What are some lesser known or classic books I should read?

Question

I love reading, but I spend much too much time on my breaks at work reading bits and pieces of books at the Walden's nearby trying to figure out which ones to buy.

My favourite genres include:

Fantasy

Science-fantasy

Epics

Occult/Horror

Mystery

Romance (cute, not s**t or sickeningly sweet)

Comedy

Weird stuff (like Slaughterhouse Five)

I also like sarcastic and humourous writing styles.

Some books I've read/have to read:

Artemis Fowl series and The Wish List

Twilight Saga and The Host

The Bartimeaus Trilogy

The Chronicles of Narnia and The Space Trilogy

The Giver

Wrinkle in Time (haven't read the others yet)

Harry Potter

Series of Unfortunate Events

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Uglies (getting the others)

Inheritence Trilogy

Call of the Wild

White Fang

Where the Red Fern Grows

Jane Eyre

Tuck Everlasting

Bridge to Terebithia

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden

Those are just a few, but I hope they give you an idea of what I like.

Oh, and I'm not a big "blood-and-guts" type person. Fighting and stuff is fine, just not in huge doses, and I don't really care to read about how someone got his head lopped and there was a fountain of blood. I'm not squeamish, I just don't like gory stuff too much.

I also love animals.

Not a big Sci-fi fan. Like...Childhood's End? Horrid.

Titles AND authors, please.

Answer 1

"Catwings" by Ursula K. Leguin. There is actually a series, if you like the first one.

Be sure and get the 2 follow-ups to "Wrinkle In Time", as you mentioned. "A Wind In The Door" and "A Swiftly Tilting Planet".

**I can't believe I almost forgot this one: Peter S. Beagle's "The Last Unicorn". That's where my avatar got its name. Beagle also wrote a good ghost story called "Tamsyn".

And one more strong suggestion: Richard Adams, "Watership Down".

Happy reading!

Answer 2

Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Inkheart and Inkspell- Cornelia Funke

Keys to the Kingdom Series- Garth Nix

The Princess Bride- William Goldman (sorry it's a little gushy but good)

Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the air, and House of many ways by Diana Wynne Jones

Narnia (7 books)- C.S. Lewis

The Golden Compass, Substle Knife, The Amber Spyglass- Phillip Pullman

To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee

Little House on the Prarie- Laura Ingalls Wilder

The five people you meet in heaven- Mitch Albom

Summer of my German Soilder- Bette Greene

Manga- h**l Girl Miyuki Eto

Eh Can't think of anymore now...email me if you want more

Answer 3

If you like animals, you might like the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. Those books are my guilty pleasure.

If you liked Jane Eyre, you might like some of her other books (Villette, The Professor, etc), or you might like Wuthering Heights, which was written by her sister Emily Bronte and is my favorite novel.

If you like sarcastic writing, you might like The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

If you like sci-fi stuff, read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

You might like Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I hated that book, but from the sound of your list, I think it's something you'd like.

As for lesser known classics...

Any of George Eliot's books (Silas Marner is great).

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy.

Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

Answer 4

Classics I enjoyed:

Animal Farm

Catcher in the Rye

Of Mice and Men

Jane Eyre

Some other books I LOVE:

Oryx & Crake by Margaret Laurence

Life of Pi by Yann Martel (I strongly recommend this one, especially since you say you like animals)

Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

Jest of God by Margaret Laurence

Misery by Stephen King

By the way, my favourite authors are Margaret Atwood, Maeve Binchy, Margaret Laurence and Kurt Vonnegut.

Answer 5

My favorite book of all time...The Awakening by Kate Chopin.