Looking for Good Books to Read

[assister49]

I am looking for suggestions on some good books to read. Fiction, non-fiction, spiritual, historical, self-help, etc.

Please let me know of any you have read and really liked. A brief review or comment would be helpful too.

Thanks.

 

[midwestyankee]

Here, let me suggest one by one of our own. Better Judgment: Confessions of a Mistress by our very own Sheath was just released this week.

This link includes an early review of the book: Better Judgment Review.

 

[wicked woman]

Originally posted by midwestyankee
Here, let me suggest one by one of our own. Better Judgment: Confessions of a Mistress by our very own Sheath was just released this week.

This link includes an early review of the book: Better Judgment Review.

oh Sheath's book!!! I'm definitely ordering this one. *how could I not?*

 

[Owlz]

Here, let me suggest one by one of our own. Better Judgment: Confessions of a Mistress by our very own Sheath was just released this week.

This link includes an early review of the book: Better Judgment Review.

Thanks, mwy. Appreciate the link.

 

[short_circutz]

I'm an avid Stephen King fan, of particularly the Dark Tower series. There are many books that he's written which are a part of this series. The first book isn't too interesting, but things start getting more interesting in the second.

The books are:
The Gunslinger
The Drawing of the Three
The Wastelands
Wizard and Glass
Wolves of the Calla
Songs of Susannah (just released last month)
The Dark Tower (due to be released this fall, Woo Hoo!) which is the final book.

 

[KHAN-E]

I have no idea what sort of literature interests you. So I'll just list a couple of authors I find intriguing.

I LUV good Science Fiction. Robert Heinlein is my favorite author in that genre. I would suggest "The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress", "Stranger in a Strange Land", "The Cat Who Walks Through Walls", "Time Enough for Love", "Friday", "Job", and "The Number of the Beast" as good starting points.

Recently, at the suggestion of a Lit. mate, I bought "Small Town" by Lawrence Block. It is a "gritty" mystery. I've have picked up a few more of Block's books at the local used book store. They contain quite a bit of sexual content, some of it rather kinky. I enjoy his books, though they seem to be written more for men than for women.

 

[sheath]

Thank you, my friends, for mentioning me.

What have I been reading lately...

"The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown. If you have any interest in historical research and a skeptical mind when it comes to organized religion, you are going to love this one. I also liked "Deception Point". It was a really fast-paced thriller...one of those you can imagine as a movie, you know? You can see the action in your head as you read it.

"The Smoke Jumper" by Nicholas Evans. A romance, technically, but so much more than that. A journey through healing and rediscovery.

"Dutch" by Edmund Morris. The biography of Ronald Reagan. I'm not sure I like Morris' approach, because he commits the cardinal sin of putting himself in the biography, but he doesn't lose the essence of the story...which is to convey the hills and valleys of a presidency that was nothing short of legendary in scope. He does justice to the words.

My constant favorite: "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb. The story of identical twins, one schizophrenic and one "normal", and the struggle of the normal twin to find a life of his own, relate to his brother in all the ways he should, and find the truth within himself, not to mention his family. A VERY good read.

"In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson. I love Australia, and this is a comical romp through all the places mere mortals fear to tread in the Land Down Under. Well, maybe not, but damned if I didn't laugh through every page. I'm on my fourth reading of it and it isn't getting old yet. I highly recommend it.

S.

 

[tisluvbull]

The Rule of Four

 

[tisluvbull]

Thank you, my friends, for mentioning me.

What have I been reading lately...

"The DaVinci Code" by Dan Brown. If you have any interest in historical research and a skeptical mind when it comes to organized religion, you are going to love this one. I also liked "Deception Point". It was a really fast-paced thriller...one of those you can imagine as a movie, you know? You can see the action in your head as you read it.

"The Smoke Jumper" by Nicholas Evans. A romance, technically, but so much more than that. A journey through healing and rediscovery.

"Dutch" by Edmund Morris. The biography of Ronald Reagan. I'm not sure I like Morris' approach, because he commits the cardinal sin of putting himself in the biography, but he doesn't lose the essence of the story...which is to convey the hills and valleys of a presidency that was nothing short of legendary in scope. He does justice to the words.

My constant favorite: "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb. The story of identical twins, one schizophrenic and one "normal", and the struggle of the normal twin to find a life of his own, relate to his brother in all the ways he should, and find the truth within himself, not to mention his family. A VERY good read.

"In a Sunburned Country" by Bill Bryson. I love Australia, and this is a comical romp through all the places mere mortals fear to tread in the Land Down Under. Well, maybe not, but damned if I didn't laugh through every page. I'm on my fourth reading of it and it isn't getting old yet. I highly recommend it.


I think "Angels and Demons" is Dan Browns best book.
S.

 

[firefighter02]

oh Sheath's book!!! I'm definitely ordering this one. *how could I not?*

Come on...Order a case or two...give them out as christmas presents..or quansa, or some other made up holiday.


Go little book GO!

FF needs a new Durango!!!!

 

[sheath]

Come on...Order a case or two...give them out as christmas presents..or quansa, or some other made up holiday.


Go little book GO!

FF needs a new Durango!!!!

Now that you put it out there, you know you will have to explain that comment. lol

Go ahead and pick out your color, darlin'. I fully intend on paying up!

S.

 

[dtinferno]

Fast Food Nation (expose of the fast food industry in america), Heavier Than Heaven (Biography of Kurt Cobain), The One-Hour Orgasm (Book on technique to create hour long orgasms in your partner male or female)

 

[sheath]

Heavier Than Heaven (Biography of Kurt Cobain)

Oooh...THAT is a good book!

S.

 

[midwestyankee]

One to look at as we enter the election season is Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush's America by Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose. Molly Ivins has covered politics in Texas her entire career. The rest should be self-explanatory (note: this book did not get a good review from Fox News).

For baseball fans (particularly of a certain age or strong interest in the game's history: The Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship, by David Halberstam. When he died two years ago, Ted Williams left behind three close friends from the Red Sox teams of the late 30's and late 40's. They were Dominic DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Bobby Doerr. This book chronicles their friendship and tells a lot of baseball history as well. If you have never read a sports book by David Halberstam, one of the country's finest journalists and historians, you owe it to yourself to do so.

And if you like the idea of reading about one of America's true heroes, consider Ted Williams by Leigh Montville. Not only was Williams the last man to hit over .400 for an entire baseball season (1941), but he spent 5 years flying combat for the Marines in WW2 and the Korean conflict. To give you a sense of his skill as a fighter pilot - he was John Glenn's wingman in Korea.

And then, if you just want to read about the indomitable spirit of a fine woman, I recommend Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. When she was removed from her position as a professor of literature at one of Iran's leading universities because she was a woman, Nafisi began secretly teaching a literature class in her home for women who had also been banned from the university. You don't have to know anything about literature to be spellbound by this woman's great heart and her courage. Told modestly and gracefully, hers is an admirable story of her revolt against the fundamentalist Islamic revolution in Iran.

 

[midwestyankee]

Fast Food Nation (expose of the fast food industry in america), Heavier Than Heaven (Biography of Kurt Cobain), The One-Hour Orgasm (Book on technique to create hour long orgasms in your partner male or female)

If you willingly eat another hamburger after reading Fast Food Nation, at least you will be doing so knowing what you are putting into your body.

I recommend having an airplane-style sick bag handy for this read.

 

[sheath]

short_circutz had a good list of Stephen King's work...the Dark Tower series was awesome. My favorite, by far, was "The Drawing of the Three".

Another good King book is "Different Seasons". It is a collection of four novellas, and two of those novellas turned into awesome movies. "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" and "The Body" became The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me, respectively. GREAT reads.

It also includes "The Breathing Method" (which is spooky as hell, and if you know a pregnant woman, do NOT read it until she has already had the child...just trust me on that one) and "Apt Pupil", which is one of the most chilling views of the human psyche I have ever read.

I have worn out two copies of this book.

S.

 

[bobsgirl]

The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels by Laurell K. Hamilton. Very explicit sex, gory and delicious.

 

[midwestyankee]

short_circutz had a good list of Stephen King's work...the Dark Tower series was awesome. My favorite, by far, was "The Drawing of the Three".

Another good King book is "Different Seasons". It is a collection of four novellas, and two of those novellas turned into awesome movies. "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" and "The Body" became The Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me, respectively. GREAT reads.

It also includes "The Breathing Method" (which is spooky as hell, and if you know a pregnant woman, do NOT read it until she has already had the child...just trust me on that one) and "Apt Pupil", which is one of the most chilling views of the human psyche I have ever read.

I have worn out two copies of this book.

S.

The book was, as they say, a mother lode for Hollywood. And, chances are, Mr. King's bank account made out rather well too.

 

[Harshaw]

If you want to read fiction, I'd suggest Heinlein. Starship Troopers or Stranger in a Strange Land are good. If you like history, try Victor Davis Hanson. Mexifornia and Carnage and Culture are both good books.

 

[Vixandra]

The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter novels by Laurell K. Hamilton. Very explicit sex, gory and delicious.

My kinda gal!
I ADORE the Anita Blake series and really enjoy the Princess Meredith series.
I keep telling hubby I'm going to order a bumper sticker that says: "Coffin bait, but only for Jean-Claude."

 

[assister49]

Thanks all. Sounds like several good choices to check out. Especially some of those Sheath mentioned. I already read DaVinci code and am waiting on Angels and Demons.

Keep the good suggestions coming.

 

[dollface007]

My constant favorite: "I Know This Much Is True" by Wally Lamb. The story of identical twins, one schizophrenic and one "normal", and the struggle of the normal twin to find a life of his own, relate to his brother in all the ways he should, and find the truth within himself, not to mention his family. A VERY good read. S.

I haven't read this book, but i've read Lamb's "She's Come Undone," in which mental illness is also a theme. It follows a woman from tragic childhood into adulthood. An excellent book...good for a cry.

Also, one book that stands out as a fun/touching/true-to-life novel (or novella) was Steve Martin's "Shopgirl." It's about a 20-something who's bored and depressed and ends up getting involved with an older guy. You can read it in an afternoon.

Of course, my favorite books since i was a kid are the "Narnia Chronicles" by C.S. Lewis. The latest editions are set in chronological order of the story, but try to read them in the order in which they were first published (starting with "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe"). They're "childrens" books, but I still love to read them

 

[Willing and Unsure]

I love books. This will be fun.

2001: A Space Oddysey. Arthur Clark.
If you've ever seen the movie, this book will make sense of the entire thing. I saw the movie after I read it, and I actually understood the whole point of the movie (including the ending). It was definitely a good read and worth the time.

The Count of Monte Cristo. Alexandre Dumas.
Definitely another good read. I'm loving every second of it so far and I'm only about halfway through it. I'd give away parts of it, but there's not much to give. It's a bit slow to get into, but once you get there it's truly awesome.

The Catcher in the Rye. J.D. Salinger
This one is my favorite by far. This is also one of those where you'll either love it or hate it (at least that's the way it usually is with this one). I found this book to be hitting a bit close to home for me and changed the way I looked at the world.

Under the Author of Stephen King:
Different Seasons
Gerald's Game
The Green Mile
Insomnia
Desperation
It



anything from Kurt Vonnegut.

Catch-22. Joseph Heller

The Principia.
This is definitely a geek book, but worth my time.


Okay. that's all for now.

 

[dollface007]

The Count of Monte Cristo. Alexandre Dumas.
Definitely another good read. I'm loving every second of it so far and I'm only about halfway through it. I'd give away parts of it, but there's not much to give. It's a bit slow to get into, but once you get there it's truly awesome.

Count of Monte Cristo & Shawshank Redemption mentioned in the same thread.....

"The Count of Monte Crisco, by Alexandree Dumbass. Dumbass??"

Sorry, couldn't resist

 

[lilnymph28]

Cry, the Beloved Country, Alan Paton
The story of a Zulu pastor and his son, set in early 20th century South Africa.

Exodus, Leon Uris
Great historical novel of the formation of the nation of Israel, set in post WWII, and also chronicles the love story of a widowed American nurse and an Israeli freedom-fighter. Please, if you've seen the movie and not read the book, the book is so much better, there is so much more story.


Authors that I think are worth checking out:
Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters -
The same author, different pen names. The Elizabeth Peters books are more mysteries, and tend to be a lot wittier in my opinion, especially those written in the last 15 years. Under Barbara Michaels, the books are more traditional gothic romances, a la Daphne DuMaurier.

Guy Gavriel Kay -
If I had the talent that this man holds in his pinky bone, I think I could win a Pulitzer. Fantasy novels that integrate many variations of differing mythologies. Some of the best are Tigana, The Wandering Fire, The Darkest Road, and The Summer Tree (the last 3 titles listed are a trilogy).

Laurell K. Hamilton -
Fantasy/alternate reality with a decidely sensual and primal bent (the book jackets would say erotic, but on a Lit, I hesitate to advertise it as such). 2 main series, one focused in modern day alternate reality where werewolves and vampires exist, and one in modern times where faerie exists. The books are a bit raw, but they are a quick enjoyable read, and I love the animalistic nature of them.

Sharyn McCrumb -
Her books are sold as mysteries, but the mystery aspect of them is limited. There definitely is something to be solved in each book, but they tend to focus more on aspects of culture.

That's just a few off the top of my head. I read too much...