Oddest Quirkiest and Interesting Books

tigerwife

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 12:04 pm

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket! I kept re-reading them until the 13th book came out. I remember being disappointed by the ending but I wonder if I would be if I re read them now, it’s been years. I can’t compare them to any any book, how the writing itself was more entertaining than the plot (except maybe Terry Pratchett).

I just finished His Dark Marterials. While not quirky, it’s certainly very interesting and stretches the imagination a lot. I’ve got to say, though, the overall theme left me a little uncomfortable, even though Judaism wasn’t touched at all. It was so beautifully written and engaging, and it’s so hard to find books like that. Anyone have a similar series to recommend?

I enjoyed the Bartemious series by Jonathan Stroud as well, told mostly from the point of view from an evil demon. Definitely different.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel was strangely good, too.

amother

Ruby

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 1:22 pm

Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones would qualify for this thread, I think.
I've read it several times, I really like it, but I've never fully understood the whole denouement at the end. It's like seeing a fully solved rubik's cube where you missed just the final move that put everything into place, and no matter how someone tries to show it to you, you just can't quite grasp it....Still a great read!

youngishbear

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 1:45 pm

tigerwife wrote:

The last book of His Dark Materials made me uncomfortable, too, but it was a good read. Pullman's new (related) trilogy is a disappointment so far, but I'm hoping the last book makes the journey worthwhile.

I loved Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel. You might enjoy The Ten Thousand Doors of January (though in the beginning I found the main character written in a jarringly anachronistic way. It got better.)

Absolutely hilarious though straightforward book: The Education of Hyman Kaplan. Read aloud for maximum entertainment.

Just straight up weird: the autobiography of Nikola Tesla, called simply My Inventions. Still can't figure that guy out.

Cool premise: Ella Minnow Pea

I enjoyed the blend of history and fantasy in the middle school book The Lost Property Office (yeah, I was in the mood of really light reading lol)

Not amusing, but artistic, poetic, and very different from anything I've ever read: Einstein's Dreams.

Weird Jewish book: Aleph Shin/Ten Lost

Does Mrs. Dalloway count as quirky? It was definitely an unusual reading experience.

amother

Powderblue

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 1:54 pm

Kiwi13 wrote:

When I was a kid I had a book about the three little pigs, told from the perspective of the wolf. It was really fun!

Are you referring to The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith? Great stuff. His book Math Curse is brilliant too.

For strange grown-up books, I recommend anything by Jasper Fforde or Kate Atkinson.

tigerwife

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 3:22 pm

youngishbear wrote:

Thanks for the recs! I think I remember having similar taste in books to you so I’m looking forward to trying them.