Best Books of 21st Century

Confessions of an Heiress by Paris Hilton

Jesus, I haven't read that many recent books these past couple years. One I enjoyed despite its flaws is Pynchon's new monster, [I]Against the Day. [/I]

Is that this century?
Right, well. I liked that book from that guy. That book about the feng-shui of wallpaper colours? That was an important book.

[QUOTE=corellion;1007277]Is that this century?[/QUOTE]
2006.

I meant I didn't know if this was the 21st century. I don't like numbers.

[QUOTE=corellion;1007279]I meant I didn't know if this was the 21st century. I don't like numbers.[/QUOTE]
Oh, well, it all depends on whether you believe the world is 6,000 years old.

Just so everyone knows, the 21st century didn't begin until Jan, 1st 200[b]1[/b].

[QUOTE=nathaniel parker;1007305]Just so everyone knows, the 21st century didn't begin until Jan, 1st 200[b]1[/b].[/QUOTE]
I almost pointed this out, but I'm taking it easy with the whole correcting people thing today.

[QUOTE=xec8;1007274]Jesus, I haven't read that many recent books these past couple years. One I enjoyed despite its flaws is Pynchon's new monster, [I]Against the Day. [/I][/QUOTE]

what flaws, specifically? i'd think it would be hard to pin down much of anything after the first reading of any of pynchon's larger works. not that it's a perfect book... just wondering what's behind the comment "despite its flaws."

[QUOTE=Benny P.;1007319]what flaws, specifically? i'd think it would be hard to pin down much of anything after the first reading of any of pynchon's larger works. not that it's a perfect book... just wondering what's behind the comment "despite its flaws."[/QUOTE]
I felt like a lot of Frank's and Reef's stories wasted my time, and the novel could have done without all that crap in the Wild West. I loved the Chums of Chance and Kit and Yashmeen and Daliah, but it really felt too loose as a whole to satisfy me completely. I think he's never written better prose, but there's just too much of it.

Have there been any good ones this century? Everything I'm reading lately came from the mid-80's.

if i had to pick a top 3....

Rant
The Road
The Raw Shark Texts

closely following would have to be the 7th Harry Potter. Very few books are so good that i read them for 7 hours straight in the middle of the night.

[QUOTE=LoneKnypher;1007654]if i had to pick a top 3....

Rant
The Road
The Raw Shark Texts
[/QUOTE]

Ditto...plus, The Bedroom Secrets of Master Chefs by Irvine Welsh.

Some of my favs from this century-

Apathy and Other Small Victories by Paul Neilan
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis
The Ruins by Scott Smith
and all of Chuck's books written this century

The Fighter by Craig Davidson
The Remainder by Tom Mc Carthy

... I will have more later.

[QUOTE=Barca Boy;1007732]The Fighter by Craig Davidson
The Remainder by Tom Mc Carthy

... I will have more later.[/QUOTE]
Damn I forgot I wanted to read The Remainder. Obviously you recommend? I need to pick that up.

The Remainder is actually my least favorite of all the books I've read so far in 2007...not that it's bad...I just got lucky and have read awesome books this year.

[QUOTE=tom9d;1007739]The Remainder is actually my least favorite of all the books I've read so far in 2007...not that it's bad...I just got lucky and have read awesome books this year.[/QUOTE]

Name a few more Im going book shopping tomorrow.

[QUOTE=Freddy;1007728]Some of my favs from this century-

Apathy and Other Small Victories by Paul Neilan
A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby
Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis
The Ruins by Scott Smith
and all of Chuck's books written this century[/QUOTE]

Apathy is such a funny book. It's one of the few books that had me laughing out loud - for reals!

[QUOTE=PGoutis01;1007748]Apathy is such a funny book. It's one of the few books that had me laughing out loud - for reals![/QUOTE]
You're not shitting. I probably laughed out loud at least a dozen time while reading. Most notably when my wife and I were on a plane heading to our vacation destination. I had people giving me all sorts of funny looks, even my wife. I couldn't help it. I had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard at some parts.

For those of you who haven't read it, take my and PGoutis01's word for it and do it.

[QUOTE=Barca Boy;1007741]Name a few more Im going book shopping tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

heh...I was actually just trying to make a list of everything I've read so far in 07 yesterday. I'm going to start keeping a log from now on. I'll list what I can remember offhand, in no particular order...

American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis
Rant - Chuck
The Bedroom Secrets of Master Chefs - Irvine Welsh
Marabou Stork Nightmares - Irvine Welsh
Filth - Irvine Welsh
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers
You Shall Know Our Velocity! - Dave Eggers
Clown Girl - Monica Drake
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
The Raw Shark Texts - Steven Hall
Jennifer Government - Max Barry
Syrup - Max Barry
Company - Max Barry
House of Leaves - Mark Danielewski
Wicked - Gregory Maguire
Remainder - Tom McCarthy

[QUOTE=tom9d;1007771]heh...I was actually just trying to make a list of everything I've read so far in 07 yesterday. I'm going to start keeping a log from now on. I'll list what I can remember offhand, in no particular order...

American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis
Rant - Chuck
The Bedroom Secrets of Master Chefs - Irvine Welsh
Marabou Stork Nightmares - Irvine Welsh
Filth - Irvine Welsh
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers
You Shall Know Our Velocity! - Dave Eggers
Clown Girl - Monica Drake
The Road - Cormac McCarthy
The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
The Raw Shark Texts - Steven Hall
Jennifer Government - Max Barry
Syrup - Max Barry
Company - Max Barry
House of Leaves - Mark Danielewski
Wicked - Gregory Maguire
Remainder - Tom McCarthy[/QUOTE]

Thanks Tom, I think Ive either read them or own them, that just means I wont have to spend much money tomorrow and be happy with what I have.

No prob. I figured there was a good chance you already owned or read most of them since I read half of them myself solely based on the fact that they were recommended on here. I'll never get tired of recommending books though

It feels weird to realize how most people on here have read the same books and enjoy each other's recommendations, and I have read almost nothing and certainly nothing that people pick as the monthly Book Club thing. It's not that I avoid it, I just never run out of my own things to read. But I may give The Road a try.

The Kite Runner.
not sure who its by but my brother had to read it for school and he hated it and i thought cos i have to read it next year i may as well get an idea of it and i loved it.
i think its from this century.

Is that the one set in Afghanistan?

[QUOTE=xec8;1007826]It feels weird to realize how most people on here have read the same books and enjoy each other's recommendations, and I have read almost nothing and certainly nothing that people pick as the monthly Book Club thing. It's not that I avoid it, I just never run out of my own things to read. But I may give The Road a try.[/QUOTE]
have you read any mccarthy before? i'd put the road close to the bottom of his oeuvre.

[QUOTE=xec8;1007826]It feels weird to realize how most people on here have read the same books and enjoy each other's recommendations, and I have read almost nothing and certainly nothing that people pick as the monthly Book Club thing. It's not that I avoid it, I just never run out of my own things to read. But I may give The Road a try.[/QUOTE]

You're right...it is weird. But the thing is...I have my fair share of books that I've read with no prompting from here that I have loved...all of Irvine Welsh's books, for example. But I started posting here and found that other people would take my recommendations. I don't know about other people, but I read a lot, and constantly make recommendations to people...but I don't know anyone who enjoys reading as much as I do and to date, I know personally only one person who has taken [I]any[/I] of my recommendations. So it's nice to come here and be able to discuss and recommend books and have people listen to what you say. I appreciate when I recommend a book to someone and they take the time to read what I recommend. So I feel that taking recommendations from these same people is the least I can do...and so far I have yet to be let down. Remainder is the only book I've read that was recommended on here that I wasn't crazy about. Why not keep taking recommendations?

I mean, you have to have some basis for choosing a particular book, even if that basis is something trivial like liking the cover. So why not base your reading list on recommendations from a trusted source? I can't honestly claim I have a list of my own books to read...I don't read things for their cover, so I go by the word of other people...might as well be the people who post on the forum of my favorite author.

Just some thoughts.

Where do you get ideas for reading material xec8?

I haven't read any McCarthy yet.

Lately I've been getting my books by seeing which authors have had an influence on the author I'm reading at that moment. Plus, you never run out of books that you've often heard about but never read.

don't start with the road then...i don't think that'll be a fair introduction to the experience.

The Road was my first intro into his work. I rather enjoyed it. I've been eyeing Blood Meridan and No Country for Old Men for over a year now. even more so since i've read The Road.

not to talk shit on the road, because it was an enjoyable read, but the plot is a bit formulaic and the writing doesn't punch you in the face like a good mccarthy experience should.