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What a polar opposite of the other sticky. Ah well.

Here, discuss all the books that have captivated your soul, your heart, your emotions. Maybe it had a fantastic ending, a passionate middle, or a breathtaking beginning. Who knows? That's for you to share.

In this sticky, please share books you recommend others read. What is a good book that you think the whole world should read to gain perspective on their own humanity?

I'd say Watership Down. What a lovely book. How a different culture deals with others and tries to find a new definition of 'home' gave a new meaning to the concept of a journey. I loved it. Not to mention, the language the rabbits spoke was very inciteful. The scenery was good too. It makes me want to read this and eat a salad at the same time.

...Which I did. At Fresco's, the Meditteranean Cafe in Elmhurst. Delicious.

Any of Ned Vizzini's books;
In particular, "It's Kind Of A Funny Story".

Basically, it'd probably be one of the most painful modern day stories if it weren't so damn funny. It's kind of cliched, but originality peaks in at every oppertunity.

It's about a boy who falls into depression and commits himself into a pysch ward. Learns about life, shares a room with a crazy man, hasa few laughs, falls in love. Again, it's cliched.

But anything from Ned is a good read. He can make such painful situations funny, it's just odd.

Either that or Dracula.
Bram Stokers, no others will do. It's an amazing story, and it's a shame how modern tales have warped it.

1.) Flowers for Algernon. Depressed me slightly, actually. The burden and oppression of whatever intellect one is blessed with, whether particularly high or low, is always painful. A perfect Catch-22: To be aware or to be oblivious, it's hard to see what's more painful. One of two books that has made me cry openly, the second being:

2.) The Five People You Meet in Heaven. The ending, oh, my goodness, the ending made me absolutely bawl. I'm not one to cry a lot in general, I'm really not, but I couldn't help it.

3.) My Life in Dog Years. I read it very long ago, maybe fourth grade or so, but it was one of the first books that touched me deeply, even at that age. I still hold it dear to me.

4.) Stargirl. I couldn't help but feel a mixture at pain for our shortcoming as humans and our inherent hatred for the unique, and hope at how a single person can be loved by that individuality.

God, I loved those books. Flowers for Algernon just...it was so touching, and made you think. I'll cherish any book that can do that.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven made me cry too, and although I cry at the drop at the drop of a hat in real life, there are few books to date that have made me do that.

Stargirl was wonderful, and what better place to spread the word about it's wonderfulness than in Eccentricity! *Giggles*

I remembered some other books, so I'll put them here:

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, it was so sweet and simple. I loved it.

The Important of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Absolutely hilarious!

Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World. I forgot who it's by, but it's simply wonderful and I can't wait 'til the rest of the series to be translated into English. It was originally a Japanese composition of short stories, which were later made into an anime: Kino's Journey. Even if you don't like anime, you may like this!

Living Big by Pam Grout. Non-ficion, a self help book, so it may be unusual for me to recomend, but I do. It has an amazing message and I seriously suggest you pick it up!

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I am a bookworm and I love lots of books but a few of them I think are stand outs.

1)The Inheart trilogy. Just amazing, these books are my number 1 favourites. The first one is set in modern Europe, the second in a fantasy inkworld. The third one isn't out yet crying but i'm waiting.

2)The Bitternbynde trilogy. Another fantasy series. Each book is as good as the one before it. Heaps of twists and turns, just amazingly written.

Also, I haven't read them but the His Dark Materials series are meant to be amazing. Eccentric Iconoclast and half the Books forums section seem to think so too.

Oh, I completely forgot about The Phantom Tollbooth! I loved that book.

I came up with a few more:

1.) The Giver. It touched me, especially the emphasis on the importance of memories.

2.) Tale of Two Cities. I think it's the little lines that Dickens sticks in that you just barely catch that gets me. Don't tell anybody, but we're reading it in my class and I like it quite a bit. ;3

The Tale of Despereaux.

It's such a sad story. Never mind that it was written for children; everyone should read it!