Books and Literature

[Kybosh]

I just got my order from Amazon for:

Post Office - Charles Bukowski
Cosmicomics - Italo Calvino

Just about to start those so I can hopefully wash out the junk that the last Robert Jordan filled my head with. I wish he'd finish that wheel of time series already. . .I don't even like reading the books anymore I just feel an obligation.

[habernac]

just finished up "On a Cold Road, tales of adventure in Canadian Rock" by Dave Bidini. Started one of his other books, Baseballisimo, same author, about his year following a minor league team in Italy. Good stuff. I tend to stick to biographies for the most part.

[Resolute 14]

Right now I'm just starting A Feast for Crows, 4th book in George R. R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series. I had A Game of Thrones for about a year before I started reading it. Wish I had sooner, as I've gone through the first three books in about a month, and these arent light reading.

Also picked up what looks to be a fairly interesting light fantasy series that adds dragons to the Napoleonic Wars: His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novak.

[Hemi-Cuda]

anyone who hasn't read The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy Trilogy (in 5 parts) should deffinetly grab it if they're a fan of sci-fi or just humorous writing in general. still the only book(s) that i've read more than once

[stuck_in_chuk]

Originally Posted by habernac

just finished up "On a Cold Road, tales of adventure in Canadian Rock" by Dave Bidini. Started one of his other books, Baseballisimo, same author, about his year following a minor league team in Italy. Good stuff. I tend to stick to biographies for the most part.

Love Dave Bidini's band, the Rheostatics, but haven't read any of his stuff yet. Have you read either of his hockey books? I know that he wrote one about hockey in China or something of the sort.

Just read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, and would recommend it. I also loved Microserfs by Douglas Coupland. It's probably a bit dated now, but was an enjoyable read.

[kootenayguy9]

If you are a dog lover make sure you read Marley and Me.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Right now I'm just starting A Feast for Crows, 4th book in George R. R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series.

I haven't started on it yet, but it is on my shelf. Good series, but this one has been a long time coming. I hope he doesn't drag it on like Robert Jordan...

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Post Office - Charles Bukowski

I finished reading this earlier this afternoon. It's a relatively short novel but I quite enjoyed it. In fact after finishing it I found another book by him (Ham on Rye) and promptly started reading it. I'm not sure how familiar people are with Bukowski but his writing style is very blunt and to the point. The closest thing I can compare Post office to is the John Updike book Rabbit, Run (also excellent) in terms of interesting storylines that are occasionally vulgar or immoral (the writing styles of Bukowski and Updike are very different however). Two thumbs up for the Post Office and Ham on Rye is shaping up to be pretty good as well.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

I haven't started on it yet, but it is on my shelf. Good series, but this one has been a long time coming. I hope he doesn't drag it on like Robert Jordan...

Well, given how the first three books went, it isnt likely to drag on. I know it was supposed to be a five book series, but was expanded to six because A Clash of Swords was too long.

I half suspect Jordan keeps WoT going because it makes him money. Much like Piers Anthony and the Xanth series, where I am in the same situation. The Xanth series lost its touch about ten books ago, but I have em all, so I keep going.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by stuck_in_chuk

Love Dave Bidini's band, the Rheostatics, but haven't read any of his stuff yet. Have you read either of his hockey books? I know that he wrote one about hockey in China or something of the sort.

His hockey books are great, too. Tropic of Hockey and The Best Game you can Name are excellent reads.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

Well, given how the first three books went, it isnt likely to drag on. I know it was supposed to be a five book series, but was expanded to six because A Clash of Swords was too long.

I half suspect Jordan keeps WoT going because it makes him money. Much like Piers Anthony and the Xanth series, where I am in the same situation. The Xanth series lost its touch about ten books ago, but I have em all, so I keep going.

Well, since Jordan announced that he has a terminal disease (link), I hope he can last a long time, as well as has time to finish his story. I feel kind of guilty that when I heard about his illness, I was worried about him finishing .

I can't recall if I read Xanth, but it looks really familiar.

[Buff]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

anyone who hasn't read The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy Trilogy (in 5 parts) should deffinetly grab it if they're a fan of sci-fi or just humorous writing in general. still the only book(s) that i've read more than once

That is another book that I read and I thought, Meh. I couldn't understand the hype for it.

[J pold]

just finished "Tuesdays with Morrie" excellent book and would recommend to anyone at any age and about half way through "In Cold Blood" very good as well, good writing style a pleasant enlightenment from that of Dan Brown

[theJuice]

I'm a huge Sci/Fi Fantasy fan, and thats primarily all I read. Probably missing out on alot, but honestly, I normally have more than enough on my plate as is, so I'm satisfied.

Currently reading an oldie, but a decent series that I'm suprised slipped through the cracks with me, Riftwar Saga by Raymond Feist, definetely not one of my favorites, but memorable in its own right, and a pretty darn good read.

Some of my favorites are pretty standard, just finished buying all the Hardcover copies of the WoT series, and am like many in that I realize the quality of Jordan's novels are going down, but I've put such an investment in them at this point, so I pretty much have to get the rest. Bought most of the Songs of Fire Ice saga as well by Martin, probably my favorite series going at the moment.

Huge fan of the STar wars novels as well, as someone touched upon Zahn, who I agree is probably the best SW writer, though coming in close second to me at least, is Michael A. Stackpole, who's X-Wing series was probably the most enjoyable for me, though I pretty much have read all the books in the SW universe. At least, 90% of the critical ones.

Used to be a huge fan of the Dragonlance and Forgotten realms when I was younger, like in Junior high, though unfortunely most of those books are no longer what they once were, and now I mostly look back on them with nostalgia, and enjoy them for what they were.

[Resolute 14]

I never got into the Star Wars stuff, but Stackpole's original work is excellent. His new Age of Discovery series looks very interesting.

[Sample00]

am a big Michael Crichton and John Grisham fan
right now am reading The Divinci Code, just started it, kinda slow.
anybody else got any suggestions on Law fiction books?

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by kootenayguy9

If you are a dog lover make sure you read Marley and Me.

About 1/2 done that one so far........pretty good read. Like you said, if you have ever had dogs around, you'll enjoy the book.

About 1/4 of the way through Da Vinci Code. It's OK.

I usually like to read biographies and true stories. 'Into Thin Air' was a great book, 'Helter Skelter' was as well......I like picking up the odd true-crime books once in a while.

If you listened to Motley Crue in the 80's like I did you should check out their book 'The Dirt'........not for children, but a great read. I was about 1/2 done 'A Million Little Pieces' when the writer was outed for lying.....too bad, it tainted the book for me. Was enjoying it before that. A few years ago on my honeymoon I read wrestler Mick Foley's autobiography........was pleasantly surprised. Pretty honest, funny stuff. Not even a wrestling fan at all, but the book was good.

I have one of Lance Armstrong's book laying around, I'll read it eventually.

And if you want some easy reading this summer, read the Harry Potter books. Pretty simple, but they are better than the movies.

[Antithesis]

Right Now:

Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco

Recommendations:

Moneyball: The Art Of Winning An Unfair Game - Michael Lewis
1984 - George Orwell
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
No Logo - Naomi Klein
America (The Book) - Jon Stewart

[Looger]

Originally Posted by Snakeeye

I never got into the Star Wars stuff, but Stackpole's original work is excellent. His new Age of Discovery series looks very interesting.

his battletech stuff was absolutely awesome. the star wars 'rogue squadron' books i found to be his weakest by far.

he's got new stuff coming out? excellent!

[theJuice]

Originally Posted by Looger

his battletech stuff was absolutely awesome. the star wars 'rogue squadron' books i found to be his weakest by far.

he's got new stuff coming out? excellent!

Man, that rogue squadron stuff was my favorite, different tastes I suppose.

I was also a fan of his Battletech stuff, and a couple of his older fantasy series, like the dragoncrown war cycle, but his new book series, A secret atlas, was a pretty large disapointment to me. For whatever reason, the premise sounded cool, characters were kinda interesting, but for whatever reason, I didn't like how it was all put together, at least in book1, though It can still turn around.