Recommend a book to me

[Holdstrong]

In case you miss it on Cert:

In about 15 days or so I will be heading out on a 133 mile hike... and as usual I plan onKurt Vonnegut taking one or two paper backs with me for those early nights in the lean-tos

It is really a great chance to get some good quality reading done and I try to bring books that will hit me between the eyes. Either inspire me, open me up to something I hadnt thought about, expand my interests, or just make me say "damn thats a good book!" etc etc etc.... In other words, I try to bring something out of the ordinary and special.

Any suggestions?

[Slider451]

I saw your CertTutor thread. Sounds like a great opportunity to get away from it all, clear your mind, and indulge in some brain candy. I'm envious.

As a new Army Lieutenant, I've been reading a lot of military novels, particularly those that focus on values and character. Here's a few you may enjoy:

Ender's Game (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0812550706/qid=1092074900/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-1169337-8279057)

Once an Eagle (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0061030864/qid=1092074334/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-1169337-8279057?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

Black Hawk Down (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140288503/qid=1092074961/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-1169337-8279057)

I'm also planning to read Starship Troopers, because I've heard the book is actually good, as opposed to the movie.

These may not be a good fit for a nature trip, but I'll leave that up to you.

[Holdstrong]

Thanks Jeff - Bob also suggested Ender's Game, and I do plan on picking it up to put in my pile of books to choose from.

Two other book I've consdiered lately (but not for the hike) are Jarhead (http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=1-0743244915-3) and Killing Pablo (http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=7-0142000957-2)

Figured they may be up your alley, have you read them?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, one of the classics I will be putting in my pile is: All Quiet on the Western Front (http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=65-0316739928-2)

[Slider451]

I'm a Mark Bowden fan after Black Hawk Down and have considered reading Killing Pablo. He was just on NPR with an opinion piece this morning. I linked it in the Linda Ronstadt (http://www.truthaddict.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=4168#post4168) thread.

Haven't heard too much about Jarhead from anyone I know. My brother is a Marine and served in Desert Storm twice. I was also active duty then, but served in Korea instead of the Gulf. I might read it for comparison to our experiences, but not on the top of my list at this point.

[Slider451]

All Quiet... good one. Also Red Badge of Courage. If I don't burn out on military books, I'll be reading both of them soon.

To show that I don't only read military novels, I also read Fahrenheit 451 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345342968/ref=cm_bg_f_3/103-1169337-8279057?v=glance&s=books) a couple months ago. The real one... by Ray Bradbury. It's a quick read and has a lot in common with George Orwell's 1984.

[marklutes]

Last week I ordered (but have yet to receive) "Michael Moore Is A Big Fat Stupid White Man" by David Hardy and "Unfit for Command : Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry" by John O'Neill. But I'm guessing those might not be tranquil reading materials by the camp fire. :)

I tend to be rather all over the place with my reading. But my old standbys are novels by Nelson Demille, Patricia Cornwell, and a few other mystery and serial killer type writers.

If you've never read Demille's "Charm School", I highly recommend it. It is set in the 1980s Soviet Union and has a cool story, even if it is from a different era. It would make great camp fire reading.

Oh, and have you ever read Robert Greene's "The 48 Laws of Power"? It's kind of a corporate level book that attempts to explain how interpersonal power is gained and lost. This is not a dull self help type book. Rather it is very well written and contains numerous examples from military history and ancient mythology to back up every assertion. It is a fascinating book, but it drops with Machiavellianism. I keep a copy at my office.

[jonb]

Here's a few I've finished lately that I would recommend:

Re-Imagine (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/078949647X) by Tom Peters

Dude, Where's My Country? (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0446693790) by Michael Moore

Every Second Counts (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0767914481) by Lance Armstrong

The One Minute Millionaire (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0609609491) by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen

[Orin]

Originally posted by marklutes
Last week I ordered (but have yet to receive) "Michael Moore Is A Big Fat Stupid White Man" by David Hardy and "Unfit for Command : Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry" by John O'Neill.

I think buying firelighters will be cheaper.

Enders Game always gets big ticks. I assume that you've read Walk in the Woods by Bryson?

[Holdstrong]

I have read Bryson's A Walk in the Woods. It was actually one of the books that helped inspire me to take this hike the first time (3 years ago) - Loved it.

Mark, I rarely, and I mean rarely, read fiction along the lines of Nelson Demille, or Clancy, or Grisham or anything quite like them. Not because I don’t enjoy it, but because they usually don’t make it up the queue very far as non-fiction and the classics and the occasional sci-fi book will leap frog them. In fact when I read Demilles name in your post it didn’t even ring a bell with me... until you mentioned Charm School. Which is literally the last book of this “type” I have read, and it was well over 5 years ago. Suggested to me by a girlfriend at the time, I resisted it and then gave in…. and it was AWESOME. God I loved that book… Can not believe someone hasn’t ruined it as a movie yet. If you have a suggestion along those lines, I probably won’t take it on this hike, but I’d love to tackle another one if it is as good as that one.

Jon, I actually considered "The Culture of Fear" and "House of Bush House of Saud" for the hike - the two books that helped inspire Moore's last two films..... but both are a bit "heavy", both figuratively and literally, for the trip.

I snagged Ender’s Game last night along with a bunch of others.

[marklutes]

Originally posted by Holdstrong
God I loved that book… Can not believe someone hasn’t ruined it as a movie yet. It's funny how even among avid Demille fans you can ask "what's your favorite of his books?" and you will unanimously hear "Charm School".

I'm with you -- I'm so glad someone hasn't made it into a movie. Although I'm rather surprised they haven't since the book still has such popularity.

I read another book that you might like but I'm stuggling to remember the title. I'll find it when I get home.

[enrious]

Plagues and People, William H. McNeill

[jonb]

Here's an interesting looking book I came across today on Amazon. I haven't read it but the reviews look pretty good.

The World's 20 Greatest Unsolved Problems (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0131426435)

It's very Truth Addict-ish in nature. :)

Science has reached dazzling heights of discovery, transforming civilization in the process. And yet, some of the most fundamental questions remain unsolved! In The World's 20 Greatest Unsolved Problems, author John Vacca-together with more than 60 of the world's greatest scientists-explains these problems in detail and describes the intellectual and technological hurdles to be overcome in order to solve them.

[Sandy]

I just wonder what you took?

[flex22]

I'm currently reading:

The Dictators
Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia

Richard Overy.

*chilling*

[jonb]

I'm currently reading/listening to (audiobooks are my new obsession) the following:

My Life by Clinton - Love it even if it's very detailed.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz - Classic book. It's the "Book of the Month" on another board I hange out at.
Compassionate Capitalism - This book is providing the impetus for the Give555.org Foundation we're starting. More on that later...
Power vs. Force - This one will knock your socks off if you haven't read it already.

Oh, and a bunch of business school stuff which ranges from amazing to trash. :)

[GSmith]

Third for "Ender's Game". Very good.
If you haven't read it, consider Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"
I'm wrapping up the Count of Monte Cristo myself. A really good read that definitely stands the test of time.

[Holdstrong]

Sandy, didnt mean to ignore your post... I just missed it and didnt realize there was any follow up activity to this thread. sorry :(

I ended up reading The Death of Ivan Ilych by Tolstoy and I did take Ender's Game with me and finished over 3 nights toward the end of the hike. I enjoyed them both. Ender's was very impressive.... I must admit to not picking up on what was going on until literally maybe a half page before it was revealed. I do think he went on maybe 5 pages too long as he started to loose me with the whole speaker of the dead thing... but I really did enjoy it and am glad it was recommended.

Jon, Does Bill read the whole book on the audio tape, or just the intro?

Greg - funny, I picked up the count while on my hike.... during one of my dips into town, when I thought I might run of reading material. Just tsratde reading it recently tho.....I'm about 50 pages from the end now. Kinda looking forward to renting the recent movie and see how they compare.

[jonb]

Jon, Does Bill read the whole book on the audio tape, or just the intro?

Just the intro. But what's cool is that the guy who reads the rest of the book sounds a lot like Clinton but actually has a better voice. :) I don't know about you but I think I would tire quickly of Clinton's raspy voice. The guy who reads is much better and often you actually forget that you aren't listening to Clinton. I'd highly recommend the audio version especially if have a long commute in which you can power through it.

[GSmith]

Glad you liked Ender's Game. I saw the Count movie about a year ago; the book blows it away (so I'm glad I did it in that order; please let me know what you think of the movie given your reverse order)

Card has a couple sequels for Ender's Game - that are also quite good. Even one for Bean's story that while you know some of what is going on, works well. The twist totally got me the first time I read it, but I was probably 15 then ;) Admit it, a decade ago, that would have been a complete surprise...

[BrianTheGreat]

If your into horror like me. Most of the King books are good. I really liked the TommyKnockers, IT, The Stand, and many of his other books. Knootz writes some good books but they do not scare me like King does. Shadow Fires is a good short book by Knootz. The Door to December was alright but kind of sucked.