|
Pretty sure I've asked this before, but I can't find the post. Can anyone recommend a good history of the Soviet Union? I've read some volumes on the revolution and Stalin so I'm more interested in the Khrushchev/Brezhnev onward eras. Ideally it'd be something that focuses on the high level politicking between the factions whilst also giving some perspective of what it was like for the average slob. I've tried finding something on Amazon but all I can see are dry as dust academic works.
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2011 23:01
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 27, 2024 06:08 |
|
|
BeigeJacket posted:Pretty sure I've asked this before, but I can't find the post. Are you interested in big picture policy stuff, or would you like books about, like, the life of normal people? If the latter - The Ransom of Russian Art by John McPhee and The Tiger by John Valliant.
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2011 23:24
|
|
|
penismightier posted:Are you interested in big picture policy stuff, or would you like books about, like, the life of normal people? Yeah, the wide scope policy stuff is what I'm looking for really. Those two books look interesting, but a little too specific for me at the moment.
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2011 23:30
|
|
|
BeigeJacket posted:Pretty sure I've asked this before, but I can't find the post. I just got done re-reading Richard's Suny's The Soviet Experiment for a Kruschev/Brezhnev era story I was writing. It doesn't go into it as much as I'd like but it's at least present. The Oligarchs indirectly covers the '60s/'70s as well just because that's when most of the oligarchs profiled started their careers. If you want something space race-specific, Starman, a bio of Yuri Gagarin, is fantastic and also helped me a great deal for the book. One of their major sources was a KGB officer from the timeframe so his understanding of the space race was in a policy/security context.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2011 16:40
|
|
|
I've fallen shamelessly in love with Tao Lin and so am looking for something in that vein. Something dry, depressing, hilarious and mundane about someone who is just confused as hell about life. Doesn't necessarily have to have a plot. I've read Person by Sam pink and that fit the bill perfectly. Don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a book. Contemporary authors are preferred but not required.
|
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2011 00:09
|
|
|
Anyone have any suggestions on a good history of special effects? Ideally I'd like something that is neither super technical nor super simplified.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2011 02:58
|
|
|
Radio! posted:Anyone have any suggestions on a good history of special effects? Ideally I'd like something that is neither super technical nor super simplified. As in Wilhelm scream, etc? Audio/Visual?
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2011 04:05
|
|
|
Anything, really. Sorry for the lack of specificity, but my interests are pretty broad. edit: Audio/visual is all good, though I would prefer less about soundtracks/music and more about foley, etc. if you have suggestions in the sound department.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2011 04:34
|
|
|
Hooves posted:I've fallen shamelessly in love with Tao Lin and so am looking for something in that vein. Something dry, depressing, hilarious and mundane about someone who is just confused as hell about life. Doesn't necessarily have to have a plot. I've read Person by Sam pink and that fit the bill perfectly. Don't think I've ever laughed so hard at a book. Contemporary authors are preferred but not required. I feel like Douglas Coupland is the direct precedent to Tao Lin. Maybe "Life after God?"
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2011 05:23
|
|
|
What translation/specific edition of the Arabian Nights should I get?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2011 06:34
|
|
|
Rollersnake posted:What translation/specific edition of the Arabian Nights should I get? The Husain Haddawy translated Everyman's Library version. ShutteredIn fucked around with this message at 23:18 on Aug 30, 2011 |
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2011 23:09
|
|
|
Rollersnake posted:What translation/specific edition of the Arabian Nights should I get? I really like the Mardrus and Mathers translation, personally, but different translations have different merits. The Galland translation is the earliest and is pretty badly bowdlerized. Here's a good article on the different translations and their flaws: http://www.corpse.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=1 The Mardrus and Mathers edition was the first one I read, but I also like it because it's probably the most "ornate" and fantastic translation. Powys Mathers did an excellent job of translating the poems and songs into really excellent English verse. The problem with it is that it's far and away the most eroticized of the versions, more so even than Burton's versions (which is saying something), to the point where it isn't all that accurate any more. Conversely, the Haddawy translation is probably the 'best" from the viewpoint of scholarly accuracy, but for me at least it just isn't as fun to read as the Mardrus & Mathers version. So it'll depend on what you're looking for. Hieronymous Alloy fucked around with this message at 01:36 on Aug 31, 2011 |
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2011 01:20
|
|
|
Can anyone recommend some good horror novels? I like lovecraftian type of horrors where the monster is rarely seen (or maybe not at all!). I've been on a ghost ship kick lately with books/movies like Ship of Fools and Event Horizon.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 01:55
|
|
|
TheJazzMess posted:Can anyone recommend some good horror novels? I like lovecraftian type of horrors where the monster is rarely seen (or maybe not at all!). I've been on a ghost ship kick lately with books/movies like Ship of Fools and Event Horizon. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE?
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 02:42
|
|
|
Rollersnake posted:What translation/specific edition of the Arabian Nights should I get? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE?
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 02:42
|
|
|
TheJazzMess posted:Can anyone recommend some good horror novels? I like lovecraftian type of horrors where the monster is rarely seen (or maybe not at all!). I've been on a ghost ship kick lately with books/movies like Ship of Fools and Event Horizon. The Book of Cthulhu was released very recently - it's an anthology of stories inspired by Lovecraft. A good anthology, full of names like Thomas Ligotti, Laird Barron, Caitlin Kiernan, and Kage Baker (these are all names you should look in to). If you're willing to drop a little more cash, Black Wings by PS Publishing is an equally good anthology. Again, I'd recommend all of Ligotti's work, though it can be difficult to find, both of Laird Barron's collections, The Red Tree by Caitlin Kiernan, and Beneath the Surface by Simon Strantzas. I could go on and on, but that stuff will get you started.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 02:42
|
|
|
Radio! posted:Anyone have any suggestions on a good history of special effects? Ideally I'd like something that is neither super technical nor super simplified. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE?
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 02:43
|
|
|
BeigeJacket posted:Pretty sure I've asked this before, but I can't find the post. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE? (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 02:44
|
|
|
wevs posted:HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE? wouldn't it be easier to ask for an autoban on GBS than shitposting here?
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 10:31
|
|
|
wevs posted:HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE? This was old before you'd even registered.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2011 13:51
|
|
|
Any good historical novels? Something that shows politics in older societies.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2011 03:45
|
|
|
Ulio posted:Any good historical novels? Something that shows politics in older societies. I enjoyed Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Its focus isn't on the politics per se, but since it's about Cromwell of all people the politics are always there.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2011 03:48
|
|
|
Ulio posted:Any good historical novels? Something that shows politics in older societies. I feel like a broken record but I, Claudius and Claudius the God.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2011 03:49
|
|
|
Wolf Hall, never heard of it will check it out. I know Claudius because of the tv show. Haven't watched it or read, seems interesting.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2011 04:01
|
|
|
Ulio posted:Wolf Hall, never heard of it will check it out. The mini series is amazing but teh books are better, You get more character depth and more focus on the politics.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2011 04:05
|
|
|
I haven't seen the miniseries, but I, Claudius and Claudius the God are great great books. They complement each other well.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2011 04:13
|
|
|
BeigeJacket posted:Pretty sure I've asked this before, but I can't find the post. Well The Oxford World History of Russia does sum it up pretty well. However, it is "dry as dust" academic literature. But I also read The Cure which might peak your interest! My professor also recommended me the book "Stalin and the bomb" but I have never been able to find it... (my Russian history prof wrote a chapter in the Oxford world history of Russia, he covered the NEP era. Somewhat interesting, but totally killed me when it came to test day.)
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2011 00:58
|
|
|
This is going to be a request that I'm guessing one of the lady goons here might be able to answer. I have a niece, 14 years of age, that has grown up in an abysmally dysfunctional 'family' environment. Her mother is the town slut (in rural small town Oklahoma), a constant drunk and drug user, welfare mother stereotype having different kids with different dads as soon as she puts one out. Her father is my POS brother (who does not live with his daughter or her mother), also a constant drunk and drug user, oftentimes jailbird sperm-donor and very much a non-father. In every aspect possible, they have failed in raising their children (2 of them are related to me) and worse, don't care enough to put forth the least amount of effort to improve. My niece has entered the stage now where she's having incidents of uncontrolled rage and depression due to her 'family' environment. Trouble in grades, fights with other kids, you name it. However, she is somewhat bright. Since her birthday is coming up within a week. I would like any female goon here that has grown up under similar conditions to come forth and recommend any books they have read at that age that might have helped them get through the lovely times (I'm not talking about Twilight novels, please). I was hoping for something on the encouraging side, offering a sense of hope and eventual escape from her lovely parents without being loaded with Pollyana stories or simple platitudes. Thanks in advance for any recommends on this one.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2011 22:25
|
|
|
So, anything else in the vein of depressing, substance abusing, assholes? I recently have had a major hard-on for Bukowski, Rollins and Burroughs, and am looking for more that are similar. I really like the semi-autobiographical tone of all three, and would love to find more like it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2011 23:34
|
|
|
AA is for Quitters posted:So, anything else in the vein of depressing, substance abusing, assholes? Hunter S. Thompson?
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 01:20
|
|
|
AA is for Quitters posted:So, anything else in the vein of depressing, substance abusing, assholes? Maybe Confessions of an English Opium Eater? Fredrick Exley's A Fan's Notes might be up your alley, too. barkingclam fucked around with this message at 04:03 on Sep 4, 2011 |
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 03:59
|
|
|
Does anyone know if Le Carre's newer novels are as good as the older ones? My Library only has "Our Kind of Traitor" and "Absolute Friends available as ebooks. Actually, I guess I should rephrase. I haven't read ANYTHING by Le Carre, so even if someone said they're exactly as good as his classic works, that wouldn't mean much. Are they good in general, then?
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 06:52
|
|
|
IceNiner posted:This is going to be a request that I'm guessing one of the lady goons here might be able to answer. I didn't grow up in that environment, but I hope you don't mind me suggesting some books anyway. Are you familiar with Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass? The heroine of the book also has terrible parents (one who abandons her and one who both abandons her and literally tortures children) so most of the book is about her struggling to escape their influence and make her own decisions (in the context of a pretty neat fantasy world). Do you think that would work?
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 07:09
|
|
|
I recently finished "The Master & Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov. I'm interested in reading more on the subject of Russian literature. A friend of mine recommended Dostoevsky's "Crime & Punishment" to read next. I enjoyed the style of Bulgakov and his ability to tell a story and keep the reader focused and involved in the story. Could anyone suggest other Russian literature novels to read or any works similar to Bulgakov?
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 08:28
|
|
|
Radio! posted:I didn't grow up in that environment, but I hope you don't mind me suggesting some books anyway. Are you familiar with Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass? The heroine of the book also has terrible parents (one who abandons her and one who both abandons her and literally tortures children) so most of the book is about her struggling to escape their influence and make her own decisions (in the context of a pretty neat fantasy world). Do you think that would work? I grew up in a somewhat lovely household (by lower-middle class Western first world standards) and Harry Potter was a good escape from reality. Just ... the whole fantasy genre. At 14, I was reading things like: Harry Potter Artemis Fowl The Chronicles of Narnia Dunno what else could help, but that stuff actually helped me get through a lot of poo poo without losing it. Maybe it's just me.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 10:37
|
|
|
Yea, I'd be careful not to choose books that are too dark, it might end up with her feeling worse.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 11:18
|
|
|
Sir Thats Gross posted:I recently finished "The Master & Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov. I'm interested in reading more on the subject of Russian literature. A friend of mine recommended Dostoevsky's "Crime & Punishment" to read next. I enjoyed the style of Bulgakov and his ability to tell a story and keep the reader focused and involved in the story. Could anyone suggest other Russian literature novels to read or any works similar to Bulgakov? I've only read a little bit of Bulgakov, but if you want really bleakly sarcastic satirical Russian literature you can't do much better than Gogol. Dead Souls is a masterpiece-- the whole thing is really dark and intensely critical of his culture at the time. Crime and Punishment is incredible, but try and get the most recent translation (Pevear and Volkhonsky)-- Constance Garnett's translation, the most widespread, is good but really Victorian and doesn't really have the energy or intensity the book needs.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 14:39
|
|
|
Sir Thats Gross posted:I recently finished "The Master & Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakov. I'm interested in reading more on the subject of Russian literature. A friend of mine recommended Dostoevsky's "Crime & Punishment" to read next. I enjoyed the style of Bulgakov and his ability to tell a story and keep the reader focused and involved in the story. Could anyone suggest other Russian literature novels to read or any works similar to Bulgakov? Like the Triumphant, I think Dead Souls would be right up your alley. Gunter Grass is not a Russian, but his novel, The Tin Drum, exhibits a similar dark sense of humor and mix of bleak reality with disturbing fantasy.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 17:48
|
|
|
IceNiner posted:This is going to be a request that I'm guessing one of the lady goons here might be able to answer. I'm a guy, but... Jane Eyre?
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 19:19
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 27, 2024 06:08 |
|
|
I really, really love the science-fiction books of Michael Marshall Smith (Only Forward, Spares, One Of Us) - I just can't get enough of the way he writes. Having read everything SF he has to offer, I'm looking for some more dystopian surrealist fiction, and would really appreciate any recommendations...
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2011 23:38
|
|