Recommendations for reading?

[Guest Regina Phelange]

I gave G. Dyer's "WAR" to my b/f for Christmas and he seemed to enjoy that (nonfiction), along with a bunch of John Wyndham books we both enjoy (sci-fi). Day of the Triffids is particularly good.

Steinbeck might be a good introduction to classic literature, John Irving's fiction are easy reads as well.

[Guest Vitamin X]

So I ended up going to the Library with a couple of the books mentioned, and actually found out a book I'd recommend to anyone here who's into alternate history or scifi. Harry Turtledove wrote these books in a series titled Worldwar, followed by Colonization, and now the new series just came out after I'd previously thought the story ended with Colonization. What basically happens is aliens attack in the middle of World War II, I thought the concept of it was funny enough to at least check it out, and I got hooked. He also has written Guns of the South, and subsequent books about a group of racist time travelers from South Africa who go back in time and supply the Confederacy with AK-47s, which clearly gave them a tremendous advantage in the war and allowed them to win. It goes from then on about the history of the split countries in a series I've yet to check out.

 

But thanks to everyone who recommended things, I'll probably check them all out at one point or another. Fantasy isn't really my thing, but I enjoyed the LOTR movies, so I could feasibly read those and maybe go from there.

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

Turtledove is fantastic. His alternative history book "Ruled Britannia" is a personal favorite. An excellent look at what things might have been like if The Spanish Armada had been victorious. Lots of great historical figures like Shakespeare and Marlowe in it

[Guest Vitamin X]

He wrote another one in which the Roman Empire never fell and still existed in the 20th century, which looked interesting but I wasn't sure enough to check it out yet. Ever heard of it?

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

I've heard it was good but I haven't seen it at any of the local bookstores yet. I'll be buying it when I do.

 

He also has an interesting Fantasyish series that I think is called "The world at war" or something like that. It's like a version of world war 1 with the trench warfare and the like but also with some fantasy elements.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

the new Harry Potter comes out in June.

[Guest cosbywasmurdered]

He wants something good

[Nighthawk]

Harry Potter is better than any other book.

[Big Ol' Smitty]

I second Stephen King's Dark Tower series--a cool mix of horror/western/sci-fi. Start w/ The Gunslinger.

 

Also, anything by Jared Diamond if you're into science/civilization/history/ecology.

 

The 3rd Chimpanzee

 

Guns, Germs, & Steel

 

or his latest, Collapse

 

'ol boy is pretty brilliant

[Big Ol' Smitty]

I work at a bookstore so I can opine about books all day long.

 

If you want to get in a (smart, sentimental) girl's pants for V-Day, give her this.

 

I Like You is a brilliant, painfully sweet children's book. Probably one of the best things I've read in quite some time.