....and then ya changed the count...... (back to the stacks.....) (edit) ...and if it was the TOP 100 ...hell, i never woulda bent my brain pan on this dumb thread..... ;D ) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 18th, 2003, 5:37pm Sorry N4H, I missed the two Steinbecks Ending this thread before everyone dies of boredom. Of Mice and Men, The Godfather and To kill a Mockingbird. the link is www.bbc.co.uk/bigread Byeeee W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 18th, 2003, 5:46pm I can't tell. A giant English Bumble Bee stung me in the ass and made me promise not to tell 8) ..................gregorypeck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL Hey Wendy! What does Don get? ???LOL! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by OneEyeBlind on May 18th, 2003, 6:56pm All I can say is .......... geez I am impressed by the literary knowledge on this board. You guys picked some great books even if ya weren't right !!!!!!!!!!! Rock and guess on !!!! I'm enjoying it, but have no guesses ! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by cathy on May 18th, 2003, 7:21pm You're all lucky I was out otherwise I'd have got them all!!!!! ;D btw..I thought Stephen King got it for The Dune.... ??? I could be wrong it has been known.... ::) Frozen chickens ........roflmao ;) cathy :) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by jonny on May 18th, 2003, 7:28pm Frozen chickens......LMMFAO!!!! Im going to bed.....dead chickens kill me........................................................jonny |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by cathy on May 18th, 2003, 7:30pm Night then Jonny, they won't kill you defrosted ..... :-* Cathy :) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 18th, 2003, 7:44pm Well, I vote for War and Peace #1, although many are Dostoevsky types and would rank the Brothers K up there instead. Next I'd put David Copperfield, and probably go on to add Madame Bovary, Moby Dick, Swann's Way (a tough read though), Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, either Sound and the Fury or Light in August, and then more Dickens. For contemporary, or at least mid-20th, for me its Gravity's Rainbow hands down. But All the King's Men, Herzog, The Naked and the Dead and, yes, Lonesome Dove are strong contenders. The most impressive "new" piece I've read in years is The Poisonwood Bible. But I'll admit I have huge chunks of authors whose work I don't know. I also always have had a soft spot for good old John Fowles, a master. My $.02, or 2 pence. I'll think of a whole bunch more the minute I hit post. SD And yes, I really liked The Stand! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Miklos on May 18th, 2003, 8:16pm Wendy, you bluidy fraud. I know for a fact that you never read any of the listed books. With a small child, the best you can do is Dr. Seuss. Perhaps you've read the slipcovers to get a "hint" of the magic, but text? Never! It shows in your posts. Spindrift. What happened to Catch 22? Major, major error. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by oringkid on May 18th, 2003, 11:09pm One, Cathy, Stephen King didn't write Dune. I've read all of his novels. Two, Spindrift, we were talking American authors. But, as to some that you listed, I have tried other Herman Melville and cannot get through it! UGH! I have War and Peace but haven't gotten the gumption to start it! Didn't care for Lonesome Dove. Three, Kim, he was also really fucked up on cocaine at the time! :o Four, Wendy, What? I don't even get an ashtray?? ;D Isn't Pat Conroy American? I love the way that man writes. I've read Prince of Tides, Lords of Discipline and Beach Music. His writing is rich and vibrant! I love to read! Sherry |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 1:15am Miklos Watch out young man, personal insults I can take, insults to my intelligence, now that's different ;D ;D ;D ;D I have read nearly all the American entries, and in fact a large proportion of all the UK 100 apart from the science fiction ones and some of the most recent children's ones (such as Terry Pratchett and Frank Herbert- he wrote Dune by the way- they don't float my boat at all) BUT, you are right, this was in the past, with a little one in tow I only manage about a book a month or read on holiday. I miss it a lot. I have the most wonderful memory of reading Grapes of Wrath. We got snowed in in Grand Canyon and I read the book sitting in a picture window right on the canyon rim in Bright Angel Lodge. Shall never forget it. W the B P.S. Love Cat in a Hat- makes me and my little boy laugh |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 1:27am Sherry, you get my first prize because of all the American books, I love Gone with the Wind the best. I read it againa and again. Spindrift, a man who likes Pride and Prejudice? I think I'm in love! W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Charlie on May 19th, 2003, 2:58am Neato List. Thanks Wendy. Yikes! Douglas Adams is on this list....... Steven King here? Amazing It's a shame how many I haven't read. Never could finish Melville either. Noboby reads Doyle anymore? Houd of The Baskervilles makes it as a novel. The Sign of Four perhaps as well. These lists are fun. Thanks kid Illiterate Charlie |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 3:46am Charlie I thought Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was superb, really, really funny. It was done as a Radio programme here in the 80's and then a not very good TV series. I can't believe it made the Top 100 though, and calling it a novel is stretching it a lot! W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by tommyD on May 19th, 2003, 5:47am Saw in the Christian Science Monitor last week: The Brits also voted for greatest film star in a poll by Channel 4. And guess what? On that isle of thespians (I said THESPians), that land of Shakespere, the first six are Americans. I won't make you guess: 1. Al Pachino 2. Robert DeNiro 3. Tom Hanks (really? he's good but...) 4. Kevin Spacey 5. Harrison Ford 6. Jack Nicholson 7. Anthony Hopkins (finally a Brit!) 8. Sean Connery 9. Ewan MacGregor 10. Cary Grant Notice no women... CSM only gave the top ten of 100, but mentioned the first woman was: 13. Audrey Hepburn I haven't searched for the whole list (too lazy), but where's Brando? Dustin Hoffman? Kate Hepburn? Jerry Lewis? (just kidding...the poll wasn't done in France). -tommyD |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 19th, 2003, 8:31am Sherry, your point is well taken. Wendy did start the thread by asking us to guess the American books on the list. I stand chastened, but, well, I just got going there, goldarn it! Lonesome Dove was a surprise to me I must admit. I'll allow as to how it might be more of a "man's" book (whatever that means!), but I found it rich, gripping and profoundly moving. Also, yes, W&P is daunting. It carries such a weight of history, of being one of the books you "should" read (like Moby). But, unlike Melville's epic, which is thickly imagic (if that's a word; if not, I just invented it) like Dickens but harder to weigh through, I find it very, very approachable. Albeit of a different era with people very different from any we know... unless you've got some old Russian aristocrats hanging around your neighborhood. And they can be such pests! (I think I feel about Joyce the way you do about Melville... yes, I should like it, but it's so hard to do so. Every 10 years or so I open up Ulysses, get 20-50 pages in and wonder why I'm trying.) Miklos - again, point yielded. But in my feeble defense let me offer that I haven't read Catch-22 since I was a teenager. Perhaps time for another reading! (and that would go for Huck Finn as well.... Catcher in the Rye and On the Road I think I'll leave in the past, no offense to those who love them) Wendy, thanks for the compliment! Jane Austen is right up there, near the top, no question. Oh, and I did forget one really great novel, another one that's not easy but is a formidable addition to the list.... AND it's American: Sometimes a Great Notion. Powerful stuff indeed. As far as the actor list - was it a different format? Wendy, you said "we have just voted for" in your opening. Was it a public vote or an academic one? The actor thing sounds more like a popularity contest to me, as it was for film "star".... and especially as it left out arguably the greatest in our grand tradition of earthy yet profound script readers. I'm referring, of course, to Steve Guttenberg. Finally, I haven't seen any public polls lately, but wonder about the potential music list, i.e. the greatest pieces of all time, from any country. However my guess is that the general variety in tastes might make this one more... wide-ranging than the novel or actor list. IMHO, as always, SD |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 9:12am Bloody hell Someone who uses more words than I do! ;D ;D ;D W the B BTW, the whole nation was asked for nominations, now we are voting for which of the 100 is the best. Don't have a result yet, but I'm sure I won't agree if Harry Potter is No 1. Also, don't know how that Actor thingy was done. I'm sure if you asked the whole population (which they didn't !) you would have Olivier, Burton, Gielgud, etc etc in there as well as Hopkins. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 19th, 2003, 10:28am yeah well, the words thing..... sorry. I type fast. sd |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Roxy on May 19th, 2003, 11:29am on 05/19/03 at 08:31:10, Spindrift wrote:
I so agree with this statement. Larry McMurtry did a powerful job in this story, when it easily could have become just another western cliche novel. on 05/19/03 at 08:31:10, Spindrift wrote:
Now I think this could be a very interesting thread. Tracey BTW: I know Wendy was asking about American authors, but missing from the list completely was Iliad/Odyssey. How could anyone ever skip Homer. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by cathy on May 19th, 2003, 11:38am on 05/18/03 at 23:09:37, oringkid wrote:
I knew that, just wanted to see if anyone picked up on it....that's my story and Im sticking to it... :-[ Cathy :) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 12:11pm I don't think they would allow any Homer, it was supposed to be 100 novels, but quite a few of them wouldn't count as novels IMHO. Not that I could tell you what the definition of a novel is! P.S. Should I take Lonesome Dove on holiday with me to read? |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by oringkid on May 19th, 2003, 12:13pm Don't worry Cathy, I could tell you that SK didn't do it but couldn't remember who did. LOL Spindrift, that's ok, I get carried away when it comes to books too. However, some of the "classics" fail to move me as I am one who does need to be able to relate...at least somewhat. And I hate books with a lot of Russian names, I get so distracted by trying to figure out how to pronounce them I lose track of the story. I have trouble enjoying what I think of as the "early english" authors. Spend so much time trying to interpret what each sentence means, I have trouble following the story. The exception for me is Shakespeare. I like Shakespeare because of the humor in much of his stuff and the extreme drama of the rest...of course, Shakespeare did write for the "common" man. Guess that is why I like it and am able to understand it! Sherry |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 19th, 2003, 12:18pm Tracey - yes, music would indeed be intriguing. I have a feeling we'd all find much less common ground, however. Wendy - in re Lonesome Dove.... hard to say. I assume you know approximately what it's about. It's rather a geologic book, and you'd need plenty of time to get into its world and absorb the lingo. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on it, though! And Sherry - well put! What good people on this board. sd |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by brain_cramps on May 19th, 2003, 12:21pm on 05/18/03 at 23:09:37, oringkid wrote:
Frank Herbert did. grant 8) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Roxy on May 19th, 2003, 12:27pm Wendy, take Lonesome Dove with you, and give it a shot. I think it's one of the best books I've ever read. If you don't like it, just pitch it and go buy a Patricia Cornwell. She makes a pretty good holiday read. I just read the DaVinci Code, and it was good, and so was Jonathan Kellerman's new one. I'm just starting John Sandford's new one. But, the best book I've read in the last year was, The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. Give it a go too. Tracey BTW : Dune was written by Frank Herbert. Or did someone already say that? Grant did.....sorry!! Read Seabiscuit too, before they ruin it with the movie. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by TomM on May 19th, 2003, 12:52pm Nobody mentioned Clancy. I've found myself reading book after book written by him. Must be the water in my blood and the military in my background. I also read many of Steven King's novels and I thought IT was his best work. Never got into The Stand but it has been almost 17 years since I picked it up. By far, the best book I've read the past few years is The Perfect Storm by Sebastin Junger. The movie was horrible and did no justice to what those men/women went through not to mention the lives risked and lost trying to find them. I've taken that book on vacation for the last three years (caribbean paradise) and intend to make it a tradition this year, too. Must be the Coast Guard training in me. TomM 8) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 12:59pm Roxy Have read all the Scarpetta and Alex the psychotherapist books already! Loved them. Great holiday reads. Very interesting stuff she did about Jack the Ripper as well. (she's a nut of course) Will try your other recommendations. You should try Birdsong by Sebastien Faulks if you haven't. A fantastic book, and if any of you out there are interested in First World War fiction, the Pat Barker trilogy (Regeneration etc) is superb. W the B W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by brain_cramps on May 19th, 2003, 1:05pm I can't believe there's been no mention of James Clavell (yeah, I know, he's an aussie) IMHO Shogun, Tai-pan, King Rat, and Noble House are all worthwhile. grant 8) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Miklos on May 19th, 2003, 1:05pm Try the Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. Somewhat dated, it can be read in snippets. It will also help hone an already sharp and quick-witted tongue. Apropros to this thread: The covers of this book are too far apart. Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Roxy on May 19th, 2003, 1:21pm Fire, by Sabastian Junger is also a very good read. Anything by Junger is a good read though. Along the same lines is Into Thin Air, by John Krakauer. This is an amazing story about climbing Mt. Everest. It deals with the catastrophic 1996 climbing year. I have to quit.....I could go on and on listing book after book..... ;D ;D ;D Tracey My favorite King novel had to be The Shining, I never looked at topiaries the same way again. My daughter made me throw out all her old stuffed clowns after reading IT psssttt Wendy....read the Lee Child series of Jack Reacher novels for just some plain old fun and entertainment. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by TomM on May 19th, 2003, 1:32pm on 05/19/03 at 13:21:48, Roxy wrote:
I will try Fire this summer. Thanx Tracey. Tom |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by CJohnson on May 19th, 2003, 1:35pm on 05/19/03 at 13:05:33, brain_cramps wrote:
I am also of this opinion, although Whirlwind and Gai-Jin weren't as good (imho) as Shogun, Tai-pan, King Rat, and Noble House. The only book I enjoyed more than Noble House was Clive Barker's Imajica. PFDANs -Curtis |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 19th, 2003, 1:36pm Lots of good ideas in these posts! Since we're delving into crime fiction now I certainly second the recommendation of Patricia Cornwell, she's great. I'm a particular fan of T. Jefferson Parker too, along with Robert Crais for a different flavor. And of course Elmore Leonard, the master. And Donald Westlake is hilarious. On the other side of the pond, and back through the centuries, the Patrick O'Brien Aubrey-Maturin books are astonishing, of course. I also really love the Horatio Hornblower series, C.S. Forester. Krakauer's book about Everest was a chiller, loved it. Ditto The Perfect Storm - good recs all. One could just go on and on..... s (Wendy, let me know when you get to the music part...) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 1:39pm Grant- I loved the Clavell series too, the TV dramatisation with Richard Chamberlain got me onto it. I can't write these recommendations down fast enough. Thanks everyone. Very interested in the Everest one for my hubby who is in Scotland 'bagging Monroes' as we speak. (I do let him out sometimes) Thanks all, loving this! W the B who loves to read when she has the time! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Roxy on May 19th, 2003, 1:41pm So many good things from across the pond.... :-* My favorite author (whom I have heard will publish no more books) is Dick Francis. Used to just wait for October to roll around so his new one would be out. And then England produced my favorite comedian too.....Eddie Izzard. Waiting for his tour dates to come out. The kids and I are going to fly to NYC to catch his show this year. Tracey the Texan who reads even when she's supposed to be doing other things!! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Not4Hire on May 19th, 2003, 1:53pm ...here's a recommend for the '72 Pulitzer Prize Winner, voted the best Western novel of the 20th century in a poll taken by the San Francisco Chronicle: Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner ..another good one is: A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean... (a novella really) ..for ya sci-fi fans: The RiverWorld series by Phillip Jose Farmer is a must-read.... (also the genesis for my *handle* and the moniker fer me mo'sickle) 8) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by oringkid on May 19th, 2003, 2:00pm I love so much of Stephen Kings stuff, but I really love the tower series Gunslinger et al. I also love the Bachman books he is great with the pyschological thrillers. I used to read Clancy, but he started getting WAY too technical on me. I love Crichton and Grisham and Cornwell and Robin Cook. Dean Koontz, John Saul. And boy have you guys given me more to check out! Tracey, I too have been known to be reading when I should be doing other things LOL! Sherry |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Roxy on May 19th, 2003, 2:12pm OMG...can't believe I left off Carl Hiaasen. Anything by him is damn good. Sherry, my kids used to complain that I was always reading. Now they complain that I'm either reading or on the computer....LOL. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 19th, 2003, 3:19pm I had a feeling Not 4 Hire was paying a bit of homage to Sam Clemens by way of PJF. A great concept, if somewhat unstructured. Was Joe Miller just the best or what! Yes, Dick Francis writes a helluva yarn. I've been away from him for a few years but, as I've recently inherited a racehorse it might be time climb back into the saddle. And Carl Hiassen's books, especially for this Miami native, are always a hoot! good stuff, all! sd |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by cathy on May 19th, 2003, 3:31pm on 05/19/03 at 12:21:31, brain_cramps wrote:
I knew that...I did honest.... ;D btw....I haven't managed to get past the Beano yet. Cathy :P |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by TomM on May 19th, 2003, 4:08pm on 05/19/03 at 13:53:34, Not4Hire wrote:
Tom |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Drk^Angel on May 19th, 2003, 7:52pm Kid... Ya hear that Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla is comin' out by the end of the year... And the final two books of the Dark Tower is scheduled to be released next year! I might have to learn to read again soon... :P PFDAN.................................... Drk^Angel |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Miklos on May 19th, 2003, 8:05pm Drk. Don't start any trends. The old "Executioner" series convinced my son to read. Trash, but reading anything is better than reading nothing; he read every one of those cheap paperbacks and moved on. He recommended, Bastard out of Carolina (title?), which is one helluva read. The movie was pitiful. Son now gives me reading lists. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Roxy on May 19th, 2003, 9:12pm My daughter is reading the Anita Blake Vampire series by Laurell Hamilton. I picked one up to thumb through it.......WOW......glad she's 21. :o :o She said they were good, and now I know why!!!! Don't know where she gets it from....... ;D ;D Tracey PS.....smileys are for you Miklos..... ;) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Charlie on May 19th, 2003, 10:54pm Time for a worst poll. Anyone see the Hitler thing on Sunday? God it was bad. They didn't even try. Bleaugh Lots of newer and popular actors on your list. I agree with some of them but so many aren't there. Pretty hard to replace all those black and white actors. There used to be real dialog in movies. Archie Leach was a Brit too. My current favorite: Morgan Freeman. I'll watch even horrible films if he has a part. He is and adult. Charlie |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Charlie on May 19th, 2003, 11:05pm Quote:
Is she the one who came up with Sir William Gull as the Ripper? He's the favorite of several Ripper freaks. I confess to being one as well. Charlie |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 19th, 2003, 11:28pm Charlie No, Impressionist artist called Walter Sickert. There was a documentary here tracing her obsession, she spent literally millions and claims many pieces of compelling evidence including DNA from paintings of his she bought and ruined! She certainly made a better case for him than any other I've seen, but she claims proof and it was far from that. If you are interested some of the documentary info is on www.bbc.co.uk/arts/ripper W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 20th, 2003, 7:07am Hey Wendy, if ya want a laugh, read Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods - had me ROLLIN ;D, Nelson DeMille is always entertaining..........The Gold Coast was hilarious: Old Long Island Money meets The Mob deliciously cynical. Hey Sherry, I like Pat Conroy's books too except for Beach Music - I thought he went a bit too far and came off as self-pitying and self-absorbed. After I while I felt like telling him to "GET A GRIP!!!!!!" LOL. Books are the artwork of the soul. :) Read on ;D |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 20th, 2003, 7:43am Kim - glad you mentioned Bill Bryson - he is brilliant. If you haven't been to Australia, or even if you have, or even if you're from there I'm guessing, read his "In a Sunburned Country". Priceless, laugh out loud stuff. S And, in a completely different non-fiction vein, you can't go wrong with John McPhee. |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Woobie on May 20th, 2003, 7:47am on 05/19/03 at 14:00:05, oringkid wrote:
Geeesh... I cant believe it took that long to get someone to mention KOONTZ!! He is awesome! FALSE MEMORY and THE DOOR TO DECEMBER. Awesome books. False Memory.. ... WOW!!! tina :-* PS = good thread Wendy!! |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 20th, 2003, 10:59am Hi everyone! Gosh CH sufferers are big readers! Question, I have already whacked a monster order into Amazon for the books I haven't read from the 100, and then added to it some of the ones you have all recommended. I spoke to my husband on his mobile on a mountain today and he is very excited about the Everest books but: Q. He doesn't really read much other than Formula One books and car magasines, so what shall I get for him to read on holiday. He's not silly, just doesn't like anything too heavy duty. He LOVED Captain Corelli's Mandolin which I took for him last year and he has enjoyed Cornwell, King and Barker (Pat and Clive) but I need some ideas. Sort of guy books but not for idiots. Any thoughts?? Thanks in advance, I am enjoying this thread so much, can't wait to log on and see what people are saying. AND IT'S SO MUCH BETTER THAN WAITING TO SEE WHO IS FLAMING WHO!!!! W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by SFChris on May 20th, 2003, 12:24pm Wendy, I really think that your husband will love Into Thin Air (the Everest book). It is totally engrossing - I've read it three times. Other books that I've recently enjoyed include The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, and Cold Mountain by Charles Fraizer. Also, I really enjoyed Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (me poor dead mudder was from Ireland) I make it a habit to read all of the National Book Award winners (but I also enjoy more mainstream stuff like Stephen King, Tom Clancy, James Patterson and Elmore Leonard). :) Chris |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Wendy the Brit on May 20th, 2003, 1:13pm Thanks Chris Angela's Ashes made me cry-what an incredible story (trueish of course) I also had a baby at the time, and the bits where children and babies are starving were more than I could bear! W the B |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 20th, 2003, 2:10pm Frank McCourt began his writing (and also Angela's Ashes) based on an essay he wrote while attending night school "The Bed"......... i'm remembering it now and have goosepimples..... - yep that book's a keeper-ever read his brother Malachy - A Monk Swmming.......good read. Malachy was/is the prodigal brudda ;D.... |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by brain_cramps on May 20th, 2003, 2:27pm on 05/20/03 at 14:10:20, kim wrote:
Angela's Ashes is a great book as is 'Tis, the sequel. grant 8) |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by SFChris on May 20th, 2003, 3:03pm Kim, I enjoyed Malachy McCourt's book also, but Frank is a true writer. Malachy is making some cash off the family name... BTW - Malachy is a bartender at one of the most popular irish bars in San Francisco. He still works there - must not have made enough on "A Monk Swimming". :o Chris |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by kim on May 20th, 2003, 3:50pm Chris, yep - I agree. Malachy has bartended in famous irish bars all over ;D There is one in NY where writers and drinkers of irish decent are known to congregate - the McCourts among them, also a feller named Dennis Smith (Report from Engine Co. 82)....... :) :)Man, I would love to be a fly on THAT WALL ;D |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by oringkid on May 20th, 2003, 7:57pm Dark, I can't wait, but I need to re-read all the previous again.... he takes so long...LOL Charlie, I agree, Morgan Freeman is Excellent! You did know that he got his start on a PBS show called "The Electric Company"? I have nothing but respect for that man! Kim, I know what you mean about Beach Music, it almost seemed like a clone of the others... sort of ..... Woobie, I love Koontz! I especially like the Fear Nothing set, can't wait till he continues that set of characters! Cool! So many great books.... so little time! Sherry |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by Spindrift on May 21st, 2003, 10:38am Books are fine, but there's a lot to be said for sitting in front of the TV eating ice cream until you vomit! S |
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Title: Re: Hurrah for Americans (not CH again) Post by TomM on May 21st, 2003, 1:27pm on 05/20/03 at 14:27:27, brain_cramps wrote:
Tom |
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