The usual suspects that are all over everyone else’s lists - Gaiman, Gibson, Stephenson. Also some of the other old cyberpunk authors. Bruce Sterling, Rudy Rucker.
Robert Anton Wilson. Warren Ellis. Alan Moore. Tolkien. Lovecraft. Douglas Adams.
Hm… Nothing particularly crazy unusual in there, is there? At least not for this board.
Pretty much everyone Skarekroe named here with Mervyne Peake’s Titus Groan series being another favorite, and Terry Pratchett for his wonderful Discworld series. I like Dan Simmon’s Hyperion series, and of course Clive Barker can’t wait for his new book that will put an end to Pinhead for all time. One book that I read at least a dozen times over the years is the surrealist precursor Maldoror by Lautreamont (isidore Ducasse) published I think in the 1860’s?
I will say that the time i met Douglas Adams (RIP) at a book signing for the last Hitchhikers book I am glad that I had not read it before hand otherwise I would have punched him in the face. The ending of Mostly Harmless pissed me off so much at the time. I’ve since calmed down about it and can appreciate the irony now [:)]
instead of renaming names mentioned i’ll just add a few.
Alan Moore
Charles Bukowski
Neil Strauss
Aleister Crowley
Frank Miller
Henry Rollins (yeah him from black flag)
Hunter Thompson
Jim Norton
uhm… lots of random names from the “occult” field of writing
Mike magnolia and so on (oh and connely)
Ayn Rand’s up there, as well, as is Stephen King, Art Spiegelman, Vonnegut, Orson Scott Card, Orwell, Shel Silverstien, and the list goes on. I’ll pick up the occasional Brad Steiger or Carl Sagan book as well.
Don’t read NEARLY as much as I used to, but when I do, it’s usually whacked-out science fiction or fantasy-type stuff.
If Vonnegut were alive today…he would severely castigate you for reading Ayn Rand. Of this I have no doubt.
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He probably would, but “The Fountainhead” was partially responsible for me deciding to take control of my life, begin psychotherapy, kick the drugs, and dust off the skeletons in my closet.
There’s a book at one of the big chain stores - Barnes & Noble or Borders, I don’t remember which one - about that subject. It’s a big coffee table book, and it shows up frequently in their bargain sections. It’s not a great book, but I do agree with the premise, which is essentially that the so-called “occult roots of Nazism” exist but are often overstated.
hey pelligro, dennis cooper? are you talking about the little caesar magazine guy?
i talked to him a couple of times in the late 70’s b/c i was working at a magazine in chicago, as a grunt, and had to call him up. he submitted some stuff which was…er…not that great. but looking him up online, apparently he’s done well for himself.
i liked little caesar mainly b/c there was plenty of punk ranting in it. think i still have some of the earlier issues somewhere.
(please no" pizza pizza" jokes dudes–the rag was pretty cool)
I don’t mind me some stephen king, I’ve read quite a few books by him. I think my favorite one is the talisman, The one complaint I Have with king is that he does not tranlate to the screen well, Which isn’t a big deal EXCEPT that he has soooooo many books that have crossed over. SO I think that taints him a little bit… even though he is rarely involved with those screenplays.
Late,
grmpysmrf