I personally prefer novels of a fantastical bent. Quite plebeian, I know. I am also rather taken by the poetic horror of Poe.

>>2111
Would it be uncouth to recommend visiting the internet repository for short moving pictures, "youtube"? I happened upon this excellent rendition of The Cask of Amontillado, performed by the masterful Vincent Price:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XTmWag6wfw

As for myself, aside from reading Poe, I enjoy the works of Kafka, though I have not yet braved them in their original language. Perchance one day I will, but I so rarely get to practice my German.

Aside from that I also enjoy treatises on the history of the Vikings, and of the ancient Greeks. I consider studying history to be something every gentleman should set aside time for.

I am taken by many novels and authors, but my favorites would have to be the 'tails extraordinaire' of Jules Verne. At the moment, I am reading a 'fantasy' tale written by a friend of mine - She has even taken the initiative to self-publish her works!

Tell me, do any of you gentleman partake in the writing of your own works? I am currently working on a novel of my own that looks at rising fascist politics and the philosophic discussion of idealism and cynicism through a 'fantasy' lens.

>>2113
I am, in fact, familiar with Mr. Price's rendition of the Cask of Amontillando. It was finely crafted.

In no particular order:
-The gospel of John, The Gnostic gospels, the book of Job, medieval mystic writers such as Hadewych, and more modern: the writings of Fulcanelli.
-Less spiritual: Albert Camus, Jorge Borges, Kazantzakis.
-The poetry/lyrics of Leonard cohen.
-Aristotle's writing and thought. Spinoza and Kant.

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My preferred literature differs from your taste.

I still recommend Roadside Picnic and Metro 2033. The first rekindled my love for books. Haven't read one since high school so it was a huge re-discovery for me.

I am gentlemanly heathen and anti-conformist, so I immerse myself in the works of George Orwell with a slight smattering of Marx and Engels. But I happen to enjoy Hemingway and the Analects of Confucius as well.

>>2107
I was righting a complex and well justified response to this thread when my explorer crashed, and now I'm no longer in the mood, so let's just go to the authors.
For literature, try Palahniuk, and Douglas Adams, those folks are good. Also, this gent mentioned Borges >>2126 in here, and I suggest him too, but I like Alfredo Castillo even better (they are bought into some similar lines of writing), and if you dig Poe you should give this argie a try and you won't be disappointed. Not at all.
If you're into philosophy, Spinoza and Lao Tse have saved me more than once. You won't need to read anything else than those to understand pretty much everything there's to understand out there.

Xenophon's Anabasis. All the Ancient Greek wonder, none of the Homerian overratedness.

>>2339
I meant "Abelardo" Castillo. Alfredo is the football player.

Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

1984

I prefer Japanese and Chinese poetry and novels.

>>2107
Lolita, that shit is brilliant

20th century south american fiction does it for me. Borges, Marquez, Cortazar.

>>2107
If American Gothic/Southern Gothic style suits you, I would strongly recommend anything by McCarthy. Blood Meridian, Suttree, and Child of God certainly stand out, though his less Gothic-style novels like No Country for Old Men, The Road, and the Border Trilogy stand out as well.

>>2107
If American Gothic/Southern Gothic style suits you, I would strongly recommend anything by McCarthy. Blood Meridian, Suttree, and Child of God certainly stand out, though his less Gothic-style novels like No Country for Old Men, The Road, and the Border Trilogy stand out as well.