What is the most influential literature (non military even) you have read (Full Version)

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Les_the_Sarge_9_1 -> What is the most influential literature (non military even) you have read (10/26/2002 10:00:37 AM)

Hey it's the General forum right, and we are all buds correct, so I am curious, what all my buds have read in their life times, that has had a major influence on them personally.

This is open to anything that qualifies as the printed word (but lets keep it on a neutral level and leave out touchy subjects that will only get the thread dumped in Art of Wargaming).

Me I have to say these books have drastically influenced me as a reader.

Carl Sagan's book Demon Haunted World (but I will freely admit, this book will pisss off just about anyone).

Plus Carl's book Billions and Billions (which also may have things to say, that will generally make you upset). But then we often shoot the messenger.

Terry Goodkind's Wizard's First Rule (which for those that have not read it is, "People are stupid").

Arthur C Clarke's book The Light of Other Days, which I think will shock people into thinking things they might never have thought.

The Coming Global Superstorm (can't recall the author at this moment, but it's a fairly recent book). You can say what you want people, but Stephen King doesn't own the most frightening literature, this book has me scared, problem is, its not some dumb fairy tale.

What have you guys read that deserves comment?



U2 -> (10/26/2002 4:15:50 PM)

Hi

Virginia Wolf's A Room of One's Own

Dan



abradley -> (10/26/2002 6:10:02 PM)

The first author that came to mind was,

http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/people/A0842083.html

Roberts, Kenneth Lewis

Roberts, Kenneth Lewis, 1885–1957, American author, b. Kennebunk, Maine, grad. Cornell, 1908. Well known as staff correspondent for the Saturday Evening Post and as an author of travel books, Roberts retired in 1928 to write the Chronicles of Arundel, a series of American historical novels; the series eventually included Arundel (1930), The Lively Lady (1931), Rabble in Arms (1933), and Captain Caution (1934). All Roberts's novels are colorful, exciting, and historically accurate. His later novels include Northwest Passage (1937), Oliver Wiswell (1940), Lydia Bailey (1946), and Boon Island (1956).

See the autobiographical I Wanted to Write (1949).

Andy <<< If your into early American History these are the ones, one is even pro-British Revolutionary War (Oliver Wiswell). DAR who had loved him before banned him after it was published

At least 3 have been made into movies.

Read them all at least once and a couple 3 times, except the 'Cowpen' book, it's available at the Battleground only and was written specifically for it.



Mojo -> (11/16/2002 11:25:11 PM)

Breakfast of Champions by Vonnegut. Literally changed my life:D



VictorH -> Books (11/17/2002 5:59:50 AM)

George Orwell's 1984

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World



Fallschirmjager -> (11/17/2002 6:58:24 AM)

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.


Brilliant writing.



KG Erwin -> Many many influences... (11/17/2002 7:49:52 AM)

...and since I'm a pro football fan, Dan Jenkins' "Semi-Tough" is a classic. The movie didn't do it justice. I've read many military books cover to cover, but Dave Hackworth's "About Face " and Guy Sajer's "The Forgotten Soldier" stick out in my mind. For straight narrative history, Bruce Catton's 3-volume Civil War series, as well as Douglas Southall Freeman's "Lee's Lieutenants", I've read cover to cover. The controversial "Hitler's War", by David Irving, I've read cover to cover. I'm also a fan of Kurt Vonnegut and Hunter S. Thompson, and in the SF realm, Michael Moorcock's "Dancers at the End of Time" series. Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, etc. . All of the reading I've done in my whole life has influenced me in one way or another, so , I can't pick any one or two books that have shaped me--they ALL have shaped my opinions & thought patterns.



scimitar -> Re: Books (11/17/2002 3:43:48 PM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by VictorH
[B]George Orwell's 1984

Aldous Huxley's Brave New World [/B][/QUOTE]

1984 for me too... And olso other books, like the fantastic serie of Asimov: "Foundation"; Carl SAgan's "Cosmos" and a superb one, in French: "Le livre du Voyage" from Bernard Werber. It's not a book, it's a dream!



VictorH -> Re: Re: Books (11/18/2002 8:44:13 AM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by scimitar
[B]

1984 for me too... And olso other books, like the fantastic serie of Asimov: "Foundation"; Carl SAgan's "Cosmos" and a superb one, in French: "Le livre du Voyage" from Bernard Werber. It's not a book, it's a dream! [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes, Carl Sagan is excellent, he has another book that I really liked - The Dragons of Eden.

How does an American ever get ahold of "French Books", such as the one you mention? That is the second one I have had recommended that isn't available in English.



troopie -> (11/18/2002 11:33:52 AM)

'Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R.Tolkien

'Treatise on the Gods' by H.L.Mencken

'Barrack Room Ballads' by Rudyard Kipling.

a mixed stew indeed!

troopie



Marek Tucan -> (11/18/2002 2:37:39 PM)

It is hard to tell...
Well, I`m sure about these:
L.O.T.R. (Tolkien)
The Cruel Sea (Monsarrat)
also 1984...
And more... I cannot remember them all:)



David Heath -> (11/18/2002 10:54:27 PM)

The Bible



Les_the_Sarge_9_1 -> (11/18/2002 10:59:26 PM)

The current scariest book I have read is The Coming Global Superstorm.

Sure wish the whole book was fiction.



Mike Wood -> (11/18/2002 11:05:14 PM)

Hello...

So many books, so little time. The ones I read that changed my life in some way, which come to mind, include:

The Voyage of the Beagle, Darwin
The Origin of the Species, Darwin
The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, Fromm
The Time Machine, Wells
The Evolution of Physics, Einstein
Relativity, Einstein
On the Beach, Shute
Commentary on the Gallic Wars, Julius Augustus
Introduction to Psycho-Analysis Volumes I-III, Freud
Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck
Sidhartha, Hess
The Republic, Plato

Got to go back to work...

Michael Wood



Ross Moorhouse -> (11/19/2002 6:57:40 AM)

The very first book my mother read to me which would of been a Golden Book. She still has them all too.

This gave me an interest in reading that will never go away. Thankfuly my daughters have also inherited this too. My oldest now days prefers to read than watch t.v. this floored me when I saw her doing this.

By the age of 12 I had read "The Dam Busters" 10 times. By the age of 13 I was reading James A Michanner {Spelling}

By the age of 26 it was the Bible and lots of Sci-Fi.

Now days it still the Bible and heaps of WWI related stuff on aviation.



Charles2222 -> (11/19/2002 8:29:21 PM)

Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence and Heliotropium.



sbond -> (11/23/2002 6:35:24 AM)

Jack London.



Culiacan Mexico -> (11/24/2002 1:13:15 PM)

Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Edward Gibbon



Muzrub -> (11/24/2002 2:01:23 PM)

Future Shock...

Alvin Toffler.

Its an interesting read for something written 30 years ago it hits the nail on the head 9 out of 10 times about todays society and our future society.

Oh and orwells "Animal Farm" who can go past that.
Read that when I was kid....

My fav book about the War would be the "The last battle" Cornelious Ryan. I had an Hard copy, very early edition or first- but when I moved to Queensland I lost it... Hopefully who ever found it read it.



sven -> (11/24/2002 7:52:08 PM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Culiacan Mexico
[B]Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

Edward Gibbon [/B][/QUOTE]

[I]Moral Sayings and Courage of William Jefferson Blythe Clinton[/I] by Bill Clinton

It is a short book...one page I think.



Culiacan Mexico -> (11/24/2002 9:23:22 PM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by sven
[B][I]Moral Sayings and Courage of William Jefferson Blythe Clinton[/I] by Bill Clinton

It is a short book...one page I think. [/B][/QUOTE]:D



sven -> (11/24/2002 9:44:00 PM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Culiacan Mexico
[B]:D [/B][/QUOTE]


sadder still is that that page is blank...



Waylander -> books (11/25/2002 1:17:58 AM)

I dont think any book has changed my life, although I am a voracious reader of many topics, however books I can recommend and I have read again and again are:

military - non fiction:
Not ordinary men - colvin (the battle of Kohima)
Tank Tracks - beale (churchills at war)
Alexander - dodge

Military fiction:
anything by Douglas Reeman/Alexander Kent
Brotherhood of war series - Griffin


other:

the forever war - haldemann
any of David Gemmel's books
Likewise Heinlein, Robert Jordan, Douglas Adams.
Churchill's history of The English speaking people

Sorry David but apart from the song of Soloman the Bible (and the Koran) both bored me although I pesevered with them both.
Literature can be a great uplifting thing, unfortunately it can also drag you down into depression.

regards
Waylander



scimitar -> Re: books (11/25/2002 1:45:02 AM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Waylander
[B]the forever war - haldemann
[/B][/QUOTE]

I completely agree. Have not cited that splendid story because it's a "military" SF, But I remember that when I finished the book for the first time, I was completely deconnected with the reality...

Did you know that Mr Marvano made three "comic" books (sorry, it's best said in French: "bandes dessinées") based on the forever war? Marvano surprised me because it was like that that I imagined the characters...



sven -> (11/25/2002 3:26:38 AM)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by David Heath
[B]The Bible [/B][/QUOTE]


beer...



Hades -> (11/30/2002 11:50:48 AM)

Lord of the Ring-Tolkien
Animal Farm-Orwel
Around the World in 80 Days, and anything else by Jules Verne

Lewis Caroll(sp)
others



borstalboy -> (12/5/2002 3:47:50 PM)

Orwell's Burmese Days was the first book to really hit me emotionally, altho I don't think he was particularly proud of it.

Behan's Borstalboy, as it showed the humour and intellect of an artist in a tough situation, and how "political" actions can be attributed to an excess of alcohol and the emotions of the crowd.

Orwell's 1984, Malraux - Mans Fate, and Koestler - Darkness at Noon, Zamiatin - We, and Huxley BNWorld, as they all gave vivid glimpses of totalitarian systems or other equally nightmarish alternative societies.

Thoreau's Walden Pond, as it gave me a respect for the earth and contempt for arbitrary authority.

Orwell's Keep the Aspidistra Flying, as it provided a glimpse into how how fragile youth's idealistic dreams are.

War novels

Mailer's Naked and the Dead, Jones From here to Eternity, Sajer - Forgotten Soldier, all good stories about how insane life in the military can be.



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