The Prophet, Johnathan Livingston Seagull,
and all that lot..... not.

At least not after I passed the age of 15 and stopped writing horrific poetry about my tortured soul and how nobody understood me.

Books that I'd recommend to absolutely anyone?

Earthly Powers as well as Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess.

In fact Clockwork Orange influenced me that much I got me a CW tattoo on my back.

*shrugs*

But the story with the best ending ever written is A Prayer for Owen Meany by that John Irving bloke. The story itself is ace, but when it finishes you kind of sit back and go, "Aahhhh. Now I see." in a kind of sad, thicky sort of way (at least I did, anyway).

So many more, and no brain power to recall them.

Hey Ho.
(Spreddum O Grrrr. That's my vicious circle, that is., Wed 21 May 2008, 8:09, 9 replies)

A classic
A prayer for Owen Meany is probably the best book I have ever read (and I read 3 or 4 a week).

A lesson in mortality told by a master novelist. How would you live YOUR life if you knew the date and method of your death?

It certainly made me think of my own mortality and my purpose in life. I may not be an instrument of god as Owen believes himself to be, but I certainly have taken more enjoyment from life since reading the book. It has made me think that it is how well you die that is important rather than how you well live.

Also by Irving worth looking at is The Water Method Man. one of his earlier works, quite raw and unrefined compared to his later work, but again excellant in the strenth of the characters.
( RadG Drinking Mojitos in the sun, Wed 21 May 2008, 8:30, closed)

...
Earthly Powers is brilliant - and it has one of the best opening lines ever...
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 21 May 2008, 9:35, closed)

@ Enzyme
Care to remind me what that opening line is?
(Spreddum O Grrrr. That's my vicious circle, that is., Wed 21 May 2008, 9:41, closed)

from memory
it was the afternoon of my 82nd birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite, when Ali quavered through the door that the Archbishop had come for tea.

It's a great book, worthy of re-reading, and if you like old Burgess, try his autobiographies.

Another great Anthony from Manchester is of course the late, great, Anthony H Wilson. His 24 Hour Party People book is very similar to the film, but still worth a read.

Will characters like the two Anthonys ever be able to be found again ? I doubt it.

Great men, the pair of them
( I_Was_Mordred, Wed 21 May 2008, 10:20, closed)

^^
Yup - something along those lines.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Wed 21 May 2008, 10:39, closed)

Owen Meany
Did you not find the device of writing his speech in capital letters became incredibly annoying?
(ashcroft, Wed 21 May 2008, 15:34, closed)

YES
IT DID SEEM TO GRATE - BUT HE IS STILL A GREAT CHARACTER AND I CAN'T LOOK AT ARMADILLOS THE SAME WAY SINCE READING THAT BOOK
( I_Was_Mordred, Wed 21 May 2008, 16:47, closed)

I am now obliged
TO DIG OUT MY OWN COPY WHEREVER IT IS AND PASS IT ON THAT FIRST LINE.

Not sure John Irving is looking over his shoulder too much at the mo.

Having said that, pals of mine met him at a reading in London and said he was dreadful to meet and talk with. Can't give specifics, but he does have a thing for wrestling....

Hey Ho.
(Spreddum O Grrrr. That's my vicious circle, that is., Thu 22 May 2008, 4:04, closed)

Here we have it. God bless Google.
I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice-not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a christian because of Owen Meany.


Very good stuff.

Hey Ho.
(Spreddum O Grrrr. That's my vicious circle, that is., Thu 22 May 2008, 4:13, closed)