TED Conversations

BRAY JONES

This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »

What is your favorite book and how do you choose your next read?

I figure that every book in print must have been read by someone after it was published. I normally choose my next book by either choosing from the Classics or looking for works that inspired my favorite authors/poets. For example, I discovered Carl Jung through comedian Bill Hicks and I discovered Friedrich Nietzsche and Arthur Rimbaud through Jim Morrison. I began reading Ernest Hemingway because Hunter S. Thompson mentioned him as an influence in his own writing. I read Michael de Montaigne because I enjoyed what I read in a College Renaissance English course. I read "Abe Lincoln was Vampire Hunter" because my neighbor lent it to me. And Ken Saro-Wiwa's "Sozaboy" will forever be one of the most moving pieces for me.
I would like to know the mindsets of my world's fellow readers and possibly get a few pieces for my book list. Please just mention any book that you feel is worthy of being shared. It can be any genre of literature. .

Topics: creativity education literature
+2
Share:
progress indicator
  • thumb

    Melissa Yuan-Innes

    • 0
    Jan 18 2012: I love to walk into a library and flip through whatever catches my eye, whether it's a kid's book, "literature," how to, graphic novels, or fashion magazines. I've started to download ebooks in the same way.

    I read in order to be surprised, though, so if it's not hitting me on all four cylinders and I've heard the story before, I put it down and move on. A good book, I'll read over and over.

    I can't pick a favourite book, but the from the eclectic paths you take re. book recommendations (+1 from me on that), I suggest Robert Jeschonek. Full disclosure, he is a friend of mine, but I have lots of talented writing friends. Bob is just fiercely original and funny. Like, a superhero with Alzheimer's disease ("Forced Retirement")? Too great.

  • manuel ruiz-echarri

    • 0
    Jan 15 2012: Dear friend, I'm an ordinary lector I'm no who to advice you, but if it's useful : I browse between the books in the book shop and read the argument, I see de tittle and the cover, also the comments in the newspaper and magazines in book sections, ans so, absolutlly usual thing as you can see, therefore I look for entertraiment when I'm reading.
    I hope my comments have been useful to you.
    Have a nice day!
    Manuel.

  • Jonathan Gronli

    • 0
    Jan 12 2012: To answer the first part of your overarching question, it's hard for me to label favorite. In terms of how I decide what I read next though, that's pretty easy. It depends on when I decide what I end up reading. For example, A Game of Thrones I started reading when I was planning to start playing the A Song of Ice and Fire game. After all, the books further flesh out the world that exists within the game. Friedrich Nietzsche I started reading because there were excerpts of his work within one of the books for an Ethics class that I was in and Thus Spake Zarathustra was a free book on my first ereader. Usually though, I just pick up the book and read the synopsis and possibly the first couple of pages, something that is considerably easier with my Nook since you can sample books. If it keeps my attention and I'm in the mood for that kind of book, that's what I end up getting. At least that's the case for the books that I don't need to get for the classes that are hopefully eventually leading up to a Masters in English Literature.

    • BRAY JONES

      • 0
      Jan 13 2012: Oh that's interesting, I did not realize that the television show was based on a series of novels. I have not seen the show, nor have I read the books, but it is very inspiring to realize that literature is still thriving in America. It mostly serves as a jumping off point for Hollywood vultures to wet their beaks on the blood of the writers, but on the bright side at least the written word is still having an impact on our society, albeit from behind the stage curtain. It says on you profile that you are a writer Jonathan, what kind of writer are you?

      P.S. If you are looking for some free essays on an e-reader, I got several of Nietzsche's works, such as "Beyond Good and Evil," on my Kindle for free. Good luck and thank you for responding.

      • Jonathan Gronli

        • 0
        Jan 13 2012: I've been doing videogame journalism for the past four years come March. I've also started submitting horror and dark fantasy stories around to different outlet. One of the things that I'm actually in the middle of is actually working on the lore and part of the narrative to an indie game that I hope makes it to release. Surprisingly, the courage to submit my writing around and becoming essentially the narrative designer for a development team stemmed from the same creative writing course.
  • thumb

    Neel Prabhu

    • 0
    Dec 29 2011: Depending on the type of mood it depends which book i would pick up from the shelf. 'Pillars of Earth' by Ken Follet is the book which hooked me on to fiction. Its a must read master piece. I have read almost all books he has written.

    Then we have 'Robin Sharma' who has beautifully written 'The Monk who sold his Ferrari' agan a classic. 7 Habits of Steven Covey is again a very beautifully written book

    One of the books in Hindu epic 'Mahabharata' written by C Rajagopalachary is again a must read and has got lots of interwoven stories in it.

    Books of other authors that I enjoy reading are 'Sydney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer, Louis Fishcer, Dale Carnegie ...

  • manuel ruiz-echarri

    • +1
    Dec 29 2011: The most recent book I can remember I liked is " The yellow eyes of the green crocodiles" by Catherine Pancol. I use choose next book by intuition, by reading criticism, for instance the next I want to read is "Liberty" I think is a best seller in U.S.

    • BRAY JONES

      • 0
      Jan 13 2012: I need to read more literary criticisms! Which ones would you suggest?
  • thumb

    Rafi Amin 20+

    • +1
    Dec 29 2011: I recently read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini,I found it a great novel so I will go for his next book.
  • thumb

    Thomas Jones 100+

    • 0
    Dec 29 2011: I prefer nonfiction. I start with a topic I am interested in and, if I like the book I am reading, and the author references other books (which they often do) I select one of them and read them.

    Favorite book?

    That's hard to say. It depends on topic.

    Right now I am reading "The Greatest Show on Earth" by Richard Dawkins (and several other books.)
  • thumb

    Matteo Catanzano

    • +1
    Dec 29 2011: Friends & family, magazines, randomly walking in a charity book shop, classics...

    As for books worth sharing... The Elegance of the Hedgehog and Fight club.
  • thumb

    Julija L. 30+

    • +2
    TED Translator
    Dec 28 2011: Hermann Hesse 'Das Glasperlenspiel' ('The Glass Bead Game') - wonderful wonderful wonderful work, I want to read it once again. This book brought so many 'discussions' or even 'quarrels' in my mind, I love it.
    I read some additional information about a book, then let myself feel freely the impression it has made and then I follow my intuition.

    • BRAY JONES

      • 0
      Jan 13 2012: I really hope to check this book out soon. Wiki called it the first "coming of age" novel and that intrigues me very much. Thank you for your for this suggestion!
Showing all 13 comments