Books...

[Leverage87]

Well, I'm not sure exactly how many people here are really into read a lot (Well, I'm sure most people here read somewhat, after all it is a text based forum) but I'd just like to share some of my more well liked books and maybe here some of everybodies recamendations.

Some of my favorites:

-Dragonlance Chronicles (Very well written novels with a medival and magical type of setting, many many books in the series)

-Dune and all its sequels (Awesome book, and tons of excellent follow ups, definately worth at least checking out)

-His Dark Materials trilogy (Lesser known to some extent, although the first book, the 'Golden Compass' is being made into a movie, I think its an excellent trilogy)

and heres one I haven't read, but its an autobiography by, in my opinion, one of the coolest mother fuckers alive, 'Slash on Slash, an autobiography' thats right, the amazing guitarist of GnR and Velvet Revolver fame has written an autobiography, and I've heard nothing but awesome things, I usually don't go for autobiographies as they tend to be boring and biased, but this one I'll have to pick up.

Well, thats my current list, please add your own aswell!

[Leverage87]

oh come on, you can't tell me that no one here reads books? There's gotta be somebody thats excited for a book written by Slash!

[tall, dark & Handsome]

I am reading Martin Amis' Yellow Dog right now. It is great, he has certainly grown as a writer; not that he wasn't brilliant before.

London fields was also amazing. In fact Blur based a lot of songs on that book. The Protagonist is named Nicole six and she is trying commit suicide by involving two males in a love triangle. It is a metaphor for the end of the century, among other things.

Next up will be Aburdistan by Gary Shteyngart.

I also read Tom Stoppards' play Rock & Roll the other day.

And as far as this board goes I am only here to read the articles. :roll:

:wink:

[Quinn]

Alright, here's the list of books that I've recently read, re-read, or am currently reading:

1. Regime Shift: Comparative Dynamics of the Japanese Political Economy, by T.J. Pempel.

2. Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy, by Thomas Sowell.

3. The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli.

4. The Definitive Book of Body Language, by Allan Pease & Barbara Pease.

As an aside, Leverage, a friend of mine just finished Slash's autobiography and said it was "amazing" (she works in publishing).

-Quinn

[Leverage87]

Thank you Quinn, I love Slash's work with guitars and music, and I would read his autobiography (which says loads about how cool I think he is, as I almost exclusively read novels) but I'm glad its getting more positive feedback.

That aside, how is 'The Prince'? I'm not too familiar with Machiavelli's work, I read bits and excripts in one of my High School Classes (World Literature, aside from Beowulf, Epic of Gilgamesh, Canterbury Tales, and a few others, mostly anglo-saxon stuff, we mostly skimmed stuff, I was dis appointed) I havent had much access to his work.

[tall, dark & Handsome]

3. The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli.

Watch out for that Machiavelli, everyone forgets he died as a excommunicated pauper after being thrown out of politics and not allowed back into the city.

That is not the best strategy I've heard for success.

[Leverage87]

Psch, they excommunicated Gallileo, ridiculous religion entrenched theocracy... if it weren't for the fact they'd have all of about 0 members they would still be excommunicating to this day.

Besides, geniuses do psychotic shit all the time! Van Gogh cut his own ear off for Christ Sakes!

[alphanumeric]

I just bought my sister the entire collection of the 1632 universe, by Eric Flint, A good series I highly reccomend

[Leverage87]

For those into the Fantasy novels, I would also recamend the Forgotten Realms franchise, specifically books written by R.A. Salvatore, a tad repeptitive, but if might and magic type stuff is your forte, its chaulked full.

[Quinn]

That aside, how is 'The Prince'?

Dark view of human nature notwithstanding, it's easy to see why he's regarded as the progenitor of modern realist thinking in international relations. To T,D&H, being ahead of your time often leads to negative outcomes at the personal level. Historical examples abound.

-Quinn

[tall, dark & Handsome]

Psch, they excommunicated Gallileo, ridiculous religion entrenched theocracy... if it weren't for the fact they'd have all of about 0 members they would still be excommunicating to this day.

Besides, geniuses do psychotic shit all the time! Van Gogh cut his own ear off for Christ Sakes!

true, but Machiavelli was not excommunicated for religious or Philosophical reasons. He was excommunicated due to his failed strategy of dividing and concuring for personal gain. It didn't work for the Italian mafia (who also emulated him) either. That is why after South Philly's Niccademo Scarfo was taken from power in the 80's we had the mafia's worst blood bath on the streets of Philly.



Live by the sword die by the sword.

[ingram22]

Recently finished The Idiot. Probably my second favorite book of all time. Also read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Way better than the movie.

[tall, dark & Handsome]

gotta love Dostoevsky. Crime and Punnishment and Notes from the underground are great as well. The latter is considered to be the first existentialist Novel.

Nothing better than curling up with my t-girlfriend and a good book.

[NewYorker]

Recently finished The Idiot. Probably my second favorite book of all time. Also read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Way better than the movie.

It's also a completely different story than the movie. It took the shell concept of the book and made a very different product with it. Personally I love the android police station but thought the hallucinatory end was kind of stupid.

[manbearpig]

-Dragonlance
-Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles (Memnoch the Devil is my fav, Queen of the Damned was a very close second)
-Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
-Harry Potter (nerd alert lol)
-Lord of the Rings
-The Witching Hour
-Lasher
-Taltos (noticing the anne rice theme?)
-Brave New World
-The World Without Us
-various computer books
etc.


I read ALOT. I go through at least 2-4 books every week. Any recommendations?

[Leverage87]

Another excellent book I first experiences in my world lit class:

Milton's Paradise Lost. I'm not really interested in organized religion, but a good book nonetheless

[marissaazts]

no read the book .....

[blckhaze]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms - Dont know the author.
How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie

[Leverage87]

Also, I'm sure just about everyone has read it, but To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an awesome book, really gets you thinking.

Anyways, I plan and picking up Slash's autobiography soon, so I'll keep everybody posted on that one

[Jericho]

Currently enjoying re-reading the "Riverworld" books by Philip Jose Farmer.

[dderek123]

1. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
It is a book about a very interesting idea. Gladwell goes into detail about how social epidemics happen and how they "Tip". I would recommend this to anyone. The first half is a real page turner.

2. Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham
This one is basically about meditation and why many people should regularly meditate and how you can start. Written by Mipham who is the living holder of the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. It is very well written, it seems more like a "how-to" guide on meditation then a long ramble of mystic jargon that explains why buddhism is awesome.

3. I read the magazine Scientific American Mind just because I find it very interesting. Psychology and the Biology of the brain has always interested me.

[gaiseric]

As one of my interests is Military History, I read a lot of books on historical campaigns - Mapoleonic Wars, American Civil War, World War 1 and 2 and Britains Colonial wars.
When it comes to fiction. I read a lot of Len Deighton especially the trilogies: Game, Set and Match, Hook Line and Sinker and Faith Hope and Charity. I also go for Shogun and Noble House by James Clavell. Another book I really enjoy reading, and recommend for Fantasy readers, is 'The Drawing of the Dark' by Tim Powers. It features King Arthur being brought back from the dead to stop the Turks from taking Vienna in the 16th Century. A very good read 8)

[jefferson1776]

Brave New World, 1984, and Jennifer Government are among my faves

[manbearpig]

Here's an old throw back from elementary school lol "I Left My Sneakers in Dimension X" by Bruce Coville.


That book made me the nerd I am today lol

[eded]

Bukowsky ironic texts

[up_for_it]

If you like Dragonlance, I'd recommend David Eddings' Elenium series.