Ever read any of these books? if so what did you think of them?

Question

Against Nature by J-K Huysmans
The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Death In Venice by Thomas Mann
Venus In Furs by Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch
The Spoils Of Poynton by Henry James
Kim by Rudyard Kipling
Wormwood by Marie Corelli
Dubliners by James Joyce
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
East/West by Salman Rusdie

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Wow. The choice of books in your list is excellent. And I thought nobody read classic and quality literature anymore.

I'd be more than glad to read all of them in the future, but for now...I've read "Kim" - a rather interesting story, with fascinating characters, but I'm afraid that the scenery in which the story takes place, along with the lack of internal action didn't make me love it. Kipling's "If" will always be his best work.

"The Picture Of Dorian Gray" - wonderful book. Nothing like Wilde's early theatrical comedies. It's wonderful, powerful, exploding. A spherical view on the vanity that characterizes all of us.

"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" - probably Kesey's best. The dialogs are a firework in a mildly lit room, unexpected plot twists and amazing diversity of characters.

"Madame Bovary" - is excellent for a book of the Realist era. And the fact that is based on true facts makes it all the more stunning. A portrait of a woman who got tired of the demands of her husband and the society around her and did something about it.

I've only read these. I'll probably get to the rest some day!

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

cool. i've read all of these and they are all some of my favorites, just wanted to see what others thought. i would highly recommend reading the others on this list you would probably enjoy them.

Answer 2

The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde it's an awesome book!

Answer 3

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest changed my life. Seriously, I had to study it for english in year 11 and it was one of the most amazing books I've read in my life. And the movie adapation... one of the only movie adaptions I've ever seen that is as good as the book. I don't know whether you've ever read it but it was shocking and beautiful.

It's actually one of those books which I enjoy far more after reading it than while I'm reading it. And I think the fact that i had to study it in depth helped a lot as well. At the beginning, Bromden (the narrator incase you haven't read it), sees everything through a kind of strange view because he's not exactly strange. The first time i read it I was sort of like... what the heck is going on.

But yeah beautiful book. I'm ashamed to say I haven't read any of the others. I need to educate myself

Answer 4

I've read the Picture Of Dorian Gray - a strange book with a decidedly homoerotic undertone and a surprisingly graphic and unpleasant murder scene. Once you get used to the style, it's a very good story.

I've also read Dubliners and I wouldn't recommend it - a series of "portraits" of Dublin life in which nothing really happens. They just begin and end. The writing is quite descriptive, but the stories aren't stories at all. I found it boring.

Answer 5

Mark Twain is easily the greatest writer the US has ever produced. Read just about anything he writes and you will be doing yourself a favour. My personal favourites are Connecticut Yankee, Puddin'head Wilson, Tom Sawyer, and of course Huck Finn. In that order.

Death In Venice is about a homosexuals infatuation with a teen-aged boy. I believe it is reputed to have merit. I couldn't find it. That is not to say it isn't there, it just wasn't there for me. Nabokov's Lolita on the other hand is just about the funniest book ever.

I find most James Joyce incomprehensible...and I've read everything he has written. Maybe I am missing the symbolism.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest? Absolutely. Ken Kesey was part of the whole beat generation thing with jack kerouac, and this book has some of the same feel. The main character is as wild and non-conformist as they come.

Dorian Gray? Read it years ago and it made no impression on me. If it had been in any way memorable I would comment, but I can't. To each their own though. I have also read James, Kipling and Flaubert. I don't have especially glowing recommendations for any of them. They are obviously highly regarded writers, they just didn't affect me in any way. If you want classics I'd recommend Dostoyevsky, Hugo, Dickens, Orwell, Homer, Cervantes