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I really like non-fiction books; specifically, band histories, hidden histories of organzations (i.e. The Good Shepherd), and sociological exmainations of culture phenomenon. Suggestions?
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Dec 6, 2011 23:29
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Kea posted:I'm looking for good fantasy and science fiction. In fantasy I have recently finished the The name of the wind and its sequel by Patrick Rothfuss and more or less everything by Brandon sanderson. As for science fiction I love neuromancer and Gibsons other works as well as Snow Crash. For reference I read all the way through one of the wizards first rule books so i am not put off by less than masterpieces. In all honesty, I'd wager my ebook might scratch your itch. I promise I didn't come here to shill (I lurk in the book barn quite a bit, and you did say you're not put off by less than masterpieces).
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Dec 7, 2011 00:26
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Puttblug posted:I can't believe I'm asking this but can anyone recommend any good self help books? 2011 sucked balls for me (father died, bad break up) and I really need to get my poo poo in order. I'm sorry for your loss and your crappy year. I hope things get better for you in the next one. It's not really a self-help book, but people on this forum often recommend Meditations of Marcus Aurelius as a good book to help you get your head on straight. It's Stoic philosophy written like advice, because he was writing it like advice or suggestions to himself. The Gregory Hays translation is very readable, but you can also find a lot of it online for free.
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Dec 7, 2011 02:52
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El Gallinero Gros posted:I really like non-fiction books; specifically, band histories, hidden histories of organzations (i.e. The Good Shepherd), and sociological exmainations of culture phenomenon. Suggestions? I really like Jon Ronson's (sp?) stuff. Both The Men Who Stare At Goats and Them: Adventure with Extremists. (at least, I think that's the subtitle, I'm on my phone on the bus). The first one follows the author as he looks into all sorts of conspiracy theories and the people who espouse them. The second follows him as he gets to know different sorts of extremists, and tries to get a feel for how they live their lives. They're both fast, interesting reads. His newest book The Psychopath Test was great, as well, but it doesn't feel quite the same as the other two.
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Dec 7, 2011 03:07
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El Gallinero Gros posted:band histories No idea if you like these bands, but these are all great books: Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love by Peter Guralnick (Elvis!) Shakey by Jimmy McDonough (Biography of Neil Young) I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon by Crystal Zevon The True Adventures of the Rolling Stones by Stanley Booth S.T.P. A Journey Through America With The Rolling Stones by Robert Greenfeld Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azerrad Please Kill Me by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain (a history of punk) Dance of Days by Mark Anderson and Mark Jenkins (a history of DC Punk) The Clash: Return of the Last Gang in Town by Marcus Gray Motley Crue: The Dirt Bonus book: Let it Blurt by Jim DeRogatis the biography of Lester Bangs, the greatest rock critic ever.
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Dec 7, 2011 03:35
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Puttblug posted:I can't believe I'm asking this but can anyone recommend any good self help books? 2011 sucked balls for me (father died, bad break up) and I really need to get my poo poo in order. I guess this depends on what you need--something inspirational perhaps? Something more philosophical? Do you need something to get you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps or are you looking for understanding? From the pull yourself up by your bootstraps approach, there's Wayne Dyer, who has been writing self-help books since the 70's. His approach works for a lot of people. Excuses Begone!: How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits Anthony Robbins is pretty popular in that category as well, I found several on Amazon and he has a website. There's the classic When Bad Things Happen To Good People Another religious perspective can be found with Alla Renee Bozarth, I found a copy of "At The Foot of the Mountain" that someone had left at the store I worked at it, and it wasn't half bad although I am by no means religious. If these don't suit, tell me the sort of book you think would be helpful and I'll see if I can't come up with something that works.
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Dec 7, 2011 04:22
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Old Janx Spirit posted:Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azerrad This was a really good read, I'd also recommend it. If you're going to read about Bangs, go for Psychotic Reactions and Carburator Dung, a collection of some of his best pieces. The one where he goes on tour with The Clash and his huge review of Astral Weeks are worth the cover price themselves; him getting into a fight with Lou Reed is a cool bonus.
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Dec 7, 2011 05:19
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barkingclam posted:This was a really good read, I'd also recommend it. Great book. The chapter about the Butthole Surfers is one of the funniest things I've ever read.
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Dec 7, 2011 08:30
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El Gallinero Gros posted:I really like non-fiction books; specifically, band histories, hidden histories of organzations (i.e. The Good Shepherd), and sociological exmainations of culture phenomenon. Suggestions? Stairway To Heaven: Led Zeppelin Uncensored by Richard Cole is a really good "bio" of Led Zeppelin. Cole was their tour manager for years and was privy to a ton of shenanigans, so you really get a picture of both how/why they were successful as well as a lot of anecdotes about off-stage antics.
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Dec 7, 2011 14:37
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It's kind of hard to explain what I'm looking for. Basically I'm looking for a book that makes you feel good, has an OK ending, and is generally easy reading. Think Artemis Fowl. I recently really enjoyed Metagame's first half, how happy go lucky it was, but the more serious ending (while enjoyable) made me long for a book that's just one happy feel good adventure. Basically a book with a happy adventure, struggle/strife still appearing, but it doesn't put you down as you read it.
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Dec 8, 2011 15:13
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Xerin posted:It's kind of hard to explain what I'm looking for. Basically I'm looking for a book that makes you feel good, has an OK ending, and is generally easy reading. Think Artemis Fowl. I recently really enjoyed Metagame's first half, how happy go lucky it was, but the more serious ending (while enjoyable) made me long for a book that's just one happy feel good adventure. Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart. I recommend it to everybody.
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Dec 8, 2011 16:20
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I'm trying to find a book from my childhood and searching is driving me nuts - probably as vague as you can get. If there is another place for this type of request, please let me know. Info: - Checked out in the 1980s from my elementary school library (would be published before 1988 but could be from the 1970s as well) - Hardcover (at the time) - Collection of short stories including vampires, ghosts, etc. - Black & white illustrations (it is not any of the scary stories to tell in the dark series) - Vampire short story had a drawing of a girl sleeping in her bedroom and a vampire had entered through the open window. The girl had bite marks on her neck. - Not necessarily all scary stories, it was in an elementary school library Any help would be great.
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Dec 9, 2011 00:47
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yippeekiyaymf posted:I'm trying to find a book from my childhood and searching is driving me nuts - probably as vague as you can get. The ghost in the far garden, and other stories? Goodreads has a list of a bunch as well
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Dec 9, 2011 02:33
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I was watching The Cave of Forgotten Dreams last night and really enjoyed it. Does anyone know any good books on a similar subject? Not necessarily the Chauvet caves (though that would be very cool) but ancient painting/art/caves is fine.
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Dec 9, 2011 14:54
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Could anyone recommend a good intro to Chinese history? I just realized I know most of European history, but I have no idea of the history of China. A really broad overview that covers as early as known to present would be great, as long as it doesn't oversimplify too much. I was thinking about China: A History by John Keay; does anyone know if it's any good?
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Dec 10, 2011 02:56
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Having read and enjoyed the following, I need more space marine pew-pew-pew novels of similar awesomeness. Bonus points for a series instead of stand-alone novels. Honor Harrington by David Weber Torin Kerr by Tanya Huff Old Man's War by John Scalzi Dahak Trilogy by David Weber Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card While not quite space marine pew-pew-pew, I enjoyed these, as well: Safehold by David Weber Empire of Man by David Weber
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Dec 10, 2011 17:19
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I would suggest the Warhammer 40k books? Space Marines pew pew pew in those. I am planning on reading Eisenhorn at some point so I think they might be right up your alley.
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Dec 10, 2011 17:23
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I think you'd enjoy the David Weber/John Ringo collaboration that starts with March Upcountry. Very little in the way of deep-space battles, but chockfull of space marines, plasma cannons, and aliens with too many arms.
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Dec 10, 2011 17:59
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DominusDeus posted:Having read and enjoyed the following, I need more space marine pew-pew-pew novels of similar awesomeness. Bonus points for a series instead of stand-alone novels. If you can ignore/like a lot of liberal bashing, John Ringo's "Legacy of the Aldenata" series maybe up your alley, the first book, A Hymn Before Battle is a lot of set up and not a ton of shooting, although there is more than enough pew-pew in the rest of the series to make up for it, The story of the series is basically "Aliens that multiply faster than humans invade earth, so  Americuh give marines plasma guns and power armor and a big rear end tank"
Defenestrategy fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Dec 10, 2011 |
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Dec 10, 2011 18:07
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AARP LARPer fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Jan 22, 2016 |
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Dec 11, 2011 19:28
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May anyone recommend a novel/series set in 1910s or 1920s Europe? I'm thinking smokey train carriages and political intrigue. Thank you 
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Dec 13, 2011 12:01
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Lampsacus posted:May anyone recommend a novel/series set in 1910s or 1920s Europe? I'm thinking smokey train carriages and political intrigue. Thank you Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie seems the obvious choice, though written in 1932.
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Dec 13, 2011 14:59
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AARP LARPer fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Jan 22, 2016 |
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Dec 13, 2011 17:52
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Do Not Resuscitate posted:Set in 1914 as Europe edges towards war, The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan would be perfect. The protagonist, Richard Hannay, appears in four other books of a similar nature. The Thirty-Nine Steps is the first of the five-volume series. Ooooh, and it's free on Kindle! Great suggestion! What were the names of the books in the rest of the series? On the theme of early 1900's thrillers there's Riddle of the Sands, but it's mostly set in boats and the European coastline, not trains etc.
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Dec 13, 2011 21:00
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Having read everything by China Meiville, I would love more of the same. Any suggestions TBB?
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Dec 13, 2011 22:30
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Spuckuk posted:Having read everything by China Meiville, I would love more of the same. Any suggestions TBB? All depends. There's nothing really exactly like him. Michael Swanwyck's The Iron Dragon's Daughter has some of the same dystopian-steampunk vibe. The Shadows of the Apt series isn't at all on Mieville's level in terms of prose or intellectual depth -- it's bubblegum-pop fantasy -- but it does have some of the same kind of originality to it, at least in terms of nonstandard fantasy races and settings, and clearly shows a Mieville influence as to how changing (steampunk, since it's fantasy) technology impacts cultural and political change. It's a very enjoyable series as long as you don't set your expectations too high. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Dec 13, 2011 |
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Dec 13, 2011 22:36
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AARP LARPer fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Jan 22, 2016 |
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Dec 13, 2011 22:42
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The Bond and Fletch books both feature a wildly capable protagonist. I'd love some more recommendations on that front. A bit of a general request, I know.
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Dec 13, 2011 23:13
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:All depends. There's nothing really exactly like him. Michael Swanwyck's The Iron Dragon's Daughter has some of the same dystopian-steampunk vibe. I'll give Iron Dragons Daughter a stab then. Not suprised there's nothng entirely like him, it's a very unique style he has. I think the closest I've found has been something like Small Gods or Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, maybe it's a british thing to write that kind of bizzaro-fantasy 
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Dec 13, 2011 23:33
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wheatpuppy posted:I think you'd enjoy the David Weber/John Ringo collaboration that starts with March Upcountry. Very little in the way of deep-space battles, but chockfull of space marines, plasma cannons, and aliens with too many arms. Just..don't read Ghost by John Ringo 
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Dec 13, 2011 23:36
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Spuckuk posted:I'll give Iron Dragons Daughter a stab then. Not suprised there's nothng entirely like him, it's a very unique style he has. You might want to google search the term "New Weird." It's been used to loosely describe Mieville, Swanwyck, and a few other writers. Centipeed posted:The Bond and Fletch books both feature a wildly capable protagonist. The archetype you're looking for is called the "Competent Man.." Id' generally recommend Golden Age era sci-fi, early Asimov, etc., as well as what's listed in that wiki article. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Dec 14, 2011 |
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Dec 14, 2011 00:25
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Lampsacus posted:May anyone recommend a novel/series set in 1910s or 1920s Europe? I'm thinking smokey train carriages and political intrigue. Thank you You might also want to check out Graham Greene's Orient Express, also known as Stamboul Train. Espionage on a train, pretty cool. Eric Ambler and Alan Furst also write really good spy thrillers set in the early 30's and 40's. I know you asked for earlier in the century, but I'm drawing a blank for political intrigue other than Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, which is good and worth reading.
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Dec 14, 2011 00:39
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PatMarshall posted:You might also want to check out Graham Greene's Orient Express, also known as Stamboul Train. Espionage on a train, pretty cool. Eric Ambler and Alan Furst also write really good spy thrillers set in the early 30's and 40's. I know you asked for earlier in the century, but I'm drawing a blank for political intrigue other than Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, which is good and worth reading. I was going to recommend Eric Ambler, but didn't because it didn't fit the timeline. So I'll go ahead and second them now.
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Dec 14, 2011 01:46
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Spuckuk posted:I'll give Iron Dragons Daughter a stab then. Not suprised there's nothng entirely like him, it's a very unique style he has. Jeff Vandermeer might also be of interest.
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Dec 14, 2011 03:30
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Spuckuk posted:Having read everything by China Meiville, I would love more of the same. Any suggestions TBB? Jeff VanderMeer, as was already suggested. I'd also suggest Jay Lake (Trial of Flowers and Madness of Flowers) and K.J. Bishop's The Etched City. Not to mention, check out the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake and the Viriconium sequence by M. John Harrison - both big influences on Mieville and great reads in general.
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Dec 14, 2011 04:45
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Centipeed posted:The Bond and Fletch books both feature a wildly capable protagonist. On the scifi end of things there's Keith Laumer's Retief series. Jame Retief is a low-level diplomat who regularly saves the world(s) by being drat awesome.
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Dec 14, 2011 06:17
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Spuckuk posted:Having read everything by China Meiville, I would love more of the same. Any suggestions TBB? Alistair Reynolds comes off as the Sci-Fi Mieville to me at times. Especially in Chasm City (I've only read the Revelation Space stuff so far).
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Dec 14, 2011 13:44
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I really enjoy the TV show House, because of the genre, I really enjoy the medical mysteries. The characters are very deep as well. Has anyone got a lead on a medical mystery novel series? There has to be a few. Maybe even just a couple books. Thanks in advance!
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Dec 14, 2011 20:22
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Woodsy Owl posted:I really enjoy the TV show House, because of the genre, I really enjoy the medical mysteries. The characters are very deep as well. The Dr. Thorndyke mysteries by R. Austin Freeman were the starting point for that particular genre -- they're basically Sherlock Holmes if Sherlock Holmes was a professional medical expert. Written in the early 1900's so almost all of them are free ebook downloads. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Thorndyke
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Dec 14, 2011 20:25
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Woodsy Owl posted:I really enjoy the TV show House, because of the genre, I really enjoy the medical mysteries. The characters are very deep as well. If it doesn't have to be a novel, Berton Rouche's books are pretty good. I'm pretty sure House took inspiration from The Medical Detectives in particular.
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Dec 14, 2011 22:32
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