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

I've nearly finished 'Evolving the Alien' by Jack Cohen & Ian Stewart. Top read - makes you take a good hard look at the possibility(ies) of alien life...

John Grisham is good - 'The Firm', 'The Client', 'The Testament', 'A Time To Kill' are all excellent, especially teh last one.

Damn fine read?

House Mother Normal by BS Johnson[1]. It's set in an OAP's home and has the same scene replayed through the minds of each of the residents, starting with the fairly fit and compos mentis, through adavanced cases of Alzheimers. The prose style gets progressivly scattered as you get to the end with the result that you can feel white noise inside your brain as you read it.
Ick. Not a pleasant read at all. But definitely a life-changing one.


[1] No, not THAT BS Johnson, Pratchett fans.

Also Sirens Of Titan by Vonnegot, a pre runner to our own Hootoo?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0385333498/ref=lib_dp_TT01/102-2980312-9309706?v=glance&s=books&vi=reader&img=4#reader-link

Is this the longest link ever ?
A sample page

"1984" by George Orwell.

'Jacques the Fatalist', by Denis Diderot. Deservedly a classic. Sex, violence, humour, philosophy, and one of the most likeable protagonists I've come across. (He's kind of Ford Prefect-like, come to think of it!) My all-time favourite.

i'd like to echo the nominatoin for John Grisham. I like all of his books... especially his early ones (though, not a big fan of A Time to Kill)... his last few books have been a little... anticlimatic.

and also agree with the Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Patton.

Try the oeuvre of Neal Stephenson/Stephen Bury (can't remember which is the pen-name but he's used both). Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon, Zodiac - all excellent and thought provoking. Bit William Gibson-ish - now there's another good read if you're into intelligent SF.
Iain (M) Banks gets the thumbs up too, for the most part. Favourite SF one is probably Against a Dark Background.
Of the non-SF stuff the only one I really didn't rate was A Song of Stone. The latest, Dead Air is quite good.

Try "Below the Beltway" by Dave Barry it give an uninformed and genarally made up veiw of how the U.S. government works, and how another Election 2000 fiasco can be avoided by selling Miami back to Spain.

I'm currently reading a book by Terry Brooks, the first of the Jerle Shanara series. It's a real good read if you're into fantasy. I've only read about 1/4, but it's addictive aready.

I also liked Disclosure by Michael Crichton (sp?) a lot. More for the thriller fans though.

Something Happened by Joseph Heller.

Really changed the way I thought about other people. A lot of the behaviour of the characters in there was a bit close to home.

Like 'The Office', but older. And in a book.

This is not a novel, but it has changed the way I look at things...

'Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui' by Karen Kingston

Even if you don't believe in Feng Shui (I had heart of it but didn't know anything about it when I bought the book) I think you'll find the advice on how to get rid of 'clutter' helpful

Funny, most of the ones I'd recommend are already here: Use of Weapons, Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash, 1984, Brave New World, the works of Robert Rankin A735743 and Terry Pratchett...

Nobody said "Neuromancer", which should, I think, be required reading for anyone with access to the internet.

Clive Barker's "Weaveworld" was the weirdest book I've ever read in that it seemed to be a negative effort - the book seemed to pour itself off the page and into my mind in a way which was most disconcerting. Prose writing of the highest order, if you like that kind of thing.

Life-changers? I've been banging on to anyone who will listen about "The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind", to the point where anyone would think I have shares in the publishers (I don't). Whether or not you agree with its central premise (and I've had conflicting reports as to how many serious psychologists believe it at all) it's a fascinating read.

The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat, by Oliver Sacks, makes you realise just how wonderful a working brain and body are by telling you about some of the weird consequences possible when they don't *quite* work.

The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury. Sf poetry.

I've heard great things about "Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankl, although it's a little way down a long list I've got for myself.

And if you're not snobbish about pictures with your words, try "Watchmen" A744905. Comics are NOT just for kids (if you've already read that, then I'll assume you've also read "The Dark Knight Returns", "V for Vendetta" and of course the entire seven year run of "Sandman", by Neil Gaiman. If not, read all those.)

H.

"Stupid White Men" by Michael Moore.

I'd go with pretty much anything by Kurt Vonnegut. 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran or Paulo Coelho's 'Veronika Decides to Die' are also excellent.

I agree, Hoovooloo... Neuromancer is one of my all-time favourites

I had a chance to go and see Neal Stephenson (Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash), and didn't... you'd think I'd've learnt my lesson when I could've seen Ian Banks and didn't

Sorry, that's off-topic, just bemoaning my self-imposed fate

Could someone PLEASE inform me how to read Neuromancer? Snow Crash was a lovely read. But I'll be damned if N. is anywhere in the same realm...and I *really really REALLY* want to read it...

I'm off to the library next Saturday, so I'm going to use this list to get out some new books...

This is excellent. I've bookmarked this page. It'll be a constant reference point from now on.

'Narziss and Goldmund' by Hermann Hesse is a beautiful book.

Well, Neuromancer is by William Gibson, if that helps...

Anything by Philip K Dick, all his books seem to be making it into films after a while, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep became Bladerunner, Minority Report was the last one to be done. So, if you fancy reading some Sci-Fi and thinking, "Ah, that's where that idea came from" then Philip K Dick is your man. You may even spot of few things that later turned up in the Hitchhiker books.

Hmmmm, none really have changed my life, but plenty that have made me think, or at least recommend with my personal seal of approval (seal's actual value £0.000002).

Stand on Zanzibar (John Brunner) was mentioned earlier and it is very good, but I prefered Jagged Orbit and The Sheep Look Up more - especially The Sheep Look Up, I suppose it could be looked on as old fashioned now, but the central premise is sound, and the style and prose used makes that sound one that raises the hairs on the back of the neck.

The Dispossesed (Ursula Le Guin), one of the Hain books, so ignore the dodgy science (of which there is almost none in this book), this is a book about people and cultures, capatilism and anarchy. Probably the book that has made me think most in a long time, and given me more of an intrest in politics and freedom.

Ash : A Secret History (Mary Gentle), I espouse this everywhere, didn't change my life, but definately an excellent tale (or two) with twists and turns, and a look at how hard life was back then.

A Scanner Darkly (Philip K Dick), another I espouse, the best argument against drugs I have ever read (including Mr Welsh's work). As always with Mr Dick the disintegration of personality is told with a first class ticket.

Mythago Wood (John Holdstock) and Little, Big (John Crowley) have a real magical quality too them, and I would recommend them.

There may be more to come, when I have time, or another book jumps out at me Or maybe not Hope this helps, until later....
BCNU - Crescent