Looking for book recommendations
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Topic: Looking for book recommendations
Posted By: Logan
Subject: Looking for book recommendations
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 14:45
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Here are some books I like that immediately spring to mind (I've read a lot more by most of these authors): Philip K. Dick - Ubik and Dr. Bloodmoney Kurt Vonnegut - Breakfast of Champions, Sirens of Titan Cormac McCarthy - The Road Margaret Atwood - Oryx and Crake and Year of the Flood Stanislaw Lem - Also Sprach Golem George Orwell - 1984 Aldous Huxley - The Island Isaac Asimov - The Gods Themselves Arturo Perez-Reverte - The Club Dumas |
Replies:
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 15:25
f**kING CRAKE!  Read that one on a week long cruise. For some reason I liked it a lot (I have absolutely no idea why). Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale might interest you if you've not read it. My favorite America novel is John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany. It's a treat to read all the way through (with some occasional bitching about Ronald Reagan), but the last four pages made my jaw drop and I quit trying to write fiction for months. ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Logan wrote:Posted By: Vibrationbaby
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 15:43
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Here are few from my sick reading room : Charles Bukowski - Post Office Charles Bukowski - No South Of North Don DeLillo - White Noise Carl Sagan - The Demon Haunted World Stephen King - From A Buick 8 Micheal Moorcock - The Chinese Agent Philip Warner - Famous Scottish Battles The Feathermen - Sir Ranaulph Feinnes The Man Who Ate The 747 - Ben Sherwood The Poet - Michael Connolly Jack The Ripper : Case Closed - Andrew Cook Napalm & Silly Putty - George Carlin Military Aircraft Of Australia - Srewart Wilson ------------- |
Posted By: SaltyJon
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 16:00
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Nick Harkaway - The Gone Away World
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Salty_Jon" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 17:27
| Thanks for all the recommendations. I have read Handmaid's Tail, and my mum suggested A Prayer for own Meany to me long ago. I like John Irving very much (my first read of his was The World According to Garp). By the way Rob, since you', even if rather inexplicably, enjoyed Oryx and Crake (a book my wife suggested I read), I think the sequel (Year of the Flood) also worth reading if you can get it from the library. I'm hoping she's busy on the third part, and would like an online Extinctathon game to play.... Oh, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6umedHj6gjI" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6umedHj6gjI |
Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 17:32
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Ever read any Ken Kesey? Beyond that, my main recommendations would be Vonnegut and McCarthy, both of whom I see you already read Depending on your tolerance for verse, you might find Anthony Burgess' Byrne an interesting read Right now I'm reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. I'm finding it really enjoyable |
Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 17:35
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Wow! Nice reads Logan! I'd recommend We by Yzegeny Zamyatin based on the dystopian literature seen here. Very similar to 1984 only written years before. Also Darkness At Noon by Arthur Koestler. ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 17:40
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^ I\ve heard of Yzegeny Zamyatin. Will look into; thanks, as well as the Koestler book. Thanks! Sounds good. Tri... Yeah, Vonnegut is a fave. I've read some Kesey. I read One Flew Over the Cuckoo''s Nest for a High School English class. |
Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 17:43
You should try Sometimes a Great Notion |
Posted By: The Quiet One
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 18:17
- Yeah, I was about to recommend 'We' by Ivanovich, its always cool to know the influences of certain classics. However, for me the best thing of 'We' which I bought in spanish was actually its prologue or preface, which is the translator's comment about dystopias and related, like 10 pages of it, really worth it if you read in spanish. 
- Didn't know you read Perez-Reverte! I've read the first 4 of his Capitan Alatriste series, very entertaining and fast reading. I'd like to recommend you one of my favorite authors as for now, Italo Calvino. His 'Our Ancestors' series, which are three books that are related to a certain time of history but with a fictional/fantasy story above it, they're very short and highly original. The books are 'The Baron in the Trees', 'The Cloven Viscount' and 'The Non-Existent Knight'.
However, Calvino as a great author he was, he changed of style radically. So if you're in for "puzzling" books, meaning that the author plays/talks to the reader, his late work such as 'If on a Winter's Night a Traveler' are very impressive. Short glimpse of what it is about:
"Besides Tom Robbins' "Half Asleep in Frog's Pajamas", this is the only book you've ever read written (mostly) in second person narration. 'You' are the protagonist of the story, and are directly addressed by the author/narrator. 'You' are the Reader. This is a technique that Calvino uses very well, especially when he manages to predict (or accurately tell) the circumstances around how 'you' bought the book, how 'you're' reading it, and 'your' thoughts and feelings concerning it."
- Another fave of mine is John Fante, but this author doesn't have much to do with what you pointed out. Have you read Bukowski? You surely know what he's about at least, well, Fante was his "God" and a big influence on him. Fante is not as "rude" to say it somehow as Bukowski, but the struggle of social and family problems is there and written in a very accessible form. "If you ever have the chance to read one of his novels, you'll end up buying them all" I'd say start with 'The Brotherhood of the Grape' probably his best, and if you liked that, get 'Go West to Rome' that has a continuation to the previous book, settled in the early 70s America.
- Also, I'd highly recommend you the prog-oriented 'The Rotters' Club' novel by Jonathan Coe. A funny and melancholic book, with lots of social and political criticism from 70s Britain, where the Canterbury Scene and Punk are part of the kids lives.
- Last but not least, I'm sure you've already read some Hesse, am I right? If not, I think that it might be very interesting for you.
- Oh, and if you can get some J.G. Ballard! I've not become a sci-fi fan, but my early reads were mostly dystopias and sci-fi oriented, and Ballard's short story collection 'Billenium' was freaking fantastic. However, I think that that collection isn't edited anymore, I have a used one from the 70s. But you probably wouldn't go wrong getting any of Ballard's short story collections. I haven't read his famous novels though, say Crash or The Atrocious Exhibition, so have in mind I'm not recommending you these just in case.
 I know it may be too much to start with, but there's a rather cheap (I think) Complete Short Stories of him in Amazon, and I've seen it around when I was in U.S.A:
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stories-J-G-Ballard/dp/0393339297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298680629&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow - http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Stories-J-G-Ballard/dp/0393339297/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298680629&sr=8-1
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Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: February 25 2011 at 22:59
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Oh yes, and just because I've been into him lately, I'll recommend anything by Franz Kafka but The Metamorphosis in particular. ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 00:12
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Ever read Umberto Eco or Salman Rushdie? Eco's Foucault's Pendulum is a real mind bender, and I just finished Rushdie's Enchantress of Florence, which was very entertaining. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 00:36
Great list. We have similar tastes (from the ones I've read, or want to read). I've yet to read it (as I don't have a copy) and if you can find it, cool but check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_the_Dust_%28novel%29" rel="nofollow - Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence Also check out Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-5. I am currently reading Breakfast of Champions and it's fantastic. I've read Sirens of Titan (my first Vonnegut novel) and that's also fantastic. Also try Mother Night. I have yet to read any Dick but I did buy myself a copy of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? I still haven't read Nineteen Eighty-Four but I bought a copy. I've already Huxley's Brave New World but not The Island. You can also do yourself a huge favour buy reading H.G. Wells. He was fantastic and ahead of his time in regards to his sci-fiction novels. He's still worth reading even now. If you want something different, then check out Jeffrey Ford's novels, novellas and short fiction. He's a favourite author of mine. Oh and yes, I third the recommendation of Zamyatin's We. I love Dystopias. Speaking of which, I've also picked a copy up of The Children of Men by P.D. James. Again, it's on my to-read list. -------------   
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 11:37
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I used to be a very heavy reader, especially when in my teens, so I've read a number of suggestions. I was thinking about adding Umbert Eco's Foucalt's Pendulum to my list since it's my favourite of his, but the son called me away. I\ve only read Rushdie's Satanic verses. I started on another of his not long ago, but my eyes were sore so i returned it. H..G. Welles was one of my favourite authors. My parents gave me a nice leatherbound compilations of his novels for my twelth birthday. I read The Food of the Gods to my daughter not long ago to help put her to sleep. I know lots of vonnegut, including those stories. That P.D. James novel is excellent -- I should have mentioned it.'It'll be on my to re-read list. My mum has a copy and I'm making the trek tto see her today and can pick up a couple of recs there. Plus they have a much better library near where she lives. I was really disappointed when I moved to where i live now at the quality of the libraries (though good if one likes to read in Chinese or Punjabi). I loved Kafk''s Metamorphosis. haven\t read it for many years, though. Excuse punctuation mistakes, I have a new laptop and having some difficulties with this keyboard. Ian, I haven't read any of your recs, despite having read a lot of King and Moorcock. my favourite that King collaorated on is The talisman, and my favourite Moorcock is, wow name escapes me. My godfather gave it to me, who is an author himself and had an effect on my reading at an early age. I have yet to thank him for a pile of books he sent to me a couple of years ago. (mostly psychological and philosophical, but he's head and shoulders above me in terms of intellect, as were my parents). Pablo, I like Tom Robbins a lot. It started with an anonymous gift to me at a place I worked of a book of his at a playhouse I worked for with the cryptic message: To Greg, for when you want to be a little bit not be. Lots of stuff to look into there. I will look into Zamyatin's We as I also love dystopias. For a long time I stopped reading, and watching movies, due to poor eyes, but since my laser eye surgery I can read better and feel I have a lot of catching up to do -- both new books and getting some classics. When I was young I used to read a novel a night c0mmonly, but cannot read at nearly the same speed anymore. I'd alos like to read various satires. |
Posted By: timothy leary
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 12:03
| You might like Edward Abbey........Desert Solitaire |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 12:21
| ^Thanks, will look into. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 12:38
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You could read http://www.amazon.com/Leaf-Freefall-Dean-Cracknell/dp/1456514784/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1298745448&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow - my book ... or better still, download it for http://www.lulu.com/product/file-download/a-leaf-in-freefall/14855566?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1" rel="nofollow - free . ------------- What? |
Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 13:36
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Music related, I recommend The Real Frank Zappa Book and Miles Davis autobiography. Joe Jackson's A Cure For Gravity auto is a good read, too .
------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: ClemofNazareth
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 13:37
Several classics there. A few more I would highly recommend: Vonnegut - anything, but in particular Welcome to the Monkey House (collection of short stories) and Bluebeard. ------------- "Peace is the only battle worth waging." Albert Camus |
Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 13:43
^Thanks. Love that Bradbury book, and am one of the few, it seems to also love the Truffaut movie version. I've read The Devils and Candide, excellent. Though i\ve read lots of Vonnegut, don't know how much of those I would have read. As for the others, will look into.
You\re quite a renaissance man, Dean. I've rturned to your music, and enjoyed it more and more. Looks like that would really interest me. I might just self-publish some of my old stories, but I fear they would only appeal to the limited rabbit-fetish market. |
Posted By: The Hemulen
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 16:47
| I'm reading The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem at the moment, on the strength of a recommendation from this very forum. It's a collection of sci-fi fables that manages to be both genuinely funny and thought-provoking. Definitely worth checking out if you fancy some unusual sci-fi. |
Posted By: Formentera Lady
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 19:04
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My suggestions: Karel Capek - The War with the Newts The humans discover a non-human intelligent life form on earth, the newts. The newts are technically underdeveloped. How will the humans deal with the situation? It ends with a clash. A hilarious dystopia. One of my all time favourite novels. Frank Schätzing - The Swarm The human race pollutes nature and the nature seems to strike back out of the sea. Or is it an attack by an unknown intelligence which lives in the sea? While Capek (see above) concentrates on the social implications, this novel deals more with the technical possibility of an intelligence very different from the humans. Not so well written, but the idea is interesting. Daniel Suarez - Daemon and Freedom After the death of a computer genius, his programme takes over control of the world (Daemon). The programme establishes a new world order, where people act like in an online role game. Various fractions fight against each other to get control over the programme (Freedom). Very good reading. The author seems to have great insight in computer games and software development. |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 19:51
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Sladek#Science_fiction_novels" rel="nofollow - John T Sladek - my absolute favourite SF author from the late 60s/early 70s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sheckley" rel="nofollow - Robert Sheckley -
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Posted By: Proletariat
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 19:56
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Not Sci-Fi, as you seem to be so interested in, but every fan of Vonnigut should check out Tom Robbins. My favorite of his is Still Life With Woodpecker. Robbins has all of the wit of Vonnigut as well as the outlandish plots and concepts. I cann not reccomend him highly enough! ------------- who hiccuped endlessly trying to giggle but wound up with a sob |
Posted By: Proletariat
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 20:01
------------- who hiccuped endlessly trying to giggle but wound up with a sob |
Posted By: VanderGraafKommandöh
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 01:48
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I don't know Robbins, so I'll look into him. Thanks! I've seen the film version of The Devils of Loudoun with Oliver Reed. I forgot it was by Huxley. Also check out some more early sci-fi and fantasy fiction. I've read some Lord Dunsany. You may like some of that. Jerome K. Jerome wrote an early sci-fi short story which can be found on Project Gutenberg. Then of course there's Jules Verne. -------------
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