Being an Engineering student, I don't get much exposure to the humanities. I expect that I am doing myself a disservice by not exposing myself to the wealth of knowledge available with such studies. As a result, I'd like to try and complete a classic novel every two weeks for the length of the semester.
I remember reading:
1984
The Good Earth
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Red Badge of Courage
The Scarlet Letter
Lord of the Flies
Frankenstein
Moby Dick
The Great Gatsby
Anthem
Last week, I picked up an old copy of The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas at the library. It wasn't until I reached the 200th page, that I realized I was reading an abridged version. I immediately drove to Borders and picked up the unabridged version (I couldn't put the book down and the library didn't have any other copies). One of the employees informed me that I should pay particular attention to the translator if the novel was not originally written in the english language. I also purchased Atlas Shrugged by Rand, War and Peace by Tolstoy, and The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck at the Borders employee's recommendation.
I'm over half way through the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo and it almost feels as if I was previously reading a different book. There is no comparison and I won't make that mistake again. It may be the most fantastic story I've (currently) ever read.
As far as style goes, I studied the Iliad and the Odyssey in Latin. I have a deep interest in mythology and the ancient world, but do not soon wish to repeat the experience of reading a large piece of text in iambic pentameter (difficult to follow).
Has anyone read the prose versions of either of those texts? Was it easier to follow and enjoyable to read?
Initially, I found Anthem by Ayn Rand a bit difficult to follow. She refers to individuals in the plural until the end of the novel. However, I grew to appreciate this decision. I was forced to think about the story differently, which offered a new reading experience.
I've gone through Amazon and found the reviews worthless. They all get great reviews. How should I begin my study of the classics with 10 books, when it seems there are enough to last me 10 years!
I'd greatly appreciate any recommendations. If its not much trouble, I'd also appreciate the translator (or any information you have) if it was not originally written in english.
Thanks,
Thadman
I remember reading:
1984
The Good Earth
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Red Badge of Courage
The Scarlet Letter
Lord of the Flies
Frankenstein
Moby Dick
The Great Gatsby
Anthem
Last week, I picked up an old copy of The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas at the library. It wasn't until I reached the 200th page, that I realized I was reading an abridged version. I immediately drove to Borders and picked up the unabridged version (I couldn't put the book down and the library didn't have any other copies). One of the employees informed me that I should pay particular attention to the translator if the novel was not originally written in the english language. I also purchased Atlas Shrugged by Rand, War and Peace by Tolstoy, and The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck at the Borders employee's recommendation.
I'm over half way through the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo and it almost feels as if I was previously reading a different book. There is no comparison and I won't make that mistake again. It may be the most fantastic story I've (currently) ever read.
As far as style goes, I studied the Iliad and the Odyssey in Latin. I have a deep interest in mythology and the ancient world, but do not soon wish to repeat the experience of reading a large piece of text in iambic pentameter (difficult to follow).
Has anyone read the prose versions of either of those texts? Was it easier to follow and enjoyable to read?
Initially, I found Anthem by Ayn Rand a bit difficult to follow. She refers to individuals in the plural until the end of the novel. However, I grew to appreciate this decision. I was forced to think about the story differently, which offered a new reading experience.
I've gone through Amazon and found the reviews worthless. They all get great reviews. How should I begin my study of the classics with 10 books, when it seems there are enough to last me 10 years!
I'd greatly appreciate any recommendations. If its not much trouble, I'd also appreciate the translator (or any information you have) if it was not originally written in english.
Thanks,
Thadman
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I wasn't even aware this book existed 5 minutes ago, but it looks to be exactly the type of book that would capture my interest. Thanks for the recommendation!
Have you read it? If so, what were your impressions?
Go read Beowulf. That will instantly cure you of this humanities rubbish. Then go study the calculus like you're suppose to.
Maybe Fahrenheit 451, The Jungle (Sinclair), Catch 22 or some nice science fiction. I like the late great Jack L. Chalker, maybe get the Soul Rider series if you can dredge it up at a used book store, though almost anything he wrote is pretty decent. Most things by Niven & Pornelle are decent, together or alone.
Maybe Fahrenheit 451, The Jungle (Sinclair), Catch 22 or some nice science fiction. I like the late great Jack L. Chalker, maybe get the Soul Rider series if you can dredge it up at a used book store, though almost anything he wrote is pretty decent. Most things by Niven & Pornelle are decent, together or alone.
Ayn Rand - I guess I started with the wrong book I read "The Fountainhead" when I was much younger and I was so disgusted by the rape scene that I had to put it down. It was implied that the woman needed to be conquered and that the only way she would respect him is if he did that. Perhaps I felt Roark was too noble and identified with him too much, so that when he did something deplorable I couldn't get past it.
There are a lot of classics on Free eBooks by Project Gutenberg
Top 100 - Project Gutenberg
I took a theater class when I was in engineering school (one of the few classes we engineering geeks could see women in.) I found that reading plays is much more enjoyable than classic novels. Check out some of teh anthologies of plays you can find. I read a lot and I read quickly - but plays are very nice in that they come straight to the point without a lot of murky 18th and 19th century prose. If you want to be really annoyed, try reading "Ulysses" by James Joyce.
here's a professional (and reader-specified) top 100 list
The Modern Library | 100 Best | Novels
I find it amusing (I wonder if Random House readers typically have Scientologist leanings) that Battlefield Earth is in the top 10. While an entertaining novel, it is written at about a 4th grade level, and 1000 pages long in paperback. I read it when I was ~14.
I am more interested in quality speculative fiction nowadays, try:
"The Dispossessed" by Ursula LeGuin
"Treason" or "Enders Game", by Orson Scott Card
"Stranger in a Strange Land", by Heinlein
"Armor", by John Steakley - this book is really, _really_ good.
"Dune" by Frank Herbert
"The Jesus Incident", "The Lazarus Effect, The Ascension Factor" by Herbert/Ransom
"Consider Phlebas", "Use of Weapons", "Player of Games" - all by Iain M, Banks
"The Stand" and "The Talisman", by Stephen King and King/Straub, respectively.
"Hyperion" series by Dan Simmons
"Boat of a Million Years" by Poul Anderson
Another set of web lists, this time speculative fiction:
ISFDB Top 100 Lists
There are a lot of classics on Free eBooks by Project Gutenberg
Top 100 - Project Gutenberg
I took a theater class when I was in engineering school (one of the few classes we engineering geeks could see women in.)
I found that reading plays is much more enjoyable than classic novels. Check out some of teh anthologies of plays you can find. I read a lot and I read quickly - but plays are very nice in that they come straight to the point without a lot of murky 18th and 19th century prose. If you want to be really annoyed, try reading "Ulysses" by James Joyce.here's a professional (and reader-specified) top 100 list
The Modern Library | 100 Best | Novels
I find it amusing (I wonder if Random House readers typically have Scientologist leanings) that Battlefield Earth is in the top 10. While an entertaining novel, it is written at about a 4th grade level, and 1000 pages long in paperback. I read it when I was ~14.
I am more interested in quality speculative fiction nowadays, try:
"The Dispossessed" by Ursula LeGuin
"Treason" or "Enders Game", by Orson Scott Card
"Stranger in a Strange Land", by Heinlein
"Armor", by John Steakley - this book is really, _really_ good.
"Dune" by Frank Herbert
"The Jesus Incident", "The Lazarus Effect, The Ascension Factor" by Herbert/Ransom
"Consider Phlebas", "Use of Weapons", "Player of Games" - all by Iain M, Banks
"The Stand" and "The Talisman", by Stephen King and King/Straub, respectively.
"Hyperion" series by Dan Simmons
"Boat of a Million Years" by Poul Anderson
Another set of web lists, this time speculative fiction:
ISFDB Top 100 Lists
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Kidder won a Pulitzer prize, I think, for this book. Think of it as a snapshot of engineering, although a bit dated. OTOH, I've worked 37 hours straight to get an IC released to the Fab, so heroic efforts do happen in engineering, like that book documents. The story is real, BTW. After you read it, research DG and see where they are today. As someone who is on the threshold of joining the engineering rat race, you will find that you will be working on many failed projects.
The theatrical movie is terrible but the miniseries' are both excellent.
I would call it a great series and not just a great book (only the originals by Frank Herbert of course), it's fun to debate whether the 1st or the 6th is the best.
Any Dune fan should read Frank Hebert's "The Godmakers". It is a clear pre-cursor to the many wonderful concpets that show up in the Dune books.
Lukas
If you want Jules Verne or HG Wells you MUST get a pre-WWII edition - older is better - modern editions are highly abridged, although they deny it. Different book after they "modernized" it...
Try Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Douglas Adams
Brilliant work, imo.
Not heavy at all. Very cool read.
_-_-bear
Try Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Douglas Adams
Brilliant work, imo.
Not heavy at all. Very cool read.
_-_-bear
There are a few good books mentioned here, and a few not. Catch 22.
'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' is the obvious one for an engineer...
'Dune' was indeed a great book, but that was a long time ago.
'The Crossing' by Cormac McCarthy is a staggering book. I thought I'd outgrown all the authors in the world, being as how I'm really old, but this book got to me. Not only is the storyline compelling, the exposition is baroque and the language is exquisite.
w
'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' is the obvious one for an engineer...
'Dune' was indeed a great book, but that was a long time ago.
'The Crossing' by Cormac McCarthy is a staggering book. I thought I'd outgrown all the authors in the world, being as how I'm really old, but this book got to me. Not only is the storyline compelling, the exposition is baroque and the language is exquisite.
w
Thanks for all the recommendations so far. It definitely shows that DIYaudio has one of the most educated membership bases.
After the Soul of a new Machine was recommended, I started to look into some non-fiction. Has anyone read The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Dreaming in Code, or Guns, Germs, and Steel?
. It definitely shows that DIYaudio has one of the most educated membership bases.After the Soul of a new Machine was recommended, I started to look into some non-fiction. Has anyone read The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Dreaming in Code, or Guns, Germs, and Steel?
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