Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
All very nice, I tought Cath 22 dragged on a bit, but got stronger again at the end.
I've never read East of Eden, but I've read some of Steinbeck's other books, as in the Pearl and Of Mice and Men. And I've never read One Flew... although like most others I've seen the film.
I loved Clockwork Orange, takes a while to get into, I almost gave up on the first page, but yeah, great book. His alternative vocabulary feels so satisfying to read after a while.
Lord of the rings is an accomplishment in the sheer scope of the world, but I think as a story writer Tolkein sometimes falls down. That said, I read and loved LOTR, the sillmarilion and The Hobbit. Unfinished tales bored me, but then I read that a long time after the other books, and so it was hard to place a lot of the stories within the greater universe. That's really what makes the books work I think, the feeling that every action is part of something greater, a greater story.
Ah, I've already rambled too much, Crime and Punishment was one of those pretentious books I mentioned. I mean I really liked it, but I feel so pretentious listing it as my favourite books. I'm sure a lot of it was probably over my head, but the depth into which the main character is developed is astounding.
Also all book haters... that's sad.