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Which book, if you had to choose only one book to recommend for all time would you choose? In other words, which book (above religious texts, which are exempted) would you think more important than any other? Why?

Watership Down, it's an excellent read for people of any age. I've read it countless times now and each time it's like a new experience.

How does the book compare to the movie? Cause I've only seen the movie.

I honestly don't know. I don't think a lot of my favorites actually say much that is crucial for anyone to understand or know.

Seraphyn said:

How does the book compare to the movie? Cause I've only seen the movie.

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It doesn't compare at all. The movie is a dark children movie but a childrens movie all the same. The book only comes across as a story for kids if you read it as a child. It really evolves and if you want social commentary this book is full of it.

Cannot answer with such draconian parameters. For me there is not just one book over every other book.

Twitch said:

Watership Down, it's an excellent read for people of any age. I've read it countless times now and each time it's like a new experience.

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.

Only one book? Egads. I'm going with American Gods. I've read it 4 times and I'll probably read it again this year yet.

Can I cheat and name an omnibus? Arthur C Clarke's collected short stories comes to mind.

i'm actually just looking for my winter reading list, but dont want crap recommendations, if that's less draconian.

Oh those damn draconians.

Crone said:

i'm actually just looking for my winter reading list, but dont want crap recommendations, if that's less draconian.

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That does help, and I can understand why you did it that way. I've seen the past book recommendation threads where it's people listing everything they have on their shelves, regardless of what it is.

I guess since you didn't specify, genre is not really an issue.

The Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie is one of my favorite books. Much as the protagonist and narrator tries to center his family history down to his own birth and life, it's really about his mother and how she both held and strangled the family. It takes place in India and it's told in a way of family fables and stories, making it feel more mythological than biographical, as if his ancestors are the Greek gods or something. A warning though: of my friends who read this, I'm the only one who liked it.

One of the best books I've ever read, hands down, is The Last Unicorn. I was hesitant to pick it up when a friend recommended it to me, because I thought, "Geez, how stupid is this? A book about a unicorn? Pass." But then from the very first line, Beagle hooks you. His writing style is really unique. He writes in a form that comes very close to purple prose, but doesn't cross the line. It's a sad, dark, deep story full of layers of symbolism that leaves you raw at the end.

Also, if you like Beagle's style, I highly recommend Ray Bradbury. He also writes in that poetic-prose style. If you're not feeling depressed enough, then by all means read "Dandelion Wine", which is one of his few non-science fiction works. It's about the changeover from early century to modern car & TV culture in the US, and it will rip your guts out.

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

OR

The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

Descent by Jeff Long - save that it's set underground and has human off-shoots, it has bubkis to do with the crappy film of the same name.
The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer - either in Middle or Modern English, depending on your preference.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

I second Descent.

Kurt vonnegut - Sirens of titan. first vonnegut book i ever read.

Slaughterhouse Five is probably the most important piece of literature in the past 60 years. So if you haven't read it, do so.

Some other great reads:

-Hairstyles of the Damned by Joe Meno
-American Gods by Neil Gaiman
-Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (non-fic)
-I Know How the Hula Girl Sings by Joe Meno
-Franny and Zoey by J.D. Salinger
-Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger

Well probably Moby Dick over all others but plenty of other worthy conteders.

Use of Weapons - Iain M Banks.
Snow Crash - Neil Stephenson
Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Underworld - Don Dellelio
The Dispossessed - Ursula K Le Guin
The Color Purple - Alice Walker

North_Ranger said:

Descent by Jeff Long - save that it's set underground and has human off-shoots, it has bubkis to do with the crappy film of the same name.

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That was a great horror movie.



Also, many of you cannot count.

Can I go with a series? If so A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin.
Its a high fantasy series which has really good characterization, each chapter is from a different characters point of view with around 6 or 7 characters a book usually. Its kind of difficult to explain without giving too much away but its mainly about infighting over control of a kingdom. I'm sure someone else who's read the series so far will have a better description.

Warning: its not completed yet so know going in that you're gonna have to wait for the end of the series. I thought I had the whole thing and was annoyed when i found out I didn't.

PS: When is the next book coming out, arglebargle!

A Game of Thrones - Book 1 from Song of Ice and Fire

Hah, I beat Mav, gimme my nerd points.

That's one series I wanna read but won't until it's finished. I'm not yet convinced it will be finished before Martin dies.

Krisken said:

Only one book? Egads. I'm going with American Gods. I've read it 4 times and I'll probably read it again this year yet.

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That book always depresses me.

To Kill a Mockingbird springs immediately to mind.

I read it when I was 13, and never before had I ever read a book which dealt so intelligently, yet completely without preachiness, with human decency and determination in the face of prejudice, ignorance, and evil.

There are books I read later that were considerably more complex, but none made an impression on me as much as this one.

It would also tell us if you wanted anything more specific, possibly narrow it down I know I for one can't vouch for any sci-fi fantasy reads, which is usually what you guys are looking for anyway. I'm curious as to what books you're nutshelling away.

Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay's one of those very good books that slips under a lot of people's radars, on the fantasy side of things. For the famous, 'important' books, though... Flowers for Algernon. Every time.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. It shook me out of a bit of a rut I was in. I was satisfied with living life as a cog in the machine that is society, and though I know I might never be anyone great, it prodded me into at least aspiring to something bigger.

The other two that jump to mind might not meet the criteria, since some would consider them religious texts. But The Dao De Jing and The Book of Zhuangzi both had a profound effect on my worldview. The only problem is that there are a lot of bad translations available for The Dao De Jing, most of which treat it as a mystical text, rather than a philosophical one. So you should be sure what you're getting. It also helps to be reading it with an entire class, since the book is written with the intention to confuse you.

I'd recommend Joyce Carol Oates or Margaret Atwood. Nothing specific, just whichever novels by either of them that grab your attention (and there's a hell of a lot to choose from).

But my number 1 favorite book is Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. EdiT: Why? To start with, it's an enjoyable read. Well, that rather ends it, too as there's no other reason to recommend it. It's a nice little book of fiction.

TeKeo said:

To Kill a Mockingbird springs immediately to mind.

I read it when I was 13, and never before had I ever read a book which dealt so intelligently, yet completely without preachiness, with human decency and determination in the face of prejudice, ignorance, and evil.

There are books I read later that were considerably more complex, but none made an impression on me as much as this one.

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That's actually a fantastic suggestion, although most have had to read it in school. But it says so much about so many things by telling an adult story through a child's eyes. Yeah, that is definitely a One Book candidate.

escushion;249633][quote=TeKeo said:

To Kill a Mockingbird springs immediately to mind.

I read it when I was 13, and never before had I ever read a book which dealt so intelligently, yet completely without preachiness, with human decency and determination in the face of prejudice, ignorance, and evil.

There are books I read later that were considerably more complex, but none made an impression on me as much as this one.

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That's actually a fantastic suggestion, although most have had to read it in school. But it says so much about so many things by telling an adult story through a child's eyes. Yeah, that is definitely a One Book candidate.[/QUOTE]

Third-ed.

Rob King said:

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. It shook me out of a bit of a rut I was in. I was satisfied with living life as a cog in the machine that is society, and though I know I might never be anyone great, it prodded me into at least aspiring to something bigger.

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Just be sure to stay away from Atlas Shrugged, where Ayn Rand reveals that the only people she thinks matters are the artists and visionaries of the world, completely forgetting that it's the "cogs" (as you put it) working towards a great good that makes such dreams possible. That's my biggest criticism of Randian Philosophy; the simple fact that you are regarded as sub-human unless you are a creative, artistic type.

My suggestions for books?

Soon I Will Be Invincible, for portraying a world full of super heroes some what realistically while showing the inner conflicts of both a second string hero and the master villain. It both subverts and follows the usual tropes associated with being a villain in Dr. Impossible, who seems to NEED to act in this manner, while simultaneously questioning if "The world's smartest man" has done the smartest thing he could have with his life. It also has a great twist ending that comes out of nowhere, hanging a lampshade on one of the oldest Super Hero cliches in the book, revealing just how arrogant both Dr. Impossible and Corefire actually are. I really want a sequel/follow-up to this BADLY.

The Graveyard Book - This won the Newberry Award this year. It's basically a retelling of the Jungle Book, but taking place in an English graveyard full of ghosts, ghouls, vampires, and madmen instead of the jungles of India. It has interesting pacing, where each story seems to become less and less fantastic as Bod gets older, eventually culminating in an ending that is both sad and empowering. I'd love to see a sequel to this about Silas, Bod's Guardian during his time in the graveyard, where it goes into more detail about what he was doing during his times away and his life before and after Bod. It's not a long or hard book, but it's worth a look.

Boomsday - Chris Buckley's book dealing with aging Baby Boomers, the incredible selfishness their culture created in America, and how it's going to eventually ruin Social Security for everyone unless something is done about it. It's delivered in the tongue in cheek style that Buckley was famous for in Thank You for Smoking, but does raise some interesting points in the process.

And I forth To Kill A Mockingbird, if only because I've become the resident Boo Radley of my neighborhood.

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs : A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman

It has an entire chapter on how Saved by the Bell is a metaphor for all of life. It's fantastic.

Yeah, I skipped classics, because they're ... well classic. I may have to check out the "invincible" book, but I've never liked so-called "realistic" portrayals of superheroes (book , comic, movie, or tv) because "realistic" always seems to translate to "whines a lot about having superpowers".

fade said:

Yeah, I skipped classics, because they're ... well classic. I may have to check out the "invincible" book, but I've never liked so-called "realistic" portrayals of superheroes (book , comic, movie, or tv) because "realistic" always seems to translate to "whines a lot about having superpowers".

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It does show all the heroes and villains as if they were real people with real problems. If your of the persuasion that the fact you have cool powers means you don't get to bitch about your legitimate problems, this isn't the book for you. Dr. Impossible's chapters deal with him analyzing his life choices as he's pulling off a serious of heists, wondering if maybe he should have stopped sometime along the way and just gone legit. It's actually very interesting from a psychological standpoint. All of the heroes have some serious issues too, though not all of them (Elphin, Lily, and Feral come to mind) let these issues turn them into angst filled assholes. Here's a quote from Wikipedia about some of the themes the book brings up.

Wikipedia said:

Even as Dr. Impossible constructs his latest world domination scheme, he finds himself reflecting on his life and whether he could have used his beyond-genius IQ for anything else - curing disease, saving the ecosphere, amassing vast piles of cash... or at least, anything that didn't involve being regularly pummelled by superheroes.

His calm deconstruction of his own futile, repetitive and self-destructive behaviours - even as he repeats them yet again, and knowingly lies to himself that this time things will be different - can be compared to classic existentialist theories, particularly Sartre (bad faith: Dr. Impossible's compulsive behaviour negates his own chance at a happy existence). Another Sartrean aspect is how Dr. Impossible allows his nature to be defined by the views of others - even revelling in his infamy - while simultaneously protesting their unfairness and incompleteness.

Another recurring theme is the place of superheroes in a modern world. While Grossman takes care not to satirise the superhero genre of itself, he uses them to take pot-shots at post-2000 morals and ethics. For example, the conceit that Impossible's actions are caused by a mental illness (Malign Hypercognition Disorder) rather than his own choices reflect on modern notions of personal responsibility.

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In the case of Fatale, the heroic viewpoint presented, she is perfectly justified in being upset about her powers:
...and yet despite that all, she actually does learn to deal with it all.

It's not that I think that powers mean you shouldn't complain about legitimate problems. I was merely remarking that that seems to be the trend in realistic superhero works. Usually to the detriment of the actual superhero aspect. The character almost seems to be subsumed by the "bad" aspect of their powers or personal lives. They never seem to enjoy the good aspects of either, or the good aspects appear as prologues and epilogues. It's the trend in the comics, too, these days. Though, the X-Men have done it all along.

I'm not saying this book is that way at all. It's just a trend I've noticed.

Dune, as always.

SeraRelm said:

Dune, as always.

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Only the first or second books. From three onwards it gets crazy.

Was answering the OP. One book, only one book.

AshburnerX;249642][quote=Rob King said:

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. It shook me out of a bit of a rut I was in. I was satisfied with living life as a cog in the machine that is society, and though I know I might never be anyone great, it prodded me into at least aspiring to something bigger.

Click to expand...

Just be sure to stay away from Atlas Shrugged, where Ayn Rand reveals that the only people she thinks matters are the artists and visionaries of the world, completely forgetting that it's the "cogs" (as you put it) working towards a great good that makes such dreams possible. That's my biggest criticism of Randian Philosophy; the simple fact that you are regarded as sub-human unless you are a creative, artistic type.[/QUOTE]

I've actually been meaning to read Atlas Shrugged. It's sitting on my desk right now, looking imposing. I don't necessarily like how Rand sort of devalues the average human being, but I can sort of see where she comes from. She looks at the grand scope of things, and has the exact opposite problem from what you'd expect: she can't see the trees for the forest. It's like one of my old teachers said: If everyone becomes an astronaut, who will pump their gas?

SeraRelm said:

Dune, as always.

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100 % agree

(God Emperor of Dune is also awesome)

Yoink;249677][quote=SeraRelm said:

Dune, as always.

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100 % agree

(God Emperor of Dune is also awesome)[/QUOTE]

*keeps this one*

Damn this thread. My next visit to the bookstore will be an expensive one.

Rob King said:

Damn this thread. My next visit to the bookstore will be an expensive one.

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OR you could just go to the library and read all of them for free first, then buy the ones you liked.

AshburnerX;249682][quote=Rob King said:

Damn this thread. My next visit to the bookstore will be an expensive one.

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OR you could just go to the library and read all of them for free first, then buy the ones you liked.[/QUOTE]

... Why does this never occur to me?

I'll definitely look into it, though. I'm not sure if the University library will let me take books out, since I'm not a student anymore. But I've been meaning to find the city's public library anyhow.

ElJuski said:

-Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (non-fic)

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Fantastically enjoyable to read. Who knew reading about someone's visits to historical sites linked to Presidential assassinations could be so enjoyable to read about. This book covers the Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley assassinations.

ElJuski said:

It would also tell us if you wanted anything more specific, possibly narrow it down

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1 book, the best you've ever read, or the one above all you'd recommend.

regardless of genre. But yes, just one book please. Ideally you'd each recommend a different book, and in reading them I'd get an idea of your individuality.

In which case, mein gott, Slaughterhouse Five. Once again, probably the most important book written in the last 60 years.

AshburnerX;249682][quote=Rob King said:

Damn this thread. My next visit to the bookstore will be an expensive one.

Click to expand...

OR you could just go to the library and read all of them for free first, then buy the ones you liked.[/QUOTE]

Only if you have a decent library in the area, that is open when you aren't at work, and that doesn't have less of a choice of books than you have on your own shelves.

Sparhawk;249944][quote=AshburnerX;249682][quote=Rob King said:

Damn this thread. My next visit to the bookstore will be an expensive one.

Click to expand...

OR you could just go to the library and read all of them for free first, then buy the ones you liked.[/QUOTE]

Only if you have a decent library in the area, that is open when you aren't at work, and that doesn't have less of a choice of books than you have on your own shelves.[/QUOTE]

your location says Deep East Texas. I'd say you could always move.

Crone said:

your location says Deep East Texas. I'd say you could always move.

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I will, in a few years, need to get the daughter graduated from high school first.

Sparhawk;249944][quote=AshburnerX;249682][quote=Rob King said:

Damn this thread. My next visit to the bookstore will be an expensive one.

Click to expand...

OR you could just go to the library and read all of them for free first, then buy the ones you liked.[/QUOTE]

Only if you have a decent library in the area, that is open when you aren't at work, and that doesn't have less of a choice of books than you have on your own shelves.[/QUOTE]

The libraries in my area (http://www.spl.lib.oh.us/) are all conglomerated into a single system, so you can just reserve a book at one of the 28 locations (or online even) and they'll just send the book to whatever library you want for pick-up. So yeah, it's not too bad.

Ahh, the wonders of our Belgian semi-socialist system. All civil libraries are one big network with free interloaning.

That aside, I'll stick with my recommendation for the complete AC Clarke short story omnibus.

AshburnerX;249664][quote=fade said:

Yeah, I skipped classics, because they're ... well classic. I may have to check out the "invincible" book, but I've never liked so-called "realistic" portrayals of superheroes (book , comic, movie, or tv) because "realistic" always seems to translate to "whines a lot about having superpowers".

Click to expand...

It does show all the heroes and villains as if they were real people with real problems. If your of the persuasion that the fact you have cool powers means you don't get to bitch about your legitimate problems, this isn't the book for you. Dr. Impossible's chapters deal with him analyzing his life choices as he's pulling off a serious of heists, wondering if maybe he should have stopped sometime along the way and just gone legit. It's actually very interesting from a psychological standpoint. All of the heroes have some serious issues too, though not all of them (Elphin, Lily, and Feral come to mind) let these issues turn them into angst filled assholes. Here's a quote from Wikipedia about some of the themes the book brings up.

Wikipedia said:

Even as Dr. Impossible constructs his latest world domination scheme, he finds himself reflecting on his life and whether he could have used his beyond-genius IQ for anything else - curing disease, saving the ecosphere, amassing vast piles of cash... or at least, anything that didn't involve being regularly pummelled by superheroes.

His calm deconstruction of his own futile, repetitive and self-destructive behaviours - even as he repeats them yet again, and knowingly lies to himself that this time things will be different - can be compared to classic existentialist theories, particularly Sartre (bad faith: Dr. Impossible's compulsive behaviour negates his own chance at a happy existence). Another Sartrean aspect is how Dr. Impossible allows his nature to be defined by the views of others - even revelling in his infamy - while simultaneously protesting their unfairness and incompleteness.

Another recurring theme is the place of superheroes in a modern world. While Grossman takes care not to satirise the superhero genre of itself, he uses them to take pot-shots at post-2000 morals and ethics. For example, the conceit that Impossible's actions are caused by a mental illness (Malign Hypercognition Disorder) rather than his own choices reflect on modern notions of personal responsibility.

Click to expand...

In the case of Fatale, the heroic viewpoint presented, she is perfectly justified in being upset about her powers:
...and yet despite that all, she actually does learn to deal with it all.[/QUOTE]

i reccomend the audio of this book. The two readers are fantastic. Especially Dr. Impossible's voice. Its so perfect tht it actually made the book even more enjoyable than just reading it.

Skinny Santa said:

PS: When is the next book coming out, arglebargle!

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George R. R. Martin is not your bitch.

Shannow said:

i reccomend the audio of this book. The two readers are fantastic. Especially Dr. Impossible's voice. Its so perfect tht it actually made the book even more enjoyable than just reading it.

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I'm listening to it now... he doesn't have enough bravado. He seems more... bored than anything. Fatale sounds fine though... I enjoy how she does bad impersonations of the other heroes.

I think one of the most enjoyable books I've read was pillars of the earth.

The short version of the summary is that it follows a medieval family and their children as they grow and change and try to make a living. Children who are 7 at the start are grown and have children by the end so you really feel attached to their whole situation because it's like you were there when they grew up.

It's not a perfect book by any means, but I have to say I really enjoyed reading it and have been meaning to go through it again for a while now.

I know I always say the same thing, but House of Leaves is still the one I go back to. I never know how to describe it. I guess it just has more depth than any other piece of fiction I've read as far as how much is going on for those who care to explore it. It's also interesting as a piece of experimental fiction that works on a level beyond being a gimmick.

phil said:

I think one of the most enjoyable books I've read was pillars of the earth.

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It was engaging.

Crone,

I think for a forum full of readers, that's nearly an impossible request. I can't a) remember all the books I've ever read, even the really good ones and b) it's more like there's a layer of cream floating to the top than a single cherry. I would be really hard pressed to pick one over the other.

I did remember another book that shares the poetic prose writing style with Beagle and Bradbury: Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. That is a gorgeous book. Hurston paints such a picture, you could swear you were there. She can turn a phrase like few others, and gives you goose bumps doing so. And she can evoke emotion, from passion to sadness (if you aren't close to tears when Motorboat gives up to the hurricane, and Janey and Teacake leave him behind, then you're pretty cold).

I should've said this for The Last Unicorn, too, but don't watch the movie. In both cases, they're far inferior. None of the beautiful prose is there, and things have so much less impact.

I actually really enjoyed the Last Unicorn movie when I was a kid. Never read the book though.

I've changed my mind. If I had to recommend 1 book to anyone it would be The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K Le Guin. Its about a man who's dreams shape the world around him and the moral implications of controlling them.

AshburnerX said:

I actually really enjoyed the Last Unicorn movie when I was a kid. Never read the book though.

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It's not terrible, mind you. Just inferior to the book in so many ways. Happy-fying the ending really bugged me. A lot. It sort of ruins the central theme of the book.

Rob King said:

If everyone becomes an astronaut, who will pump their gas?

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Well everywhere in the US except for New Jersey the astronauts could pump their own gas

I'm going to fifth the To Kill a Mockingbird suggestion. An amazing book.

To not waste my choice though how about Huckleberry Finn? You know, that racist book all about the wrongs of racism.

One book and one book only?

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.


A few others just for the hell of it:
Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
Nation - Terry Pratchett
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Douglas Adams

Covar said:

To not waste my choice though how about Huckleberry Finn? You know, that racist book all about the wrongs of racism.

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To be fair, it was VERY progressive for it's time. And nigh impossible to read in it's original dialect... that Mississippi drawl is nigh impenetrable.

AshburnerX;252893][quote=Covar said:

To not waste my choice though how about Huckleberry Finn? You know, that racist book all about the wrongs of racism.

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To be fair, it was VERY progressive for it's time. And nigh impossible to read in it's original dialect... that Mississippi drawl is nigh impenetrable.[/QUOTE]

Oh I don't believe for a second that it's a racist book. Just hate the people who want it banned from schools and libraries, completely missing its point.

I agree with you about the book being Progressive. Surprised it was published to be honest.

Fade: Fuck YES Their Eyes Were Watching God. How she describes the storm and the flood is fucking gorgeous.

ElJuski said:

Fade: Fuck YES Their Eyes Were Watching God. How she describes the storm and the flood is fucking gorgeous.

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Yeah, the origin of the title even...when everyone realizes that staying behind was a terrible idea, and they're sitting in dark houses: "they were staring into the dark, but their eyes were watching God"... brrr... shivers.

I'm not going to go with most important, because that's a little too hard to decide. If I had to recommend the book I've enjoyed the most, it would be either A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or Til We Have Faces. I just think that they're both beautiful stories that I can read anytime.

---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

fade;252668][quote=AshburnerX said:

I actually really enjoyed the Last Unicorn movie when I was a kid. Never read the book though.

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It's not terrible, mind you. Just inferior to the book in so many ways. Happy-fying the ending really bugged me. A lot. It sort of ruins the central theme of the book.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. I love that book. I also read Two Hearts... not as good, but a neat little finish.

Grr... all this talk of The Last Unicorn makes we want to find a copy of the movie The Flight of Dragons. DAMN YOU NOSTALGIA!

I love the Last Unicorn movie... in my memory anyway. Re-watched it with a buddy a few year back... and it was horrible.
I really should read that book.

Cajungal said:

I'm not going to go with most important, because that's a little too hard to decide. If I had to recommend the book I've enjoyed the most, it would be either A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or Til We Have Faces. I just think that they're both beautiful stories that I can read anytime.

---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

fade;252668][quote=AshburnerX said:

I actually really enjoyed the Last Unicorn movie when I was a kid. Never read the book though.

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It's not terrible, mind you. Just inferior to the book in so many ways. Happy-fying the ending really bugged me. A lot. It sort of ruins the central theme of the book.

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Agreed. I love that book. I also read Two Hearts... not as good, but a neat little finish.[/QUOTE]

I've read other Beagle books, but none are as good as Unicorn. A Fine and Private Place comes very close (though it's not fantasy if that's a thing for you). Same lilting style, but far less well-formed. It smacks of first novel, not having the pieces in quite the right places. But still a very beautiful book. A friend once said that Beagle used it all up on The Last Unicorn.

That's what I've heard too. I went to a convention where he gave a lecture titled "There's no such thing as a fine and private place," simple meaning that you'll never get any writing done if you keep waiting for perfect silence, the perfect place, the perfect amount of time, complete privacy, etc.

I've heard that "The Rhinoceros who quoted Neitczhe" is a good short story.

The title is taken from the Marvell poem 'To His Coy Mistress':

The grave's a fine and private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.

"To His Coy Mistress" is an amazing poem. "If I had all eternity to dote upon your perfection, I would; too bad life is fleeting, so let's fuck!"

fade said:

The title is taken from the Marvell poem 'To His Coy Mistress':

The grave's a fine and private place,
But none, I think, do there embrace.

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I thought it was familiar... haven't read that since high school.