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Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee StormCrow Send a noteboard - 01/10/2010 03:18:58 AM

I totally didn't go to the same school you did (probably), but I know this Cliff fellow. He was quite the popular guy in school; not bad for a total bookworm.


Not unless you went to High School in the illustrious state of SC. Some of the worst public education in the country. I'm almost certain this is how I could get good grades with Cliff's help.

I don't read much and I'm going to leave out quite a few, but my favorites:

Western: Candide, Notre Dame de Paris, Jungle Book, Gargantua and Pantagruel, Don Quixote, The Inferno, Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, Tale of Two Cities, The Periodic Table (to my shock, it wasn't about Chemistry), The Prince, Return of the Native, 1984, Animal Farm, Common Sense, Wealth of Nations, Democracy in America, Leviathan, Social Contract, Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn, works by Homer, Virgil, Poe, Verne, Moliere


I dig most of those. What is the Periodic Table about, if not Chemistry? I've not heard of that one. Like seeing another Twain fan there.

Eastern (not as many favorites here): The Analects, Tale of Genji, Midnight's Children, Ramayana, Journey to the West, Camel Xiangzi, Muqaddimah (actually, this might technically be Western, but w/e)


I have read basically nothing out of the east, so I'll have to take your word for this.

If you had to suggest just one, which would it be and why? (please not, "because it's good" )

Hmm, I really like several of them, they're good in different ways. I will say though:

Western: Candide. I love the story-telling; it moves very rapidly and everything is done quite comically. And yet, there is a satire to it if you choose to read it on that level (it's not necessary though). Next in line would be Notre Dame de Paris, probably.

Eastern: Hmm, tough to choose. Midnight's Children is nice, but kind of topical. I'd probably go with Journey to the West or Camel Xiangzi since they deal with larger themes and give you a better idea of creative thinking in Eastern works. It's pretty different from Western ideas. Ramayana is pretty cool as well.


May have to check these out too.

What have you staunchly refused to read that might be considered a classic?

Well, not refused, but I could never get through Hesse's Siddartha

Why don't you want to read it?

It was really boring for me. I could not get past the first few chapters. I don't really know.. it just wasn't for me.


I've not heard of this one either. Doesn't sound promising!
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The Classics - general discussion / survey - 30/09/2010 03:52:53 PM 1394 Views
My own answers. - 30/09/2010 04:38:33 PM 986 Views
I'm trying to read a bit of Shakespeare at the moment - 30/09/2010 07:20:02 PM 925 Views
Re: I'm trying to read a bit of Shakespeare at the moment - 30/09/2010 09:14:23 PM 922 Views
Get a copy with annotations! - 30/09/2010 10:56:12 PM 908 Views
Re: My own answers. - 30/09/2010 09:02:08 PM 1005 Views
Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 09:23:51 PM 1031 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 09:34:06 PM 1274 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 10:07:20 PM 960 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 10:10:32 PM 1126 Views
They are much, much worse than powder soup. - 30/09/2010 09:50:07 PM 879 Views
Well, since they're made of paper... - 30/09/2010 10:09:41 PM 948 Views
Re: My own answers. - 30/09/2010 11:35:36 PM 981 Views
Cliff's notes - 05/10/2010 08:05:56 PM 1031 Views
Re: Cliff's notes - 05/10/2010 09:21:06 PM 1253 Views
Re: Cliff's notes - 06/10/2010 01:40:38 AM 1041 Views
It's cool. - 06/10/2010 04:42:13 PM 1088 Views
A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 05:33:35 PM 961 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 06:46:02 PM 986 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 10:57:23 PM 920 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 11:39:16 PM 809 Views
Camilla, that's just because you're an atheist. - 01/10/2010 09:37:34 PM 873 Views
Yes. - 01/10/2010 09:51:32 PM 856 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 01/10/2010 12:20:51 AM 1038 Views
totally problematic classics - 30/09/2010 08:07:22 PM 1010 Views
Re: totally problematic classics - 30/09/2010 09:26:46 PM 933 Views
I study them, apparently. - 30/09/2010 08:44:40 PM 1053 Views
I wish I could do that. - 30/09/2010 09:49:57 PM 963 Views
Less fun than you'd think. - 30/09/2010 10:52:10 PM 839 Views
Good survey. - 30/09/2010 10:23:18 PM 1030 Views
Agreed. edited - 30/09/2010 10:37:48 PM 995 Views
But but but Milton is beautiful - 30/09/2010 10:46:06 PM 931 Views
Sometimes. - 30/09/2010 10:47:28 PM 950 Views
Maybe I was unclear. - 30/09/2010 10:55:22 PM 962 Views
Re: Maybe I was unclear. - 30/09/2010 10:57:41 PM 841 Views
I'm glad you approve on the whole. - 30/09/2010 11:12:00 PM 965 Views
I generally do. - 30/09/2010 11:19:05 PM 962 Views
Excellent. Might as well include a Hooft poem anyway, in case anyone's interested... - 30/09/2010 11:40:24 PM 1127 Views
Re: Excellent. Might as well include a Hooft poem anyway, in case anyone's interested... - 30/09/2010 11:43:20 PM 960 Views
Dickens - 01/10/2010 02:42:42 PM 939 Views
Re: I generally do. - 30/09/2010 11:54:11 PM 1016 Views
Oh, and link to the Flecker poem: - 30/09/2010 11:42:30 PM 858 Views
Re: Good survey. - 01/10/2010 02:52:27 AM 1112 Views
My classics - 30/09/2010 10:54:56 PM 924 Views
Re: My classics - 01/10/2010 03:01:24 AM 1010 Views
Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 30/09/2010 11:30:41 PM 1062 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 03:18:58 AM 908 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 05:20:10 AM 1001 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 02:05:35 PM 946 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 02/10/2010 04:07:10 AM 962 Views
Ha, we weren't that far off after all. - 04/10/2010 08:11:39 PM 895 Views
I will not list 300+ books here, I promise - 01/10/2010 12:36:17 AM 1050 Views
O'Connor is wonderful. But I am not sure many can appreciate her. - 01/10/2010 02:50:54 AM 753 Views
I agree, thus the "confound" part in there - 01/10/2010 02:53:26 AM 840 Views
I figured as much. - 01/10/2010 03:08:26 AM 869 Views
I expected you to have quite a few as well. - 01/10/2010 03:25:06 AM 947 Views
Re: I will not list 300+ books here, I promise - 02/10/2010 11:23:37 AM 1007 Views
Criminy, I thought I was done with essay questions years ago. - 01/10/2010 01:39:56 AM 968 Views
Glad to bring back the school days. - 01/10/2010 01:49:48 PM 1008 Views
Re: Glad to bring back the school days. - 02/10/2010 05:32:47 AM 824 Views
not sure but I don't believe in instant classics - 02/10/2010 05:22:07 AM 985 Views
the bf and I are going to do a "Paradise Lost" book club... - 02/10/2010 08:29:38 AM 1094 Views
Mm, Doré's engravings are gorgeous. - 02/10/2010 11:40:48 AM 1006 Views
Re: Mm, Doré's engravings are gorgeous. - 02/10/2010 09:42:37 PM 973 Views

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