The Best Books and the Best Authors?

Question

Something with more intellectual prosperity than harry potter books. I'm talking about smart books and authors that actually makes people think.

Answer 1

W.C. Heinz is one of the greatest sportswriters of all time. He is in the Boxing Hall of Fame. He wrote "The Professional," a novel that Hemingway praised. He also wrote the MASH novel, which became a movie and TV series.

Raymond Chandler is one of the most celebrated novelists of the 20th century. His prose and scenery were second to none. Start with "The Big Sleep."

Elmore Leonard is a Hemingway disciple. His dialogue has inspired many, including Quentin Tarantino. He writes westerns and crime fiction. Many of his novels have been adapted to film, including Get Shorty, Be Cool, Out of Sight, and Rum Punch (Jackie Brown). Definitely check out Cuba Libre, a novel based during the Spanish-American War.

Answer 2

I would say Chuck Palahniuk's books. He's best known for writing Fight Club, but I've read about four others now, I loved Invisible Monsters and Choke. Everytime I buy one at the bookstore the cashiers are always giving me the thumbs up, like his books are awesome!

His writing is very dark but also funny. What I love is that the characters are all flawed and very extreme. Some of the stuff he comes up with makes you think, where did he get this from? His writing style is very fast paced and unpredictable too, so you don't ever get bored with it and you stay entertained.

What I love about his books is that when you read the cover to find out what the book is going to be about, you think it's going to be so random and that you will have absolutely nothing in common with the characters, that they won't be relatable. Half of the characters you dislike because they either say or do horrible things. But the genius of Palahniuk is that as you read along, no matter how much you first deny it, you start to see yourself in all of the characters.

They're either doing things that you might have wanted to do, saying things that you've wanted to say, or just representing the thoughts and feeling that we all have. The characters are extreme representations of the shallow ugly places we just don't want to see in ourselves but by the end you're glad that you did.

I will say that even though his style is dark satire it will seriously make you think, it makes you question life, society and our value systems, and most importantly yourself, while not coming off as preachy and keeping you entertained.

Answer 3

Try these;

A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber
The Language of God by Francis S. Collins
The Universe in a Nutshell by Stephen William Hawking

Answer 4

The Aztec by Gary Jennings is very good. There are a couple sequels but I've only read the first so far. It's a historical fiction that follows an Aztec through his life. It's pretty interesting.

Dean Koontz novels are actually really good also. The plots tend to be very smart and lots of good twists. :)

Answer 5

Wow! what a huge question to tackle. If you want to read smart books I would suggest Einsteins books on relativity. If you want to read romance I would go with Shakespere. If you are looking for Poetry I would offer Kahil Gibran. If you are looking for good modern storytelling then Stephen King. If you are looking for a good childrens book I would suggest JK Rowling.

any books by these authors is acceptable for your personal growth.

Answer 6

Ian Pears "An Instance of the Fingerpost" and "The Dream of Scipio" I guarantee you will work at these and they are worth the work. Vikram Seth" A Suitable Boy" Many characters to keep tract of. Good reading.

Answer 7

I love all of Anne Rice books. She writes beautifully! Her characters have a lot of depth to them and she describes every minute detail so that if feels that you are actually where her characters are. Also, try Dante's "Inferno" or John Milton "Paradise Lost" both are great

Answer 8

Night - Elie Wiesel

Stolen Lives - Malikha Oufkir

Rosales Sagas: Po-on/Tree/My brother, me executioner/the pretenders/mass - F.Sionil Jose

TRY:HENRY DAVID THOREAU too. :) have fun!

Answer 9

Bible by various apostles and prophets.