Reading: Books and Recommendations

[julie_m]

I know we have some big readers out there. :smile:

I think it's time for a books and recommendations thread.

I got talked into reading Dostoevsky. I've narrowed it down to maybe The Idiot and Crime and Punishment, but I am open to others. Suggestions?

 

[Diane]

A little light summer reading Julie. LOL I read "The Brothers Karamazov" in college. I really enjoyed it, but wouldn't recommend it as beach reading.

 

[julie_m]

A little light summer reading Julie. LOL I read "The Brothers Karamazov" in college. I really enjoyed it, but wouldn't recommend it as beach reading.

The Brothers Karamozov is by boyfriend's favorite book...he wrote the Wikipedia article for it. I may read it yet, I just don't want to start with it.

 

[ClairefromClare]

The Brothers Karamozov is by boyfriend's favorite book...he wrote the Wikipedia article for it. I may read it yet, I just don't want to start with it.

It's the only one of his I've read. Let's say it's not my favorite book.

 

[Hanks]

Julie- try Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 It's the best book I've read this year and the author/main character is from TX. It's a story of family, training, love of country, and how it all came crashing down for the author based on one decision he made while leading mission against the Taliban.

 

[AHacker'sHacker]

Great thread Julie. I have not read Dostoevsky but if you are willing to read his work I think you would thoroughly enjoy Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. It is a very large book but does have an abridged version. I read it the first time when I was in eleventh grade and it is still my favorite book.

 

[Gummi Bear]

Sun Tzu - The Art Of War

 

[MistyKeene]

Sun Tzu - The Art Of War

Love that book. Read it in law school to get my litigation strategy down :angel:

Anyone have any beach reading I can do? Need to take a couple with me on the big trip! Only a week and a half more!

 

[JustPlainWill]

I LOVE to read and one of the best books that I've ever read is The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter. It was Carter's first novel and was published about five or six years ago to critical acclaim. It's a bit longish ...but only just a bit. The novel deals with murder, mystery, family and politics of the day including Supreme Court Nomination Confirmation hearings. I highly recommend it. Will

 

[MistyKeene]

I LOVE to read and one of the best books that I've ever read is The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter. It was Carter's first novel and was published about five or six years ago to critical acclaim. It's a bit longish ...but only just a bit. The novel deals with murder, mystery, family and politics of the day including Supreme Court Nomination Confirmation hearings. I highly recommend it. Will

That sounds like a good one. Good thread Julie -- I'm writing each of these down. I can't wait to go buy them!

 

[AHacker'sHacker]

Love that book. Read it in law school to get my litigation strategy down :angel:

Anyone have any beach reading I can do? Need to take a couple with me on the big trip! Only a week and a half more!

MistyKeene I read more non-fiction than fiction but I have never been disappointed by Greg Iles. I also recently read King of Lies by John Hart and really enjoyed the book. If you enjoy spy novels I recommend Daniel Silva.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[halk]

Here is a great book I do not know if you will find it in your local book store are not it may be out of print, but you check Powell's Books - Used, New, and Out of Print - We Buy and Sell they will have it.

It a very good book may be a little heavy for beach reading all depends what you are into.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Here is a brief Synopses & Review

When unattended environmental and economic crises lead to social chaos, not even gated communities are safe. In a night of fire and death Lauren Olamina, a minister's young daughter, loses her family and home and ventures out into the unprotected American landscape. But what begins as a flight for survival soon leads to something much more: a startling vision of human destiny...and the birth of a new faith.

 

[Gummi Bear]

Love that book. Read it in law school to get my litigation strategy down :angel:

Anyone have any beach reading I can do? Need to take a couple with me on the big trip! Only a week and a half more!

If you want good beach reading, you want something that's not a brainbuster (IMO).

Carl Hiaasen's books can't be beat. Start with Tourist Season, and read the rest from there. They're hilarious, add a crime, some drama, a tragic love interest, a delusional ex-governor, and plenty of other wackiness.

Amazon.com: Tourist Season: Carl Hiaasen: Books (you can also find it at any local book store)


Another funny series, that both Mrs Gummi and my Momma recommend is the Sweet Potato Queens series. I've yet to read them, but they both laugh until they nearly pee themselves when reading the books.

Amazon.com: sweet potato queens: Books

 

[MistyKeene]

MistyKeene I read more non-fiction than fiction but I have never been disappointed by Greg Iles. I also recently read King of Lies by John Hart and really enjoyed the book. If you enjoy spy novels I recommend Daniel Silva.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thank you!!! Good suggestions and I put them on my list! Yes, very excited about the vacation! My first trip to Hawaii!

 

[ClairefromClare]

Thank you!!! Good suggestions and I put them on my list! Yes, very excited about the vacation! My first trip to Hawaii!

Exciting! But you mean airplane reading, not beach reading then.

 

[MistyKeene]

If you want good beach reading, you want something that's not a brainbuster (IMO).

Carl Hiaasen's books can't be beat. Start with Tourist Season, and read the rest from there. They're hilarious, add a crime, some drama, a tragic love interest, a delusional ex-governor, and plenty of other wackiness.

Amazon.com: Tourist Season: Carl Hiaasen: Books (you can also find it at any local book store)


Another funny series, that both Mrs Gummi and my Momma recommend is the Sweet Potato Queens series. I've yet to read them, but they both laugh until they nearly pee themselves when reading the books.

Amazon.com: sweet potato queens: Books

That's great! Thanks for the suggestions! I've heard of the Sweet Potato Queens, so I def need to check them out!

Exciting! But you mean airplane reading, not beach reading then.

Haha, yes! Even better (and lazier since I'm on vacation), I'm going to download the audio books on my iphone to listen to on the plane. I do too much reading during the day anyway

 

[julie_m]

That's great! Thanks for the suggestions! I've heard of the Sweet Potato Queens, so I def need to check them out!

SPQ is great stuff - I borrowed a copy, bad idea, had to carry a notebook along with it, to write my favorite quotes :tongue:

 

[Ty_Webb]

I was going to start a "what to read" thread, but found this one. I will not be putting Dostoyevsky on my list. I'm sure he's a great author, but I'm much more in the mood for relatively easy reading. Here are some I've read recently and enjoyed:

Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series. There are 9 of them I think. Polished them off this year. Stories about a sports rep (Myron) and his ridiculously rich, utterly psychotic sidekick Win. Hilarious stuff and exciting too.

Lee Child's Jack Reacher series. This was actually the set that started me down this path (troublemakers and crime and the like). Very enjoyable. I found a forum somewhere where someone had asked what else they'd like if they liked these. Most of the rest of my list comes from there.

Barry Eisler's John Rain series. John Rain is a professional killer and is forever getting himself into and out of binds. Interesting stuff and Eisler I think used to be in the CIA or some such thing. He goes into some detail about tricks of the trade that is quite interesting if you like that sort of thing.

Robert Crais's Elvis Cole/Joe Pike series. Only read a couple of these so far, but they're pretty good too. Elvis is a wise-cracking private eye. Joe is his ex-special forces psychotic (again - it would be interesting to see him and Win from above meet up some time) sidekick who comes in for the dirty work when needed. Another good combination of comedy, action and [don't like Oxford commas unless they're necessary, so sue me] excitement.

I've just finished reading Ludlum's Bourne books, which are pretty exciting if requiring some serious suspension of disbelief. They're heavier going than the others here.

Most of these books on my list are the kind I get my teeth into and can't put down. They're not good for my sleep levels. Most of them I get through in a day or two. I read about a page a minute give or take and so a 400 pager takes me 7 hours or so to get through. If I start at 7pm, that's equating to finishing at 2am. Far from unheard of, but that's what I'm like.

The other suggestion I found on that website was for the Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford. I read the first one of those. It was okay, but didn't drag me into the whole thing like the others here do.

I love reading books. I find it like watching a movie in my head, which is why I hate reading a book after I've seen the movie - then I find myself watching someone else's imagination and not mine. Hardly as much fun.

 

[i-Guy]

"Zen Golf"...by Dr. Parent

I know it is a golf book but I found it very helpful not only on the golf course but in my everyday life. Because as we all know...

"Golf is the game of life" :thumb:

 

[AHacker'sHacker]

Last night I finished Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government by Glenn Beck. I think this is one of those books that no matter your political persuasion you can appreciate. It is hard hitting to both Republicans and Democrats and I think you do yourself a disservice of not reading it simply because of the messenger because I think the message will resonate with a broad political spectrum. It’s a very short and inexpensive read and I believe it is worth your investment of time and money.

Now I am reading Moscow Rules by Daniel Silva.

 

[kidzwitgunz]

Wow, although these are pretty good reads that is some serious stuff for the beach.......!

If you like serious historical fiction then Gates of Fire is a MUST.

Non-fiction: (again military suprise, suprise) Blackhawk Down, One Bullet Away

If you like sci-fi/fantasy/modern stuff check out:

Jim Butcher
Dean Koontz
Patrick Rothfuss
Tad Williams
Terry Goodkind
SM Sterling

I will also add some serious authors that are some of my favorite(s):
Calvin, CS Lewis, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, John MacArthur, DL Moody etc.

If poetry is your thing then:
DL Moody (again)
Koontz (again)
Dylan Thomas
Robert Frost
Edgar Allen Poe
Emily Dickinson
Mark Twain
Lord Byron
Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

[AHacker'sHacker]

I read Gates of Fire before I went on a trip to Greece and Turkey in 2007. Great book. Blackhawk Down was also very good.

I have read several of the other authors you listed but a couple I am not familiar with. I’ll have to give them a try.

 

[Hanks]

Wow, although these are pretty good reads that is some serious stuff for the beach.......!

If you like serious historical fiction then Gates of Fire is a MUST.

Non-fiction: (again military suprise, suprise) Blackhawk Down, One Bullet Away

Kidz-

If you like non-fiction military stuff, check this out if you haven't already.

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. It's the best book I've read this year.

 

[kidzwitgunz]

Kidz-

If you like non-fiction military stuff, check this out if you haven't already.

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. It's the best book I've read this year.

Yes it is on my list right now, but I am getting behind because I had to reread the last couple of Potter books because I had forgotton enough that the movie kind of lost me! :confused2:

 

[kidzwitgunz]

I read Gates of Fire before I went on a trip to Greece and Turkey in 2007. Great book. Blackhawk Down was also very good.

I have read several of the other authors you listed but a couple I am not familiar with. I’ll have to give them a try.

I envy you I haven't been to that corner of the world yet and would dearly like to see the actual area the Spartan's made their stand. IMO probably one of the greatest military stands ever made.

I believe the author (might have been someone else) also wrote one about Hannibal but it's my day off today so I am too lazy to look it up, it was pretty good as well.