Looking For Books - Writers Forum

Achilles · 06-23-2005, 09:07 AM

I'm all out if good books. I've been furiously reading most of the "classics" of the 1800s and early 1900s, and now that I've expended most of them I'm looking for some more good reads. I'm interested in mostly recent books (since 1990 or so), since that is the area that I am least read in. I can't stand fantasy or politics, so try staying away from those. I'm looking more for philosophy, history, or even sci-fi. Tell me what you guys think, I'm open for pretty much anything.

journyman161 · 06-23-2005, 09:27 AM

David Brin has a brilliant series starting with Sundiver, The Uplift War & about 3 more. Near future with Man heading out into a hostile crowded galaxy with uplifted chimps & dolphins. Great plots, fascinating characters, imaginative, self-consistent aliens & galaxy-wide conspiracies.

Larry Niven for a tale-teller's series in the Known Universe line-up. Larry takes hard science, wraps it in wonder & makes it everyday. Want to know what happens when you closely orbit a neutron star? How about aliens that you just want to be with because they're so interesting. (& dangerous in the case of Kzinti, which BTW, Star Trek wanted to use & when Niven said no, we got Klingons.

If you haven't read them, the Ringworld series, Legacy of Heorot & Beowulfs Children, The Mote in God's Eye & The Moat Aournd Murcheson's Eye are all highly recommended.

Greg Bear's Eon & Eternity
for sheer exuberant expansion of the universe you thought you'd come to know. For a Stone that will blow your mind - Eon! Then blow it again with Eternity.
Forge of God & Anvil of Stars - aliens arrive, but they contradict each other & there's strange things happening around the world. You won't believe where this pair of books takes you.

Sir_Satoshi · 06-23-2005, 04:54 PM

Hm. I haven't read any books as recent as 1990. Hm. If you're willing to break your own rule a little, I suggest Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, which was published sometime in the 80's, I think... It's a great book. =D Full of incredibly realistic and believable characters. It's a sci-fi book, but you said you're looking for philosophy too, so I think you'll like this book.

Yeah. You can find a lot of stuff about it online. I highly reccomend it. =D

Kikster · 06-23-2005, 07:54 PM

I would suggest bill bryson, if you feel like travelling without leaving your living room...
he has travelled around the world and writes some pretty humorous books about his adventures. he has five or six books out... some are about america, some about australia, europe and so on...
it's a nice, easy read, perfect if you want to relax and have a laugh.

as for philosophy... I'm a philosophy freak, and I have a lot of books that I'd love to reccomend, but then I think about it and they are pretty "heavy" reads, if you know what I mean...
anyways, augustine's "confessions" are a classic
so are marcus aurelius "meditations"...
or maybe you are more into modern philosophy???

Achilles · 06-23-2005, 09:35 PM

Sir Satoshi: I've heard about Ender's Game before, and it mildly interested me. You recommendation may have been enough to make me run to the library and pick it up.

Kikster: I don't care what kind of philosophy I want to study, I suppose I'm looking for whatever. In my opinion, the heavier the better. Books are always more fun if you have to companion them with a hefty Webter's volume. It makes me feel smart

.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Saponification · 06-24-2005, 07:37 AM

After some whack sci fi? Try the work of Michael Marshall Smith. Especially Only Forward. Spares is also pretty good.

Umm some modern stuff... Douglas Coupland, Chuck Palahniuk, Irvine Welsh, Bret Easton Ellis, Nick Hornby, Nick Walker, Alex Garland and Max Barry are all fairly good.

And something to do your head in, other than the second half of Only Forward? Zen Flesh, Zen Bones.

Hell's Angel · 06-25-2005, 12:59 AM

Just finshed a great book called Man and Boy by Tony Parsons. Highly recommended, gives you a different look at single fathers and, well...life I guess.

CandieK · 06-25-2005, 07:43 PM

I'm a fan of the classics myself. Have you read "The Count of Monte Cristo"? That is one of my favorites. It starts out a little slow, but definitely a good read.

It's funny because I've read hardly any newer books... the newest I can remember was "Silence of the Lambs" by Thomas Harris. It was very engrossing.....

But if you've seen the movie, I like Anthony Hopkins' character protrayal of Dr. Lecter much better.

Hope you find something interesting!

Achilles · 06-25-2005, 11:20 PM

Actually, I've completely engrossed myself in the classics for about the last year. I did start the Count of Monte Cristo, but found it very opposite. I thought it was quite exciting for the first half, but then the second bored me so much that I quit it. Oh well, each to their own.

Enigmatical · 06-30-2005, 04:44 PM

Tom Robbins' newest book "Villa Incognito" is a good quick read. He has the best sense of humor, and even though he does incorporate political topics here and there, his stories are just bizzare enough that you might enjoy them.

geminye · 06-30-2005, 06:47 PM

achilles,

i too recommend ender's game. i'm not into heavy sci-fi, so i was reluctant, but it only uses sf as a vehicle for the story.

i also liked american gods by gaiman.

Achilles · 06-30-2005, 07:47 PM

Thanks everyone, my reading list is now longer than Santa's shopping list.