The Da Vinci Code

[pockets 0]

yeah, but notes from underground is hilarious, if you're sick and twisted like me

Underground Man + the prostitue = wacky hijinks. They should have a sitcom where they have to be roommates for some reason.Hollywood, get on that.

[timwakefield 68]

Fiction, is by definition, an untrue story. Stories, whether they be presented in a book, on TV, or in a movie is intended as entertainment. Since the stories aren't based in fact, and the reader doesn't actually learn anything by reading it, it is mindless. Get it? Mindless entertainment...regardless of when it was written.

I wish I had a direct quote here, but I don't so I'll paraphrase. I was reading an article by Orhan Pamuk (who is a great contemporary novelist), and he was talking about the war is Sarajevo. He said that we wouldn't really know what it is like until the Sarajevan novelists wrote books about it. To call all novels "mindless entertainment" is incredibly naive. Here is a list of novels that I love, and recommend (and will change your mind about what a novel is):The Sun Also Rises - Ernest HemmingwayA Farewell to Arms - Ernest HemmingwaySkinny Legs and All - Tom RobbinsMy Name is Red - Orhan PamukA Scanner Darkly - Philip K. DickSlaughterhouse-Five - Kurt VonnegutThe Sound and the Fury - William FaulknerRaise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction - J.D. Salinger

[Dirtydutch 8]

I wish I had a direct quote here, but I don't so I'll paraphrase. I was reading an article by Orhan Pamuk (who is a great contemporary novelist), and he was talking about the war is Sarajevo. He said that we wouldn't really know what it is like until the Sarajevan novelists wrote books about it. To call all novels "mindless entertainment" is incredibly naive. Here is a list of novels that I love, and recommend (and will change your mind about what a novel is):The Sun Also Rises - Ernest HemmingwayA Farewell to Arms - Ernest HemmingwaySkinny Legs and All - Tom RobbinsMy Name is Red - Orhan PamukA Scanner Darkly - Philip K. DickSlaughterhouse-Five - Kurt VonnegutThe Sound and the Fury - William FaulknerRaise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction - J.D. Salinger

I'm not a Hemingway fan. He's wonderfully descriptive, but I just don't enjoy his work. I think there was a time when I did... Certain writers-- I just can't read their work.

[Mercury69 3]

I'd like to add a couple of books to the Must Read list:To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper LeeLolita - Vladimir NabokovI could be convinced into saying that these two books are the best I've ever read. I'm not going to say that, mostly because there are dozens of others that would warrant mention along with them. Try and read them, though. Well worth it.PS: DirtyDutch, I know I need glasses, but every time I see your name, it looks like "DirtyB itch", which reminds me of that Larry Sanders Show episode where Hank meets a couple of Wu Tang Clan members and asks them where Dirty Ol' B itch is lol.

[bigkg 0]

Yea, I hated the DaVinci Code.Anyways, my favorite books are...A Clockwork Orange- Anthony BurgessOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Ken Kesey1984- George OrwellBrave New World- Aldous HuxleyLord of the Flies- William Goldingand of course anything by Vonnegut

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

That I hijacked this thread from stupid summer blockbuster, to a discussion about contemporary literature, just warms the cockles.Just finished 100 years of solitutude. the hype not just hype, absolutely beautiful book.

[ricker 0]

When Homer recited The Oddessy in a bar in Rome a few thousand years ago he was doing so in order to entertain his crowd and perhaps teach a few lessons along with it. No one's denying that he did that. Now it's taught as one of the great stories of our time.In the DVC Dan Brown is doing the same thing. If you simply dismiss the DVC out of hand without thinking there could be anything to be learned from it is...well ignorant. I truly believe there are lessons in any sort of book/entertainment. One example that can be debated was Dan Brown was commenting on the Catholic Church's villification of the female in all of Church theology. It wasn't just a fun puzzle about The Holy Grail. Dan Brown does include messages through his popcorn entertainment. Simply dismissing out of hand any book because it doesn't fit in your description of what true LITERATURE is supposed to be is just plain ignorant in my view.

[pockets 0]

That I hijacked this thread from stupid summer blockbuster, to a discussion about contemporary literature, just warms the cockles.Just finished 100 years of solitutude. the hype not just hype, absolutely beautiful book.

You're amazing.Y'know, in a good way.

[timwakefield 68]

When Homer recited The Oddessy in a bar in Rome a few thousand years ago he was doing so in order to entertain his crowd and perhaps teach a few lessons along with it. No one's denying that he did that. Now it's taught as one of the great stories of our time.

FYPAlso, the reason that The DaVinci Code sucks is that the prose sucks. "Person A said this. Person B said this. Person A did this. Person B did this." For like 600 pages.

[Suited_Up 2]

FYPAlso, the reason that The DaVinci Code sucks is that the prose sucks. "Person A said this. Person B said this. Person A did this. Person B did this." For like 600 pages.

But can we agree that the premise of the story was a good one?(haven't read it, but know a lot about the story)

[ricker 0]

FYPAlso, the reason that The DaVinci Code sucks is that the prose sucks. "Person A said this. Person B said this. Person A did this. Person B did this." For like 600 pages.

righto...thanks for that Tim, you're absolutely right.

[joeltebbutt 0]

This is the worst book I have ever read. It reads like a 12 year old wrote it

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Yeah, I wasn't talking about the "issues" brought up in the DVC, i was talking about how poor the writing is, though issues like woman's role in the Catholic church, or if there was a conspiracy to hide the fact that christ had kids ranks pretty low on my give a **** about list.John Grisham addresses things like class and race in almost all of his books, it doesn't make them any more readible.

[ricker 0]

Yeah, I wasn't talking about the "issues" brought up in the DVC, i was talking about how poor the writing is, though issues like woman's role in the Catholic church, or if there was a conspiracy to hide the fact that christ had kids ranks pretty low on my give a **** about list.John Grisham addresses things like class and race in almost all of his books, it doesn't make them any more readible.

Fair enough...but in my ever so humble opinion my friend, no matter how poor the writing is, a good issue thoughtfully discussed will always make a book interesting to me, no matter how poorly written you may think it is.

[beans-n-icewater 18]

I saw it next friday. It was awesome.

humor... pure and simple I also enjoyed the pancakes one...The OP's shi-t the bed one gets high marks alsoI may have to go back and delete the "FCP is starting to suck" thread...I tip my Corona to the smart-*sses of this great forum... keep up the good work!

[joeltebbutt 0]

Carl Hiaasen > Dan Brown.I highly reccomend his books

[reverbse 0]

if you want to be a writer as good as dan brown but have so far failed because of the complexity of the storylines, let yourself be inspired here:http://tobyinkster.co.uk/Software/dan_brown/

[mk 11]

John Grisham addresses things like class and race in almost all of his books, it doesn't make them any more readible.

Probably a good idea to spell-check if you're gonna play the role of literary pompous ass.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Probably a good idea to spell-check if you're gonna play the role of literary pompous ass.

nope, that's what editors are for.. I focus on content, not ***-thet -icks.

[ROGUE06 0]

I am probably going tonight to see it. Anybody see it yet since it came out last night?

[MisterB 2]

I am probably going tonight to see it. Anybody see it yet since it came out last night?

if it wasnt for communion theres no way id stand in a line that long... GOAL it is...

[digitalmonkey 929]

Your inability to describe what makes a book bad, or describe you idea of a good book doesn't exactly lend credence to your arguments either. You seem to be pretty good at belittling others without providing any real substance to your theories. I have read a lot of "classical" works that are considered great literature, I have read a lot of modern novels, and I have read a lot of non-fiction. Dan Brown's work is great fiction. He grabs the reader's attention and holds onto it rather expertly, and he tells a hell of a good story. I can understand people denouncing his work because it does present some sacreligious topics, and he doesn't help his case by declaring that all of his content is based in historical fact. But I don't understand your claim that his writing style is somehow "dumbed down". People don't sell over 40 million copies of a book in modern times without it having some sort of merit.

Just ignore bigdmgee and he'll go away....oh wait, he'll only claim to go away.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Just ignore bigdmgee and he'll go away....oh wait, he'll only claim to go away.

Love you too, baby.. good to hear from you...

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

one of you is a self righteous, pretentious toolbox that craves attention.you know who you are.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

one of you is a self righteous, pretentious toolbox that craves attention.you know who you are.

Di Vinci Code? More like Di Vinci CHODE Har har har, I kill me..