View Full Version : Sedai's book recommendation thread
Going to be posting some book recs from time to time. Didn't see another thread like this using search, but the search seems a tad flakey.
Film:
Somewhere in the night-Film noir and the american city: Nicholas Christopher
Interesting take on the american city. Referrences to city usage in film, as well as the effect of the city on our society. Chock full of cool tid-bits about various film noir as well.
Non-film:
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American meal: Schlosser
I think this shoud be required high school reading. Great text about the economics, corruption, and content of the fast food industry.
A Demon Haunted World, Science as a Candle in the Dark: Carl Sagan
Sort of a debunking fest pitting science vs Psuedo-science. Written later in Carl's short life, and he takes a more philosphical approach than his earlier stuff (the man was dying after all).
Enjoy :)
Sedai
you should just be able to highlight a bit of text and then press the appropriate button at the top. If that doesn't work for some reason you can write b at the beginning and /b at the end for example, but closed in this type of bracket [].
love the Fast Food Nation book btw. Should definitely be required reading.
LordSlaytan
12-13-03, 01:50 PM
Words like and, the, but, it, make the search fail unless you use quotations. If you have a title like And The Cradle Will Rock, you need to use quotation marks in order for the search to work. Or, you can just use the key words: Cradle Rock, to get it to work.
Ok guys got the editor working properly and brushed up on the VB stuff. Thanks for the advice.
Now for another book, fiction this time :cool:
Black House: Stephen King/Peter Straub
Loose sequel to The Talisman.
This is the second novel by this team featuring the uber-perceptive Jack Sawyer, now 20 years older than in The Talisman. This book is considerably darker than the previous installment, and haunts you after each reading session like some of the better works by these two authors. I don't think I've been this disturbed by a horror novel since I read The Great and Secret Show. Not for the faint at heart. :eek:
Enjoy
More books next week
Knoxville
12-19-03, 06:46 PM
I've been eyeing up this book for ages, the fact that you compared the graphic nature of it to the Great and Secret Show did it for me, I love that book.:D
I've been eyeing up this book for ages, the fact that you compared the graphic nature of it to the Great and Secret Show did it for me, I love that book.:D
Ultimately, I think I would have to put Barker in my #1 slot in this genre. His level of imagination is unsurpassed IMO. Stuff like The Great and Secret Show and Imajica are just on a level all their own. Imajica is one of my all time favorite books. King is good, to be sure, but he has screwed up to many endings for me to not hold it against him. :rolleyes:
LordSlaytan
12-22-03, 02:49 PM
Clive Barker is one of the contemporary masters of the Build Your Own Universe style of writing. His earlier books like The Damnation Game and his short story compilations, were not my cup of tea, but when Weaveworld and The Great and Secret Show came out; he made me a believer.
It's funny that you compare King with Barker. I remember when Imajica came out, I bought the hardcover copy as well as King's current hardcover, Needful Things. While King's book put me to sleep with its constant meandering, Barker's book awoke my passion with a story so epic, it took my breath away. The two are not to be compared. All of Barkers later novels have been excellent, while King remained a crap shoot. Aside from It and The Stand, King hasn't had any masterpieces. Good books, yes. Exceptional, hardly.
The follow-up to The Great and Secret Show is Everville, it is another fantasy filled read. Galilee is a romantic epic that is full of character's that are on par with some of literature's greatest, and one of my favorite ghost stories of all times is his more recent book called Coldheart Canyon.
I agree with Sedai, if you want to have a whirlwind of a read, check out Barker. :yup:
Clive Barker is one of the contemporary masters of the Build Your Own Universe style of writing. His earlier books like The Damnation Game and his short story compilations, were not my cup of tea, but when Weaveworld and The Great and Secret Show came out; he made me a believer.
It's funny that you compare King with Barker. I remember when Imajica came out, I bought the hardcover copy as well as King's current hardcover, Needful Things. While King's book put me to sleep with its constant meandering, Barker's book awoke my passion with a story so epic, it took my breath away. The two are not to be compared. All of Barkers later novels have been excellent, while King remained a crap shoot. Aside from It and The Stand, King hasn't had any masterpieces. Good books, yes. Exceptional, hardly.
The follow-up to The Great and Secret Show is Everville, it is another fantasy filled read. Galilee is a romantic epic that is full of character's that are on par with some of literature's greatest, and one of my favorite ghost stories of all times is his more recent book called Coldheart Canyon.
I agree with Sedai, if you want to have a whirlwind of a read, check out Barker. :yup:
Hehe, sorry Slay, didn't mean to compare the two. I feel the same way about King (The Dark Tower stuff IS top notch though). Everville was a great book.
LordSlaytan
12-22-03, 04:41 PM
Hehe, sorry Slay, didn't mean to compare the two. I feel the same way about King (The Dark Tower stuff IS top notch though). Everville was a great book.
I meant nothing like you shouldn't compare them...I was agreeing with you that they are not comparable. Yet, how could I forget Roland's tale? It is, by far, King's best work. I am in love with those books. I just finished Wolves of the Callah a little while ago and can't wait until Suzannah's Song to come out. He projects 6 months between release dates for the final three, since he is already done with them. After his harrowing accident, he didn't want to risk not finishing them before his death. Good for us. If you haven't read The Gunslinger or its follow-ups...READ THEM NOW!!!
BTW Sedai, you must read Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. It is my favorite book, I think you will love it.
theshape82
12-23-03, 09:23 PM
personally i'm a fan of every book written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
my 3 favorites by them though are "relic" "reliquary"(which by the way is the sequal to the relic) and "cabinet of curiosities"
i recently bought off amazon, stephen kings 'Skellington crew'. I bought just for the short story 'The Mist'. It should be made into a film. Well, only if they can get decent people working on it btu it would be amazing to see visually.
I loved that story but reading more into this compendium of stories I have found many more very good tales.
The Juant is good snappy one with a nice twist.
i recently bought off amazon, stephen kings 'Skellington crew'. I bought just for the short story 'The Mist'. It should be made into a film. Well, only if they can get decent people working on it btu it would be amazing to see visually.
I loved that story but reading more into this compendium of stories I have found many more very good tales.
The Juant is good snappy one with a nice twist.
Skeleton Crew is my favorite collection of short stories by SK. The Jaunt is great, and I agree that the mist would be a great film, along the lines of The Thing, with all sorts of paranoia setting in on the characters over time.
My only concern about The Mist would be that they wouldn't be able to get the right creepy atmosphere going while having to stick to the characters point of view from inside the Supermarket. :rolleyes:
Yet another tome for the people.....
Mythology
The DC Comics art of Alex Ross.
This almost 300 page ovrsize art book is absolutely stunning. Of course the artwork is good, it's Alex Ross! The quality of this publication must also be touched on as well. A bang-up formating job and exquisite printing (I am in the industry, I notice these things ;)) make this a must own for anyone familiar with Ross's work and anyone who isn't but has an interest in comic books and illustrated literature in general.
I found this under the tree and had my head in it for 3 days straight just gobbling up all the little tid-bits of info throughout. Not only is this a stellar showcase of much of the work he has ever done, it also contains a written expose' about the artist himself that gives us a peep into the life of this artisitc juggernaut.
HIGHLY recommended.
Follow Up: Black House
Turns out this is a Dark Tower book as well. Just finished it up, and I think I learned more about what the tower is, it's purpose, location, and about the way the dimensions are set up than in any of the true Dark Tower stuff (I have yet to read Wolves and Wizard, which means Slay will slay me for sure). This makes this a must read for any DT fan out there.
The book was great btw, and I am glad I recommended it before finishing ;)
_S
Sorry for the triple post but the review I thought I posted earlier has vanished....
A Brief History of Time/The Universe in a Nutshell: Stephen Hawking
What a treasure this set is! My girlfriend and I went out Friday for some sangria and relaxation at our friends place, and after a while this set surfaced into my lap. Quite the mistake on my friend Renee's part, showing me this and then expecting to socialize with me ;) I was sucked right in, this man has a way of presenting complex concepts in an easy to understand fashion, sort of like my other chum, Carl Sagan. Hawking makes spacetime seem fun. The printing is also of the highest quality in this fully illustrated, full color two book set. I have ordered my set for $49, and would have paid twice that tag for this gem. What a wonderful and informative set of learning material. I was familiar with some of the concepts, others I was hazy on or hadn't yet been intoduced to at all. Regardless of my past knowledge on some of the material, I found the whole package entrancing.
Next up: The Song of Ice and Fire Series: George R.R. Martin
LordSlaytan
01-29-04, 09:40 PM
Follow Up: Black House
Turns out this is a Dark Tower book as well. Just finished it up, and I think I learned more about what the tower is, it's purpose, location, and about the way the dimensions are set up than in any of the true Dark Tower stuff (I have yet to read Wolves and Wizard, which means Slay will slay me for sure). This makes this a must read for any DT fan out there.
The book was great btw, and I am glad I recommended it before finishing ;)
_S
Not only does Black House cross reference with the Dark Tower Epic, but the Dark Tower books 4 and 5 cross reference with The Stand and Salem's Lot. The newest principal character in the 5th installment is Father Callahan, who is the priest that confronts the master vampire in SL and receives some of its blood. Look for Randall Flag playing a major role as well.
Not only does Black House cross reference with the Dark Tower Epic, but the Dark Tower books 4 and 5 cross reference with The Stand and Salem's Lot. The newest principal character in the 5th installment is Father Callahan, who is the priest that confronts the master vampire in SL and receives some of its blood. Look for Randall Flag playing a major role as well.
I was scoping out some of our books last night, and Wolves has most of his novels listed in the front. In this particular book, he has many of the titles highlighted in bold and states they are all DT related. Some of the titles surprised me, such as Rose Madder and Bag of Bones. I think Insomnia was also included as well as Salem's Lot, as you mentioned.
I think I have to go on a King spree, and read 4 and 5 of DT, and hit a couple of the old books I read waaaaaaaaay back in school in the 80s.
_S
I also still need to pick up Wuthering Heights....
Darwin's Radio
Greg Bear
Sci-fi author Greg Bear brings us Darwin's Radio, a near future thriller about the next step in the evolution of man. While exploring ice caves, scientists discover the mummified remains of a neanderthal family. They also discover the remains of what appears to be a mummified homo-sapien baby. As you would guess, this shoots holes in the whole "millions of years to evolve" theory and a strange evolution-trigger retro-virus is discovered. Young pregnant women begin to contract the virus and have babies that are quite extraordinary. It's not long before fear and hatred bubble to the surface of society, and all hell breaks loose.
This is a somewhat quick read, but the ideas within are interesting and fun. Bear writes in a cinematic style using short chapters and whisking the reader from locale to locale and this style really gets you turning pages. After reading this one, I recommend moving on to the sequel, released just this year, Darwin's Children.
_S
Been a while....
The Darwin Awards: Evolution in Action (Comedy)
Wendy Northcutt
- Cute little book that showcases "individuals who ensure the long-term survival of our species by removing themselves from the gene pool in a sublimely idiotic fashion." Read one of these each morning and start your day off with a chuckle. Some of the things listed in this book are just outrageous! All supposed to be true as well, although some I find hard to believe.
The Watchmen (1988)
Alan Moore
It's illustrated, yes, but don't let that fool you. One of the most hard hitting comic series ever, I thought I would recommend it to those comic fans (and non comic fans alike) who hadn't been exposed to it. I read it every once and a while and it is always thought provoking. Some consider it too dark, but I think it's a must read.
Garrett
07-12-04, 02:37 PM
The Watchmen (1988)
Alan Moore
It's illustrated, yes, but don't let that fool you. One of the most hard hitting comic series ever, I thought I would recommend it to those comic fans (and non comic fans alike) who hadn't been exposed to it. I read it every once and a while and it is always thought provoking. Some consider it too dark, but I think it's a must read.
I've been meaning to get this. I probably will by the end of the week.
allthatglitters
07-12-04, 07:14 PM
Non-film:
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American meal: Schlosser
I think this shoud be required high school reading. Great text about the economics, corruption, and content of the fast food industry.
Sedai
It is- well at least I know that it's one of the books on the AP Comp. summer packet, thankfully I don't have to deal with THAT packet until next summer.
I was wondering you seem to enjoy alot of science fiction, mystery dark adventure books- genre's that i haven't really gotten into. Could you make any reccomendations on prehaps a 'light reading' book as I am going to be reading it during summer school class and I don't want to get in trouble too much. I am really sort of just looking for a break from the period pieces I've been reading lately.
It is- well at least I know that it's one of the books on the AP Comp. summer packet, thankfully I don't have to deal with THAT packet until next summer.
I was wondering you seem to enjoy alot of science fiction, mystery dark adventure books- genre's that i haven't really gotten into. Could you make any reccomendations on prehaps a 'light reading' book as I am going to be reading it during summer school class and I don't want to get in trouble too much. I am really sort of just looking for a break from the period pieces I've been reading lately.
Well, I always have to recommend Childhood's End, by Arthur C Clark. It is rather short, and I guess it fits into the light catagory, although many of the concepts are mind blowing and just plain awesome! Published in 1954, It was WAY ahead of it's time (you will notice similarities with stuff like Independance Day), has interesting, decently developed (for Clark) characters and as mentioned before, some amazing concepts about humanity, evolution, and our culture as a race.
I can't think of a better first sci-fi concept wise, Clark can be a tad dry, but like I said, it's a short read.
allthatglitters
07-12-04, 07:33 PM
thanks! short reads are great- i can go pick it up Friday at the library when i drop my current books off. :D
blibblobblib
07-19-04, 04:37 PM
Hey Sedia, good post.
A Demon Haunted World, Science as a Candle in the Dark: Carl Sagan
Sort of a debunking fest pitting science vs Psuedo-science. Written later in Carl's short life, and he takes a more philosphical approach than his earlier stuff (the man was dying after all).
Have you read any of Carl Sagan's other stuff? i want to start reading Contact as the film is one of my favourites. Any ideas on the book? It looks pretty heavy. (not as in weight as in, but as in making my brain melt.) Ive only just recently become intersted in Carl Sagan, as for a long while i didnt find out what book Contact was based on. What happened to Carl? Did he die of cancer?
A Brief History of Time/The Universe in a Nutshell: Stephen Hawking
What a treasure this set is! My girlfriend and I went out Friday for some sangria and relaxation at our friends place, and after a while this set surfaced into my lap. Quite the mistake on my friend Renee's part, showing me this and then expecting to socialize with me ;) I was sucked right in, this man has a way of presenting complex concepts in an easy to understand fashion, sort of like my other chum, Carl Sagan. Hawking makes spacetime seem fun. The printing is also of the highest quality in this fully illustrated, full color two book set. I have ordered my set for $49, and would have paid twice that tag for this gem. What a wonderful and informative set of learning material. I was familiar with some of the concepts, others I was hazy on or hadn't yet been intoduced to at all. Regardless of my past knowledge on some of the material, I found the whole package entrancing.
Its a great book isnt it? As im working at Borders at the mo, on my hourly wanders around the store i stopped and read some of this the other day, it was really good, his stuff on black holes melts my brain. If you like these mind blowing ideas on the numbers of the universe and our place in it etc etc, you would really enjoy Bill Bryson's new book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything". The first few chapters are on the origins of the universe and our solar system and planet, and some the analogies he gives are simply mind blowing. Great read.
Its a great book isnt it? As im working at Borders at the mo, on my hourly wanders around the store i stopped and read some of this the other day, it was really good, his stuff on black holes melts my brain. If you like these mind blowing ideas on the numbers of the universe and our place in it etc etc, you would really enjoy Bill Bryson's new book, "A Short History of Nearly Everything". The first few chapters are on the origins of the universe and our solar system and planet, and some the analogies he gives are simply mind blowing. Great read.
Awesome...I am actually in need of another non-fic book to go in the slot A Brief History of Time was filling. Still plodding through Darwin's Children, by Greg Bear, in the fiction department currently. A good book but I just haven't been in the fiction mood recently. As for Sagan's other books, I have read Billions and Billions, which was also very good. More a collection of essays than a cohesive book, but the essays are quite interesting and some are also quite moving...
Carl Sagan died of a blood disorder of some sort, the exact nature of which I can't remember. He talks about it in Billions and Billions.
We miss you Carl!!!
Urban Cowboy
07-23-04, 05:33 PM
The Dirt : Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band
By Tommy Lee and Vience
A must-read biography. The best biograph ever about a rock band. A really, really good band at that.
A biography on these clowns actually sounds pretty interesting, even thought I feel they were not very good players. Well, Tommy Lee is a decent musician, but not the rest of them. This doesn't mean I wasn't at the Shout at the Devil concert when they opened for Ozzy back in 83 ;)
Thanks for the recommendation!
allthatglitters
09-02-04, 04:39 PM
Sedai- Sorry it's taken this long to get back to you on 'Childhood's End', been super busy of late.
I enjoyed it, it wasn't nesscarily a hard book for me to read, but since I am not used to that type of book it was hard for me to get through. Took me two days, which is a first for a book that short. I was intrigued with alot of the ideas it brought up, not just about the future, but society itself. It didn't seem like he was going for the whole political motiff thing. Although that is present, from what I learned from the authour's note he wasn't going for a particular motiff on what communism would be like in the future, or aything like that. Although I was sort of surprised when in the prologue, he mentions the demise of Soviet Russia. A small ray of hope, in an otherwise depressing story.
What I thought he really nailed was the way humanity just is. When the overlords came, sure there were groups againts them, but for the most part teh world was like 'OK sure you bring peace and it's all good'. They gave up the world to these much wiser beings, not knowing that it was only furthering the decline of actual human progress. Sure everybody was equal and all that, but nobody was unique. It showed how creativity and uniqueness is vital for humans to survive on their own.
One of the things that bugged me about the book was how it was always jumping from one thing to another, I got used to it, but it sort of caught me off gaurd. Overall I didn't think the charachters were developed per say, but they weren't nesscarily dry either. Maybe it was so weird for me since I haven't read a non-charachter centered book in SUCH a long time that I forgot what it was like to look at motiffs versus charachter development.
I might have more to say later but right now I have to get to class. :)
So what's next? The science-fiction route seems pretty nice right now, where do I go from here?
Excellent, glad you got through it. The dryness you mention seems to be standard fare for Clark, and he just relies on the wonderful concepts he is putting out there. I loved the whole stow-away story thread, and the strange places he got to explore. Now, did you really take the whole ending as the end of the human race? I found it to be more of an evolution or elevation of the human essence, while shedding many of the undesirables present in our people.
Ok, that got you started with Clark, and you ask for more, so I have to recommend the Rama series... There is actually a fair amount of character development in the series, with much it coming in the second book, Rama II. The first is a bit short on the development, but he is introducing the players and the technology that will span the four book series, and needs to cover a lot of ground. It is a favorite of mine (the series), and the sense of wonder and discovery he instills in the reader are magnificent.
Rama is a vessel that drifts into our solar system, and a team of explorers is sent to investigate. What they find inside (and no, it isn't Sharon Stone and Sam Jackson reading 20,000 leagues under the sea), is quite thought provoking and the way he builds on the premise throughout the series is a great example of the genius that is Arthur C. Clark.
The Books:
Rendezvous with Rama
Rama II
The Garden of Rama
Rama Revealed
A tall order I know, but you can read only the first book to see if it's up your alley, and it is a complete story that doesn't necessitate a reading of the other books, although I have a feeling you may want to keep on going after the first.....
Catch ya later and thanks for checking out the recommendation ;)
Anonymous Last
09-02-04, 05:41 PM
I'm going to have to check out the Rama series. Thanks man.
The Discoverers:A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself
Daniel Boorstin
Astronomy, anthropology, history, philosophy.... This is one of the more interesting books I have ever read. Dan Boorstin is (or was) the librarian at the Library of Congress. The book begins with a light issue, man's perception of time, and expands into many different subjects pertaining to man's growth in science and culture throughout history. Confused about the origin of clocks? Perplexed about Ptolemy? Curious about ancient Asian cultures? Ancient western cultures? This is the book for you. Each page is chock full of interesting tidbits that seem to also make great conversation material. What does it take to change the world? When does it need changing? What hinders change in our world?
Other subjects covered:
From Publishers Weekly
In Boorstin's 1983 bestseller The Discoverers , the achievements of Galileo, Columbus, Darwin, Gutenberg and Freud emerged as upwellings of creativity and courage, ingenious acts of revolt against ingrained habit. This richly illustrated two-volume edition reveals the world as known to the discovers themselves. We see the tools of discovery--Egyptian obelisks, early clocks, Leeuwenhoek's microscope, Mercator's maps, botanical drawings from James Cook's voyages--and glimpse the social, cultural and political background, made concrete in 550 pictures including paintings, sculpture, engravings and architecture. A photograph of 15th-century cast bronze type from Korea underscores an Eastern invention that could have changed the course of printing, perhaps of science and culture. In a feast for the mind and eye, itself a delightful adventure in discovery, Boorstin, librarian of Congress emeritus, profiles--and places in context--scores of innovators who broke with dogma and tradition.
Grab this tome people, it is well worth it....
Anonymous Last
09-10-04, 11:25 AM
The Discoverers:A History of Man's Search to Know His World and Himself
Daniel Boorstin
Astronomy, anthropology, history, philosophy.... This is one of the more interesting books I have ever read. Dan Boorstin is (or was) the librarian at the Library of Congress. The book begins with a light issue, man's perception of time, and expands into many different subjects pertaining to man's growth in science and culture throughout history. Confused about the origin of clocks? Perplexed about Ptolemy? Curious about ancient Asian cultures? Ancient western cultures? This is the book for you. Each page is chock full of interesting tidbits that seem to also make great conversation material. What does it take to change the world? When does it need changing? What hinders change in our world?
Other subjects covered:
From Publishers Weekly
In Boorstin's 1983 bestseller The Discoverers , the achievements of Galileo, Columbus, Darwin, Gutenberg and Freud emerged as upwellings of creativity and courage, ingenious acts of revolt against ingrained habit. This richly illustrated two-volume edition reveals the world as known to the discovers themselves. We see the tools of discovery--Egyptian obelisks, early clocks, Leeuwenhoek's microscope, Mercator's maps, botanical drawings from James Cook's voyages--and glimpse the social, cultural and political background, made concrete in 550 pictures including paintings, sculpture, engravings and architecture. A photograph of 15th-century cast bronze type from Korea underscores an Eastern invention that could have changed the course of printing, perhaps of science and culture. In a feast for the mind and eye, itself a delightful adventure in discovery, Boorstin, librarian of Congress emeritus, profiles--and places in context--scores of innovators who broke with dogma and tradition.
Grab this tome people, it is well worth it....
Sounds fantastic! Thanks.
Garrett
09-30-04, 01:52 AM
Recommend a book to me.
Did you get a chance to check out The Discoverers?
Some fiction:
Imajica - Barker
The Illuminatus Trilogy - Wilson
or how about Slay's recommendation, Wuthering Heights?
Old Dickens is interesting to read as well, since we are mentioning classics...:
A Tale of Two Cities
Wanted to expand a bit on the above post...
Imajica - Clive Barker
One of the most interesting and mind bending pieces of literature I have ever read. Secret Societies, dimensional travel, magic, politics, strange rituals, Voiders and Nullianacs. Wondering what those last two are? Check out the book! Sci-fi, fantasy, occult, romance, mystery....this one has it all...
chicagofrog
10-13-04, 01:04 PM
Everything's Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer
Start Here, Sean French
everything Palahniuk
Urban Cowboy
10-13-04, 05:17 PM
Well this book is hit or miss, and you might have already read this one, but A Confederacy of Dunces. This may be the funniest book I've ever read. A word of warning: All the people I have recommended this book to have loved it or hated it, there seems to be no middle ground, so don't hate me if it doesn't end up on your best ever list.
Cabbage Head
10-13-04, 05:25 PM
Grapes of Wrath
Catcher In The Rye
Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man
and for a fun light read
The Princess Bride (Abridged Version)
chicagofrog
10-18-04, 02:05 PM
During the course of each day his heart would descend from his chest into his stomach. By early afternoon he was overcome by the feeling that nothing was right, or nothing was right for him, or by the desire to be alone. By evening he was fulfilled: alone in the magnitude of his grief, alone in his aimless guilt, alone even in his lonelines. I am not sad (...) as if he might one day convince himself. Or fool himself. (...) because his life had unlimited potential for happiness, insofar that it was an empty white room. He would fall asleep with his heart at the foot of his bed (...) and each morning he would wake with it again in the cupboard of his rib cage, having become a little heavier, a little weaker, but still pumping. And by midafternoon he was again overcome with the desire to be somewhere else, someone else, someone else somewhere else. I am not sad.
J. S. Foer, Everything is Illuminated
maybe it makes somebody else feel like reading it.
Pyro Tramp
10-19-04, 05:41 AM
I just read Sharkys Machine by William Diehl, i found it and it was a very enjoyable read albeit a little dated. As anyone ever heard of this book or author, coz i havnt...
chicagofrog
10-19-04, 08:23 AM
Annie Proulx's That Old Ace in the Hole is her best book this far (this humble frog thinks so)
chicagofrog
10-22-04, 07:24 AM
and among the best books i read this year, i'd add:
Joseph Heller's Something Happened (to be read before Palahniuk's Fight Club, and then you'll understand!)
Annie Proulx's Postcards
Sandra Newman's The Only Good Thing Anyone Has Ever Done (especially recommended for Foer's fans and connoisseurs of experimental, original, innovative writing style)
allthatglitters
06-04-05, 06:09 PM
Sedai. It's that time of year again! The time when all the well-laid plans of students are thrown away as the summer packets begin to take-over! I have the options of:
Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol
An Hour before daylight by J. Carter
The primal Teen by Barbara Strauch
Fast Food NAtion
Galileo's Daughter by David Sobel
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
The Mouse that Roared by Henry A. Giroux
The lost Daughters of China by Karin Evans
The nigth trilogy by Elie Weisel
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Les Miserables (already read)
Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Thinsg Fall Aprt by Chinua Achebe
Have you read any of them? Which ones do you recommend?
(AP COMP! HERE I COME!!!)
Fast Food Nation is very earnest but good and interesting. It might be something that's more fun to dip into periodically than read all the way through though.
If you want to get carried away by a story, rather than innundated with some odious facts, I can recommend Heart of Darkness - although, as the title suggests, it's quite a dark ride too.
hehe, Gg beat me to it. Hit up Hearts of Darkness, and yes, I have also read Fast Food Nation, which I really think you should read. It is well worth it....
Strummer521
06-15-05, 12:14 AM
I have read Night, just the first book, and recommend it as it is one of the most gripping primary source accounts of the halocaust I have encountered.
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