Underappreciated books?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

Haven't we all read a book (or a few) which you just love, but seems to fly under the radar or just gets totally ignored? Or maybe it's a lesser known book of a famous author.

My nomination for underappreciated book falls into the 2nd category.

I just love Nabokov's "Pnin".

Everyone knows "Lolita" - but Pnin is just such a treasure.

"Pnin" is the story of a Russian academic who misinterprets much in his life at an American university, some due to culteral misunderstandings, some due to his own sweet, loving psychology. Read it and laugh. Give it as a gift.

[patrice]

1. Anthem by Ayn Rand

:hide:

[Zorro]

2. Penrod by Booth Tarkington

About the life of a 12 year old Indiana boy at the beginning of the 20th century.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. This was a favorite book of my father's. Although he always called it

Penrod and Sam. I haven't read it.

I did just recently read "The Magnificent Ambersons" and thought it was fantastic. Very relevant to today. It touches on: elitism, industry, capitalism, stock markets, safe work places, real estate markets. Excellent. Someone could do a modern remake of the Welles movie, which was a pretty good literal interpretation.

[Zorro]

4. Penrod and Sam is the follow-on

Penrod was written first.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. Well, I will take your suggestion and I will read it. nt.

[Zorro]

7. It's a free Googlebook download

Keep in mind it's a reflection of its time.

[Hardrada]

6. Anything by Peter De Vries

Whose entire collected works are unjustifiably ignored.

[Fovea]

8. Libra by Don DeLilo

Is a masterful fictional bio of Lee Harvey Oswald.

[pitohui]

11. libra is a wonderful book

i'm not sure it's an under-rated or little known book tho, if it has fallen into obscurity that is surely literature's loss

[Fovea]

12. I would say it is simply standing in the shadow of 'White Noise'

but works like Jim McKinley's Fickleman Suite are genuinely obscure.

[RufusTFirefly]

9. I'd recommend Nabokov's "Pale Fire" as well...

Wonderful satire of a self-important academic.

In the mean time, I'll be rooting for another Nabokov



Evgeni Nabokov

[Jim__]

10. Nabakov is one of my favorite authors.

But, for some reason, I've never read Pnin. It's on my list now.

[japple]

13. Two books by David Anthony Durham: Walk Through Darkness

and Gabriel's Story. This writer really, really knows how to tell a story.

Also David Bradley's book, The Chaneysville Incident.

[Rob Gregory Browne]

14. Some Kind of Hero

by James Kirkwood

It was made into a really horrible movie with Richard Pryor in the eighties. Please ignore the movie and read this truly wonderful novel.

[sazemisery]

15. Gate To Women's Country, by Sherri S. Tepper

Post nuclear tale. I wouldn't say more because it will give a lot away. I read this every few years and it never gets old.

[pitohui]

16. yeah she has some good ones

i have found a new one, the margarets, i am curious to read this book and see if it's up to her very high standards

[Tesha]

22. I'd give "The Margarets" a 5 on the Tepper scale.

It's pretty good, and an interesting exploration of
how one person can encompass many different aspects
of personality, but it's not her best (say, The
Fresco).

On the other hand, it's a big step up from The
Companions, where I really thought she went to
(ahem) the dogs as a writer.

Tesha

[raccoon]

17. DYING INSIDE by Robert Silverberg

Publication date 1972

Dying Inside is a science fiction novel by Robert Silverberg. It was nominated for both the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award in 1972.


Summary
The novel's main character, David Selig, is an undistinguished man living in New York City. David was born with a telepathic gift allowing him to read minds. Rather than use his ability for any greater good, however, Selig squanders his power, using it only for his own convenience. (For instance, David earns a living by reading the minds of college students so that he can better plagiarize reports and essays on their behalf).

As the novel progresses, Selig's power grows more and more weak, working sporadically and sometimes not at all, and Selig struggles to maintain his grip on reality as he begins to lose an ability on which he has long since grown dependant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dying_Inside


Also,

GOING WRONG

Author Ruth Rendell

Publication date 6 September 1990

Going Wrong is a novel by British writer Ruth Rendell. A psychological thriller, its main theme is the nature of romantic obsession.


When they were teenagers, Guy Curran led a street gang around Notting Hill, and went out with Leonora Chisholm. It was to him that she lost her virginity, and with him that she first experienced drugs. They come from completely different backgrounds, and Leonora's parents aren't happy with the romantic pairing, hoping it will end. Leonora grows up and away from Guy, but he still believes, despite everything, that she will come back to him. When it becomes clearer and clearer than this won't happen, Guy is driven to desperate measures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_Wrong

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

18. I think Ruth Rendell is just always interesting.

I also like her Barbara Vine alter ego.

[YankeyMCC]

19. Science Fiction as a genre is generally under-appreciated

The general reading audience hear the SF label and I guess just make certain assumptions and dismiss it yet it provides such a fertile medium for exploring all the interesting ideas and human conditions great literature explores.

Obviously it's fair for people to have preferences in genre but it still seems a shame that SF get such a pass by so many.

[raccoon]

20. I wonder if some people think SF is all space opera. I can see how

some people might think it is.

[YankeyMCC]

21. Even Space Opera

or what you might call the New Space Opera, the label has gone through some astounding convulsions as to what it means exactly, stuff by Simmons and Reynolds and MacLeod all produced New Space Opera that explore deep questions and are far from frivolous fun.

But of course those stories, literary or not, are still very heavy in SF background so I can definitely see that setting being to much for some who do not regularly read SF.

[bluescribbler]

24. I used to be one of those people

But then I read "Childhood's End" and "Caves of Steel". My eyes, (and mind), were opened.

[vssmith]

23. I generally don't read SF but I love Octavia Butler