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Three Greatest Books...
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Ugly_Prayer
Eager Tradesman
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Joined: 03 Jul 2004
Posts: 38
Location: Sinking Fast
Three Greatest Books...
   

Three Greatest Books of ALL time! What say You?
What say me? Well:
1) The Tao Te Ching: aka (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu
2) The Holy Bible by God (or perhaps?< less than God?)
3) Walden by Henry David Thoreau

1) "Reality" flows like a river. HAS PURPOSE but good luck figuring out the course of the flow.
2) There is this Big Guy see, and he is like: IN CHARGE OF EVERYTHING. He knows when you are sleeping... He knows when you are awake... He sent his only son to Earth and said: "If you will torture and kill my son, I will give you a path to everlasting life..."
3) "I" is the most important element in the Universe. "I" might be dumb as owl shit... but GO - I!!!!!
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Post Wed Nov 03, 2004 8:26 pm
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Sly Boots
Eager Tradesman
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Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Posts: 30
Location: United States
   

Personal faves:

1) Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2) Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
3) The Centaur, by John Updike
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Post Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:35 pm
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Namirrha
Noble Knight
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Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 218
Location: Utah County, Utah.
   

1. The Book of the New Sun tetralogy by Gene Wolfe. Technically four books, yet originally meant as one, as the title implies. I've never found writing which blends science, magic, and theology so sublimely and subtly. It changed the way I look at life.

2. The Heike Monogatari. It's a Japanese epic--perhaps the best Japanese epic--at least on par with Homer's works (Iliad and Odyssey), IMHO. The writing is simple and elegant, poetic and heartwrenching. I read this last summer, and has left an impression on me, even a year later. It has one of the most stirring and beautiful openings I've ever read. Here are those famous lines: "The bell of the Gion Temple tolls into every man's heart to warn him that all is vanity and evanescence. The faded flowers of the sala trees by the Buddha's deathbed bear witness to the truth that all who flourish are destined to decay. Yes, pride must have its fall, for it is as unsubstantial as a dream on a spring night. The brave and violent man--he too must die away in the end, like a whirl of dust in the wind."

3. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. A novel about growing up. Our loves, our joys, our friendships, our sorrows, and our dreams. The strange and sometimes wonderful people we meet in life. All these we meet in the world of young Copperfield. A world not so different from our own.
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Post Tue Nov 16, 2004 10:31 am
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Danicek
The Old One
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Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 5922
Location: Czech Republic
   

You should define what you mean by "The greatest". Do you mean "the books that influenced most people?". Or do you mean "the books that are in our opinion best in terms of art"? Or do you mean "the books that we liked most"?
Post Tue Nov 16, 2004 11:44 am
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Seldon
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Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Posts: 11
Location: Poland
   

quote:
Originally posted by Danicek
You should define what you mean by "The greatest". Do you mean "the books that influenced most people?". Or do you mean "the books that are in our opinion best in terms of art"? Or do you mean "the books that we liked most"?


You've got a point there. For example I consider "The Master and Margarita" as one of the best novels in history but it doesn't mean that I think it ifluenced as many people as Bible
Post Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:41 pm
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Kendrik
Thin Blue Line
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Joined: 13 Jun 2002
Posts: 550
Location: England
   

Well if we are talking great books in terms of our own favourites then my 3 are

1) Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - All 5 books are included as they are all brilliant.

2) Neuromancer by William Gibson

3) Necroscope by Briam Lumley - Not particually well known but I think the first 5 books in the series are excellent. Well written and you are never quite sure what is coming next.
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Post Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:34 pm
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Naked_Lunch
Village Leader
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Joined: 22 Aug 2004
Posts: 86
Location: New york, tangiers, and interzone
   

1.) Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
2.) 1984 by George Orwell
3.) Flow my Tears the policeman said by Phillip K. Dick

Those are probably the three most important books I've ever read, no question. 1984 was really life-changing for me and FMTTPS made me want to be a writer (which I am) and well, Naked Lunch, the less said about what it made me do the better
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Post Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:29 pm
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Nordic Barbarian
Eager Tradesman
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Joined: 02 Feb 2003
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Location: Bucharest, Romania
   

For me, i'd have to say the books that had an influence on me the most have been:

1.Billy Traven's--The Death Ship
2.William Faulkner's--The Undefeated
3.Camil Petrescu--The Last Night of Love, The First Night of War

P.S. The last one is by a romanian author, i originally read it cause it was a must read at school, seeing how it's one of the greatest books of our national literature, but it trully is a masterpiece, Believe me...
Post Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:42 pm
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Darrius Cole
Most Exalted Highlord
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Joined: 04 May 2004
Posts: 406
   

I define this list as those books that I think every man should read. The list is the order of importance, from most important to least important.

1. The Holy Bible
2. The Art of War, by Sun Tzu
3. The Kama Sutra (complete), by Vatsyayana

That is what you asked for but I have more.

4. The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith
5. The Influence of Sea Power on History, A. T. Mahan
6. The Story of My Life, Giacomo Cassanova
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Post Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:09 pm
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RPG Frog
Blade Runner
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Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

1. Holy Bible
2. Book of Five Rings(Musashi)
3. Art of War(Sun Tzu)


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Post Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:49 pm
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Darrius Cole
Most Exalted Highlord
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Joined: 04 May 2004
Posts: 406
   

What is the Book of Five Rings?
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Post Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:54 pm
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RPG Frog
Blade Runner
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Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
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quote:
Originally posted by Darrius Cole
What is the Book of Five Rings?

It's a martial-arts/philosophy text written about 400 years ago by the famous Japanese swordsman Musashi, Miyamoto!

If you enjoy "Art of War" by Sun Tzu you would like it! And you can find translations of it in any bookstore!
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Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:35 pm
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Val
Risen From Ashes
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Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 14724
Location: Utah, USA
   

Any particular translation you'd recommend?
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Post Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:46 pm
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RPG Frog
Blade Runner
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Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
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quote:
Originally posted by Val
Any particular translation you'd recommend?


Thomas Cleary.



And if you like the Art of War and Book of Five Rings I suggest buying the 3 volume Hardcover collection he has...

Classics of Strategy and Counsel, Volume 1, 2, 3.



This killer collection contains "the Art of War", "Book of Five Rings", and many other Japanese/Chinese Military Strategy Texts.


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Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard


Last edited by RPG Frog on Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:16 pm; edited 1 time in total
Post Fri Feb 25, 2005 5:12 pm
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Pepto
Head Merchant
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Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 64
Location: The graveyard
   

1. Stephen King - The Green Mile
In that it shows that society will choose when and if they want to see the truth regardless of the facts in front of them

2. ??Errr?? - The Lord of the Flies
Cant remember why, it just sticks with me

3. Shakespeare - Julius Ceaser(playbook)
Learn to share what you have with close ones, or they will just take it all later on
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"I can handle anything that life throws at me. I may not be able to handle it well, or correctly, or gracefully, or with finesse, or expediently - but I will handle it. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well DANCE!!!!!"
Post Wed Mar 16, 2005 10:03 am
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