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Pron on VHS posted:I'm looking for a nonfiction book on the Civil War, something that looks at the conflict from a different or interesting angle, and is well written and easy to read with lots of engaging facts and stories. If you're in for the long haul, try Bruce Catton's three volume history: The Coming Fury, Terrible Swift Sword, and Never Call Retreat. Catton begins with the Democratic and Republican conventions of 1860 and from there covers every facet of the secession and war. His prose is easy to read and he does a good job interweaving little personal stories into the grand arc.
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May 23, 2012 23:16
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Magna Kaser posted:Hey, I'm looking for a somewhat easily accessible sci-fi book, language-wise. Gene Wolf. No, seriously, maybe some Dick or Bradbury short story collections?
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May 24, 2012 00:06
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Any recommendations for free popular classics off the kindle section (or the google book app section, or any other book apps that offer free books that the android can handle?). With my laptop broke I have to put up with reading on my phone and I've yet to find any free book on my android thats worth putting up with the hassle of reading on such a small screen. Any suggestions?
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May 24, 2012 03:43
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Kneel Before Zog posted:Any recommendations for free popular classics off the kindle section (or the google book app section, or any other book apps that offer free books that the android can handle?). With my laptop broke I have to put up with reading on my phone and I've yet to find any free book on my android thats worth putting up with the hassle of reading on such a small screen. Any suggestions? All depends, there's lots out there. A few gems: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins -- one of if not the first mystery novels, still excellent The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson -- deep future sci-fi horror, major influence ON Lovecraft. May want to skip the prologue. John Carter of Mars and Tarzan books by Edgar Rice Burroughs -- very early pulp She by H. Rider Haggard -- very early pulp Lots of Lord Dunsany's stuff is public domain -- look for "Idle Days on the Yann" "The Man Who Would be King" by Kipling is some of Kipling's best shorter work. You could also try Kipling's _Kim_. The first Jeeves and Wooster book (My Man Jeeves?) is public domain. Mark Twain's Roughing It is a really interesting autobiographical sketch of his early life out west, very interesting nonfiction. I could go on like this for a while, I've spent about 3 years now mostly reading free kindle downloads. So just ask for something specific and I'll let you know what's out there.
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May 24, 2012 06:23
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Can anyone recommend a good nonfiction book on the Renaissance, maybe not focussing too much on the art and going more into the philosophical and sociological changes during that period ? I've heard good things about Will Durant but I don't know if there maybe is something that focuses more on what I'm interested in.
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May 24, 2012 10:22
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Kneel Before Zog posted:Any recommendations for free popular classics off the kindle section (or the google book app section, or any other book apps that offer free books that the android can handle?). With my laptop broke I have to put up with reading on my phone and I've yet to find any free book on my android thats worth putting up with the hassle of reading on such a small screen. Any suggestions? You could try going to a library, they have free books?
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May 24, 2012 14:03
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Kneel Before Zog posted:Any recommendations for free popular classics off the kindle section (or the google book app section, or any other book apps that offer free books that the android can handle?). With my laptop broke I have to put up with reading on my phone and I've yet to find any free book on my android thats worth putting up with the hassle of reading on such a small screen. Any suggestions? Every few years I find myself re-reading Charles MacKay's Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, especially the long section on the crusades which is angry and hilariously unfair.
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May 24, 2012 16:18
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dokmo posted:Every few years I find myself re-reading Charles MacKay's Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, especially the long section on the crusades which is angry and hilariously unfair. Oh, awesome, there's finally a free kindle edition of that up! I'd checked a year or two ago and there wasn't yet. http://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Extraordinary-Popular-Delusions-ebook/dp/B004TP6B1O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337873838&sr=1-1
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May 24, 2012 16:37
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LesterBlanks posted:Can anyone recommend a good nonfiction book on the Renaissance, maybe not focussing too much on the art and going more into the philosophical and sociological changes during that period ? I've heard good things about Will Durant but I don't know if there maybe is something that focuses more on what I'm interested in. I picked up a copy of Jacob Burckhardt's The Civilization of the Renaissance in Italy a few days ago when I was looking for something similar but I haven't read it yet. It might be worth looking into.
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May 24, 2012 21:28
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I ended up grabbing Battle Cry of Freedom for my American Civil War request, thanks guys!
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May 25, 2012 20:49
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:
Thanks. I've decided to check out Nietzsche's "Thus Spake Zarathustra". Will this book go over my head if I am not well versed in philosophy at all and it's my first Nietzsche book?
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May 26, 2012 02:51
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Kneel Before Zog posted:Thanks. I've decided to check out Nietzsche's "Thus Spake Zarathustra". Will this book go over my head if I am not well versed in philosophy at all and it's my first Nietzsche book? Probably, but that's OK. I was in the same position when I first read it and I didn't get through it. Give it a shot, though. I still managed to find some rewarding moments (even if, looking back, my take on them was a little wonky). The prose can be frustrating but it's also strangely digestible. TFNC fucked around with this message at 03:22 on May 26, 2012 |
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May 26, 2012 03:17
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I'm about 700 pages into Phillip Norman's John Lennon: The Life, and I was wondering if anyone could recommend similar biographies of the other Beatles?
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May 26, 2012 04:27
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Kneel Before Zog posted:Thanks. I've decided to check out Nietzsche's "Thus Spake Zarathustra". Will this book go over my head if I am not well versed in philosophy at all and it's my first Nietzsche book? Yes, absolutely. Neitzche deliberately wrote very enigmatically, and most translations from the German are very, very, very poor to boot, so it's extremely difficult to "get" his work without detailed explanatory notes. Overall this is one of the few books I'd recommend not reading on kindle and getting a good translation of with good critical notes, maybe this one: http://www.amazon.com/The-Portable-Nietzsche-Library/dp/0140150625 If you're looking for introductory philosophy I'd say look for Camus. He's very accessible. If you want free philosophy on kindle, maybe start with Machiavelli's The Prince. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 18:05 on May 26, 2012 |
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May 26, 2012 18:01
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I am looking recommendations for "good novels" i.e. that are written well and more importantly have believable and well fleshed out characters. I am not necessary looking for classics but something contemporary. Subject can be anything from dragon slayer wizards to day-to-day life of modern bus drivers. Things that I am not into: -pages long descriptions of surroundings (buildings, nature) -characters that are old (they be boring, sorry) -flat characters and unbelievable motivations -twist endings and contrived plots
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May 28, 2012 07:07
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I need to find a book to pair with A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan in a comparative study. The book needs to have similar themes and have at least some similarities structurally or in the literary techniques. A Visit From the Goon Squad has a non linear timeline. It's apparently post post modernism because of its use of slide shows as a chapter. Themes -consumerist society -escaping aging -youth obsessed culture -placing work/money over family and ending up isolated and unfulfilled because of it(similar to Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman) -status anxiety.
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May 28, 2012 12:18
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Maksamakkara posted:I am looking recommendations for "good novels" i.e. that are written well and more importantly have believable and well fleshed out characters. I am not necessary looking for classics but something contemporary. Subject can be anything from dragon slayer wizards to day-to-day life of modern bus drivers. I read mainly literary fiction so someone else will have to handle the wizards, but these are the last few modern novels I've read and liked: The Art of Fielding - Chad Harbach. There's a big, spoilery discussion about it in the "just finished" thread if you want to get an idea of what to expect(all the spoilers are covered up, of course). It's very well-written and believable, but has a couple problems. Most notably the female characters are just kinda...there. Freedom - Jonathon Franzen. My favorite book in the last few years. Follows a main trio of characters from college to middle age, their kids, etc. Some people love it, some people hate it. You can probably find it cheap used. If you like his style then you can check out The Corrections, too. Same kinda "big slice of life" deal. Chronic City - Jonathon Lethem. A very chill novel about a minor celebrity smoking a lot of pot with his weird friends and trying to figure out what reality they're in. Falls into the "not quite sci-fi" realm that I seem to like. Plus, Lethem's writing is polished without feeling flashy. The Hummingbird's Daughter - Luis Alberto Urrea. I mention because its sequel just came out: The Queen of America. Kind of a big history of Mexico mixed with some mysticism and Urrea's family history. Fun characters put in difficult situations, a coming of age angle, etc etc. Mainly I like it because after awhile all the characters start to feel like family. Netherland - Joseph O'Neill. A guy gets thrown for a loop when his wife leaves, gets caught up in the immigrant Cricket scene in New York City. That's a big oversimplification but that's the main story thread. All about the interesting characters the main guy meets. A quick read.
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May 28, 2012 17:34
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Maksamakkara posted:I am looking recommendations for "good novels" i.e. that are written well and more importantly have believable and well fleshed out characters. I am not necessary looking for classics but something contemporary. Subject can be anything from dragon slayer wizards to day-to-day life of modern bus drivers. Oh, man, I originally read that as things you wanted and I got real concerned. Check out Stewart O'Nan's Last Night at the Lobster or Songs For the Missing, both of which are about as real as any book I've read. Then go read Wish You Were Here and Emily, Alone to see how not-boring old people can be.
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May 28, 2012 17:46
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I've been reading too much poo poo for work lately and I need something fun as a diversionary read. The last one of those I read (and really enjoyed) was Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan. I like the Cyberpunk-ish setting, but mostly I like the neo-noir style with the hardboiled, jaded, cynical protagonist (Takeshi Kovacs is a lot of fun to root for). I heard that the other books in that series stray from that format in general... can anyone recommend any other good neo/alternative noir novels? They don't have to be cyberpunk but I would like some sort of alternate setting to the traditional noir storyline. And yes, I've already read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
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May 28, 2012 20:04
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Maksamakkara posted:I am looking recommendations for "good novels" i.e. that are written well and more importantly have believable and well fleshed out characters. I am not necessary looking for classics but something contemporary. Subject can be anything from dragon slayer wizards to day-to-day life of modern bus drivers. Long-time TBB readers are probably thinking that I sound like a broken record, but for well-written believable characters and good writing I always recommend Jhumpa Lahiri. If the "novel" aspect is non-negotiable, the only one she has is The Namesake, but if you're open to short story collections, The Interpreter of Maladies is the one I'd recommend most. She has another short story collection called Unaccustomed Earth as well. In order of best to least-best I'd say it's Interpreter, Namesake, then Unaccustomed Earth, but they're all fantastic so you can just see which one interests you most. They're basically all stories about Bengali immigrants to the US but only a few of them are "immigrant stories" per se, the others are dealing with more universal problems so don't let that throw you if you're worried that you won't be able to relate because you're not an Indian immigrant or whatever.
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May 28, 2012 21:08
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OSheaman posted:I've been reading too much poo poo for work lately and I need something fun as a diversionary read. The last one of those I read (and really enjoyed) was Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan. I like the Cyberpunk-ish setting, but mostly I like the neo-noir style with the hardboiled, jaded, cynical protagonist (Takeshi Kovacs is a lot of fun to root for). Simon Morden's Petrovich Trilogy
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May 28, 2012 22:21
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Big, big thanks to Static Rook, funkybottoms and WeaponGradeSadness. I read slowly, so these books are more than enough for at least for this summer's reading. Here's to hoping local Finnish library system has them. Still though interested if anyone wants to recommend fantasy and scifi in line with my previous post. I have read very little those genres lately. I like e.g. Iain M. Banks and Vernor Vinge but for example Alistair Reynolds' characters are too wooden for me to wholly enjoy his books. Martin's Song of fire and ice and Hobb's The Farseer Trilogy are the only fantasy I have read and liked in the last 20 years. I tried Malazan books but despite the epic feel they felt really bad all around. Maksamakkara fucked around with this message at 09:51 on May 29, 2012 |
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May 29, 2012 09:45
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I'm in the middle of a horrible fit of depression and need something to make me feel better. Usually when I'm sad I read P. G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie or Rumpole of the Bailey. That's the kind of thing I'm after, something sort of light and silly and absorbing. Mysteries are a plus!
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May 30, 2012 05:00
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girl pants posted:I'm in the middle of a horrible fit of depression and need something to make me feel better. Usually when I'm sad I read P. G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie or Rumpole of the Bailey. That's the kind of thing I'm after, something sort of light and silly and absorbing. Mysteries are a plus! The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne (yes, the Winnie-the-Pooh Milne). Should be free on Kindle. If you haven't already read them, the Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy Sayers. Maybe G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 16:29 on May 30, 2012 |
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May 30, 2012 16:26
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So, is The Hangman's Daughter any good? I ask because I've got a chance to get a free copy of this and the sequel The Dark Monk in exchange for reviewing both books, but I don't want to have to slog through two terrible books if they're not worth a read. As a general rule, I'm not much into mystery novels, so I'm a bit iffy on the whole thing.
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May 30, 2012 19:34
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I'm looking for books on the history of the British Empire, French Empire, or anything really on imperialism and colonialism.
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May 30, 2012 21:21
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Krataar posted:I'm looking for books on the history of the British Empire, French Empire, or anything really on imperialism and colonialism. Not exactly what you're looking for but I picked up To Rule the Waves on a whim as a used book store once and found it really interesting, I'm not normally into history books but found it entertaining and easy to read without feeling it had been dumbed down whatsoever. I definitely recommend it.
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May 30, 2012 22:04
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Krataar posted:I'm looking for books on the history of the British Empire, French Empire, or anything really on imperialism and colonialism. You may find Eric Hobsbawm's The Age of Empire interesting. It's focused more on the domestic than colonial side of Imperialism, but it's otherwise very comprehensive.
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May 30, 2012 23:39
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While looking up a word I didn't know (Apollyon), I once again remembered how loving metal old Semitic lore was. Are there any good books that take advantage of that? I mean, you have a plague of locusts shaped like horses with human heads, big-rear end teeth, wings, and a scorpion tail. It seems like there's potential there.
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May 31, 2012 05:03
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I asked for a recommendation earlier in this thread but got no replies, so I'll dare to ask for one again: What are some good books on the Israel-Palestine? Books that at least aim towards being unbiased? Some people I know have recommended O Jerusalem...I was wondering if you guys know of any other texts?
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May 31, 2012 14:15
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Looking for a work of fiction, that 1) Isn't by Roger Zelazny and 2) in which the protagonist is an anti-hero,more of a craven/dishonorable sort than brooding hate machine, I am looking for Deadpool, not The Punisher if you're a comic nerd. Books I've Read Taltos Series - Steven Brust Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny Kingkiller Chronicle - Patrick Rothfuss The Lies of Locke Lemora - Scott Lynch
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May 31, 2012 15:43
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Radio Talmudist posted:I asked for a recommendation earlier in this thread but got no replies, so I'll dare to ask for one again: You'll probably have better luck with this request in D&D's book thread.
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May 31, 2012 15:53
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KildarX posted:Looking for a work of fiction, that 1) Isn't by Roger Zelazny and 2) in which the protagonist is an anti-hero,more of a craven/dishonorable sort than brooding hate machine, I am looking for Deadpool, not The Punisher if you're a comic nerd. You could try the Cugel the Clever books (Dying Earth series) by Jack Vance. If you don't mind going outside of fantasy, try the Flashman series by George Mcdonald Fraser.
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May 31, 2012 16:48
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Can anyone recommend a book(s) that cover succesfully moving from being a childs moms' boyfriend to stepfather. Or being a successful stepfather in general I guess would work as well(I know there is ton of those type of self help books), but Im more looking around to see if theres literature on the proper path for the transition and some dos and donts.
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Jun 1, 2012 02:21
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Bit of an obscure ask but I'm looking for fiction set in modern day Tokyo. Not too worried about the genre as long as it's not an overly romanticised drama. Gritty Tokyo is better.
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Jun 1, 2012 12:22
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KildarX posted:Looking for a work of fiction, that 1) Isn't by Roger Zelazny and 2) in which the protagonist is an anti-hero,more of a craven/dishonorable sort than brooding hate machine, I am looking for Deadpool, not The Punisher if you're a comic nerd. Have you tried the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie?
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Jun 1, 2012 12:41
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Phummus posted:Have you tried the First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie? Now that sounds about perfect for him. Great fantasy series.
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Jun 1, 2012 18:18
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:You could try the Cugel the Clever books (Dying Earth series) by Jack Vance. If you don't mind going outside of fantasy, try the Flashman series by George Mcdonald Fraser. I don't know jack poo poo about fantasy outside of ASoIaF, but I'll second the Flashman series if you have any interest in history. The books are hilarious and Flashman is my absolute favorite anti-hero.
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Jun 1, 2012 19:42
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Are there any good books that take place in ancient Rome/Greece but aren't about actual historical figures or kings or generals or whatnot? Ideally something non-military as well.
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Jun 2, 2012 12:51
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What are some quality books that have unreliable narrators? Possibly (but not necessarily) ones with narrators who are unreliable because of psychiatric issues like delusions? If there is a twist involved, please try not to spoil it. Please, nothing from Palahniuk.
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