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  • mtn

    Oct. 23, 2008 9:41 p.m. mtn Dork

    maroon92 wrote:

    I read all of Dan Brown's books. they are all the same.

    1. main charachter: irrational fear (ie, small spaces, water etc), single, character flaw, too trusting.

    2. Crazy religious/governmental organization that nobody knew existed is trying to kill/refute the main character.

    3. Based in an exotic locale (Italy, North Pole)

    (I know, #3 is a bit of a stretch)

    either way, I don't much like them anymore, but they were decent to pass a few hours the first time I read them.

    (one thing I noticed is that the main character in the main two books stole a random car in Rome in Angels and Demons, and yet in DaVinci Code, he could not drive Sophie's "manual" Smart ForTwo. First inconsistency, Roman's drive manuals, Second inconsistency, Smart ForTwo "manuals" are flappy paddle equipped.)

    1. Main characters get busy at end of book.
  • Strizzo

    Oct. 23, 2008 11:24 p.m. Strizzo Dork

    Road Fever, by Tim Cahill

    Amazon.com Review If you define "adventure travel" as anything that's more fun to read about than to live through, then Tim Cahill's Road Fever is the adventure of a lifetime. Along with professional long-distance driver Garry Sowerby, Cahill drove 15,000 miles from the southernmost tip of Tierra del Fuego to the northernmost terminus of the Dalton Highway in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, from one end of the world to another, in a record-breaking 23 1/2 days. Just like the authors' camper-shelled GMC Sierra truck, the narrative bounces along at a relentless pace. Along the way Cahill and Sowerby cope with mood swings, engine trouble, Andean cliffs, obstinate bureaucracies, slick highways, armed and uncomprehending soldiery (not to mention the challenges of securing O.P.M., or Other People's Money--the sine qua non of adventure, Cahill observes). Author of such off-the-wall travelogues as Pass the Butterworms and Jaguars Ripped My Flesh, Cahill is equipped with the correct amalgam of chutzpah and dementia to survive what can only be called "The Road Trip From Hell." Readers, however, will thoroughly enjoy themselves.

  • Oct. 24, 2008 12:59 a.m. midknight New Reader

    Aztec. Gary Jennings. An incredible love story.

  • Wally

    Oct. 24, 2008 1:37 a.m. Wally UltraDork

    Nothing Like it in the World: The Men who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869 By Stephen Ambrose. This was a feat that while not sounding all that impresive today was similar to Kennadys challenge to go to the moon 100 years later. I also enjoy most of his WW2 books

  • thatsnowinnebago

    Oct. 24, 2008 1:43 a.m. thatsnowinnebago Reader

    The Victors by Ambrose is pretty damn good but my favorite books hands down are Stephen King's Dark Tower Series. I have never been more engaged in the plot of any book(s) in my life.

  • foxtrapper

    Oct. 24, 2008 5:16 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

    Like James, I've read and continue to read far to many books to have singular favorites. I do have authors I particularly like.

    Gore Vidal James Herriot John Steinbeck Robert Heinlein Piers Anthony Isaac Asimov Elmer Kelton George Orwell Studs Turkel Margie Piercy

    Just to name a few.

  • ddavidv

    Oct. 24, 2008 5:55 a.m. ddavidv SuperDork

    Stephen Ambrose is awesome. My fav is "Undaunted Courage", the story of the Lewis & Clark expedition. What an amazing story.

    "Marley & Me", the best book ever written about the dog ownership experience.

    "Truck" by John Jerome. This is a classic story about a moderately skilled guy fixing up a 1950s pickup. Great for even beginner mechanics as it weaves mechanical explanations into the story of battling rusty bolts and the fatigue of a large project.

    "Christine", the best Stephen King book next to "The Stand".

    "Who's Looking Out For You?" by Bill O'Reilly. Like or hate him, this is a good basic how-to book for life. I recommend it for teens.

    "Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck. Amazing.

    "White Fang" by Jack London.

  • Keith

    Oct. 24, 2008 10:04 a.m. Keith UltraDork

    Strizzo wrote:

    Road Fever, by Tim Cahill

    Great travel writer (or more accurately, a great writer who writes about travel), although that book was obviously written fairly early in his career. And if we're going for the shorter forms, I'm nominating Peter Egan. Not just for his subject matter, but for his turn of phrase. And of course, he's a car guy. I met him a couple of years ago and spent the afternoon hanging out with him, he's exactly as cool as you'd hope he'd be.

    I've got a lot of Rudy Rucker on my bookshelf beside the Stephenson and Gibson (and Sterling, who's more hit-or-miss). He's hard on the brain sometimes, but I can't help but read it.

  • poopshovel

    Oct. 24, 2008 10:16 a.m. poopshovel Dork

    Pretty much everything by Kurt Vonnegut, though "Cat's Cradle" is my hands-down favorite.

    "A Confederacy of Dunces" is another favorite. Written by a totally unknown author. The book was published after he committed suicide.

    Currently reading "The Obama Nation" (surprise.)

    And I'll not try and act all cool by saying I don't love the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

  • ignorant

    Oct. 24, 2008 10:43 a.m. ignorant UberDork

    I'm a big fan of

    "The gas we pass"

    and

    "everybody poops"

    maybe some "walter the farting dog"

    All my reading in the past couple years has been for school or business related. Maybe I'll read something fun again.

  • EastCoastMojo

    Oct. 24, 2008 10:46 a.m. EastCoastMojo HalfDork

    I highly recommend The Adventures of Captain Underpants

  • ignorant

    Oct. 24, 2008 10:50 a.m. ignorant UberDork

    EastCoastMojo wrote:

    I highly recommend The Adventures of Captain Underpants

    I got one of those too..

    quite good.

  • Jay

    Oct. 24, 2008 10:57 a.m. Jay HalfDork

    If you like campy crime novels, I reccomend Lawrence Shames. Not particularly cerebral but highly entertaining. I think his the Naked Detective is one of the funniest books I've ever read, and his characterisations are brilliant.

    J

  • Toolpen

    Oct. 24, 2008 11:16 a.m. Toolpen New Reader

    Too many to list, but in the automotive field, I have to turn to "The Gold-Plated Porsche" by Stephan Wilkinson. Excellent writer!

    And most anything by Ed Abbey, especially "Fire On the Mountain".

    Currently reading "1776" by David McCullough.

  • Strizzo

    Oct. 24, 2008 11:23 a.m. Strizzo Dork

    ddavidv wrote:

    Stephen Ambrose is awesome. My fav is "Undaunted Courage", the story of the Lewis & Clark expedition. What an amazing story.

    "Marley & Me", the best book ever written about the dog ownership experience.

    "Truck" by John Jerome. This is a classic story about a moderately skilled guy fixing up a 1950s pickup. Great for even beginner mechanics as it weaves mechanical explanations into the story of battling rusty bolts and the fatigue of a large project.

    "Christine", the best Stephen King book next to "The Stand".

    "Who's Looking Out For You?" by Bill O'Reilly. Like or hate him, this is a good basic how-to book for life. I recommend it for teens.

    "Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck. Amazing.

    "White Fang" by Jack London.

    i googled john jerome trying to find out about "Truck" and found this

    http://www.breakawaybooks.com/John_Jerome.htm

    EDIT only 10.85 from amazon, should be good for my upcoming trip to mexico

  • ignorant

    Oct. 24, 2008 11:38 a.m. ignorant UberDork

    I highly reccomend "Truck" as good fun automotive reading.

  • RX Reven'

    Oct. 24, 2008 11:47 a.m. RX Reven' New Reader

    The Elegant Universe & The Fabric of the Cosmos both by Brian Greene (PhD, Professor, & Rhodes Scholar in Physics from Harvard & Oxford). Brian makes the maths available to the reader for conformation and advanced study but stays focused on the concepts throughout the text to facilitate maximum understanding of the implications.

    I’ll never understand why so many people squander their time following sports & celebrities & stupid pointless things like that when there’s an amazing universe out there that’s more than happy to reveal its secrets to those that ponder it.

    I’m reading Fleeced by Dick Morris right now…it was lent to me by a friend who said it takes a neutral position criticizing both McCain & Obama; too early to tell.

  • bludroptop

    Oct. 24, 2008 12:22 p.m. bludroptop Dork

    I'm saddened to learn of John Jerome's passing, even if it was six years ago - I didn't know.

    I have my well worn copy of Truck in my hands right now - time to read it again, for probably the 10th time.

  • neon4891

    Oct. 24, 2008 12:29 p.m. neon4891 Dork

    i was into the Clancy works back in high school, but he lost me when he stopped writing his own stuff (i.e. TOM CLANCY'S XYZ, writen by some one else)

    Dan Brown's work is decent, but right now I'm on Holy Blood, Holy Grail

    for sci fi I go with Heinlein, Douglas Adams

    Fantasy , Tolkien first, J.K. Rowling, Paloini (Earagon...), and Lynn Flewelling

    And for sheer berkeleyed up, Battle Royale by Koushu Takami, its a great movie too.

  • Ian F

    Oct. 24, 2008 12:35 p.m. Ian F Reader

    I love reading, although don't get to as much as I should. What I read varies greatly.

    Most recently finished was the autobiography by Slash. Interesting read.

    Current: Last Open Road.

  • Salanis

    Oct. 24, 2008 12:42 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

    neon4891 wrote:

    ...Paloini (Earagon...)...

    Oh geez. Seriously? It's Star Wars! It's berkeleying Star Wars!

    A princess, who is part of an organized rebellion, steals item that could dethrone the evil emperor, before the Emperor's right-hand-man can capture her, she launches it away (we'll call this, Saphira-D2). It is found by a young orphaned farm-boy being raised by his uncle. We'll call him Eragon Skywalker. He ends up getting connected with the last remaining member of an ancient order of mystical knights, Obi-Brom-Kenobi. Brom sees that this young man has the potential to be one of these knights, and begins training them in their ways.

    Do I need to go on? Because I can actually do this for the entire god damned book.

  • Salanis

    Oct. 24, 2008 12:43 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

    For religious/philosophical works, I am a huge fan of Thich Nhat Hanh's writing.

  • neon4891

    Oct. 24, 2008 1:07 p.m. neon4891 Dork

    Salanis wrote:

    neon4891 wrote:

    ...Paloini (Earagon...)...

    Oh geez. Seriously? It's Star Wars! It's berkeleying Star Wars!

    A princess, who is part of an organized rebellion, steals item that could dethrone the evil emperor, before the Emperor's right-hand-man can capture her, she launches it away (we'll call this, Saphira-D2). It is found by a young orphaned farm-boy being raised by his uncle. We'll call him Eragon Skywalker. He ends up getting connected with the last remaining member of an ancient order of mystical knights, Obi-Brom-Kenobi. Brom sees that this young man has the potential to be one of these knights, and begins training them in their ways.

    Do I need to go on? Because I can actually do this for the entire god damned book.

    but in this star wars fan-fic, luke is obi wans son

  • Salanis

    Oct. 24, 2008 1:17 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

    neon4891 wrote:

    but in this star wars fan-fic, luke is obi wans son

    Wait, Eragon wasn't Brom's son. He was some other bad-guy's son, wasn't he?

    Didn't the sword he's given turn out to be his dad's too? I don't think I ever read that part, I just mentioned to a kid who liked the series, "Watch, the sword turns out to have once belonged to his father, who fell and turned evil, so Brom had to fight and kill him."

    Kid: "Yes! How did you know?"

    Me: "Because it's Star Wars!"

  • Snowdoggie

    Oct. 24, 2008 2:13 p.m. Snowdoggie New Reader

    Spitsix wrote:

    Just finished "The art of racing in the rain". really enjoyed it.

    +1 on the Art of Racing in the Rain. A dog named Enzo explains the Zen of high performance driving, and life.

    http://www.artofracingintherain.com/

    "That which you manifest is before you!"

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