The Big Read - Your Recommendation for PHers?

[iria]

toad_oftoadhall said:

"Claudius, The God" Graves "Goodbye to All That" Graves >> Edited by toad_oftoadhall on Tuesday 18th November 14:28

Add "I, Claudius" to the list, great ones! "Goodbye to all that" is a good depiction of I World War and also "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" by Lawrence... Loads of camels though.

[chris.mapey]

sparkyjohn said:

chris.mapey said: Still trying to find a copy of "Full Throttle" by 'Tim' Birkin, one of the original Bentley boys of the 20's. £25 at Chaters

Many thanks. Why didn't I think of Chaters

Chris

[beano500]

Just back from holiday and took up two of your suggestions.

Venom, toppstuff, thank you - Lance Armstrong book is a winner! I couldn't put it down on the journey back and it lasted about half the flight. Had me laughing and crying in equal measure!

Trooper1212, thank you - 253 made an excellent read. Would thoroughly recommend it - especially to commuters!

[trooper1212]

beano500 said:

Trooper1212, thank you - 253 made an excellent read. Would thoroughly recommend it - especially to commuters!

No problem.

I picked up Motley Crue: The Dirt a few weeks back after a recommendation from here. Thoroughly entertaining!

[GingerNinja]

Selection of my favourtites - an nice mix of tecchy, funny, gangster, sci-fi & cyberpunk cool.

Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon
Iain M Banks: Use Of Weapons, The Player Of Games
Iain Banks: The Crow Road
Philip Kerr: A Philosophical Investigation
William Gibson: Neuromancer
Graham Joyce: The Tooth Fairy
James Hawes: A White Merc With Fins
Matt Beaumont: e.
William Boyd: Armadillo
Jake Arnott: The Long Firm
Matthew Branton: The Hired Gun
Tony Hawks: Playing The Moldovans At Tennis
Jeff Noon: Vurt
Neil Gaiman: American Gods

[MEMSDesign]

GingerNinja said:

Selection of my favourtites - an nice mix of tecchy, funny, gangster, sci-fi & cyberpunk cool. Neal Stephenson: Cryptonomicon Iain M Banks: Use Of Weapons, The Player Of Games Iain Banks: The Crow Road Philip Kerr: A Philosophical Investigation William Gibson: Neuromancer Graham Joyce: The Tooth Fairy James Hawes: A White Merc With Fins Matt Beaumont: e. William Boyd: Armadillo Jake Arnott: The Long Firm Matthew Branton: The Hired Gun Tony Hawks: Playing The Moldovans At Tennis Jeff Noon: Vurt Neil Gaiman: American Gods

Interesting list. Have read about two thirds of them. Also recommend 'The Diamond Age' by Stephenson.
No Egan? Permutation City ?

[GingerNinja]

MEMSDesign said:

Interesting list. Have read about two thirds of them. Also recommend 'The Diamond Age' by Stephenson. No Egan? Permutation City ?

Not heard of it, but looked just looked it up on Amazon and is now on my wish list. Thanks for the recommendation.

[JMGS4]

One for anyone with an engineering/motors bent
The Adventures of Samson Cogg...
can't remember the author but good fun, and real bikes cars engines i.e Vincent etc !!!!!

[stewy68]

Another for the engineers among us: Some Unusual Engines - L J K Setright. Can't get a copy anywhere.

[Marshy]

Couple of other Neal Stephenson books worth a look: Snowcrash (very Internet+20 years) and Zodiac. Both have a wicked sense of humour and a some what believeable future society.

[furby]

Crime and Punishment- dofchoiswhateberski, bit log and hard to get into but well worth it.
Bonfire of the Vanites-Tom Wolf , prob best book I have read, shite film though.
London Fields- Martin Amis, very funny very clever.
Any Brett Eastern Ellis, all mad as a fish esp glamourama but very good esp American Physco.
Travels with my Aunt- Graham Green, great yarn
many more but gotta do some work now.

[ceebmoj]

I like most of the disk world books by Tery pratchet

But in particular “Interesting Times” and Men at Arms”


A surprising read for me was “the mythical man month” witch was a recommended text at uni and also a surprisingly good read.

Am I the only person who thinks that the Hitchhikers guide is over rated?

Blake

[douglasr]

Harlan Coben's Tell No One and Gone for Good. The best page-turners I have come across in a while.

[GingerNinja]

douglasr said:

Harlan Coben's Tell No One and Gone for Good. The best page-turners I have come across in a while.

Have read both of these - not going to change your life or anything, but agree that are both excellent page turners - Tell No One was finished by me in one sitting. Excellent holiday reading material.

[mondeoman]

Animal Farm has to be read

oh, and anything by Heinlein ......

[Jamie H]

Lot of people on here seem to like Sci-Fi books. 1984 has been mentioned and that is fantastic, but for me Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' is even better. Published in 1932 and yet centres on subjects such as genetic engineering, antidepressant drugs, social engineering, and mass electronic entertainment.

[MEMSDesign]

Marshy said:

Couple of other Neal Stephenson books worth a look: Snowcrash (very Internet+20 years) and Zodiac. Both have a wicked sense of humour and a some what believeable future society.

Liked Zodiac. Didn't think too much of Snow Crash.

Stephenson also wrote 'Interface' and 'Cobweb', under the pseudonym of 'Stephen Bury'. Less sci-fi, more contemporary. Both worth a read if you're a fan.

He's also got two new novels out: 'Quicksilver' and 'The Confusion' set in the 1600s.

[MEMSDesign]

Jamie H said:

Lot of people on here seem to like Sci-Fi books. 1984 has been mentioned and that is fantastic, but for me Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' is even better. Published in 1932 and yet centres on subjects such as genetic engineering, antidepressant drugs, social engineering, and mass electronic entertainment.

Brave New World is OK, but I get more out of contemporary sci-fi (like Egan).

[JMGS4]

Jamie H said:

Lot of people on here seem to like Sci-Fi books. 1984 has been mentioned and that is fantastic, but for me Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World' is even better. Published in 1932 and yet centres on subjects such as genetic engineering, antidepressant drugs, social engineering, and mass electronic entertainment.

and funnily enough no one has mentioned Dune by Frank Herbert IMHO an icon in scifi......and as for Heinlein.....

[MEMSDesign]

JMGS4 said:

and funnily enough no one has mentioned Dune by Frank Herbert IMHO an icon in scifi......and as for Heinlein.....

Dune was great, but some of the sequels really lost the plot a bit.