Book Suggestions?

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lovedance4ever

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I am six days away from freedom! In other words, the semester ends for me on the 17th. And since I will soon have a month of not having to read 500 page textbooks, I thought I would look for something new to read.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I tend to enjoy depressing fiction, if that helps lol. Oh, and I enjoy classic stories, as I am not a big fan of a lot of what is published today. I also enjoy mysteries to some extent.

Thanks!
 
Have you read the classic mystery stories of authors such as G. K. Chesterton (Father Brown Mysteries), Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, Hugh Wiley (Mr. James Lee Wong series) or the venerable Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Canon Doyle, etc.? I highly recommend them.

If you like long involved stories, The Lord of the Rings can’t be beat, along with The Hobbit and the Silmarillion.
 
You might enjoy Michael O’Brien’s novels published by Ignatius Press.
 
Yes, a classic, yet deeply depressing book due to it’s Calvinistic fatalism. :yup:
 
You might try to find Willa Cather’s “Shadows on the Rock” about French Catholics living in Quebec in the 1600s. Strong Catholic “flavor” though not a religious book. Sad elements too, though not necessarily a depressing book.

It always shocks me that Cather wrote this book but she must have had strong Catholic influences in her life.
 
Della said:
Yes, a classic, yet deeply depressing book due to it’s Calvinistic fatalism. :yup:
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We haven’t even gotten on board yet. Ishmael, Queequeg, and I just becoming good friends.

Les Misarables took me 6 months but I loved it ( except the histry of sewers).
 
Funny story about Les Miserables… When I was in my teens, I was wandering alone through the stacks of a huge urban library looking for something fun to read. Well, here was this old book which caught my eye, and I assumed it was going to be funny because of its title: Less Miserable. Whoa was I surprised.

and, not being a very worldly young lady, and my only exposure to French or France was Pepe LePew cartoon, I could not for the life of me figure out why the main character, a man, was named Jean (in my mind same as “gene”) Val (duh, like Valerie) Jean (again with the gene.).

OH… so sad… and quite the eye opener.
 
lovedance4ever said:
I am six days away from freedom! In other words, the semester ends for me on the 17th. And since I will soon have a month of not having to read 500 page textbooks, I thought I would look for something new to read.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I tend to enjoy depressing fiction, if that helps lol. Oh, and I enjoy classic stories, as I am not a big fan of a lot of what is published today. I also enjoy mysteries to some extent.

Thanks!
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While I don’t find his fiction depressing, G.K. Chesterton seems to fit the rest of your bill. The Man Who was Thursday; Manalive, The Father Brown Mysteries; The King of Notting Hill, etc. They fit the rest of your bill. Classic, Not published today, mysteries (Father Brown).

In the depressing vain, though it is not classic, and is published today, I really enjoy the novels, (and particularly the apocalyptic ones), by a writer named Michael O’Brien. There are two of these guys. Be careful. The one you might like is the guy who wrote Father Elijah, and the Plague Journals.

You might really enjoy a trilogy of books, (classic mode), which are classic sci-fi with a theological twist by C.S. Lewis, which includes That Hideous Strength. I can’t spell one of the three without looking it up. It’s marvelous, classic, and has depressing aspects as well as joyous ones.

If you like short stories, may I suggest a collection of stories by Flannery O’Conner? Incredible, hard hitting stuff. A good man is Hard to Find, and Wise Blood may be right up your alley.

Then of course, you can’t go wrong with the Tolkein Quadrillogy, which I never tire of.

Modern horror writer Dean Koonts has a series of stories about a young guy named Odd Thomas which I find riveting, and emotional on many levels. They’re…hard to describe. They’re not in the typical “horror” genre, a’ la’ Stephen King, but are something almost which are almost their own thing.

For that matter, Stephen King wrote 3 fine books, which are all three long reads, but worth the investment. My favorite is The Stand. Next would be Salem’s Lot, and of course The Shining. All early books, with the best of what Mr. King has to offer.

That’s about it from me. Not a huge fiction buff. When I do read fiction, it’s usually a re-read of a classic by Chesterton, Dickens or Lewis.

C.S. Lewis Adult fiction: Screwtape Letters; the sci-fi series I mentioned; and my favorite…The Great Divorce.

Happy time off. Enjoy your reading, whatever you decide. The greatest past time in the world.

Peace,

Steve
 
If you like nonfiction at all, I would highly recommend Unbroken, about Louis Zamperini. He went through some trials, that’s for sure. :eek:
 
I don’t know if you have read any of these classics, but these are some of the authors which came to mind for me:

Lucy Maud Montgomery and the “Anne of Green Gables” series.

I actually enjoyed reading her books when I was in my late 20’s, as opposed to being a younger child. The language in the books is very detailed, so I found that I could appreciate it more as an adult than when I was younger.

Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol” makes for a great read at this time of year. It is actually not very long to read.

Louisa May Alcott. “The Little Women” series.

Henry James. “Washington Square.” It’s a short story that you can probably get through your library. This is the story that the movie “The Heiress” was based on, starring Olivia de Haviland.
 
fencersmother said:
Funny story about Les Miserables… When I was in my teens, I was wandering alone through the stacks of a huge urban library looking for something fun to read. Well, here was this old book which caught my eye, and I assumed it was going to be funny because of its title: Less Miserable. Whoa was I surprised.

and, not being a very worldly young lady, and my only exposure to French or France was Pepe LePew cartoon, I could not for the life of me figure out why the main character, a man, was named Jean (in my mind same as “gene”) Val (duh, like Valerie) Jean (again with the gene.).

OH… so sad… and quite the eye opener.
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Ha, thanks for sharing, As a teen, did it change you, have much of an effect on you?
 
One author that fits your criteria is William Somorset Maugham. His book Mrs Craddock is a good read. Although quite cynical, he understood and explained human relationships very well.

Also Silas Marner by George Eliot was an excellent book as I recall. I read it many years ago.
 
I’m re reading Jane Eyre. I am astonished each time I read it at the Christianity shining through.
I also enjoy the Nero Wolfe books, mysteries by Rex Stout. Not depressing, except that they’re often about murders, – okay, that’s depressing – but actually very humorous in a subtle way.
 
oldgraymare2 said:
Lucy Maud Montgomery and the “Anne of Green Gables” series.

I actually enjoyed reading her books when I was in my late 20’s, as opposed to being a younger child. The language in the books is very detailed, so I found that I could appreciate it more as an adult than when I was younger.

Charles Dickens. “A Christmas Carol” makes for a great read at this time of year. It is actually not very long to read.

Louisa May Alcott. “The Little Women” series.

.
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I read anne of the green gables(part1 and 2) and Little women (part1) last yr…loved all 3…
Have read parts of Jane Eyre-it is also good

If you are looking for some spiritual books I suggest:

1.St.Therese’s “Story of a Soul”-This book made me fall in love with St.Therese.
2.Glories of Mary-A must read for every catholic-
2.If you like a combination of History and Politics (and some religion) read His Holiness (about JP2) by Carl Bernstein
3.Guardian Angels-our heavenly companions-(easy read-takes an hour only)
 
Dostoevsky’s Notes from the Underground? This is one of the greatest openings in the history of literature:

“I am a sick man… I am a spiteful man. I am an unpleasant man. I think my liver is diseased. However, I don’t know beans about my disease, and I am not sure what is bothering me. I don’t treat it and never have, though I respect medicine and doctors. Besides, I am extremely superstitious, let’s say sufficiently so to respect medicine. (I am educated enough not to be superstitious, but I am.) No, I refuse to treat it out of spite. You probably will not understand that. Well, but I understand it. Of course I can’t explain to you just whom I am annoying in this case by my spite. I am perfectly well aware that I cannot “get even” with the doctors by not consulting them. I know better than anyone that I thereby injure only myself and no one else. But still, if I don’t treat it, its is out of spite. My liver is bad, well then-- let it get even worse!”

I think Stephen King is depressing. Get a collection of his short stories and plow into it. You’ll sink lower than low.

William Faulkner can be depressing, too. Like Absalom, Absalom!. Plus, it’s so hard to read him that you’re bound to get depressed.
 
Regarding Les Miserables: I don’t think I was really affected by it much at my age (maybe 16 or 17 at the time). I was so wrapped up in the physicality of the book that I never gave much of my heart to the characters. If I read it now, different story altogether (haven’t seen the recent movie - ).

I thought of a few others books which I can always pick up and enjoy, though some are sad or have sad parts:

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is such a wonderful story, though there is certainly pain, you do see a family struggling, healing, hurting, wounded, happy, close… you know, like regular families!

Father Elijah and the other books by Michael O’Brien are great reads too.

For a book that gives you an excellent view into America’s Service Academies, particularly US Military Academy (West Point), pick up Absolutely American. Follows several members of the class of 2002, who graduated just after the bombings on 9/11. Spellbinding, in parts. Those young men and women really are American heroes, though they do have their own “quirks” too.

For an interesting look at Pioneer Life, find at your library Rolvaag’s Giants in the Earth. Excellent reading about the life of an immigrant Norwegian family - a classic.

Lots of great suggestions abound here (though I’ll admit to never being able to read Stephen King).
 
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