23 replies to this topic

[kwamdefreshman]

Catcher in the Rye is the greatest book ever

[ClEMeNt]

Jae, on 05 September 2011 - 06:31 PM, said:

That was for an essay contest for a scholarship I think.

Saw mixed reviews about that book when it first came out; the use of 2nd person translation made it hard to follow.

Was thinking of reading it but it was reserved by too many people at the library.

I think it's delightful to read... Changed my perspective on Asian moms...
But yeah, the POV was confusing.
I own a copy atm, but friends are asking to borrow it ~.~

[Guest]

To be fair, my preferences are books are arbitrary and they often depend upon my mood, state of mind, and so forth. At this moment, the book that I'd prefer the most is "The Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe"; I've read some of his short stories--"The Fall of the House of Usher", which was marvelous, "The Black Cat", "The Tell-Tale Heart", and so forth.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" is, if I'm correct (if not, feel free to amend my post), dedicated to a sense of totality; the house of Usher, with the dead trunks, sedges, the human-like face of the house (with its "eyelike windows") that is also reflected in the tarn that the narrator ventures upon all serve to create some of sort of gloomy atmosphere that is, in my mind, unparalleled. The main figures, Roderick and his wife, are no different; their emaciated appearances are in union with the house. In fact, and I only remember this by reading of it, the famous author H.P. Lovecraft posed that the house, Roderick, and his sister shared one soul, spirit, and so forth.

It is one of those reasons why I still admire this story (along with others, in spite of the fact that I do not appreciate Poe's style at times, especially in his "comedies"); the analysis poses a question of the psyche while the story itself presents an atmosphere of insufferable--and baseless gloom.....

[Tsukasa]

Either Atlas Shrugge (Ayn Rand), Stand by me (Stephen King), or IT (Stephen King).
I'd have to say I preferred the movie edition of Stand by me, though.