PDA

View Full Version : Needing a New Book To Read

Jeffage
10-24-2005, 12:19 PM
I am on a quest to get back to reading for pleasure (like I used to do all the time) and not just ***** books. Recent books I've read (both rec. on this forum) have included Vernon God Little (really liked it) and God Wants You to Roll (loved it). So I'm pretty open...edgy, satirical fiction or very captivating (though not so much historical) non fiction. So it's wide open here...any ideas? I'm buying a book (or several) today.

Jeff
spamuell
10-24-2005, 12:21 PM
I'm reading The Sea The Sea by Irish Murdoch and enjoying it a lot.
TheBlueMonster
10-24-2005, 12:59 PM
The Human Stain by Roth
The Emmigrants by Sebald
Roland19
10-24-2005, 01:05 PM
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King. Say what you will about him being a hack, this series is remarkably different from anything he's ever done. It's really more of a fantasy/science fiction/western. It's a series of books and they all rank among my favorites. Start with The Gunslinger and read your way through them. You'll be happy you did.
ScottyP431
10-24-2005, 01:20 PM
If you want to try something differant from run of the mill biz, try The Lover, by Marguerite Duras
2planka
10-24-2005, 01:46 PM
Vurt

It's certainly not run-of-the-mill.
10-24-2005, 02:23 PM
I've read some good Latin American literature and recommend:

The House of the Spirits- Isabel Allende

The Death of Artemio Cruz- Carlos Fuentes

Love in the Time of Cholera- Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Blarg
10-24-2005, 02:31 PM
The movie is also really great.
TheHip41
10-24-2005, 03:51 PM
Another Roadside Attraction, or Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. Good stuff
IronDragon1
10-24-2005, 03:53 PM
As far as satire goes a favorite of mine has always been Voltaire's "Candide"
canis582
10-24-2005, 04:05 PM
Jared Diamond, Guns Germs and Steel.

This thread is over. Someone lock it.
diebitter
10-24-2005, 04:09 PM
For something a bit different and I don't think that well read these days (but I really don't have any idea), there's not exactly satirical, but scathing (but with some empathy too) of the human condition: Vanity Fair?
CD56
10-24-2005, 04:11 PM
House of God-Samuel Shem
JimGil
10-24-2005, 04:19 PM
I just finished "Me talk pretty one day" by David Sedaris. Its a collection of short stories/essays. Quick read and extremely funny. None of the stories are over 10 pages, so it should ease you back into reading non-***** books.
coffeecrazy1
10-24-2005, 04:31 PM
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

And any Harry Potter, if you're into that sort of thing.
SackUp
10-24-2005, 04:48 PM
[ QUOTE ]
Jared Diamond, Guns Germs and Steel.

This thread is over. Someone lock it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Definitely a good book, but I don't know if a thread ender. Have you read his new book - Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed? I was thinking about getting it, but wondering if it lived up to its predecessor.
Georgia Avenue
10-24-2005, 04:49 PM
Like Short Stories?

The Ring of Brightest Angels Around Heaven: A Novella and Stories
by Rick Moody

or his earlier "Demonology" is also quite g00t.

Like Science Fiction at all?

I've been reading the Riverworld series for the first time (Philip Jose Farmer) and they are blowin my mind! More like Vonnegut than Asimov...Dante-esque metaphysical satire wherein all of humanity is reincarnated along a huge river on another planet. I still haven't figured out what's going on...I'm gonna scour the used bookstores 'round here till I find the last book.

If you like the punk rock a lot (or Nirvana a little) please read Our Band Could Be Your Life.
SackUp
10-24-2005, 04:51 PM
Oh and I'm a big fan of the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card. They are adventure/science fiction books that are really fun reads.

And if you like sports at all I would highly recommend Moneyball.
tbach24
10-24-2005, 05:01 PM
Kite Runner

Best book ever.

Also very good:
Life of Pi
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Cancuk
10-24-2005, 05:11 PM
Video Night in Kathmandu
Life in Orange
Cancuk
10-24-2005, 05:13 PM
[ QUOTE ]
The movie is also really great.

[/ QUOTE ]

I didn't think the movie was that great. The book is a good, quick read though.
JMP300z
10-24-2005, 05:15 PM
[ QUOTE ]
House of God-Samuel Shem

[/ QUOTE ]

-meh, catch22 copy that fell way short of being worthwhile.

-JP
Cancuk
10-24-2005, 05:16 PM
[ QUOTE ]
The Human Stain by Roth

[/ QUOTE ]


Good book. I also liked "patrimony"...im' not really sure why though.
imported_anacardo
10-24-2005, 05:22 PM
How about 20 books?

The Aubrey/Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian. Start with "Master and Commander" and go from there. Every one a gem.
Indiana
10-24-2005, 05:24 PM
Jeffage,

Have you ever read "To Kill A Mockingbird?"

Indy
colgin
10-24-2005, 05:25 PM
"The Amazing Adventures of Kavaier and Clay" by Michael Chabon.

"The Club Dumas" or "The Flanders Panel" by Arturo Perez-Reverte.
Frequitude
10-25-2005, 12:36 AM
"One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich" - Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Very easy to read, and such a good message. You could probably knock it off in 2 days
Roland19
10-25-2005, 12:43 AM
[ QUOTE ]
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

And any Harry Potter, if you're into that sort of thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hearts in Atlantis contains a short story that is absolutely pivotal to the Dark Tower series, which is another thing I forgot to mention. The Dark Tower series has links and ties to nearly everything King has written, so one isn't truly done with the series until they've read about 10 related books, including Hearts, Insomnia, It, The Talisman, etc.
coffeecrazy1
10-25-2005, 12:52 AM
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

And any Harry Potter, if you're into that sort of thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hearts in Atlantis contains a short story that is absolutely pivotal to the Dark Tower series, which is another thing I forgot to mention. The Dark Tower series has links and ties to nearly everything King has written, so one isn't truly done with the series until they've read about 10 related books, including Hearts, Insomnia, It, The Talisman, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

Plus the fact that all of the short stories, especially the title one... especially the title one...are wonderful pieces of literature. In fact, I think some of King's best writing is in this book(and I've read most of his stuff).
10-25-2005, 01:57 AM
i just started an oldie but a goodie in "the world according to Garp" by John Irving I think it is one of the best books I have ever read!

my two scents /images/graemlins/blush.gif
Cancuk
10-25-2005, 02:11 AM
[ QUOTE ]
"One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich" - Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Very easy to read, and such a good message. You could probably knock it off in 2 days

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think the point of "a day in the life.." is to give a message, although the whole "equality" and "human dignity" thing is there, it's more a account of some truly horrific times.

It's still a good read though.

Also, Fck the flames. Go Canucks
ronzoni
10-26-2005, 01:22 AM
Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics (http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0309085497/ref=sib_rdr_fc/104-4637395-0507921?%5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S001&j=0#reader-page)

Read free online (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309085497/html/)
dblgutshot
10-26-2005, 01:27 AM
I just read Kite Runner and "Curious incident about...dog..." and I enjoyed both a lot. Both were recommended in another book thread on 2+2. Up next is Monster and Catch 22.

Also..http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/heinz256/trophyhaul.jpg
Rubeskies
10-26-2005, 02:28 AM
Italo Calvino: If on a Winter's Night a Traveler.

Very different form for a novel. Unlike anything else I've read.

And my favorite short story is Harrison Bergeron by Vonnegut.
2planka
10-26-2005, 09:17 AM
Some "off the wall" books I enjoyed:

Fool on a Hill by fellow 2+2er Matt Ruff is a fun read.

Chris Moore writes some strange stuff.

Someone mentioned Tom Robbins. I really liked Skinny Legs and All, Roadside attraction, Still Life with Woodpecker, and Fierce Invalids, but he gets very predictable.

Of course, Vonnegut is always good. Breakfast of Champions is my favorite KV tome.

Also check out Just a Couple of Days by Tony Vigorito and Haskett's Duncan Delany and the Cadillac of Doom.
10-26-2005, 09:18 AM
Read "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov.
Jeffage
10-26-2005, 09:20 AM
Thanks for the suggestions everyone...this should keep my busy for awhile.

Jeff
2planka
10-26-2005, 09:20 AM
Re: Calvino,

His collection of stories titled "Marcovaldo" is much more accessible and entertaining than If On A Winter's Night A Traveler. The latter is more academic. His T-Zero is fun, too.
2planka
10-26-2005, 09:22 AM
[ QUOTE ]
"The Amazing Adventures of Kavaier and Clay" by Michael Chabon.



[/ QUOTE ]

I also enjoyed this.
Eric Draven
11-01-2005, 11:51 PM
[ QUOTE ]
I just finished "Me talk pretty one day" by David Sedaris. Its a collection of short stories/essays. Quick read and extremely funny. None of the stories are over 10 pages, so it should ease you back into reading non-***** books.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree (but I think just a few of them are a little over 10, could be wrong).

Anything by David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family...) or Chuck Palahnuik (Fight Club, Choke) are good reads.
Rick Nebiolo
11-02-2005, 05:56 AM
[ QUOTE ]
How about 20 books?

The Aubrey/Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian. Start with "Master and Commander" and go from there. Every one a gem.

[/ QUOTE ]

The greatest reading experience of my and gf's life. She read all twenty in about ten weeks!

~ Rick
Rick Nebiolo
11-02-2005, 05:59 AM
[ QUOTE ]
Recent books I've read (both rec. on this forum) have included .... God Wants You to Roll (loved it).

[/ QUOTE ]

GF and I asked Bike Host Robert Turner if we could dig up his back yard given he rents Bhuddas' (sp?) old house.

~ Rick
11-02-2005, 06:00 AM
[ QUOTE ]
The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King. Say what you will about him being a hack, this series is remarkably different from anything he's ever done. It's really more of a fantasy/science fiction/western. It's a series of books and they all rank among my favorites. Start with The Gunslinger and read your way through them. You'll be happy you did.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. If you read more Stephen King, you'll realize that a lot of stories make a little more sense, several are linked together in specific ways. A great book I just bought and read is Ilium by Dan Simmons. It's a little difficult to get through the first chapters but once you get into it's tough to put down. It not a book about the past....the Greek/Trojan battle is a major part of the book but it's happening again in the future...great read.