59 replies to this topic

[MtlJeff]

I never was a big book reader, but in the past few years i've had to travel a bit more for my job. Sometimes to Asia which from Montreal is a brutal flight not to mention the downtime in airports. I also made a concerted effort to stop learning for a few years after finishing college, as i was trying to mostly just fill my brain with girls phone numbers.

But the past few years (i'm 31 now) i've really gotten into it. I don't like fiction, so usually stick to non-fiction or opinion based stuff. Mostly related to general world knowledge or history (not very big on money making or investing books, though i probably should give a few a try)

Wondering what you guys are into, or if based on some of the stuff i've read if you have any suggestions....Here's some of my favorites from the past few years:

-All the Gladwell books (yeah not very original i know)
-All the Bill Bryson books (a short history of nearly everything is a classic, i like "at home" better though, A walk in the wild is great...Bryson is really good)
-The Psychopath Test, and The men who stare at goats, from Jon Ronson
-A brief history or time, Stephen Hawking
-The blind Watchmaker, Richard Dawkins
-Here on Earth, Tim Flannery
-Into thin air , and into the wild, from Jon Krakauer
-All the Chuck Klosterman books (I never thought someone could make you think about pop culture so much)
-This will make you smarter, John Brockman
-The world without us, Alan Weisman
-Brain Candy and Brain Trust from Garth Sundum ( not really books but full of factoids)
-The world in 2050, Laurence Smith
-Moonwalking with Eistein, Josh Foar
-Jack Welsh's books from the gut, and winning
-The War for Late Night from Bill Carter (actually pretty interesting)

I also read a lot of short articles/papers about astronomy which is a hobby of mine

What about you guys? BTW Thrillhouse playboy does not count

[Anchor44]

Yeah Dude, i like read books but not, uh like stuff.

[MtlJeff]

this is off to a good start

[teeitlow]

Autobiography, military, anything about self-survival, mechanics, welding, and solar power is one of my favorites right now...child education is great if you don't get too caught up in just one theory.
I think books keep people more rounded in this day and age vs video games and television.
good thread
-D

[MtlJeff]

teeitlow, on 03 February 2013 - 06:58 PM, said:

Autobiography, military, anything about self-survival, mechanics, welding, and solar power is one of my favorites right now...child education is great if you don't get too caught up in just one theory.
I think books keep people more rounded in this day and age vs video games and television.
good thread
-D

I almost bought a survival book from Bear Gryllis last time i was in the store. It's actually on my list to get next time i go. There was a couple that looked good, i think i will try one of them

[teeitlow]

Bear's a media sensation, get yourself a book about trapping and you'll love it I'll PM you some of my favorites.
I dont want to get on the self-survival thing to much, but I I break out the the 300 ultra...because I'm lazy.
-D

[hoosiervolunteer]

Big reader here.  Always have been.  I read pretty much everything, but I've been on a big biography kick lately.  I like reading about famous/successful people and how they got where they are or how they came up with an idea/invention that changed things.

Even though I'm a 30something, I enjoyed the Hunger Games.  Really good story, but I've always been into scifi/fantasy stuff.

Right now I'm working on a book about Mount Everest and the people who climb it.  It's pretty crazy some of the stories.  When it comes down to it, a guy is on his own up there because it's so dangerous.  People have to leave their friends and family to die all the time at the final stages of the climb.  Great read.

[Bitz22]

Every John Sandford and Michael Connelly books.  Great detective books.

[MtlJeff]

hoosiervolunteer, on 03 February 2013 - 07:58 PM, said:

Big reader here.  Always have been.  I read pretty much everything, but I've been on a big biography kick lately.  I like reading about famous/successful people and how they got where they are or how they came up with an idea/invention that changed things.

Even though I'm a 30something, I enjoyed the Hunger Games.  Really good story, but I've always been into scifi/fantasy stuff.

Right now I'm working on a book about Mount Everest and the people who climb it.  It's pretty crazy some of the stories.  When it comes down to it, a guy is on his own up there because it's so dangerous.  People have to leave their friends and family to die all the time at the final stages of the climb.  Great read.

"into thin air", one of the books i put on the list is about one the deadliest everest climbs in history. Krakauer, the author, is a good climber and happened to be on the mountain for it to write an article for a magazine. He ended up writing a book about the disaster where something like 12 people died.

Pretty good book

[jurr80]

Yes, books are awesome.

Latest:
The art of power by John Meachem- great book on T.Jefferson

The Mystery of Golf- back in 1908, the concept was exactly the same as it is today in regards to the mental aspects of the sport. Great read.

Founding Brothers- another great history of the Founders.

The History of Rome by Livy- LONG read.

[jlt73]

I love books about the mob/mafia!  I also read musician/band biographies and some history

[MtlJeff]

^^^ i'd like to find a good history book that kind of encompasses modern civilization from start to finish. But i don't know of any...."A short history of nearly everything" is a great book from Bill Bryson, but is more centered around natural history and scientific discovery.

I'd love to find a book in that vein about human civilization, but i'm yet to see one. I bought Niall Ferguson's book "civilization: the west and the rest" but i wasn't crazy about it

i've stuck to reading articles about specific time periods. Greeks...Romans...the middle ages etc...but i don't know of any books that kind of summarize it. If there are any i'd be all over that

[chickenpotpie]

Into thin air had me wanting to climb Everest....then my wife asked WTF I was thinking (we just had a child as I was finishing it).  Too late I guess, LOL.

What I really enjoy on those long international flights are Sherlock Holmes short stories.  Each one takes about 30-40 minutes unless you read one of the longer ones.

Tales from Q-school is good.

Also, for you college football guys, 3 and out is awesome.  Really puts Rich Rodriguez in a different light.  For me, being a Michigan fan, you really leave shaking your head at the school and rooting for the guy.

[esketores]

I'm an "experienced" voracious reader. Which means many genre's have been explored.

Allan Eckert I found to be a good author. multiple books
W.E.B. Griffin
Issac Asminov's I Robot series. (Gotta read 'em all)
Robert Heinlein while being a different person wrote some books with rather interesting insights.
Jean Edward Smith's book about John Marshall is a worthwhile read.
Stephen Ambrose books about building the transcontinental railroad and the Lewis and Clark expedition are most excellent.
Gore Vidal's book about Lincoln. (Mary Todd would be sent to jail for corruption in today's world)

[MtlJeff]

chickenpotpie, on 03 February 2013 - 09:09 PM, said:

Into thin air had me wanting to climb Everest....then my wife asked WTF I was thinking (we just had a child as I was finishing it).  Too late I guess, LOL.

What I really enjoy on those long international flights are Sherlock Holmes short stories.  Each one takes about 30-40 minutes unless you read one of the longer ones.

Tales from Q-school is good.

Also, for you college football guys, 3 and out is awesome.  Really puts Rich Rodriguez in a different light.  For me, being a Michigan fan, you really leave shaking your head at the school and rooting for the guy.

Funny how i came across "into thin air", i was in Cuba and me and my wife were pretty beat after scuba diving all day. They get like 1 channel there and when we got back to the room, the movie "into thin air" was playing on that 1 network. It starred Christopher Mcdonald (shooter mcgavin) as Jon Krakauer and the movie was pretty bad....but after seeing it i bought the book as soon as i got home

[highergr0und]

Since you mentioned investing, you absolutely need to read Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.  It's a brilliant mix of philosophy, math, and finance, and you'll definitely look at the markets in a new light.

For a purely fun read, I suggest Freakonomics.  Interesting view of economics and how things can be a little wacky.

History books would be Guns, Germs, and Steel and the followup Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond.

[MtlJeff]

i forgot to mention i've read freakonomics and super freakonomics. I enjoyed super freakonomics better because it involved prostitutes. LOL

i will look into Fooled by Randomness though, thanks for the suggestion!

[isaacbm]

I grew up with a library in my house.  My parents didn't let us watch TV.  I think there were over 10000 books in our house at one point.  So I learned to love it.  Still do.  Not a lot of fiction... Lately, I've been into autobiographies of famous people in finance.

[Dr. Shankenstein]

Love to read. I tend to gravitate towards fiction. I thought the Hunger Games series was great (I am 43 and my 11yo got me reading them). Lately I have really enjoyed Steig Larsson's trilogy, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and Wally Lamb. Krakaur's books are good reads. If you liked Thin Air, you must read Touching the Void by Joe Simpson. Bill Bryson is great as well, loved that book (can't remember the title) of his time on the AT.
I got a stack of Carl Hiaasen books I might start knocking down as soon as I get caught up with my text book reading (gone back to school).

[MtlJeff]

Dr. Shankenstein, on 03 February 2013 - 10:31 PM, said:

Love to read. I tend to gravitate towards fiction. I thought the Hunger Games series was great (I am 43 and my 11yo got me reading them). Lately I have really enjoyed Steig Larsson's trilogy, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and Wally Lamb. Krakaur's books are good reads. If you liked Thin Air, you must read Touching the Void by Joe Simpson. Bill Bryson is great as well, loved that book (can't remember the title) of his time on the AT.
I got a stack of Carl Hiaasen books I might start knocking down as soon as I get caught up with my text book reading (gone back to school).

the Bryson book about the Appalachian trail is called "a walk in the wild" and it's awesome. I read it on the way to Shanghai last april. Bryson is a terrific writer who is really engaging. He has a way of incorporating a lot on information into just general storytelling

[stinger12345]

MtlJeff, on 03 February 2013 - 05:19 PM, said:

I also made a concerted effort to stop learning for a few years after finishing college, as i was trying to mostly just fill my brain with girls phone numbers.

This is currently the stage I'm in right meow.  So, the only books I've "read" are the ones that are made into movies.

[Boogaloo_Jones]

Yes, I read Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey.

[MattTheTaff]

MtlJeff, on 03 February 2013 - 07:20 PM, said:

teeitlow, on 03 February 2013 - 06:58 PM, said:

Autobiography, military, anything about self-survival, mechanics, welding, and solar power is one of my favorites right now...child education is great if you don't get too caught up in just one theory.
I think books keep people more rounded in this day and age vs video games and television.
good thread
-D

I almost bought a survival book from Bear Gryllis last time i was in the store. It's actually on my list to get next time i go. There was a couple that looked good, i think i will try one of them

I wouldn't bother with Bear Gryllis tbh, he's regarded as a bit of a joke here in the uk.

I would recommend anything by Ray Mears or John Lofty Wiseman's Ultimate SAS Survival Handbook if you're into that sort of thing.

Also I would highly recommend Paddy Mayne's autobiography. He was an accomplished amateur golfer and played Rugby at the highest level prior to WW2. He was then recruited to be one of the founding members of the SAS. Astonishing life and proper nutcase!

[deadsolid...shank]

Everyone in my family is a heavy duty reader. Books are stashed in every corner of the house, and most are reread dozens of times (unless it's pretty bad). Now we've all gone to the Nooks so the hard copy purchases have lessened. Mostly the wife and myself are fiction readers, both of us really enjoyed the Hunger Games series, I grew up with Louis Lamour (have almost all of his books) and now enjoy Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn.  Also reread a lot of my golf fiction novels, Dan Jenkins and Rick Reily amoung a few others.  My son who is in seminary has always been a big history and biography reader, and at times will be reading multiple books at one time, something I've never been able to do, now of course he's really into the deep stuff. Anytime we fly, we always make sure to have something new for the flight.

[Chief Illiniwek]

stinger12345, on 03 February 2013 - 11:47 PM, said:

MtlJeff, on 03 February 2013 - 05:19 PM, said:

I also made a concerted effort to stop learning for a few years after finishing college, as i was trying to mostly just fill my brain with girls phone numbers.

This is currently the stage I'm in right meow.  So, the only books I've "read" are the ones that are made into movies.

Firstly, I LOL'd.

Secondly, not much fiction talk but anyone interested in some light reading historical fiction needs to try out Bernard Cornwell. His "Warlord" trilogy about Arthur makes all other Arthur tales look stupid. Very raw, you feel like you're in dark ages Britain.

Aside from Cornwell I mostly read non fiction history. Civil war in junior high and high school, and now mostly middle ages and older. I like swords.

[mshills]

MtlJeff, on 03 February 2013 - 09:00 PM, said:

^^^ i'd like to find a good history book that kind of encompasses modern civilization from start to finish. But i don't know of any...."A short history of nearly everything" is a great book from Bill Bryson, but is more centered around natural history and scientific discovery.

I'd love to find a book in that vein about human civilization, but i'm yet to see one. I bought Niall Ferguson's book "civilization: the west and the rest" but i wasn't crazy about it

i've stuck to reading articles about specific time periods. Greeks...Romans...the middle ages etc...but i don't know of any books that kind of summarize it. If there are any i'd be all over that

I've likewise never found anything so broad as to cover "human civilization" as a whole, but as far as pretty heavy, broad-ranging history, here are some that I'm either reading or have read:

Churchill:  A History of the English Speaking Peoples.  Magnificent.  I love it, but as I'm sure you already know, it's not a fast read!  I'm about 2/3 of the way through the series.

Churchill's WWII memoirs are a must.  I set myself a goal a few years ago to read all six volumes in one calendar year.  I did it, but I now want to go back and read them again without any self-imposed time pressure.

Both of these series just boggle the mind as far as the amount of research and record-keeping that would have gone into pulling it off.  Of course he had a whole staff working for him on these projects, but still...

Leon Uris:  Exodus and Leon Uris:  Armageddon are two of my favorite historical novels.  Exodus is an all-time classic, but I think Armageddon is as good.  Highly recommend.

Now that I think more about it, Paul Johnson has a few books that might line up with what you are looking for.  I have A History of the Modern World and The History of the Jews on my bookshelf, but I'll admit that I haven't gotten started on them yet.

[Myherobobhope]

MtlJeff, on 03 February 2013 - 08:12 PM, said:

hoosiervolunteer, on 03 February 2013 - 07:58 PM, said:

Big reader here.  Always have been.  I read pretty much everything, but I've been on a big biography kick lately.  I like reading about famous/successful people and how they got where they are or how they came up with an idea/invention that changed things.

Even though I'm a 30something, I enjoyed the Hunger Games.  Really good story, but I've always been into scifi/fantasy stuff.

Right now I'm working on a book about Mount Everest and the people who climb it.  It's pretty crazy some of the stories.  When it comes down to it, a guy is on his own up there because it's so dangerous.  People have to leave their friends and family to die all the time at the final stages of the climb.  Great read.

"into thin air", one of the books i put on the list is about one the deadliest everest climbs in history. Krakauer, the author, is a good climber and happened to be on the mountain for it to write an article for a magazine. He ended up writing a book about the disaster where something like 12 people died.

Pretty good book

True story: I was at a dance with a girl when she found out her dad was stranded on mt everest (Dr. Beck Weathers)... he's now a motivational speaker and she does roller derby.

As for non-fiction, I enjoyed Ben Mezrich's early books (Ugly Americans, Rigged, Bringing Down the House) and all of Micheal Lewis's books (Moneyball, The Blindside, The Big Short, Liar's Poker [probably my favorite], Boomerang, The New New Thing).

http://www.amazon.co...g/dp/0316010731 was really good as well.

I also read alot of Fantasy/Sci Fi, cause I'm a geek.

Oh, and if you have a kindle, there was an interesting book about Bandon Dunes that was $2, which was well worth it.

http://www.amazon.co...ds=bandon dunes

[sgniwder99]

I really enjoy David Foster Wallace's essays. If I were going to start somewhere with his stuff, I'd probably start with "Consider the Lobster" and Other Essays.

[Woodridge]

Bitz22, on 03 February 2013 - 07:59 PM, said:

Every John Sandford and Michael Connelly books.  Great detective books.

+1 on these...Some other authors I like in this genre.

Richard Stark
John Connelly
Denis Lehan
Lee Childs
Ian Rankin
Jo Nesbro
Hennig Mankell
John D. McDonald
Ross McDonald
Lawrence Block

Other fiction writers I like include

Richard Ford
David Foster Wallace
John Updike
John Cheever

Non-fiction

William Least-Moon
Lawrence Wright- Especially the Scientology book that just came out.
Rick Bragg
John Maxwell

Golf

It starts and stops with Bernard Darwin for me.

[MtlJeff]

Myherobobhope, on 04 February 2013 - 04:29 PM, said:

MtlJeff, on 03 February 2013 - 08:12 PM, said:

hoosiervolunteer, on 03 February 2013 - 07:58 PM, said:

Big reader here.  Always have been.  I read pretty much everything, but I've been on a big biography kick lately.  I like reading about famous/successful people and how they got where they are or how they came up with an idea/invention that changed things.

Even though I'm a 30something, I enjoyed the Hunger Games.  Really good story, but I've always been into scifi/fantasy stuff.

Right now I'm working on a book about Mount Everest and the people who climb it.  It's pretty crazy some of the stories.  When it comes down to it, a guy is on his own up there because it's so dangerous.  People have to leave their friends and family to die all the time at the final stages of the climb.  Great read.

"into thin air", one of the books i put on the list is about one the deadliest everest climbs in history. Krakauer, the author, is a good climber and happened to be on the mountain for it to write an article for a magazine. He ended up writing a book about the disaster where something like 12 people died.

Pretty good book

True story: I was at a dance with a girl when she found out her dad was stranded on mt everest (Dr. Beck Weathers)... he's now a motivational speaker and she does roller derby.

As for non-fiction, I enjoyed Ben Mezrich's early books (Ugly Americans, Rigged, Bringing Down the House) and all of Micheal Lewis's books (Moneyball, The Blindside, The Big Short, Liar's Poker [probably my favorite], Boomerang, The New New Thing).

http://www.amazon.co...g/dp/0316010731 was really good as well.

I also read alot of Fantasy/Sci Fi, cause I'm a geek.

Oh, and if you have a kindle, there was an interesting book about Bandon Dunes that was $2, which was well worth it.

http://www.amazon.co...ds=bandon dunes

wow that's Crazy!. Beck Weathers was a central figure in the book and probably the craziest story of the whole thing, how he ended up living in the end based on the details of everything that happened to him....