Got any? Been so long since I’ve read a really good novel. I’m tired of true crime. I’m tired of mysteries. I haven’t read a good horror novel in years but I don’t know who’s good anymore and I’m tired of the old stand-by authors. I can read sci-fi if it’s as complicated and interesting as “Dune” or fun like “Armour”. But most of it is too juvenile for me. I like biographies but can’t think of anyone really interesting when I’m looking. When I go to the bookstore there is so much to choose from I can’t decide.
Have the Dopers got any suggestions for me? What’s your favorite read. Or have you read something interesting lately you’d like to recommend.
I thought the biography of Cheap Trick was alright. Some of it was a little “blah, blah, blah” because I don’t know all of those groups and people that the author was talking about in the 60’s and 70’s. It was not as nearly as exciting as the biography of Jim Morrison that I read in high school, but it was some good fluff. Do you like fluff? It’s called “Reputation is a Fragile Thing”.
Sorry, most of the books I read lately are not at an adult level.
If you’re in the mood for an epic, try “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace. It’s a little confusing at first, but you can start getting into it after the first 300 pages or so.
Thanks to a recommendation from MaxTorque, I’m currently howling my way through Mike Nelson’s Movie Megacheese which is an absolute riot. The chapter on “Face/off” made me laugh so hard I nearly had tears running down my face.
Another hilarious read I just finished was Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. (I heartily endorse anything by Sedaris, especially if you’re in dire need of a good laugh.)
Also just finished A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by David Eggers which I thought was just OK. It’s supposedly gotten rave reviews but I only really found it interesting because it takes place in San Francisco at the same time I was living there so I had sort of a frame of reference.
I’d highly recommend the Flashman books by George MacDonald Fraser. Historical fiction - very funny, very action-packed.
Also, most of Tom Robbins’ stuff, although I’m meeting more and more people who just can’t get into his works. I think they’re great, personally - funny, sexy, well-written.
I don’t know if all of these are still in print, but a library should have 'em:
Fiction Icebreaker by John Gardner (his second 007 story)
The Rolling Thunder series by Mark Berent (fictionalized account of the war in Vietnam) The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub
I don’t mean to sound rude but if you think I’ve read a horror novel and haven’t read McCammon then, please give me a break. I didn’t like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and I can’t get into Tom Robbins either for some reason. I don’t want to read a book that takes 300 pages before it gets interesting. How much time does a person have these days?
The biographies that I have enjoyed have usually been about unusual people. That is not to say that someone mundane would even get their name in print. I used to love to read biographies about monarchs, you know Catherine the Great that kind of thing. That was so many years ago when I was really facinated with the whole sordid business of absolute rule by powerful families. I’m a fan of Georgia O’Keefe and Oscar Wilde but I’ve read good bios on them now. I’d like to read something really good on Franz Liszt or George Sand. But biographies can really be very dry sometimes.
Two of my absolute favorite books have been historical fiction and believe it or not I cannot remember the names of either. It was so long ago that I read them. One was on the life of the wife of El Cid the other was about George Rogers Clark, founder of the Kentucky Territory.
I’ve been reading so long and I used it for years to get through a terrible marriage. Sometimes I wonder if I didn’t dream all those books I read because now I can’t remember so many of them. I do know that I used to get discouraged because most of my friends read Danielle Steel for goodness sake!
I wouldn’t mind reading something a little more educational. I love ancient history but have no idea what to select without ending up with something to clinical and boring.
Keep it up guys thanks for the help and suggestions…keep em coming.
Needs2know, I’m right with you with “Handmaid’s Tale” and Tom Robbins. Same with the 300 page thing. I actually picked up Infinite Jest and tried reading it, but God knows there’s plenty of excellent books out there that don’t require slogging through 300 pages of crap to get to the good parts.
If you like historical fiction, try “The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.” and “Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe” by Sandra Gulland. They’re the first two books (a third is planned) in a series about Josephine, the wife of Napoleon.
Another good historical fiction series is “The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn” and “The Queen’s Bastard” by Robin Maxwell. Despite the names, they center on Elizabeth I.
Also of note is Sue Harrison’s “Song of the River” and “Cry of the Wind.” They’re the first two books of a series set in ancient Alaska. They remind me of Jane Auel’s Caveman series, had Jane Auel’s Caveman series not degenerated into a soap opera.
Other books I’ve read in the past few weeks:
“Seven Years in Tibet” - great book. Different than the movie.
The first Harry Potter book. I love good kid’s books, and it lived up to the hype.
“My Darling Elia” - Pure sentimental trash. Don’t even think of picking this one up, unless you like Harlequins. I actually got angry when I read the ending.
Well Needs, I do find that rude. I don’t know how much you read or what you read, you asked for suggestions and I gave you one that I felt if you hadn’t read and liked horror it would be a good book for you.
It would have been kinder had you said something like:
“I have read most or all of McCammon’s books but thank you for answering my plea.”
This would have been preferable.
Next time you ask for a suggestion on something I will go right over your thread because of your response.
:rolleyes:
BTW, you aren’t the only one that will read this thread, others may benefit from suggestions whether or not you have read them or not.
If your looking for Dune-ish sci-fi, try the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons (Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and Rise of Endymion). The first two and the last two form mini sagas. And the first book is entertaining by itself as long as your not one of these types that like all of the plot lines to be neatly wrapped up at the end. AFAIK, the last three books were just an attempt to explain what happened in the first one.
Do you like fantasy? Get Something by Robert Jordan or R.A. Salvatore or Weis and Hickman. The best book I read lately was recommended by the SDMB, it was Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land.
Sorry Techchick…for me McCammon is an old stand-by. I believe I’ve read all of his novels. I learned to like him much better than King. But I will compliment you on your taste. I really did enjoy his novels. Swan Song is my favorite apocalyptic story. (Did I spell that right? Don’t think so.) Maybe I can put you on to something then. Back then I was also reading horror novels by a writing team, John Skip and Craig Spector. I don’t think they publish anymore. They were very interesting. The first novel I read by them was called “The Light at the End”. It’s a vampire story set in NYC. Great characters and a couple of little twists. I may not be in print anymore but you can probably get it at a used bookstore. I saw it the other day at the one I frequent.
I also apologize for being rude. Just found it funny that folks would suggest someone that I’ve read so often and so well. Haven’t forgotten too many of McCammon’s stories. I also really liked I think it was called “Zinger” set in the desert. Just liked the characters in that story for some reason. “They Thirst” is pretty good too, vampires in L.A. What’s the name of the one about the werewolf that’s a spy, memory escapes me right now.
I’ve often wondered why none of his novels have been turned into movies.
Forgive me and pass me over if you must. I did apologize for being rude before I even said it. But people who read horror and/or sci-fi are kind of clubbish sometimes at least they used to be. Lots of… do you like Barker or King or whoever and a lot of John Saul sucks etc. Almost like one-up-man-ship. Sorry again.
Only fantasy I’ve read is the series about the “leper” guy and the white gold ring thing. Can’t ever remember the name of that series or the author. But I think he wrote a separate book too something about “Through the Glass Darkly” or something like that. What is that series? You know the one about the “illearth stone”. See how my memory has gotten. I need Ginko. Told you I’ve read so much stuff that some of it is a blur.
Needs, if you like interesting biographies, I recently read a very interesting biography on Sir Richard Burton (not the actor, the explorer). Was kind of a joint biography about him and his wife, Isabella. For the life of me, I can’t remember the name of it, though!!! It’s a recent publication though - within the last 2-3 years.
I’ve been fascinated with him since I read the Riverworld series by what’s-his-name (bad on names today - too much sugar!) in high school. By the way, you may enjoy that series, sci-fi - oops! Phillip Jose Farmer! I remembered it.
Have you read any Jon Krakauer? I’m reading Into the Wild right now, but I preferred Into Thin Air. It’s a memoir about Krakauer’s ascent of Mt. Everest.
You’re thinking of “Stinger” and “The Wolf’s Hour.”
If you want some good horror, you should read Dan Simmon’s “Carrion Comfort”, about a trio of psychic vampires playing a game with potentially catastrophic consequences for the world. I would also recommend Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series, featuring vampires, werewolves, and B&D in the later books.
If you can find his books, I would recommend an excellent British writer, James Herbert. He writes some really scary novels, like “The Fog”, “The Spear”, and “The Dark”. His newest is called “The Others”.
