[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I like very much Hesse's and Dostoyevski's oeuvres... My two 'most' favourite books are 'The Idiot' by Dostoyevski and 'Steppenwolf' by Hesse. An interesting fact is that Hesse named Dostoyevski as one of his most important influences.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention
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[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I like very much Hesse's and Dostoyevski's oeuvres... My two 'most' favourite books are 'The Idiot' by Dostoyevski and 'Steppenwolf' by Hesse. An interesting fact is that Hesse named Dostoyevski as one of his most important influences.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
Kafka is a god! 'Der Prozess' is one of the best works I've ever read. Herman Hesse has the rare gift of a storyteller and a poet combined; something I've only ever seen in him, John Steinbeck and Dylan Thomas. Dostoyevski is pretty much the only Russian author I actually enjoy reading.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
Kafka is a god! 'Der Prozess' is one of the best works I've ever read. Herman Hesse has the rare gift of a storyteller and a poet combined; something I've only ever seen in him, John Steinbeck and Dylan Thomas. Dostoyevski is pretty much the only Russian author I actually enjoy reading.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]joxerthemighty wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I like very much Hesse's and Dostoyevski's oeuvres... My two 'most' favourite books are 'The Idiot' by Dostoyevski and 'Steppenwolf' by Hesse. An interesting fact is that Hesse named Dostoyevski as one of his most important influences.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention[/QUOTE]
That's very sad, because Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Frank Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rainer Maria Rilke are nearly as famous as Goethe in German literature... The same with Dostoyevski: he is claimed to be the GREATEST Russian writer of all time (naturally along with Pushkin and Leo Tolstoi) - you can actually compare him to Shakespeare's legacy in England/UK. But I agree that's a very weak point in schools nowadays: In Austria, where I went to school we ONLY learned about German and Austrian writers and only a very little bit about the most important English and French writers (and NOTHING about great Russian literature); so I had to explore all the other writers on my own...
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention[/QUOTE]
That's very sad, because Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Frank Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rainer Maria Rilke are nearly as famous as Goethe in German literature... The same with Dostoyevski: he is claimed to be the GREATEST Russian writer of all time (naturally along with Pushkin and Leo Tolstoi) - you can actually compare him to Shakespeare's legacy in England/UK. But I agree that's a very weak point in schools nowadays: In Austria, where I went to school we ONLY learned about German and Austrian writers and only a very little bit about the most important English and French writers (and NOTHING about great Russian literature); so I had to explore all the other writers on my own...
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]joxerthemighty wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I like very much Hesse's and Dostoyevski's oeuvres... My two 'most' favourite books are 'The Idiot' by Dostoyevski and 'Steppenwolf' by Hesse. An interesting fact is that Hesse named Dostoyevski as one of his most important influences.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention[/QUOTE]
That's very sad, because Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Frank Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rainer Maria Rilke are nearly as famous as Goethe in German literature... The same with Dostoyevski: he is claimed to be the GREATEST Russian writer of all time (naturally along with Pushkin and Leo Tolstoi) - you can actually compare him to Shakespeare's legacy in England/UK. But I agree that's a very weak point in schools nowadays: In Austria, where I went to school we ONLY learned about German and Austrian writers and only a very little bit about the most important English and French writers (and NOTHING about great Russian literature); so I had to explore all the other writers on my own...[/QUOTE]
so which one would you recommend first for a complete novice like myself?
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention[/QUOTE]
That's very sad, because Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Frank Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rainer Maria Rilke are nearly as famous as Goethe in German literature... The same with Dostoyevski: he is claimed to be the GREATEST Russian writer of all time (naturally along with Pushkin and Leo Tolstoi) - you can actually compare him to Shakespeare's legacy in England/UK. But I agree that's a very weak point in schools nowadays: In Austria, where I went to school we ONLY learned about German and Austrian writers and only a very little bit about the most important English and French writers (and NOTHING about great Russian literature); so I had to explore all the other writers on my own...[/QUOTE]
so which one would you recommend first for a complete novice like myself?
It depends on your taste and interests really ;-) Well, Dostoyevski is a very versatile writer, but he has a psychological approach - oh yeah and most of his books are REALLY THICK xD. Back to the topic: Hesse is in my opinion a good writer to start - try 'Steppenwolf' - in the 60s and 70s it was very popular amongst the young people in America and maybe also in UK ... Kafka is probably also a good one to start, especially 'Die Verwandlung' (don't know what the English title of it is; probably something with 'Transformation' since 'Verwandlung' means transformation:)) In general, there are lot of good German writers - I would suggest you really to pick a widely-known classic and read it:), but of the Russians 'beware' (LOL) - I think for non-Russians there may occur some hurting points or misunderstandings concerning culture, way of thinking/mentality (I am Ukrainian and Russian is my 2nd mother language so it is easy for me to understand my folks :D), and I can tell you that classic Russian literature deals mostly with complicated stuff like revolution, politics, war (f. ex. in Leo Tolsoi's 'War and Peace'/'Woyna i mir') or personal fate/trauma (in Dosoyevski's 'Idiot'), so as a start I would recommend you 'easier' Russian writers like Tshehov, Pushkin (although he is a classic writer, he wrote in an easy language - though I sadly don't know how the English translation sounds, because I read the 'stuff' in original language...)... Phew, I think that's all apart of one thing: Generally, I would just recommend you to browse really for the (as said before) widely-known, classic, 'renowned' literature and then you can pick what you like... Oh yeah, and I'd like to ask you: What can you recommend me in the fields of English literature, because I don't live in UK (though I love your country:)) and I'd like to find out more about its literature.
thanks.that was very useful.i will have a look tomorrow for steppenwolf while in penzance and let you know how i get on with it.to answer your question,i wouldnt know where to start on the type of english literature you seek,sorry,hopefully,someone else will be more enlighting for you than myself.
I'm happy I could help you:)
Someone can help me please:)? English/British people? What should I have read in my life in the fields of English literature? (Of course I know of Shakespeare, Dickens, Byron, Orwell, Jane Austen, but I'd like to find out more:)) Any help will be MUCH appreciated:) Thank you!!
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]joxerthemighty wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]I like very much Hesse's and Dostoyevski's oeuvres... My two 'most' favourite books are 'The Idiot' by Dostoyevski and 'Steppenwolf' by Hesse. An interesting fact is that Hesse named Dostoyevski as one of his most important influences.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention[/QUOTE]
That's very sad, because Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Frank Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rainer Maria Rilke are nearly as famous as Goethe in German literature... The same with Dostoyevski: he is claimed to be the GREATEST Russian writer of all time (naturally along with Pushkin and Leo Tolstoi) - you can actually compare him to Shakespeare's legacy in England/UK. But I agree that's a very weak point in schools nowadays: In Austria, where I went to school we ONLY learned about German and Austrian writers and only a very little bit about the most important English and French writers (and NOTHING about great Russian literature); so I had to explore all the other writers on my own...[/QUOTE]
OMFG. I LOVE Pushkin and Tolstoy....best Russian writers...EVER. LMAO. Ya obazhayu ih! I love reading it in Russian. Such good books...and you reminded me! I remember that one poem by Pushkin about the cat......:D SO GOOD.
George Orwell is also an interesting writer... Generally I guess I like classic/modern classic writers like Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka (with his surreal symbolism), Charles Dickens, Rainer Maria Rilke (who wrote not only poems;-)), Leo Tolstoi, philosophical novels like 'Utopia' by Thomas More, etc. Though I have to say that we read at school a pretty modern novel (from the 50s or so) by Daniel Keynes entitled 'Flowers For Algernon' and I liked it, but it reminded me a lot of Dostoyevski's Idiot...:)[/QUOTE]
must admit that apart from orwell and dickens ive never heard of the others you mention[/QUOTE]
That's very sad, because Hermann Hesse, Stefan Zweig, Frank Kafka, Thomas Mann, Rainer Maria Rilke are nearly as famous as Goethe in German literature... The same with Dostoyevski: he is claimed to be the GREATEST Russian writer of all time (naturally along with Pushkin and Leo Tolstoi) - you can actually compare him to Shakespeare's legacy in England/UK. But I agree that's a very weak point in schools nowadays: In Austria, where I went to school we ONLY learned about German and Austrian writers and only a very little bit about the most important English and French writers (and NOTHING about great Russian literature); so I had to explore all the other writers on my own...[/QUOTE]
OMFG. I LOVE Pushkin and Tolstoy....best Russian writers...EVER. LMAO. Ya obazhayu ih! I love reading it in Russian. Such good books...and you reminded me! I remember that one poem by Pushkin about the cat......:D SO GOOD.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Someone can help me please:)? English/British people? What should I have read in my life in the fields of English literature? (Of course I know of Shakespeare, Dickens, Byron, Orwell, Jane Austen, but I'd like to find out more:)) Any help will be MUCH appreciated:) Thank you!![/QUOTE]
You need to couple your British literature with American.
BRITISH:
Dylan Thomas (his prose/play work: Under Milkwood, Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Dog, or just find a collection of his stories. They feature all of them).
James Joyce (start with Dubliners, move to Portait Of The Artist As A Young Man (you CAN read Stephen Hero first, but it's not necessary), THEN tackle Ulysses. Finnegan's Wake requires a great deal of massochism and experience in the English language)
Douglas Adams (for some modern satire; all the Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy books, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Teatime Of The Soul)
AMERICAN:
William Faulkner (short stories, As I Lay Dying, and basically anything you like)
Jack Kerouac (On The Road, Subterraneans, Lonesome Traveler)
Ken Kesey (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but Sometimes A Great Notion is waaaay better)
Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, Eyeless In Gaza)
John Steinbeck (East Of Eden, The Grapes Of Wrath, Of Mice And Men are the 'standard works', but I strenuously suggest Cannery Row + Sweet Thursday too!)
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Oh, and don't start with Joyce. Leave him for later, or you'll never read English again. Same goes for Faulkner. They're not easy.
You need to couple your British literature with American.
BRITISH:
Dylan Thomas (his prose/play work: Under Milkwood, Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Dog, or just find a collection of his stories. They feature all of them).
James Joyce (start with Dubliners, move to Portait Of The Artist As A Young Man (you CAN read Stephen Hero first, but it's not necessary), THEN tackle Ulysses. Finnegan's Wake requires a great deal of massochism and experience in the English language)
Douglas Adams (for some modern satire; all the Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy books, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Teatime Of The Soul)
AMERICAN:
William Faulkner (short stories, As I Lay Dying, and basically anything you like)
Jack Kerouac (On The Road, Subterraneans, Lonesome Traveler)
Ken Kesey (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but Sometimes A Great Notion is waaaay better)
Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, Eyeless In Gaza)
John Steinbeck (East Of Eden, The Grapes Of Wrath, Of Mice And Men are the 'standard works', but I strenuously suggest Cannery Row + Sweet Thursday too!)
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Oh, and don't start with Joyce. Leave him for later, or you'll never read English again. Same goes for Faulkner. They're not easy.
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color = "crimson"> ThomasQuinn wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]<b><font color=B22222>daria wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Someone can help me please:)? English/British people? What should I have read in my life in the fields of English literature? (Of course I know of Shakespeare, Dickens, Byron, Orwell, Jane Austen, but I'd like to find out more:)) Any help will be MUCH appreciated:) Thank you!![/QUOTE]
You need to couple your British literature with American.
BRITISH:
Dylan Thomas (his prose/play work: Under Milkwood, Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Dog, or just find a collection of his stories. They feature all of them).
James Joyce (start with Dubliners, move to Portait Of The Artist As A Young Man (you CAN read Stephen Hero first, but it's not necessary), THEN tackle Ulysses. Finnegan's Wake requires a great deal of massochism and experience in the English language)
Douglas Adams (for some modern satire; all the Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy books, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Teatime Of The Soul)
AMERICAN:
William Faulkner (short stories, As I Lay Dying, and basically anything you like)
Jack Kerouac (On The Road, Subterraneans, Lonesome Traveler)
Ken Kesey (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but Sometimes A Great Notion is waaaay better)
Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, Eyeless In Gaza)
John Steinbeck (East Of Eden, The Grapes Of Wrath, Of Mice And Men are the 'standard works', but I strenuously suggest Cannery Row + Sweet Thursday too!)
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Oh, and don't start with Joyce. Leave him for later, or you'll never read English again. Same goes for Faulkner. They're not easy.[/QUOTE]
Thank you very much for your advice; it was very helpful. I heard much of Dylan Thomas and of James Joyce - especially Joyce is popular and interesting in Austria and Germany, oh and I watched 'One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest - it is one of my favourite movies now, but I'm curious to read the book:)
I have just one question: Do you know of some good British Victorian-era writers? Somehow Queen awoke my interest in this field. Thank you again.
You need to couple your British literature with American.
BRITISH:
Dylan Thomas (his prose/play work: Under Milkwood, Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Dog, or just find a collection of his stories. They feature all of them).
James Joyce (start with Dubliners, move to Portait Of The Artist As A Young Man (you CAN read Stephen Hero first, but it's not necessary), THEN tackle Ulysses. Finnegan's Wake requires a great deal of massochism and experience in the English language)
Douglas Adams (for some modern satire; all the Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy books, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Teatime Of The Soul)
AMERICAN:
William Faulkner (short stories, As I Lay Dying, and basically anything you like)
Jack Kerouac (On The Road, Subterraneans, Lonesome Traveler)
Ken Kesey (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but Sometimes A Great Notion is waaaay better)
Aldous Huxley (Brave New World, Eyeless In Gaza)
John Steinbeck (East Of Eden, The Grapes Of Wrath, Of Mice And Men are the 'standard works', but I strenuously suggest Cannery Row + Sweet Thursday too!)
This is by no means an exhaustive list.
Oh, and don't start with Joyce. Leave him for later, or you'll never read English again. Same goes for Faulkner. They're not easy.[/QUOTE]
Thank you very much for your advice; it was very helpful. I heard much of Dylan Thomas and of James Joyce - especially Joyce is popular and interesting in Austria and Germany, oh and I watched 'One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest - it is one of my favourite movies now, but I'm curious to read the book:)
I have just one question: Do you know of some good British Victorian-era writers? Somehow Queen awoke my interest in this field. Thank you again.
Dickens comes to mind. It's not really my area of expertise; just like I'm a historian of the contemporary era, I'm also an arts-fan from impressionism onwards, to be quite honest...
The novel "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is waaaay better than the movie, btw.
The novel "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is waaaay better than the movie, btw.
My all-time fav is Master and Margarita by Bulgakov.
And coming after it are (in no particular order)
-Haruki Murakami: just about anything
-Ernest Hemingway: For Whom the Bell Tolls
-George Orwell: 1984, Animal Farm
-Fiodor Dostoevski: Crime and Punishment
-Albert Camus: The Stranger
-Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451
-Apuleius: Metamorphoses
-Kafka's Metamorphosis
uff... etc and etc :))
some Romanian guys you probably haven't heard of:
-Radu Pavel Gheo: Fairia
-Liviu Rebreanu: Adam and Eve
-Mircea Eliade: La Tiganci (At the Gipsies)
-Mihai Eminescu: Sarmanul Dionis (Poor Dionis)
etc again :))
and a bunch of theoretical stuff of any kind (not literary theory... noooooo!!!)
And coming after it are (in no particular order)
-Haruki Murakami: just about anything
-Ernest Hemingway: For Whom the Bell Tolls
-George Orwell: 1984, Animal Farm
-Fiodor Dostoevski: Crime and Punishment
-Albert Camus: The Stranger
-Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451
-Apuleius: Metamorphoses
-Kafka's Metamorphosis
uff... etc and etc :))
some Romanian guys you probably haven't heard of:
-Radu Pavel Gheo: Fairia
-Liviu Rebreanu: Adam and Eve
-Mircea Eliade: La Tiganci (At the Gipsies)
-Mihai Eminescu: Sarmanul Dionis (Poor Dionis)
etc again :))
and a bunch of theoretical stuff of any kind (not literary theory... noooooo!!!)
[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Sonia Doris wrote: [/QUOTENAME]My all-time fav is Master and Margarita by Bulgakov.
And coming after it are (in no particular order)
-Haruki Murakami: just about anything
-Ernest Hemingway: For Whom the Bell Tolls
-George Orwell: 1984, Animal Farm
-Fiodor Dostoevski: Crime and Punishment
-Albert Camus: The Stranger
-Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451
-Apuleius: Metamorphoses
-Kafka's Metamorphosis
uff... etc and etc :))
some Romanian guys you probably haven't heard of:
-Radu Pavel Gheo: Fairia
-Liviu Rebreanu: Adam and Eve
-Mircea Eliade: La Tiganci (At the Gipsies)
-Mihai Eminescu: Sarmanul Dionis (Poor Dionis)
etc again :))
and a bunch of theoretical stuff of any kind (not literary theory... noooooo!!!)[/QUOTE]
You said in another topic that you are interested in Tarot and such like; have you heard of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky - she has written some famous books dealing wiht theosophy
And coming after it are (in no particular order)
-Haruki Murakami: just about anything
-Ernest Hemingway: For Whom the Bell Tolls
-George Orwell: 1984, Animal Farm
-Fiodor Dostoevski: Crime and Punishment
-Albert Camus: The Stranger
-Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451
-Apuleius: Metamorphoses
-Kafka's Metamorphosis
uff... etc and etc :))
some Romanian guys you probably haven't heard of:
-Radu Pavel Gheo: Fairia
-Liviu Rebreanu: Adam and Eve
-Mircea Eliade: La Tiganci (At the Gipsies)
-Mihai Eminescu: Sarmanul Dionis (Poor Dionis)
etc again :))
and a bunch of theoretical stuff of any kind (not literary theory... noooooo!!!)[/QUOTE]
You said in another topic that you are interested in Tarot and such like; have you heard of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky - she has written some famous books dealing wiht theosophy