|
Furious Lobster posted:I've always enjoyed Richard P. Feynman's auto-biography Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, which isn't directly about science but involves anecdotal first-hand accounts of interactions with the 20th century's most well-known physicists. Also because Feynman was a brilliant physicist in his own right, a lot of science does spill out onto his writings. The other part of the book are accounts of interesting escapades in his life. This is a great book and I'd recommend it for anyone. The referenced post reminded me of a book I want to read, though: quote:Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution from the Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Work-Medicine-Scientific-Revolution/dp/0393342239 Part of me really wants to read this, but I know my squeamishness wouldn't be able to handle it. Anyone else read it and can give a trip report / review?
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2013 16:50
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 21, 2024 02:32 |
|
|
Furious Lobster posted:I've always enjoyed Richard P. Feynman's auto-biography Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!, which isn't directly about science but involves anecdotal first-hand accounts of interactions with the 20th century's most well-known physicists. Also because Feynman was a brilliant physicist in his own right, a lot of science does spill out onto his writings. The other part of the book are accounts of interesting escapades in his life. funkybottoms posted:Ghost Map is the flu book and the author is Steven Johnson, whose Invention of Air is also really good. Naked Statistics just recently came out and looks awesome, but I haven't read it yet, and since he likes math, Nate Silver's The Signal and the Noise might be worth a look. Similar things I've enjoyed are The Killer of Little Shepherds, Blood Work, King of Poisons: A History of Arsenic, The Great Big Book of Horrible Things, The Tiger, A History of the World in 100 Objects, and pretty much any Mary Roach or Simon Winchester nate fisher posted:Since he likes books about the flu, science, and horror fiction (Dean Koontz), let me recommend one of the scariest non-fiction books you can read, Spillover: Animal Infections nd the Next Human Pandemic by David Quammen.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2013 18:00
|
|
|
I also recommend a somewhat obscure title, Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon which I found to be a really interesting collection of events from science history. It's mostly about element discoveries and the people, politics, and rivalries that abounded during them. How many discoveries were made by accident, due to extreme rivalries between universities, or had an economic or military basis. I think I recommended it before a few months ago and it's still valid. It's got really approachable explanations for the science layman and while the storytelling isn't Feynmann entertaining, it's still good bathroom reading. It really shows how flawed scientists are, just like everyone else. Even the ones we put on pedestals. Bhodi fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Mar 26, 2013 |
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2013 21:05
|
|
|
Angstronaut posted:I've read this as well, but unfortunately it's my dad's old copy! Thanks for the suggestion, though. I think he's also got Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track: The Letters of Richard P. Feynman which I guess I should have mentioned in my post. Feynman also wrote a sequel, What Do You Care What Other People Think?, which has his dissection of the Challenger investigation among other interesting bits.
|
|
#
?
Mar 26, 2013 21:28
|
|
|
Bhodi posted:I also recommend a somewhat obscure title, Sam Kean's The Disappearing Spoon which I found to be a really interesting collection of events from science history. I also recommend this book. I don't like chemistry and am not good at it, but the whole book is clear to me and it is just fascinating. One of my favourite part was about the periodic table and how the guy who found it (through theory) was basically obsessed and outright denied the results of an experiment that seemingly prove the table wrong.
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2013 00:16
|
|
|
While actually obtaining it is a chore outside of Australia, Melissa Lucashenko's new book Mullumbimby is great. It's focused on the story of an Aboriginal woman trying to handle Native Title claims, love and her dysfunctional daughter all at once. I am shilling my mother's book on the Internet, what the hell am I doing
|
|
#
?
Mar 27, 2013 08:09
|
|
|
In the last few months I've been on a reading hiatus that I feel bad about and I want to get back on it. I'd like something easy and gripping to get me back in the game. I've been thinking about Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere but I don't feel like visiting London yet I'd like something urban, mystical, maybe a little sci-fi-ed, set in present day or the near future. I've already read all the cyberpunk classics though. Thanks! edit: nevermind, I think I'm diving in The Dresden Files! Keep the recommendations coming if you've got'em though!
|
|
#
?
Mar 28, 2013 19:16
|
|
|
Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London (aka Midnight Riot in the US) is all of the things you mentioned, not to mention highly regarded by most of the crowd in the Dresden thread.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2013 03:52
|
|
|
wheatpuppy posted:Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London (aka Midnight Riot in the US) is all of the things you mentioned, not to mention highly regarded by most of the crowd in the Dresden thread. I totally agree with this, but he did say he didn't want to visit London and the Peter Grant books are all about London.
|
|
#
?
Mar 29, 2013 04:10
|
|
|
Okay, guys, I would like a book that teaches you social skills and how relations between men and women should look like. I don't really like self-help books, I learn best by following examples so novels would be more up my alley. Thanks.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 00:25
|
|
|
Red Garland posted:Okay, guys, I would like a book that teaches you social skills and how relations between men and women should look like. I don't really like self-help books, I learn best by following examples so novels would be more up my alley. Thanks. The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 00:59
|
|
|
Got something specific I'm looking for. Are there any good horror/suspense books abouts exploring? Caves, houses, islands, whatever. A really good example is the Navidson Record from House of Leaves.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 05:12
|
|
|
Ineffiable posted:Got something specific I'm looking for. Are there any good horror/suspense books abouts exploring? Caves, houses, islands, whatever. At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft is a good one.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 05:28
|
|
|
Ineffiable posted:Got something specific I'm looking for. Are there any good horror/suspense books abouts exploring? Caves, houses, islands, whatever. http://www.angelfire.com/trek/caver/ ?
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 06:48
|
|
|
That was also another thing I was thinking of that I wanted more of.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 12:42
|
|
|
mirthdefect posted:The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson. ...SOUNDS LEGIT.
|
|
#
?
Mar 30, 2013 13:36
|
|
|
Red Garland posted:Okay, guys, I would like a book that teaches you social skills and how relations between men and women should look like. I don't really like self-help books, I learn best by following examples so novels would be more up my alley. Thanks. American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2013 01:44
|
|
|
Red Garland posted:Okay, guys, I would like a book that teaches you social skills and how relations between men and women should look like. I don't really like self-help books, I learn best by following examples so novels would be more up my alley. Thanks. The Game by Neil Strauss
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2013 03:25
|
|
|
Red Garland posted:Okay, guys, I would like a book that teaches you social skills and how relations between men and women should look like. I don't really like self-help books, I learn best by following examples so novels would be more up my alley. Thanks. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2013 03:37
|
|
|
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates or The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad.
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2013 11:28
|
|
|
Red Garland posted:Okay, guys, I would like a book that teaches you social skills and how relations between men and women should look like. I don't really like self-help books, I learn best by following examples so novels would be more up my alley. Thanks. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
|
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2013 16:54
|
|
|
Edit: Nevermind, found a more appropriate thread for my question.
Doctor Tupac fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Mar 31, 2013 |
|
#
?
Mar 31, 2013 18:15
|
|
|
I heard Infinite Jest would be good. Would it be good?Mr. Squishy posted:Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates or The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2013 23:27
|
|
|
I was just having fun and listing books with terrible marriage dynamics. The Secret Agent's about anarchy and cynicism masking itself as anarchy, but the marriage at the centre's so tragic, lots of people cherishing the illusion that they could be loved. Infinite Jest's good, but not really about healthy inter-gender relationships. There's some stuff in there about "feeling bad about your terrible inter-gender relationships", but that's really as far as it goes. I'm wracking my brain for books detailing positive relationships, but can't think of one. I'm putting this down to fiction's demand for conflict.
|
|
#
?
Apr 1, 2013 23:42
|
|
|
Hey guys. I'm currently writing a fantasy book that is mostly battles. Its come to my attention I may actually suck at writing battles. can anyone recommend me a good fantasy book that they enjoyed the battle scenes? Specifically one on one or one vs many, with magic and weapons
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2013 12:48
|
|
|
Khris Kruel posted:Hey guys. Say what you will about the lots-of-extra-wordsiness in Malazan, I think the battles are very well written and include what you're asking for.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2013 13:49
|
|
|
Phummus posted:Say what you will about the lots-of-extra-wordsiness in Malazan, I think the battles are very well written and include what you're asking for. Similarly, I'd point to the Wheel of Time series as having fairly well done battle scenes. Jordan had direct combat experience and it really shows; he writes first-person battle scenes that are confusing, disjointed, hectic, and terrifying, mostly told in flashback, and the overall effect is very much veteran's-eye; his battle scenes are very believable. Sanderson has a very different style of writing a combat scene and it makes for an interesting contrast -- Sanderson's battle scenes are movie-epic in style with big sweeping camera movements. It's like the difference between, say, Kubrick and Peter Jackson.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2013 20:33
|
|
|
Hieronymous Alloy posted:Similarly, I'd point to the Wheel of Time series as having fairly well done battle scenes. Jordan had direct combat experience and it really shows; he writes first-person battle scenes that are confusing, disjointed, hectic, and terrifying, mostly told in flashback, and the overall effect is very much veteran's-eye; his battle scenes are very believable. Sanderson has a very different style of writing a combat scene and it makes for an interesting contrast -- Sanderson's battle scenes are movie-epic in style with big sweeping camera movements. It's like the difference between, say, Kubrick and Peter Jackson. Agree, there's a really noticeable difference in writing styles between thsoe 2 authors. It's even more noticeable in small scale encounters, since Jordan describes duels as a test of strength/skill (ie. as a glorified and well written arm wrestling contest), whereas in Sanderson's books duels are all about whoever is smarter and knows more tricks (ie. extremely detailed and cinematically written speed chess). Some prefer one, some prefer the other. To give another suggestion that does not require you to read a huge book series (10+ books), I'm going to recommend Joe Abercombie. More specifically, The Heroes, which is a book about one specific battle in some big war. It's really great and it is a great example of how you can write a battle without glorifying it. His trilogy (The First Law) also contains some battle scenes (especially book 3) and it is generally recommened to read the trilogy before The Heroes, but if you want specifically to learn about battles you should just read the heroes first.
|
|
#
?
Apr 2, 2013 23:50
|
|
|
After playing through Bioshock Infinite and then watching Jurassic Park 3D last night, I'm realizing that I really like the trope of theme parks in fiction, with a particular affinity for idealistic, controlled, themed worlds and environments, especially when those environments then become corrupted, break down, or go wrong. I have read Ready Player One, Dream Park, and Down and out in the Magic Kingdom, any of which would be good recs for this request. What else?
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2013 17:10
|
|
|
Utopia by Lincoln Child might be up your alley.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2013 18:02
|
|
|
Transistor Rhythm posted:After playing through Bioshock Infinite and then watching Jurassic Park 3D last night, I'm realizing that I really like the trope of theme parks in fiction, with a particular affinity for idealistic, controlled, themed worlds and environments, especially when those environments then become corrupted, break down, or go wrong. Tad Williams' Otherland
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2013 18:33
|
|
|
Transistor Rhythm posted:After playing through Bioshock Infinite and then watching Jurassic Park 3D last night, I'm realizing that I really like the trope of theme parks in fiction, with a particular affinity for idealistic, controlled, themed worlds and environments, especially when those environments then become corrupted, break down, or go wrong. CivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders is excellent. It's a short story collection, but the titular story is quite good and right up your alley.
|
|
#
?
Apr 3, 2013 21:48
|
|
|
Khris Kruel posted:Hey guys. I really enjoyed the battle scenes in The Black Prism and it's sequel, by Brent Weeks. Creative uses of magic.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2013 02:08
|
|
|
Samolety posted:I'd like a novel that focuses on likeable characters and their interaction, but without character 'drama' being the main point (ie, not too soap opera-ish). I have Sci-fi in mind, but I'd be happy with fantasy too. I've got a couple recommendations from fantasy: The Mistborn Series, starting with The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. Group of thieves try to overthrow corrupt government. The Gentleman Bastard Series, starting with The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch. Charismatic talented thief recruits and runs a group of con artists and the stakes get raised.
|
|
#
?
Apr 4, 2013 15:08
|
|
|
I just devoured both "Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday" in about a four day span and loved both of them. That's my first taste of Steinbeck and I loved both his writing style and the combination of the setting and good-natured theme of the work. Any recommendations for something in that vein?
|
|
#
?
Apr 5, 2013 23:02
|
|
|
Looking for some organized crime fiction. Preferably relatively modern and realistic - not Godfather.
|
|
#
?
Apr 6, 2013 19:50
|
|
|
AARP LARPer fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Jan 22, 2016 |
|
#
?
Apr 7, 2013 07:27
|
|
|
I'd love to read about modern day life in Antarctica, especially books that focus on the scientific research that goes on there. I also just really want to read about what day to day life is like on the bases there. I'd really prefer books from the last decade or so.
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2013 14:58
|
|
|
Hedrigall posted:I'd love to read about modern day life in Antarctica, especially books that focus on the scientific research that goes on there. I also just really want to read about what day to day life is like on the bases there. I'd really prefer books from the last decade or so. I know you prefer more recent books, but the only book I know of is one from the 1930s: Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure by Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Oddly enough, I came across that title when Dale Carnegie recommended it in his How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Anyway, I personally haven't read Alone, but Carnegie's description of it made it sound like a highly compelling read.
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2013 15:38
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 21, 2024 02:32 |
|
|
Adib posted:I know you prefer more recent books, but the only book I know of is one from the 1930s: Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure by Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Oddly enough, I came across that title when Dale Carnegie recommended it in his How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. Anyway, I personally haven't read Alone, but Carnegie's description of it made it sound like a highly compelling read. I'd also recommend Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage, though I suppose it's more about what can go horribly wrong. Not modern day, but an incredible adventure and subsequent rescue from disaster with no lives lost. pixelbaron fucked around with this message at 21:02 on Apr 9, 2013 |
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2013 20:56
|
|
