Favorite Novels Not Written By Ayn Rand

[Michelle]

Thanks, Michelle. Have you read Sirius, the augmented dog story? That could be really good if done well. I read the reviews of the two books you mentioned and of Sirius and Odd John. I do remember having heard of this guy before.

As for Catcher, well, I read that in 10th grade. I came out to some friends in high school that year, so I think that in comparison any of that teen angst stuff would have struck me as drivel. I also read and very much disliked A Seperate Peace that year. The guy dies because of a blood clot from a fall down the steps? I hadn't yet read Rand but I remember thinking what absolute naturalist bullshit.

Oh, and Jim, nice to see a new face here. Please ignore my dislike for Catcher, it's not relevant to your enjoyment of the book.

I have not read those two works, though I've been meaning to. Stapledon is one of the early lights of the sci-fi world.

Catcher is decent, but it never really connected with me. Franny and Zooey and his short story collection Nine Stories are both much more memorable, for me. My memories of Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction are slightly fuzzy, but I remember not caring for the two novellas much. I remember Seymour: An Introduction being the better of the two novellas.

[Rush]

Thanks, Michelle. Have you read Sirius, the augmented dog story? That could be really good if done well. I read the reviews of the two books you mentioned and of Sirius and Odd John. I do remember having heard of this guy before.

As for Catcher, well, I read that in 10th grade. I came out to some friends in high school that year, so I think that in comparison any of that teen angst stuff would have struck me as drivel. I also read and very much disliked A Seperate Peace that year. The guy dies because of a blood clot from a fall down the steps? I hadn't yet read Rand but I remember thinking what absolute naturalist bullshit.

Oh, and Jim, nice to see a new face here. Please ignore my dislike for Catcher, it's not relevant to your enjoyment of the book.

no worries ted i liked it in high school still enjoy reading it everynow and then

[jeffrey smith]

As for Catcher, well, I read that in 10th grade. I came out to some friends in high school that year, so I think that in comparison any of that teen angst stuff would have struck me as drivel. I also read and very much disliked A Seperate Peace that year. The guy dies because of a blood clot from a fall down the steps? I hadn't yet read Rand but I remember thinking what absolute naturalist bullshit.

Separate Peace! I don't think I've heard that book mentioned for at least ten years. I think we read that in 9th grade. The only thing I can remember of my reaction is wondering why anyone would write something so pointless.

Jeffrey S.

[Chris Grieb]

As for Catcher, well, I read that in 10th grade. I came out to some friends in high school that year, so I think that in comparison any of that teen angst stuff would have struck me as drivel. I also read and very much disliked A Seperate Peace that year. The guy dies because of a blood clot from a fall down the steps? I hadn't yet read Rand but I remember thinking what absolute naturalist bullshit.

Separate Peace! I don't think I've heard that book mentioned for at least ten years. I think we read that in 9th grade. The only thing I can remember of my reaction is wondering why anyone would write something so pointless.

Jeffrey S.

Separate Peace seems to be one of those books that fade like summer flowers. I too haven't heard it mentioned. I am reminded of By Love Possessed which had a big hooplah when it came out but has faded from view.

[Wolf DeVoon]

Raymond Chandler The Lady In The Lake, The Little Sister

Eugene Manlove Rhodes The Desire of The Moth, The Trusty Knaves

C.S. Forester Commodore Hornblower

Louis L'Amour Radigan

[caroljane]

It's not a novel but is a collection of stories. Wiki calls it an "early psychological study."

Charles MacKay's "Extraordinary Delusions and the Madness of Crowds", pub.1841. Still relevant today.

[Peter]

Here are a few authors or books I will read, I have recently bought, or long ago read. Dewey Lambdin, An Onshore Storm. Ken Follet A Column of Fire. Michio Kaku the future of humanity. Kathy Reichs: Cross Bones. All of John d McDonald.

Nero wolf Murder in the Ballpark, Silver Spire, Archie in the crosshairs. The author’s characters are now portrayed in books by Robert Goldsborough.  

Len Deighton. Stephan Hunter. Robert Harris. Thomas Harris. Brad Meltzer. John Sandford.  John Grisham. “The Reckoning” is out Oct. 23, 2018. Gregory Bedford Rewrite, “Loops in the Timescape,” out Nov 6.

The secret partner by Steve Martini, not available until Dec 2018

Robert Ludlum now by Eric Van Lustbader The Bourne Nemesis? not out yet

“The Pharaoh Key” by Preston and Childs. Tom Clancy, “Line of Sight.”

Turbulence” a Stone Barrington novel. Stuart Woods “Sex Lies and Serious Money.”

John Grisham The Whistler. David Baldacci No Man’s Land. Lee Child’s Night School. John Sanford Escape Clause. Preston and Childs The Obsidian Chamber.

[caroljane]

9 minutes ago, Peter said:

Here are a few authors or books I will read, I have recently bought, or long ago read. Dewey Lambdin, An Onshore Storm. Ken Follet A Column of Fire. Michio Kaku the future of humanity. Kathy Reichs: Cross Bones. All of John d McDonald.

 

 

Nero wolf Murder in the Ballpark, Silver Spire, Archie in the crosshairs. The author’s characters are now portrayed in books by Robert Goldsborough.  

 

 

Len Deighton. Stephan Hunter. Robert Harris. Thomas Harris. Brad Meltzer. John Sandford.  John Grisham. “The Reckoning” is out Oct. 23, 2018. Gregory Bedford Rewrite, “Loops in the Timescape,” out Nov 6.

 

 

The secret partner by Steve Martini, not available until Dec 2018

 

 

Robert Ludlum now by Eric Van Lustbader The Bourne Nemesis? not out yet

 

 

“The Pharaoh Key” by Preston and Childs. Tom Clancy, “Line of Sight.”

 

 

Turbulence” a Stone Barrington novel. Stuart Woods “Sex Lies and Serious Money.”

 

 

John Grisham The Whistler. David Baldacci No Man’s Land. Lee Child’s Night School. John Sanford Escape Clause. Preston and Childs The Obsidian Chamber.

 

 

I have read a lot of those. Len Deighton is my top favourite, with Ken Follettt and John Grisham tied for second and Robert Harris bringing up third, just because he has so far written fewer books than the others.  Get moving, Harris!

[Peter]

I agree with your choices, Carol. Why aren't you an Objectivist?

I have looked at electronic books but I don’t think they will ever replace hard bound books in my life. I loan some books out and then donate all of them to the local library in Ocean Pines.

It is odd as I have mentioned before, but although I am an English and Education major I have not liked a lot of what is considered “great 20^th and 21^st century literature.” Like Rand I prefer Spillane over James. And I don’t think I am any dumber for it. Au contraire! So much of 20^th century lit was bleak existentialism, Progressivism, or trying to pave the way for socialism that I gave up on it. The creepy fools!  May they rest in oblivion.      

[caroljane]

20 hours ago, Peter said:

I agree with your choices, Carol. Why aren't you an Objectivist?

    

 

 

I sort of tried to be, when I was first introduced to the philosophy, but it just didn't take. It was interesting and different and seemed so logical, but  it didn't enhance my life in any way, it didn't give me the psychological benefits I saw the committed Objectivists attest to, I had not been previously asking any questions which discovering Rand answered. I'm not naturally drawn to philosophy as a subject anyway, so the truest answer is just, it didn't feel right to me. When I realized I was a natural collectivist it was a huge relief.

But my interest in Rand and her life and the evolution of her movement - ah, that is such a fascinating story, I am firmly hooked on, even more than on gossip about the Royal Family!

[Peter]

Carol wrote: I sort of tried to be, when I was first introduced to the philosophy, but it just didn't take. It was interesting and different and seemed so logical, but it didn't enhance my life in any way, it didn't give me the psychological benefits I saw the committed Objectivists attest to, end quote

It is not always good. Some objectivists can seem stilted as if they are acting in front of a camera, quoting Rand instead of cogitating, and they don’t “connect” with other people. I think the psychological benefits of her philosophy are when a person remains true to themselves, but uses the ethics and morality found in, but not exclusive to objectivism.

I recently mentioned I am rarely interested in discussing objectivism any more, but I want to “formally” write or talk to people who are rational, have read and integrated Randian or Aristotelian ways of thinking and can now respond from that “lofty position.” However, what objectivist acts like that in their personal life? Who wants to sound like an emotionally repressed (but SMART!) Sheldon Cooper, on the “Big Bang”?

I was surprised when I recently, after a few years, wondered what another O web site was discussing and then remembered I was banned from it 7 years ago! Another hazard of objectivism, is the judgmental-ism, banning, and shunning, for trivial reasons. You miss out on so many intellectual and Monetary benefits from “interested” people if you ban them . . . for life!

On Objectivism Online they have “levels” of understanding below the contributors’ names. Now what does that remind you of? Scientology, perhaps? A few people I know comment there, like Ninth Doctor, (thank you for forgiving if not forgetting my criticism of your laughing icon) Tony, and Reidy. I think I will cut and paste from there and discuss the quote here, on the only real American and Objectivist site, “Objectivist Living.” (please add some sparkles below my mister! Joke) But I won’t overdo it, Michael.