Can anyone recommend any good books? I mean, ANY books at all? I just finished reading The Elegant Universe, and now I'm left with nothing to do. Please help. The boredom is killing me.:confused:

Depends what sort of book you are looking for.

Are you after books that discuss the fabric of the universe, a book that's pure fiction to make you take a mind stroll.


If it was up to me I would be reading my books that I have on the shelf nearby, but for the time being I've got to put up with a slight glitch in one of my eyes that stops me reading material properly. (This even means that I miss spelling mistakes and syntax errors in posts)

Any books, really. Subject doesn't matter. I've read everything (which isn't really all that much) on my shelf, and some from the library, too.

Hi
At the moment I am reading Richard P. Feynman's "QED. The Strange Theory of Light and Matter" (Princeton, 1985).
I really like the book. (if you read this: thanks Sven for lending it to me!). It's a popular scientific book, as you might have guessed.
Really nice; not too hard, not too simple.

Just looking at my library

"Ain't Nobody's Business if I do" by Peter McWilliams. A strong case for drug legalization, and a fun book.

"The Origens of Totalitarianism" by Hannah Arendt - practically impossible to read, but interesting

"The Demon-Haunted World" by Carl Sagan. My introduction to skepticism.

If you like rather dark science fiction, try Octavia Butler's book "Parable of the Sower"

"The March of Folly" by Barbera Tuchman, about the influence of incompetence on history.

"The First Three Minutes" by Steven Weinberg, about cosmology

"Coming of Age in the Milky Way" by Timothy Ferris. Bloody excellent book about the history of astronomy, science and cosmology

"The Ancient Engineers" by L. Sprague de Camp, about how many of the ancient wonders of the world (pyramids, hanging gardens of Babylon, the Colossus of Rhodes, were built)

Oh yeah! I have this as an e-book, so I forget the author

"A peice of blue sky" - it is an expose of $cientology. The Church of Scientology hated it so much they sued and harassed the author, and made it virtually impossible to find the book.

You might be able to. It is available online as an e-book, free to download.

Good book.

Well i have to go with fansy so:

LOTR -goes without saying

Anything by David Eddings (especially Belgarath the Sorcrer)

The Immortals sersies by Tamora Pierce

And Magician (or any of the rest) by Raymond E. Feist

Everything you need to know about life is in the Brothers Karamazov.

;) Geek Love- By Katherine Dunn- is by far the most notable book I have read. I could go on for days about it, but honestly, it is deeply moving.

I like the way you've described your book recommendations for us.

To the others, could you put in a little about the content of the book? I'm starved for reading material but need to hear what it's about and what you thought of it. I'm becoming a television addict and need something to draw me away.

Good thread.

Cheers
Teri

Ok i will descrie them more

LOTR -goes without saying (everyone knows what Lord of the rings is) 4 1/2 stars

Anything by David Eddings (especially Belgarath the Sorcrer)

Belgarth the sorcer is written like an Autobography of the first deciple of Aldur. It the best book i have ever read. It descibes the life of the 7000 year old sorcer and is set before the Belgriad
5 stars

The Immortals sersies by Tamora Pierce - These are about a 15 year old girl who decovers she can talk to animals. She is thrown out of her village because of it and must make new friends in a new land (god this is hard without giving the story away) 4 1/2 stars

And Magician (or any of the rest) by Raymond E. Feist- This book is about a keep boy (the orfin Pug) and his step brother. They find a mysteriouse ship and it sets there kindom on a parth of war. 4 3/4 stars

;) Geek Love is about a family of circus freaks who have to struggle to define society in terms of the twisted, yet true, love they expereince for each other. Basically, it could be about 'familial relativism' and how this one family compensated for things in very much the same way as we do. It was chilling, to se the parallels to my own life in this world where children are valued based on the extent of their disfiguration; where children may not have legs and arms, instead just fins. It opened my eyes to the various ways of doing things.

Fantasy :
George R R Martin - "A Song of Ice and Fire" - four books in this series so far. Very political, "Wars of the Roses" type fantasy but hugely engrossing. Political Skulduggery, backstabbing kings and courtiers, Noble dynasties warring openly and behind closed doors, fantastic creatures stirring and portents in the sky... wonderful stuff.

LOTR as Asguard said. Life wouldnt be the same without it.

Sci-Fi :
Orson Scott Card - "Enders Game" et all (total of five books with more on the way)
VERY philosophical sci-fi, great if you like sci-fi thats not too hardcore and very readable.

Frank Herbert - "Dune" series. Goes without saying. Forget the movie.

General Fiction :
ANYTHING by Louis De Bernieres.
Great satirical, black humour centred mostly around a fictional South American Nation and its inhabitants from all walks of life. The only book this guy has written I'm not overly enthused about is "Captain Correlli's Mandolin" however, any movie buff will have seen it... trust Hollywood to pick the worst book written by this author and turn it into a schmaltzy movie. The book had FAR more depth. I'm probably being unfair to Correlli, but in the light of his other stuff I thought it was not as good. Read them all anyway.. they're all top shelf.

Horror :
Anne Rice - "The Vampire Chronicals" and the Mayfair witches books. Pure magic, the woman's a genius.

I've also got a soft spot for Poppy Z Brite.

Political Commentary (among other things) :
Pretty much anything by P. J. O'Rourke or Hunter S Thompson. these guys have an understanding of the American psyche and know how to write about it.

Classics :
Ernest Hemingway - Almost anything, But I think my favourites are "The Old man And The Sea", "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Islands In The Stream".

John Steinbeck - ANYTHING. Best of his in my opinion -
"The Grapes Of Wrath", "Of Mice And Men" but anything of his is fine.

Jack Kerouc - "On The Road"
Fantastic book about the Beat Generation, started a new trend in American literature for "Stream of Conciousness" writing. A must read.

Ayn Rand - "The Fountainhead", "Atlass Shrugged"
A completely different way of looking at the capitalist way of life, a philosopher in her own right. Essential reading for those who have turned to the left wing in search of answers to todays "version" of capitalistic society. And, anyone else for that matter. Dont complain to me if you cant stomach it, unless youve read the whole book and have valid arguments as to why she's wrong. ;)


That lot's just my favourites... more where they came from.

Those George Martin books rock.

The Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. Very groovy science-fiction.

The Last Ghost, by Stephen Goldin (thanks Tiassa).

I tend to read more in winter when I'm snuggled up warm in bed with a good book. With the short descriptions it makes it easier to go looking for reading material.

Thanks again,
Teri
Cheers

"Angelas Ashes" and 'tis", both by Frank McCourt. About an American kid growing up in Ireland durring the Great Depression, and "tis" is about his return to NYC and life as a teacher.

Both are great.

I'm currently stuck on this author and I think his style of writing has a very wide appeal. Despite the time and place of most of his work, the themes are universal and always relevant to the present human condition. He's said to have invented the novel as an Arab form and the single most important writer in modern Arabic literature also receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature so he's obviously no hack. His most noteable work is "The Cairo Trilogy," and I recommend "The Harafish," and "The Children of the Alley" as well.

I wonder have any of you read Last Call by Tim Powers,
if not i recomend it,
not that you know anything about me,
but read it anyway.

if you have read it,
please feel free to discuss.

much abliged

Anything George Orwell wrote. Namely 1984 and Animal Farm. I'm sure you all know what those books are.

The Communist Manifesto and German Ideology (by Marx/Engels and Marx respectively) are necessary reads in understanding modern politics.

An Inquiry Into Human Understanding - David Hume. This comes as part of an essay collection I believe, but this one I love. It basically is what the title suggests!

Doors of Perception and Brave New World - Aldous Huxley. DoP (hehe, dope) is basically about Huxley's drug adventures. Brave New World is like, hmmm, how to describe......1984 except instead of being a comment on communist/totalitarianism it was more about the assembly line.

Interview With the Vampire - Anne Rice (I know, not what you would expect from the rest of the list but a brilliant book. It really is philosophical if you dive into the characters). A Horror about, well, vampires in New Orleans and France.

The Republic - Plato. The first book on philosophy as far as I'm concerned. It's a brilliant work.

The Odyssey - Homer. Just cool. It's a book about an adventure and about man. Really quite interesting.

The Playboy Philosophy - Hugh Hefner. Give the man credit. How many people, living in the time he did, would have guts to say 'Hey, I want to see naked women in magazines so damn it...I'm gonna put naked women in a magazine!' I believe this man to be one of the smartest ever as he is one of the few who lived out his dream to the fullest. And for that he gains my respect. Also, this book is a help in understanding America's sexual revolution.

Mein Kempf - Hitler. It's hard to get through this whole thing, but it's also important. I strongly believe everyone should read both the manifesto and this or else realize that they do not understand communism or nazism. Also, books on Hitler I find pretty interesting. A good psychological break down of the man is very interesting, and debatable.


There's my input for now...

i agree that anything by George Orwell,
whose real name is Eric Blair,
and yes the Odyssey,
but if your to read the Odyssey,
then also read the Illiad by Homer that is before the Odyssey's time.
and of course Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone by Sophocles are all good books

Light Reading...

Anything by Alan Dean Foster or Terry Pratchett.

SciFi:
Anything by Heinlein especially Stranger in a Strange Land or Starship Troopers (nothing like movie)

Mike Resnick good author even though most of his books are out of print Kirinyaga is the best one still in print

Hitchhiker Trilogy by Douglass Adams is the best SciFi comedy ever.

Fantasy:
Wont mention LOTR again
Terry Pratchett Almost as Good as Douglass Adams but fantasy

Science:
In search of Schrodingers Cat by John Gribbin (Quantum mechanics is cool)

About Time by Paul Davies Mostly Realativity but cool stuff about k-meson decay too

Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra if your interested in connections between eastern philsophy and modern physics (Im only partially convinced i think i need to read a more neutral book on the subject b4 i decide)

Connections by James Burke Best history of science ever written.

Twisted Paranoid Conspiricy Theory Books:

Illuminatus Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson Turned me a bit paranoid for about a week after reading it.

David Eddings is SO much better that Prachet

Its SO funny to

especially the way he wrote belgarath the scorcerer

Oh dear.

I knew someone would say that.

Asguard, Im sending the Wyrd Sisters to get you, even as I write.


Librarians rool OOK

Actually one of the best books ive read is Legends which was compiled by Robert silverberg

Its a heap of short stories by a lot of major fansy writers to show there different styles

the only bad thing is there is no Eddings in it but you can't have everything

Terry Pratchett ( yes 2 T's ya philistines)

This man is my hero and is also responsible for getting me to read on a daily basis once more. I'd forgotten how good this can be.

What's the big Pratchett attraction?

1) His satirises modern life and replaces us with witches and wizards and the occasional orang utan (Ooook!!) If you ever saw yourselves as masters of magic, these books can fill in the gaps in your imagination.

2) He does so in the most subtly hilarious way (The manner of delivery, not the hilarity :D )

3) He writes in fairly short form between sub plots so a good book will take you through about 107 dumps in the can :D

4) I like a book that I can think of, alone, on the back of a bus and laugh out loud. (Embarrasing or what?)

5) (And if this doesn't sell it fuck all will !!)
DEATH WALKS THE BOOKS WITH SCYTHE AND HOODED ROBES. HE ALWAYS SPEAKS IN UPPERCASE AND HE RIDES A HORSE.... CALLED BINKY!

Try him :D

1. The conquest of Gaul - Interesting in that it was written by Caeser and includes a lot of Roman stuff

2. Ender's Game - someone already said this, but I must repeat it. Ender's Game is the first and the best. Don't bother with the follow ups.
3. The Stone Canal - Ken MacCleod, excellent futurist fiction that also makes a brilliant stab at political theory.
4. Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K. Dick, bladerunner was based upon this and is a must read for all science fiction people
5. Slaughterhouse 5 - Vonnegut, everyone should read this
6. Catch-22 - Heller, excellent anti-war satire

more later

Dune- awesomely enchanting

anything by Orson Scott Card as Robeson suggested

I think i must be alone in this but i didn;t really like Dune that much. Thought it was a pointless wast of time reading that. Just thought i'd let everyone know. :D

I agree, dune wasn't that great, although I do like the new ones. i.e. Atreides, Harkonnen, et al

thats too bad i thought dune was awesome and the other ones after it are pretty good too.

Here's a list:
*Terry Brooks(Shannara books)
*Robert Asprin(the Myth Series)
*Christopher Rowley(Bazil Broketail)
*David Weber(Honor harrington, the paladin books that I can't remember the series name for)
*David Eddings
*Margeret Wies and Tracy Hickman(Dragonlance, The Death Gate Cycle, Darksword Trilogy)
*Orson Scott Card(Ender's Game, etc.)
*Elizibeth Moon(Paksinarion)
*Dougalas Adams
*Anne McCaffrey(Pern, the ship books)
*Brian Jacques(Redwall)
*Alan Dean Foster(the Flinx and Commonwealth books)
*Anything else Dragonlance
*The Hole in the Ozone Scare(some of doesn't work, but they bring up some good points)
*Dune wasn't that bad, I've been told that the sequels were, and I enjoyed the the prequels.
The only classic I read were miscelaneous stuff from school, the only Shaekespeare I read was "Romeo and Juliet" and the only Dickens I read is "Great Expectations." I wouldn't heve read any of it if my teachers hadn't had it in the curriculum.:eek:

I'll think of some more later.

i liked great expectations...

It Must Be Beautiful; Great Equations of Modern Science
edited by Grahm Farmelo. Twelve chapters, each by the likes of Roger Penrose or Steven Weinberg, dealing with relativity, Schrodinger's wave equation, the Dirac equation, etc.

A Small Treatise On The Great Virtues, by Andre Comte-Spoonville, professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne. A chapter is devoted to each virtue: Politeness, Fidelity, Prudence, Temperance, Courage, Justice, Generosity, Compassion,...
(Even the names of the virtues are lovely to speak aloud!) A beautifully written book on a beautiful subject.

You won't regret reading the books by the great Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson: Consilience, Ants, The Future Of Life, etc.

I never tire of recommending Visual Complex Analysis, by Tristan Needham. This is the way mathematics books should be written. It's an old friend. I take it with me on trips, take it with me to bed, and pull it out of my backpack while standing in line at the bank.

It's probably been a decade since I last read a work of fiction, but I used to like Franz Kafka's, The Castle very much.

Happy reading,
Michael

what about Fiest?

anything by edgar allan poe,
though tis not a book,
is a enchanting piece of poetry,
or a thrillig piece of prose.