List your favorite books

[Apex]

Oh, I just started up The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson. Really interesting so far.




Oh, and I must say, you all are going to make me poor with all the book suggestions. Maybe I just need to hit up a local B&N and use my nook to surf the books and read the first chapter of each. Then I can download the ones I like.

That would be a nice way to spend a day. Cup of coffee and a good book.

[Apex]

I also just downloaded Outlaw by Angus Donald. I read the first chapter, looks somewhat dark, but it is good thus far.

I am reading too many books at once.

[cuong-nutz]

I started reading the "Rain" series by Barry Eisler back on my deployments during those little down times we had. Assassin meets James Bond maybe if I were to describe it.

[Apex]

Interesting. I will need to look into that one.

I still want to read some Ian Fleming stuff. Unfortunately, there is very little available via B&N at this time. May have to go the old school route with an actual book. I don't want to, I have enough books.

On a side note, I just finished Outlaw. It is a dark book about Robin Hood. Funny at times, bloody more of the time, but still a great read. I covered those 280+ pages quick. I am debating on getting the second book in the series...Holy Warrior.

If I keep up this rate, I'll have read more books this year than in all previous years put together.

So far, I think the list is (not including all the art books I have poured through):
Outlaw by Angus Donald
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Yoga Cures by Tara Stiles
Slim Calm Sexy Yoga by Tara Stiles (yoga to help balance my body more)
The Bible (always reading)
How to Be Successful in Your First Year of Teaching Elementary School by Tena Green
Layman Looks at the Lord's Prayer by W. Phillip Keller
Bike Snob by BikeSnobNYC
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Several recipe books
The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
And several magazines

It is a surprise my eyes haven't fallen out of their sockets yet.

And a few more I can't remember. I will also be reading the Harry Potter series again once I get it on the Nook.

[EvilPooMonkey]

w00t glad i just remembered one some of my faves that you might enjoy Apex. check out The Odd Thomas books. they are the only thing dean koontz has ever done i actually liked. They are pretty amazing though and def worth at least one read through

[Apex]

Now I am reading The Archer's Tale (Grail Quest Series #1) by Bernard Cornwell. So far so good. Very interesting read. Only on page 55/319. It is starting to get good. I have always been fascinated with archers, archery and bows. So of course, Robin Hood was one of my favorite tales growing up.

[cuong-nutz]

I finally watched Hunger Games and that movie was just a disappointment. I definitely have to read the book.

[adouglas]

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle (really great writer)
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (another superb writer)
At Home, also by Bill Bryson
Dune, by Frank Herbert (the first book is by far the best)

If you like Clancy, also check out Red Storm Rising… another of his early books

[slickt0mmy]

Originally Posted by Sonofswin

Have you read anything by Cormac McCarthy? No Country for Old Men, the Road, All the Pretty Horses. The first 2 were both better than the movies. (No country was a close call though.) Seeing as how you are in Texas, his writing may be culturally/regionally interesting. (Especially the 3 in the Horses series.)

+1! Also, given your posts in the "survival tactics" thread, you may also enjoy McCarthy's "The Road". It's about a father and son after a major disaster, trying to head south for the winter. And then you can watch the movie afterward!

[massacremasses]

I just started watching Game of Thrones and am contemplating reading the books...

Check out Elric series. Ive only read the first one (stealer of souls)

Are you looking for any specific types of books?

[250rr]

"Flight to Arras," by Antoine de Saint Exupery

[RacerX113]

So I'm looking for a new book to read or more accurately a new book to listen to on my commute. But it would be interesting to know what everyone's favorite book is. Mine would have to be "Lamb" by Christopher Moore. A truly laugh out loud book. It’s one of the few that I have read more than once.

[red5]

Too many to pick an absolute favorite. The Mote In God's Eye is pretty near the top though.

[akcalhoun]

east of eden by john steinbeck is an absolutely amazing book, i highly recommend it. for me, i cant explain how good of a book that is and is my personal favorite. its such a powerful story.

[CC Cowboy]

War and Peace
Fear and Loathing
The Amateur
The Secret History of the American Empire

[siebadn]

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (and you can find free versions of it around since it is quite old)

Apparently "Seductions and Snacks" is pretty good and the price just dropped to $3.99.

[Apex]

Read Walden by HDT....man that book makes you read it.

[RacerX113]

Steinbeck, Tolstoy, Thoreau, Rand.....Wow what a well read group.
I've read Steinbeck in high school but didn't really apreciate his work. Maybe now tht I'm older with a different perspective I may enjoy him more.

The Mote In God's Eye seems like something I would like.

[red5]

Originally Posted by RacerX113

The Mote In God's Eye seems like something I would like.

Do it. Pretty much all of the stuff that Niven and Pournelle collab on is top notch.

[menikmati]

I absolutely love House of Leaves, people seem to be uneasy or weirded out when I describe the premise of the book of them while smiling.

I'm also a big fan of anything by Chuck Klosterman, I really enjoy his writing style and humor.

[RacerX113]

Originally Posted by menikmati

I absolutely love House of Leaves, people seem to be uneasy or weirded out when I describe the premise of the book of them while smiling.

I'm also a big fan of anything by Chuck Klosterman, I really enjoy his writing style and humor.

That sounds like a very interesting premise, but I am not a fan of the horror genres.

[Apex]

I like complex reading at times. Sometimes I like more simplistic reading.

Harry Potter is a go to for easy reading...but she does such a great job describing everything, I really can imagine the whole world.

Another is the Archer's Tale (if you like medieval stuff) by Bernard Cornwell. It is a good read. A bit of gore at times, and I think a lot of things could be left out, but overall a great book. It is a part of his Grail Quest Series..book 1. Vegabond is Book 2 in the series. I have yet to start reading it.

Outlaw by Angus Donald is another good read. It rolls off the Robin Hood tale. Holy Warrior is the second book of the series...which is on my reading list.

Lots of good books out there. I enjoy reading. It is a shame that so many of the youth today despise reading.

[RacerX113]

I read an Arthur series by Cornwell that I thought was great. I may have to check out the Archer's tale.

Originally Posted by Apex

I like complex reading at times. Sometimes I like more simplistic reading.

Harry Potter is a go to for easy reading...but she does such a great job describing everything, I really can imagine the whole world.

Another is the Archer's Tale (if you like medieval stuff) by Bernard Cornwell. It is a good read. A bit of gore at times, and I think a lot of things could be left out, but overall a great book. It is a part of his Grail Quest Series..book 1. Vegabond is Book 2 in the series. I have yet to start reading it.

Outlaw by Angus Donald is another good read. It rolls off the Robin Hood tale. Holy Warrior is the second book of the series...which is on my reading list.

Lots of good books out there. I enjoy reading. It is a shame that so many of the youth today despise reading.

[Mehbs300]

Currently on part 2 of book 3 in George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The books Game Of Thrones the TV show is based on.
Medievil/adventure/fantasy

[CynicalC]

Originally Posted by Mehbs300

Currently on part 2 of book 3 in George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The books Game Of Thrones the TV show is based on.
Medievil/adventure/fantasy

Book 3 started off slow but heated up about halfway through and is my favorite so far. Book 4 feels like its dragging a little bit but I'll get through it.

[RacerX113]

A Game of Thrones is my favorite fantasy series. The HBO mini series is fantastic.

[akcalhoun]

Originally Posted by Mehbs300

Currently on part 2 of book 3 in George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The books Game Of Thrones the TV show is based on.
Medievil/adventure/fantasy

definitly gunna get

[akcalhoun]

Originally Posted by RacerX113

Steinbeck, Tolstoy, Thoreau, Rand.....Wow what a well read group.
I've read Steinbeck in high school but didn't really apreciate his work. Maybe now tht I'm older with a different perspective I may enjoy him more.

The Mote In God's Eye seems like something I would like.

ive read steinbecks grapes of wrath in highschool and didnt rly like it. i was unsure about reading another one of his books, but i heard east of eden was pretty much his magnum opus. turned out to be a great book and my favorite all time. its an extremely powerful story.

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by red5

Too many to pick an absolute favorite. The Mote In God's Eye is pretty near the top though.

This.

Niven does aliens like nobody else. He doesn't just dress humans up in funny bodies like most SF writers (and pretty much all filmmakers) do. He thinks through entire ecosystems, biologies and what they'll do to behavior. The whole Known Space series (Ringworld, Protector, World of Ptavvs, all the short stories...) is loaded with fascinating races that are deeply, truly alien. Puppeteers, Pak, Kzinti, Thrintun, Tnuctipun, Bandersnatchi....

So much SF falls flat because the aliens are just cartoons. Think about it.... There are no true personalities or alternate points of view. Not so with Niven.

The Mote in Gods Eye, on one level, is very standard, pulpy space opera complete with square-jawed hero, plucky and perky love interest -- even a Scottish ship's engineer, fercryinoutloud -- and all the rest. But the Moties make you forget about all that. One of my favorite books.

I'd also highly recommend the original Dune by Frank Herbert. The De Laurentis movie back in the 80s was an idiotic travesty so don't judge by that. The later BBC miniseries was very good. The original book is superb. The sequels somewhat less so.


Also... the original Lord of the Rings trilogy plus The Hobbit. Again, get past the movies (which were good) and focus on the literature.

[red5]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Niven does aliens like nobody else. He doesn't just dress humans up in funny bodies like most SF writers (and pretty much all filmmakers) do. He thinks through entire ecosystems, biologies and what they'll do to behavior. The whole Known Space series (Ringworld, Protector, World of Ptavvs, all the short stories...) is loaded with fascinating races that are deeply, truly alien. Puppeteers, Pak, Kzinti, Thrintun, Tnuctipun, Bandersnatchi....

So much SF falls flat because the aliens are just cartoons. Think about it.... There are no true personalities or alternate points of view. Not so with Niven.

Exactly. Also check out Inferno. Not aliens but really good.

[Alex]

Not sure if there was another "books" thread out there, but I figure that this one would do. Just read Chris Hadfield's new book this weekend, and I thought it was quite entertaining. He was the Canadian astronaut who was tweeting from the ISS. Neat guy, entertaining writer, useful and entertaining book.

http://www.amazon.com/An-Astronauts-.../dp/0345812700

His take on David Bowie's Space Oddity. From space.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[JohnnyBravo]

All David sedaris's books I've read so far were pleasantly pleasing... I need to read fear an loathing!!!

[CynicalC]

Originally Posted by adouglas

I'd also highly recommend the original Dune by Frank Herbert. The original book is superb. The sequels somewhat less so.

Have you read all of them? I'm always eyeing them at the book store but it's just too much of a commitment. I'm reading the Wheel of Time now (15 books) and even that seems small in comparison.

Originally Posted by adouglas

Also... the original Lord of the Rings trilogy plus The Hobbit. Again, get past the movies (which were good) and focus on the literature.

How do you feel about the new Hobbit movies? It's been a while since I read the book but it seemed to me like the first movie was only about 30% cannon if I remember the book correctly.

[Snake]

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

[rasta]

To Kill a Mockingbird. Yeah...I don't read much

[80MPHdownhill]

The three books that I've read 3X or more in my life:

1) East of Eden by John Steinbeck. For some reason, most don't consider this even near the best of Steinbeck's work, but I have to disagree.

2) Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. Yates is probably my favorite author, I've read every single one of his novels and short stories. And his extensive biography written by Blake Bailey.

3) Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It seems like more people read The Fountainhead instead, which is a good book too, but Atlas Shrugged is Rand's life work (11 years to write it) and magnum opus. (And, agree or disagree with her politics, it cannot be denied that the factual predictions she made have been coming true for the past 2 decades).

My favorite short story, and what I think is the most brilliant piece of prose ever written, is "The Swimmer" by John Cheever. I've probably read it 20 times, and will probably read it 20 more. It is, to me, the only piece of perfect writing I've ever read.

[ally99]

Any genre goes!

I have a long list of favorites starting with:

The Kite Runner
A Dog's Purpose
The Book Thief
Water for Elephants
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo trilogy
The Hunger Games (the first 2 of the trilogy. 3rd one sucked)
The Da Vinci Code
The Help
Harry Potter
Marley and Me
Uncle Tom's Cabin
19 Minutes
1984
Anne of Green Gables
Anything by Mark Twain


Of course, I love reading riding books. My favorite go-tos for reference are:
Proficient Motorcyling
Twist of the Wrist
Total Control

[iamjacob]

I know the movie sucked but....

Enders Game and the Enders Shadow series are a few of my favorites.

[rasta]

The ones that have been made into movies

[allanoue]

Good list Ally but "The Lovely Bones" is missing from your list. Why?

I loved the whole Ender's series
I will add all the Frank Herbert's Dune books
JRR Tolkien and
Gordon R. Dickson