Sandwich Posted May 25, 2009 Report Share Posted May 25, 2009 I was looking at my facebook bookshelf for the first time in a year. Well...then I came up with this. Books I say I will read but probably never willJohn Steinbeck, The Grapes of WrathEmily Bronte, Wuthering Heights - I think Jane Eyre ruined the Brontes for me. I almost wish I had to read it for school so that I would say I've read it.You absolutely MUST read the Grapes of Wrath. That book is so beautifully written I concur that the Brontes are boring, however you also show a like for Jane Austen, so who knows, you might actually enjoy Wuthering Heights, they're roughly the same level of literary pain for me The Other Boleyn Girl surprised me too with how good it was. I saw the film (well, in Spainish, so only half understood it) and that was actually amaaazzing -- but I was expecting the book to be really trashy and it was actually a really good read It's on my list of surprisingly enjoyable books Dan Brown is a waste of space, IMO. His existence is down to two main things. The first one is that he's writing about something which appears to have complexity as an idea (basically it's a religious conspiracy) so people feel really smart whilst they're reading it. Secondly it's LONG looking, so people feel TWICE as smart when they read it. If people didn't have an inner desire to look smart and cultured, he'd never have done so well. As it is, he gives trashy fiction a fancy veneer of intelligence to fool people into a feeling that they're genuinely taking literary strides.The books serve the same purpose as all trashy fiction, they're just put on a pedestal because they look smart. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruan Chun Xian Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I don't know, I enjoyed reading The Other Boleyn Girl but I thought the movie didn't live it up. I mean the movie was ok but not as good as the book. My friend was scandalised that I don't like Jane Eyre and Heart of Darkness haha. Jane Eyre was ok the first time I read it but going back to it after reading Austen is not comfortable. Austen is a little less depressing I think, though Jane Eyre did have a happy-ish ending. I think Wuthering Heights would just depress me more.Everybody should read Norwegian Wood though. It's haunting but it's brilliant! Sex, delusional suicidal characters, death, outside-the-norm characters - what more do you need in an IB-worthy book? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandwich Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I don't know, I enjoyed reading The Other Boleyn Girl but I thought the movie didn't live it up. I mean the movie was ok but not as good as the book. My friend was scandalised that I don't like Jane Eyre and Heart of Darkness haha. Jane Eyre was ok the first time I read it but going back to it after reading Austen is not comfortable. Austen is a little less depressing I think, though Jane Eyre did have a happy-ish ending. I think Wuthering Heights would just depress me more.Everybody should read Norwegian Wood though. It's haunting but it's brilliant! Sex, delusional suicidal characters, death, outside-the-norm characters - what more do you need in an IB-worthy book? A list of three on every page Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bishup Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I really need to read french litterature so next on my list is 'The three musketeers' and 'Le conte de Montecristo' by Alexandre Dumas. I also want to read stuff by Voltaire, Montesquieu, Zola and stuff but don't know which books to read.Anyway I have read Wuthering Heights and I think it's a very good book. very good peace of british literature and I've also read recently 'Of Mice and Men' by Steinbeck which I really liked. I want to read 'Grapes of Wrath' by Steinbeck as one of you suggested. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
herong2x Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 i do consider myself a bookworm. my most favorite is the HP series. they are just so awesome that i have read the whole series for at least 5 times. my least favorite would have to be paradise and portrait as an artist as a young man. we had to read that for english but it was so boring that i refused to read all of them.i have just finished reading the sisterhood of the travelling pants and it was really interesting. i think that is just my type of book. it speaks about friendship which i really think that ib students really need because we are going through alot of things here together with hardships. i also love reading dan brown series. all of his books.i prefer books which are not to hard, hard i mean too boring or complex. i want something simple and yet fun. it varies my types but mostly, i go with what critiques are saying after reading the sisterhood of the travelling pants, i am now reading 5 people you meet in heaven. ive only read a few pages so i cant say more about it yet. but i have heard that it is a great book.though its your choice, i strongly recommend dan brown. hes a genius! and i hope JK rowling is going to come up with any book soon. i just love heri also have a bookcase full of books that i would want to get down and read. maybe after ib, im planning to go on a vacation before uni where i can sit down and read one by onebooks are awesome whether they are considered literature or not, its just one of my favorite passtimes Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetnsimple786 Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 after reading the sisterhood of the travelling pants, i am now reading 5 people you meet in heaven. ive only read a few pages so i cant say more about it yet. but i have heard that it is a great book.dude you've got to read Tuesdays with Morrie! Same author, tear-inducing, possibly life-altering. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 For anyone that likes fiction check out Robert Ludlum. He is most famous for writing the Bourne series (yes, they are novels), and he is one of the most captivating fiction writers ever. You'll have to read his older novels though, because he now has many people how use his name and his characters. The style of his novels are similar sometimes, but then, many of the Dan Brown books have extremely similar structures (a murder at the beginning, etc.) Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilia Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Has anyone ever come across any books with characters in the IB? Surely, there must exist SOME novels where IB is mentioned... Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Has anyone ever come across any books with characters in the IB? Surely, there must exist SOME novels where IB is mentioned...Hahaha, probably not. Because then the book wouldn't appeal to all readers/be understood. All the IBers would avoid it loike the plague, and those who did it wouldn't have any clue about what they're talking about. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilia Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Has anyone ever come across any books with characters in the IB? Surely, there must exist SOME novels where IB is mentioned...Hahaha, probably not. Because then the book wouldn't appeal to all readers/be understood. All the IBers would avoid it loike the plague, and those who did it wouldn't have any clue about what they're talking about.You have a point. IB is generally pretty unknown, isn't it?Maybe we should write the first IB novel... 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Any novels written about the IB would be pretty morbid, the person would probably commit suicide before their exams/when writing their EE/writing IA's or latest when they receive their exam results and find out that they didn't get their predicted grades. Happy days. 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilia Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Why are you so pessimistic? There are actually people doing well in the IB Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redstar Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Any novels written about the IB would be pretty morbid, the person would probably commit suicide before their exams/when writing their EE/writing IA's or latest when they receive their exam results and find out that they didn't get their predicted grades. Happy days.If Shakespeare had written a tragedy about this we'd probably be studying it in the IB.Anyways, you can probably write a novel that somehow relates to the IB, but isn't necessarily entirely about it, thus avoiding the pessimism. Take Harry Potter for example. They include OWLs and NEWTs, which I'm guessing are the wizarding equivalent to GCSEs and A-Levels. Maybe something similar could be done with the IB. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilia Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Any novels written about the IB would be pretty morbid, the person would probably commit suicide before their exams/when writing their EE/writing IA's or latest when they receive their exam results and find out that they didn't get their predicted grades. Happy days.If Shakespeare had written a tragedy about this we'd probably be studying it in the IB.Anyways, you can probably write a novel that somehow relates to the IB, but isn't necessarily entirely about it, thus avoiding the pessimism. Take Harry Potter for example. They include OWLs and NEWTs, which I'm guessing are the wizarding equivalent to GCSEs and A-Levels. Maybe something similar could be done with the IB.Well, when I'm going to explain the IB for other people, I sometimes say it's like Hogwarts 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetnsimple786 Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 Any novels written about the IB would be pretty morbid, the person would probably commit suicide before their exams/when writing their EE/writing IA's or latest when they receive their exam results and find out that they didn't get their predicted grades. Happy days. If Shakespeare had written a tragedy about this we'd probably be studying it in the IB. Anyways, you can probably write a novel that somehow relates to the IB, but isn't necessarily entirely about it, thus avoiding the pessimism. Take Harry Potter for example. They include OWLs and NEWTs, which I'm guessing are the wizarding equivalent to GCSEs and A-Levels. Maybe something similar could be done with the IB. Well, when I'm going to explain the IB for other people, I sometimes say it's like Hogwarts roflHogwarts? Isn't that a bit too... optimistic? and cool-sounding? That's actually pretty interesting, looking at any parallels... hmm Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vvi Posted June 7, 2009 Report Share Posted June 7, 2009 I agree that Hogwarts is too optimistic in comparison with the IB. Quidditch=CAS, the requirements for Harry's essays (16 inches of parchment) are like word requirements for TOK, and the ancient History of Magic teacher professor Binns sounds like TOK in general. And Hermione is like an over-ambitious IB student when it comes to doing HW and studies too much for exams. I think most people in the world can identify most with Ron and Harry, who are like "Exams in a month? Should I be studying already? And why would I do my HW right away when I can procrastinate and do it the night before?" 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohemian03 Posted June 15, 2009 Report Share Posted June 15, 2009 Great books!My ABSOLUTE favorites are: 1984 by George Orwell, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (made me cry), and HP series Also go read Agatha Christie books. They're really good Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yasmeen Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 I just wish I was a fast reader - I'd read soo many books O_OAh well.. I read War and Peace last year, bit laborious (only in the sense of the 1000 odd pages because it's still very enjoyable) but so worth it.Catch-22 is hilarious!Anything a bit Jeeves-ish, a bit PGWodehouse-y, I love.GEORGE ORWELL I like classics, really. For Jane Austen readers, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is great Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer94 Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 I've just finished reading The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hossein and those novels were abolutely AMAZING . If you want a good read, I would definitely recommend these I LOVED a Thousand Splendid Suns- brilliant book. I plan on reading the Kite Runner sometime this summer since most of my friends have been badgering me to read it. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer94 Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 I really need to read french litterature so next on my list is 'The three musketeers' and 'Le conte de Montecristo' by Alexandre Dumas. I also want to read stuff by Voltaire, Montesquieu, Zola and stuff but don't know which books to read.Word of advice: be sure to read Voltaire's Candide. Not only is it hilarious, it conveys a much more important theme of life. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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