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Top 20 Geek Books...

darth_librarian

darth_librarian

Regular
At last, a book poll where i've read over 20% of the items listed...

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/technology/archives/2005/11/09/top_20_geek_novels_the_results.html

1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102)
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)
3. Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley 69% (77)
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67)
5. Neuromancer -- William Gibson 59% (66)
6. Dune -- Frank Herbert 53% (54)
7. I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov 52% (54)
8. Foundation -- Isaac Asimov 47% (47)
9. The Colour of Magic -- Terry Pratchett 46% (46)
10. Microserfs -- Douglas Coupland 43% (44)
11. Snow Crash -- Neal Stephenson 37% (37)
12. Watchmen -- Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons 38% (37)
13. Cryptonomicon -- Neal Stephenson 36% (36)
14. Consider Phlebas -- Iain M Banks 34% (35)
15. Stranger in a Strange Land -- Robert Heinlein 33% (33)
16. The Man in the High Castle -- Philip K Dick 34% (32)
17. American Gods -- Neil Gaiman 31% (29)
18. The Diamond Age -- Neal Stephenson 27% (27)
19. The Illuminatus! Trilogy -- Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson 23% (21)
20. Trouble with Lichen - John Wyndham 21% (19)
Click to expand...

Its from an Internet poll, so ready measured and vacum sealed pinches of salt are automatically provided.

As the article said, Neal Stephenson should be higher up, but he's only picking up steam. Could to see some Pratchett and the illumiantus trilogy in there.
 
So what, Lord of the Rings doesn't count as geek anymore because of the movies?

And yes, it's odd that I have read more books off of this set of 20 than I did off that 100 books list from Time.
 
1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102)
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)

5. Neuromancer -- William Gibson 59% (66)
6. Dune -- Frank Herbert 53% (54)
7. I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov 52% (54)
8. Foundation -- Isaac Asimov 47% (47)
9. The Colour of Magic -- Terry Pratchett 46% (46)

14. Consider Phlebas -- Iain M Banks 34% (35)

17. American Gods -- Neil Gaiman 31% (29)

19. The Illuminatus! Trilogy -- Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson 23% (21)
That's what I've read. I like to see Pratchett and Banks on there, and was expecting Neuromancer to be a bit higher. As to the absence of LotR, I expect it was disqualified on the basis of having won every poll like this for, oh, fifty years or so.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
You're only a real geek if you've actually read all 6 of the Dune books. That is if your head didn't explode first. :)
 
Alluveal Check that, no the head exploding one is if you also read all the prequels to dune and I done that too. Of course the prequals are no better than reading those star wars books.
hmm of list I've read these
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67)
6. Dune -- Frank Herbert 53% (54)

Androids dream of eletric sheep yeah other than the fact it is the basis for bladerunner would probably consider more of a trippy druggy nerd book.
 
I don't know if I'd want to read all those Dune prequals. I really liked Dune, but I just never had the desire to get into the prequals. Perhaps it's because they're NOT the original story.
 
Hm. I've only read the first two... Hitchhiker's Guide just recently, and 1984 in school (together with everyone else). Not as good a geek as I should be, apparently. :|
 
I've read one, two and three :D .. Not as geeky as I could be, but I've got the real geek essentials it seems.
 
I've read all 6 Dune books, but not the prequels. How geeky does that make me? :D Of the others, I've read:

1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams 85% (102)
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell 79% (92)
3. Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley 69% (77)
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick 64% (67)
6. Dune -- Frank Herbert 53% (54)
7. I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov 52% (54)
8. Foundation -- Isaac Asimov 47% (47)
9. The Colour of Magic -- Terry Pratchett 46% (46)
15. Stranger in a Strange Land -- Robert Heinlein 33% (33)
20. Trouble with Lichen - John Wyndham 21% (19)

10 out of 20. Half a geek, I guess :LOL:
 
Its an interesting one that.

My new job is going to involve computers, libraries and dinosaurs, and I spend a fair portion of my spare time playing video games or reading / watching sci-fi. I am in the eyes of the masses offically 100% Orthodox Geek.

I always take geek as a compliment, compared to Nerd or somesuch. It just shows a particular kind of personality, adn the kind of personality that would enjoy reading those books.
 
Me too! :D I used the name of a certain Grey/White wizard as the password on a document at work, and was asked by a colleague if I was "in to" Lord of the Rings. "I'm king of the Geeks!" I replied, cheerfully. ;)

I'm even a gamer-geek too.

Buuut, show me a Unix manual, I'll show you something for propping up a table leg. ;)

So there's lots of variety of geek, I guess. :)

VB
 
I had a theory as I was growing up that nerds didn't like sports and as I was into sci-fi, computers etc. but I also liked sport that I was part of a group I liked to call neo-nerds. :)
 
One thing i've found, no matter how obsessive and all knowing you think you are on something, be it Unix, CSS, Man United or the language of the elves, there is always someone out there who knows more than you. Always.

So its all shades of grey... :)
 
Oh, I forgot that I read 1984 in school. But since I graduated from High School in 1986, that would be why I forgot that I read it. :eek: :LOL:
 
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