Thread: Books that are must reads before you die ?

My favorite authors thus far are:

Vince Flynn
Clive Cussler
Dan Brown

I am looking for another similar author, what is your suggestions?

Paul Theroux- My secet life...

what a great book!!

Currently reading the Edward Seidensticker translation of Murasaki Shikibu's The Tale of Genji. All thousand or pages of it have been giving me the eye from the bookcase for about five years and I jumped into it recently. So far, around halfway, it's a joy, was thoroughly confused about one chapter but on checking online it seems it's been placed where it is as no one is really sure where it should be - always nice to know it's to just me.

I've started Gravity's Rainbow twice and never made it past a hundred pages, after reading over this thread I suppose I better go for third time lucky.

I think I've mentioned it in one of the other book threads, but "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius should be required reading for all men. So many great words to live by in it.

Originally Posted by Theseus

I think I've mentioned it in one of the other book threads, but "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius should be required reading for all men. So many great words to live by in it.

Good book. Concise and too the point.

The Real series. About George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. Great books.

Thought I'd add a link to this thread. While not a book, a must read none the less.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/finer.../78896-if.html

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I have had a number of copies of these books over the past forty some years and repeatedly tried and failed to complete them. When I turned 60 the realization that I had a lot more life behind me than ahead of me kicked in. I made a resolution to read the Lawrence, Cervantes and Melville books.

In my opinion if I have to force myself to read a book and/or read it more than once to understand it the author did not do his job. The older I get the less time I have to waste on them even if they are "classics".

I'm glad I ran across this thread!! I gotta add a bunch of these books to my list now!

Two authors that I don't believe have been mentioned (forgive me if I'm wrong), but who I greatly enjoy are Gabriel Garcia-Marquez and Hesse. I haven't read all of Garcia Marquez's works yet, but the few I have are great. One Hundred Years of Solitude is excellent. His writing style is at times a bit difficult, but I love it, it's bizarre. And of course, Hesse is just awesome. I love all his works, especially Glass Bead Game and Journey to the East.

Originally Posted by toadq5

I'm glad I ran across this thread!! I gotta add a bunch of these books to my list now!

One Hundred Years of Solitude is excellent. His writing style is at times a bit difficult, but I love it, it's bizarre.

This is one that I have forced myself to read and regret the time spent.