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seethetraffic
Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Location: Seoul
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 Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 5:44 am Post subject: |
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| How could I forget the book that got me into reading again??? The John Adams biography by David McCullough. I'm reading McCullough's Truman biography now. Prepare to be enriched! |
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Sleepy in Seoul
Joined: 15 May 2004
Location: Going in ever decreasing circles until I eventually disappear up my own fundament - in NZ
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| Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 9:34 am Post subject: |
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"Fatherland" by Robert Harris - he also wrote "Enigma" (about Bletchley Park and the code-breakers during WWII).
The Arkady Renko series by Martin Cruz Smith: "Gorky Park", "Polar Star", "Red Square", "Havana Bay" and "Wolves Eat Dogs". Excellent stories, very well crafted plots and great characters. Also his book "December 6" set in Japan just before the U.S. were forced into the Second World War.
If you can find them, the Salvo Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri (translated from Italian) - "The Shape of Water" and "The Terracotta Dog" are the only ones I have read so far - are great.
Also, "Lie in the Dark" and "Small Boat of Great Sorrows" by Dan Fesperman are really good reads. Thoroughly enjoyable and the first one put the Balkan conflict into a sort of perspective. |
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Eunoia
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Location: In a seedy karakoe bar by the banks of the mighty Bosphorus
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 8:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Buff wrote: |
| Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close - Jonathon Safran Foer |
I recently read Foer's "Everything is Illuminated" - a very unusual book, but worth the read. Will keep an eye out for that other one.
Also just read three books by Arturo Perez-Reverte: "The Flanders Panel", "The Seville Communion", and "The Queen of the South". Check this guy out!
Seville was the first one I read. Good introduction to his style. Very descriptive, lots of character development instead of fast-paced, unbelievable action, but it still grabs the reader's attention. Murder-mystery fiction about the Church in a not-so-DaVinci-Code-kind-of-way. Intriguing stuff.
The Flanders Panel was also good (better than Seville) and re-ignited a long-dormant interest in chess. I say good, but only up to a point - didn't care for the ending much.
I really liked Queen of the South, though. Quite a tale, and a lot of references to another book mentioned in this thread, "Count of Monte Cristo". That might well be my next project.
This is a great thread, keep 'em coming. I spent almost two hours in a book store yesterday and came away empty-handed. Should have read this first! |
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K-in-C
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Heading somewhere
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject: Literature |
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| periwinkle wrote: |
| I just finished Rule of Four. It was awesome. |
I second that periwinkle. It took awhile for me to get into Rule of Four but it had some interesting twists. IMO the writers left it open to a sequel.
I just finished reading Michael Connelly's 'The Narrows' which is the sequel to 'The Poet.' They were both a good read, again because of some surprise twists and I enjoy reading books that explore the criminal mind. |
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K-in-C
Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Heading somewhere
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:55 pm Post subject: Literature |
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| periwinkle wrote: |
| I just finished Rule of Four. It was awesome. |
I second that periwinkle. It took awhile for me to get into Rule of Four but it had some interesting twists. IMO the writers left it open to a sequel.
I just finished reading Michael Connelly's 'The Narrows' which is the sequel to 'The Poet.' They were both a good read, again because of some surprise twists and I enjoy reading books that explore the criminal mind. |
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Eunoia
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Location: In a seedy karakoe bar by the banks of the mighty Bosphorus
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| Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:57 am Post subject: |
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| Has anyone here read the Emporer series by Conn Iggulden? |
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the eye
Joined: 29 Jan 2004
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| i third the recommendation for LIFE OF PI, and i nominate HITCH-HIKER"S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY. |
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Fat Sam
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: Gyeonggi-do
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:55 am Post subject: |
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| Tiberious aka Sparkles wrote: |
No doubt about it, The Count of Monte Cristo. Get the unabridged version (1300+ pages), preferably with notes and historical info included.
Sparkles*_* |
Without a doubt one of my all-time favourite books. Dumas writes purely for the swashbuckling male but it's brilliant stuff. I loved 'The Three Muskateers', especially when my alter-ego, Athos, was trapped in an inn-keeper's cellar for several days, surviving by eating all of his cured ham and drinking his entire wine collection. Classic.
I almost used Luigi Vampa as my user-name but noticed that someone has taken Abbe Faria as their's so decided not to. If you get the chance, try and download the French TV version with Gerard Depardieu as 'Le Comte'. Seven hours of the best revenge story ever written.
The only book to top it, in my opinion, is 'Catch-22'. Yossarian is a legend, but I think that name has also been used on this board so never mind. |
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kathycanuck
Joined: 05 Dec 2005
Location: Namyangju
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 9:51 am Post subject: good novel |
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| Nicholas Monsarrat, 'The Master Mariner", awesome. |
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C.M.
Joined: 02 Dec 2005
Location: Gangwondo
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| Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:43 pm Post subject: |
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MOBY-D1CK (I can't believe they *beeped* MOBY-DICK!) whenever and whereever possible. Reading EAST OF EDEN right now; the last FT left it here in the apartment...wonderful book.
In defence of CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES; it was a brilliant book with a ton of humor.  |
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marlow
Joined: 06 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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Independence Day by Richard Ford
Postcards by Annie Proulx
Both are prize winning authors, and the stories are mesmerizing. I think Postcards was exceptionally good. I couldn't put it down. |
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ddeubel
Joined: 20 Jul 2005
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| Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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I can't believe nobody has mentioned "The Outsider" by Camus........declared the novel of the 20th century. Nothing much happens in the novel and it is basically a farce.....one person swept up by govt, chance, necessity....
I also second Marlow for Independance Day -- but loved Richard Fords first book of short stories --- Rocksprings (??). Wonderful!!!
Marquez's - "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" is great -- A novel should be short, dense, small and poignant....
I love Philip Kerr when it comes to bestsellers and a great, quick read. His "A philosophical investigation" was a book I couldn't put down. As with many of his other thrillers. Only best selling author in my mind, writing also with intelligence.
I also would recommend Coetzee, "The Barbarians are coming" -- a novel which is prescient and exactly describes the present state of fear created by the powers that be.......
Another great author is the Israeli, Amos Oz, "Michael" is a great book. Deals with issues of the soul, as most great books should.
Nobody mentioned any of Saul Bellows novels..........Humbolt's Gift is my fav......
The Hermit of 68 street, Jerzy Kosinski, is a rollicking and fun read...so much intelligent humour....
And last but not least of course -- Catcher in the Rye. This along with maybe Of Mice and Men would be my vote for the American novel of the 20th century (despite all those Hemmingway lovers.....) Faulkner takes a very particular nature to enjoy, Fitzgerald writes well, even at times great but for the most part just plods along, no energy in his writing......
Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer -- a must on any travelers list.......the life of a mind free, free in another country, culture and world....
I've run out of books (for the moment).
DD |
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