Favorite books, bump when you read a good book |
Favorite books, bump when you read a good book |
Jan 10 2009, 11:12 AM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
Have you read any good books recently? Here's a roundup of my favorites that I read in 2008:
General fiction The Gone-Away World In the near future, much of the world has been rendered unhabitable, thanks to the effects of a great war and some unusual weaponry. Human society limps along in a narrow Livable Zone. Then the pipeline keeping that area stable catches on fire. Uh oh. A dark, comic, conspiracy-laden, epic debut that unfolds slowly in unexpected directions. Plenty of plot twists kept me involved in the story. Pirates? ninjas?? mimes??? It's a love-it-or-hate-it book, and I'm firmly in the love-it camp. The Art of Racing in the Rain Enzo, a lab-terrier mix and the narrator of this novel, is the companion of Denny, a struggling mechanic/racer. Enzo is a wise and philosophical dog who hopes to be reincarnated as a human (he saw a documentary on tv that suggested this was possible). In the meanwhile, he is a steadfast friend to Denny and Denny's family, and is witness to some of the darkest times in Denny's life. It's hard to describe this book without making it sound like a melodramatic mess, but it's an emotional, compelling look at the human--and canine--condition. (Edit: forgot the following) Last Night at the Lobster Manny is the conscientious manager of a Connecticut Red Lobster. He's committed to his job and should be the envy of any corporate restaurant chain. Despite his efforts, however, he's been informed that his location is performing below expectations and will be closed. He wants to have a great last day and lock the restaurant up with some sense of dignity and accomplishment. But fate intervenes in the form of a northeastern blizzard, keeping much of his crew from coming in and making customers few and far between. This novella deals with the mundane, but provides rich characters, good dialogue, and a pitch-perfect feeling of everyday life. |
Jun 23 2009, 10:11 AM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 195 Joined: 30-May 08 Member No.: 793 |
Recently I finished reading The Reader Very dark. It's a German author writing about people during post WWII Germany. It was quite a book.
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Jun 24 2009, 06:16 PM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 4-April 07 Member No.: 182 |
You want dark? I just finished Cormac McCarthy's "The Road". It's a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and son trying to survive. Now I am going to have to read a Christopher Moore book to ward off depression
Put simply, mean reversion is a bitch. -Vitaliy Katsenelson
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Jun 25 2009, 12:29 PM
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#4
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
You want dark? I just finished Cormac McCarthy's "The Road". It's a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and son trying to survive. Now I am going to have to read a Christopher Moore book to ward off depression I agree, but you do know what you're getting into when you read a post-apocalyptic book. It's not like I pick one up and think, "Hmm, end of the world, this ought to be good for some giggles." |
Jul 21 2009, 07:25 AM
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#5
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
Speaking of post-apocalypse, I just finished reading Earth Abides by George R. Stewart. A disease wipes out most of the human race, leaving only scattered survivors. Our main character Ish, a young geologist and a great observer, chronicles the path of humans in the years after the plague and the changes to the earth. Good stuff. Originally published in 1969.
Also enjoyed The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet. Tecumseh Sparrow Spivet is a 12 year old cartographer living on a ranch in Montana. He maps every detail of his life and surroundings, as well as providing maps and illustrations for leading publications and exhibits. When his mentor enters him for the prestigious Baird award for illustrators at the Smithsonian and he wins (the Smithsonian is unaware of his age), he embarks on a cross-country trip to the nation's capital hobo-style. T.S. is a unique and refreshing narrative voice. The book is copiously illustrated with T.S.'s maps and illustrations. Loved it. |
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