NON-HACK BOOKS

What are some of your favorite real novels, books, etc?

Some of my recent favorites...

ALREADY DEAD, Denis Johnson
WISE BLOOD, Flannery O'Connor
HELL, Kathryn Davis
THE FIFTH BUSINESS, Robertson Davies
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, Tennessee Williams (a putridly
pretentious playwright, but he managed a classic here.)
WIDE SARGASSO SEA, Jean Rhys
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, Arthur Golden
NAKED LUNCH, William S. Burroughs

PLUS:

anything by Nabakov, Flannery O'Connor, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charlotte Bronte (save her poetry...), Denis Johnson and Jane Austen

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'The penalty for bulls**t is bulls**t.' - Denis Johnson

OK, I just KNOW that this thread is meant as a rebuke to the other books thread, lol.

I like lots of books, some by hacks, and some by non-hacks. Is that so wrong?

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Jeez I already explained my use of the term "hack". If I used it incorrectly I hereby apologize. There, feel better?

I didn't say it was wrong to like hack-books, I only wanted to create a thread of non-hack books. The other list seemed to go on and on with horror dribble like Stephen King and Dean Koontz or whoever, and I just thought I'd see if anyone liked anything else. But, so far I haven't seen any books on this thread here....

And did I miss your explanation of "hack", Toose? (That sounds funny in direct address: "Toose".)

I think by your definition of Non Hack (if I understand it correctly) ... here is where I should list the following:

Terry McMillan (trying to get in touch with my inner black female) I liked "How Stella got her Groove Back" and "Waiting to Exhale"

Tolstoy "Anna Karenina" Loved this book

ANYTHING by Edgar Allan Poe

Bram Stoker's "Dracula"

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (Timeless tale)

Dickens "Great Expectations"

Johnathan Swift "Gullivers Travels"

Lewis Carrol "Through the Looking Glass" and "Alice" (I always crack up at the dialog in this one)

Richard Adams "Watership Down"

Frank Baum, All the Oz stories

Steinbeck "Grapes of Wrath"

Dr. Suess rules

Harold and the Purple Crayon... wish I had one.

So by non-hack, you mean the books Pigsnie forces me to read on pain of bamboo splinters under my fingurnails?

Ok, heres some.

Robinson crusoe

Memoirs of Saint-Simon. Pigsnie says I must read this to develop a diary style of writin. Huhhh? But the appendix is interestin. NOT!

TARZAN. You know, this wasnt bad.

Nicolas Nickelby - FAT!

100 years of solitude

Studys in the psychology of sex - I WISH!!

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God save Freddie Mercury!

If you're going to wish, at least wish for the Fully Illustrated Special Edition. Does PSenior make you read any C.S. Lewis?

Are you kiddin? Pigsnies sex books are locked up. I think they are even guarded by 3 headed hounds from HELL!!

I have read the Narnia books as a little sprout. I remember always openin the wardrobe & hoping Aslan was in it. Pigsnie did try Screwtape letters on me but I ran away & became a juvynile delinkwent.

Like Steve, I thought the creation of this thread repudiated the BOOKS thread. Your diapproval of "hack" books was implied . . . until I read your next line referring to KIng & Koontz as drivel . . .

These Non-Hack Books--I imagine---are the "Classics" that always end up bound in calf leather with gold trimmed pages. GREAT LITERATURE to book critics!

I have a few favorites in this category:
GRENDEL by John Gardner
The I CLAUDIUS books by GRAVES
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Whatzzit-Name

I'll go look in the syllabus for more

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