what else do you do besides playing chess?

You're lucky on that first count.  I had to write papers on Heart of Darkness and on The Secret Sharer.  I started using "symbolism" in everything I wrote for a few weeks until I realized how overly lame it is.  I often think he gets credit for his writing style creating a whirring jungle in your head...apparently it's part of the charm in Heart of Darkness.  I think it's heinous.  Kafka or Camus any day over that. 

I agree that I should look into Twain again...but often I find there are just so many fantastic works out there, why give yourself a headache with something you didn't care for in the first place?  I could be convinced.  :)  What do you like about his work?  Does he have any particularly interesting themes he deals with?

I'd urge another run at Steinbeck as well -- which of his have you read Afaf?

I also find it a little curious that you like Vonnegut but not Twain.

Agreed.  I see a lot of parallels between the two.

just thought I´d like to drop a note that it very pleasant to know that so many of our small community take such a deep interest in literature - makes me very smileative

Filled with amusing reflections of human inanity.  Particularly the way he handles religion.

The Twain/Vonnegut continuum is similar to the London/Kesey continuum.  Very American.

I think that the reason you dislike Conrad might be that he hasn't got a lot of female characters in central roles.

I guess I could have been more expansive.

I think she's wonderfully lucid, a fine stylist, and tells a story very well. She hasn't been in style, so to speak, for a decade or two at least, and may get overlooked, but she is a great short story writer.

ouch.  baffles?  seriously?  to each his (her) own, but it doesn't make it right.  stick with what makes you feel good.  it warms to my heart everytime you mention a supperb writer that you don't enjoy.

I'm sorry goldendog, I just can't forego a cheap one-liner like that, even if it isn't particularly funny.  I'm not familiar with Porter.  Anyone you may compare her to?

Nabokov is more American than Margaret Atwood...being as how she's been Canadian all her life.  Atwood might have a lot of fascinating ideas and I do appreciate her clever way of bringing glaring patriarchy to light, but I wouldn't say her wording and style is especially charming. 

Thinking of other Americans...Kerouac is ok.  William Burroughs, disgusting individual that he was, was an excellent storyteller...again, I wouldn't call his style beautiful nor filled with depth.

not to mention Kate Chopin and Flannery O'Connor

the world can say what they will about the US o A, but we have some damn fine writers this side of the Atlantic

Hey! that sounds like it could start a new forum topic:  which nation produces the best writers?

My list:

1.  Russia

2.  U.S. of A.

3.  Ireland

How about a female Hemingway, as simple in her style. Plus a fine light touch, always a feeling of balance and control, and tales more plainly told. I hate to admit it but it's been many years since I read any of her stuff.

If just one short of hers was anthologized it would be The Jilting of Granny Weatherall. They somehow got a whole movie out of that short story, maybe 30 years ago.

i'd have to go with

England

USA

then ???

i need to read more russian authors and french.

I'd say Ireland third but by default--and especially based on the poets.

Grobe.  Of Mice and Men - who hasn't?, The Pearl...thankfully a short dull experience.  Only excerpts of Grapes.  Despite hearing about the lurid parts, it didn't inspire more reading. 

Perhaps I like characters to which I can readily relate?  Never saw them in these texts or Twain's.  Also don't like Hemingway.  I bet I'm going to get an earful for that.  Nobody is talking about who they don't like...who don't you like reading?

I find the Vonnegut Twain comparisons odd.  The style doesn't seem at all alike?  I've read Welcome to the Monkeyhouse and Cat's Cradle.  He's very easy to read, but I found more meaning in his short stories...things that reminded me of Orwell and Huxley's dystopian societies, rather.  I saw him speak once.  Just as amusing as his writing.

I don't like Joyce, although the Dubliners are just about readable.

Western nations

My list:

1.  Russia   -  Dostoevsky, Gogol, Tolstoy; Chekov

2.  England

3.  Germany and France.  

Actually this is too difficult.   

I should probably keep my thoughts to myself but I just had a thought that I bet Afaf and Flags would have great sex together.

Afaf, I am sorry; I don't want to offend you because I really do like you but the way you and he converse reminds me of how me and my little girl's daddy get along...we can't ever agree about anything...but...anyway...

I like to READ and read and rEaD, play on the computer (currently Zoo World on facebook is my obsession), decorate my house and make it as beautiful inside and out as I possibly can with hardly any money and figure out how to live without hardly any money.

If I have time after all that I spend it with my family.  lol  (being silly and ironic here).  My 6 year old takes up a good portion of my time and my children are my life but my older two are grown.  My 23 year old is going to have a baby in May, though, and I am exited about that!

Afaf, I do think you should give Twain another chance but I can understand someone out of the United States not liking him because his work is very coloquial (wow I spelled it right).  Spelling is a rote skill that I am not the best at.

Flags, I would have thought you weren't old enough to be a teacher because you come accross as very immature but I am going to be charitable and say that I bet your students, for the most part, like you, probably because you are easy and maybe because you do what some of the coaches in my school did and spend most of the period sometimes talking about last night's game.  Then again, I could be all wrong.

War and Peace is the best book ever written; Does anyone want to disagree with me? ;)

only characters to which you can relate?  how horribly uncharming and rigid of you--but again, not surprising.

Oh, hell, Germany!  I forgot about that one.  That's gotta' make the list.