02-03-2005, 06:41 AM | #1 | ||
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Looking for a good book.
Anybody read any good books recently? I'm more of a fiction reader but would get into any book if it's interesting enough.
Thanks in advance for some advise.
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02-03-2005, 06:52 AM | #2 | ||
High School Varsity
Join Date: Jul 2003
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Well, my all-time-must-read book that you probably haven't read is Lanark by Alistair Gray. It changed my life and really, is increadible if you are willing to go with the flow (it's kinda fucked up). I met the guy and got my book signed 2 years ago and I've read it four or five times and have four copies of it! It's one of those books you can read as a story and enjoy or look for metaphor and be successful or look at the 'art of writing' and get a lot there.
I read it in school just for fun, but people study it at various levels (a friend did her English Higher report (last year of school) on it as did my brother, and my mother studied it at university). Really, I can't recommend it enough. If you're looking for a 'fun' book, look no further than the Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Set in a bizzare alternative 1985(ish) where books are as popular as films (and nobody watches films). The protagonist is a "literary detective" and she has to protect manuscripts and stuff like that. The main story arc involves her going INTO Jane Eyre to stop the kidnapping of a main character. It's a bizzarre book, quite unlike anything else but at its heart its a comedy detective story. Praise for Lanark: A life in four books (Amazon) Quote:
Priase for The Eyre Affair (also off Amazon) Quote:
Last edited by Yossarian : 02-03-2005 at 06:55 AM. |
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02-03-2005, 07:30 AM | #3 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Springfield, USA
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"A Song of Fire and Ice" series by George R. R. Martin.
Good review: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ...rge.rr.martin/ Last edited by HomerJSimpson : 02-03-2005 at 07:31 AM. |
02-03-2005, 07:40 AM | #4 |
High School Varsity
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Location: Noblesville
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I'll echo Yossarian on The Eyre Affair - a fun read with interesting characters and a wonderful premise (especially for the bibliophiles among us...)
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02-03-2005, 07:46 AM | #5 |
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Dola - in the same vein, if you happen to be a fan of (any) mythology, give Neil Gaiman's American Gods a read. Probably my favorite author, Gaiman's love of mythos and storytelling shines through in just about anything he writes. If four color (colour for you Canadians and Brits) literature is an option, Gaiman's 75 issue run as the writer of Sandman stands (in my biased opinion) as one of the more powerful Shakespearian-styled tragedies of the last 10-15 years.
Last edited by kurtism : 02-03-2005 at 07:47 AM. |
02-03-2005, 08:05 AM | #6 |
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"Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions" by Ben Mezrich
It is about a group of students from MIT who develop a card counting system for Blackjack (in the early to mid nineties). It is a quick, easy, fun read. |
02-03-2005, 12:36 PM | #7 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Portland, OR
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Yossarian, shouldn't your favorite book be Catch-22?
I just finished reading the Dante Club. It is a mystery novel that is ok as mysteries but is really interesting if you have an interest in massachussetts literary figures of the late 19th century. The book uses real people as the protagonists in the story. |
02-03-2005, 12:41 PM | #8 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Baltimore, MD
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The Count of Monte Cristo. My favorite book of all time.
The Godfather. If you enjoy this genre of movies, I think you will love the book. I did. |
02-03-2005, 01:24 PM | #9 |
College Prospect
Join Date: Oct 2000
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May I suggest From the Hands of Hostile Gods, written by the FOFC's very own Drake.
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02-03-2005, 01:30 PM | #10 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ashburn, VA
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Ditto on the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin and on Gaiman's American Gods.
Personally I'm loving reading Neal Stephenson. While Snow Crash, Zodiac, and The Diamond Age are easier to read and get into, Cryptonomicon, Quicksilver, The Confusion, and The System of the World are my favorite. Quiksilver, The Confusion, and The System of the World are a trilogy. Oddly enough, one character from that series is in Cryptonomicon as are some of the later generations of families introduced in Quicksilver etc. Once I finish reading The System of the World, I have a book called "Travels with Barley" (a spin off of Travels with Charley) by Ken Wells (a book about beer!) that I'll probably read... ~tk
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02-03-2005, 01:32 PM | #11 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
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Don't bother with The Davinci Code. Its a very very very very average book. It has an albino monk as a baddy (why not chuck in 'dwarf' for measure?) and the only reason it is hyped as it is is simply that it deals with controversial conspiracy theories.
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02-03-2005, 01:34 PM | #12 |
Head Coach
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Colorado Springs
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Roger Zelazny's Amber! 20 bucks for a 10 book compilation, 1000+ pages of literary goodness.
Song of Fire and Ice is a good choice as well. (Speaking of, still quite awhile till the 4th book comes out. July, according to Amazon.) |
02-03-2005, 01:36 PM | #13 |
Hall Of Famer
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Newburgh, NY
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America's Game is a great book on the emergance of the NFL as America's favorite sport. It covers the game and the business very well.
Charlie Wilson's War is perhaps the most engaging non-fiction book I've ever read. Its the very unlikely story of how we won in Afghanistan in the eighties. |
02-03-2005, 01:44 PM | #14 | |
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ashburn, VA
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Quote:
From George R.R. Martin's Website: " I said that I hoped to have the book done by the end of the year. Famous last words. No, it's not done, though I am getting closer. I have more than thirteen hundred pages in final draft form and another hundred or so in roughs or fragments, but there are still some chapters yet to write. I'm telling myself that I'm on the home stretch. As soon as FEAST as done, I will announce it here.
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02-03-2005, 01:46 PM | #15 | |
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Location: Portland, Oregon
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this is a absolute read... Confessions of an Economic Hitman.
hxxp://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=8-1576753018-0 Quote:
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02-03-2005, 01:47 PM | #16 |
The boy who cried Trout
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02-03-2005, 01:49 PM | #17 |
Banned
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02-03-2005, 02:00 PM | #18 | |
Pro Rookie
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Quote:
Nice!! Thanks for the advise guys - just spent $80+ on amazon for my reading fixations
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02-03-2005, 02:08 PM | #19 |
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The Jenna book is actually quite good in all honesty.
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02-03-2005, 02:59 PM | #20 |
High School Varsity
Join Date: Jul 2003
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I bet you read playboy for the articles...
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02-03-2005, 03:02 PM | #21 |
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2003
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The Hitchiker's Guide to The Galaxy - A genuine bible - greatest book I've ever read.
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02-03-2005, 03:16 PM | #22 | |
Pro Starter
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Location: toronto
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Quote:
Mayhaps
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Pumpy Tudors Now that I've cracked and made that admission, I wonder if I'm only a couple of steps away from wanting to tongue-kiss Jaromir Jagr and give Bobby Clarke a blowjob. |
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02-03-2005, 05:05 PM | #23 |
College Benchwarmer
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Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen is a good read if you like Pulp Fiction type humor.
I agree that Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions" by Ben Mezrich is a good book as well. |
02-03-2005, 05:13 PM | #24 |
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I recently went back and re-read the HG2TG - sadly it had lost some of the magic that I got when I first read it at 15 or whatever. Was still entertaining but not as funny as I had remembered.
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02-03-2005, 05:13 PM | #25 | |
College Prospect
Join Date: Dec 2003
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Quote:
some good suggestions here, but if you haven't read this - there is no real choice - an absolute must read |
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02-03-2005, 05:41 PM | #26 |
Pro Starter
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Location: Newbury, England
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There's a very strange and disturbing book called The Collector by John Fowles that if I'd recommend if you like books that have an emotional impact, but with the proviso that it's not exactly light-hearted...
He's more well known for 'The Magus' which most people prefer: it is good but The Collector is very well written and considering it was his debut novel. and is now over 40 years old, has a very controversial subject matter. Similarly 'The Fu ck Up' by Arthur Nersesian is well worth a read despite the publicity seeking title,. If you like conspiracy theory, try American Hero by Larry Beinhart - the basis for 'Wag The Dog'. Or for a very easy and warming read (which you'll appreciate after either of the first two) look for 'The Alchemist' by Paolo Cuelho. None of them new, but they're the four best books I've read in last few years... |
02-03-2005, 05:51 PM | #27 |
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I just finished reading Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins which was a great book, bit different.
For something really different try picking up House of Leaves which is unlike anything you've ever read more than likely. Have to decide for yourself whether that's good or bad. Also in the more obvious, my two favorite authors Vonnegut and Nabokov you really can't go wrong with, so if you've never read anything from them, do so. |
02-03-2005, 06:03 PM | #28 | |
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Quote:
yep, worth reading |
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02-03-2005, 06:14 PM | #29 |
College Benchwarmer
Join Date: Jun 2003
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The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
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02-03-2005, 06:39 PM | #30 |
Pro Starter
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Location: Alabama
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All The Name by Jose Saramago is perhaps the best book I have ever read. Others that are worth a look:
Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore ok. anything by Christopher Moore I agree on the Fforde books I think there are 4 of them now. |
02-03-2005, 06:54 PM | #31 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
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Quote:
Yup, and he's got a new one (Not a Thursday Next book) coming out in the summer - uk at least It's a publication of his first actual novel that at the time noone would buy off him. I was originally called nursery crime and is a detective story (surprise) investigating the death of Humpty Dumpty. I've been to two of his book tours. I think the new one's called "the big over easy". |
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02-03-2005, 07:53 PM | #32 |
Coordinator
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If you haven't read the Harry Potter books you should read them.
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02-03-2005, 10:25 PM | #33 |
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I just got done with Never Mind the Pollacks, by Neal Pollack, a fun fictional tale of a rock critic that "discovers" some of the greatest musicians ever. Sort of a Forrest Gump meets Spinal Tap type deal. Not heady stuff by any means, but funny and worthwhile.
Also, if you're into soccer, try Brilliant Orange by David Winner or Morbo by Phil Ball to understand more about the soccer culture in Holland and Spain. Last edited by Scholes : 02-03-2005 at 11:37 PM. Reason: spelling/grammar |
02-03-2005, 10:47 PM | #34 |
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A great non fiction is: Combat Jump by Ed Ruguerro. A good tale about 82d ABN DIV and it's jump into Italy.
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02-04-2005, 06:28 AM | #35 | |
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Quote:
I've read all the Potter books - I love them all!! Pre-ordered 'Half Prince' and I also to the recommendation of Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions. I also wanted to start reading King's Dark Tower books so I bought the first 2 of the series. Has anyone read the Dark Tower series
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02-04-2005, 07:10 AM | #36 |
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i'd recommend the new murakami book : http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...127384-5078202
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02-04-2005, 08:18 AM | #37 | |
Coordinator
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Quote:
Sounds like we have really similar tastes. I liked Bringing Down the House a lot. And I read the Dark Tower series. I highly recommend it. But the first one is pretty slow and hard to get through. Luckily, it's short, so just try to get through it. The other books in the series are much better. |
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