Throwing Out Book Recommendations

Off Topic
1

Since the book recommendation threads on T-Nation threads are usually the awesomez I will throw some books out there, namely Geoffrey Regans “Military Plunders” series.

It is somewhere between awesome and frightening and you are laughing tears when you know that you should be weeping for the human race.

It is simply incredible what kind of generals managed to get thousands of their men killed or snapped defeat out of the jaws of victory when only a collosal act of stupidity, cowardice or buffonery could have done so.

As I said, should be sad, but is not.

Also, to whomever suggested Joe Abercrombie in the last thread I luvez you and I want to have and raise your children.

(Full Homo).

2

Just finished Bernard Cornwell’s “the fort”. Not my favorite of his, but an interesting glimpse into a battle in the revolutionary war and an interesting perspective on the historical Paul Revere.

3

“The Case for Gold”- Ron Paul
“Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet”- Victor Ludlow
“The Politically Incorrect guide to Environmentalism”- Horner

4

[quote]DoubleDuce wrote:
Just finished Bernard Cornwell’s “the fort”. Not my favorite of his, but an interesting glimpse into a battle in the revolutionary war and an interesting perspective on the historical Paul Revere.[/quote]

I read that a few weeks ago and it was just as you say, interesting. I’ve read most of is stuff, I’m a Sharpie fiend lol.

I’m looking for a good horror book to read myself. The last two or three I read were crap and they were authors you’d recognize. I don’t want an “evil presence” lying dorment for centuries to influence humans etc, whatever. I want a creature you can picture in your mind kind of horror book, gory but good.

Orion, this thread was for recommendations and requests I hope, not trying to hi-jack your two post old thread lol, not ment to.

5

I recommended a book last summer called “Citizen Hughes” about the last 15-20 years of Howard Hughes’ life. I remember a lot of people said it sounded interesting and that they’d check it out. Anyone read it yet?

6

Griftopia by Matt Taibbi. Goes over a lot of the less publicized [and downright sleazy] events that paved the way for the recent recession. Pretty good book, very entertaining.

7

[quote]DBCooper wrote:
I recommended a book last summer called “Citizen Hughes” about the last 15-20 years of Howard Hughes’ life. I remember a lot of people said it sounded interesting and that they’d check it out. Anyone read it yet?[/quote]

I’m just about done it. It’s really interesting, and he was a very quirky man.

8

I always recommend Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa but it is a long read at@1000 pgs in hardback. it won’t be to everyone’s taste but it is one of, if not the, best books I’ve ever read.

Lord of the barnyard : killing the fatted calf and arming the aware in the Corn Belt by Tristan Egolf. a snippet from Publishers Weekly Review
It’s a wild ride of a book, prone to stretches of excess, but also possessed of a manic, epic energy. It begins ferociously, thrusting the reader into the aftermath of the explosive melee that has torn apart Baker, a Midwestern town besotted by ne’er-do-wells and thieving churchgoers and rotting with municipal decay. As the narrative works backward, the “notorious” John Kaltenbrunner becomes the focus of the story. Described by his peers as “the freak on the tractor, the corncrib fascist, the troglodytic goatroper from just north of the river,” John is a driven, determined boy who proves capable of single-handedly reviving an entire farm by the age of nine. In dysfunctional Baker, however, John draws ire in direct proportion to his prodigious talents. Soon he’s been run off his land, siphoned penniless and exiled to a floating work-camp on a blighted river.

I am currently reading Redback by Kirk Russell and The Weiser Field Guide to Witches by Judika Illes.
I’m getting ready to read The Essential Marcus Aurelius. it’s a new translation by Jacob Needleman and John P. Piazza.

9

I have thousands. Here are a few of my favourites, all out of print:

‘A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars’ - Brig-General Esposito and Colonel Elting

  • This book was written and used as a textbook for Westpoint military history classes in 1967. It was abridged in 1972 then dropped altogether by 1989. It’s called ‘dumbing down the syllabus’.

If you want to study the Napoleonic Wars you’ll need David G Chandler’s ‘The Campaigns of Napoleon’ too. Both completely skip over the Peninsular War so you’ll also need the out of print, 7 Volume epic ‘The History of the Peninsular War’ by Charles Oman.

‘By Ships Alone: Churchill and the Dardanelles’ - Jeffrey G Wallin

  • Essential but out of print source on the Dardanelles fiasco that led to the Gallipoli campaign.

‘Gustavus Adolphus’ - Theodore Ayrault Dodge

  • Those into military history will know about Dodge and his flaws but this remains THE paramount work on Gustavus. It’s the only one of Dodge’s great captains books out of print.

‘Operation Long Jump’ - Leo Kessler

  • Very interesting and little known joint Abwehr/SS plan to assassinate Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt at their first meeting in Tehran. Walter Schellenberg appears to have been the mastermind and Otto Skorzeny was going to lead the assault but it fucked up and ended in the advance agents getting caught(one had time to blow himself up with a suicide vest).

‘Operation Long Jump’ was published in 1993 and uses ‘Hitler’s Plot to Kill the Big Three’ - Laslo Havis, as its main source. More information on the plan came to light recently when Walter Henry Thompson’s(Churchill’s bodyguard) full memoirs were released.

10

Fantasy:
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
-Follow the life of Kvothe, a young musician and arcanist, as he struggles to overcome poverty, learn the history of the mystical “Chandrian”, and learn who he really is. Currently only two books of this series are out, but they are both awesome reads. Starts with “The Name of The Wind”

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
-A series of political intrigue set in a fictional feudal society. Tons of political alliances and betrayals. Not a series you can just skim through, but undoubtedly one of the best fantasy series out there. Starts with “A Game Of Thrones”. Currently unfinished, with 5 out of 7 books released.

Waylander by David Gemmell
-a deadly assassin finds out what his true character holds when he finds the fate of a great many innocent people depending on his actions.

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson
-A subjugated people rise up against the all powerful government of the time, takes a very intersting take on magic, one gains powers by “burning” metals that they ingest. Different metals give different strengths, and people can only “burn” certain metals. Starts with “The Final Empire”.

The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore
-A drow elf (dark elf) growing up in a world of evil and his struggle to remain uncorrupted by the evils of society. Starts with “Homeland”.

Sci-Fi/Alt History:
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card
-Humanity’s struggle against the “Bugger” aliens lies in the hands of a young boy named Ender.

The Worldwar Series by Harry Turtledove
-Reptilian aliens invade during WWII, humanity bands together to fight against them, takes the technology and political situations of the times into account very well. Starts with “In the Balance”.

Historical Fiction:
Emperor Series by Conn Iggulden
-Fictional story incorporating the lives of Brutus and Julius Caesar, incorporating a lot of the key events from their lives. Starts with “The Gates of Rome”.

Current Fiction:
The Dresden files by Jim Butcher
-a wizard publicizes himself in the yellowpages as a Wizard in Chicago, a very good series. Starts with “Storm Front”.

If anyone has something to add to these descriptions, feel free. That’s just what I think of when I remember each of these series.

11

Re. Blaze

I like SF and at least some fantasy. Try some of the british SF authors. Anything from Alastair Reinolds is awesome. “Glasshouse” by Charles Stross was great. Some of Peter Hamilton’s stuff is great entertainment. Lots of the SF novels from the UK are really thought provoking as well as being fun.

For fantasy I recommend the Locke Lamora books from Scott Lynch, and Chris Wooding’s Ketty Jay stories. Excellent fun!

12

I recommend throwing out books that are moldy, falling apart, or written by Nicholas Sparks.

13

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman is really good.
I also enjoyed The Warded Man quite a bit, it feels like an RPG, which is always cool.

14

On a simple note, I just finished “Under the Dome” by Stephen King. Kept me turning pages.

15

@ Bond James Bond
Try Bret Easton Ellis’s “American Pyscho”. The feature film did not do it justice. Very dark humor/horror and pretty graphic in terms of goriness. If you hated the movie, i still reccommend the book as I didnt exactly take to/understand the characters in the film at first, until after i read the novel.
now…I have to go return some videotapes…

16

Chick Books: Books that I like are by default chick books :slight_smile:

Silly Stuff
-Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Jane Austin and Seth Grahame-Smith
I liked the original and the new improved with zombies and ninjas

-Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I have never read a biography of Lincoln so I have no idea how close it is.

All time favorite
-The Robber Bride, Margaret Atwood
I first read this when I was 20 or 21 and it is interesting how my interpretation of the book changes as I get older. Who I identify with, that sort of thing.

17

[quote]Charlie Horse wrote:
-Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
I have never read a biography of Lincoln so I have no idea how close it is.
[/quote]

A buddy of mine read that and said it was pretty good. I’m interested in checking it out

18

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. LOL. That’s the funniest title I’ve ever seen, and I used to work in a book store.

19

John Dies at the End

a great blend of soul sucking horror and comedy. It’s basically about leaving the fate of the world in the hands of a deadbeat alcoholic and a high school dropout.

20

[quote]captaincalvert wrote:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. LOL. That’s the funniest title I’ve ever seen, and I used to work in a book store.[/quote]
Also written by Seth Grahame-Smith
I forgot to add that.

He also adapted another Jane Austin book, Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters.