Savage Beatings Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Fiction I like Fantasy Books - RA Salvatore and Stephen R Donaldson, they both have pretty good series. Non-Fiction - I'm currently hitting The Discoverers by Daniel Boorstin and Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope which I will follow with Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. I don't know how long this has been out... I just discovered it myself this last weekend (just browsing through a Barnes & Noble). It is the first book in a new series by Stephen R. Donaldson. The Runes of the Earth: The Last Chronicles of Thomas Convenant. I bought it, and am just about to start reading it. Can't wait! I've loved these series, and had no idea he was continuing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I read a great book over the holidays, The Terror by Dan Simmons. This book was perfect for a ski trip. Its a historical fiction book about the HMS Terror and Erebus and the infamous northwest passage exploration of Sir John Franklin. It is set in the times oft explorers like Ross, Perry, Back and Darwin and is historically accurate if a little embellished. It is a hugh novel and I crushed it in ten days, a real page turner. Dan Simmons is a very dynamic writer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Holy Roller Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I just read Flag of Our Fathers and it was a page turner. I had to put it down several times because my emotuions got too involved. My barber (may he rest in peace) was a WWII Marine vet and he would not read the book or see the movie, his wife said. Excellent read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteteacher2001 Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Ghost Soldiers: Hampton Sides (Book on the Bataan Deathmarch) Eric Clapton Autobiography Angels and Demons: Dan Brown (the prequel to The DaVinci Code) Flags of Our Fathers: James Bradley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhino4ever Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 The Bible..I kid you not Have you ever read Brock and Brodie Thoene's series, A.D. Chronicles? Fiction I like Fantasy Books - RA Salvatore and Stephen R Donaldson, they both have pretty good series. Non-Fiction - Salvatore is my favorite author. Would love to see some movies based on Drizzt, Bruenor, Wulfgar, etc. A nice trilogy like Lord of the Rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Loins of Beef Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Skins you are an excellent source of good reading material. What book(s) do you recommend for the JFK years? T. Harry Williams--not to bad about JFK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Loins of Beef Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Have you ever read Brock and Brodie Thoene's series, A.D. Chronicles? Salvatore is my favorite author. Would love to see some movies based on Drizzt, Bruenor, Wulfgar, etc. A nice trilogy like Lord of the Rings. used to empty out Half Price book store over off Greenville ave--had a great German restaurant next door that had a chocolate cake to die for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giggity Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 For some really good Fantasy fiction with a lot of struggle between Noble Houses George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is hard to beat. Plenty of sex and violence in it too. Just be forewarned, Martin will kill of any character at any time, so do not become to attached to anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isleseeya Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 The Bible..I kid you not Still the Bible and i Still kid you not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 For some really good Fantasy fiction with a lot of struggle between Noble Houses George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is hard to beat. Plenty of sex and violence in it too. Just be forewarned, Martin will kill of any character at any time, so do not become to attached to anyone. Spoiler Alert. +alot though. This is probably the best fantasy series I have ever read. I recommend this series even to those who dont usually read fantasy. Its very well written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDFFFreak Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 I read a great book over the holidays, The Terror by Dan Simmons. This book was perfect for a ski trip. Its a historical fiction book about the HMS Terror and Erebus and the infamous northwest passage exploration of Sir John Franklin. It is set in the times oft explorers like Ross, Perry, Back and Darwin and is historically accurate if a little embellished. It is a hugh novel and I crushed it in ten days, a real page turner. Dan Simmons is a very dynamic writer. I've read about this and even gone as far to check it out at the book store. At something well over 500 pages (700?) I know that I won't have the time to get through it right now and will have to wait for the next break from school/life to check it out if I am still interested. I read Born Standing Up by Steve Martin. It was a great, quick read, however, I may be biased as I am big fan of his (especially the early movie/stand-up year) and have an interest in the psyche of the comedian/actor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhoops Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Finished "The Dante' Club" recently, very good read by a Harvard Grad. Historical Fiction. It involves Longfellow, Holmes and others who are translating Dante' to English while murders are happening in Boston in a similar manner as the text they are translating. Life of Pi - extremely good book Just started Spy by Ted Bell. Kind of like a Clancy Book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Life of Pi - extremely good book I agree - a simple read, but very interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Neutron Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I think it was skinsy that turned me on to Cormac McCarthy - he's a new favorite of mine. Everyone is talking about The Road. It's a good read and I enjoyed it, but it's nothing compared to some of McCarthy's other work. Blood Merridian is by far my favorite - it's dark in nature (much of McCormick is), but very good. His border trilogy (including All the Pretty Horses) is also good. I've also read a lot of Graham Greene lately. If you missed him in highschool and college - he's worth a visit. The Quiet American continues to be relevant today. The Heart of the Matter is also good. I always have to pimp my favorite book when this question comes up - Steinbeck's East of Eden. If any of you have not read this book - read it - it is epic. I have read it more than a dozen times and still read it every other year or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I've also read a lot of Graham Greene lately. If you missed him in highschool and college - he's worth a visit. The Quiet American continues to be relevant today. The Heart of the Matter is also good. The Power and the Glory What a fantastic book... one of the best character studies I've ever read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunning Linguist Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 We have all of Schotts Miscellany's. They're great reads whilst on the throne. I received this book on Kennedy for Christmas but haven't been able to get at it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 One of my goals this year is to read more. Don't know if they are great or not, but here are a few books I recently picked up: A Brief History of the Vikings: The Last Pagans or the First Modern Europeans? by Jonathan Clements The Cold War: A History by Martin Walker World War: In the Balance (volume 1/4) - Harry Turtledove The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qdaddyo Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I read a great book over the holidays, The Terror by Dan Simmons. This book was perfect for a ski trip. Its a historical fiction book about the HMS Terror and Erebus and the infamous northwest passage exploration of Sir John Franklin. It is set in the times oft explorers like Ross, Perry, Back and Darwin and is historically accurate if a little embellished. It is a hugh novel and I crushed it in ten days, a real page turner. Dan Simmons is a very dynamic writer. I read it in record time, too. Excellent, excellent book. I jumped to Ilium and Olympos after. Thinking of rereading the Hyperion Cantos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I read it in record time, too. Excellent, excellent book. I jumped to Ilium and Olympos after. Thinking of rereading the Hyperion Cantos. Awesome. I've read Illium and Olympos and they were good but not great. I've also read the Hyperion novels. Another good but not great. If you liked the Hyperion series, read Alistair Reynolds Revelation Space Series. Amazing Science Fiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffraff Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is hard to beat. Best series I have ever read. Much love for his work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffeeman Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 (edited) Chasing Daylight, by Eugene O'Kelly Simply put, this book teaches you how to die gracefully and, more importantly, how to live more fully 'in the moment' now. Although he is clearly not an author by trade, (accountant, CEO of KPMG) and doesn't do a lot of deep character development, I defy anyone reading this to not shed at least a few tears thinking about your loved ones and what you'd do if given only 100 days to live. Less than 200 pages, you can read it over a weekend, or even one long night. If one of your new resolutions is to 'spend more time with family and friends', this gives you a kind of roadmap to do so. I am scheduling some appointments with my friends and loved ones pronto, that's for sure. Haunting.... Edited January 17, 2008 by Coffeeman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Best series I have ever read. Much love for his work. I am halfway through the fourth book. Amazing stuff. Much more "palace intrigue" than pure fantasy though. It's amazing how well he develops the characters, even the ones he does little or nothing with or kills off. In reading through this series it's the first time I thought about fantasy work that could be brought to the stage rather than to the big screen. Truly admirable stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I just finished A Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson. Its about a guy and his friend walking the Applacian Trail. Ya, thats it. It goes into a lot of the history surrounding the places on the AT and delves into some environmental history of America. Really good book. It made me want to do some hiking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DemonKnight Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 For those of us who have been waiting 3+ years for A Dance With Dragons, this from G.R.R. Martin's website: This summer I am scheduled to travel to Spain to speak at Semana Negra in Gijon, make some appearances in Madrid and Barcelona, and then head over to Portugal to visit with my publishers and readers there. I want to have A DANCE WITH DRAGONS done and delivered before I leave. If that happens, the book will likely be published in the fall of 2008 in the U.S, and somewhat earlier in the U.K. I am pleased with the way the writing is going at the moment, and I think these projections are realistic ones... but as you all know, I've been wrong before. So I am not swearing any blood oaths here. Another 9ish months, this ending better be good. But really... I dont want it to end. How could he possibly wrap that whole epic story up in one book? I have trouble believing this will be the last novel in the series. Just to whet your whistle, Dance With Dragons Sample Page It features the opening chapter for Jon, Tyrion and Daneryes in rotation so check back to read em all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 For those of us who have been waiting 3+ years for A Dance With Dragons, this from G.R.R. Martin's website:Another 9ish months, this ending better be good. But really... I dont want it to end. How could he possibly wrap that whole epic story up in one book? I have trouble believing this will be the last novel in the series. Just to whet your whistle, Dance With Dragons Sample Page It features the opening chapter for Jon, Tyrion and Daneryes in rotation so check back to read em all. Crap, now I know those three survive into the next book. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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