Anyone recommend anything they've read recently? Also, anyone know what site gives good book reviews? Most sites have bestseller lists, but I don't think anything is good just because supposedly a bunch of people bought it.

I finally got around to reading House of Leaves, and will have to give it a reread to pick up on certain parts that I sorta lagged through.

Any kind of book? I've read Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, Teacherman, A Monk Swimming, White Oleander, Storekeeper's Daughter and am about to start Quilter's Daughter (sequel to Storekeeper's Daughter). I think they are good books. I'll let you know if I can think of anyothers.

Casey

Amazon.com will suggest books based on what YOU say you like.

I've recently read some of Vince Flynn's stuff. Memorial Day and Consent to Kill were pretty good.

My favorite book of all time has to be Charm School by DeMille, but Clancy would be my favorite author.

What kind of books do you like?

Meh, just wanted a thread for people to post what they've been reading lately, since in the asian culture forum there is a similiar thread.

Most everything I have rad recently has been either textbook or research journal article. I did read an interesting book written from the perspective of a child with Asperger's syndrome (autism) that I found suprisingly enjoyable. It is called "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time"

Saisho my older sister has Asperger's syndrome so I'd like to read that book. That will be the next on my list after the series I'm reading now.

Casey

A few favourites of mine:

Sci-fi: The Dune Series, The Robotech Series, Use of Weapons, Player of Games, Excession, Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Forever War, Forever Peace, Starship Troopers, Stranger from a Strange Land, 20000 Leagues Under The Sea, Prey, Timeline, Andromeda Strain.

Crime: The Murder Room, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Fantasy: Eaters of the Dead (13th Warrior), The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

General: Catch 22, Life of Pi, The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, Just So Stories, The Firm, A Quiver Full of Arrows.

Steven King's "The Dark Tower/The Gunslinger" series. His best stuff, IMHO. All Quiet on the Western Front, The Metamorphosis, The Call of the Wild, The Tell Tale Heart (anything by Poe, really), A Brief History of Time, The Inferno, Aesop's fables.....that's all I got for now.

Quote:

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Steven King's "The Dark Tower/The Gunslinger" series

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Can I get an Amen? No blasphemy intended, but I agree 100%

Casey, I think you will enjoy the book. I was amazed at how accurate the author portrayed the character (keeping in mind there can be a wide range of the condition). It might sound strange, but I find the strightforwardness (say what they mean, mean what they say) of people with Asperger's very refreshing.

I used to be an avid book reader with probably 1 book every 1-2 days. I mostly read fantasy books and have a storeroom full in my basement. This would of course include the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings but quite a few from The Forgotten Realms and Dragon Lance series with most being trilogies as well. I also enjoy Micheal Moorcock who is probably one of my favorite authors and Elric being my favorite character of his. I also enjoy Lloyd Alexander who wrote a great series that also included the Black Cauldron, though Disney did it no justice at all.

I haven't read much over the years since I had eye surgery a number of years back but perhaps again in the future.

A Fighter's Heart, by Sam Sheridan is a good book. A great fantasy series is A Song of Ice and Fire.

Musashi

http://www.amazon.com/Musashi-Epic-Novel-Samurai-Era/dp/4770019572

I don't read much nowadays. It's hard to get books in my father tongue. Books in English makes me fall asleep faster than you can tranq a horse with a dart gun.

But I used to read a lot in Swedish. LOTR, I've read in all three languages btw. Sweden has lots of good history-fantasy authors. There's this one author I really like, Jan Guillou, he's written stories like the Knight Templar Arn Magnusson, Carl Hamilton (Sweden's version of James Bond, except he's more like Sam Fisher).

The Knight Templar was a 3 book story, much like LOTR, and depicted the middle east quite beautifully. It was very similar to Kingdom of Heaven.

Another book I like was "Röde Orm" or the "Red Serpent". It's about a Viking, Orm, or as everyone call him Red because of his hair colour. His adventures begins in sweden, goes into denmark, england, spain, into the byzentine empire, etc etc. Very nice read.

Then there's the book "Ondskan" or Evil in English written by Jan Guillou. About fighting in boarding school. Very very nice read.

-Taison out

There is a book section here:
http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/s...e=0&fpart=1

Hello Heretik:

"Gates of Fire"; Steven Pressfield

Jeff

Hello Mr. Heretik:

A particular preference in subject matter? Martial, non martial? Any "categories" off limits? My "cup of tea" might not be yours...

Jeff

Pick up anything by Charles Bukowski, 'tales of ordinary madness' would be a good entry point. He will change your life.

If you havent read them already, Stephen King's 'Dark Tower' series is great.

Book section was limited to just MA.

I'm going to buy "The Watchmen." Not exactly a novel but everyone says its good.

Stuff I can't read:
Anything taking place too far in the past
Any kind of LOTR or D&D-esque fantasy
Those "romance" novels that all have a fabio look-a-like on the cover
Those "romance" novels that are pretty much porn in the form of text

OK, thats what you dont like, why not give us your preferred genre(s) as well so we have more to work with

Watchmen is one of the defining moments in comic book history, the first comic to be taken seriously as a piece of literature. You will enjoy it, its awesome

I guess I'm a Sci Fi geek over anything else. Its just that aside from 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and the other obvious "classics" of the genre, I don't know what else (although I heard "the road" was good) is worth picking up.

For a while there I was reading nonfiction. Reza Aslan's No god but God and Zbigniew Brzezinski's Second Chance were some recent good ones that stick out to me.

I dunno if this is something wrong with me, but I can't stand anything with far too many details. It gets boring, and I never imagine the characters the right way anyway. With LOTR and Harry Potter(which isn't a complex or difficult read), I didn't even put appearances to the characters, even though the novels described them to me.

if you like sci-fi, then your dislike of detailed description may narrow your choices a touch. Personaly i am a huge fan of Ian M. Banks's sci fi, and also his non sci fi work that he publishes merely as Ian Banks.
Isaac Assimov is a good read also.
Arthur C. Clark is fantastic, but can be heavy going.

Outside of Sci Fi, you might try 'Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance' by Pirsig- a very thought provoking and entertaining read. Then there is 'fear and loathing in Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thompson, and also his account of life on the road with the Hells Angels is cracking stuff.

I am a big fan of William Burroughs, but much of his prose is experimental in structure and you either love it or hate it, so borrow it before you buy

Poppy Z. Brite wrote some wildly decadent horror stories in the 90's 'Lost Souls' is a definitive vampire story, and 'Exquisite Corpse' makes Hannibal Lecter look like Ned Flanders.

If you like graphic novels, and Watchmen pushes your buttons, then you should investigate 'The Sandman' series by Neil Gaiman and 'Preacher' by Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon

http://www.whichbook.net/

Interesting.

I second Iain M Banks' writing, his books are some of the best modern sci-fi I've read.