Nerd Alert: books!

[Jin]

I know most of you limit your reading to Internet forums.

For those whose scope is a big broader: what are some books that have impacted you and/or you’d recommend?

BluSoul is well read and he has given me a bunch of great suggestions. I’ll continue to check off the books on his personal list:

If you have interest in the natural world or in consciousness, “Soul of an octopus” is a great non-fiction read.

For a lesson In how beautifully the English language can be used he recommended “The bone people”. It’s a ****ing jewel.


KellKell recommended “all quiet on the western front”. That was good. Thank you.

I’m a big Apocalyptic fiction fan. “The Stand” is one of my favorite novels (the unabridged version, thanks very much, Happy Crappy).

Anyway, let’s hear it. What are some great reads?

 

[rawdeal]

Never more topical than today ...... To Kill A Mockingbird.

A long time ago, before special effects ruled the box office, Hollywood used to make movies out of best selling books. The consensus was usually that Hollywood had screwed up yet another great book.

Back when values, ideas, writing, and acting still made people say "Wow" about a film, To Kill A Mockingbird got an A for the book AND the movie.

To a lesser extent, Hollywood didn't do too badly with The Godfather, Jaws, and Silence of the Lambs either, although some of the juicier details in the books were excised before they made it to the screen.

 

[rawdeal]

* footnote thoughts:

Mockingbird was Robert Duvall's screen debut as the mostly off-screen, mildly retarded, shy neighbor who was brutal when he had to be to save the lead character's daughter from the drunken cracker incestuous pedophile who gets an innocent man convicted before he stalks the hero's daughter.

Later, Duvall is the relatively mousey Corleone family lawyer who goes to Hollywood to get a family friend a roll in a film by a big name producer who is also a thoroughbred horse owner. Leaving the horse's severed head in the producer's bed is part of the negotiating tactics ... seemingly so out of character for the non-violent lawyer. Only in The Godfather book do we find out who went to Hollywood to help Duvall negotiate ......

 

[NbleSavage]

Im guessing you've already read him but just in case not: Haruki Murakami.

1Q84 is a bit of an epic tome, so start with Hardboiled Wonderland first and if you enjoy it then jump into the deeper end.

 

[TODAY]

I'll start with one that I think is most likely to appeal to the UGBB demographic:

The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.

 

[transcend2007]

Non fiction ... personal development:

High Performance Habits
The Power of Full Engagement
10X Rule
Compound Effect

 

[TeddyBear]

As a teacher: Mockingbird is great.
go in knowing that the first 3rd of the book was designed to be episodic and the latter 2/3rds are serialized. Each chapter does have a pay off.

Skip “Go Set a Watchman” while by the same author and with the same characters set after TKAM, it was literally an earlier draft of the novel and so there are canon inconsistency’s and even full pages are identical in places. Honestly, “Watchmen” was a fantastic read BECAUSE I knew Mockingbird so well, otherwise it’s awful and Harper Lee had not intended to publish it.

”Life of Pi” is a wonderful fable/allegory of a boy stranded at sea with a Tiger. A “story to make you believe in god”, it’s a Theists story, but wonderfully done.

”Kite Runner” was a book I consistently had to double check was fiction because it broke my heart. It’s about two boys with lives intertwined while they grow up and try to escape Afghanistan during the Soviet and Taliban occupation. Beautiful.

Goofy fun sci-fi:
”First Fifteen Lives of Harry” something, I forgot his last name. Guy dies and repeats his life with his memories intact at birth. He learns how to the game the system and that there may be more at work...I won’t say more.

”Sleeping Giants” the US discovers a giant robot leg buried under Montana. So naturally everyone starts digging, then the US finds a torso in Afghanistan. Global race is on, but once we have all the parts, who’s is it, and what’s next? Like Pacific Rim as told by Agent Phil Coulson.

”An Incredibly Remarkable Thing”: a very very Millennial story in which a New York bisexual graphic design artist encounters a pop-up street sculpture of a robot. Except this robot isn’t from Earth and it’s has appointed her as Ambassador to Mankind. Um, things escalate a lot and soon we see a very big socio-political split not unlink we have in America today. The book was a year ahead of its time, but very relevant.

 

[flenser]

Thinking of apocalyptic books...

A Fire Upon The Deep by Vinge is about a very different kind of apocalypse. Also where my user name came from.

Anathem by Stephenson isn't so much about an apocalypse as it is an unusual means to manage them.

The Mongoloid by Bear is a trilogy of knights versus the Mongolian hoards that came after Genghis. Not exactly apocalyptic, but the clash and destruction of the societies and the individual struggles makes for an excellent read.

 

[Flyingdragon]

Raw, thanks for being Awesome!

Never more topical than today ...... To Kill A Mockingbird.

A long time ago, before special effects ruled the box office, Hollywood used to make movies out of best selling books. The consensus was usually that Hollywood had screwed up yet another great book.

Back when values, ideas, writing, and acting still made people say "Wow" about a film, To Kill A Mockingbird got an A for the book AND the movie.

To a lesser extent, Hollywood didn't do too badly with The Godfather, Jaws, and Silence of the Lambs either, although some of the juicier details in the books were excised before they made it to the screen.

 

[rawdeal]

Anyway I react to your post would be awkward and go from bad to verse, but it's good to see you Old Friend.

xoxoxo

 

[Iron1]

While probably not as traditional as what was expected, it certainly fits the bill of being a nerd book. I spent some time with this one over the weekend

 

[BigGameHunter]

“Never Die Easy” a biography on Walter Payton. I just started it. So far it’s good.

 

[Robdjents]

American Buffalo search for a lost icon by Steven Rinella.

great read!

 

[MrInsensitive]

I'm an avid reader.
I study theology and I'm highly interested in my studies. Attempting to obtain my doctorate in theology.

Anyway, some of the most sureal books I've read so far this year are
What did you expect? Paul David Tripp
Gentle and lowly by Dane C Ortlund

The first one i recommend to ANYONE who's married.
The second is for anyone interested in who Jesus is. The real Jesus. Not this weak pitiful man or that pathetic baby in a manger. None of that foolishness but a real scope of who he was, is and what we're supposed to do about it.

 

[BigGameHunter]

“Never Die Easy” a biography on Walter Payton. I just started it. So far it’s good.

This is such an inspiring read. I actually read two chapters with the 5&6 o’clock news going. It’s hard to put it down

 

[Trendkill]

If you like post apocalyptic stuff read The Passage trilogy by Justin Cronin. One of the best I've ever read. They tried to make a TV show out of it in the US and it was a disaster.

Seven Eves by Neal Stephenson is my favorite of his books I've read so far.

For non-fiction I recently finished The Making of the Atomic Bomb and the follow up Dark Sun both by Richard Rhoades. He explores not only the scientific aspect of the discovery and harnessing of atomic energy but also the politics and espionage that occurred throughout the arms race.

Lone Survivor is another great book. The movie just doesn't do justice to what Markus Latrell went through.

 

[Jin]

If you like post apocalyptic stuff read The Passage trilogy by Justin Cronin. One of the best I've ever read. They tried to make a TV show out of it in the US and it was a disaster.

Seven Eves by Neal Stephenson is my favorite of his books I've read so far.

For non-fiction I recently finished The Making of the Atomic Bomb and the follow up Dark Sun both by Richard Rhoades. He explores not only the scientific aspect of the discovery and harnessing of atomic energy but also the politics and espionage that occurred throughout the arms race.

Lone Survivor is another great book. The movie just doesn't do justice to what Markus Latrell went through.

Oh, I like you bro.

Have read The Passage trilogy.

 

[Trendkill]

Ive never reread a series of books but I might consider it for The Passage.

 

[Jin]

Ive never reread a series of books but I might consider it for The Passage.

Check out Scythe. Dope AF.

Assuming you’ve read The Stand?

Other worth while End of The world stuff:
The Beach
One second after.
Childhoods end (sci fi)

 

[Trump]

Silence of the lambs is by far the most enticing can’t put down book I have ever read. And when you watch the movie it’s crazy how well they got the characters right. Closely followed by the Harry Potter series x