Recommend a book!

[proudoftexas]

Most of the time when I start a thread like this, I try to restrict it in some way.

I tried to do some research in the forums to see if a book thread had been posted, but I couldn't find any. Although I have seen some movie/tv show threads.

I want to keep this one as open as possible.

Just recommend a book.

I don't care if it's something you're reading right now, or it's something you regularly recommend to folks, or it's your favorite book as a kid, if it's a biography, relationship/sex book, sci fi, history, romance, detective, religious, western, what have you. I don't care if you give one, five, many. I don't care if you give a simple list, describe what you like, what you don't like, what have you.

I think what we choose to read, or what we've read in the past, can often tell as much about ourselves as anything else.

I would just like to sincerely hear what any of you would recommend to someone to read, if given the opportunity.

[jbravo_123]

Maybe this thread would be a better fit for the Sandbox forum?

Anyways, I'll recommend a Memory of Light by Brandon Sanderson. It actually wasn't super amazing, imo, but it is the end to the most epic & famous fantasy series of our time.

[proudoftexas]

Maybe. But I guess the Sandbox doesn't have the appeal to me that this forum does. Anything posted in there devolves into a liberal versus conservative free for all, with no attempt made at discussion whatsoever, other than Yummy's sticky thread.

Which is okay. It just makes it unappealing.

Going through the archive of posts, I've seen a wide ranging and eclectic series of topics discussed on here. I don't think a thread about books --- although in all honesty, it really is too broad of a category --- is out of place on here. I'd just like to see what people's thoughts are.

And yes, I'd have to say I agree with your assessment regarding "most epic and famous fantasy series of our time," as hyperbolic as that may seem at first glance.

I have a rule that goes back many years, that I will not read a series until the series is finished. Well, my Dad, who I was very close to, got started on that damn Wheel of Time series. As you well know, the first several books are absolutely amazing. I quickly caught up with him in the series, and we'd discuss it. It was fun.

But then came the interminable downslide. You could tell Robert Jordan had no idea how he was going to wrap up all these wonderful loose threads he had created. He was suffering from severe writer's block. I'd read one of his damn tomes, finish it, and wonder, "I mean, did he forward the story at all?"

Then Dad died before Jordan ever did, which ruined the whole thing for me. It was the worst "I told you so" of my life. I'm glad I started it, because it was fun sharing it with Dad, but it certainly cemented I don't want to do it again. I've never started Game of Thrones for that reason, and I'd liked George R. R. Martin's short stories prior to him starting on the series that has made him famous.

Have you read Sanderson's The Way of Kings? Just curious how the comparison would be.

[Guest121613]

I always liked reading, but seem to not find the time anymore. When I did read, I liked many genres.

Historical/Biographical "in the hands of providence" joshua chamberlain
Scifi/fantasy "stranger in a strange land" robert heinlein (sp?)
Historical fiction "les miserables" victor hugo
Fiction "gunslinger" stephen king
Shorty story "the yellow wallpaper" can't remember author
Self help "the road less traveled" m scott peck
Religious - "ecclesiastes" solomon

my wfie start reading 50 shades of gray. Not sure how that impact my hobby interest, lol

[jbravo_123]

Yeah, the Sandbox forum is unfortunately spammed with political threads so threads like this do seem to get lost unless they get stickied.

Sorry to hear about your father, but at least you have the good memories of reading with him.

I actually had a lot of endurance for the Wheel of Time books and didn't come across I disliked until Crossroads of Twilight (the 10th? book). Each book would have at least some interesting parts or have an amazing last 20 pages that redeemed the entire book. If you kept on reading the series, I would actually say that Knife of Dreams, the last book that Jordan wrote before he died, was actually very good and felt like the books of old. That was the book where you could also really see Jordan starting to tie things up towards the end.

I actually felt Sanderson did a very good job with The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight and had really captured the voice and feel of the series. The last book just felt rushed because there were just so many things that needed to be done and honestly, I didn't see how the series could be ended without some feeling of a letdown.

I've read The Way of Kings as well and it was very good - I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I think it'll be much easier for him to write than WoT was since it's his own characters / world again.

If you like Sanderson's stuff, his Mistborn books are also very popular (and probably his most famous works outside of the WoT). I don't like many of Sanderson's characters but his world building skills are amazing.

Regarding GRRM: His Song of Ice and Fire books are of course very famous, but I really only liked the first three books. The 4th book was a letdown and the 5th book was just way over hyped considering it took him 7 years or so to write it. Now GRRM is all too involved with the HBO series and given his age, he'll probably die before finishing the series. If you like more modern setting stuff, I did enjoy his Wild Cards books (I've read the first 5 or so) as well.

[proudoftexas]

I don't read as much fantasy as I used to. But I'll always have a fondness for the genre. Thanks for the suggestion! Good one!

[JessicaKnightly]

I'm going to think about which books I would recommend, I have so many favorites.

But, I thought you might find this helpful:
http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=183795

[Liliana Vess]

Originally Posted by proudoftexas

Maybe. But I guess the Sandbox doesn't have the appeal to me that this forum does.

Kind of sad, because I would not normally go into this sub-forum. I never have before...I am not really champagne wishes and caviar dreams. Didn't know these topics were hiding here!

[proudoftexas]

Originally Posted by lostforkate

I always liked reading, but seem to not find the time anymore. When I did read, I liked many genres.

Historical/Biographical "in the hands of providence" joshua chamberlain
Scifi/fantasy "stranger in a strange land" robert heinlein (sp?)
Historical fiction "les miserables" victor hugo
Fiction "gunslinger" stephen king
Shorty story "the yellow wallpaper" can't remember author
Self help "the road less traveled" m scott peck
Religious - "ecclesiastes" solomon

my wife start reading 50 shades of gray. Not sure how that impact my hobby interest, lol

I got goosebumps looking up In the Hands of Providence. Literally.

I've never been into the Civil War enough to recognize his name immediately, and shame on me for that being the case. But of course I'm familiar with his story through other material, particularly Ken Burns' Civil War series. I've always thought of him as a textbook case on leadership. What a badass!

Robert Heinlein was in many ways the seminal golden age sci-fi writer, and I consider Stranger in a Strange Land his masterpiece. Reading him now it's funny seeing such a combination of old school conservatism combined with an outlook willing to challenge the current social mores, and no where was this better reflected in this book. I grok this book!

I never read Les Miserables, although I did read The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Of course I'm familiar with the story, having seen it in a fantastic TV series, a movie, and various forms of the musical, although I haven't seen the incarnation currently in movie theaters. Timely suggestion.

I never read the Gunslinger series. I had a Stephen King fetish as an elementary kid. Even did a book review on The Stand that horrified my teacher in the 5th grade. But after Cujo and Christine back to back, I lost most of my interest. I know Gunslinger is an entirely different genre, and many of my friends rave about it. I'm sure I'd like it. The dude knows how to tell a story. Perhaps I'll take a look.

Don't know anything about The Yellow Wallpaper.

And, of course, The Road Less Traveled is seminal.

Ecclesiastes is a fascinating choice. I've become enamored with Nicholas Taleb over the last few years. One of his constant aphorisms is to "Listen to the wisdom of the Elders." I can think of no better example of this than Ecclesiastes. Awesome.

I can't speak on 50 Shades of Gray, but if it opens up more people to their sexuality in a healthy way, I'm all for it. Goodness knows it's popular, and generator of discussion.

Hopefully it leads to more fruitful passion in your own home life!

Thanks for the post, lostforkate. I always like reading your contributions. This one was terrific!

[proudoftexas]

Shame on me for not seeing that one!

I looked! I promise I did.

Meeting some folks for dinner. House of Pies, here I come! Not exactly gourmet, but it's a fun place in Houston. I'll check out the thread later.

And I'm counting on you to contribute! I don't care what you come up with, I know I'm going to like it.

Originally Posted by JessicaKnightly

I'm going to think about which books I would recommend, I have so many favorites.

But, I thought you might find this helpful:
http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=183795

[CarolineDavenport]

Classic Fiction: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Though I've never read anything by him I didn't like. I'm currently reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but so far I feel like it's impressed with itself enough for the both of us. I wanted to read it so I could compare it with the upcoming film, and typically I'm disappointed in films when they are based on a novel, but this one may be different, as I'm not enjoying the novel much. I know, I'm the only one and everyone loves it. I'm just being honest.

Modern Fiction: No real recommendations, though I'm also currently reading a book called Hopeless that was well-reviewed on Amazon. It is amusing, but definitely a girly book. Stone Butch Blues was an interesting read recommended by a friend, but it is certainly not for everyone, and was difficult to connect with sometimes. Piers Anthony's Xanth series is a good fantasy choice if you like amusing, light-hearted fiction that doesn't make you think too much.

Non-Fiction: Hmm. Probably The Kindness of Strangers, though honestly most of my reading is either in article format, or else it is fiction. I'm a bigger fan of documentaries than non-fiction books. And don't get me started on the self-help genre. A plague on their houses! :P

[Guest121613]

Ty for the feedback.

I first read "stranger in a strange land" about 25 years ago, and really groked it, lol, and I did pick it up again recently, and it was hard to get into.

The gunslinger series, the first book was great, and each one the series got stranger, and less interesting, but I remenber, "the gunslinger", I read it in just a couple days, could not put it down from the first sentance, till the end. I think I even foregone sleep.

I read quite a bit of stephen king, and I liked the tommyknockers as well

[Guest121613]

Yes, these piers anthony is a fun read. I also liked the "incarnations of immortality" series he did.

Originally Posted by CarolineDavenport

Piers Anthony's Xanth series is a good fantasy choice if you like amusing, light-hearted fiction that doesn't make you think too much.

[proudoftexas]

The Count of Monte Cristo is on my top 5 desert island list. The greatest revenge story ever told. And yeah, all of his popular books that I've read I loved. Interesting how his storytelling isn't as dated as some of his contemporaries.

On The Great Gatsby, so much of our experiences are driven by our expectations. When we've been told over and over again how great something is --- especially by people we like and trust --- it's very easy for OUR personal experience to be met with disappointment.

I do think The Great Gatsby is a story best appreciated with multiple readings, but that's an easy thing for anyone to say. Its power as the so-called Great American Novel is in as much the lyricism of it, and capturing a time and feeling, as it is the plot, of which there isn't much. I can certainly appreciate you not enjoying the book. I would always prefer people find something they actually like, than soldier through an experience that they hate, whether it's a book, movie, or what have you.

Wow! Hopeless certainly has a fan club. I love hearing about girly books. It's not a genre I'm familiar with. I'd check it out. It's 302 pages. I bet I could knock it out pretty quickly.

Never heard of Stone Butch Blues before. It looks like a challenging story. My only real personal experience with a transgender was when an employee at a company I'm involved with made the switch from being a man to a woman, including name change, plumbing change, and everything. She was terrific at her job (web programming) so the rest of it didn't matter, but it was interesting to watch how the management and culture of the company (it's a startup) handled it.

I consider Piers Anthony somewhat of a literary mortal enemy, but I realize my strong negative reaction is in the minority. Cannot stand that guy. Any number of reasons why, but I remember being so furious at his depiction of the perfect chick, who would undergo a metamorphoses from a beautiful bimbo, to a plain, normal personality, to a hyper intelligent, ugly hag, and how the male character she was partnered to figured out that she was the perfect person for him. Meh. I have an irrational contempt for that guy. Doesn't make it right. I can't help myself.

Jesus, Caroline. The Kindness of Strangers looks powerful. Child abuse is one of my big, big hot buttons, whatever its source. Not sure how I'd feel about reading it, but it looks compelling.

Yeah, I mostly read articles now, too. I disappoint myself. It's tough when a person creates an identity for themselves, and then later in life can't follow through as well with that identity. I've been a voracious reader throughout my life, but in the last few years I haven't invested the time required to read whole books. Too busy working, various volunteer activities, and playing on message boards, lol. But threads like these always manage to spark some interest, which is why I do it.

There's a lot of cheese (haha! Oh, I crack myself up!) in the self help category, no doubt.

Some of my favorite writers are in the success literature genre, but I can easily argue that one of the most destructive paradigm shifts in Western discourse came about with Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. Which doesn't make it a bad book. I think it's a terrific book. But it had horrible unforeseen consequences. Prior to that book, a conversationalist was held in high regard on their own merits. Social status was often determined by an individual's ability to engage in repartee.

As the influence of that work permeated society, the importance began to be placed on the sales and networking ability of the conversationalist. Certainly, I've been rewarded for my abilities in that regard, but I do feel like we've lost something as a cultural mandate that existed prior to Carnegie's publication.

Great stuff, Caroline! I'll see how I can do regarding Hopeless and the Kindness of Strangers. They'll at least find a place on my bookshelf/iPad! I appreciate your post.

Originally Posted by CarolineDavenport

Classic Fiction: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Though I've never read anything by him I didn't like. I'm currently reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but so far I feel like it's impressed with itself enough for the both of us. I wanted to read it so I could compare it with the upcoming film, and typically I'm disappointed in films when they are based on a novel, but this one may be different, as I'm not enjoying the novel much. I know, I'm the only one and everyone loves it. I'm just being honest.

Modern Fiction: No real recommendations, though I'm also currently reading a book called Hopeless that was well-reviewed on Amazon. It is amusing, but definitely a girly book. Stone Butch Blues was an interesting read recommended by a friend, but it is certainly not for everyone, and was difficult to connect with sometimes. Piers Anthony's Xanth series is a good fantasy choice if you like amusing, light-hearted fiction that doesn't make you think too much.

Non-Fiction: Hmm. Probably The Kindness of Strangers, though honestly most of my reading is either in article format, or else it is fiction. I'm a bigger fan of documentaries than non-fiction books. And don't get me started on the self-help genre. A plague on their houses! :P

[proudoftexas]

I just read that thread. It makes me a little sad. There are some really neat posters in there who for one reason or another chose to stop posting on this forum.

Going back through the threads, there are some really great conversations. You especially see it in the beginning, as the old ASPD forums were blowing up, and regulars from the apparently legendary HDH forum over there found this place as somewhere to migrate to.

I'd be interested to hear why the members of the community went their separate ways. I've looked up several of the handles. Many of them are still posting on Eccie, but not here. Oh, well. It's none of my business, really.

I do always find it interesting why communities come together, and then later fall apart. London Rayne makes a Joel Osteen reference in the thread you linked to. Osteen is always talking about how people come into our lives for "a reason, a season, or a lifetime" and it's not for us to know at the time we meet someone new, as to which category they're supposed to belong.

Anyway, that's a terrific thread. Thanks for pointing it out!

Originally Posted by JessicaKnightly

I'm going to think about which books I would recommend, I have so many favorites.

But, I thought you might find this helpful:
http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=183795