h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*walks in and sees that the Book Nook is more dimly lit than usual, with a faint covering of dust over the tables and books. There's something familiar about the smell ..... ahhhhh yes, the smell of a great book that might have sat on the shelf for years.*

I admit that I am among those that used to frequent the Book Nook, but stopped for what must have seemed like good reasons at the time, but in hind sight were nothing of the sort.

I propose that we dust off the books, and tables *without getting rid of that great smell* and set to the serious work of discussing our favorite books.

Courtesy

To get the ball rolling, what is the best book you have ever read *and it's a given that it's H2G2 so something else please*

I would posit that the best book I have ever read was Dune. It's the only book that I was completely awed by when I read it. Although LOTR has a place in my heart to.

Aside from the initial awe, it is a book that I have re-read more than any other and every time I finish it I have found something new about the book and about myself.

Frank Herbert was probably the best author around, and I believe he is on a par with, if not exceeded Clark and Asimov.

If you have a chance, I highly recommend his short story collection entitled Eye.

Please let me know what you think, how you feel and what your opinions are.

Courtesy

*wanders in, happily inhaling the musty smell of old books* This place is still lovely, isn't it? I think that my favorite book of all time is Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams. I've just reread it again and am still quite fond of it. I've also been tiptoeing through Tolkien again...

*sits comfortably in one of the big, red velvet chairs*

Ahhhhhh, the great Tolkien, I wanted to re-read LOTR before the movie, but then I remembered what has happened every other time I did that.

The movie was great, and I'm actually reading The Hobbit to my girlfriends son right now. Then we move onto LOTR.

I'm currently on a short story kick. I've read the Complete works of Arthur C. Clark *great as I expected it would be*, and am working on a collection of short stories collected by Orson Scott Card.

I'm also stepping through the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, and A Clockwork Orange.

All great books, and highly recommended.

Courtesy

A Clockwork Orange is a brilliant book! And I've long been a fan of Mr Clarke. As for Card, normally his first books are good, second are brilliant and the third are abyssmal, so I fear I haven't read many of his short stories...

I agree with the statement about Card's books, the only one's I have truly enjoyed were Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead.

However, this is a book of short stories compiled by Card, not Card's themselves. I'll get the title, I highly recommend it as both a cross section of science fiction since the 1930's, as well as a reference for anthologies and titles of authors you might like.

courtesy

Hmmm... May have to look that up then.

Oooooh

Excuse me butting in here, but if the BooknooK is opening again, is there any chance of renewing your long and welcome association with <./>thepost</.>?

We could really do with some good, informed book reviews again!

shazz

Shazz -

I believe we (in the royal sense) would love it. I have about 20 reviews I could kick off, from the books I've been reading recently.

Please let me know how to get a hold of you, or what the process is.

Courtesy

Gwen -

The book is "Masterpieces The Best Science Fiction of the Century", and has shorts from Asimov, Clarke, Givson, Heinlein, LeGuin, Pohl, and many others.

courtesy

Okay, let's revive an old question ........

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have 10 books, what would they be, and why if you would like to let us know?

It is understood that the collected works of Douglas Adams, and an Oxford English Dictionary will be included free of charge.

Courtesy

My list would be:

1. Dune
2. Collected works of Arthur C. Clark
3. Bible (gotta have something to fall back on when times are tough)
4. Tao Te Ching (see above)
5. Tibetan Book of the Dead
6. Lord of the Rings Trilogy
7. Complete Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire
8. Complete How Things Work
9. Ender's Game
10. God Emperor of Dune

This list is subject to modification

courtesy

I've always preferred Asimov's short stories - more concentrated and upt to point...

...but then Clarke's short stories have a bit more humour in them - I seem to remember something about the colour of skin?
And taking risks? (sorry, only read them in Swedish, no idea of the original titles)

I have emailed you Courtesy

Funnily enough, we were thinking of running a 'desert island' type open column on The Post. Do you think it would be popular?
Top 5 tunes and top 5 books.

shazz

Shazz -

I think the desert island theme would be very popular. On the OTD list hosted by Lil we had several weeks of fun with it.

Thanks for the email, I will check it tonight.

Courtesy

Titania -

Welcome, I hope you will enjoy the discussions.

Asimov's shorts are fantastic, literally and figuatively.

I prefer Clarke's because they actually predict the future, it was spooky how bang on he was about satellites, the internet, walk men, etc.

Courtesy

My favourite book (thus far) would have to be... er... um...

*passes out from exhaustion, hoping he'll have an answer when he revives*

*gets a copy of The Perfect Storm from the book case, and helps get Sporky some air*

*revives as the smell of the salty sea air whips across his face*

Er, where was I? Oh, yes. My favourite so far would have to be Crime and Punishment.

OK, I think that I ahve done this in the past, but I would like another swing at it with recent additions.

1. The Holy Bible To give myself spiritual guidance
2. Go Rin No Sho (A Book of five rings), Miyamoto Mushashi, see above
3. Art of War Sun, Tzu See above
4. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson Truly the best and most engaging read about technology and the near future.
5. Dune, Frank Herbert
6. the collected works of Terry Prachett, A humorist as sublime as the late great DNA.
7. The New Hackers Dictionary, Compiled by Eric S Raymond I can read this book ad nauseum and get an insight into hacker culture back to the 40's
8. The collected works of William Shakespeare
9. Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman
10. The collected works of Mark Twain