I need a good book

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I need a good book that is fiction and under 300 pages pushing it, preferably 200 pages. I have to read it and do an oral presentation on a certain part of it, so something with detailed scenes would be nice.

I'm not a big book reader, but anything interesting would be nice. I read Mice and Men last semester for class, which I really liked. Should I just find another book from the same author?

 

[Spoooon]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Great book.

edit: NM, too long.

How about The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, a little over 300 pages. Civil War and stuff.

 

[Zim Hosein]

1984

 

[OrangeJellyDisk]

Enders game > * i think its a little under 300 pages best book ever.

 

[Yax]

Where's Waldo.

 

[DainBramaged]

Well, there goes my suggestion of The Brothers Karamazov

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Where's Waldo.

Teacher said no picture books, otherwise that would have been a first pick from me

 

[datdamkid]

Originally posted by: AgaBooga

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01
Where's Waldo.

Teacher said no picture books, otherwise that would have been a first pick from me

haha yea...that was a good picture book ....

 

[Platypus]

The Great Gatsby if you're looking for something with a lot of easy to pick up symbolism

 

[ngvepforever2]

The Da Vinci Code...I am hooked on this book.

 

[FrogDog]

The Eye Of The Dragon by Stephen King sticks out in my mind as being one of the best short books I've ever read.

 

[Xenon14]

just finished Da Vinci Code... couldn't put it down. Gonna read Angels & Demons next, i hear it's even better.

 

[nageov3t]

Ayn Rand, Anthem. it can be read in a few hours, but there's lots of things (philosophical and sociological issues) in there that could be talking about in a presentation.

 

[NickE]

Eric by Terry Pratchett is a pretty good choice for what you have to do - 160 pages.

Book Description
Eric calls up a demon to grant him three wishes ? but what he gets is the Discworld?s most incompetent wizard . . .

Synopsis
Eric is the Discworld's only demonology hacker. The trouble is, he's not very good at it. All he wants is the usual three wishes: to be immortal, rule the world and have the most beautiful woman fall madly in love with him. The usual stuff. But what he gets is Rincewind, and Rincewind's Luggage into the bargain. Terry Pratchett's hilarious take on the Faust legend stars many of the Discworld's'most popular characters in an outrageous adventure that will leave Eric wishing once more - this time, quite fervently, that he'd never been born ...

Good tale, very funny but most importantly it has many parallels with Faust (240 pages)

Book Description
The legend of Faust grew up in the sixteenth century, a time of transition between medieval and modern culture in Germany. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) adopted the story of the wandering conjuror who accepts Mephistopheles's offer of a pact, selling his soul for the devil's greater knowledge; over a period of 60 years he produced one of the greatest dramatic and poetic masterpieces of European literature.
David Luke's recent translation, specially commissioned for The World's Classics series, has all the virtues of previous classic translations of Faust, and none of their shortcomings. Cast in rhymed verse, following the original, it preserves the essence of Goethe's meaning without sacrifice to archaism or over-modern idiom. It is as near an `equivalent' rendering of the German as has been achieved.

Synopsis
The legend of Faust grew up in the sixteenth century, a time of transition between medieval and modern culture in Germany. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) adopted the story of the wandering conjuror who accepts Mephistopheles's offer of a pact, selling his soul for the devil's greater knowledge; over a period of 60 years he produced one of the greatest dramatic and poetic masterpieces of European literature. David Luke's recent translation, specially commissioned for The World's Classics series, has all the virtues of previous classic translations of Faust, and none of their shortcomings. Cast in rhymed verse, following the original, it preserves the essence of Goethe's meaning without sacrifice to archaism or over-modern idiom. It is as near an `equivalent' rendering of the German as has been achieved.

Given that they're both short books, you can read them both and then pick out some of the parallels - Terry is one of the best descriptive writers around, very evocative in places. Interesting Times would have been a better choice with its relations to Imperial China, but it's a bit too long. Still a good read.
The secret with this sort of thing is not to try to be too mainstream highbrow i.e. picking out one of the 'classics' because you think that's the sort of thing you're expected to study. Try to be a little different.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: loki8481
Ayn Rand, Anthem. it can be read in a few hours, but there's lots of things (philosophical and sociological issues) in there that could be talking about in a presentation.

I :heart: Ayn Rand's fiction, despite what others may say about it.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: loki8481
Ayn Rand, Anthem. it can be read in a few hours, but there's lots of things (philosophical and sociological issues) in there that could be talking about in a presentation.

I :heart: Ayn Rand's fiction, despite what others may say about it.

I :heart: her fiction too. her non-fiction, IMO, is not that great.

Anthem was a good read (though not as good as Atlas Shrugged or The Fountainhead), and I'm not kidding about the "hours" part. I read the whole thing while soaking in the hot tub one afternoon.

 

[ROTC1983]

That was an awesome book

 

[AFB]

Originally posted by: Zim Hosein
1984

 

[Ness]

"Moon Palace" by Paul Auster.

Could easily be read in a week.

 

[PatboyX]

Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut is one of the best books ever written.
Short as hell, too. not only that but vonneguts style makes for an easy and quick read.
as an added bonus its considered Literature (which might not be a requirement but some of the other suggestions here, although good, may not have the same sort of impressive heft as something by vonnegut.)
its also very funny and there is a midget and a hot chick.

 

[TheShiz]

Ishmael - quick read that should get you thinking a little too.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Meg - Modern day Moby Dick

Fire Flight - Airborne Fire Fighters

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

The Straw Men

 

[ohtwell]

Animal Farm


: ) Amanda

 

[conjur]

Doesn't Clinton have a book coming out next month?

:evil: