Read any good books lately?

[dahkter]

Hey all,

I've stopped reading the newspaper on my train, instead I've been going to the library and taking out books, definitely a better use of my time.

 

I have a 45 minute commute each way, and find that a good book can make the ride go by in what feels like 5 minutes.

 

I'm looking for some recommendations, curious if anyone could recommend any of their favorites in the following genres:

1) fiction

2) non-fiction

3) music-related

4) creativity/improvement/elightenment

 

Thanks for the time and suggestions in advance.

[Lee Knight]

Yes I have!

 

Blink

 

It's non-fiction. It's all about snap judgments and our ability to size up people, life threatening situations, products, music, in an instant. Blink!

 

Our intuition is really more than just that and the author describes this as "thin-slicing". Our ability to cut out what's not penitent to our immediate needs and focus on subtle cues we pick up on unconsciously.

 

It is an amazing book and I highly recommend it. It was a library, 7-day check out because of its best seller status.

 

I can not say enough about this book and I highly recommend it to everyone on this forum.

 

Glad you asked...

[Base]

I'm reading Digital Fortress, the first book by DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons author Dan Brown. It's about a chase through a European locale, whilst battling a mysterious assassin type with some sort of disability/disfigurement, who is working for a mysterious figure that I am sure can't possibly be the elder mentor-type ally to the good guys

 

It's good that there is a lot of variety in his books

 

But hey, come this Saturday...

 

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0747581088.02.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

 

[Lee Knight]

So Base, do you like it? I read DiVinci Code and loved it so I got Angels and Demons and couldn't get past the first 50 pages. It seemed too dense, if you know what I mean.

 

Anyway, how is Digital Fortress? Are you liking the read?

[Botch.]

Finished Bruce's book, enjoyable read.

 

"Younger Next Year", an eye-opening book about keeping your youth well into your eighties. It's co-written by a 72-year old who still powder skis, and a noted MD. The three basic tenets of the book are 1) exercise, HARD, six days a week for the rest of your life, 2) quit eating JUNK, and 3) maintain your social contacts.

 

"Digital Nature Photography", Moose Peterson. I'm getting closer to buying a digital camera to use with my Nikon lenses, this book is pretty good, albeit a few errors in it.

 

"The Wine Bible", Katherine MacNeil

 

and I have "The Adventures of Mixerman" sitting on my coffee table, am waiting for a long weekend before I start that one!

 

Dahkter, you might want to check out LiveMusic's recent thread right here, ; I printed out that thread, looks like some good ideas for summer reads there too.

[Base]

Originally posted by Lee Knight:

So Base, do you like it? I read DiVinci Code and loved it so I got Angels and Demons and couldn't get past the first 50 pages. It seemed too dense, if you know what I mean.

 

Anyway, how is Digital Fortress? Are you liking the read?

Yes, it is still pretty good, he has a very easy to read style. Just that all of his books seem comprised of near exactly the same elemements, I can see all of the twists coming after already reading them in his later books. It's a shame you didn't enjoy Angels and Demons, that was my favourite, I read it a couple of months ago when it was running alongside the actual Conclave...

 

He's writing the third Robert Langdon book now. All I know is that it is about the secret history of the American capital and Langdon will be pursued by a mysterious assassin suffering from male pattern baldness and will be aided by a beautiful, yet brilliant, young woman from, oh what haven't we had yet?!, ROMANIA!!

 

I may be fibbing about some of these facts

[dahkter]

hey Botch,

Thanks for the heads up on the other thread, I thought I recalled this being discussed, but just wanted to throw it out there anyway.

Getting into a new book is a great thing.

In the past month, I've read Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love and two comic book novels (one an unauthorized biography of Stan Lee, the other an interview between Frank Miller and Wil Eisner). Right now I'm reading a compendum from Mix Magazine highlighting their interviews with top producers.

Also read a book about getting organized with the right side of the brain (skimmed it, some good info but way too long).

All good, enjoyable stuff.

[The Geoff]

Originally posted by Lee Knight:

So Base, do you like it? I read DiVinci Code and loved it so I got Angels and Demons and couldn't get past the first 50 pages. It seemed too dense, if you know what I mean.

 

Anyway, how is Digital Fortress? Are you liking the read?

This is a great story (ripping yarn) written very badly - if he'd put 'He gunned the car down the street' one more time, I'd have gagged.

 

If you want a decent read aimed for and written by adults, try the Aubrey & Maturin series of books by Patrick O'Brian (Master & Commander), nautical yarns set during the Napoleonic conflicts.

 

All of this is based on Lord Cochran, as was 'Hornblower' (read up on that - that's NOT fiction).

 

O'Brian not only tells a great story, but the dialogue is accurate to the early 1800's and his nautical knowledge of sailing square rigged ships is second to none.

 

There are 20 books in the series - I am on the last one :-(.

 

They create their own world, much loved by many and myself.

 

Geoff

[Blue Strat]

I'm reading a history of Black-Jack Pershing's pursuit of Pancho Villa in 1916. I've just finished a book on Sherman's Atlanta campaign of 1864, and my next read is going to be about Robert E. Lee's command of the army of Northern Virginia.

 

I like military history.

 

For historical fiction, I'd recommend Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe's books. These are set during the Napoleonic wars and trace the career of a soldier in the British army under Wellington. He's also written an American civil war series, but they're not complete. There's also The Archer's Tale and Vagabond, which are set during the 100 years war in England and France. Good reading!

[KB Gunn]

My favorites are all of Lee Child's novels. They feature Jack Reacher as the protagonist and they are excellent. Also, all of Dan Brown's books were super.

[Base]

There's a distinct lack of fantasy here! Whether you like the genre or not, I highly recommend Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. Discworld is a magical disc that exists on the back of 4 enormous elephants who in turn are stood on the back of the Great Turtle A'Tuin. There are around 30 books so far, but don't have to be read in sequence, there are different series within the series tho. The early books are straight swords and sorcery fantasy, as it develops it becomes more satire on our own world (the last one was about the Post Office)...

 

Just trust me, it's better than I just made that sound

[Billster]

You can read Dan Shaugnessy's "Reversing the Curse - Inside the 2004 Boston Red Sox"...Oh wait, you're in NY. My bad.

 

Seriously, for non-fiction, "Guns, Germs and Steel" was interesting, and "Into Thin Air" was good too.

 

For fiction, if you haven't already read them, I like Kurt Vonnegut's classics like Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions, and Galapagos. THe short story collection is good to, just for Harrison Bergeron.

 

A few summers ago, I got a nice hardcover edition of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, which was good to go back to with new eyes.

[Lee Knight]

Clive Barker - Books of Blood

For something wicked

 

Poppy Z Brite - Wormwood

For something wickeder

 

...and don't forget

 

Malcolm Gladwell - Blink

For something to think about

[dahkter]

Hey Billster,

Guns/Germs/Steel was interesting, but kind of a tough read, I'm about 150pgs into it, but it never really got moving at a fast enough pace for me. May go back to it at some point.

Will dig into some Vonnegut, heard great things about his work, still a Kurt virgin at this point.

 

Regarding Yankees/Red Sox, our families split, I'm third generation Yankees fans, all of my cousins are die hard Red Sox fans. It's gonna be a very exciting year, again. And the last four games are Red Sox / Yankees, those will probably determine who goes to the ALCS (I should probably start a new thread for that one).

 

EZ

Dahkter

[Magpel]

You know, Vonnegut was a hugely influential figure in my life, but I thought I outgrew him when I went to college and got into Joyce and Faulkner, etc. This week, on vacation in Illinois, I picked up _Bluebeard_ off my brother's bookshelf. It's one of his later novels and it is absolutely wonderful, as playful and imaginative as his best early work. So I think I'm re-ready for Vonnegut. I've grown back into him. Now I have to buy it because I only got 100 pages in before we came home.

[dahkter]

Hi Lee,

I went ahead and reserved "Blink" from the Brooklyn Public Library, looking forward to reading it, sounds fascinating. I'll hit you back with my reaction once I get through it.

[Billster]

Dahkter, Guns, Germs picks up as you go along. But I found that you need the foundation of the first part in order to understand the second part.

 

Still waiting for the Yankees to implode. The minor leaguers they called up have worked out well so far, but the second time through schedule will be the big test. The Phillies did that for years, call up a guy who smokes everyone the first time, and then on the next road trip, second time facing the teams gets shelled. The Sox have a little trade ammo with Millar, so if Foulke looks slow on the rehab they can pursue someone high grade.

[dahkter]

Yeah Bill,

Yanks have the oldest starting pitching in the majors, if they can stay injury free, the implosion should be avoidable. Still half a season to go, and honestly I'm surprised we're only 2 1/2 games behind you guys considering we've looked and played like kaka this year. Either way, it should be an exciting pennant race, this rivalry really gathered some steam after the Sox' comeback in the ALCS last year, going to be interesting to see how things come together...

[Billster]

You mean avoid any more injuries. Idiot Kevin Brown (That's his official name by the way), Jaret Wright, and Pavano have all been injured.

 

OTOH, no Schilling, and the Foulke mess up here. If any of the offensive players gets injured, winning those 9-7 games becomes a problem for us too. But I'll take Schilling over Kevin Brown.

[rainbird]

Just started reading "Why Birds Sing: A Journey Into The Mystery Of Bird Song " by David

Rothenberg, a jazz clarinetist! Not overly scientific, but not fluffy either - a balanced

and *very* readable book. I'm going to have to break down and buy my own copy. There's an accompanying CD available too - didn't come with the library copy I'm reading. And a website:

 

www.whybirdssing.com

 

LS

[Lee Knight]

Originally posted by rainbird:

Just started reading "Why Birds Sing: A Journey Into The Mystery Of Bird Song " by David

Rothenberg, a jazz clarinetist! Not overly scientific, but not fluffy either - a balanced

and *very* readable book. I'm going to have to break down and buy my own copy. There's an accompanying CD available too - didn't come with the library copy I'm reading. And a website:

 

www.whybirdssing.com

 

LS

They interviewed that guy on PBS's Fresh Air. Totally facinating.

[Gator Wing]

Animal Farm by George Orwell.

 

Not by choice, but to help my son with his summer packet for school.

[dtobocman]

I just read Joe Jackson's autoiography of his childhood up until the release of Look Sharp. It's called A Cure For Gravity and I found it immensely enjoyable, insightful about music, and consummately British. He writes real good!

 

The Godfather, the novel, is positively gripping. You will miss your train stop... all week. Best "middlebrow" novel ever, IMO. Other good ones are Jurrasic Park and Silence of the Lambs.

 

Currently I'm reading The World is Flat by Tom Friedman (NY Times columnist). It's about history of globalization and the state of world economics. Insightful and important, again, IMO...

 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (just may change your life). One Hundred Years of Solitude (head spinning and fun). For Whom the Bell Tolls (my favorite Hemmingway).

 

Et Tu, Babe by Mark Leyner will make you piss your pants in public. So funny you'll regret taking this on the subway.

 

Miles Davis's autobiography is not to be missed. It's hilarious and scathing. Bob Dylan's new one is good too. I'll stop. Read The Godfather (by Mario Puzo).

[realtrance]

I'm having a blast reading T.C. Boyle's "Drop City," basically anything by him is great, but this is particular fun. I think he'll go down as one of the 20th-21st century's great writers. And he's a hoot to read to boot -- laugh-out-loud funny, frequently, and poignant as well.

[dahkter]

Great great stuff.

 

Rainbird - you have definitely piqued my curiousity with the "Why Birds Sing" book, to say that something is readable is high praise in my book (especially at this point in my life where I don't get the opportunity to shut out the world for any extended period of time)

Dtobocman (that's a lot of consonants), many thanks for all of the great recommendations, I remember seeing The Godfather on my parents bookshelf, I will get on that immediately. The missing the subway stop is a hilarious comment, it's happened to me a few times when I read the food section of the Daily News (Mmmmh Gazpacho....)

 

To everyone who replied, many thanks, I should be good on the train for the next six months or more. Also thanks for pulling the thread back on course, definitely reinforces that this is a great cocktail party type place. And oh yeah, Scientology is total b*llshit (kidding, kidding....).

[ihategarybettman]

I just finished "Avenger", by Frederick Forsyth, the author of "Day of the Jackal" and "The Odessa File", and I recommend it. It's the story of a former Vietnam tunnel rat and vigilante's pursuit of a Serbian warlord who savagely killed an American aid worker. The Serb is protected in his South American jungle compound not only by the best security money can buy but also by a top FBI man who plans to use the warlord to help take out a dangerous terrorist.

 

Right now I'm reading "Moanin' at Midnight: The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf" by James Segrest and Mark Hoffman and so far it's better than the Muddy Waters bio I recently finished.

[TBush]

"If you want a decent read aimed for and written by adults, try the Aubrey & Maturin series of books by Patrick O'Brian (Master & Commander), nautical yarns set during the Napoleonic conflicts.

 

All of this is based on Lord Cochran, as was 'Hornblower' (read up on that - that's NOT fiction).

 

O'Brian not only tells a great story, but the dialogue is accurate to the early 1800's and his nautical knowledge of sailing square rigged ships is second to none.

 

There are 20 books in the series - I am on the last one :-(.

 

They create their own world, much loved by many and myself.

 

Geoff"

 

I'm on #11 right now- O'Brian is seriously detailed and sucks the reader into the early 19th century like no other. Very addictive and fun.

I'm reminded of CS Lewis' advice to writers:

 

"Instead of telling us a thing is 'terrible,' describe it so that we'll be terrified. Don't say it was a 'delight,' make us say 'delightful' when we've read the description. You see, all those words (horrifying,' 'wonderful,' 'hideous,' 'exquisite') are only saying to your readers, 'Please, will you do my job for me.'"