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Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Ross [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: Wed, Jun 02 2004, 21:14:42 GMT In reply to: Andy 's message, "Book Recommendations" on Sun, May 30 2004, 9:19:06 GMT I would recomend:- In the absence of Men by Phillipe Besson and the Persian Boy by Mary Renault [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Neda [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Wed, Jun 02 2004, 21:16:58 GMT Hmm. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It's a comedy, but provides some intersting points about religion to think about. Also, it's very funny. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Liz [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Wed, Jun 02 2004, 21:45:19 GMT >I would recomend:- In the absence of Men by Phillipe >Besson >and the Persian Boy by Mary Renault I definitely second Mary Renault, but I think it would be right to start out with "Fire From Heaven," as it's the first one of the two. And so beautiful. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Andy [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Thu, Jun 03 2004, 18:41:03 GMT A few suggestions to be getting on with. Thanks everyone. Not sure about Harry Potter though perhaps i should just read them anyway. Is it absolutely necessary to start at the beginning 'cos i get the impression they get better from Book 3 onwards? A long awaited re-read of Ulysses is on the agenda - just need to pluck up the courage to actually do it! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Liz [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Thu, Jun 03 2004, 21:13:10 GMT Well, the thing about Harry Potter is that yes, it reaches its peak with the 3rd and 4th books, but not to read the first two would mean missing out on some of the previous plot, as well as the major elements of the story. The main characters we get to know through the first two books, and they aren't that difficult that they'll be a chore to read. I mean to say...they're pretty quick, can be read in a day or so, so I'd definitely suggest reading them at the very beginning. Hope this helps! Liz [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Jo [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Fri, Jun 04 2004, 15:33:01 GMT I have to put in a word about The Last of the Wine. It is, in my never humble opinion, Mary's best book. Everything about it was so beautiful. It's set in Athens at the end of the Peloponnesian war. That alone is heartbreaking and when well done, as it is here, truly moving. The book is just gorgeous. Another book I like very well is Gates of Fire. It's historical fiction on the battle of Thermopylae. I liked the book, but mostly I love that story. I could read a thousand retellings of it and never get bored. It is one of those moments in history when you are in awe of humanity. Side note if any of you don't know, the 300 who died at Thermopylae are the ones mentioned in the song A Nation Once Again. Love and Pepsi, Jo >>I would recomend:- In the absence of Men by Phillipe >>Besson >>and the Persian Boy by Mary Renault > >I definitely second Mary Renault, but I think it would >be right to start out with "Fire From Heaven," as it's >the first one of the two. And so beautiful. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Jo [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Fri, Jun 04 2004, 15:35:25 GMT I forgot to mention that Gates of Fire is written by Steven Pressfield. Sorry about that. Love and Duh, Jo >Another book I like very well is Gates of Fire. It's >historical fiction on the battle of Thermopylae. I >liked the book, but mostly I love that story. I could >read a thousand retellings of it and never get bored. >It is one of those moments in history when you are in >awe of humanity. Side note if any of you don't know, >the 300 who died at Thermopylae are the ones mentioned >in the song A Nation Once Again. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Jamie O'Neill [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Sat, Jun 12 2004, 7:22:49 GMT Fire from Heaven is my favourite of that trilogy. But I think her (Mary Renault's) Last of the Wine is the best. Best? Stop, stop. Not best at all, not merely best. It was the first book I came across that said you can be (and having read me, shall yearn to be) loving and noble and strong and courageous and, yes, even misguided: but most of all, loving, as your heart tells you can and should be. A great book. An only now, in my late years, have I realized there's humour there, too. Jo, you're dead right. Persian Boy I like, but it's not really me. Odd, that it's usually trumpeted as her best work. Did anyone ever read the final "book" of that trilogy? I can only hope she died writing it, and some fool of a publisher gathered her materials together, ever to sully her name with his mishmash. Dire. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Book Recommendations Author: Andy [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: Sat, May 21 2005, 6:29:37 GMT Have just finished "In the Absence of Men" by Phillipe Besson. Maybe it lost something in the translation from French, but I thought it was pretentious, up its own arse, tosh. Not for me I'm afraid. Thank God it was short and in big type! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]