All In Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 I;m bored of trying to read all these Technical books. I'd rather read something I'm interested in. I've read "History of the Washington Redskins", the Washington Post one. It was a good book. A must read for those of you who want to brush up on history. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/longterm/book/cover.htm I haven't bought cause I'd rather wait past the Schotty era for an updated version. Anyways, I read a little bit of "When Pride still mattered." It's about Vince Lambordi, his personal life and football life. It has that inspirational feel to it. My uncle has a book on Larry Brown. I'll probably borrow it some time. Anything else out there worth buying? Thanks. [ by Skins_Freak on June 18, 2001.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kid-A Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 In the Heart of the Sea: Nathaniel Philbrick. It's the true story of the whaleship Essex which was "stove in" by an enraged sperm whale in the south pacific in 1819. As you can imagine, this is the story that inspired the climactic scene in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Both books are highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin West Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 If you're in the mood for mystery... "King Suckerman" and "The Sweet Forever" by George Pelicanos. His books are set in DC. Nonfiction? "HelterSkelter" by Vince Buglioso. Be scared, very, very scared. Historical Fiction? "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. Biography? You MUST read "The Nightingale's Song" by Robert Timburg. This book follws the careers of five Naval Acadamy graduates: John McCain, Robt McFarlane, James Webb, Oliver North, and John Poindexter. Legal thriller? "Personal Injuries" by Scott Turow. Under-appreciated classic? "Pale Fire" by Vladimir Nabokov. A very funny take on life in academia. Under-appreciated American Author? "My Life and Hard Times" by James Thurber. And thank you for allowing me to put my English Degree to good use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 As always, it depends on one's taste. I've really enjoyed the following: The Lonesome Dove Trilogy by Larry McMurtry (just the best dialogue and characters in contemporary fiction) The Dave Robicheaux novels by...uh...brain dead...somebody help me. The guy writes the best 'hard boiled' detective stuff since Dashiel Hammet. Sci-Fi - Birthright: The Book of Man. by Resnick. Western - Commanche Dawn by Michael Blakely. Surprisingly good. I don't usually go for that sort of stuff. Kevin - Shaara is good, but try Sears' Landscape Turned Red, a huge book devoted entirely to the battle of Antietam. For history, you still can't beat The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewski Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 James Lee Burke and his "latest" is Purple Cain Road, good for a relaxing round the pool, on the deck read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drewski Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 Forgot to mention the James Brady book, Marines of Autumn. The description of the Choisin Reservoir and what those men went through is, indeed, awe inspiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitz Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 Burke's Robicheaux novels are good - I especially enjoyed "A Stained White Radiance" and "In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead". I haven't read "Purple Cane Road" yet, I'll probably pick it up sometime this summer. My favorite detective series is John Sandford's "Prey" series with Lucas Davenport. If you haven't read any, definitely check out "Rules of Prey", "Winter Prey" or "Mind Prey". All of them are good, but those three will get you hooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 Couple of suggestions to add to the ecclectic mix: Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett (yes, that Follet, in a complete departure). If you haven't heard of this one ... find it. Story of medieval semi-historical fiction based around every-day life that jumps off the page, as well as the the A-Z of conceiving, designing and ultimately building the great Gothic cathedrals. Deep, fun, outstanding. As good a summer read as you'll find, I swear. Turn Right At Orion, a novelized account of one man's journey to the center of the Milky Way and beyond, written by acclaimed astro-physicist Mitchell Begelman. Nowhere near as pretentious as it sounds, it's written in a great narrative style, and the contect makes you stop every few paragraphs to stare at the ceiling, let the hairs on the back of your neck settle back down, and try to wrap your mind around what you've just read. Not for everybody, but if you're into the cosmos, you'll love the ride. (Hey, SkinsFreak, you better get crackin'. We'll expect at least a one-page report on each of these books by the end of the summer. ) [ by Om on June 18, 2001.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted June 18, 2001 Share Posted June 18, 2001 hey, OM, isn't that Follett book the one the local school board in Washington DC is trying to get banned from the high schools because of too much sexual stuff you naughty, naughty boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kefka Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Nice book, funny and good look back at the 1900s. Nationwide best seller. "Growing Up" by Russell Baker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 When Pride Still Mattered is a MUST READ for all football fans. Pillars of the Earth is an marvelous book, despite what a minority of closed minded people might think. (the school board is reviewing it for possible exclusion from the Fairfax County Public Schools due to lobbying by a fanatical minority) Killer Angels is simply the best work of historical fiction ever written. Sharra son has written others in the same vein which I have not read because I am afraid I will be too disappointed. If you liked The Landscape Turned Red, try The Guns of Ceder Creek. Better yet, read LTR then take a trip to the Antietam battlefield. The Guns of August is but one of Tuckman's fine works. Try General Stillwell and the American Experience in China and The First Salute. The latter book will give you new insight into what a great military commander General Washington truly was. This summer, I think that I shall re-read The Lord of the Rings in anticipation of the release of the first movie this winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Fact is I've read Pillars twice ... and I'm still trying to figure out what the hell crawled up the arses of its' critics. I didn't even dog-ear any pages, a sure sign that the sex therein isn't anything to, um, lose sleep over. "Of Human Bondage" ... nowthere's a hot read, DC School Board. Better burn that one quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 For those history buffs that liked Killer Angels, might I suggest some historical non-fiction by Stephen Ambrose. My personal favorites are Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers. Very good books about our boys in WWII. ------------------ Hail to the Redskins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 All in all, you'd have to say this is a pretty literate group (thanks for the assist on James Lee Burke - the name just left me). Don't you wonder what the guys on other team's boards read? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blade Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Great thread! When I am not reading one of my multi-kilo work-related texts, here are some of the selections I've read recently: Sci-fi: (Quality) "Stranger in a strange land" by Robert Heinlien; still a classic... "Starship Troopers" is also one of his better reads. (Pulp) For those of you who have played the "Mechwarrior" series of games or the RPG, many of the Battletech novels are far more outstanding than one would expect. Plus the BT universe is surprisingly rich in development and detail. Mystery: After spending several years in Richmond, I got hooked on the Patricia Cornwell series. The first few are far better than the last few... gets far-fetched and predictable down the line, but the first couple of novels are just outstanding. Also, the 'Harry Bosch' series by Michael Connelly is fanatastic from the few that Ive read... multiple multiple twists near the endings. Short Stories: Nabokov's "Signs and Symbols" and Kafka's "The Metamorphosis" are still two of my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 A good long series to try is the fantasy Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It's a sprawling, epic, series of nine books at the moment. I'll warn you though that upon first read, the first couple of books are a bit slow, but the payoff is good thereafter. And, upon re-read, the first two books are very interesting, since you have a clue what's happening . If you want to work your way into fantasy first though, before going for the Holy Grail, go with Raymond Feist's Riftwar saga. Very solid, quick reads. Four books in the first riftwar series, though he's added another recently. Magician: Apprentice is the first of this series, followed by Magician: Master. Try thouse and go from there. Good change of pace at the least. Though, how can you ever get tired of Clancy or Larry Bond I'll never know . ------------------ Doom is in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All In Posted June 19, 2001 Author Share Posted June 19, 2001 Whoa, I didn't know we'd have such a long thread. Shows you how diverse we are. I guess I like the same books as I like movies. Endings like Usual Suspects, Story lines like Braveheart, fantasy like Star Wars, Mafia and organized crime like Godfather and Goodfellas, and of course being a Redskins' fan, When Pride still mattered and the History of the Washington Redskins. I found When Pride still mattered at half.com for $8. I'm going to get that and find something else. I'll have to dig through all the posts of recommendations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Best book I've finished in the last few months: A Prayer for Owen Meanie. It's a very funny book with some fairly deep thought put into the religous ideas expressed in the book. The character development is first rate. The book I've thought about most since reading is The Fountainhead. I disliked all of the characters in much the same way I disliked all the characters on Sienfeld, but I just couldn't put it down. I disagreed with just about every point made in the book, but it made me think. For that alone, I liked the book. For best Fantasy book of the last five years, I'd suggest taking a look at George R. MArtin and his game of thrones series. It's incredible. The ultra popular Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind have nothing on the universe Martin creates in these books. I'd call his books pure escapism at it's absolute best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbear Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Hey Art, Fiest is one of the first two authors that got me started reading for fun. His books are awesome too. Did you ever read his Faerie Tale? It's different from his riftwar stuff, but still a great read. I liked Jordans first few books, but it's become like a girlfriend one has had for a little too long. He should have tied up that series by now and moved on. It's entertaining, and I have to confess to still buying all the new books. It's just that I keep buying them hoping for that same excitement I had through the first 5 books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Trevor Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Wow, I didn't realize that many people still actually read books. To be honest, I haven't read a book since probably 10th grade if not 9th. I read enough on the net, between sports stories to threads on message boards to satisfy any urge that I might have to read. Much rather watch the movie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 I just finished up the two Jac Weller books on Arthur Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington): 'Wellington In The Peninsula' - an account of his engaging and driving the Napoleonic armies under Soult, Massena, D'Erlon, and Ney first out of Portugal, then out of Spain; and Wellington At Waterloo, an account of Wellington finally engaging Napoleon directly and defeating him at Waterloo. Both books offer an excellent insight into the man, his military acumen, strategy, tactics, and organization. The fighting techniques and weapons of that era are reviewed, and an insight is provided into how the English (allied) lines (the real 'Thin Red Line') were able to smash the Napoleonic columns that had heretofore gained such resounding success against the other European countries. It makes one wonder what the outcome of the War Of 1812 might have been if Wellington, his Peninsula veterans, and all his materiel might have been turned towards the US rather than Napoleon. Speaking of the War Of 1812, C.S. Forester's 'The Age Of Fighting Sail' is an outstanding account of the naval war of 1812 and the birth and maturation of the U.S. Navy. The accounts of the actual engagements are excellent, including a gripping narrative of the 3 day encounter between Constitution and 7 british warships (including the 64 gun Africa), and Constitution in actions against Guerierre and Java. I haven't read any sci fi for quite some time now, and I don't know who's current. But I really enjoyed Roger Zelazny, especially 'Lord Of Light' and will likely re-read it again soon to see if I want to get back into the genre. If you are into english (I know, I'm a geek), 'A History Of The English Language' by Albert C. Baugh is an excellent read. But mostly I read up on my hobby - Egyptology, and as I'm many years into it as an armchair amateur, I'm sure most of the stuff I read is pretty dry for most tastes. [ by Terry on June 19, 2001.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 gbear, I couldn't agree more on Jordan. The series is still sound and competent, but, he's clearly milking it for all the money it is worth. Book 8 essentially did NOTHING to advance the series and, thusfar in Book 9, he's just squeaking it along. Essentially we've had two books to progress us one winter. At this rate, he'll finish the series after 1000 books. So, we need him to get going on that. But, all told, he's still solid. After hearing you liked the Feist Riftwar series, I decided to take your recommendation on George Martin and I've bought the three books in the Fire and Ice series you suggested. I'll let you know how it is when I get to them. Feist is a much easier read and more enjoyable than is Jordan, but, to give credit, Jordan has created a very involved universe that is impressive. I prefer other styles, but, Jordan isn't too irritating. Though, if he doesn't move the book along pretty quick, I may not buy the next one right away . ------------------ Doom is in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Speaking of C.S. Forester, his Horatio Hornblower series is one of my favorites. Real quality pulp fiction about a British Naval officer in the early 19th century. Fast moving. Full of action. Great stuff. ------------------ Hail to the Redskins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamB Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Well, if anyone is looking for a sci-fi version of Horatio Hornblower, you might want to check out the Honor Harrington novels by David Weber - very good military sci-fi with a great lead character. Also, anything by Robert Heinlien is a good bet. I am burned out on Jordan. I tried reading #8, but it had been a year since I read #7 and just could not get back into the series. Also I would not recommend any of Anne McCaffrey's new novels. She has turned Pern into "Days of Our Lives". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cskin Posted June 19, 2001 Share Posted June 19, 2001 Might I add.... "D-Day" by Stephen Ambrose, which give a chronological account of the day's events, including the near mistakes that drove us back in the sea. "When Pride Still Mattered" ...although I haven't finished it yet. "American Sphinx" about Thomas Jefferson's (most influential human being ever) impact on the world "The Brother's of the Revolution" which describes the interaction and relationships of our founding fathers. The interaction between Ben Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison among others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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