Here it is... the thread that is for reading recomendations and suggestions. I'll start it off with a suggestion of a great book by Aldous Huxley (and his last), Island

Island is basically one of those books that must be read to be enjoyed, and if you just read it literally rather than metaphorically, you will be hugely disapointed. In this book Huxley reverses his focus from Brave New World, with its utopia based on science, to the Utopian island of Pala, which bases it's society on Religion, Spirituality, and the understanding the self.

Basically, this book is pretty much the sum of Huxley's work, and although some are negative about the ending, it's pretty much one of those endings that happen in 5 seconds and seems shallow, until you think about it and understand it.

EDIT: BTW, the "Notes on What's What" in my signature, is part of a fictional book that the main character in Island reads while on the island.

Id say read Catch 22 if you havent allready, really enjoyed it.
Most of the Discworld books are worth reading if your into that, Night Watch is excellent.

Amongst others laying around here waiting to be read(i go a bit mad on Amazon :-)) are The Count of Monte Cristo, 20000 leagues Under The Sea and The Eye of The World. All been recomended to me at some time so hopefully they will be good.

Oooh, yes, the Watch books are the best - you're either a Witch fan or a Watch fan!

Best thing I've read recently is 'the wind-up bird chronicle' by Haruki Murakami. It's a little odd... this totally believable everyday world, but with some very strange things happening in it. The great thing is Murakami makes the weird stuff as believable as the ordinary!

if anyone dare mention catcher in the fscking rye...

I have read probably thousands of books, but never read that one... Someone's going to try and convince me I should, now, aren't they?!

as mentioned in a previous thread the dune series is of course wonderful the wheel of time series is also great (eye of the world, the great hunt, etc...) terry pratchett is decent but once youve read a few of his books they begin to get boring Ayn Rand books are a great read and if you are into true classics try Dante

Only if you just read the early ones. His more recent novels are really quite thought-provoking. In the early days it was just a comic fantasy thing but now I think he really explores human nature.

But what do I know, I'm addicted to Victorian 'sensation' novels (Wilkie Collins, M E Braddon, etc.)

catcher in the fscking rye


any and all of the neil gaimon books. american gods was especially good.

yes, I saw Dune when it was on Sci-Fi (for some reason, everyone else besides me hates the remake that was on SciFi) and recently I became interested in reading the series, but, even through my library's online catalog always lists the entire series as not checked out, they are no where to be found.

BTW, when was the first Dune novel written?

Hey! I happen to like the Catcher in the Fscking Rye!

Ayn Rand's best book was Anthem (IMNSHO).

The Illad and Odyessy are also good. So is the Aeneid (I know, I spelled it wrong). Much of the literature by Greco-Roman writers is actually quite good, contrary to what *some* people say. Of course, this is from me.

And I find some Shakespeare to be good...

Hmmmmm.... how is Anthem? It seems it would fall in line with my recent books I've read, which include 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World, Island, and Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents. And that is just the last two weeks!

How abouts Cat's Craddle by Kurt Vonnegut, I read that in high school and remember liking it.

Anthem is quite a good and interesting book. I don't remember it all, but I remember its major theme (individualism) and that it was enjoyable.

Cryptonomicon and The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson, Imajica by Clive Barker, anything by Robert B Parker and Lawrence Block, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers.

Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco, and the Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams.