Just out of curiosity, does anyone on this board read anything? I have been reading a lot of James Joyce and have been plodding my way through Ulysses, which I must say is the greatest literary work, ever.

I read the ingredients on my box of Raisin Bran this morning. And I spent a good chunk of the day reading through my apartment lease.

I READ THE SUNDAY SPORTS SECTION ON THE CRAPPER!

I dont know how to read.

i read stephen King

I'm presently reading the Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky... he's a pretty darn good author in my opinion. I would recomend reading Crime and Punishment or The Brothers Karamazov if you read any Dostoyevsky.

Tom Clancy is the master of the techno-thrillers. He can take the most mind-numbing technological stuff and make it interesting to the average reader.

Also, does anyone have an opinion or three on Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" or "Angels and Demons"?

Dostoyevsky is good stuff. Crime and Punishment was sweet.

Dan Brown, Stephen King and other pop writers annoy me. It sickens me to see that these are the writers that are making all of the money. This isn't to say that there aren't some great contemperary writers out there just look at someone like Toni Morrison, John Updike, and David Sedaris.

ive read dan brown's Digital Fortress

The more I think about it, the more I struggle with the concept of pop writers. While they are not quality writers, at least people are reading something. I just wish people would give real writers a read like Hemmingway, Morrison, Joyce, Woolf, Updike, Sedaris, Chabon, Proust (haha, I wonder if anyone will even get that joke), Malamud, Roth(who should have won the nobel prize for literature but that is a rant for another time), oh god I could go on and on...

From what I've read of Stephen King and Tom Clancy it leads me to believe these modern type pop authors are a joke, although King impressed me with The Green Mile, I'll admit it was more than I expected. WRI has a nice list if your wanting to take a little more away from your reading. Some others could possibly be Faulkner, Stienbeck, Orwell and Huxley if your into the negative utopias, E. M. Remarque, and Kurt Vonnegut... I know KV's not necessarily the best author but sometimes some black satire is worthwile.

I love Vonnegut, I would say that he definatley belongs on the list with the rest of the writers mentioned.

I don't think it's fair to lay into authors who sell several books and call them "pop authors". Stephen King consistently writes the best horror out there, and his descriptions are as vivid as any writer in modern history. Same goes for Clancy with his genre. Higly entertaining and full of page turning excitement. Large book sales do not automatically qualify them as sell-outs. The mark of a good writer in my opinion is one who can tell a good story and draw you in. You keep thinking about the story long after you put the book down. King and Clancy are mastwers of that.

You make a good point guest, I don't think anyone would disagree that for their respected genres King and Clancy are the best. I have heard that some college english profs are starting to have their students study Stephen King, that is proof that his work is gaining acceptance. Only time will tell how big a mark these guys will leave on literature, and I mean if you into their work definatly read it, anything is better than nothing.

I would describe a pop-writer as a popular writer with no substance. There are many writers who top bestseller lists who are quality writers. I believe David Sedaris' newest book "Dress your Family in Courtory and Denim" was a bestseller upon publication. I diferentiate between pop-writers and writers who sell a large number of books.

VA,
Having a college class devoted to King is not necessarily a sign of acceptance. I just read today on a news website that there is going to be a college class offered (I forget where) about "American Idol".

http://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/10/29/american.idol.ap/index.html

here's a link to the college offering an American Idol course

just read Stephen King's Cujo in German, now im starting to read Das Parfum-The Perfume by Patrick Süskind in german.

i read a lotta philosophy.........confucious is the best

What do you like to read? If you like suspense-thrillers, Patricia Cornwell, Sue Grafton's alphabet books and Lisa Gardner are all wonderful!