Must Read Books?

Off Topic
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Of interest to T-Men:

  1. Gates of Fire by Stephen Pressfield

  2. The Emperor Series by Conn Igguldon (Gates of Rome, Death of Kings, Field of Swords, and Gods of War)

  3. All of Chuck Pahlaniuk’s books (Fight Club, Survivor, Haunted, etc.)

  4. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King

  5. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

  6. Everything’s Eventual by Stephen King (his best short story collection)

  7. The Damnation Game and the Books of Blood by Clive Barker

  8. Herodutus’ Histories

  9. Conquest of Gaul by Gaius Julius Ceasar

  10. De Republica by Cicero

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fup by jim dodge.

also anything by the kinkster.

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I’ve read about 80% of these–and most of them are excellent selections. So I guess I’m considered well read.

Now for something completely different.

Crime Novels:

I recommend the Parker series by Richard Stark (aka Donald E. Westlake). I spent the last year tracking down every single one of them, in order, and I didn’t regret one moment of it. If you liked “Payback” you will love Parker. “The Hunter” is the first book, and “Nobody Runs Forever” is the latest. (But “Butcher’s Moon” is freaking unmatched.)

In that same vein, pick up some Elmore Leonard. His sense of dialogue is unmatched, and his pacing is uncanny. Highly recommended. “The Hot Kid” is his latest.

Fantasy:

The sine qua non of fantasy series is George RR Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire. Pick up the first one now and kiss your life goodbye for a while.

Memoirs:

Mike Magnusson’s memoirs “Lummox” and “Heft on Wheels: A Field Guide to doing a 180” have proven to be both truthful and inspirational.

Non-fiction:

For non-fiction, I like Steven Pinker. Cognitive Neuroscience is sweet.

Too, Richard Dawkins is always worth a look.

In terms of some people who have already been mentioned, Chuck Palahniuk’s first three novels are worth reading, and the rest are shit.

Neal Town Stephenson’s stuff is all good, especially the stuff that’s not about the fucking renaissance (put me to sleep).

King’s stuff is always compelling. He’s a very skilled storyteller. Though I agree that the last three Dark Tower novels went off the deep end.

And that’s about that.

Dan “Sell your TV and read more” McVicker

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I’ve recently been turned onto Kurt Vonnegut Jr. books by my dad. Actually, I have to read Slaughterhouse Five for English class (interesting so far, a bit “odd”, but interesting). I’m also starting Breakfast of Champions (flipped through it, and there’s just some FUNNY stuff in there, I mean… so funny you will laugh out loud or piss yourself if you have any sense of humor).

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I forgot to mention “I hope they serve beer in Hell” by Tucker Max. Very funny stuff.

I’ve also recently picked up the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy(actually “The Salmon of Doubt”) again and I have to say that Douglas Adams is seriously funny.

Quick SciFi picks:

Ribofunk by Paul Di Fillippo
Neuromancer by William Gibson

of course, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson … (also, the underrated “The Big U”)

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlen was always a favorite.

Jack Vance is always good for vocabulary expansion. The old Conan stories are fun.

Raymond Smullyan’s logic puzzles.

Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language, by Robin Dunbar.

The Big Con by David Maurer is good.

Okay, enough.

Dan “Sorry… I can’t stop…” McVicker

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[quote]Natural Nate wrote:
There was someone here that posted a link to a webpage that essentially tore that book apart, which I found very interesting. Was it you? Could you post it again?

Nevertheless, it’s still an interesting book.

malonetd wrote:
haney wrote:
Rich Dad Poor Dad

Robert Kiyosaki

I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with this one. It is filled with mistruths. For financial advice it is horrible, but I guess if you read it for motivational purposes, then it may be good.

[/quote]

Not sure if this is what you are looking for:

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[quote]Dan McVicker wrote:
I forgot to mention “I hope they serve beer in Hell” by Tucker Max. Very funny stuff.
[/quote]

I was in Borders today and this was on sale and I almost bought it. I’ve only read a few of his online stories and found them amusing, not hilarious. Is the book new stories, or is it just a collection of the online stuff? And is it really that funny?

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Yup that’s it. Thanks!

[quote]malonetd wrote:

Not sure if this is what you are looking for:

http://www.johntreed.com/Kiyosaki.html[/quote]

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[quote]malonetd wrote:
Dan McVicker wrote:
I forgot to mention “I hope they serve beer in Hell” by Tucker Max. Very funny stuff.

I was in Borders today and this was on sale and I almost bought it. I’ve only read a few of his online stories and found them amusing, not hilarious. Is the book new stories, or is it just a collection of the online stuff? And is it really that funny?[/quote]

Mostly reprinted.

My roommate is reading it to one of my friends right now. They are both crippled with laughter.

Dan “teh Funnay” McVicker

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Douglas Adams - if you liked the Hitchhiker’s Trilogy, check out his other books: Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul was great(IIRC, haven’t read it since HS, but plan on finding it again)

Nam Novel-

A Reckoning for Kings by Chris Bunch and Alan Cole…I was obsessed with Nam during JH and HS, and this was the best novel in that genre I have read

Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter…first book in a series, great book

Reagan’s War by Peter Schweizer

The One that Got Away was a great read, Chris even goes into his PTSD after the escape. It is related to Bravo Two Zero, written by the patrol leader Andy McNab. The two books disagree a bit on certain details, but if you want to find out what happened to the rest of the patrol after Chris got separated from them, Bravo Two Zero is a good addition. McNab also started writing fiction a few years ago, and has a whole series of novels written in the first person that are entertaining.

Inside Delta Force by Eric Haney… Haney was one of the first men selected to Delta, and this is his autobiography. Interesting stuff about the actual selection process they used back then, some of which is still in use today.

Catch-22 was great, I didn’t see what all the fuss over Catcher in the Rye was about(okay book but I didn’t understand the controversy).

If you enjoyed DaVInci Code, check out The Hiram Key by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas. Interesting stuff.

None Dare Call it Conspiracy by Gary Allen, google it, it is on line now.

Rule By Secrecy by Jim Marr was interesting, though he drew some really far out conclusions at the end. That is what kept me from reading any of his other books.

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[quote]jimmybango wrote:
The Five People you Meet in Heaven
by Mitch Albom[/quote]

LORD NO!!!

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fiction: Perfume by Patrick Suskind
non-fiction: A breif history of nearly everything by
Bill Bryson. Answers questions like “how do they weigh the earth?” I’m reading it a second time right now.

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If you are on any sort of spiritual path the book that I would recommend, and is part of a series of books by the same author, would be:

Power vs. Force, by David Hawkins.

You can check him out at www.veritaspub.com
And also at www.beyondtheordinary.net

Transformational is one word that would describe this book that ressonates a very high level of truth!

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[quote]malonetd wrote:
haney wrote:
Rich Dad Poor Dad

Robert Kiyosaki

I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with this one. It is filled with mistruths. For financial advice it is horrible, but I guess if you read it for motivational purposes, then it may be good.[/quote]

Personally I found it an interesting way of looking at things.

It also gave me a few ideas which I researched more, and have used with a great deal of success.

I usually only read books that give me ideas. The ideas when researched provede the real answers.

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Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

If you’ve never read her work before, begin with The Fountainhead.

Ex: "Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction…Blood, whips and guns or dollars. Take your choice. There is no other. And your time is running out!
— Atlas Shrugged

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Letters to Penthouse XXI.

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Yhe Warlord Chronicals

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Must Reads

one day in the life of ivan denisovich
prayer for owen meany
great gatsby
moby dick
Animal Farm
Machiavelli-Prince
Federalist Papers
Harrington on Holdem 1 and 2
Rise and Fall of the Great Powers
Two Treatises

Good Reads
Matt Matros-the making of a poker player is great book
Phil Gordon’s little green book
Rubicon
The Great Game
Offside, soccer and american exceptionalism

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Vengence (the movie Munich was based on)

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I hope they serve beer in hell by tucker max is one of the funniest books I have ever read.

I haven’t seen anyone mention A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kenedy Toole. Its simply an amazing book, one of my favourites.

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller is a fantastic satire set in world war 2. Everyone should read it.

The discworld series by Terry Prachett is as enchanting as it is hilarious.

Chuck Palahniuk-Probably my favourite writer atm although I did not really like ‘Haunted’. Pick up Fight Club, Survivor and Choke first. Lullaby is also great.

American Psycho-If you’ve seen the film and didn’t like it don’t worry. Its not even close to the book.

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt is a fantastic tale told compellingly about living with an alcoholic father in a poverty stricken family in Ireland. 'Tis is good too.

Hunter S.Thompsons work especially fear and loathing in las vegas.

I am sure I will think of more later.