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Martin Amis' influence on Self is too apparent in his work for me to enjoy it - I'd rather read the real thing.

Peter Høeg is my country's greatest living novelist. He's an interesting writer; after 1996's The Woman and the Ape (the proceedings of which he donated to aid women in third world countries), he virtually disappeared and did not resurface until 2006 with The Quiet Girl. He doesn't give...

I wouldn't simply say it's basically about the American Dream, it has so much more depth to it. It's more about basing your entire existence around a lie and attempting to eventually deal with the truth, more about a father attempting to accomplish his own dreams through his own son, more about...

Ian McEwan's Atonement is partly set during the Dunkirk retreat of the Second World War, and has some very touching descriptions of what it was like for young women working as nurses in London in those years. Saul Bellow's Dangling Man touches upon WW2 as well. John Steinbeck's The Moon is...

I have mixed feelings about Murakami...I quite liked After the Quake, and about the first 80 or so pages of Norwegian Wood, but then it seemed to transform into this pseudo pattern, its protagonist bearing far too much resemblance to Holden Caulfield. It seemed to fake to me, ultimately.

First of all I'm very pleased to see the Groucho Marx quotes. He was not only the greatest comic genius ever, but also a well-read individual. Anyways: "The world of literature is a universe in which it is possible to establish whether a reader has a sense of reality or is the victim of...

The Snows of Kilimanjaro or Old Man at the Bridge are good stories to start with.

What this forum really needs is a Drama section and a Philosophy section. Any hope of this? I mean if there's room for graphic novels...?

Amid the recent controversy regarding certain caricatures published by a newspaper in my country, I really want to read this novel. Of course, even if I don't like it, I will always sympathize deeply with Rushdie for the disgusting reaction of the muslim world over it.

I can never decide whether I like Hemingway or not...perhaps I've not yet read enough of his work. I do, however, feel Fitzgerald was a better writer, alone for The Great Gatsby.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a good book, and the sane/insane theme is an interesting one, especially since it gradually seems that a large part of the bunch really are not insane in the traditional sense. I think their is a certain degree of Christian symbolism in it, especially if

This is a very tough call, but I think it is as follows: The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevskiy The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald The Outsider by Camus/Rabbit, Run by Updike/Atonement by McEwan Yes, I cheated...

From what I've read so far, off the top of my head: Ethan Hawley, from Steinbeck's The Winter of our Discontent Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, from John Updike's Rabbit novels Meursault, from Albert Camus' The Outsider Michael Henchard from Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge The narrator...

I would highly recommend reading The Brothers Karamazov, it is probably the book that has made the greatest impression on me. It's a masterpeice.

Ian McEwan F.Scott Fitzgerald John Updike

Anton Chekhov is widely considered one of the greatest short story writers. Others I'd recommend you look at are W. Somerset Maugham, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Jorge Luis Borges, Saul Bellow, John Updike and Ian McEwan.

I'm one of those city-people; I love the pace of it at day, and the vibe of it at night. Does anyone know any writers or novels that contain some sort of description/reflection/meditation on the city? Preferably nothing before the 20th Century... I'd appreciate any help!

Obviously you've all failed to understand what I was saying, and instead launch at me a load of sarcastic bull. I was simply pointing out that people here seemed to be judging Bellow just because others were. Is that not the murder of individual thought?

Are people here judging Bellow because some people from another forum disliked him? Shame on you all.

This is a terrifying book. Repulsive, because we realize it is true; human beings would become savages under such circumstances. Saramago brilliantly exposes civilization as a simple cover-up for our animal insticts. Does anyone else feel the end was too soft? I think Saramago, eventually...