jfields 0
Recommended Posts
Guest
QuoteOne of my all time favorite books is Shogun bu James Clavell. He has another entitled Tai-Pan which which is also quite good, but not as good as Shogun. I would guess that you have read it (them) but if you have not it sounds right up your alley. It is fiction about when the English first made it to Japan so there is a good historical aspect and a HUGE military aspect as well - excellent book.
As far as Chrichton goes I would recommend Sphere, Great Train Robbery and Andromeda Strain.
I can't wait till the fifth Potter book either...
What he said - Most anything by Clavell is a good read (King Rat, Tai-Pan, etc.), but Shogun is an OUTSTANDING read! It's absolutely riveting.
As for Crichton, his new novel "Timeline" is an excellent read. I really liked "Jurassic Park", mostly because Crichton doesn't dumb the science down in his narrative, which makes the jeopardy of the characters all the more believeable.
"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."
wmw999 2,166
QuoteJames Clavell
King Rat was his best; it's much tighter than Shogun or Taipan (which I actually liked better, but they're both definitely potboilers).
Wendy W.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)
Another classic to check out is Ursula K. LeGuin's "Wizard of Earthsea" trilogy.
************************************
I've checked into those; never had a chance to read them, but they're on my list
Have you read Madeline L'engle's A Wrinkle in Time series? I read Wrinkle, thinking it was going to be something totally different than it was, but I loved it, and each book gets better!*****************************************
Blondes do have more fun!
wmw999 2,166
Crichton in general is good; most of his books seem to follow the "got interested in something, did a shitload of research, wrote a book" paradigm. Each of them is good in a different way, except for the JP follow-on -- it was written for the movie.
However -- his autobiography was the most self-indulgent book I ever read. The guy wouldn't know a direction if it reached out and slapped him in the face.
Wish I were so smart and talented
Wendy W.
However -- his autobiography was the most self-indulgent book I ever read. The guy wouldn't know a direction if it reached out and slapped him in the face.
Wish I were so smart and talented
Wendy W.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)
jfields 0
QuoteHave you read Madeline L'engle's A Wrinkle in Time series?
Yes. And to throw out another oldie but goodie, the CS Lewis "Chronicles of Narnia" series. Good for kids, but stuff there for adults as well and a fun read.
QuoteQuoteRead the Book of Proverbs in the Bible. Once you do, you'll do away with Harry Potter 's trash.
That's uncalled for. Different strokes for different folks, you know? An author who can get my kids to look forward to reading an 800 page book is all right by me.
I agree. I've always been pretty religious, and I guess in some twisted way I see where people are coming from when they say that the HP books are a bad influence. But as a religious person, I see nothing corruptive about the books. They don't PROMOTE magic, they just play on the fantasies of what if there was magic that we've all had at some point.
And yes, they are bringing the children in this day and age, who would rather sit in front of a television playing video games all day, back to literacy.
*****************************************
Blondes do have more fun!
QuoteQuoteHave you read Madeline L'engle's A Wrinkle in Time series?
Yes. And to throw out another oldie but goodie, the CS Lewis "Chronicles of Narnia" series. Good for kids, but stuff there for adults as well and a fun read.
Yes, those are awesome...I've got the boxed set, which I've recently past on to my 14-year-old sister. She loves them, too, and it's good to know that kids can still relate to at least some of the classics!
*****************************************
Blondes do have more fun!
Steel 0
I typically don't like pleasure reading. I guess the closest I come to that is reading historical stuff. That said if I was looking for a book to read right now, (non-technical) I would look for a book on a great man, George S. Patton. If I couldn't read something factual I would stay away from fiction and read porn, you know good quaIity porn is definately something that will keep you from putting the book down.
If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.
Guest
Quote
However -- his autobiography was the most self-indulgent book I ever read. The guy wouldn't know a direction if it reached out and slapped him in the face.
Wish I were so smart and talented
Wendy W.
I haven't read his autobiography - I didn't know he wrote one. However, here's a guy who was attending Harvard Medical School when he collected his first writing award (the 1968 Edgar), then "Andromeda Strain" took off, so he's no slouch when it comes to hard science.
Further, "The Great Train Robbery" feature film (which he wrote the novel and screenplay for AND directed!) was a tough-assed picture, and of course he created the TV series "E.R." - he's definitely earned his chops as a writer, and yeah, I wish I had as much on the ball as Crichton.
"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."
If I couldn't read something factual I would stay away from fiction and read porn, you know good quaIity porn is definately something that will keep you from putting the book down.
You do realize that porn is not really reading, right? It's more like staring.
Not that I have anything against porn, or the fact that you don't typically read for pleasure!
*****************************************
Blondes do have more fun!
BBKid 0
Killing Pablo, by Mark Bowden. It's a cracker.
Edit: in case you don't know (you most probably do) it's about the rise of Pablo Escobar, and the DEA/CIA/military ops to shut him down (AKA kill him)
Nick
---------------------------
"I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!"
Edit: in case you don't know (you most probably do) it's about the rise of Pablo Escobar, and the DEA/CIA/military ops to shut him down (AKA kill him)
Nick
---------------------------
"I've pierced my foot on a spike!!!"
jessd 0
QuoteInvisible Man - Ralph Ellison
I was going to suggest this - a great book. Also, anything by Faulkner.
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..."
EricaH 0
I'm reading "Hidden Agenda" by Allen Evans. It's about the Duke of Windsor Edward VIII & how he abdicated the British throne only to become a Nazi spy - it's great so far. Totally true, fact based, but w/ a story to it.
There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.
PMS #227 (just like the TV show)
There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear.
PMS #227 (just like the TV show)
Laurel 0
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris
and the sequel:
Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
military, historical, Pulitzer Prize-winning, about the best president we have ever had. Teddy rocks.
and the sequel:
Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris
military, historical, Pulitzer Prize-winning, about the best president we have ever had. Teddy rocks.
.....................................................................
PMS#28, Pelogrande Rodriguez#1074
My Pink M
PMS#28, Pelogrande Rodriguez#1074
My Pink M
Share this post
Link to post
Share on other sites