Best-Selling Books

[Deborah]

I was just looking at the top 50 list in USA TODAY. You got three Harry Potter books, several diet books, "Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing" and "The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook."

I know CreamyLady (Hi CreamyLady! And thanks for the note the other day) has read "Left Behind" which has moved back on the list (now #42) in the past couple weeks. Due mainly to the new sequel "The Indwelling" which is now #14 on the list and was #1 several weeks ago. Anybody read it yet? I have not and have no intention of paying $22.99 for the book. I'll go read it for free at Barnes & Noble or some other book store. Actually, I think these books suck but the authors got some marketing strategy, via use of the internet and building a "following."

I guess my question is, any new books worth reading? If not, I guess I'll have to go dust off my copy of "Das Kapital." And of course, keep reading the stories on Literotica!

 

[Endlessly]

New books?

I have brand-new copies of the 25th aniversary edition of the Princess Bride (NEW intro by samuel goldman and the first chapter of the sequel, Buttercup's Baby) and Stranger in a Strange Land; do they count?

Okay, they're old. But I wasn't alive when they were written-- give me credit.

Steer clear of EL Doctorow's 'City of God.' it sucks.


You know, a couple months ago MW Enterprises released volume two of its critically acclaimed 'In our own words: Generation X poetry' anthology. Available at Amazon.com, as well as the first volume. Both of which feature me.

*coughcoughshamelessplugcoughcough*

 

[CreamyLady]

Left Behind should be down on the list; the only reason I read it is that peculiar weakness I have for apocalyptic writings, and the series truly is a blow-by-blow description of Revelation. I also want to know what happened -- End of Times doesn't mean diddly to me; there has to be more!

I don't know about new books that are worthwhile, but I've been revisiting an old favorite: Lewis Thomas, The Lives of A Cell. I really love that book.

I've also got my eye on William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience. I read it years ago, but it wouldn't hurt to read it again.

 

[April]

Wow, Endlessly! That's really great! Congrats!

CreamyLady, I like the Left Behind books, too. I'm not really religious, but I just find the series interesting.

Hi, Deborah. We've never run across each other before, so I wanted to take this chance to say hi.

Hmm, books worth reading. I'm not into really intellectual books. I would describe my likes as pop. fiction. I enjoy Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, which is a humorous mystery. Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series. I also highly recommend Linda Fairstein's series: Final Jeopardy, Likely to Die, and Cold Hit. There are more, but I won't bore anybody anymore! LOL

 

[Whispersecret]

Have you read any of the Harry Potter books? Personally, I like the series. While they're not lofty literature, they're clever, funny, well-plotted, and the characters are lovable and memorable. As a teacher I think that almost anything that encourages young people to read is a good thing.

As far as the bestseller lists are concerned, it's like anything else in our culture. You have the masses buying what appeals to them. You're not going to have the literary masterpieces appearing on the bestseller lists because the average person doesn't appreciate them. It's a fact of life, especially in a country where the main form of entertainment is television.

 

[Never]

The only new, new book I have that is worth reading is Joseph Purdy's For Common Things.
It's message? Stuff is good. Oh, that and it complains about the lack of connection in a post-ironic society. How the apathetic nature of our culture has hurt areas such as government, family, and the environment.
What else have I bought? I grabbed books two though seven of the Dune series. Mom and Tom quickly grabbed up books two and three so I can start reading in another month.
I bought The Four Agreements. by Miguel Ruiz. Unless you want to be preached to for six long and tedious chapters, I won't recommend it. Then again, I'm an indecisive atheist judging a book of Toltec religion philosophy. Maybe it's just me.
The Portrait of Doran Grey, classical good reading.
I tried to read Return of the Native a couple months ago, I read about five pages then became bored. Sorry Endlessly, I'll try, try again.

*This and other literary but not erotic post brought to you by the Reading Rainbow.*
*Take a look, it's in a book. A Reading Rainbow.. *

 

[Guest]

indecisive atheist

If that is case then, Never, you should read Conversations With God by Neale Donald Walsch. It is a trilogy covering all aspects of human nature. It is at times funny but always thought provoking. I really can't do the books justice, I just recommend that you pick them up. I used to feel the same way and now I look at life differently.

 

[Deborah]

God loves sex!

Hi back at ya April and congrats on your new status! Very funny Elmo story.

Freya, I've read Walsch's books. The premise here, for those who don't know, is that Walsch has been talking to God. This is listed as non-fiction. An interesting concept, what would God say.

Well, here's some of what God says about SEX, according to Walsch anyway ...

(from page 205, "Conversations with God, an uncommon diologue")

Walsh: "Is sex okay? C'mon - what is the real story behind this human experience? Is sex purely for procreation, as some religions say? Is true holiness and enlightment achieved through denial - or transmutation - of the sexual energy? Is it okay to have sex without love? Is just the physical sensation of it okay enough as a reason?"

God: "Of course sex is 'okay.' Again, if I didn't want you to play certain games, I wouldn't have given you the toys. Do you give your children things you don't want them to play with?

"Play with sex. Play with it! It's wonderful fun. Why, it's just about the most fun you can have with your body, if you're talking of strictly physical experiences alone.

"But for goodness sake, don't destroy sexual innocence and pleasure and the purity of the fun, the joy, by misusing sex. Don't use it for power, or hidden purpose; for ego gratification or domination; for any purpose other than the purest joy and the highest ecstasy, given and shared - which is love, and love recreated - which is new life! Have I not chosen a delicious way to make more of you!

"With regard to denial, I have dealt with that before. Nothing holy has ever been achieved through denial. Yet desires change as even larger realities are glimpsed. It is not unusual, therefore, for people to simply desire less, or even no, sexual activity - or for that matter, any of a number of activities of the body. For some, the activities of the soul become foremost - and by far the most pleasurable.

"Each to his own, without judgment - that is the motto. The end of your question is answered this way: You don't need to have a reason for anything. Just be cause. Be the cause of your experience. Remember, experience produces concept of Self, conception produces creation, creation produces experience.

"You want to experience yourself as a person who has sex without love? Go ahead! You'll do that until you don't want to anymore. And the only thing that will - that could ever - cause you to stop this, or any, behavior, is your newly emerging thought about Who You Are. It's as simple - and as complex - as that.

Go God go!!!

 

[Endlessly]

*LOL*

Skip to chapter five of Return of the native. It's no good until Eustacia's first enterance. *Can quote all of chapter seven, book one: "Queen of night"; the chapter all about Eustacia Vye*

*cough*

SERIOUS shameless plug follows for what is probably one of the best and most overlooked volumes in the English language (and I'm not just saying that because I secretly believe I AM Eustacia Vye. Well, maybe not that secretly.. *looks at all the EV-initialed jewelery I made in metalshop*

*cough*

Thomas Hardy's classic tragedy, Return of the Native, is by and large the sort of book writers read, and that's what makes it so good-- just like Shakespeare has endured because they're plays written for actors. The prose is purple and thick enough to chew on while remaining engrossing and moving forward; the plot is deliciously dark and ironic.

I'm working on getting the entirety of the book put online; right now I only have the first section of it, though expository notes written by yours truly can be found at the bottom of most of the chapters. Check it OUT!

http://members.xoom.com/shadwater/

 

[CreamyLady]

I like the Harry Potter books too, and really feel deprived that I never attended Hogwarts.

One of the best books I've ever read was The Hounds of The Morrigan. True, it was written for children, but I'm either a case of arrested development or a sucker for a good story. It has adventure, great characters, and the best villainess/es ever.

I've never been able to read Hardy. However, Endlessly's glowing recommendation is compelling, and I will have some time on my hands . . .

 

[Skibum]

"Starship Troopers" by Robert Hienlien was the book that determined how I started my adult life. His idealistic vision of veterans running the government convinced me that military service was the best way to prove to yourself and society that you cared enough to be trusted with the rights of a citizen.

I still go back and reread that book at least every other year or so.