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jennifer · 03-01-2006 20:59:30

What book ever written, did you read and think, "Damn. I wish I'd written that." Mine would be- and I'm aware that I'm starting to sound like a broken record here, but mine would probably be The Princess Bride. William Goldman's humor is sparkling.

knighthawk · 03-01-2006 21:36:51

Well, Jennifer that's a good one, by one of my FAVORITE authors, but I wish I had written two of his other books: Temple of Gold(Catcher in the Rye type--but better IMHO), Boys & Girls Together(Most underrrated piece of Literary Fiction ever.)

There's plenty more like "The God Of Small Things" and "Tigana"-- but I could just go on forever.

jennifer · 03-01-2006 21:39:04

I haven't read those! And can you believe that I just watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for the first time last month? I loved it! And now I hear they're planning on remaking it with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. NO! I'll have to go and check out Temple of Gold and Boys & Girls Together.

knighthawk · 03-01-2006 21:42:30

The first time! Well, now you're only about 50 behind me!

Another Goldman goodie is "The Color Of Light" -- the rest of his books though good are genre, I believe.

jennifer · 03-01-2006 22:01:09

The first time. Can you believe that? I thought my dad was going to disown me. He might be speaking to me now, but only because I bought him the Star Wars Trilogy Box Set.

I'm going to have to hit my library tomorrow. The Princess Bride is simply amazing, and I can't wait to read more of his work.

falen · 03-02-2006 13:26:46

Pretty much anything by neil Gaiman, but specifically two of his pieces in his SMOKE ANd MIRRORS collection
the short story Murder Mysteries
and his poem Vampire Sestina. And i never think about writing poetry.
Ahhh neil...you live so close, yet i've only met you once. sigh.

Annie · 03-02-2006 13:41:17

Wow Jen that's a tall order. there are a lot of lines I wish I had written, but complete books, Huh? I gues I would have to say Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. The forward written by Bradbury alone is sheer brillance- His imagery is magical.

"Bee fried air.." How else do you describe a sizzling august afternoon from the perpsective of a 12 year old boy?

barry n davidson · 03-02-2006 13:44:26

I wish I had written the constitution. That way I could slap lawmakers around for perverting my inspired words.

Selah Cooper-Holl · 03-02-2006 14:57:02

Westwitch wrote:
l wish I'd written anything by Wally Lamb, especially "She's Come Undone", and Barbara Kingsolver is brilliant - "the Poisonwood Bible". Anyone read those? Also, the "Close Before Striking" warning on matchbooks. That's always good advice.

I think I've read everything Kingsolver has ever written. She is truly wonderful.

jennifer · 03-02-2006 18:34:15

And then, just because you have to admire the woman, I'd LOVE to have been the one to create Harry Potter. If Oprah is the Queen of the Universe, and Nora Roberts is the High Priestess of All Things Romance, J.K. Rowling is the Goddess of the Modern Written Word.

Selah Cooper-Holl · 03-02-2006 18:38:37

No lie.

jennifer · 03-02-2006 18:41:40

Aint it, though?

falen · 03-04-2006 10:01:02

true true, jen. Also then i wouldn't have to let it end at book 7.
Sigh, it will be so bittersweet.
No more star wars, no more HP. What will i do with myself?
Find something else i'm sure.

k.jergens · 03-04-2006 12:14:03

jennifer wrote:
And then, just because you have to admire the woman, I'd LOVE to have been the one to create Harry Potter. If Oprah is the Queen of the Universe, and Nora Roberts is the High Priestess of All Things Romance, J.K. Rowling is the Goddess of the Modern Written Word.

I like Harry Potter....but I am too materialistic. I wish I had written it for the amazing amount of money, in fact, I am pretty sure it's obscene by now, that she is pulling in from the books, the toys etc.

So, yeah....Harry Potter, that's a good choice!

jennifer · 03-04-2006 13:54:56

Heard she was a billionaire now. Wasn't she on welfare when she stared? Damn.

And falen, I hear ya. No Star Wars, no more Harry Potter, and no more LotRs. Damn.

Annie · 03-04-2006 14:42:03

What? What! did someone say no more LOTR!! Blasphemer!!!!

L. P. Thomas · 03-04-2006 15:06:42

I wish I had written Norman Mailer's Ancient Evenings. It is complicated, yet readable, and brings Egyptian history to life, for me.

k.jergens · 03-04-2006 15:18:10

I have to miserably admit I have never read that one. One for the "To Read" list.

falen · 03-05-2006 11:21:07

no more LOTR movies anyway annie. jen and i are two girls that appreciate a good nerdy movie.

Annie · 03-05-2006 15:59:02

falen wrote:
no more LOTR movies anyway annie. jen and i are two girls that appreciate a good nerdy movie.

Count me in there, I LOVE star wars Jen and ster trek( any flavor) Battlstar Gallatica- anything sci fi-I'm loving it!

Cadfael · 03-09-2006 04:37:07

I love the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series (ooooh, I just have to THINK about Ranger and I get a HOT FLUSH LOL ) and one of my favourite books is The Walpole Orange by Frank Muir. He is dead now but he wrote children's books and only wrote this one book for adults. It is hilarious and appeals to my sense of humour ! The other one is (if a person can have clearly defined favourites) a book of short stories by Derek Hansen (Tea with Mussolini, Lunch with The Generals) and that is Psycho Cat. I love all the classics, Kipling, Walter Scott et al.

J.L. Denney · 03-19-2007 17:18:05

Hands down - George R.R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice (or the other way around) set. It's all I've ever wanted in a fantasy...except for perhaps its a bit light on magic, but it IS there and that makes it AWESOME.

Sabrina Dalton · 03-19-2007 18:21:46

I wish I'd written Sarah Waters' Fingersmith. I loved it, it's brilliant, plus it made her a lot of money! LOL. Perfect.
I also liked Jennifer Egan's new one, The Keep. Anyone else read that?
I'm a Kingsolver fan, too,though some of hers I like much better than others. The Bean Trees, her first, is my all-time favourite.
Sabrina

mishmont · 03-19-2007 18:22:47

and Barbara Kingsolver is brilliant - "the Poisonwood Bible".

Everything by her is wonderful, "Prodigal Summer" is my favorite.

Michelle

mishmont · 03-19-2007 18:27:05

Jennifer,

You have a great idea here.

Sometimes I'll be reading, and catch a phrase, a line, a paragraph, and want to leap up and send it to someone, say "Hey, look at this, isn't it amazing?"

Let's keep this thread going, I'll contribute.

Michelle

#1 03-01-2006 20:59:30

Man, I wish I wrote that!

#2 03-01-2006 21:36:51

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Westwitch wrote:

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jennifer wrote:

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falen wrote:

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