Author Topic: book recommendations  (Read 229977 times)

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Offline pissclams

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Cheesy Mustache QB might make an appearance.

New warning: Don't get in a fight with someone who doesn't even need to bother to buy ink.

Offline Sandstone Outcropping

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2101 on: August 23, 2021, 06:47:35 PM »
If you are a person who reads to kids, you need to read Because of Winn-Dixie to them and not just watch the movie. One of my favorite read aloud books ever. A few years ago, my daughter exchanged several postcards with the author which I thought was extremely generous of her.

Offline Pete

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2102 on: August 30, 2021, 09:25:32 PM »
Just finished Andy Weir’s newer book, Hail Mary, and it’s wonderful. He’s the author of The Martian.  Very similar vibe and genre.  Just a fantastic book.

Offline michigancat

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2103 on: September 22, 2021, 05:52:54 AM »
I don't dabble much in non-fiction but I've been listening to the rise and fall of the third reich by William L. Shirer and it's totally engrossing. I'm only up to like 1932 and there is still 40 hours left!
Just picked this up at the library and felt kind of weird walking out with a book that has a giant Nazi flag on the front.
I got this on kindle and the author's homophobia is pretty jarring even if it's a great read overall

Offline star seed 7

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2104 on: September 22, 2021, 07:21:31 AM »
Yes, apparently every nazi was a "homosexual and sexual deviant".
Hyperbolic partisan duplicitous hypocrite

Offline michigancat

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2105 on: September 22, 2021, 07:39:34 AM »
I had to go back and look this up because wow




good discussion of it here too: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/897092-anti-gay

Offline Stupid Fitz

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2106 on: September 22, 2021, 10:25:49 AM »
I had to go back and look this up because wow




good discussion of it here too: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/897092-anti-gay

These people are so weird. Like, someone being gay has zero affect on anything you will ever do. Based on his comment, he thinks being gay is worse (or at least on par) with murdering people. I'm sure some of it is shock value, but man.

Anyhoo, I'm starting The Anti Social Network by Ben Mezrich. Its about the Gamestop situation. Haven't gotten into it much yet, but Mezrich's books are usually fun quick reads. Will report back soon.

Offline Sandstone Outcropping

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2107 on: October 17, 2021, 09:43:29 AM »
Just finished Finding Everett Ruess by David Roberts. Tells the story of a 20yo explorer who disappeared in southern Utah in 1934. He was a writer and artist in addition to a talented wilderness explorer. He would go on months long solo journeys into the wilderness in Northern AZ and southern Utah in the three years before he vanished. John Krakauer had a chapter about him in Into the Wild. Makes me want to get back to the Grand Canyon area ASAP.

Offline chum1

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2108 on: October 17, 2021, 10:44:09 AM »
Just finished Finding Everett Ruess by David Roberts. Tells the story of a 20yo explorer who disappeared in southern Utah in 1934. He was a writer and artist in addition to a talented wilderness explorer. He would go on months long solo journeys into the wilderness in Northern AZ and southern Utah in the three years before he vanished. John Krakauer had a chapter about him in Into the Wild. Makes me want to get back to the Grand Canyon area ASAP.

Sounds cool. I'm going to check it out.

Offline Sandstone Outcropping

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2109 on: November 09, 2021, 09:58:49 PM »
Frederick Douglass biography is outstanding if you like works about incredible people doing incredible things


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Which biography?

I'm almost finished with Truman by David McCullough. Pretty fascinating life (for a person from Missouri).
not sure which one cire is talking about but prophet of freedom is a good one
Finished Prophet of Freedom tonight. Fantastic biography. Took me a while to work through it.

Offline Stupid Fitz

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2110 on: November 10, 2021, 08:59:41 AM »
Burning through Dave Grohl's, The Story Teller. It's pretty great. I'm always fascinated with people that find their thing at an early age and make it happen. He's pretty great at putting his memories into words. Good book so far.

Offline Sandstone Outcropping

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2111 on: November 17, 2021, 07:47:58 PM »
Have we discussed Cormac McCarthy's novels ITT? I think The Crossing is still my favorite with Blood Meridian andNo Country for Old Men close behind.

I loved ATPH and decided to read the rest of the trilogy. Each book is good on its own, but I was surprised and amazed at how great they are together. I finished, thought about the themes running throughout, and was like, "holy crap that is incredible."

Part I of the crossing is one of my all time favorite books/parts of a book.

The earlier stuff is so damn bleak. Good. But damn bleak.
Re-reading The Crossing now. Gripping section of Part I:


Offline tdaver

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2112 on: November 30, 2021, 09:47:59 AM »
Expanse book 9 released today  :Woot:
I’m 21st on the library hold list :Crybaby:
Hope they ordered a lot of copies  :pray:

Offline Stupid Fitz

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2113 on: November 30, 2021, 12:46:49 PM »
Need a new non fiction book. Any suggestions? I like books about real people that did cool things. Joined a band, started a business, became a drug lord, IDGAF. If it is real and interesting, i'm prob in. TIA

Offline Sandstone Outcropping

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2114 on: November 30, 2021, 12:50:24 PM »
Need a new non fiction book. Any suggestions? I like books about real people that did cool things. Joined a band, started a business, became a drug lord, IDGAF. If it is real and interesting, i'm prob in. TIA
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing. Very real and interesting.

Offline Cire

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2115 on: December 02, 2021, 12:38:17 PM »
Old but 1491 is Awesome.  What archaeology/anthropology/genetics etc tells us about the Americas prior to Columbus.

Offline ChiComCat

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2116 on: December 02, 2021, 01:36:47 PM »
I love this NPR thing every year - helps me quickly find some books that might interest me.

https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2021

I'm currently reading No Gods, No Monsters that I picked off of there.  Too early to tell how good it is but it's off to a solid start.  The Trees is a good one that I just finished reading.  Both center around racial issues in quasi-supernatural ways.

Offline Rage Against the McKee

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2117 on: December 02, 2021, 01:49:38 PM »
I love this NPR thing every year - helps me quickly find some books that might interest me.

https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2021

I'm currently reading No Gods, No Monsters that I picked off of there.  Too early to tell how good it is but it's off to a solid start.  The Trees is a good one that I just finished reading.  Both center around racial issues in quasi-supernatural ways.

Poet Warrior: A Memoir is on the list.  :surprised:

Offline Brock Landers

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2118 on: December 02, 2021, 02:08:39 PM »
Old but 1491 is Awesome.  What archaeology/anthropology/genetics etc tells us about the Americas prior to Columbus.

Yeah I read 1491 a while back simply because it's been brought up in here a few times.  I still intend to read 1493 as well.

Offline Cire

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2119 on: December 02, 2021, 04:38:32 PM »
Old but 1491 is Awesome.  What archaeology/anthropology/genetics etc tells us about the Americas prior to Columbus.

Yeah I read 1491 a while back simply because it's been brought up in here a few times.  I still intend to read 1493 as well.
I’m reading/listening at the same time.

93 is more about the consequences in other parts of the world, Asia and Africa so far.

Still interesting but I’m not as curious about Asia/pacific


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Offline michigancat

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2120 on: December 02, 2021, 04:54:11 PM »
IMO both are great. what it really opened my eyes to was the influence of Mexican agriculture on food globally.

Offline Rage Against the McKee

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2121 on: December 02, 2021, 05:00:09 PM »
IMO both are great. what it really opened my eyes to was the influence of Mexican agriculture on food globally.

I really enjoyed the points made about rubber, and how the industrial revolution was unlikely to happen without it.

Offline Cire

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book recommendations
« Reply #2122 on: December 02, 2021, 08:25:01 PM »
And how Europe flooded China with silver from the Americas and it destabilized the empire which opened the door to colonize in the following centuries!


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Offline ben ji

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2123 on: December 02, 2021, 10:52:05 PM »
Read those books a couple of years ago but what blew my mind was that Potatoes were from the new world. I guess I never really thought of it and always associated potatoes with poor European peasants...but potatoes were a key part of the population explosion in Europe, you could grow alot more calories per acre in potatoes than wheat or barley. 

Offline Spracne

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Re: book recommendations
« Reply #2124 on: December 02, 2021, 11:03:29 PM »