Ultimate Collectors' Forums

Saw this on a used books website (ABE Books) Hugo Awards

I have read:
1956 Double Star ... Heinlein
1960 Starship Troopers…Heinlein
1961 A Canticle for Leibowitz …Miller
1962 Stranger in a Strange Land …Heinlein
1966 Dune ….Herbert
1967 Moon is a Harsh Mistress …Heinlein
1970 Left hand of Darkness…Le Guin
1974 Rendezvous With Rama…Clarke
1980 Fountains of Paradise…Clarke
1986 Ender’s Game…O.S. Card
2001 HP and the Goblet of Fire…Rowling

I have read all those except for Left Hand and Ender’s Game.

Do you mean the entire list except for the two you mentioned, or only the ones on my list (excepting the two)?

Left Hand of Darkness was...OK.
The only part that I found worth reading (meaning the reason to keep reading it) was the accolades she got for describing the journey across the Gobrin Ice Sheet (or glacier). That was pretty harrowing (and well told).

As for Ender's Game I've read it at least twice, maybe three times. I recommend it.
I haven't seen the movie (and have no desire to see it) so if you haven't read the book based on what you know it from the movie (reviews, trailers etc) don't let that sway you from reading it; or try not to let it sway you.

I meant that of the ones you listed, I'd read all but the two I pointed out.

As for Left Hand, I've been told it's fabulous and groundbreaking, but with my attention span being what it is these days and knowing that Le Guin's work demands focus, I doubt I'll get to it. First I'll need to read that massive one-volume, gorgeously illustrated Earthsea omnibus that's sitting in my bookcase.

As for Ender, I saw the movie and thought it was pretty ho-hum. Of course I realize that a poorly realized adaptation shouldn't put one off the source, but knowing the plot takes away much of the point of reading it. I do have it in my bookshelf (from a friend who was thinning his collection), or at least I used to, but I just doubt I'll ever read it.

Olorin wrote: Wed Dec 22, 2021 4:19 am I meant that of the ones you listed, I'd read all but the two I pointed out.

As for Left Hand, I've been told it's fabulous and groundbreaking, but with my attention span being what it is these days and knowing that Le Guin's work demands focus, I doubt I'll get to it. First I'll need to read that massive one-volume, gorgeously illustrated Earthsea omnibus that's sitting in my bookcase.

As for Ender, I saw the movie and thought it was pretty ho-hum. Of course I realize that a poorly realized adaptation shouldn't put one off the source, but knowing the plot takes away much of the point of reading it. I do have it in my bookshelf (from a friend who was thinning his collection), or at least I used to, but I just doubt I'll ever read it.

Yep, I do want to read that also.
But I think I will read the Silmarillion first.
I also want to read Frankenstein.
But of those three only the Sil is on my shelves.

Be aware there are two different versions of Frankenstein, original and edited by author. Not sure whether both are available or which is considered definitive.

I didn't know that.
But anymore, I search the "literary" sites for recommendations on older books because there are so many editions.
It is especially necessary if the book was written in another language; the quality/faithfulness of translations are all over the map.
When I had finally decided to read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea there was a boatload of versions to pick from, and some of the translations were almost universally panned.
The best translation was/still is the edition put out by Oxford World's Classics. That is the one I bought and I was very happy with it.
It's sitting on my shelves.
I had already planned to do a little research for the best edition of Frankenstein

I read Frankenstein in high school, and maybe once since; no idea which version. However, I can tell you that no film adaptation I’ve ever seen has remotely come close to being faithful to it.