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10 great science fiction novels that have been banned. @djscruffy: And that's why you're a heathen and should be burned at the stake. @djscruffy: In defense of public schools, I would suggest that the reason many of these books are challenged so often is that they're frequently included in school curriculums and libraries. I grew up in a state that, according to these links, engaged in book-burning less than a decade before my birth. That makes me shudder. But I'm also the child of a public school teacher and am familiar with my mother's and many of her peers' views on children's reading materials. Despite the generally conservative views in my community, my elementary school encouraged me to read A Wrinkle in Time and The Giver and Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret. I suppose I've wandered a bit. @djscruffy: To be fair, it's not usually the schools that want to ban the books, but the few overprotective parents who make wild assumptions about the books we try to teach.

The 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read, 1963-2013. The thing about reading is this: it takes a long time. There are innumerable books in the world, and many more good ones than can be read by any mortal in a lifetime. It’s hard to choose — especially if you’re a slow reader. So, to go along with the list of the best albums from 1963-2013, here you will find a single must-read book from each of the last 50 years. Of course, this is by its very nature an absurd undertaking, and many books have gotten the short end of the stick — there’s no other way to do it. The choices here are influenced by the following: the stipulation that any specific author should not be chosen for more than one year, a general focus on fiction over other genres, and the tastes/whims/glaring prejudices of Flavorwire’s literary editor. 1963 — The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath Sylvia Plath’s only novel manages to be both elegant and filled with raw, seething emotion – no small feat, and not the least of the reasons the reading world is still obsessed with her.

50 Amazing and Essential Novels to Enrich Your Library. Post written by Leo Babauta. I recently ran into a couple of reading lists (I’ll share them at the end) and realized that I LOVE reading book recommendations. I can’t get enough of them. So I decided to compile my own (somewhat eclectic) list of novels I think are amazing and essential to every library. I hope you enjoy it. I should make some notes before diving in. Another note: there are actually many more books listed here than 50 — a number of those listed are actually series of books, in a couple cases series that include 20 or more books. There are classics here, but there are cheap thrillers and popular fiction and even a few “kids” books. If you could fill your library with only 50 books, you could do much worse than choose these 50. Not in any order but just in the order they came to me: King Lear, by Shakespeare.

Some other lists of books I’ve enjoyed recently: Literature's Ten Most Disturbing Sociopaths. How many times have you imagined smashing someone's windshield with a tire iron after they cut you off in traffic? Or stabbing your boss with a sharp pencil when he denies you that raise yet again? Or conning your way into a carefree life of luxury? We all have dark urges—at least I hope it's not just me or this is going to be one seriously awkward article—but very few of us act on them, which might be why we love reading about people who do. Many sociopaths are charming, witty, and intelligent. They're also free of the guilt, emotional consequences, and moral dilemmas that plague the rest of us.

Before we take a look at ten unforgettable, morally devoid characters from literature, let's get straight on what makes a sociopath. 10. Skills: Bilingual (French and English), lovely singing voice, talented pianist and actress, witty and charming—you'd be tempted to cast her in a Broadway rendition of Les Mis. Buy Vanity Fair from Amazon.com 9. 8. Buy The Talented Mr. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. 101 Books To Read This Summer Instead of '50 Shades of Grey'. 10 Epic Books Every Man Must Read ← Love My Life Right Now. What are the Top Must Read Books For Men? There are books that you read, and there are books that change your life. The list compiled below is an indication of some of the best books to read.

From an infinite list of books, these 10 are ones that have defined generations and inspired countless authors. Some are a basis of what it is to be a man in today’s culture; to face fears and fight through them, to fight for justice and what is right, embracing the leader in us and leading a life of integrity. Men and woman everywhere, we give you, 10 Books Every Man Must Read. So Gentlemen, here is the Top 10 List Of Books To Read For Every Man: 1. The epic adventure of Edmond Dantès and how he spent 14 years in a dungeon for a crime he didn’t commit, will keep you hooked to the point where your friends and family will be concerned for your well-being. 2. The Screwtape Letters is an utterly original book by C. 3. 4. 5. We Recommend the Amazon Kindle as the best e-book reader 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

10 Novels That Are Scarier Than Most Horror Movies. The Best Books: The Top 100 Novels of All Time - Listmuse.com. A contemporary list, with an international flavour and a respect for the classics, The Best Books: Top 100 Novels of All Time list contains many of the great works of fiction you'd expect, but with a few surprises to add a little spice to the collection. 1. Brave New World By Aldous Huxley "Aldous Huxley is the greatest 20th century writer in English. " —Chicago Tribune Aldous Huxley is rightly considered a prophetic genius and one of the most important literary and philosophical voices of the 20th Century, and Brave New World is his masterpiece. From the author of The Doors of ... 2. By Fyodor Dostoevsky Crime and Punishment is one of the most important novels of the nineteenth century. By George Orwell Hidden away in the Record Department of the sprawling Ministry of Truth, Winston Smith skilfully rewrites the past to suit the needs of the Party. 4.

By Leo Tolstoy 5. By J. A modern classic, this early novel by Nobel Laureate J. 6. By Joseph Heller 7. By Arthur Koestler 8. By Kurt Vonnegut 9. Literature Project - Free eBooks Online. Rare Book Room. The 50 Best Short Stories of All Time. Authorama - Public Domain Books. Your mega summer reading list: 180+ books recommended by TEDsters. A look at the famous TED Bookstore at TED2013.

Photo: Michael Brands Books can entertain, sucking you like a tornado into incredible new worlds. Books can teach, giving you a richer understanding of time periods, people and ideas you’ve never been exposed to. But books can do so much more. Lisa Bu: How books can open your mind In today’s talk, TED’s own Lisa Bu introduces us to the concept of “comparative reading,” the practice of reading books in pairs, to give deeper context and reveal new insights.

Every year at TED, we set up a bookstore filled with books recommended by TEDsters of note. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson. John Adams by David McCullough. Personal History by Katharine Graham. The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. Big Cats by Holiday Reinhorn.