skategoat Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 To balance the Bad Beers/Wine/Cars threads, I say we start a "Great Books" thread. For me summertime is reading time. There is nothing I like better than sitting in the backyard under some shade with my face buried in a good book. I'll start with two great non-fiction titles I recently finished and one I read a while back but loved: Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky That's right, it's a biography of a fish. Fascinating reading about a fish that was so important to the world. I flew through this book in 2 days. So good, I think I'll read it again. 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles Mann What were the Americas really like before European contact? Some surprising answers and theories here. Some of the book tends to plod. I got confused by all the various civilizations in Mesoamerica. The book cries out for better graphing and maps. But, if you're a fan of natural history or just history, this book is a must read. Stalingrad by Anthony Beevor You think war is hell? Read about what the German and Soviet troops and the civilian population had to endure during this battle. Unbelievable what hardships people can put themselves and others through. Beevor is an amazing history writer. He really makes it come alive. His other books about Berlin and the Spanish Civil War are excellent too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pebu Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 I don't read... I guess when I do read it is to common values from the machinists handbook. That book is invaluble. I have multiple copied pages from it tacked to my walls here in the office.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 Science Fiction Fan here. "Eisenhorn" by Dan Abnett, hands down. Coldfire Triology by C.S. Friedman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terryw Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. Heinlein Human child raised by Martians has to learn to be Human. If you like Sci Fi at all, read this book. Published in the 60's but way ahead of its time. The uncut version is the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 Fantasy fan - Riddle of Stars trilogy (starting with The Riddlemaster of Hed) by Patricia A. McKillip is one of my favourites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C5 Golfer Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 My list would be: "WILL" by G Gordon Liddy. - great read about how parents screw up the mind of thier kid - Liddy himself. Autobiography "On a Clear Day you can see General Motors" by John Z. De Lorean. If you love cars and hate the Chevy Vega - this is a must read. "Till Death do Us Part " by Vincent Bugliosi and Ken Hurwitz - or anything by Vincent Bugliosi. Great author and attorney. True story - fascinating read how Bugliosi then the LA prosecutor tried this murderer with circumstantial evidence. His other good book is "And the Sea Will Tell" - if you like sailing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derf Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 The only books I have to suggest are in french: Le Livre noir de l'automobile, by Richard Bergeron (only available from him or can be rented from a library) Les Québécois au volant c'est mortel, by Richard Bergeron Verglas, by Normand Lester and Corinne de Vailly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 I have an entire library at home, but one that comes to mind right away is Stiff - it's all about what happens to your body if you donate it to science and the crazy wacky things they do. VERY interesting, but a little graphic. The writer is very funny. Also Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan is a great true story about a woman who gets to do a "walk about" with a tribe in Australia. They want their tribe to die out because of the direction the world is going in, and she gets chosen to document it. Right now I'm reading 100 Years of Solitude, and am a bit dissapointed. I don't see the reasons it is such a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr D Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. HeinleinHuman child raised by Martians has to learn to be Human. If you like Sci Fi at all, read this book. Published in the 60's but way ahead of its time. The uncut version is the best. I love Heinlein I read everything he wrote twice by the age of 20. Some good philosophy in that stuff:biggthump My latest faves are ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand and another called objectivist epistimology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 I keep so many book and series going that it's hard to nail down any one book that I enjoy. Right now Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series is in rotation with Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Alatriste series and a bunch of trashy scifi and fantasy to fill in when I'm between books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted May 9, 2007 Report Share Posted May 9, 2007 About all I have time to read these days is exciting things like "Managing the Digital Firm", which I'm not recommending to anyone. I did make my way through Jacqueline Carey's "Kushiel's Dart" trilogy over the last year. Some of the fantasy fans will like it - lots of sex and intrigue, the lead character is basically a masochist trained as a spy and courtesan. I'm starting on the next three books in the series as soon as my exam is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 About all I have time to read these days is exciting things like "Managing the Digital Firm", which I'm not recommending to anyone.I did make my way through Jacqueline Carey's "Kushiel's Dart" trilogy over the last year. Some of the fantasy fans will like it - lots of sex and intrigue, the lead character is basically a masochist trained as a spy and courtesan. I'm starting on the next three books in the series as soon as my exam is over. my ex-fiancee loves that series. havne't got to read it but according to what she told me of it... intriguing. heavy stuffs, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted May 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 I never read sci-fi. I think the cheesy covers put me off. But I like sci-fi movies and loved Twilight Zone. Maybe I'll give Heinlein a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartron Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hmm, I don't think I have a preferred genre of books. I do have several half-finished books, though. Perhaps I'm more impatient than I think. :) Anyways, the 3 non-work related books at the top of my pile are: The Introvert Advantage -- Marty Olsen Laney Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man -- Susan Faludi Woody Allen and Philisophy -- Various, edited by Conard and Skobel that is, until I happen to come across some other book that catches my eye. 'later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terryw Posted May 10, 2007 Report Share Posted May 10, 2007 I never read sci-fi. I think the cheesy covers put me off. But I like sci-fi movies and loved Twilight Zone. Maybe I'll give Heinlein a try. Like Dr D, I read just about everything Heinlein wrote while I was in high school. Very thought provoking sutff. Start with Stranger in a Strange Land. It examines what makes us human. From sexuality to our belief in God. I think that this book was banned for a while due to its graphic nature . I know it has been called an underground classic for years. Drink deep, may you never thirst! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neuffy Posted May 12, 2007 Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 The Kushiel Series - One of the books has the only scene I've ever read in a book (or seen in a film or .. well, anything that is passively absorbed) that made my knees weak enough to not be able to stand up. Just...wow. (If anyone's read it, it's the Flechette scene...) "Stranger in a Strange Land" was good, although it seemed that Heinlein had a few...interesting...ideas about free love. Quite enjoyable, particularly the ideas about how seeing the universe differently could change things. "Guns Germs and Steel" was quite decent. Reading it, it seemed to mostly mesh with what I know of biology, evolution and sociology. Actually, I should pull it out and go through it again. It's been a while. Charles Sheffield's "The Mind Pool" was truly excellent. All I know is that I want me a simulacrum setup. 'Cause damn, but that'd be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted May 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2007 I couldn't finish "Guns Germs and Steel". I read about half of it and found that Diamond was just re-hashing the overall concepts, elaborating and giving more examples. That's fine but I got bored. OTOH, "Collapse" was fantastic. Finished it non-stop in about 3 days. Great book. The Easter Island stuff was fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 I haven't actually completed a book,let alone a trilogy,since our first was born 3 1/2 years ago; or a chapter without falling asleep since our second a year and a half ago.I do,however remember the last science fiction trilogy I read leading up to that point.It was by Kim Stanley Robinson and the books were titled Red Mars,Green Mars,and Blue Mars respectively.Obviously about colonizing Mars and very interesting with a lot of basis in current fact and theory with some great key characters through the whole trilogy.I would read it again.Maybe in 17 years or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Walk-True-Story-Freedom/dp/1841192406 I've read this book several times over the last thirty years. It's the most moving adventure I've ever read. BobD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Walk-True-Story-Freedom/dp/1841192406I've read this book several times over the last thirty years. It's the most moving adventure I've ever read. BobD Sounds simliar to Rabbit-Proof Fence. True story, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roscoe Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 Right now I'm reading 100 Years of Solitude, and am a bit dissapointed. I don't see the reasons it is such a classic. are you reading it in spanish or english? reading marquez in spanish adds a lot to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 are you reading it in spanish or english? reading marquez in spanish adds a lot to it That is of course if you can read spanish in the first place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 The Kushiel Series - One of the books has the only scene I've ever read in a book (or seen in a film or .. well, anything that is passively absorbed) that made my knees weak enough to not be able to stand up. Just...wow. (If anyone's read it, it's the Flechette scene...) And the bit where she's going to be skinned alive by the Skaldi warlord - I almost couldn't read that bit. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncermak Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 not sure if anyone else posted the Kite Runner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko Posted May 13, 2007 Report Share Posted May 13, 2007 not sure if anyone else posted the Kite Runner Yeah that's on my shelf of travel books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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