Great Books you've probably never heard of or read

I took a very long time away from WOV and in the spirit of staying on topic (gambling) I thought this would be the best place to start this thread. I would prefer to have it at WOV because you simply have more eyeballs over there but thats up to the WIZ. If this topic has already been done please direct me to the correct thread.

My intention is to share titles of those gems we've read but aren't necessarily considered classics. I'd request:

1. The correct title
2. A brief description and why it is meaningful to you
3. If you have read it please add a brief two cents.

Discussion could be very fun. Put down the phone and READ something other than BUZZFEED people!!

I'll start with the first one and add a more as I think of some.

THE ART OF WORLDY WISDOM- Baltasar Gracian
Gracian was a Jesuit Priest and he wrote these maxims in the 17th century. His grasp of the world is mind-blowing. This is at the very least an owners manual for navigating the world. It has very little to do with religion if at all. I suggest reading only a few maxims a day and then reflect, reflect, reflect. It was given to me by a mentor and it changed my life...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltasar_Gracián_y_Morales

For those of you fluent in spanish you might enjoy the original version and work out your own translation as I'm sure there are some things lost when the translator gets the liberty of "editing"

A few tasty maxims but by no means the best....

“The best skill at cards is knowing when to discard.”

“Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets.”

I was hoping I could get some book ideas from others. Not my intention to just tell everybody about all my favorite "under the radar" reads.

I just read the Atlantis Gene
Nothing deep, just a fun easy to read sci fi thriller.
Its book 1 of a 3 book trilogy.
Hope next book is good

Thinking of trilogys , I read a book by John Twelve Hawks -The Traveler.
loved it, great read. Book 2 the Dark river was good, book 3 Golden City sucked, huge disappointment.

Quote: scotty71

I was hoping I could get some book ideas from others. Not my intention to just tell everybody about all my favorite "under the radar" reads.

What kind of books do you like? I read incessantly, but I don't think I've read much that would fit the title. Most truly great books get heard of.

I'm a voracious reader, but mostly of science fiction. Lately, too, I've been doing most of my "reading" with audio books on history and science, and history podcasts. On the audio side most of what I "read" consists of Great Courses lecture series on a topic or subject.

Among the best of what I've "read" that way are two books by Bill Bryson: "A Short History of Nearly Everything" and "Made in America."

The first covers the subject and the history of physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology and biology. That is, discoveries and developments are shown in their historical order and context, with some history and anecdotes about the people who made them and others who worked in the field. It's amazing how much can be packed into one book.

The latter is about Americanisms, linguistic terms which arose in America. But again shown in context and with some personal and corporate histories added. For instance, while discussing how highways developed, Bryson throws in how Howard Johnson's got started as a chain road-side restaurants.

Neat stuff.

Rereading what I consider the Greatest science fiction books ever.
This is actually my 3rd time in my life I am rereading my 3 favorites
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation

Quote: terapined

Rereading what I consider the Greatest science fiction books ever.

Have you read the sequels and prequels?

IMO I didn't like where Asimov took the sequels, but I loved 995 of Golan Trevize.

About the prequels, the first one is great. the second one not so much. Too many secret plots, intrigue and bad decisions.

Also IMO, the best-ever ending in any of Asimov's works has to be the one that ends Foundation and Empire. It was all there, all the time, and I didn't see it coming.

Quote: Nareed

Have you read the sequels and prequels?

IMO I didn't like where Asimov took the sequels, but I loved 995 of Golan Trevize.

About the prequels, the first one is great. the second one not so much. Too many secret plots, intrigue and bad decisions.

Also IMO, the best-ever ending in any of Asimov's works has to be the one that ends Foundation and Empire. It was all there, all the time, and I didn't see it coming.

I did read a sequel. I think it was Foundations Edge, Wasn't too thrilled with it. I think he wrote it much later in his life.
The Foundation trilogy was written in the 1950's , His prime.
Too me what makes the Foundation trilogy great is its a bunch of short stories all connected to the main large arc.
Each short story is wonderfully presented with a real neat ending.
What blew me away and never saw coming was the Mule. Who was this great General? Who is the Mule? Of couse will not post the spoilier.

Quote: terapined

I did read a sequel. I think it was Foundations Edge, Wasn't too thrilled with it. I think he wrote it much later in his life.
The Foundation trilogy was written in the 1950's , His prime.
Too me what makes the Foundation trilogy great is its a bunch of short stories all connected to the main large arc.
Each short story is wonderfully presented with a real neat ending.
What blew me away and never saw coming was the Mule. Who was this great General? Who is the Mule? Of couse will not post the spoilier.

Asimov (1920-1992) believed his life's work should be read in chronological orders. So if you haven't started here is the list.

1. The Complete Robot (1982) Collection of 31 Short Stories about robots.
2. The Caves of Steel (1954) His first Robot novel.
3. The Naked Sun (1957) The second Robot novel.
4. The Robots of Dawn (1983) The third Robot novel.
5. Robots and Empire (1985) The fourth (final) Robot novel.
   =====
6. The Currents of Space (1952) The first Empire novel.
7. The Stars, Like Dust-- (1951) The second Empire novel.
8. Pebble in the Sky (1950) The third and final Empire novel.
   =====
9. Prelude to Foundation (1988) The first Foundation novel.
10. Forward the Foundation (1992) The second Foundation novel.
11. Foundation (1951) The third Foundation novel, comprised of 5 stories originally published between 1942-1949.
12. Foundation and Empire (1952) The fourth Foundation novel, comprised of 2 stories originally published in 1945.
13. Second Foundation (1953) The fifth Foundation novel, comprised of 2 stories originally published in 1948 and 1949.
14. Foundation's Edge (1982) The sixth Foundation novel.
15. Foundation and Earth (1983) The seventh Foundation novel.

It's over a half century old now, but one of the greatest books


A book I have never forgotten (written in the 1950's)

Dhalgren. Go ahead, read it, take a trip to
Bellona. You will never forget it. Delany's
best work, it's taught in college. I read it
four times in the 70's and 80's and never
gotten it out of my head.

http://www.themillions.com/2010/06/difficult-books-dhalgren-by-samuel-r-delany.html