What are the best pieces of Literature?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ah, already read Candide... very nice .

I've always wanted to read Catch-22, and maybe War and Peace will be a long term project . I may have to buy that one and not simply get it from the library .

[Apocalypse]

The Scarlet Letter was fine. I had to read it last year for school. We were going to watch the movie. The teacher (who would rather play Civ2 and MechWarrior than any real work) wasn't sure what we were suppose to read up to the night before. I said right after the part where Chillingworth(sp) and Dimmmesdale have intercourse (like the book states). Because of my clever comment, we just talked about sex the whole time.

I'm not sure what is the best piece of liturature ever. You have to give Doom it's due though. It is amazing what kind of story you can write based on an FPS.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Doom?

Uncultured lout!

[Apocalypse]

I appreciate all types of literature. You're just closed minded.

[Sprayber]

Well. there are already lots of good ones.

No one mentioned The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer yet though. Although it has been a long time since I read it.


An honorable mention that describes many of the posters here is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Closed minded in a good way! Now shoo!

[Panag]

hi ,

catcher in the rye , ...

have a nice day

[Boris Godunov]

(psst...Catcher IN the Rye. )

[Blisterz]

Naked Lunch is at the top of my list. Same with most of the Beat poet stuff, but Naked lunch still makes me smile, and I have read it more times then I would like to admit

[Ramo]

"Homage to Catalonia" by George Orwell

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Sprayber
No one mentioned The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer yet though.

Twain's a good choice. But I'd put "Huckleberry Finn" over "Tom Sawyer." And "Letters From the Earth" over both of them.

[Sava]

I don't like to classify literature. Every single human being that has ever lived can tell a story. I don't like the fact that just because someone has followed the rules in a language and used descriptive language, that their story can be considered better than anyone elses. I bet that if many of the "great" authors of the past were alive today, a few would be writing video games, commercials, sitcoms or trashy romance novels.

It is all based on someone's opinion. If you want to feel all high and mighty, then brag how you enjoy different so called, "great literature". I have more respect for someone that says, "I enjoyed Tom Clancy's, or Michael Crichton's, or Dean Koontz's last book" than someone who says, "Oh, Shakespeare, Twain and Tolstoy are great pieces of literature compared to that trash..."

[Boris Godunov]

I think you misunderstand why great literature is classified that way. It's not about someone feeling high and mighty, or that anything else written is garbage (didn't see anyone say that here, anyway).

It's simply that, as in all expressive mediums, certain works transcend their time and speak to all generations. It's a rarity. It's the same way in music. Mozart was one of just 100s of composers alive at the time, all producing popular work that was enjoyed by the masses. But through the years, the greatest works have been filtered down to us. That's just the way art is.

I read great works of literature because I enjoy them. I also dislike a lot of supposedly great works. I love Shakespeare because he speaks to me, not because that's what one is expected to like to be "cultured."

[Sava]

I agree with what you said Boris, but there are some who are simply "holier than thou". I assumed this thread was about that.

[Sava]

BTW, I've read and I enjoy those six authors I included in there.