1. Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace (still reading) – I enjoy Wallace’s writing style as well as his sarcastic and ironic analysis of modern society. Wallace seems to exemplify excellent writing, and I really need to finish this book sometime.
2. Consider the Lobster and Other Essays, David Foster Wallace – These were the first essays by Wallace that I read, and his essay on dictionaries greatly influenced my perception of the English language.
3. Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkien – These books are amazing. They combine excellent character development and interesting philosophical question with a fantasy world of unparalleled combination of the human experience and creativity.
4. Silmarillion, J.R.R Tolkien – I greatly enjoyed the detailed descriptions and background story in this novel. It’s quite inspiring to read about the whole world Tolkien developed but never got to publish himself.
5. Discworld, Terry Pratchet – I loved this book for the quirky sense of humor and for its overall weirdness. In addition to being an entertaining read, it can be evaluated as a critique of humanity’s flaws and a celebration of an almost medieval sense of honor.
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Arthur C. Clarke – This book was my first introduction to space-adventure and technology novels, and it left a lasting impression on me. “I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
Kevin--Your taste for science fiction and fantasy is a strong one. I only know one discworld book, but I remember its lively sense of humor. And 2001 came out while I was in college and I remember it well. Finally, I'm glad you know the Tolkien books as something other than movies. Thanks for a thoughtful list.
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