TBB Book Recommendation Superstation !!

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Transistor Rhythm: Feb 16, 2011; If setting the Sustain Level in the ENV to around 7, you can obtain a howling sound.

I'm looking for what I'd describe as An adult version of Little House on the Prairie - that is, an engaging and even homey narrative that presents an accurate picture of frontier life but doesn't shy away from adult concerns. I could even live with obsessively accurate and researched fiction - I'd just like to see that whole thing from the adult perspective.

I'm also after some sort of socio-history of how the digital electronics revolution changed society and daily life - that really focuses on the social impact and implications of stuff like microprocessors on daily behavior, jobs, life, etc. This is super-vague, but it came out of a conversation about how much simpler life was when everything wasn't computerized and even getting a basic retail job or renting a hotel room didn't involve a computerized paper trail, etc. I'm not really sure that this book exists, but it should.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2011 15:34

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 16:01

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vaginadeathgrip posted:

I seem to enjoy books about old Hollywood and that time period -- mostly behind the scenes stuff like in Hollywood Babylon (the amount of actress deaths in the 20's and 30's is kind of astounding). I also read and enjoyed I, Fatty, a fictitious first-person account of Fatty Arbuckle's rise and fall. I guess I am looking for some more behind the scenes non-fiction books from this time period.

My favorite of these books (besides the ones you mentioned, which are wonderful) is City of Nets by Otto Friedrich. It's about Hollywood in the 1940's and deals with a lot of the weird behind the scenes info of Golden Age Hollywood, like a more studied and less torrid Hollywood Babylon. There's a lot of interesting and weird info about William Faulkner going to Hollywood to church out wrestling screenplays and Igor Stravinsky similarly heading out there to score films for cash, to say nothing of the divorces and scandals and etc. It's apparently the book that prompted the Coen Brothers to do "Barton Fink," for what it's worth.

# ¿ Aug 24, 2011 04:38

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Hedrigall posted:

China Mi�ville is my favourite author and I've been searching for stuff similar to him for ages. I haven't read these yet but I always hear the following recommended:
� Viriconium by M John Harrison
� City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff Vandermeer
� The Etched City by KJ Bishop
� The Castle Trilogy by Steph Swainston
� Dhalgren by Samuel Delany

Go read them and report back!

I think that Vandermeer is the closest to Mieville, but Jeff is far more goofy compared to China's general grimness. The Etched City is great and comes across like Stephen King's Gunslinger and China's Bellis getting together for a....tropical vacation!?

# ¿ Aug 24, 2011 04:40

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Snuffman posted:

I just finished reading The Magician King which I loved, and I'm in the mood for more Sci-fi and/or fantasy.

I'm looking for something a bit more...dense? I love everything China Mieville has put out, and I loved Gene Woolfe's Book of the New Sun. So, something Mieville or Woolfe-esque?

A setting I can just "settle" into, the characters don't have to be likeable (but better written than The Magicians would be nice).

Before anyone recommends it, I have the gang tag so you don't need to recommend A Song of Ice and Fire.

Hedrigall's suggestions are on-point, but I feel that the #1 Mieville inspiration that people overlook is the Gormenghast series by Mervyn Peake.

Transistor Rhythm fucked around with this message at 04:56 on Aug 24, 2011

# ¿ Aug 24, 2011 04:45

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Bohemienne posted:

I would love to read some dark comedy novels--perhaps in the vein of Coen Bros or Guy Ritchie movies--and, if at all possible, told in the third person. I'm usually a fantasy reader and I think the last/only comedy I've read was Richard Russo's Straight Man so please don't be afraid to state the obvious.

I think that Lolita is as absolutely gut-busting as it is pitch black.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2011 04:08

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Jigsaw posted:

Can anyone recommend a Vonnegut book? I've already got Breakfast of Champions, Slaughterhouse 5, and Cat's Cradle. I'm interested 'cause Amazon's running a sale right now.

VVV: I'd totally get them all if I had the money right now.

I think that both Deadeye Dick and Hocus Pocus are quite underrated.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2011 04:09

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wevs posted:

Oh ya! Forgot Knut Hamsun. Also: ignore the Lolita recommendation. It's really not for what you're looking. Like I said, all great canonical works are funny. That doesn't mean they're all 'dark comedies', you know?

"Lolita" is both hilarious and a dark comedy.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2011 16:09

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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

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I'm looking for an incredibly atmospheric mystery novel where the "place" is as much of a character as the characters. Think Twin Peaks, the video game Heavy Rain, or even the vibe of a film like Mullholland Drive or The Machinist. Supernatural or mystical elements would be welcome, but I'm not looking for some sort of Jim Butcher or Stephen King thing in this case - I can easily scratch that itch in the horror genre. Noir and/or police procedural vibes are totally welcome, but the key is on the atmosphere/place and the mystery.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2011 16:07

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I'm looking for literary novels wherein interrupted, deferred, or sacrificially/selflessly un-acted upon love/relationships over a long time period is the main theme. Obvious touchstones would be Casablanca, Love in the time of Cholera, The English Patient, maybe Nabokov's Ada to a lesser extent (the characters are more pigheaded about getting together than selfless or sacrificial). Wuthering Heights would be similar on the scope/scale of star-crossed relationship but ultimately the opposite of what I'm looking for thematically, in that the characters act selfish and horrible and end up with scorched earth results instead of taking the high road.

I'd prefer literary fiction that speaks to this recurrent human condition over, say, Nicholas Sparks novels.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2011 16:46

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DirtyRobot posted:

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell.

Black Swan Green remains my favorite coming-of-age book to date, but I've really held off on this one because it sounded like overwrought "historical fiction" from Mitchell. I think this may tip me over into giving it a read.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2011 20:32

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damage path posted:

Thanks for the reassurance. I pulled the trigger yesterday and bought V., Gravity's Rainbow, Vineland, and Mason and Dixon before posting my question. I will probably read GR last since I think it is the longest? I also did order the companion guide to it since I read reviews saying it is basically a must have, especially if you are younger than 40 since you won't get that many more references.

Lot 49 is my favorite Pynchon as well. Based on that list, I'd follow it with V., Gravity's (with a guide for the allusions and references and stuff - Pynchon's RICH with that stuff) and then Vineland and Mason and Dixon. "Against the Day" is my second-favorite, but you kind of have to do it after all of the aforementioned. I couldn't get through "Inherent Vice," which is saying something.

# ¿ Oct 11, 2011 15:53

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Tin-Horn Indian posted:

Hey, suggest me something like Asimov's Foundation series. I liked how big and expansive it was and then also the little interludes of galactic history and whatnot.

Cordwainer Smith's "The Instrumentality of Mankind" makes Asimov's Foundation stuff look like freaking Buck Rogers by comparison.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instrumentality_of_Mankind

# ¿ Oct 19, 2011 04:28

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I'm looking for an accessible, readable "history of civilization" that very specifically gives the 50,000 ft. view of what's going on, where, at any given time. In other words, I'd really like to generally have a good feel for what's happening in China while the middle ages are going on in Europe, and what's going on in South America while the French Revolution is going on, what Australia is up to while Feudal Japan is doing its thing, so to speak. Basically something that puts the entire damned thing in context and isn't just focused on a Western Perspective. The closest thing I've read to scratch this itch is http://www.amazon.com/Human-Story-History-Stone-Today/dp/0060516194 but that was almost too simplistic and really silo'ed different things into their own chapters in an unsatisfying way.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2011 16:12

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BIZORT posted:

I'm looking for an author I can sink into and so far my favorite by far is Bukowski. I also enjoyed some of Augusten Burroughs' stuff along with Douglas Coupland's Generation X and Bret Easton Ellis. I have always been a fan of stories where the writer does not focus on details like how the room's walls feel, the color of her eyes, how the air tasted, etc. I just want the story, and Bukowski is amazing for that. I suppose I'm into memoirs and debauchery after looking at that small authors list. I've been told that Hemmingway is a good bridge from Bukowski and someone else mentioned Henry Miller earlier in the thread. Any others are greatly appreciated

Raymond Carver.

# ¿ Jan 13, 2012 16:22

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Jack the Lad posted:

Can anyone recommend some good books featuring characters with unusual abilities that take a realistic/scientific/intelligent approach to it?

"The Time Traveler's Wife."

# ¿ Jan 20, 2012 16:10

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Mr. Gibbycrumbles posted:

Ok, I'm looking for a story/stories that spend a lot of time in that sort of semi-mythical idyllic rural utopia often evoked by the concept of "Merry England", in other words, pre-industrial, lots of carefree sitting around in cosy taverns drinking ale, feasting and telling stories by the fireside, and very "English".

Furthermore, outside of this "Merry England" comfort zone, the world needs to be full of horrible/dangerous/scary poo poo, and the protagonists have to deal with it at some point or another.

Now you may be thinking "this is basically every fantasy book ever", but here's the other requirement: I'd prefer to steer clear of fantasy, or at least the cliche "wizards and orcs" fantasy. Some light fantasy/supernatural stuff is acceptable I guess.

This is not a direct answer, but I recently read "Electric Eden" - http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Eden/dp/0571237525 - which is about this exact concept, but from a music point of view. It spends quite a bit of time dealing with the concept and the historical/cultural background of the ideal.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2012 15:43

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barkingclam posted:

Patton Oswalt's Zombie Spaceship Wasteland was pretty good, and so was Steve Martin's memoir. I read them, but I'd imagine the audiobook isn't too different.

Two exemplary things about Patton's book; Michael Stipe himself actually reads the R.E.M. quotes in that chapter, and the hobo songs are actually performed/recorded. Wonderful!

# ¿ Jan 26, 2012 17:56

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feedmyleg posted:

I loved the section of Patton Oswalt's Zombie Spaceship Wasteland where he was working in the movie theater. I found myself a bit disappointed when that section was over because it was so good, and I was left wanting more of the same. Is there anything out there that has that same feel? I loved everything about it: the setting, the time period, the tone, the pacing, etc.

Though they are fiction, that section reminded me a bit of Adam Langer's 1970's/80's coming-of-age novels Crossing California and Washington Story.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2012 16:32

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I've lived here for 7 years now as a transplant, and I'd really like to read a reasonably comprehensive but concise history of Chicago. Something accessible and not too long that gives me the 10,000 ft. view of this city. In other words, I don't need 300 pages about the history of the land around here before the white man came or 80 page digressions into particular political merits, just something that gives me the basic overview.

# ¿ Feb 22, 2012 15:48

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I was recently captivated by the chapter in Bob Mould's autobiography about the time he spent writing for WCW Wrestling in the late nineties. I've never even watched a single wrestling match, but it was interesting to get a peek into the behind-the-scenes world of planning the story arcs and fights, the business side, and the way that real life interacts with the kayfabe.

What's a great book that captures this "behind the scenes" insider story of wrestling? It doesn't matter which company (WWF, WCW, etc.) it's about or anything like that, though I'd guess that the 1980's was really the height of the industry and it would be interesting to read about that era in particular.

# ¿ Mar 9, 2012 16:54

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barkingclam posted:

Robert Evan's The Kid Stays in the Picture is a fun read about Hollywood in the 70s by the guy who produced Rosemary's Baby, The Godfather and Chinatown.

I was going to plug this one. It's totally hilarious and great - Evans comes across like a drunk rear end in a top hat uncle, just hanging out with you and getting progressively more plastered while he talks poo poo on everyone he's ever known...except instead of your aunts and grandparents, the people he's talking poo poo about are some of the most iconic Hollywood actors and personalities. Patton Oswalt's impersonation is dead on - "Do you know what Diane Keaton's pussy tastes like after soaking in a hot tub full of apple brandy?"

# ¿ Mar 21, 2012 04:58

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PonchtheJedi posted:

I have a couple, if anybody can help I'd be very appreciative.

First, I love reading about stuff like 80's computer/hacker culture, nerd pop culture from the 80's (arcades, games, comics, computers, TV, Movies, etc), and stuff like that. Basically most of the stuff that was in Ready Player One, but I'd prefer non-fiction if at all possible. I'm not a programmer or anything, so I'm not interested in tech manuals or overly technical stories, more of just general nerd stuff from that time. Fiction about this time is fine too.

http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Computer-Revolution-Anniversary-Edition/dp/1449388396/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333470109&sr=1-3

That's the best one I've read so far - it covers a bunch of that stuff and spends most of its time in the 80's, with a good stop off for the people at the forefront of the computer gaming revolution like Ken and Roberta Williams (Sierra Online) and Richard "Lord British" Garriott (Ultima, etc.).

This one - http://www.amazon.com/On-Edge-Spectacular-Rise-Commodore/dp/0973864907/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2 - is about the rise and fall of Commodore and reads like a great caper/adventure/farce. Anyone who thinks that Apple was behind the home computer revolution should read this. It's full of larger-than-life characters, insane anecdotes, and amazing moments.

And finally, this one is half the answer, half not, but it's still a great read that I think you'll dig: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04...B6YW3HWK55XCGG2

It's about how the Japanese basically took over the electronics industry, with each chapter broken down to a specific innovation like the quartz watch, affordable digital synthesizers, the calculator, CD player, etc. It's amazingly interesting if you already geek on this sort of thing and reveals much about the culture and specific visionaries, companies, and innovations.

# ¿ Apr 3, 2012 17:30

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escape artist posted:

Keep the recommendations coming, guys

I really appreciate them. I actually have Pale Fire from the library, just haven't gotten around to reading it because I also have Pale King from the library. (just now realized I checked out two books with Pale in the title)

Warning - it's all downhill from there. Pale Fire is my favorite book. Nabokov straight killed it with that one.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2012 16:22

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I'm craving Jewish-American suburban or urban family life stuff, bonus points for coming-of-age themes, and a 60's/70's/80's backdrop.

Think Neil Simon's "Eugene Trilogy" ("Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues") also Portnoy's Complaint as the most obvious starting points, but also Adam Langer's "Crossing California" and "Washington Story" for a more seventies/eighties take on that thing.

I also recently watched the movies Two Lovers (adult man with emotional problems lives with his extremely Jewish, senior parents in Brighton Beach) and A Serious Man (late-1960's suburban Jewish patriarch sees his entire life go to hell in short order in a blackly hilarious way), which have me fiending for more along these lines.

If it's relevant, I find this stuff to be exotic and interesting as I was raised Protestant in the South.

# ¿ Jun 6, 2012 16:53

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mcustic posted:

Charles Bukowski. Especially Post Office, Women and Pulp.

And definitely John Fante, a big influence on Bukowski. "Ask the Dust" is the obvious starter. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask_the_Dust

Also, maybe Richard Brautigan? I could see you digging his stuff. Maybe start with "Dreaming of Babylon."

# ¿ Jun 6, 2012 19:33

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guppy posted:

This book owns hard and everyone should read it. For ease of location, however: author's last name is Tropper, not Trooper.

Thanks guys - this basically looks like exactly what I'm after and I'm going to read all his books immediately!

# ¿ Jun 7, 2012 15:39

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nate fisher posted:

Any of these pirate books about the Outerbanks?

Not pirate, per se, but this book set in and around OBX is really overlooked: http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Atlantic-Alyson-Hagy/dp/1555973019/ref=la_B001HOBIC2_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1339516745&sr=1-7

# ¿ Jun 12, 2012 16:59

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oscarthewilde posted:

Just finished House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski and I really enjoyed it. It kinda reminded of Marble Hornets and the Blair Witch Project, and now I'm looking for a book that shares the same atmosphere, especially in the exploration parts. And since Google has failed to find anything I'm turning to the second best place to go on the internet.

I think that Blake Butler's first two novels hit that spot - especially There is no Year - http://www.amazon.com/There-Is-No-Year-Novel/dp/0061997420/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1339527849&sr=8-3 - but also Scorch Atlas. They're definitely more experimental and abstract than HOL, but probably even more haunting and dark.

# ¿ Jun 12, 2012 20:06

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WeaponGradeSadness posted:

First off, what I'd be most interested in is some good cyberpunk novels--or at least novels with that cyberpunk aesthetic, even if it doesn't have all the themes and such necessary to be considered cyberpunk. I'm aware of Gibson, but I'm not sure how well it fits into what I'm looking for, though I'll definitely be willing to give him a try if he does.

William Gibson's original Sprawl trilogy is this; it's what Syndicate/Deus Ex/the whole Shadowrun thing/etc. is basically 100% derived from.

WeaponGradeSadness posted:

Also, I just beat Mass Effect 3 with the new, unfucked ending, and something similar to that series would be nice too. Huge battles, larger than life characters, a well-fleshed-out universe, and so on.

Roger Zelazny's "Lord of Light," maybe Cordwainer Smith's Rediscovery of Man cycle - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rediscovery_of_Man

# ¿ Jun 28, 2012 16:58

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Argona posted:

A while back, someone recommended We were Burning as an interesting look at how Japan became king of the electronics industry. To whoever it was, thank you. It got me hooked and was researched very well to boot! I would heartily recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the topic. As an aside, according to an amazon review, some parts about the dispute between MITI and Nishizawa were removed in the Japanese version. Can anyone confirm this or is just some bullshit?

It was me, and you're welcome! I think it's a really interesting book, and I'm curious to find other interesting books like that about the social history behind major consumer electronics innovations.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2012 16:57

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Is there a book about Michael Jackson that's as objective as possible and rises above the weirdo freakshow gossip mill surrounding the man? I'm really curious about his life and career, and am especially interested in some sort of peek behind the curtain of the final 15 years of it. Unfortunately, because he's such a big pop culture figure, it seems like most/all materials about him are built for a "National Enquirer"-level audience. I'd like something that rises above and goes deeper.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2012 17:04

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Danger Mahoney posted:

Are there any really good western horror books out there? I mean western as in "American frontier 1800-1900", not "let's criticize western medicine".

Not straight horror (no "cowboys vs. vampires") but definitely on the dark side of fantasy and western - http://www.amazon.com/The-Etched-City-K-Bishop/dp/189481522X It's very indebted to the Dark Tower and China Mieville's New Crobuzon books, but definitely goes in a heavy "western" direction that might scratch your itch.

Also, Mieville's "Iron Council" is a pitch-black fantasy western with heavy horror elements.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2012 18:39

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OSheaman posted:

Just finished Microserfs and JPod by Douglas Coupland. Loved Microserfs for the characters (and the fun personalities), narrative style, diary form, nice-but-not-plot-central romance, general nerdiness. JPod was also enjoyable but adds a completely absurd plot (a little too absurd; the story barely stays grounded at all) and Coupland writes himself into the novel (it's awful beyond words). Any suggestions for further reading?

This may get me shot in certain circles, but I think that Tao Lin is "the Douglas Coupland of his generation."

# ¿ Jul 19, 2012 18:01

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Mung Dynasty posted:

I'm looking for stupid, fun, entertaining, violent, guilty pleasure horror fiction that I can buy for Kindle.

When I was a kid, I would supplement my regular diet of cheap 80s horror movies with cheap 80s horror paperbacks. Random $5 junk sitting on the shelves with awesomely provocative cover art and intense titles to go along with quick-read Stephen King favorites like The Shining, Cujo, Pet Sematary, etc.

I'm currently reading Doomflight, by Guy N. Smith. I had read about it somewhere along my search for this sorta thing and am about a third of the way through it, but it's not really doing anything for me. I'll finish it, but I want something really entertaining waiting for me when it's over.

I've read a few Brian Keene books lately as well. They seem to generally have the right idea, and are sorta in the neighborhood of what I'm looking for. But they're often "not quite enough". Dunno how to describe it, really. They're dumb, which is fine, but they're also empty and unexciting.

Not sure where else to continue my search.

http://toomuchhorrorfiction.blogspot.com/ has a lot of cool-sounding books, but hardly any of them are on Kindle.

Help me rot my brain out with pulpy horror trash.

The "Borderlands" anthologies from the nineties are perfect for this. http://www.amazon.com/Borderlands-N...derlands+horror

They're all short stories, and it's a mix of great authors and ones that were never heard from again. In a very nineties fashion, many of them are trying way too hard to be "edgy," which makes them hilariously fun and trashy and often dumb, but always entertaining. And you can get them all for like a buck.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2012 15:52

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Witchfinder General posted:

I've been on a bit of a Raymond Carver kick lately and want to find more short stories/collections similar in tone and style. I was thinking Tobias Wolff's In The Garden of North American Martyrs just based on some google searching.

Anyone have suggestions for other authors?

http://www.amazon.com/Collected-Stories-Amy-Hempel/dp/0743291638

# ¿ Nov 29, 2012 16:56

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After playing through Bioshock Infinite and then watching Jurassic Park 3D last night, I'm realizing that I really like the trope of theme parks in fiction, with a particular affinity for idealistic, controlled, themed worlds and environments, especially when those environments then become corrupted, break down, or go wrong.

I have read Ready Player One, Dream Park, and Down and out in the Magic Kingdom, any of which would be good recs for this request. What else?

# ¿ Apr 3, 2013 17:10

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Red Garland posted:

I would love a good book about the late 70s/early 80s new wave/punk/no-wave scene of New York. Know any? Preferably as doc as possible.

Richard Hell's recent memoir - http://www.amazon.com/Dreamed-Very-Clean-Tramp-Autobiography/dp/0062190830 - is great for this. He was basically the Forrest Gump/Zelig of that scene in NYC.

# ¿ Jul 2, 2013 05:55

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Squalid posted:

I guess this isn't really the thread for non-fiction academic stuff, but has anyone read a good book that delves into the dirty details of organization? Sorry this is sort of vague, I want to find out more about how groups organize, how a bureaucracy functions, how The Great Leader's edicts flow through hierarchies and produce action in the masses. How should a CEO direct his underlings to maximize productivity? I'm looking for an anatomy of Power, Social Power, essentially, and I don't even know where to start.

This has been on my list for a bit, and may help: http://www.amazon.com/False-Prophet...=bad+management

# ¿ Jul 16, 2013 20:38

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# ¿ Apr 27, 2024 16:01

Transistor Rhythm: Feb 16, 2011; If setting the Sustain Level in the ENV to around 7, you can obtain a howling sound.

Skrill.exe posted:

What are some other books that would fit into the bucket of post-modern detective stories? I've read the Spade and Marlowe books but I enjoy the more modern resurgence of books like The Name of the Rose, Motherless Brooklyn, and The New York Trilogy. Books that actively draw attention to the fact that they're detective stories and deconstruct the genre.

"Dreaming of Babylon" by Richard Brautigan is my favorite one of these.

# ¿ Sep 24, 2013 06:53

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