Recommendation for some Good Books

Hey guys:wave:,

I just purchased the following to give it whirl:

V. - Thomas Pynchon

The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

What are some books you guys have read that you consider "great" or "classics" to recommend:tinfoil: to another reader?

Fisk

Dr No, by Ian Fleming. I read it in junior high or thereabouts. The details have become hazy, but at one point James Bond had to make his way through a sewer or tunnel with alligators and crap like that, and his only source of light was a wick-type cigarette lighter which he had to keep flicking. It was a formative read for a young flashaholic, since even a Fauxton would have made Bond's situation much less desperate. :thumbsup:

http://www.amazon.com/reader/0871136791?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=sib%5Fdp%5Fpt#reader-link

Cold Mountain

I'd skip the last two - Wilde's moral tale of the life of a 19th century cad is hopelessly tame by today's standards, and Dunces is only funny on a Three Stooges scale..

Replace Dorian with Luke Reinhart's The Dice Man, the story of a professional psychiatrist and family man who decides that decision-making is too great a burden and lets the roll of the die determine literally everything. Every possible catastrophe you can imagine this creating only scratches the surface, it's a whole new level of moral car-accident.

And swap out Dunces with Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, the book that begins with Earth being destroyed to make room for a freeway, and perhaps the most hilarious book of all time..

John Adams by David McCullough
I HIGHLY recommend it if you like non-fiction, early American History.

The Sea Wolf by Jack London if you want to read a classic tale of the high seas.

My favorite authors are W.E.B. Griffin and Joseph Wambaugh. I've been reading their books for years and thoroughly enjoy them.

Unintended Consequences by John Ross... IF you can find a copy of it. Very hard to find and very expensive right now. My second copy cost me $60.

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrel, emotional, but it's a story that needed to be told. Very well written, entertaining and gripping all in one book.

Best book ever Fiction: AZTEC by gary jennings

Non fiction: By way of deception

Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides.

World War Z, by Max Brooks.

I haven't got time right now to go into why I enjoyed these, but I recommend reading reviews on both to see if either sound good to you. I haven't read anything better than Middlesex in years

I'm growing fonder and fonder of the fiction work "Monster" by A. Lee Martinez. It's only been out for a few months, it's kinda out there too.

It's not one of those space-aged fiction books where things are left unexplained, either. Martinez really boarded his imagination's roller-coaster on the front seat with his arms in the air.

I got my copy at Wal-Mart pretty cheap, too.

Atlas Shrugged

Rothrandir said:

Atlas Shrugged

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Seconded.

greek said:

Best book ever Fiction: AZTEC by gary jennings

Non fiction: By way of deception

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I was given a copy of Aztec by father when I was ~13.:thumbsup: good choice

thanks everyone for their replys:thanks: I am glad to see that reading books is not a *lost art*:sigh:

I was forwarded this link at work a few days ago http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/

what do you guys think?

"Good" books is pretty hard to say, can you be more specific on fiction, non fiction, technical, fantasy, spiritual, politics, etc? You could get more recommendations then I think.

You could get more recommendations then you can shake a stick at. :naughty:

History: 1421 by Galvin Menzies (Research suggesting a set of early trans-global explorations by China)
Politics: 1984 by George Orwell
WWII history: Len Deighton - 'Fighter' or 'Blood Tears and Folly'.
also Panzer Battles by F.W. von Mellenthin
Science Fiction: Vernor Vinge - 'Deepness in the Sky' or 'A Fire Upon the Deep'

gallonoffuel said:

Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrel, emotional, but it's a story that needed to be told. Very well written, entertaining and gripping all in one book.

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Yes, this is a gripping story, and gives great insight into SEAL training, and one of their missions (which had a tragic end). A bit chilling to me, as one my sons is heading to Afghanistan with the USMC this year, and another son, in the future.

A few more recommendations:
Humor:
The Voice of JupiterPluviusand
The Flaming Turkey These are humorous tales of the outdoors by a Mississippi author, Robert Hitt Neill. Mississippi River Publishing Co. They may be difficult to find, but good for some belly laughs.

If you didn't read these as a child, I'd recommend these for you or if you have children, to read to them:

The Redwall series by: Brian Jacques. (Fantasy books about talking creatures, mice, rats, weasles, etc . Kinda like C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia (which are also EXCELLENT!), but a bit more earthy and less allegorical.

C.S. Lewis' (everything he has written is excellent -both Theological and Fantasy books)
The Space Trilogy - out dated technologically, but beautiful imagery and writing.

J.R.R.Tolkien's books: The Hobbit, etc.

The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

Big Red - Jim Kielgaard. (about a boy and his dog, trapping and living in the wilderness.

The Book of Virtues - Bob Bennett (a compilation of inspirational stories, poems, etc.)

Not childrens books, but worthy reads:

Intelligent Design:
A Meaningful World - Benjamin Wicker & Johnathan Witt
(very well written & readable. Thought provoking evidences for intelligent design and meaning)
www.ameaningfulworld.com

Christian Theology/Apologetics-
Books by:
Francis Schaeffer ( Now deceased, but a very thoughtful scholar and observer of society, history, Arts, philosophy and theology )
C.S. Lewis (who hasn't heard of him? An amazing writer with keen insight)
Ravi Zacharias (A true scholar and loving gentleman)
William Lane Craig (haven't read his books, but have listened to him talk, and find him very articulate and facinating)

MarNav1 said:

"Good" books is pretty hard to say, can you be more specific on fiction, non fiction, technical, fantasy, spiritual, politics, etc? You could get more recommendations then I think.

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thanks for the suggestion

lets see:

fiction-yes
non fiction- no
technical-no
fantasy-sure
spiritual-no
politics-no
philosophy-why not:thinking:

Science Fiction: Vernor Vinge - 'Deepness in the Sky' or 'A Fire Upon the Deep'

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Ah, so you know who 'Twirlip of the Mists' is Yeah, 'Fire' was a magnificient read...(perhaps a weak ending), but up until then it was pretty superb stuff.

Best short story I've read in recent years was Peter F. Hamilton's 'Second Chance at Eden'. Hamilton matches Vinge's ability to handle big technological concepts, and he's a bit better story teller. Authors who can handle plausible future technology are rare.

Hah...Larry Niven's 'Known Space' stories.