<p>Generally speaking, but his characters specifically could often be characterized by some subgroup of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. He was bound to suffer from something though, since he was too great a thinker not to. Personally, I believe he's one of the few rational figures of our time (20th century).</p>
<p>thank you! I shared my theory with my AP English class. I got a whole lot of blank stares.
wow. you have no idea. that made my week.</p>
<p>That's refreshing :). I've made people's days, but rarely their weeks.</p>
<p>I'm not much for love stories. Austen's style almost immediately turns me off to her works -- to me, it just screams of drama queens. I'll have to say that I read the book at least 4 years ago, so I'm probably not as familiar with it as would be required for me to debate anything. All I can say now is that I don't recall seeing much sense or sensibility whilst reading it.</p>
<p>I've only read P&P from Austen, but it was not meant to be the love story it seemed on the surface. Her work is satiric. You're supposed to hate that silly drama queen attitude. That's the point.</p>
<p>Mollypockets practically took the words from my mouth. Have you read Wuthering Heights Taggart? It differs immensely and primarily avoids the old age superficiality of courtship that Austen pokes fun of.</p>
<p>Plus you can't go wrong with a Brontë.</p>
<p>I wholeheartedly agree with the last statement. It's too bad that she died so young.</p>
<p>Mmm. Perhaps, though that doesn't make me dislike it less -- I suppose I just don't find that particular notion even worth talking about.</p>
<p>The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde.</p>
<p>The Bible...although other religious books are top contenders</p>
<p>i read parts of the quran- not that bad.</p>
<p>Frankenstein hands down.
The Great Gatsby was really good. To Kill a Mockingbird was exceptional. 1984 was pretty good but a little too depressing, although I love the media themes behind it. Dracula is also up there, but not quite there because the ending was very anticlimactic. </p>
<p>Worst book ever- For Whom the Bell Tolls. UGG, i dont think there has ever been such a book that i just wanted to have end.</p>
<p>Not counting the classics, I like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and Elliot Perlman's Seven Types of Ambiguity, among others.</p>
<p>Harry Potter is pretty good for some uses, it holds up a wobbly table at the library! Wobble be gone!</p>
<p>Gogol is quite good! Nose on the run!</p>
<p>For whom the bell tolls, is that the one that took Donne's theme of death in his mediation 17? haha. I read both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. They have similar settings/theme, tragic love and all lol. I like the writing style of the Brontes, but Pride and Prejudice is just too good. You have to love it lol</p>
<p>Plus, Mr. Rochester was not my favorite character. He loved Jane, but he's also 20 years her senior, maybe more, i'm not sure.</p>
<p>To Kill A Mockingbird</p>
<p>1984 and The Great Gatsby.</p>
<p>CYOA = Choose Your Own Adventure books</p>
<p>Come on, it's those books where it goes:</p>
<p>You open the red door to your right. Turn to page 120.</p>
<p>You open the blue door to your left. Turn to page 214.</p>
<p>I looooove those books. Gotta love old school.</p>
<p>I can never pick just one. They're like potato chips. Heh.</p>
<p>BTW, to go back a bit, it's incredibly annoying to call other people's favorite books, or whatever, cliched. Cliches are made for a reason. Saying stuff like that only makes you sound like an arrogant snob.</p>
<p>I liked Harry Potter a lot, but then those kids grew up and it became so depressing...</p>