Tell me one fiction book and one non-fiction book I should definitely read?

Question

Give me more books.

Answer 1

Oh, so much depends on your interests. There are so many good books that have brought me satisfaction and inspiration, it's hard to limit myself to one or two answers.

For fiction, one of my favorites among contemporary novels is Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie, but there are many runners-up, like John Irving's Prayer for Owen Meany. However, both include examples of what some folks call "magic realism." If you are willing to try this style of writing, give these books a shot. Midnight's Children deals with children born on the night of India's independence from Great Britain, particularly two boys whose identity is switched at birth and the resulting consequences for them both. It's humorous and serious, provocative and satisfying, simple but also challenging. From among the twenty-five first Booker prizes in England, it was designated the best of the best.

Of non-fiction books that I have read recently, the one that has inspired me most and changed my thinking forever is by Sheldon Cheney (no, not that other Cheney!). It was written in the 1940s but has recently been reissued. It is entitled Men Who Have Walked with God, and deals with men (and women) of "mystic" faith, going all the way back to Lao Tzu in China and Gautama Buddha in India and coming up to William Blake, the English poet and visionary in the late 1700s and early 1800s. It gives a brief bio of about ten such mystics and fairly clear and complete explanations of their beliefs with special attention of their visions and their influence on others. It includes Plato and Plotinus, Saint Bernard (the saint, not the dog!), Meister Eckhardt, Jakob Boehme, with side references to many, many others. I read it once and then reread it again immediately, taking about ten to fifteen pages a day, almost like an old-fashioned devotional manual. I am not a mystic, but this book almost made me wish I were. It certainly clarified and influenced my sense of values and my relation to the Infinite in my life.

Cheers! and good luck in finding books that bring you joy, satisfaction, and an uplift!!

Answer 2

For fiction I would recommend Lord of the Flies; a wonderful book about boys on a deserted island with no rules. It truly expresses what the world would become without laws or rules of society. A nonfiction book that I would recommend reading is the Bible; especially the Old Testament. It has so much history in there, with all the wars and the fighting and the kings reign, the love between a Jewish woman and a king, the love between a mother in law and her daughter in law when the son dies. It has so much to tell us if we only listen.

Answer 3

Dresden file book series by Jim Butcher.There are 8 books in the series beginning with stormfront.It narrates the story of Harry Dresden,chicago's only professional wizard who works as a detective.He stands between the general population who is ignorant about the supernatural world and the monsters - vampires,werewolves,fallen angels,fey.He is aided by Bob,a talking skull.Karrin Murphy-a police officer and Thomas-a white court vampire.

Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini.When his best friend, a young clergyman, is killed in a mockery of a duel by an arrogant noble, just to quiet his eloquent expressions of democratic ideals, Andre-Louis Moreau vows revenge. From that point, through meteoric careers as a consummate actor and scenario writer, then as a fencing master, and finally a politician, the brilliant Moreau keeps thwarting the aims of the aristocratic Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr. However, the nobleman causes pain to Moreau as well, and the time must come when the two will meet to settle their enmity once and for all. You are not likely to guess how their confrontation finally turns out. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this swashbuckling novel is exciting throughout, and it presents one of the most dashing heroes in fiction, a man who can fight equally well with his mind, his mouth, his pen, and his sword, a man who stirs up events wherever he goes.

Answer 4

Fiction: A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving. I've read it at least 10 times, and every time I discover something new. Wicked by Gregory Maguire is also a clever, intense, and thought-provoking read if you like that genre.

Nonfiction: Tuesdays with Morrie. I know it's somewhat cliche and the book has been around for quite a while now, but it's very inspirational and sweet. Also, read anything by Michael Moore for an interesting look at our society. Read with an open mind, though - Moore's got his own (very strong) opinions and because he masks their weight with humor a lot of the time, it's easy to forget that he's got his own agenda.

In general, if you're looking for a laugh, read anything and everything Dave Barry has ever written. He has such a unique perspective and never disappoints.

I hope this helps! Happy reading!

Answer 5

Fiction: Magic Men by W. Korol Selley

Non Fiction: Elegant Universe by Brian Greene

Answer 6

Fiction - The Ship, CS Forster
Non-Fiction - Thief in the Night, William Sears

Answer 7

Non Fiction - Papillon

Fiction - The Dark Tower series

Answer 8

i'm broadly speaking a fiction reader, nonetheless I get excitement from and understand the choose to study nonfiction...I hadn't relatively study many of the latter type until eventually I have been given to college and that i began taking nonfiction workshops for my substantial and different instructions that assign such books. My favorites are in holiday writing; twiddling with Water has beautiful prose and provides distinctive perspectives of the Philippines and England, ocean and dry land, etc. I certainly have an incredible activity in nonfiction concerning to China. i'm at the instant examining Oracle Bones via Peter Hessler, which does an incredible activity of putting present day China into attitude given the rustic's history, and yet another solid on is driving the Iron poultry via Paul Theroux - a e book it relatively is almost painful to study via fact it ends precise in the previous Tian'anmen sq.. For me, fiction facilitates a reader to droop disbelief and persist with something on an identical time as nonfiction works to concentration the genuine worldwide. i like the two.

Answer 9

Heidi(fiction)
The Diary of Anne Frank(non-fiction)

Answer 10

Fiction - "Middlemarch", by George Eliot

Non-Fiction - The Last Lion, by William Manchester