Author Topic: book recommendations  (Read 230146 times)

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Offline MeatSauce

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #100 on: April 22, 2010, 11:46:37 AM »
"The Road" by Cormac McCarthy.

Not familiar? For a reference he also wrote No Country for Old Men.

Post apocalyptic book, now also a Viggo Mortensen movie.  You could easily read the entire book in 1 sitting. 

Offline felix rex

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #101 on: April 22, 2010, 02:24:04 PM »
From about the age of 10 through 18, I probably read "Playing for Knight" 6-7 times. Don't know if it would still be enjoyable, though.
"How will I recruit to Manhattan? Well, distance. And the proud state of basketball. It start there, and then daily flights to Dallas, because I'm really good at going out. Like top five good. Ask my wife. She wants me to be happy."

Offline mcmwcat

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #102 on: April 29, 2010, 02:14:58 PM »
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/what-happened-when-albert-einstein-met-charlie-chaplin-1956020.html

Quote
When Ernest Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald met in Paris, at Le Dingo Bar on the rue Delambre in April 1925, Hemingway was disconcerted to be asked: "Did you have sex with your wife before you were married, Ernest?" They became friends, however. Their most intimate conversation (as reported by Hemingway) was also about wives. One evening, Scott Fitzgerald confessed to his friend that his wife, Zelda, had told him his penis was unusually small, and that he could never satisfy any woman. Hemingway said it was just typical of Zelda's undermining ways, but Scott wasn't reassured. So Hemingway asked him to come to the lavatory, where he inspected his friend's lance of manhood. Back in the bar, he explained:

"You're perfectly fine," I said. "You're okay. There's nothing wrong with you. You look at yourself from above and you look foreshortened. Go over to the Louvre and look at the people in the statues and then go home and look at yourself in the mirror in profile." Now there was an act of friendship between creative giants, if not an especially artistic conversation. You can almost see the superior smirk on Hemingway's face as he presents himself as the macho guy who was able to reassure his less macho pal about his physical shortcomings (and then tell the world about it).

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #103 on: April 29, 2010, 04:14:54 PM »
One Heart Beat Away  - Mark Cahill

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #104 on: May 01, 2010, 03:32:46 PM »
michcat:

Nixonland.  Read. 

The Woodward books on Bush and the many 9/11, Iraq War, and torture books (Jane Mayer, Suskind, Ricks etc.) seem like overkill to me at this point, but were very interesting when read more contemporarily and coupled with my periodical/blog reading.

The only "political" non-fiction books that I've read that stand the test of time (and my horrible memory) are fiction or much less "of the moment" in terms of their focus: (Orwell, Hunter S. Thompson, Abby Hoffman, Steinbeck, Dalton Trumbo).  I think that Israeli David Grossman's book Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years after Oslo is outstanding (and pretty short!) and Palestinain Mourid Barghouti's I Saw Ramallah is also excellent if you're looking for depressing/heart wrenching (and short!).

Kafka's short stories are really incredible too.  Your library should have a collection, be sure to read The Trial and The Metamorphisis.

Offline tdaver

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #105 on: May 01, 2010, 09:39:56 PM »
The Art of Making Money: The Story of a Master Counterfeiter - Jason Kersten

Also, Steven Pressfield has several great historical novels.

Offline PandaXpanda

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #106 on: May 03, 2010, 10:19:39 AM »
michcat:

Nixonland.  Read. 

The Woodward books on Bush and the many 9/11, Iraq War, and torture books (Jane Mayer, Suskind, Ricks etc.) seem like overkill to me at this point, but were very interesting when read more contemporarily and coupled with my periodical/blog reading.

The only "political" non-fiction books that I've read that stand the test of time (and my horrible memory) are fiction or much less "of the moment" in terms of their focus: (Orwell, Hunter S. Thompson, Abby Hoffman, Steinbeck, Dalton Trumbo).  I think that Israeli David Grossman's book Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years after Oslo is outstanding (and pretty short!) and Palestinain Mourid Barghouti's I Saw Ramallah is also excellent if you're looking for depressing/heart wrenching (and short!).

Kafka's short stories are really incredible too.  Your library should have a collection, be sure to read The Trial and The Metamorphisis.

Have you checked out Chain of Command, by Hersh.  I thought it was pretty good.
aren't you glad it wasn't you? - g.h.

Offline PandaXpanda

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #107 on: May 03, 2010, 10:22:37 AM »
Limits of Power by Andrew Bacevich is an excellent book about American Exceptionalism AND its under 200 pgs. 
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Offline Kat Kid

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #108 on: May 03, 2010, 10:26:31 AM »
michcat:

Nixonland.  Read. 

The Woodward books on Bush and the many 9/11, Iraq War, and torture books (Jane Mayer, Suskind, Ricks etc.) seem like overkill to me at this point, but were very interesting when read more contemporarily and coupled with my periodical/blog reading.

The only "political" non-fiction books that I've read that stand the test of time (and my horrible memory) are fiction or much less "of the moment" in terms of their focus: (Orwell, Hunter S. Thompson, Abby Hoffman, Steinbeck, Dalton Trumbo).  I think that Israeli David Grossman's book Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years after Oslo is outstanding (and pretty short!) and Palestinain Mourid Barghouti's I Saw Ramallah is also excellent if you're looking for depressing/heart wrenching (and short!).

Kafka's short stories are really incredible too.  Your library should have a collection, be sure to read The Trial and The Metamorphisis.

Have you checked out Chain of Command, by Hersh.  I thought it was pretty good.

I am trying to extract myself from that.

Currently reading Chomsky/Foucalt Debate.  Then library books No Country for Old Men, then  A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias, then something from a Vonnegut reader.

Offline PandaXpanda

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #109 on: May 03, 2010, 10:33:56 AM »
michcat:

Nixonland.  Read. 

The Woodward books on Bush and the many 9/11, Iraq War, and torture books (Jane Mayer, Suskind, Ricks etc.) seem like overkill to me at this point, but were very interesting when read more contemporarily and coupled with my periodical/blog reading.

The only "political" non-fiction books that I've read that stand the test of time (and my horrible memory) are fiction or much less "of the moment" in terms of their focus: (Orwell, Hunter S. Thompson, Abby Hoffman, Steinbeck, Dalton Trumbo).  I think that Israeli David Grossman's book Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years after Oslo is outstanding (and pretty short!) and Palestinain Mourid Barghouti's I Saw Ramallah is also excellent if you're looking for depressing/heart wrenching (and short!).

Kafka's short stories are really incredible too.  Your library should have a collection, be sure to read The Trial and The Metamorphisis.

Have you checked out Chain of Command, by Hersh.  I thought it was pretty good.

I am trying to extract myself from that.

Currently reading Chomsky/Foucalt Debate.  Then library books No Country for Old Men, then  A Happy Marriage by Rafael Yglesias, then something from a Vonnegut reader.

How is this?  I just got finished reading Failed States which was pretty interesting.  Have you read the Bacevich book I listed above?  He's a Chomsky fan. 
aren't you glad it wasn't you? - g.h.

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #110 on: May 03, 2010, 10:38:34 AM »
Chomsky/Foucalt, so far, is a debate on human nature.  Not secifically about some particular political issue.

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #111 on: May 03, 2010, 11:10:07 AM »
Chomsky/Foucalt, so far, is a debate on human nature.  Not secifically about some particular political issue.

HUMAN NATURE?! I LOVE HUMAN NATURE. read a lot of philosophy, specifically existentialist works and the like. bunch of boring french and german dudes.

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #112 on: May 03, 2010, 12:51:01 PM »
Chomsky/Foucalt, so far, is a debate on human nature.  Not secifically about some particular political issue.

HUMAN NATURE?! I LOVE HUMAN NATURE. read a lot of philosophy, specifically existentialist works and the like. bunch of boring french and german dudes.

To be more specific they are debating Cartesian science and epistomology vs. actual evolution of knowledge in the sciences.  But I just started....

Offline Pete

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #113 on: May 03, 2010, 12:53:39 PM »
Wow.

Saw that there had been some activity on this thread so I checked backed in.  Yep, still a bunch of douche bags talking about books that no one wants to read.

Offline Kat Kid

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #114 on: May 03, 2010, 12:56:08 PM »
Wow.

Saw that there had been some activity on this thread so I checked backed in.  Yep, still a bunch of douche bags talking about books that no one wants to read.

Why don't you get your glasses checked....NEEEERD!

 :lol:

Offline Stevesie60

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #115 on: May 04, 2010, 08:34:33 AM »
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption - 100 page short story by Stephen King that is amazing.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad - only if you watch Apocalypse Now soon after reading it

Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Jungle are all pretty awesome, yet not nerdy.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2010, 08:36:43 AM by Stevesie60 »

Offline mcmwcat

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #116 on: May 04, 2010, 10:25:42 AM »
then something from a Vonnegut reader.

Breakfast of Champions for a quick read

Offline pissclams

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #117 on: May 04, 2010, 10:40:13 AM »
my recommendo:  Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely.

it's an interesting look at Rational Economic theory and rational choice


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Offline Dr Rick Daris

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #118 on: May 04, 2010, 10:55:13 AM »
my recommendo:  Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely.

it's an interesting look at Rational Economic theory and rational choice

looks like daris just found a new book for the next time he has to fly on a plane somewhere. would like this.

Offline pissclams

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #119 on: May 04, 2010, 11:03:51 AM »
my recommendo:  Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely.

it's an interesting look at Rational Economic theory and rational choice

looks like daris just found a new book for the next time he has to fly on a plane somewehre. would like this.
make sure and get the revised and expanded edition.  more pages!


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Offline Dr Rick Daris

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #120 on: May 04, 2010, 11:12:07 AM »
this book is pretty and also looks at irrational things we do/think and why...

http://www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/gilbert/praise.html

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #121 on: May 05, 2010, 10:33:35 AM »
this book is pretty and also looks at irrational things we do/think and why...

http://www.randomhouse.com/kvpa/gilbert/praise.html
not book but same subject.  pretty good vid to watch.  pick the one called "Mind over money"
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/


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Offline mcmwcat

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #122 on: May 24, 2010, 08:50:12 AM »

Offline felix rex

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #123 on: May 25, 2010, 07:10:47 PM »
Twains memoirs released 100 years after his death could be epic.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/after-keeping-us-waiting-for-a-century-mark-twain-will-finally-reveal-all-1980695.html


Yeah. I am really hoping that this is an epic drunken old-man rant channeled through fantastic writing abilities (basically "shitMarkTwainsays").
"How will I recruit to Manhattan? Well, distance. And the proud state of basketball. It start there, and then daily flights to Dallas, because I'm really good at going out. Like top five good. Ask my wife. She wants me to be happy."

Offline Cire

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Re: book reccomendations
« Reply #124 on: May 25, 2010, 07:54:03 PM »
I'm reading Omnivore's Dilemma.  It's good but if you've seen food inc it's pretty much the same so far.