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| caro |
Since I know for a fact that all RO members have great taste, I thought I might as well ask here...
I recently started a new job where I'm supposed to speak english fluently. My english skills being still a bit shaky (after accidentally using some expressions learnt at RO in front of my boss, I decided that I better upgrade from internet english to business english real fast), I'm gonna try to read plenty of american books in the next months. Anyone got suggestions?
So far, I've only read ultrafamous stuff : Jack Kerouac (nice, but you'd probably have to know the cities&places he mentions in his books to really appreciate it), Burroughs' Naked Lunch (some very cool parts, some stuff that I didn't get at all), John Steinbeck's East of Eden (absolutely great, what a simple & laconic way to scare the shit out of a reader!) Tennessee Williams (too much psychological dissection for me), Paul Auster & Siri Hustvedt, John Updike's The Centaur (I loved that one - an idealist & depressed centaur working as a teacher, making out with Venus in the girls' locker room, wearing stupid wool caps..) Oh, and I just finished I Married a Communist by Philip Roth, which I thought was very cool too. |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
How about Stephen King?
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| caro |
I'm not really into horror novels, but that cover looks nice! |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
caro wrote:
I'm not really into horror novels, but that cover looks nice!
I'm not either, I've never read Stephen King novel, even though I read a book of his short stories when he used the psuedonym of Bachman, Richard I think but not sure. My aunt on the other hand has read most of his books.
BTW He's written some that aren't horror like Delores Clayborn....I thinks the title.
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| RollingstonesUSA |
Philip K. Dick, great writer! |
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| corgi37 |
Stephen King is to writing what the Stones are to rock.
Over paid, over lauded, over rated.
And neither has done anything worthwhile for years.
Fuck, did i just write that?
[Edited by corgi37] |
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| Dick Bush |
Great american novelists, there are many of them, however, the best stuff I've ever read on american english still are Art Buchwald's columns from Washington Post - from my point of view, the best ever written humor - after Mark Twain, of course. I think I've actually learned english due to his perpetual columns.
If you really are into the great american novels, you might try the U.S.A. -trilogy of John Dos Passos - you'll not only improve your english, you'll get how the west was won & how the states were built up 
There's really more I would have to tell you, but right now I'm going to see few guys - profession: "looking busy" - in the NRG-Arena in Cologne, where they usualy make their best venues in Germany!
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| lotsajizz |
Updike |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
James Clavell
His novel "WHIRLWIND" is good, I couldn't put it down even though its lenghty....set in Iran during the Revolution when the Ayatolla took over.
TAIPAN is good too.
A lot of his novels are interconnected.....
(But I think he's English)
Wait.... I guess he's an Aussie.
Wait again..he became a naturalized American citizen in 1963.
Anyway....here's the facts on him if anyone's interested. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clavell
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| Taptrick |
I've been reading a lot of Sandra Cisneros lately. A wonderful writer with great sexual tones:
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| keefjunkie |
J.K Rowling. |
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| Zack |
Hi Caro.
Try The Magus by John Fowles. |
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| Jumacfly |
Lester Bangs!!! priceless! |
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| glencar |
Hemingway, Updike, Fitzgerald. For detective fiction, arthur lyons. |
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| Jumacfly |
Dont forget one of the masters: James Ellroy. |
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| Trey Krimsin |
Kurt Vonnegut |
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| Lazy Bones |
quote:
keefjunkie wrote:
J.K Rowling.
She's English. I have, however, read recently how some people have used the Potter books as tools to learn english. |
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| GotToRollMe |
Henry Miller:
Tropic of Capricorn
Tropic of Cancer
Nexus
Sexus
Plexus
He's written a lot more, but those are the biggies. Probably my all-time favorite writer.
And as Trey mentioned above, Kurt Vonnegut. Great stuff.
[Edited by GotToRollMe] |
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| GotToRollMe |
quote:
Jumacfly wrote:
Dont forget one of the masters: James Ellroy.
James Ellroy rules! |
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| Paranoid_Android |
You should read The NEW YORKER magazine...simply the best in fiction...news clips, article of interest, arts, and GREAT COMIC PANELS!!!
Also, while the list of books you have read is rather impressive, I can understand any difficulty you may have had w/ them...you should try reading about things you enjoy...film, music, travel, cars, etc...instead of what you think you SHOULD read...have a dictionary handy...circle and look up the words you dont know and learn them by using them that day!
Remember...THE NEW YORKER is GREAT!!!
I just got rid of alot of back issues...it comes out weekly, so I am sure if you ask, folks would send you a handfull of recent issues.
[Edited by Paranoid_Android] |
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| Nasty Habits |
If you enjoyed the Philip Roth, I can tell you that I just finished American Pastoral and it was absolutely amazing.
I would also recommend, off the top of my head, Nathaniel West's Day of the Locust, Philip K. Dick's fascinating, barely sci-fi Transmigration of Timothy Archer, Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, and Oakley Hall's WARLOCK (an obscurity and it's terrific).
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| not bound to please |
quote:
Lazy Bones wrote:
She's English. I have, however, read recently how some people have used the Potter books as tools to learn english.
A Chinese friend of mine learned English by watching Mr. Rogers and Seasame Street. NPR found this out in an interview with her - and got them to speak together. Fred Rogers was floored. She said he was a really nice guy. |
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| ListenToTheLion |
Please also read Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove) |
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| sirmoonie |
quote:
caro wrote:
I'm not really into horror novels, but that cover looks nice!
Read everything by J.D. Salinger. |
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| sirmoonie |
Also read A Fan's Notes by Frederick Exley.
The greatest book ever written in English is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, but you may find it difficult to understand. |
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| GotToRollMe |
I can't believe I forgot Hunter S. Thompson!
Start with "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and take it from there!
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| Fiji Joe |
I would recommend Twain but, for your purposes, I just think that would screw you up...what with all the negroes in his books |
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| sirmoonie |
quote:
Fiji Joe wrote:
I would recommend Twain but, for your purposes, I just think that would screw you up...what with all the negroes in his books
Tue dat, but the "N word" may be an important piece of vocab for her to possess. Depends where her new job is, I suppose. |
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| jb |
Bill O'Reiley "The Factor For Kids". |
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| Honky Tonk Man |
I've read lots of Stephen King novels. He's always been one of my favourites. He's not considered to be one of the literary greats, but he's one of the most fantastic storytellers. I haven’t read any of his more recent works, but having read recent reviews, it would suggest he's lost his touch since his days of drinking and drug taking. Most of his early novels (Carrie, Salems Lot etc) were written with a bottle of whisky for constant company. |
