A great author to read from is Diana Wynne Jones, especially the Chrestomanci books. She has also written a variety of other books, including Howl's Moving Castle, which is also a great animated movie from the same director that brought us Spirited Away!
East of Eden - Steinbeck (BEFORE IT WAS ON OPERAHS BOOK CLUB), Nine Stories by J.d. Sallinger, For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemmingway, Jesus Son, - Denis Johnson, The Sun Also Rises, - Hemmingway, Catcher in the Rye, - J.D. sallinger, Typee by Herman Mellville, Any Raymond Carver, Counte of Monte Cristo, Nick Adams Stories, Harry POtter books are good *no really they are* Nine Stories, The Road, - Cormac McCarthy., Great Gatsby- Fitzgerlad, Blood Meridian, - McCarthy, Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt vonnegut, On the Road, Kerouac, Everything is Illuminated, - Johnathan Safran Foer, Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Alas, Babylon,
That is just to name a few. reading happens to be one of my biggest fucking hobbies. I have my B.A in literature and minored in writing. I can hold my own on a lot of different authors and books. If you want to discuss something, and if I've read it, I'd be more than happy.
Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. Blend of politics, fantasy and evil guyes turning good. Has what many stories don't have, and the mastermind is a surprise to anyone.
