The best book you ever read was...
Discussion
Civpilot said:
Night Watch - Sir Terry
I'm a fan of the Discworld series, but I have to agree, Nightwatch really is exceptional.My other favs from Discworld:
The Truth (if only for Mr. Pin and Mr. '-ing' Tulip
)Mort
Reaper Man
Men at Arms
Going Postal
Other good reads:
To Kill a Mockingbird
Treasure Island
Band of Brothers (read it even if you've already seen the TV series)
Sir Richard Branson's Autobiography
Animal Farm
I know there's lots of hype around it but the 'Song of Fire and Ice' books by George RR Martin are amazing. I read a lot of books but I've never come across a book, let alone a series of 5 books so far, that paint characters in such depth and detail.
They read as one continuous book, so read the reviews on Amazon and if it sounds like something interesting to you, start with book one 'A Game of Thrones'.
They read as one continuous book, so read the reviews on Amazon and if it sounds like something interesting to you, start with book one 'A Game of Thrones'.
Roger Dodger said:
They're making the film as I type!!
Cheapest film ever made - no need to dress the locations or the extras
toxicated said:
I know there's lots of hype around it but the 'Song of Fire and Ice' books by George RR Martin are amazing. I read a lot of books but I've never come across a book, let alone a series of 5 books so far, that paint characters in such depth and detail.
They read as one continuous book, so read the reviews on Amazon and if it sounds like something interesting to you, start with book one 'A Game of Thrones'.
But I will say don't let the first few "chapters" put you off. His writing improves dramatically.They read as one continuous book, so read the reviews on Amazon and if it sounds like something interesting to you, start with book one 'A Game of Thrones'.
(I use the quotes because of the, rather ingenious, way he's structured it - it'll make sense when you read it)
Seti said:
The curious incident of the dog in the night - couldn't put it down,
Although I lent it to someone with a bunch of other books and it was the only one returned unread, because it related to Aspergers - they seemed irked that I'd even given them the book. I found it an entertaining, amusing and interesting insight into another world.Civpilot said:
Night Watch - Sir Terry
Brilliant writing, managing to be funny, moving, sad and hugely uplifting. Sounds strange but ever since I read it I always get this pang of a strange gentle sadness when I see the lilac in bloom
Yes, it's an ace book, it transcends the discworld stuff and is a brilliant novel in it's own right. As you say, it's very powerful too Brilliant writing, managing to be funny, moving, sad and hugely uplifting. Sounds strange but ever since I read it I always get this pang of a strange gentle sadness when I see the lilac in bloom
The Road to Serfdom by Frederich Hayek.
Some of the ideas have moved on now, but in essence the book succeeds like no other in showing the failings of a centrally planned economy from an economic, political and social perspective; and it did so at a time when governments and intellectuals of all shades, throughout the world were moving in the other direction.
Some of the ideas have moved on now, but in essence the book succeeds like no other in showing the failings of a centrally planned economy from an economic, political and social perspective; and it did so at a time when governments and intellectuals of all shades, throughout the world were moving in the other direction.
I really want to read more, and will get started on some of these in this thread, in fact that might be a new year resolution for 2012, but here are my favourites over the past few years:
The 4-Hour Work Week - book about saving time mostly, Chapters are delegating stuff to others, eliminating stuff from your schedule, automating stuff which doesn't need you to be there and what to do with your liberated time after (DEAL for short). I'm not going to say it's changed my life, but it has had a big influence in my thinking, especially in regards to referring to time as a currency.
Rainbow Six - The only Clancy book I've read and admittedly after playing the game. I enjoyed it a lot as a holiday read a few years ago and would happily read it again.
If This Is a Man / The Truce - About a holocaust survivor and written very well, quite gentle rather than brash and violent.
The Solitary Man- Stephen leather is probably my favourite author. Easy to read thrillers which all could be movies, and this is my favourite so far. About a guy who is an expert in breaking out of prison, and gets stitched up inside bangkok prison. Mix in side stories about a drug lord and a nosy journalist and it all comes together very nicely.
The 4-Hour Work Week - book about saving time mostly, Chapters are delegating stuff to others, eliminating stuff from your schedule, automating stuff which doesn't need you to be there and what to do with your liberated time after (DEAL for short). I'm not going to say it's changed my life, but it has had a big influence in my thinking, especially in regards to referring to time as a currency.
Rainbow Six - The only Clancy book I've read and admittedly after playing the game. I enjoyed it a lot as a holiday read a few years ago and would happily read it again.
If This Is a Man / The Truce - About a holocaust survivor and written very well, quite gentle rather than brash and violent.
The Solitary Man- Stephen leather is probably my favourite author. Easy to read thrillers which all could be movies, and this is my favourite so far. About a guy who is an expert in breaking out of prison, and gets stitched up inside bangkok prison. Mix in side stories about a drug lord and a nosy journalist and it all comes together very nicely.
Rotary Madness said:
His dark materials - Phillip Pullman
LOVE that book... even better listened to (unabridged), read by the author. Shrinks long car journeys like nothing else I've know.ETA (ignore this if you haven't read it) - I wrote to Pullman and told him that we had Pine Martens in our garden (I'd heard he'd never seen one), he wrote back, and has an open invitation to visit.
Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 23 August 11:43
Another vote for the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy books. Also:
Holding the Zero - Gerald Seymour, absolutely gripping story about a sniper in Iraq.
The Conquerer books about the rise of the Mongolian empire, by Conn Iggulden.
I've read the first four - Wolf of the plains, Lords of the bow, Bones of the hills, Empire of Silver, and haven't been able to put any of them down.
Reach For The Sky, the biography of Douglas Bader - can't remember who wrote that one. I've read it twice, must be the best wartime biography I've read so far.
Holding the Zero - Gerald Seymour, absolutely gripping story about a sniper in Iraq.
The Conquerer books about the rise of the Mongolian empire, by Conn Iggulden.
I've read the first four - Wolf of the plains, Lords of the bow, Bones of the hills, Empire of Silver, and haven't been able to put any of them down.
Reach For The Sky, the biography of Douglas Bader - can't remember who wrote that one. I've read it twice, must be the best wartime biography I've read so far.
Fiction:-
The Great Book of Amber - Zelazny (slight cheat as it is ten books in one volume!)
Saga of the Exiles - Julian May (utterly brilliant)
Rampart words series - again Julian May
Hitchikers & The Tolkien books LOTR etc would get a look in
The Jack Ryan Series from Clancy also very good
The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson
None Fiction: -
John Simpson - A Mad world my masters
Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - William Shirer
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Gibbon
The Great Book of Amber - Zelazny (slight cheat as it is ten books in one volume!)
Saga of the Exiles - Julian May (utterly brilliant)
Rampart words series - again Julian May
Hitchikers & The Tolkien books LOTR etc would get a look in
The Jack Ryan Series from Clancy also very good
The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson
None Fiction: -
John Simpson - A Mad world my masters
Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - William Shirer
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Gibbon
Edited by heppers75 on Tuesday 23 August 13:10
Depends on the genre for me.
I'll start with my number one travel book, a must read for any man visiting Thailand on his own or as a part of a group of male friends. Or if you just want to get a realistic feel for a certain section of Thai culture:
Private Dancer - Stephen Leather
http://www.stephenleather.com/privatedancer.html
Some of my friends however would have done well to have read this prior to displaying their idiocy
I'll start with my number one travel book, a must read for any man visiting Thailand on his own or as a part of a group of male friends. Or if you just want to get a realistic feel for a certain section of Thai culture:
Private Dancer - Stephen Leather
http://www.stephenleather.com/privatedancer.html
Some of my friends however would have done well to have read this prior to displaying their idiocy
ks it up!Another vote for Hitchhikers Guide here- I even enjoyed the Colfer one.
Another book I could read again and again is High Fidelity. It just sums up pretty much exctly what it was like to be a young adult male as the 20th Century gave way to the 21st.
One that I enjoyed more than I was expecting to was Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre. My travelling companion hated it though so I guess it's one of those marmite books.
I'd also give honourable mentions to We Need To Talk About Kevin, White Teeth and On Beauty by Zadie Smith, and As Used On The Famous Nelson Mandella By Mark Thomas.
Another book I could read again and again is High Fidelity. It just sums up pretty much exctly what it was like to be a young adult male as the 20th Century gave way to the 21st.
One that I enjoyed more than I was expecting to was Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre. My travelling companion hated it though so I guess it's one of those marmite books.
I'd also give honourable mentions to We Need To Talk About Kevin, White Teeth and On Beauty by Zadie Smith, and As Used On The Famous Nelson Mandella By Mark Thomas.
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