Lily, could you fill me in on a few details, like your age, what you follow at school, what are your major interests, and a few other things? I'd like to talk about a few titels but in an other place. I don't think this section is suitable for this kind of questions. What do the mods think of this?

Well, I'm sixteen, like science and history and religion at school, my major intrests are: writing, photographing, baking, fashion, friends and learning. And I didn't know where to put this thread, cause it's not exactly philosophy 101, so if any moderator would want to move, or remove, this thread, just go ahead.

I enjoyed The Stranger and Crime and Punishment when I was 16 or 17, but I don't know if you would. You could try some early Joyce, like Dubliners or The Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, or if you have read the Odyssey you could even go for Ulysses.

I suppose you already read Jostein Gaarder? If you like the genre you could try the Tales of of Mystery and Horror by Edgar Allan Poe (take a look at his poems too btw); he must be translated in swedish. Oh and you like "science, history and religion" all together? Perhaps the better Science Fiction? Good old H.G. Wells, the Robot Novels by Asimov or the weird fairy-tales by Stanislaw Lem. There is one called the Princess Ineffabelle that is truly unforgettable. And there is... so much more!! Want still more suggestions?

Yes, I've already read some of his books, and his "Sophie's world" is one of my favorite books. I loved the STAR WARS movie as and Jules Vernes books as a kid, but nowadays I'm not that into it, but I'll definetly try your suggestions. Maybe I should add that the local library isn't very big or anything. More suggestions will be appreciated. My main purpose with reading is to dream and flee away from reality for a moment. And for amusement

To fly away, I did the same when I had your age, and I still do. I still fly away, from the Orinoco Flow to the Shores of Tripoli. One more name and title: Tolkien's LOTR. But you must have passed there already...

P.S. I happen to know that Scandinavian Public Libraries are among the best in the world. If they don't have what you're asking for I'm sure they will be able to provide it by ILL (Interlibrary Loan).

The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien is classic.

To add my support to some already mentioned works:
Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky
Anything written by Edgar Allan Poe

While English is not your native language, I bet you can handle Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises in English. It is certainly an exciting book. One of my favorites.

Other suggestions:
Notes From the Underground - Dostoevsky
Hedda Gabler - Ibsen (he was Norwegian)
Don Quixote - Cervantes, and endlessly amusing
Hamlet - Shakespeare
Demon in the Freezer - Richard Preston, I don't know if you will be able to find this book, it is non-fiction dealing with bio-weapons, but the method of writing is riveting, quite different from most non-fiction.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carrol
Nectar in a Sieve - Kamala Markandaya
On the Road - Jack Kerouac
Madame Bovary - Flaubert

Yes, we can add and add. Perhaps the stories and shorter novels of Hemingway (in particular the Old man and the Sea, the Snows of the Kilimanjaro...). To fly away there is a quality adventure line, like Henry Rider Haggard ("She"), or the Horatio Hornblower series. And perhaps it's time to meet the classic anti-utopias like 1984 and Brave New World. Really, this is a never-ending story ;-) .

how about Voltaire - a type of fictional philosophy

my version of "Candide" includes many AWESOME additional short stories like "zadig" and "micromegas"

Candide is a great read - though, for a first time, I recommend an edition with extensive footnotes.

And, yeah Catch - any Hemingway is going to be a great choice. His short story collections are as good as any novel.

Honestly, if you are into classics and myths as well as history, look no farther than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Both books have something for the entire family, like vengeful Gods, infidelity and sexual double standards, boats, etc. LOL! The best part is, these titles are such multi-cultural classics that they have been more than adequately translated into almost every language imaginable.

Like Catchabula and Didymos said, Lord of the Rings is a great pick. But not only The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but also The HobbitandThe Silmarilllion by J.R.R. Tolkien. I would especially recommend Silmarillion because it has such an interesting dynamic of Mythical History and unique Cosmogony. Imagine an author who goes so far as to lay out the entire history of a fictional world as well as it's metaphysical origins in order to bring about such a vibrant world such as middle earth. I love the cosmogony of the book though because Tolkien manages to blend all of the best aspects of every single cosmology, from Greek Pantheism and Hinduism to Christianity and Islam . One little tidbit I remember is about the creation of the universe (within the context of Tolkien's world is concerned) where in Eru (a.k.a. God/Illuvatar), living alone in the void of the universe essentially sings the "spheres of the world" into existence. A fantastic notion he puts forward is that the universe attunes itself to a rhythm of creation, or what Tolkien refers to as a "great music" which provides logical structure and harmony to the entire universe. You then read on how Eru creates the ancient creatures of the world, where they came from, where they go, how the elves come about and what they did to get to where they are in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as the origins of good and evil. Also, there are numerous small epics and stories interwoven into the book that make it interesting and memorable as well. I definitely do not do Tolkien credit though in this very small summarization though because he manages to put everything together and convey it in such an epic and beautiful way that it is just as well that he had put the Silmarillion together as Eru did the universe. Fantastic read! Also, if you like that, you may also like The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisFaust by Goethe

On the subject of German works and Lord of the Rings, I have wondered what a literal translation of Der Ring des Nibelungen would be like if you read it through instead of seeing the performance. Lord of the Rings is epic... but the Ring of the Nibelung is EPIC!!!! And to be honest, one really has to wonder how much of Lord of the Rings is actually a guised version of Das Rhinegold or any other of the installments. I saw one of the last true-to-the-original-way-Wagner-intended-it performances to be played at the New York Metropolitan a few months ago in the four installments. Unfortunately, they are replacing it with a more modern variation, which I understand is going to be rubbish. But anyway, maybe it would be a good book to read (I think amazon has literal translations). Will Wotan ever win? LOL! Seriously though, no one ever wins as far as the ring goes... you just do a little better each time.

Hey Lily,
Have you read Alice In Wonderland yet?

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Yes, I read it last year. I thought it was really good

Catchabula,

It is extremely fascinating. Even beyond the common theme of quest, I think that above all there is a natural pedagogy to Rings and NibelungLily,

You will not be disappointed with anything Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre is a fantastic book to read, and it's a classic any which way you look at it. It is a Gothic Horror, but it is honestly all about Jane and Edward. I'll admit, it's a bit dark at times and you cannot help but feel sorry for the wrong people, but it is definitely worth the time to read. The evolution of the relationship between Jane and Rochester is charming to say the least, and the twist at the end is worth it.

It's funny that you mention the Grimm brothers and old fairy tales. I'm sure there is a book out there (and if anybody knows, please tell me) that explains the modern fairy tale, the old fairy tale, and the modifications of the Grimm brothers. Cinderella for example is definitely something that I think is far better off in the Disney version then the original or the Grimm version. The original version of the glass slipper part (which I have been able to find up until the immediate Grimm alteration) was actually pretty nasty. The sisters, in an effort to fit into the "magic slipper," essentially mutilate their feet in order to fit into the shoe (described in a good amount of detail too). And after the Prince picks Cinderella, birds peck out the sisters and mothers eyes for their deeds. And you think that is somewhat interesting, you should hear the original of Little Red Riding Hood. Suffice to say that Red dies, but before she dies she eats part of her grandmother, and stripteases at a certain point for the wolf. Oh... and the woodsman...yeah... he never shows up. Sleep tight little timmy. LOL!

I haven't read Jane Eyre but I thoroughly enjoyed the film.