Recommendations for reading?

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yes I know this isn't placed in the Comic Book/Literature folder. I figured it would get more exposure here. I went to the library and tried finding a book to read, but didn't know quite where to start, and I'd like to have something to read in my neverending quest to find something that'll get me tired enough to sleep at the end of the night.

 

Anyone have anything they'd like to recommend? Fiction preferably, though nonfiction is fine as well.

[Nighthawk 0]

Gore Vidal's Lincoln. Is interesting, but boring if you want it to be, so you get the best of both worlds.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

If you have an interest in science fiction, try Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. Excellent book. The rest of the series is good too, though they're quite different then the original.

 

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown is good as well. It's very similar to The Da Vinci Code, but I personally perfer Angels and Demons. It's a real page-turner once you get into it though, so it might not be the best for something to read before bed.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Parliament of Whores by P.J. O'Rourke. Late 80s attack on wasteful government spending. Most material still holds true today.

[chaosrage 0]

If you like fantasy at all, get Dark Tower or Song of Ice and Fire. But you probably won't get much sleep from them. More likely, you'll be staying up all night and reading until your eyes are burning.

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

In the Sci-fi/fantasy genre if you haven't read the LOTR books you need to. Or else. Also pick up Tad WIlliams "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" series.

 

Non-fiction wise pick up any of Churchill's books on WW2, they make for an interesting read.

[Hoff 0]

I second MM's recommendation of Ender's Game as well as chaos's pick of the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin, which I was about to recommend, and have quoted in my sig. If you like fantasy with a softer, more romantic tone, try Martin and Lisa Tuttle's Windhaven. In the sci-fi vein, nothing, for me, tops George Orwell's classic 1984. If, however, you're in the mood for something more contemparary, try some John Grisham. I'd recommend The Rainmaker or The Partner. Finally, an old flame turned me on -- literally -- to Anne Rice's Belinda, a masterfully-told, sensually-charged drama about "forbidden love." It's not as dirty as I made it sound, and it's probably the favorite book sitting on my shelf.

 

Good luck; hope one of these is up your alley.

Edited January 27, 2005 by Hoff

[Hoff 0]

If you like fantasy at all, get Dark Tower or Song of Ice and Fire. But you probably won't get much sleep from them. More likely, you'll be staying up all night and reading until your eyes are burning.

I reread A Storm of Swords in a night once, starting at 10PM or so and getting done around 7:30 in the morning. Admittedly, I was half-browsing, because that's a big book, but damned if I couldn't put it down. I tried several times, and picked it right back up.

[Guest]

If you have an interest in science fiction, try Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card. Excellent book.

That book is a masterpiece. I like the beginning the most.

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

If you like fantasy at all, get Dark Tower or Song of Ice and Fire.  But you probably won't get much sleep from them.  More likely, you'll be staying up all night and reading until your eyes are burning.

I reread A Storm of Swords in a night once, starting at 10PM or so and getting done around 7:30 in the morning. Admittedly, I was half-browsing, because that's a big book, but damned if I couldn't put it down. I tried several times, and picked it right back up.

Martin has totally turned me off with his BS about when "feast of crows" is coming out. It's become a running joke between Piss and I.

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

I'm still not over Chewie's death...

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

As you might already know, if you like Star Wars you should read Timothy Zahn. Plain and simple. I also like the X Wing series. I've really been enjoying All I Did Was Ask by Terry Gross(which is transcripts of some of her favorite interviews from her show, Fresh Air), and Frankenstein. Dracula's also cool if you like your old school horror(actually, they aren't all that scary, and Frankenstein seems very introspective. It gives you something to chew on. If you like liberal humor, Al Franken is your man with both Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them). If you like manga, check out Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Actually, there's a lot of good manga out there, and, well, I'll post more some other time, I need to get to bed.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

1984

[Ace309 0]

Lamb: The Gospel According To Christ's Childhood Pal, Biff by Christopher Moore. Bizarre religious semi-humor fiction.

 

Towing Jehovah, Blameless in Abaddon, The Eternal Footman (The Towing Jehovah trilogy), Bible Stories For Adults by James Morrow. Bizarre religious fiction, minus the humor.

[Jingus 0]

I'm reading Tom Clancy's Executive Orders right now, in which he more or less predicts both 9/11 and the Anthrax scare years in advance. Creepy.

[NYU 0]

"The Godfather" by Mario Puzo was an amazing book. Somehow, it managed to be even better than the movie.

 

"The Last Don" by Puzo was good as well. Not quite up to the standards of "The Godfather", but still a good read once you get past the slow beginning.

[Hoff 0]

If you like fantasy at all, get Dark Tower or Song of Ice and Fire.  But you probably won't get much sleep from them.  More likely, you'll be staying up all night and reading until your eyes are burning.

I reread A Storm of Swords in a night once, starting at 10PM or so and getting done around 7:30 in the morning. Admittedly, I was half-browsing, because that's a big book, but damned if I couldn't put it down. I tried several times, and picked it right back up.

Martin has totally turned me off with his BS about when "feast of crows" is coming out. It's become a running joke between Piss and I.

My friend Dave (interestingly enough) and I have the same thing going. It doesn't make the first three books kick any less ass, though.

 

Do you ever go through and just read one person's saga? It wouldn't work on a first or even second reading, but once you know the details it can be fun. My favorite such reading is to follow Jon Snow and the Night's Watch, IMHO the best storyline in the series.

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

Aye it's the best storyline. Personally I enjoy reading the Onion Knight's stuff even if he's a fairly standerd character (as Piss pointed out to me)

 

It's been awhile since I reread the series since It just makes mre more anxious for the next book. I'm rereading the Tad Williams books I mentioned previously which I find to be excellent.

[Hoff 0]

The Onion Knight is chill because he's a decent human being who's rewarded for being such. He's not exactly lighting the world on fire as the King's Hand, though.

[The Amazing Rando 0]

Lamb: The Gospel According To Christ's Childhood Pal, Biff by Christopher Moore. Bizarre religious semi-humor fiction.

Of course I second this, being that it's just plain awesome. And I will recommend A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy as well as After Dacchau by Daniel Quinn. You will go into After Dacchau and after 100 pages think you know everthing about it, and then one page comes and your mind nearly caves in. Beautiful.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

This girl I know gave me this book called Snow Country, by a japanese author whose last name I can remember only. It's Kawabata.

 

I wouldn't even say I liked it that much, but it was short and economical(something I appreciate), and had a good theme of beauty and happiness going totally to waste. I couldn't even remotely relate to a single character, though.

[Masked Man of Mystery 0]

Some more stuff: Tom Clancy does good work, although I remember reading oen of the created by Tom Clancy books and not liking it. I think it was an Ops Center book or something. The Hardyz wrote a decent book. Jurassic Park is pretty good, but I thought Lost World was pushing it. Hmm...that's all I can think of for the moment.

[Guest Deadbolt]

This'll get me heat from some guys here, but The Da Vinci Code should probably be read by everyone. But if you want to avoid the whole religion thing, then check out Digital Fortress or perhaps Deception Point, both also by Dan Brown. You get the same quality of writing and storytelling, but reading them in public won't result in Christinas accosting you with curses and soft fruit.

 

If you're not in the mood for that, then The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime is a fantastic read. It's told from the point of view of an autistic boy, and ....well, i can't really describe it, but it's amazing to read.

 

On a lighter note, anything by Terry Pratchet is always a good read. His series about the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is probably the best example of his work. Start with Guards! Guards! and go from there.

__________________

[Guest PlatinumBoy]

If your looking for funny, sometimes emotional stream of consciousy stuff, check out "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers, or any of David Sedaris' stuff. Espically "Me Talk Pretty One Day".

[Jingus 0]

Second that recommendation for Terry Pratchett. If you're a fan of fantasy swords-n-sorcery type fiction with a sense of humor (or if you think all such books are pretentious and stupid), then definitely give his Discworld parody series a look. His style of writing and humor is very British, lots of wordplay and subtle humor, but it's worth the effort, as few other novelists can get me literally howling with laughter. And another great thing about his books is that it really doesn't matter which one you start with, or what order you read them in; all of them work just fine as stand-alone books. My personal favorite was Maskerade, in which he gives the Phantom of the Opera story the skewering it's always so rightly deserved.

[Ace309 0]

Confessions of a Yakuza by Junichi Saga. A secondhand memoir of a gang boss, as recounted to his doctor during the last months of his ife. Sort of like Tuesdays With Morrie, only, y'know, interesting.

[Swift Terror 0]

Christopher Lee has an updated version of his 1977 Autobiography out titled Lord of Misrule. Forward by Peter Jackson. I just started it. Very interesting but also a somewhat tough read because of the heavy British vernacular used throughout.

 

Tom Wolfe's I am Charlotte Simmons looks promising.

[Special K 0]

Fantasy:

Song of Ice and Fire - George RR martin

Memory, sorrow and thorn - Tad Williams

Coldfire Trilogy - C. S. Friedman

David Edding's first few series are pretty nice too.

David Gemmell has tons of one-shots that are fun and quick to read.

 

Old School Fantasy:

Michael Moorcock's Elric, Hawkmoon and Corum series. They're all distantly tied together (hero is constantly reincarnated)

 

Sci-Fi:

Neal Stephenson - Snow Crash, Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon

William Gibson - Start with Neuromancer (Or maybe Virtual Light? More accessible) and if you like it, complete either trilogy. Actually, Burning Chrome, his collection of short stories might be the best place to start. He was way ahead of his time.

China Mieville - Perdido Street Station

 

Old School Scifi:

Harry Harrison - THe early Stainless Steel Rat books, the first Bill the Galactic hero book. Make Room, Make Room (The first are wry sci-fi adventures with a roguish hero, the latter a broad satire that's pretty darn funny. The last is Soylent Green.)

Asimov- I, Robot

Arthur C. Clarke- The first 'Rama' book.

Phillip jose Farmer- Riverworld series

Philip K Dick short stories

 

Mystery/Crime/Thriller:

Anything by James Lee Burke or Robert Crais. I like them even more than Elmore Leonard, who is great. Earl Emerson is a pretty good mystery author as well. And Shelock Holmes short stories and novels are great.

 

Non-Fiction:

Wild Swans

Friday Night Lights

The World's Religions- Huston Smith

 

Plays:

Shakespeare, Tom Stoppard and Sam Shepherd

 

Classics- Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde. James Joyce's The Dubliners. A Confederacy of Dunces.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

The Tomb - F. Paul Wilson is a fabulous book with a great character(Repairman Jack). There are I believe 3-4 books that follow the character afterwards too.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

A few non-fiction History books I've enjoyed recently...

 

April 1865, by Jay Winik

Founding Brothers, by Joseph Ellis

Triangle, by David Von Drehle

Moneyball, by Michael Lewis

 

I found Triangle particularly enjoyable.