The more specific terms Pascal case and upper camel case refer to a joined phrase where the first letter of each word is capitalized, including the initial letter of the first word.
The practice has various names, including:
. . .
PascalCase for upper camel case[17][18][19] (after the Pascal programming language)
The Martian was the first and to this date only book that I've read and, when I was finished, decided to re-read right away.
Love all Andy Weirs stuff. I've read the Martian four to five times now (lost count) I've also read Artemis twice and am currently re-reading Project Hail Mary.
Even when you know the ending the way there is still always fun another time.
Also I've re-read the Dirk Gently books since I just love Douglas Adams
Les Misérables is easily the best book I've ever read in my entire life. A few years ago I read a shorthened version of it and even then I was fascinated by it. I finished reading the full text two months ago and oh my fucking god this book is the best thing ever written.
I'm Turkish so I read the Turkish translation (will read the full text in English and French when I learn it) and on the back of it, it says something along these lines:
"... Les Misérables is the third and the most majestic collumn of the author's novel trilogy that tells of the society..."
And I completely agree with that. This book is simply timeless. The characters, situations, unjustice, inequalities, all the suffering in it could be applied to any society. This book is real.
The messages that it sends are solutions to topics that seemingly anybody with a functioning brain should be capable of thinking and realizing. And yet, these solutions are ignored and refused because of greed, revenge, bloodlust and most important of all, ignorance.
The main character of the book, Jean Valjean is the embodiment of redemption. His entire arc teaches us how to treat criminals. Some countries today are taking these lessons and applying them. The lessons being; treat them as human, rehabilitate them. The result? They actually do heal and return to society as normal human beings.
And yet you see people against this practice. Those kinds of people are blinded by bloodlust and revenge. They are the same kind of people that were racist, sexist and much more back in the day. The arguments that these people bring don't hold up either. The most common one I see (at least from my perspective) is this:
"You wouldn't react this way if they hurt one of your loved ones!"
The fact that these people don't know anything about me aside, this argument is pointless as it implies that I would be blind to fact and logic when I'm in pain. And while that is true, me being angry over an apple falling onto my head won't make gravity any less real. In other words, so what?
The biggest victims of this mentality are pedofiles. Not the ones that do engage in action. But rather the ones that don't harm anybody are aware of their issue. For instance, if a non-engaging pedo went to a therapist and told them of their issue, what would the therapist do? Call the police of course. And what would that do? Their life would be pretty screwed from that point forward. Assuming they are the non-engaging type, of course. I don't believe this to be the correct attitude towards these kind of cases.
I would also like to dive into other topics that the book covers (and perhaps extend on this one) but it would be way too long for a comment. Thank you anyone reading this far. I would like to hear your opinions on the matter and discuss even!
Dang, good job: this is the first time I'm left curious to read it!
Yeah, I'm on board too!
How's the English translation feel,
I read it in high school (by choice because of the musical), but I think I was not mature enough to truly grasp many of the themes.
This makes me want to re-read it. I can read French at an okay level, and I’m wondering if I should try…or if I should stick with English again first to get the major points and then branch out.
English translation is pretty damn good. If you want to work on your French by all means go for it, but wouldn't do it out of concern you'd be missing something from the English version.
Thanks for letting me know!
I've seen the musical a bunch of times and when I finally managed to read it last year it was a revelation. While I still love the musical the book is so much more intriguing and interesting and just manages to much more perfectly capture the main theme.
Night need to re-read this one soon ;)
Asimov's Foundation series (two times polish translation and once original) and The Hitchikerms Guide to Galaxy by Adams Douglas (once in polish, twice original)
It's even more fun if you read the entire Asimov book catalog that's set in the same universe as Foundation using the in-universe chronological order... unless you meant that's what you did. That's broadly "I, Robot", the Robots series, the Empire Series, and the Foundation series. I'm sure some people don't like his later books that tie it all together, but most of them are probably elderly and read the original series before the newer ones were published or something.
I read the original Foundation trilogy, then all the ones in the Robot, Empire and Foundation series in order of publication, followed by the Benford/Bryn/Bear trilogy.
Then I went back and re-read the original Foundation trilogy, and it still stands out as my favorite thing Asimov ever did.
Just reread hitchhikers myself, and I’m rereading the Robots series. I love the mix of sci-fi and noir that the Robots books have
The Discworld series, the Culture series by Iain Banks, Tolkien, Illuminatus!, GEB: The Eternal Golden Braid, The Book of Swords...
Illuminatus! was my answer. Never got into serious fantasy, but otherwise this is a solid list. This further encourages me to read the Culture series.
Oh, and I almost forgot, Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light.
there is a lot of books i have read more than once. but one stands out over all others, yet there is no storyline to speak of. The C Programming Language by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie.
Me too. But due to the non linear storyline I typically jump around a lot
The Wheel Of Time, by Robert Jordan
The entire series, start to finish, repeatedly. I've read it at least a dozen times since the late 90s when I first discovered it. I'd read the entire series over again whenever a new book in the series was released so the first few books I've read far more frequently.
Then the TV show came out and now I can't bring myself to look at it ever again.
Then the TV show came out and now I can't bring myself to look at it ever again.
I tell people the TV show is what you'd get if you handed the books to the CW's teen soap/drama writers. Yes, it's that bad.
My Darwin, the teeth in that show. All of them have PERFECT Hollywood teeth, shining brightly like magical lanterns.
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. I watch a lot of German and Scandinavian TV because they use actors that look like real people rather than Hollywood Barbie dolls.
It’s often an indicator of poor films/shows for me. Look at Killers of the Flower Moon - it’s not like the actors don’t all have amazing looking teeth, but the film has gone through the trouble of making them all look normal via prosthetics.
Yet so much cheap tv/film doesn’t bother and it just immediately cancels my suspension of disbelief.
... Are you me?
I struggle with the abundance of characters from time to time. I've reread some of the books just because I forgot who, what, when...
The tv shows always are a compromise. They just don't have the time to build the characters and have to force some stuff because of that.
I have this guilty pleasure. I've reread 'Interview with the vampire' after seeing the movie and even liked the book pore afterwards.
Consider the TV show another turning of the Wheel. Nothing in it prevents you from enjoying the Source.
I have re-read The Lord of the Rings and all of Larry Niven's books (many in the Ringworld universe).
Seconding Lord of the Rings.
Haven’t heard of that one. What’s it about?
Someone gives a relative a stolen ring, and they take it back to where it was from.
Ringworld has the best and worst books in a series I’ve ever read. It still manages to be amazing, even with book 3.
The stand, by Stephen King
M-O-O-N that spells, The Stand!
" When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton. "
I've definitely gone through the Harry Potter series a couple of times at different phases of my life. Definitely had a different experience with every reading. Not always positive, but at this point it's part of the tapestry of my childhood.
at this point it's part of the tapestry of my childhood.
Mine too. I haven't read them in a long time because of obvious reasons, but a part of me still wants to. I was truly obsessed with them for several years as a kid.
Don't let her shitty politics get in the way of doing something you enjoy. Death of the author and all that. If you're worried about fiscally supporting her, I'm certain you can find the whole series at reasonable prices in any secondhand bookstore.
Or just download ebooks.
I just read the 4 Stormlight Archives books this past year (in addition to the novellas) but I’m already itching to reread them.
I reread the whole Cosmere last year. It was worth it.
I started reading more when the Reddit API stuff happened. Meant to pick up Mistborn AGES ago at a friend’s behest and then went to Way of Kings after Mistborn Era 1 was over.
Haven’t looked back, and have barely read anything not written by Brando Sando since then.
I got into the Cosmere about three years back. I started with The Way Of Kings just because I had heard Sanderson was good and had an audible credit. Then I learned about the whole Cosmere and flew through the rest of it. I’m up to Words Of Radiance on my first re read before #5 comes out.
Anything by Sanderson. His consistency is so, so wonderful. I hate ass-pull macguffins.
Mistborn was amazing for this.
I think I've read all of Sanderson except for Stormlight (I'll read it as soon as he finishes it). Is Stormlight the series that makes the cosmere make sense?
Like, I know the cosmere is a thing. And I'm aware that all these disparate worlds are somehow interconnected. Other than a cameo of characters near the end of Wax & Wayne, there is never a reference to the cosmere in anything I've read.
I enjoy his books, but I don't get the significance of The Cosmere at all.
You will recognize a character that makes waves in Stormlight named Hoid. He makes cameos in pretty much every work of Sanderson’s.
Pretty much all of Discworld but especially the Moist Von Lipwig and Vimes ones.
The best part of rereading those books is the hidden puns and jokes that you only get when you get older. And yes, commander Vîmes and Moist are excellent characters.
Currently there is a Humble Bundle with Cory Doctorow's books. I liked Little Brother and read it twice. Maybe I'm going to read some more of his work.
I’ve been reading his stuff since Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. You’ll definitely enjoy his other books.
Excession, by Iain M Banks.
Genar-Hofoen felt the Diplomatic Force officer's kiss through the few millimetres' thickness of the gelfield suit as a moderately sharp impact on his jaw followed by a powerful sucking that might have led someone less experienced in the diverse and robust manifestations of Affronter friendliness to conclude that the being was either trying to suck his teeth out through his cheek or had determined to test whether a Culture Gelfield Contact/Protection Suit, Mk 12, could be ripped off its wearer by a localised partial vacuum. What the crushingly powerful four-limbed hug would have done to a human unprotected by a suit designed to withstand pressures comparable to those found at the bottom of an ocean probably did not bear thinking about, but then a human exposed without protection to the conditions required to support Affronter life would be dying in at least three excitingly different and painful ways anyway without having to worry about being crushed by a cage of leg-thick tentacles.
Gorgeous.
Our friend with a need for speed is probably my favorite plot thread weave of any of his books. Excession did a great job of lulling you into thinking certain things were happening then absolutely slapped the universe with a different sequence of events, it's such a fun read.
Look to Windward is absolutely excellent as well.
Look to Windward is my favourite. The Ways of Dying monologue is hauntingly beautiful.
I’m partial to Player of Games, but Excession was great.
HHGTTG Tue trilogy of 5 I've read through maybe 5 times now. Unfortunately I think the last time was a mistake as I really struggled after the first 2 books and didn't enjoy them like I once had.
I had to look up:
HHGTTG = The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
and
Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
Watership Down.
Also some Philip K. Dick books, like A Scanner Darkly and Eye in the Sky.
But I also enjoyed the Bartimaues trilogy so much when I was somewhat younger.
Went into comment section to suggest Watership Down. It’s a children’s book which reads like an adult treaties on free will, totalitarianism, good vs evil, leadership … and, oh yeah, the value of overwhelming seagull power.
The Stand by Steven King. Also, his Gunslinger series.
Ka is a wheel after all
Long days and pleasant nights
Only two so far
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
And
Gone away world
How about Discworld?
I remember when the Guide was my go-to happy place read, and I had not yet discovered Discworld.
I did not believe the hype. Hopefully this person will give it a try, if they have not.
GNU Terry Pratchett.
I had started reading them back in the 90s so it had been over twenty years since I last read them. Decided to reread them all recently. Was a good time.
Yep, have read it, but not more than once.
His Dark Materials trilogy.. still so excellent.
Malazan Book of the Fallen, Gentlemen Bastards series, most of Neil Gaiman's work, The Library at Mount Char, the Baru Cormorant series, Gatsby, Flowers for Algernon, and most of Plath's work - I go back to most of those every few years.
Lord of the rings.
Hunt for Red October and Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
Currently re-listening to Debit of Honour
Red October is honestly great 👍
I have reread several books but most of them have several years or decades in between.
Especially Terry Pratchetts' books are better after and worthy of a second read.
When I was 7, I got brought to the school library and told to pick a book to read over the summer. I picked The Hobbit. I got told no. I Insisted. Read that, then moved on lotr. I then read those I don't know how many more times over the years. As far as I remember, those are the only books I ever bothered to read more than once. Not counting listening to the audio books at work, as well.
I remember the VCR instruction manual.
Otherwise Terry Pratchett's discworld novels and the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy (the 3 first ofc).
If you don't mind, why the "ofc". Are the others considered bad? I think I enjoyed the most "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish", the fourth.
I think all were very good, but I read them so long ago that I have them a bit mixed up.
The 6th I couldn't finish.
The trilogy is considered a sort of masterpiece. The 4 5 (and his other books) not so much.
Foucault's pendulum by Umberto Eco. Just thinking about it makes me want to read this masterpiece again.
That chapter where they try to figure out the password to the computer though...
Baudolino is my favourite BTW, maybe I should re read it (struggling with time to get into Pragues Cemetery ATM).
Great book
The entire series of Culture books by Iain M Banks, they're just phenomenally written.
Others I've reread at least twice:
Frank Herbert's DUNE series
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash
The Thievesworld anthology series
Alastair Reynolds House of Suns
William Gibson's Jackpot books
Neuromancer might be my favourite cyberpunk book of all time but so far Jackpot has failed to hook me.
I've liked the Jackpot series, but I absolutely adore the Sprawl series. I also loved the bridge series.
The appeal is Gibson's writing, he's developed a lot in the intervening decades. IMO he's a much better writer these days than he was at the start of his career. The plot of the Jackpot books might not hook you as much as the sprawl but his writing is great.
Check out Ian McDonald's River of Gods and Cyberabad Days if you liked Neuromancer, those are in the same vein and exceptionally well imagined. Skip the novella titled Vishnu at the Cat Circus until after River of Gods, it spoils everything set in the India 2047 setting (it's the last thing in the Cyberabad Days collection.)
To Kill A Mockingbird
Because Clive Barker doesn't get enough credit:
The Books of Blood
Damn him forever for not finishing the Books of the Art
The Count of Monte Cristo
Ascendance of a Bookworm series by Miya Kazuki (Light Novel) and on every reread i discover something new that was forshadowed.
There is whole instance dedicated to that series.
Stephen King's Dark Tower series is my go-to epic fantasy. I'm about to start a 4th trip to the tower once I'm done with my current listen.
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, and a select few other books in the series (Speaker for the dead and Enders Shadow most notably) - Card at the top of his game is fantastic, I just wish he didn't dive completely off the deep end.
Tangentially, Berserk, if you include manga. Hands down my favorite piece of media altogether.
When I re-read Ender's Game as an adult it felt pretty mary-sueish the second time. I got why I loved it as a kid because the smart socially maladjusted kid (omg he's just like me) was kicking everyone's ass and being great at everything. As an adult it seemed a little much. Then again maybe I'm just projecting the hatred I have for my past self onto the book.
I can get that. Its the parts around him being a Mary Sue that work so well. His ultimate draw towards pacifism despite his clear knack for death. I feel like it captures a bullied, maladjusted youth with a clear talent pretty well, all considered.
The Forever War - Joe Haldeman
A fantastic novel on the pointlessness of war, told through the lens of space opera / sci-fi
This will make a fine addition to my (infinite) backlog.
Brandon Sanderson’s entire cosmere.
The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear
Robin Hobb’s Farseer, Fitz and the Fool, Liveship Trader, and Tawny Man trilogies. All interconnected.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Dirk Gently
Harry Potter
When Sysadmins Ruled The Earth by Cory Doctorow
H.G. Wells’ Time Machine
Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter
Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451
Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club
Harry potter series
When I finished reading Blood Meridian I said WTF, turned to the first page and read it again.
The trilogy that Silo is based on is really good. Lots of bits you didn't know the first time thru, so reading again gives a lot more info because you know what's important.
I reread most of my books but "player of games" by Iain M. Banks I read so many times I broke it and had to buy a new copy. Weirdly, I don't think it is the best of his books, it is just a fun read.
Stewart O'Nan, "Last Night at the Lobster". It's about the night a Red Lobster runs its last shift before closing for good in gritty upstate New York town. It's SO good. All his books are really, The Speed Queen is about a woman on death row being interviewed by Stephen King. Can't recommend them enough.
I have read hitchhiker's guide four or five times, also the next two books. I've listened to them as audiobooks at least 10 times I'm not exactly keeping track but I used to have that on as my driving music.
I read snow crash twice and listened to it probably about a dozen times years ago. Now that I have teenage kids I'm not quite as impressed by its treatment of people in the book.
I've read most of the popular Cthulhu lure more times than I will freely admit.
There are many.
The Idiot and Crime & Punishment both by Fedor Dostojevskij among the others.
Read X times Title
2 Everybody Lies
3 Storyworthy
3 The Design of Everyday Things
3 Think Again
2 Beyond Command and Control
3 Good Strategy/Bad Strategy
2 First Break All the Rules
3 Never Split the Difference
2 Antifragile
2 Fooled by Randomness
2 Skin in the Game
2 Black Swan
2 Talking To Strangers
3 Call Center Management on Fast Forward
4 The Effective Manager
2 Atomic Habits
2 Never Eat Alone
2 An Economist Walks Into a Brothel
2 The Tipping Point
3 Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes
7 Powerful
3 Effective Hiring Manager
7 The Total Money Makeover
2 Dare to Lead
4 Great at Work
7 The 4 Disciplines of Execution
5 Unlearn
2 The Hard Thing About Hard Things
2 The Best Service is No Service
9 The Effective Executive
5 Financial Intelligence
2 Understanding Complexity
2 How to be an Antiracist
2 Deep Work
2 Happier Now
2 The Fearless Organization
3 Algorithms to Live By
3 Four Thousand Weeks, Time Management for Mortals
3 Thinking in Systems
2 Multipliers
2 The Scout Mindset
2 High Conflict
2 The Prince
2 Not Nice
2 The Value of Everything
2 Born a Crime
2 Freakonimics
2 Human Sigma
2 Getting Things Done
3 Rework
2 Linchpin
2 White Fragility
2 Complexity
2 Parenting with Love and Logic
2 The Five Temptations of a CEO
2 21 Laws of Leadership
2 Failing Forward
2 Our Iceberg is Melting
2 TNIV Bible
2 Graveyard Shift and Other Stories
2 The Dictators Handbook
2 The First 90 Days
2 Where the red fern grows.
Well that formatted like shit... But the number before the title is how many times I've read it.
Next time use two line breaks after each line and it will work.
Ah, thank you
Fixed!
No worries, it's quite an odd behaviour. It was the same back on Reddit. No idea if there is a good reason for it or if they copied it to be the same as with Reddit.
I should have remembered that, I'm old lol
Metro 2033
The Kingkiller Chronicle
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (all five)
A more obscure author David Eddings, did a bunch of fantasy series. The Belgirad and the mallorian were two that I've read the most but the others are great also.
I’ve never been one for reading. Even for books with movies I love, I always found reading books myself a chore.
But when I saw the Ascendance of a Bookworm anime, I wanted to know what was going to happen after the season ended. This lead me to the Manga, which was behind at the time, then the light novel.
The word is rich and it has a depth that isn’t daunting. The character you meet feel like they have their own lives, and the sheer number of side stories which isn’t about our main character is wonderful.
This was the series the made me get an eReader just for the books and the many spin offs. And I now preorder it to get the prerelease chapters to get my bookworm fix every mynesday.
The translation work is amazing the story is my cup of tea, and I will recommend it to those who want something new.
Harry Potter
The Martian
The Cosmere (all for Sanderson's cosmere I've done a few times)
The First Law Trilogy
One I will reread but just haven't yet:
Uprooted
Codex Alera
Legends and Lattes
All 20 novels in the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.
/never had the heart to read the unfinished 21st book.
Excellent mention! I need to find a replacement set one of these days.
The Dispossessed, The Lathe of Heaven, and The Left Hand of Darkness - by LeGuinn
The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion
Dune
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Revival, Stephen King (×3) East of Eden, John Steinbeck (×5) Dreamquest of Unknown Kadath, H.P. Lovecraft (×2)
And I plan on rereading:
The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty Fear and Trembling, Søren Kierkegaard Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy (after a bit of therapy) Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurthy
Ian Toll's Pacific War trilogy The Things Our Fathers Saw, Matthew A. Rozell
Blood meridian is incredible. Idk if I could read it again though.
Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling.
I have 2 in mind.
The Martian by Andy Weir
Thieves Emporium by Max Hernandez (WARNING: sexual assult in chapter 10 but can be skipped)
Childhood's End
Ulysses, Siddharta, On the Road.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
How to live safely in a science fictional universe
The forever war
Catch 22
Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, What If, Percy Jackson, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (all 5 books), Isaac Asimov's Robot series, It's not Rocket Science, The End of Everything.
Man's Search for Himself - Rollo May
"Dark Star" and "Night Soldiers" by Alan Furst. Both are about Soviet spies in the run up to World War 2. Great combination of atmosphere and action.
The rise of red shadow and the series (book of deacon). Also angry ghosts trilogy.
Jurassic Park, A Song of Ice and Fire
Asoiaf was great when i first read it years ago, i just couldn't wait for the next one..... ill will have to reread whenever the next book comes out, so maybe in another ten years?
Ray Bradury's "From the Dust Returned".
It keeps getting more relevant, as I age and understand the world a bit more.
Looking for Alaska. Its not really my type of read, but I was recommended it a few times and I was hooked immediately
Stranger in a Strange Land. Read that many times.
lol, that's the book that made me hate Heinlein. Him before that book is ok. Him after that book is garbage.
Freedom^tm by Daniel Suarez
All the King's Men. I like how the different characters grapple with what goodness is and what it means to implement it in the real world. Doesn't hurt that Penn Warren was also a poet, and his prose reflects that.
Dean Koontz: “Phantoms” and “Sole Survivor”.
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
Behave by Robert Sapolsky. It's an excellent book if you're trying to understand why the people around you are like.. well, that way.
But if you didn't study neuroscience, you'll likely have to re-read it to get at least the most important points to stick.
Sentenced to Prism by Alan Dean Foster. It's set in his wider universe, but is a stand alone. The main character is a jack of all trades that fixes unique situations. When a far off base on an unregistered planet stops responding, the corporation sends him in to figure out what went wrong. The planet is very, very different. It's an interesting take, don't think too hard about the physics, and it's a neat writing style. The characters are very interesting.
The Practice Effect by David Brin. Essentially, the more you use a thing, the better it gets at that thing, even if that's not what it was made for, but that effect decays if it's left unused. A modern day physicist is transported there and gets caught up in political and physics shenanigans.
Neuromancer by Gibson
Snow Crash by Stephenson
the Uplift series by Brin
the Amber series by Zelazny
the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit by Tolkien
There are a number that I've realized I really enjoyed, but read so long ago that I've forgotten a lot and will reread soon. Those include Blood Music by Bear, and a whole bunch of Clarke novels.
The Martian, by Andy Weir
That being said, why are you using camelcase with "re-read"? That's what the hyphen is for.
I didn't quite get into the martian, but project hail Mary... I'm savoring when I have the time and headspace to read it again.
I loved that one too, can't wait for the right time to read it again
Is that also by Andy Weir?
Yeah, and before that he wrote “The Egg” and a lot of other short stories.
Check out his other writings if you like seeing how he went from writing a webcomic to full time author
https://www.galactanet.com/writing.html
Acshually, that's Pascal case.
Well your comment certainly just sent me on a bit of micro–rabbit's hole. Haha.
Fun fact: depending on the source, pascal case is either a distinct type of casing from camelcase or is a sub-type of camelcase. :P
Source for the "subtype" scenario: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_case
Source for the "distinct" scenario: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/snake-case-vs-camel-case-vs-pascal-case-vs-kebab-case-whats-the-difference/#camel-case
This. So much.
The Martian was the first and to this date only book that I've read and, when I was finished, decided to re-read right away.
Love all Andy Weirs stuff. I've read the Martian four to five times now (lost count) I've also read Artemis twice and am currently re-reading Project Hail Mary.
Even when you know the ending the way there is still always fun another time.
Also I've re-read the Dirk Gently books since I just love Douglas Adams
Les Misérables is easily the best book I've ever read in my entire life. A few years ago I read a shorthened version of it and even then I was fascinated by it. I finished reading the full text two months ago and oh my fucking god this book is the best thing ever written.
I'm Turkish so I read the Turkish translation (will read the full text in English and French when I learn it) and on the back of it, it says something along these lines:
"... Les Misérables is the third and the most majestic collumn of the author's novel trilogy that tells of the society..."
And I completely agree with that. This book is simply timeless. The characters, situations, unjustice, inequalities, all the suffering in it could be applied to any society. This book is real.
The messages that it sends are solutions to topics that seemingly anybody with a functioning brain should be capable of thinking and realizing. And yet, these solutions are ignored and refused because of greed, revenge, bloodlust and most important of all, ignorance.
The main character of the book, Jean Valjean is the embodiment of redemption. His entire arc teaches us how to treat criminals. Some countries today are taking these lessons and applying them. The lessons being; treat them as human, rehabilitate them. The result? They actually do heal and return to society as normal human beings.
And yet you see people against this practice. Those kinds of people are blinded by bloodlust and revenge. They are the same kind of people that were racist, sexist and much more back in the day. The arguments that these people bring don't hold up either. The most common one I see (at least from my perspective) is this:
"You wouldn't react this way if they hurt one of your loved ones!"
The fact that these people don't know anything about me aside, this argument is pointless as it implies that I would be blind to fact and logic when I'm in pain. And while that is true, me being angry over an apple falling onto my head won't make gravity any less real. In other words, so what?
The biggest victims of this mentality are pedofiles. Not the ones that do engage in action. But rather the ones that don't harm anybody are aware of their issue. For instance, if a non-engaging pedo went to a therapist and told them of their issue, what would the therapist do? Call the police of course. And what would that do? Their life would be pretty screwed from that point forward. Assuming they are the non-engaging type, of course. I don't believe this to be the correct attitude towards these kind of cases.
I would also like to dive into other topics that the book covers (and perhaps extend on this one) but it would be way too long for a comment. Thank you anyone reading this far. I would like to hear your opinions on the matter and discuss even!
Dang, good job: this is the first time I'm left curious to read it!
Yeah, I'm on board too!
How's the English translation feel,
I read it in high school (by choice because of the musical), but I think I was not mature enough to truly grasp many of the themes.
This makes me want to re-read it. I can read French at an okay level, and I’m wondering if I should try…or if I should stick with English again first to get the major points and then branch out.
English translation is pretty damn good. If you want to work on your French by all means go for it, but wouldn't do it out of concern you'd be missing something from the English version.
Thanks for letting me know!
I've seen the musical a bunch of times and when I finally managed to read it last year it was a revelation. While I still love the musical the book is so much more intriguing and interesting and just manages to much more perfectly capture the main theme.
Night need to re-read this one soon ;)
Asimov's Foundation series (two times polish translation and once original) and The Hitchikerms Guide to Galaxy by Adams Douglas (once in polish, twice original)
It's even more fun if you read the entire Asimov book catalog that's set in the same universe as Foundation using the in-universe chronological order... unless you meant that's what you did. That's broadly "I, Robot", the Robots series, the Empire Series, and the Foundation series. I'm sure some people don't like his later books that tie it all together, but most of them are probably elderly and read the original series before the newer ones were published or something.
I read the original Foundation trilogy, then all the ones in the Robot, Empire and Foundation series in order of publication, followed by the Benford/Bryn/Bear trilogy.
Then I went back and re-read the original Foundation trilogy, and it still stands out as my favorite thing Asimov ever did.
Just reread hitchhikers myself, and I’m rereading the Robots series. I love the mix of sci-fi and noir that the Robots books have
The Discworld series, the Culture series by Iain Banks, Tolkien, Illuminatus!, GEB: The Eternal Golden Braid, The Book of Swords...
Illuminatus! was my answer. Never got into serious fantasy, but otherwise this is a solid list. This further encourages me to read the Culture series.
Oh, and I almost forgot, Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light.
there is a lot of books i have read more than once. but one stands out over all others, yet there is no storyline to speak of. The C Programming Language by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie.
Me too. But due to the non linear storyline I typically jump around a lot
The Wheel Of Time, by Robert Jordan
The entire series, start to finish, repeatedly. I've read it at least a dozen times since the late 90s when I first discovered it. I'd read the entire series over again whenever a new book in the series was released so the first few books I've read far more frequently.
Then the TV show came out and now I can't bring myself to look at it ever again.
I tell people the TV show is what you'd get if you handed the books to the CW's teen soap/drama writers. Yes, it's that bad.
My Darwin, the teeth in that show. All of them have PERFECT Hollywood teeth, shining brightly like magical lanterns.
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous. I watch a lot of German and Scandinavian TV because they use actors that look like real people rather than Hollywood Barbie dolls.
It’s often an indicator of poor films/shows for me. Look at Killers of the Flower Moon - it’s not like the actors don’t all have amazing looking teeth, but the film has gone through the trouble of making them all look normal via prosthetics.
Yet so much cheap tv/film doesn’t bother and it just immediately cancels my suspension of disbelief.
... Are you me?
I struggle with the abundance of characters from time to time. I've reread some of the books just because I forgot who, what, when...
The tv shows always are a compromise. They just don't have the time to build the characters and have to force some stuff because of that.
I have this guilty pleasure. I've reread 'Interview with the vampire' after seeing the movie and even liked the book pore afterwards.
Consider the TV show another turning of the Wheel. Nothing in it prevents you from enjoying the Source.
I have re-read The Lord of the Rings and all of Larry Niven's books (many in the Ringworld universe).
Seconding Lord of the Rings.
Haven’t heard of that one. What’s it about?
Someone gives a relative a stolen ring, and they take it back to where it was from.
Ringworld has the best and worst books in a series I’ve ever read. It still manages to be amazing, even with book 3.
The stand, by Stephen King
M-O-O-N that spells, The Stand!
I've definitely gone through the Harry Potter series a couple of times at different phases of my life. Definitely had a different experience with every reading. Not always positive, but at this point it's part of the tapestry of my childhood.
Mine too. I haven't read them in a long time because of obvious reasons, but a part of me still wants to. I was truly obsessed with them for several years as a kid.
Don't let her shitty politics get in the way of doing something you enjoy. Death of the author and all that. If you're worried about fiscally supporting her, I'm certain you can find the whole series at reasonable prices in any secondhand bookstore.
Or just download ebooks.
I just read the 4 Stormlight Archives books this past year (in addition to the novellas) but I’m already itching to reread them.
I reread the whole Cosmere last year. It was worth it.
I started reading more when the Reddit API stuff happened. Meant to pick up Mistborn AGES ago at a friend’s behest and then went to Way of Kings after Mistborn Era 1 was over.
Haven’t looked back, and have barely read anything not written by Brando Sando since then.
I got into the Cosmere about three years back. I started with The Way Of Kings just because I had heard Sanderson was good and had an audible credit. Then I learned about the whole Cosmere and flew through the rest of it. I’m up to Words Of Radiance on my first re read before #5 comes out.
Anything by Sanderson. His consistency is so, so wonderful. I hate ass-pull macguffins.
Mistborn was amazing for this.
I think I've read all of Sanderson except for Stormlight (I'll read it as soon as he finishes it). Is Stormlight the series that makes the cosmere make sense?
Like, I know the cosmere is a thing. And I'm aware that all these disparate worlds are somehow interconnected. Other than a cameo of characters near the end of Wax & Wayne, there is never a reference to the cosmere in anything I've read.
I enjoy his books, but I don't get the significance of The Cosmere at all.
You will recognize a character that makes waves in Stormlight named Hoid. He makes cameos in pretty much every work of Sanderson’s.
Pretty much all of Discworld but especially the Moist Von Lipwig and Vimes ones.
The best part of rereading those books is the hidden puns and jokes that you only get when you get older. And yes, commander Vîmes and Moist are excellent characters.
Currently there is a Humble Bundle with Cory Doctorow's books. I liked Little Brother and read it twice. Maybe I'm going to read some more of his work.
I’ve been reading his stuff since Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. You’ll definitely enjoy his other books.
Excession, by Iain M Banks.
Gorgeous.
Our friend with a need for speed is probably my favorite plot thread weave of any of his books. Excession did a great job of lulling you into thinking certain things were happening then absolutely slapped the universe with a different sequence of events, it's such a fun read.
Look to Windward is absolutely excellent as well.
Look to Windward is my favourite. The Ways of Dying monologue is hauntingly beautiful.
I’m partial to Player of Games, but Excession was great.
HHGTTG Tue trilogy of 5 I've read through maybe 5 times now. Unfortunately I think the last time was a mistake as I really struggled after the first 2 books and didn't enjoy them like I once had.
I had to look up:
HHGTTG = The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and Sailing Alone Around the World by Joshua Slocum
Watership Down.
Also some Philip K. Dick books, like A Scanner Darkly and Eye in the Sky.
But I also enjoyed the Bartimaues trilogy so much when I was somewhat younger.
Went into comment section to suggest Watership Down. It’s a children’s book which reads like an adult treaties on free will, totalitarianism, good vs evil, leadership … and, oh yeah, the value of overwhelming seagull power.
The Stand by Steven King. Also, his Gunslinger series.
Ka is a wheel after all
Long days and pleasant nights
Only two so far
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
And
Gone away world
How about Discworld?
I remember when the Guide was my go-to happy place read, and I had not yet discovered Discworld.
I did not believe the hype. Hopefully this person will give it a try, if they have not.
GNU Terry Pratchett.
I had started reading them back in the 90s so it had been over twenty years since I last read them. Decided to reread them all recently. Was a good time.
Yep, have read it, but not more than once.
His Dark Materials trilogy.. still so excellent.
Malazan Book of the Fallen, Gentlemen Bastards series, most of Neil Gaiman's work, The Library at Mount Char, the Baru Cormorant series, Gatsby, Flowers for Algernon, and most of Plath's work - I go back to most of those every few years.
Lord of the rings.
Hunt for Red October and Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
Currently re-listening to Debit of Honour
Red October is honestly great 👍
I have reread several books but most of them have several years or decades in between.
Especially Terry Pratchetts' books are better after and worthy of a second read.
When I was 7, I got brought to the school library and told to pick a book to read over the summer. I picked The Hobbit. I got told no. I Insisted. Read that, then moved on lotr. I then read those I don't know how many more times over the years. As far as I remember, those are the only books I ever bothered to read more than once. Not counting listening to the audio books at work, as well.
I remember the VCR instruction manual.
Otherwise Terry Pratchett's discworld novels and the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy (the 3 first ofc).
If you don't mind, why the "ofc". Are the others considered bad? I think I enjoyed the most "So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish", the fourth.
I think all were very good, but I read them so long ago that I have them a bit mixed up.
The 6th I couldn't finish.
The trilogy is considered a sort of masterpiece. The 4 5 (and his other books) not so much.
Foucault's pendulum by Umberto Eco. Just thinking about it makes me want to read this masterpiece again.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foucault%27s_Pendulum
That chapter where they try to figure out the password to the computer though...
Baudolino is my favourite BTW, maybe I should re read it (struggling with time to get into Pragues Cemetery ATM).
Great book
The entire series of Culture books by Iain M Banks, they're just phenomenally written.
Others I've reread at least twice:
Frank Herbert's DUNE series
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash
The Thievesworld anthology series
Alastair Reynolds House of Suns
William Gibson's Jackpot books
Neuromancer might be my favourite cyberpunk book of all time but so far Jackpot has failed to hook me.
I've liked the Jackpot series, but I absolutely adore the Sprawl series. I also loved the bridge series.
The appeal is Gibson's writing, he's developed a lot in the intervening decades. IMO he's a much better writer these days than he was at the start of his career. The plot of the Jackpot books might not hook you as much as the sprawl but his writing is great.
Check out Ian McDonald's River of Gods and Cyberabad Days if you liked Neuromancer, those are in the same vein and exceptionally well imagined. Skip the novella titled Vishnu at the Cat Circus until after River of Gods, it spoils everything set in the India 2047 setting (it's the last thing in the Cyberabad Days collection.)
To Kill A Mockingbird
Because Clive Barker doesn't get enough credit:
The Books of Blood
Damn him forever for not finishing the Books of the Art
The Count of Monte Cristo
Ascendance of a Bookworm series by Miya Kazuki (Light Novel) and on every reread i discover something new that was forshadowed.
There is whole instance dedicated to that series.
Stephen King's Dark Tower series is my go-to epic fantasy. I'm about to start a 4th trip to the tower once I'm done with my current listen.
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card, and a select few other books in the series (Speaker for the dead and Enders Shadow most notably) - Card at the top of his game is fantastic, I just wish he didn't dive completely off the deep end.
Tangentially, Berserk, if you include manga. Hands down my favorite piece of media altogether.
When I re-read Ender's Game as an adult it felt pretty mary-sueish the second time. I got why I loved it as a kid because the smart socially maladjusted kid (omg he's just like me) was kicking everyone's ass and being great at everything. As an adult it seemed a little much. Then again maybe I'm just projecting the hatred I have for my past self onto the book.
I can get that. Its the parts around him being a Mary Sue that work so well. His ultimate draw towards pacifism despite his clear knack for death. I feel like it captures a bullied, maladjusted youth with a clear talent pretty well, all considered.
The Forever War - Joe Haldeman A fantastic novel on the pointlessness of war, told through the lens of space opera / sci-fi
This will make a fine addition to my (infinite) backlog.
Brandon Sanderson’s entire cosmere.
The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear
Robin Hobb’s Farseer, Fitz and the Fool, Liveship Trader, and Tawny Man trilogies. All interconnected.
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Dirk Gently
Harry Potter
When Sysadmins Ruled The Earth by Cory Doctorow
Harry potter series
When I finished reading Blood Meridian I said WTF, turned to the first page and read it again.
The trilogy that Silo is based on is really good. Lots of bits you didn't know the first time thru, so reading again gives a lot more info because you know what's important.
I reread most of my books but "player of games" by Iain M. Banks I read so many times I broke it and had to buy a new copy. Weirdly, I don't think it is the best of his books, it is just a fun read.
Stewart O'Nan, "Last Night at the Lobster". It's about the night a Red Lobster runs its last shift before closing for good in gritty upstate New York town. It's SO good. All his books are really, The Speed Queen is about a woman on death row being interviewed by Stephen King. Can't recommend them enough.
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky
I have read hitchhiker's guide four or five times, also the next two books. I've listened to them as audiobooks at least 10 times I'm not exactly keeping track but I used to have that on as my driving music.
I read snow crash twice and listened to it probably about a dozen times years ago. Now that I have teenage kids I'm not quite as impressed by its treatment of people in the book.
I've read most of the popular Cthulhu lure more times than I will freely admit.
There are many. The Idiot and Crime & Punishment both by Fedor Dostojevskij among the others.
Read X times Title
2 Everybody Lies
3 Storyworthy
3 The Design of Everyday Things
3 Think Again
2 Beyond Command and Control
3 Good Strategy/Bad Strategy
2 First Break All the Rules
3 Never Split the Difference
2 Antifragile
2 Fooled by Randomness
2 Skin in the Game
2 Black Swan
2 Talking To Strangers
3 Call Center Management on Fast Forward
4 The Effective Manager
2 Atomic Habits
2 Never Eat Alone
2 An Economist Walks Into a Brothel
2 The Tipping Point
3 Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes
7 Powerful
3 Effective Hiring Manager
7 The Total Money Makeover
2 Dare to Lead
4 Great at Work
7 The 4 Disciplines of Execution
5 Unlearn
2 The Hard Thing About Hard Things
2 The Best Service is No Service
9 The Effective Executive
5 Financial Intelligence
2 Understanding Complexity
2 How to be an Antiracist
2 Deep Work
2 Happier Now
2 The Fearless Organization
3 Algorithms to Live By
3 Four Thousand Weeks, Time Management for Mortals
3 Thinking in Systems
2 Multipliers
2 The Scout Mindset
2 High Conflict
2 The Prince
2 Not Nice
2 The Value of Everything
2 Born a Crime
2 Freakonimics
2 Human Sigma
2 Getting Things Done
3 Rework
2 Linchpin
2 White Fragility
2 Complexity
2 Parenting with Love and Logic
2 The Five Temptations of a CEO
2 21 Laws of Leadership
2 Failing Forward
2 Our Iceberg is Melting
2 TNIV Bible
2 Graveyard Shift and Other Stories
2 The Dictators Handbook
2 The First 90 Days
2 Where the red fern grows.
Well that formatted like shit... But the number before the title is how many times I've read it.
Next time use two line breaks after each line and it will work.
Ah, thank you
Fixed!
No worries, it's quite an odd behaviour. It was the same back on Reddit. No idea if there is a good reason for it or if they copied it to be the same as with Reddit.
I should have remembered that, I'm old lol
Metro 2033
The Kingkiller Chronicle
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (all five)
A more obscure author David Eddings, did a bunch of fantasy series. The Belgirad and the mallorian were two that I've read the most but the others are great also.
Also Tolkian. And Harry Potter
Ascendance of a Bookworm, shoutout to !aoblightnovel@bookwormstory.social
I’ve never been one for reading. Even for books with movies I love, I always found reading books myself a chore.
But when I saw the Ascendance of a Bookworm anime, I wanted to know what was going to happen after the season ended. This lead me to the Manga, which was behind at the time, then the light novel.
The word is rich and it has a depth that isn’t daunting. The character you meet feel like they have their own lives, and the sheer number of side stories which isn’t about our main character is wonderful.
This was the series the made me get an eReader just for the books and the many spin offs. And I now preorder it to get the prerelease chapters to get my bookworm fix every mynesday.
The translation work is amazing the story is my cup of tea, and I will recommend it to those who want something new.
Harry Potter The Martian The Cosmere (all for Sanderson's cosmere I've done a few times) The First Law Trilogy
One I will reread but just haven't yet: Uprooted Codex Alera Legends and Lattes
All 20 novels in the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian.
/never had the heart to read the unfinished 21st book.
Excellent mention! I need to find a replacement set one of these days.
The Dispossessed, The Lathe of Heaven, and The Left Hand of Darkness - by LeGuinn
The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion
Dune
The Screwtape Letters - C.S. Lewis
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Revival, Stephen King (×3)
East of Eden, John Steinbeck (×5)
Dreamquest of Unknown Kadath, H.P. Lovecraft (×2)
And I plan on rereading:
The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty
Fear and Trembling, Søren Kierkegaard
Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy (after a bit of therapy)
Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurthy
Ian Toll's Pacific War trilogy
The Things Our Fathers Saw, Matthew A. Rozell
Blood meridian is incredible. Idk if I could read it again though.
Schismatrix by Bruce Sterling.
I have 2 in mind.
Childhood's End
Ulysses, Siddharta, On the Road.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, What If, Percy Jackson, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (all 5 books), Isaac Asimov's Robot series, It's not Rocket Science, The End of Everything.
Man's Search for Himself - Rollo May
"Dark Star" and "Night Soldiers" by Alan Furst. Both are about Soviet spies in the run up to World War 2. Great combination of atmosphere and action.
The rise of red shadow and the series (book of deacon). Also angry ghosts trilogy.
Jurassic Park, A Song of Ice and Fire
Asoiaf was great when i first read it years ago, i just couldn't wait for the next one..... ill will have to reread whenever the next book comes out, so maybe in another ten years?
Ray Bradury's "From the Dust Returned".
It keeps getting more relevant, as I age and understand the world a bit more.
Looking for Alaska. Its not really my type of read, but I was recommended it a few times and I was hooked immediately
Stranger in a Strange Land. Read that many times.
lol, that's the book that made me hate Heinlein. Him before that book is ok. Him after that book is garbage.
Freedom^tm by Daniel Suarez
All the King's Men. I like how the different characters grapple with what goodness is and what it means to implement it in the real world. Doesn't hurt that Penn Warren was also a poet, and his prose reflects that.
Dean Koontz: “Phantoms” and “Sole Survivor”.
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
Behave by Robert Sapolsky. It's an excellent book if you're trying to understand why the people around you are like.. well, that way. But if you didn't study neuroscience, you'll likely have to re-read it to get at least the most important points to stick.
Sentenced to Prism by Alan Dean Foster. It's set in his wider universe, but is a stand alone. The main character is a jack of all trades that fixes unique situations. When a far off base on an unregistered planet stops responding, the corporation sends him in to figure out what went wrong. The planet is very, very different. It's an interesting take, don't think too hard about the physics, and it's a neat writing style. The characters are very interesting.
The Practice Effect by David Brin. Essentially, the more you use a thing, the better it gets at that thing, even if that's not what it was made for, but that effect decays if it's left unused. A modern day physicist is transported there and gets caught up in political and physics shenanigans.
There are a number that I've realized I really enjoyed, but read so long ago that I've forgotten a lot and will reread soon. Those include Blood Music by Bear, and a whole bunch of Clarke novels.