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Fun Times! posted:I don't know much about famous paintings and sculptures, so I would like a book that includes biographies of famous artists with pictures and descriptions of their most famous works. When I tried to find famous books about art I came across Lives of the Most Eminemt Painters, Sculptors, and Architects (1550) by Giorgio Vasari, which seems nice but without pictures and seems to be mostly about the artists themselves, and On Painting (1435) by Leon Battista Alberti, which seems to be more about the philosophies behind art in general, again without pictures! I"m reading Varasi's Lives right now and that's exactly what it is: short biographies for a bunch of artists, sculptors and architects. He describes some paintings and works in detail and lays out some thoughts on what we'd now call art criticism (I don't think that was a thing when Vasari lived). But by and large, it's about the artists, not the art. When I started combig it with something like The Google Art Project I started getting a lot more out of it.
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May 17, 2013 22:59
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a kitten posted:I just watched the 2011 version of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and loved it, I was wondering if the novel(s) are worth picking up for someone, like me, who has never read any spy fiction at all (unless Hunt For Red October counts, I guess). Absolutely they are, yes. The one thing to watch out for is not all Le Carre novels are set in the Cold War and not all of them are about espionage either. If you liked George Smiley, the books he appears in are (in chronological order, but with a caveat I'll explain after the list): Call for the Dead A Murder of Quality The Spy Who Came in from the Cold The Looking Glass War (in a pretty minor role) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy The Honourable Schoolboy Smiley's People The Secret Pilgrim Now, the caveat. Le Carre pretty heavily retcons Smiley's past in Tinker, Tailor, mostly due to how old Smiley would be. This shouldn't spoil your enjoyment though, they're all wonderful books!
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May 17, 2013 23:00
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Fun Times! posted:I don't know much about famous paintings and sculptures, so I would like a book that includes biographies of famous artists with pictures and descriptions of their most famous works. When I tried to find famous books about art I came across Lives of the Most Eminemt Painters, Sculptors, and Architects (1550) by Giorgio Vasari, which seems nice but without pictures and seems to be mostly about the artists themselves, and On Painting (1435) by Leon Battista Alberti, which seems to be more about the philosophies behind art in general, again without pictures! The Autobiography of Benevenuto Cellini is great reading on its own merits, extremely interesting for Cellini's descriptions of his works and the process that went into making them, and free in ebook as out of copyright.
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May 17, 2013 23:15
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6EQUJ5 posted:Absolutely they are, yes. The one thing to watch out for is not all Le Carre novels are set in the Cold War and not all of them are about espionage either. If you liked George Smiley, the books he appears in are (in chronological order, but with a caveat I'll explain after the list): Meant to post something like this because the Smiley books are wonderful. Only other caveat is that the first one is a traditional mystery rather than a bit of Cold War espionage, but it's a good story and a quick read, so don't let that put you off.
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May 17, 2013 23:38
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I'd like to ask for any recommendations for history books about native North and South American cultures. The larger the book(especially multi-volume) the better and if possible any that explore all aspects of the civilization/society. Everything from Anasazi to Eskimo to Incan to Iroquois, or if there are histories that cover multiple cultures at once those are welcome as well.
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May 21, 2013 20:51
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Does anyone know any science fiction books with strong ancient Greek or Roman influences? Something like Illium by Dan Simmons, but better. Thanks in advance.
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May 23, 2013 05:45
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This is a big one and I'm hoping for a wide range of suggestions (or maybe a solid few that everyone agrees on?  )This article got me thinking about all of the books I haven't read that I need to read. I want to build a list of five books to read by the year's end. So far I have 100% decided on two: George Orwell - 1984 Frank Herbert - Dune Please help me decide on the following three.
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May 23, 2013 06:18
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Jive One posted:I'd like to ask for any recommendations for history books about native North and South American cultures. The larger the book(especially multi-volume) the better and if possible any that explore all aspects of the civilization/society. Everything from Anasazi to Eskimo to Incan to Iroquois, or if there are histories that cover multiple cultures at once those are welcome as well. 1491 by Charles Mann - more pop history than history-history, generally covers Pre-Colombian Americas. The Chaco Meridian: Centers of Political Power in the Ancient Southwest by Stephen H. Lekson - US prehistoric SW. I read excerpts for a class. The theories are interesting but not wholly unchallenged since the Anasazi didn't leave a written history, etc. Unrelated, but in almost all of my history/anth/english classes we read Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History by Michel-Rolph Trouillot, which is probably my favorite history theory book ever. Red Robin Hood posted:This is a big one and I'm hoping for a wide range of suggestions (or maybe a solid few that everyone agrees on? So, like, books from that list or any books in general? Some of the them are not sci-fi (Infinite Jest) nor easy to read (Gravity's Rainbow... also probably not sci-fi) nor good introductions to those authors. There's a lot of "must read" books depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Can you elaborate? Or if you want some international flair try Like Water for Chocolate (Esquivel), One Hundred Years of Solitude (Marquez), or The House of the Spirits (Allende), which are all seminal magical realism novels Scratch that. Read Beloved by Toni Morrison. taco show fucked around with this message at 08:49 on May 23, 2013 |
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May 23, 2013 08:38
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Red Robin Hood posted:This article got me thinking about all of the books I haven't read that I need to read. Is Gravity's Rainbow commonly considered sci-fi? I mean Infinite Jest is set in the future, so cool, but I've genuinely never thought of it that way before.
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May 23, 2013 10:11
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Talas posted:Does anyone know any science fiction books with strong ancient Greek or Roman influences? Something like Illium by Dan Simmons, but better. How about Lucian's True Histories which is sci-fi (kind of) written by an ancient Roman author?
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May 23, 2013 15:22
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Talas posted:Does anyone know any science fiction books with strong ancient Greek or Roman influences? Something like Illium by Dan Simmons, but better. There's Gene Wolfe's Latro novels but they're fantasy, not SF.
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May 23, 2013 15:30
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What book should I read next?
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May 23, 2013 15:55
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bowmore posted:What book should I read next? Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart.
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May 23, 2013 15:59
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart.  It better be good! I've saw good things when I skimmed goodreads.
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May 23, 2013 16:13
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taco show posted:So, like, books from that list or any books in general? Some of the them are not sci-fi (Infinite Jest) nor easy to read (Gravity's Rainbow... also probably not sci-fi) nor good introductions to those authors. There's a lot of "must read" books depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Can you elaborate? I guess I didn't explain myself well enough. I want to read the very well received/well known/inspirational sci-fi or fantasy books. (Sci-fi and fantasy are my preference but that doesn't mean the list should be exclusive) Should I read Animal Farm? Watership Down? Fahrenheit 451? Does that help at all or make my question more difficult to answer? 
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May 23, 2013 16:13
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Red Robin Hood posted:I guess I didn't explain myself well enough. I want to read the very well received/well known/inspirational sci-fi or fantasy books. (Sci-fi and fantasy are my preference but that doesn't mean the list should be exclusive)
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May 23, 2013 16:14
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Red Robin Hood posted:I guess I didn't explain myself well enough. I want to read the very well received/well known/inspirational sci-fi or fantasy books. (Sci-fi and fantasy are my preference but that doesn't mean the list should be exclusive) No, that helps- I made an across-the-board list of like thirty books, but I don't really like the shotgun approach to recommendations. So, yeah, all of the above are good, but you could also read some combination of The Lathe of Heaven, A Scanner Darkly, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Forever War, and Earth Abides.
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May 23, 2013 16:30
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Can I get a recommendation for some books on the technical craft of writing? I'd like some help in actually getting good at this whole writing thing before I try to publish any of these half-baked ideas of mine.  ninja edit: I've heard of Stephen King's "On Writing" and have that ordered.
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May 23, 2013 17:38
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Strunk and White's The Elements of Style and John Gardner's The Art of Fiction. They're the two texts, imho. Strunk and White is for getting rid of bad writing habits, Gardner's book is for learning more advanced skills like writing things from a character's viewpoint. Gardner's book also has a lot of practical exercises that you can practice to improve your writing. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 17:42 on May 23, 2013 |
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May 23, 2013 17:39
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Yeah, Strunk and White and Gardner's books are the two standout on-writing books. If you're going to do non-fiction, don't overlook getting a style guide (I use the CP's personally, but the AP's is good too and they're both reasonably priced).
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May 23, 2013 17:50
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I just recently read John Gardner's On Becoming a Novelist and I'd say it's a good read for the aspiring writer, though it doesn't focus on technique as much as general advice. Gardner has a lot of ideas about what makes a good personality for a novel-writer, and also talks about short story writers and poets. He gets into a section on the benefits and cautions of workshops and pursuing publishment, and overall gives sound advice. I haven't read The Art of Fiction, mentioned above, but I would bet there to be some overlap between the two books. I'd guess that both are worth a read.
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May 23, 2013 18:29
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Yeah Gardner wrote a bunch of general books on the topic of writing. There's also On Moral Fiction, too. If you're reading that much Gardner though be sure to read Grendel so you know what all the fuss is about. The Art of Fiction is basically a workbook -- it's all practical advice, "This is how you do X. Now practice writing that kind of passage for a week." It's more textbook for a class on learning how to write well than it is general advice to someone considering a career in writing. It assumes you're on board and gives you homework. The main passage I remember is a series of exercises like this:
2. Write a second paragraph describing the same barn during a party. 3. Write a third paragraph describing the barn in the rain. 4. Write a fourth paragraph describing the barn from the viewpoint of a man whose wife has just died. That kind of thing. Practical exercises that will make you a better writer if you do them, just like lifting weights for a year will make you stronger -- effective exercises that most people won't want to do because there's a lot of work involved. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 18:34 on May 23, 2013 |
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May 23, 2013 18:31
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I've read some amazing titles from "SciFi Recommendation" lists, but now I'm looking for something a little less profound. I don't mean to say I want mediocre fiction, but I would love to read some scifi that puts the action and adventure before everything else. My personal preferences would be anything that spans across vast distances in space. I haven't thoroughly explored science fiction genre, so I would love to check out any page-turners you guys might recommend. Also, last week at the book store I impulsively bought Existence by David Brin. Does anyone feel particularly strong about this or should I just read it whenever I get around to it?
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May 23, 2013 20:57
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fart particle posted:I've read some amazing titles from "SciFi Recommendation" lists, but now I'm looking for something a little less profound. I don't mean to say I want mediocre fiction, but I would love to read some scifi that puts the action and adventure before everything else. My personal preferences would be anything that spans across vast distances in space. I haven't thoroughly explored science fiction genre, so I would love to check out any page-turners you guys might recommend. I am about 3/4 finished with Consider Phlebas right now and I think it might be exactly what you are looking for, lots of action, space piracy, space battles, aliens, technology. It is light and fun on the surface but I think also contains some really deep ideas about society and the future.
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May 23, 2013 21:57
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Red Robin Hood posted:I guess I didn't explain myself well enough. I want to read the very well received/well known/inspirational sci-fi or fantasy books. (Sci-fi and fantasy are my preference but that doesn't mean the list should be exclusive) We read A Canticle for Leibowitz for the SA book club earlier this year, and it was generally well received. As far as I know, it's also one of the relatively few sci-fi novels that are actually taken seriuosly as a literary work.
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May 23, 2013 22:11
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KingAsmo posted:I am about 3/4 finished with Consider Phlebas right now and I think it might be exactly what you are looking for, lots of action, space piracy, space battles, aliens, technology. It is light and fun on the surface but I think also contains some really deep ideas about society and the future. Thanks, this sounds exactly like what I need right now. Editing to respond to the post below me (I hope this isn't improper posting etiquette): It's not a deal breaker, just a preference. I'm glad to check out this recommendation, too. fart particle fucked around with this message at 22:46 on May 23, 2013 |
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May 23, 2013 22:16
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fart particle posted:I've read some amazing titles from "SciFi Recommendation" lists, but now I'm looking for something a little less profound. I don't mean to say I want mediocre fiction, but I would love to read some scifi that puts the action and adventure before everything else. My personal preferences would be anything that spans across vast distances in space. I haven't thoroughly explored science fiction genre, so I would love to check out any page-turners you guys might recommend. You might want to look into Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey. It's a lot of fun, I don't normally enjoy very many sci-fi novels but I had a hard time putting this one and its sequel down until I had finished them. They're fast-paced, with a lot of action, intrigue, and likable characters. The only real downside is that it's not about vast distances in space, FTL travel hasn't been invented so humanity hasn't made it out of the solar system yet. So if that's a dealbreaker for you, keep that in mind, but if not it's a great series.
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May 23, 2013 22:26
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Hi i'm not sure if this is vague or specific but I'm interested in "cult classics", I put the quotes because I'm really not sure of what a cult classic is! Anyways, I read House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski and I was enthralled, I like Hollywood by Charles Bukowski as well even though im pretty sure its not in the same category. I need books! I need good ones. Please recommend some to me... I gotta go make pasta :P
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May 24, 2013 00:12
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tricksnake posted:Hi i'm not sure if this is vague or specific but I'm interested in "cult classics", I put the quotes because I'm really not sure of what a cult classic is! The standard response to this kind of thing here is to recommend Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. And for good reason, it's really good, and has quite a big following around the internet. It also has a really unconventional structure (endnotes ahooy!), earning it some comparisons to House of Leaves. I've never read HOL though, so I can't really comment on that. Not an easy read, though, and clocking in at over a 1000 pages, you should know what you're getting yourself into.
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May 24, 2013 00:32
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tricksnake posted:Hi i'm not sure if this is vague or specific but I'm interested in "cult classics", I put the quotes because I'm really not sure of what a cult classic is! 500 Essential Cult Books is a really good list book on Cult Classics, get this and you are set for recommendations for the next 5 to 10 years. Also it's only $4!
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May 24, 2013 00:41
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bowmore posted:500 Essential Cult Books is a really good list book on Cult Classics, get this and you are set for recommendations for the next 5 to 10 years. Also it's only $4! The Rough Guide to Cult Fiction is really good- as a read as well as a source of information- if you can find a copy of it. Unfortunately, I can't find my copy at the moment, but if you google the title you can find a list of all the authors.
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May 24, 2013 01:10
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Talas posted:Does anyone know any science fiction books with strong ancient Greek or Roman influences? Something like Illium by Dan Simmons, but better.
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May 24, 2013 01:53
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Jive One posted:I'd like to ask for any recommendations for history books about native North and South American cultures. The larger the book(especially multi-volume) the better and if possible any that explore all aspects of the civilization/society. Everything from Anasazi to Eskimo to Incan to Iroquois, or if there are histories that cover multiple cultures at once those are welcome as well. As was said, 1491, but if you want more: The Aztecs by Michael E. Smith There's one by the same name by Richard F. Townsend, but I preferred Smith's book. I have not read them, but Michael D. Coe is supposed to have written some good books on the Maya. And this one is more broad, but John Bierhorst has a three book series on American Myths (North, Central, South). I've looked through his ones on North and Central and quite enjoyed them.
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May 24, 2013 01:54
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What book should I suggest to a 20 year old who has literally never read a book in his life? He works with me and sees me reading every day on lunch break, so today he said that he wants to start reading. Big pressure - if I suggest the wrong novel he might never give it another go. He dropped out of school in 9th grade and has partied his way through life until now, but he has his poo poo together at work and, as I said, he approached me and said he wants to start reading, so I think he's going to give it an honest try. He flipped through the books I had on my Kobo and stopped at American Psycho because he liked the movie - he read the first four pages, laughed a few times, and said "I can't believe I can just picture what's happening in my head!" so that's a good sign. I'm hesitant to suggest to him reading the whole book though - it's 450 pages and the middle section is a pretty big slog, so it might be discouraging for him. Remember, it's his first drat book. He did say he would prefer something realistic or at least grounded in reality, so not any Sci Fi or Fantasy that's way out there. I was thinking something like Stephen King or Crichton as the language they use is fairly straightforward, but I'm paralyzed by choice here. There's just too many options. stratdax fucked around with this message at 15:47 on May 24, 2013 |
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May 24, 2013 13:05
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stratdax posted:What book should I suggest to a 20 year old who has literally never read a book in his life? I'm assuming that a young dude who likes to party and isn't into reading is not looking for capital-L literature, so maybe try something a little easier to digest, like short stories. King is still a good choice- he's got an easy-to-read, conversational style and should be at least somewhat familiar to even non-readers. Night Shift or Skeleton Crew would be my starting point(s). Philip K Dick and Ray Bradbury wrote tons of great short stories, too, but I don't know if that would be too "out there" for your boy. You could also check out the Everyman's Pocket Classics series- there's a lot of good poo poo in there- and Jack London wrote a bunch of great, manly-man short stories if you think he might dig tales of survival in the wilderness. Also, you could go with something like Robopocalypse or Warren Fahy's Fragment, both of which basically read like movies. funkybottoms fucked around with this message at 18:59 on May 24, 2013 |
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May 24, 2013 13:55
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I love Cyberpunk, and in particular Ghost in the Shell. Other than novelizations and manga, can anyone recommend a novel or a series that delves into similar themes--prosthetic bodies, cynical realpolitik between rival government agencies, futuristic crime, shifting identity, and the existence of a cyber-"soul"? I've already been through most of Gibson, Stephenson, and Dick. I feel like nothing ever comes close to capturing the most interesting aspects of the genre the way GitS/SAC does and I'm not even a huge anime nerd. Edit: Philip K. Dick is probably the closest to what I'm after, but I've already ready everything he's written twice. 
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May 24, 2013 18:19
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ASD, check out David Marusek, maybe also Blueprints of the Afterlife.
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May 24, 2013 18:46
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funkybottoms posted:ASD, check out David Marusek, maybe also Blueprints of the Afterlife. Will do. Thanks! Red Robin Hood posted:This is a big one and I'm hoping for a wide range of suggestions (or maybe a solid few that everyone agrees on? Not to kick off this discussion again, but I feel like Orwell and other notable dystopian authors (Huxley, Bradbury) are science fiction writers only a rather vague sense that would also include, say, Ayn Rand (don't.) or Pynchon or Vonnegut. Technically they fit, but they aren't really "genre" they way I think of Heinlen, Aasimov, HG Wells and so on. Most of the sci-fi elements of 1984, for example, are just futuristic props that aren't ever explored in depth, and actually huge swaths of the book are just enormous pamphlets and speeches. If you're after sci-fi novels that are widely recognized as such, have some cultural relevance, are considered "classics" and all that, its basically going to be The War of the Worlds, Stranger in a Strange Land, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Foundation, and Dune. Those are basically the LotRs of sci-fi, as I see them. It doesn't matter of course, and if you just want five good books that lots of other people have read too, sci-fi is a broad enough genre to give you a ton of options. 1984 is a good one in terms of figuring out what the gently caress people mean by "Orwellian" (use caution, however, because the term is more common now in right-wing propaganda which is probably not what Orwell had in mind), but I don't think of it as an example of "great sci-fi" per se.
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May 24, 2013 20:05
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A Spotless Domain posted:I love Cyberpunk, and in particular Ghost in the Shell. Other than novelizations and manga, can anyone recommend a novel or a series that delves into similar themes--prosthetic bodies, cynical realpolitik between rival government agencies, futuristic crime, shifting identity, and the existence of a cyber-"soul"? I've already been through most of Gibson, Stephenson, and Dick. I feel like nothing ever comes close to capturing the most interesting aspects of the genre the way GitS/SAC does and I'm not even a huge anime nerd. Richard Morgan's Takeshi Kovacs novels, especially the first one, Altered Carbon.
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May 24, 2013 21:52
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stratdax posted:What book should I suggest to a 20 year old who has literally never read a book in his life? He works with me and sees me reading every day on lunch break, so today he said that he wants to start reading. Big pressure - if I suggest the wrong novel he might never give it another go. He dropped out of school in 9th grade and has partied his way through life until now, but he has his poo poo together at work and, as I said, he approached me and said he wants to start reading, so I think he's going to give it an honest try. Maybe I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell? Easy digestable toilet session reading about a dude partying and banging chicks. It's not an introduction to literature at all but it might be a solid place to start.
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May 24, 2013 23:32
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