Time for a new book - any suggestions?

[dookeyXXX]

In regards to French books about WWI, I stumbled upon this list:

https://shepherd.com/best-books/fran...irst-world-war

The author also mentions a novel called Le Feu (Under Fire) by Henri Barbusse…

[bennymac]

This fall/winter I did a deep dive on WW1 followed by WW2 media. Books and movies (fiction and non fiction). Probably read 20 books and watched 30 films and documentaries.

I really enjoyed the Oxford Press “short introduction” books on each of these wars - I found they gave the perfect level of detail to give you the overview of how it played out.

I believe there is currently 3 movie adaptations of “all quiet”. I watched the middle one and the most recent one.

That war came at a perfect storm time where technology and tactics were evolving yet the message hadn’t been received by everyone involved (or was ignored). High ranking officers just sending masses of men to certain death in a war of attrition between trenches. So crazy and sad.

I still have more to consume but I’m taking a break for the summer to read about other themes such as sailing stories and books about trees - currently reading “The Bounty” about the mutiny of that ship.

[oldnew_guy]

Sweet, I'll add that one to the list.

I'd give the edge to Harlem Shuffle.

Yes, I've read that one. I think I'm giving the edge to Nickel Boys at this point.

The Underground Railroad (same author) was great as well.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. This one is hard to put down. I started it about two days ago and I'm almost finished. The story follows a black teenager named Elwood who gets thrown into the Nickel Academy (a juvenile reform camp) in the '60s. The story alternates between his life at the school and the present day. This novel won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2020.

Thanks for the recommendations...Harlem Shuffle and The Underground Railroad were both great. Fantastic author.

[yeahman]

Thanks for the recommendations...Harlem Shuffle and The Underground Railroad were both great. Fantastic author.

Cool. I recently saw that a sequel to Harlem Shuffle just came out, psyched to read it.

[dookeyXXX]

Picked this up at the local used bookstore last month.
It’s a quick and breezy read that analyzes Cage’s career, as well as the shifting business trends of Hollywood.
My only critique is that the last few chapters feel incredibly rushed. I would have enjoyed more insight into Cage’s recent arthouse resurgence in films like Mandy and Pig (methinks the author was under a deadline and didn’t have the time to give these films (and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent)) more attention.

My main takeaway was that I had believed myself to be a pretty solid fan of Cage’s work and thought I had seen most, if not all, of his core films. Boy, was I wrong on that front!

[bennymac]

Nice - have that Cage book on my list so glad to hear it’s worthwhile.

[yeahman]

Just finished Something of Value, by Robert Ruark, a novel about the Mau Mau uprising of Kenyan rebels against British rule post-WW2. Sad story but a fascinating look at Africa at that time.

[tgapp]

Alright mags. Need your advice on a new book. Been on a bit of a science fiction tear lately, so it'll be hard to summarize everything I have been reading, but I definitely want a change of pace. I just finished book three (Death's End) of the Three Body Problem trilogy, which I picked up after learning about in this thread. Absolutely phenomenal read; I don't usually go for hard sci-fi but I absolutely loved it.

Previous to Death's End I read Calvino's Invisible Cities which was an absolute gem of a book. It felt to be equal parts prose and poetry; more of a series of dreams than a story. I'm not sure what to compare it to; gently similar to the magic realists but like... magic realism meets the poetry of Fernando Pessoa or Borges. Such a little delight of a book; like a box of absolutely divine chocolates, all I would need is a few morsels every night. Strongest recommendation for those who like heady dreamscapes, introspective observations, and clever parables.

So...what should I read next? Leaning towards history, open to ideas. Recently went on a Stegner kick, I could fuck with some American west or similar.

Quote from Invisible Cities to give you a sense of the flavor of the book.

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[The AD]

I just finished David McCullough's biography of the Wright brothers. Quite interesting. I knew the basics about them: from Dayton, had a bicycle shop, went to the Outer Banks to practice flying, but that was about it. There is lots more to their story. For example, neither of them went to college, but they had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and great practical mechanical skills. They weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. Just before they made their first flight in late 1903, the director of the Smithsonian, a Boston Brahmin named Samuel Langley, was also trying to be the first to make a manned, powered flight but failed miserably despite having massive funding for the project. The Wrights, of course, did it all with their own resources. I feel like the book trailed off a bit toward the end, but I guess with a story like theirs that's sort of inevitable.

[bennymac]

Tgapp maybe you’ve already read this - but this biography was the best one I’ve yet to read. It’s a tome for sure - but it’s like reading Game of Thrones will all the various characters and intrigue.

[The Reverend Floater]

Alright mags. Need your advice on a new book. Been on a bit of a science fiction tear lately, so it'll be hard to summarize everything I have been reading, but I definitely want a change of pace. I just finished book three (Death's End) of the Three Body Problem trilogy, which I picked up after learning about in this thread. Absolutely phenomenal read; I don't usually go for hard sci-fi but I absolutely loved it.

Previous to Death's End I read Calvino's Invisible Cities which was an absolute gem of a book. It felt to be equal parts prose and poetry; more of a series of dreams than a story. I'm not sure what to compare it to; gently similar to the magic realists but like... magic realism meets the poetry of Fernando Pessoa or Borges. Such a little delight of a book; like a box of absolutely divine chocolates, all I would need is a few morsels every night. Strongest recommendation for those who like heady dreamscapes, introspective observations, and clever parables.

So...what should I read next? Leaning towards history, open to ideas. Recently went on a Stegner kick, I could fuck with some American west or similar.

Quote from Invisible Cities to give you a sense of the flavor of the book.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

Children of Time.

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[Buster Highmen]

Alright mags. Need your advice on a new book. Been on a bit of a science fiction tear lately, so it'll be hard to summarize everything I have been reading, but I definitely want a change of pace. I just finished book three (Death's End) of the Three Body Problem trilogy, which I picked up after learning about in this thread. Absolutely phenomenal read; I don't usually go for hard sci-fi but I absolutely loved it.

Previous to Death's End I read Calvino's Invisible Cities which was an absolute gem of a book. It felt to be equal parts prose and poetry; more of a series of dreams than a story. I'm not sure what to compare it to; gently similar to the magic realists but like... magic realism meets the poetry of Fernando Pessoa or Borges. Such a little delight of a book; like a box of absolutely divine chocolates, all I would need is a few morsels every night. Strongest recommendation for those who like heady dreamscapes, introspective observations, and clever parables.

So...what should I read next? Leaning towards history, open to ideas. Recently went on a Stegner kick, I could fuck with some American west or similar.

Quote from Invisible Cities to give you a sense of the flavor of the book.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

Magical realism a la Calvino?

Anything by Jeorges Luis Borges, most of which are just short stories. A great compilation is "Collected Fictions".

In that vein is Gabriel Garcia Marquez ("100 Years of Solitude" etc) which may be a bit of a cliche', up there but not as trodden as Carlos Casteneda ("The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge" et al).

American West history? Gotta read "Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West".

Another great read in that mode is "Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival" by Peter Stark.

[The AD]

American West history? Gotta read "Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West".

Another great read in that mode is "Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition, and Survival" by Peter Stark.

Add "Beyond the Hundredth Meridian" by Wallace Stegner. Primarily of a biography of the brilliant and courageous John Wesley Powell, but essential for understanding how the modern American West came to be. Powell was pretty much a total badass.

[dunfree]

Just finished Something of Value, by Robert Ruark, a novel about the Mau Mau uprising of Kenyan rebels against British rule post-WW2. Sad story but a fascinating look at Africa at that time.

I liked Horn of the Hunter when I read it a couple decades back but how goes a 1955 MauMau book stand?

Stegner is to my reading a post CA gold rush, pre WW2 author for time, is that the desire? Or is it style?

[yeahman]

I liked Horn of the Hunter when I read it a couple decades back but how goes a 1955 MauMau book stand?

I think it holds up because Ruark is a good writer, and to me the African setting held a lot of appeal as I'm totally unfamiliar with it. The racism of some of the white characters is a bit offputting, but I'm sure it's accurate, and ultimately the story is mostly sympathetic to the natives. Also I had a personal connection to the book as my dad recommended it to me. In the 1950s he was in the Army stationed in Africa, working in some of the same locales as in the book, trying to intercept and crack coded Russian communications. He read it while stationed in Africa and it made an impression on him.

[tgapp]

I liked Horn of the Hunter when I read it a couple decades back but how goes a 1955 MauMau book stand?

Stegner is to my reading a post CA gold rush, pre WW2 author for time, is that the desire? Or is it style?

No, that's more Faulkner. Stegner is one of the contemporaries, alongside Vonnegut and Pynchon and David Foster Wallace - just distinctly Western. Beyond the 100th Meridian is definitely on my list.

And thanks, all, for the reccs. @bennymac, I might check out the Peter the Great book; how does it fare as an audiobook?

and @Buster Highmen definitely am into Borges and other similar magic realists. Have you read Saramago? I feel like you would dig him. Blindness is absolutely amazing in the genre, a complete masterpiece.



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[criscam]

I just finished book three (Death's End) of the Three Body Problem trilogy, which I picked up after learning about in this thread. Absolutely phenomenal read; I don't usually go for hard sci-fi but I absolutely loved it.

this is where i'm at. recently finished the first two and was debating taking a break from the sci-fi or just powering through w the 3rd...

[tgapp]

this is where i'm at. recently finished the first two and was debating taking a break from the sci-fi or just powering through w the 3rd...

Oh man. Book three was phenomenal. It's also the longest of the trilogy, but it was very satisfying. What a delightful series.

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[dookeyXXX]

Pretty sure I have a problem/addiction…
Just can’t seem to visit the local used bookstore without always walking out with something or two…

Latest scores:

[bennymac]

No, that's more Faulkner. Stegner is one of the contemporaries, alongside Vonnegut and Pynchon and David Foster Wallace - just distinctly Western. Beyond the 100th Meridian is definitely on my list.

And thanks, all, for the reccs. @bennymac, I might check out the Peter the Great book; how does it fare as an audiobook?

and @Buster Highmen definitely am into Borges and other similar magic realists. Have you read Saramago? I feel like you would dig him. Blindness is absolutely amazing in the genre, a complete masterpiece.



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I read it but I bet it’s great as an audiobook as well

[Harry]

Tgapp: highly recommend this Montana author, Ivan Doig.

This House of Sky: Landscapes Of A Western Mind is a good one to start with.

Dancing At The Rascal Fair is another favorite by him.

He has a bunch of great books, but I definitely like his earlier stuff compared to his later writing.


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[MagnificentUnicorn]

Read Big Rock Candy Mountain and Angle of Repose if you want a good feel for late 19th Century and early to mid 20th Century Western US. Throw in The Crossing too.


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[yeahman]

Tgapp: highly recommend this Montana author, Ivan Doig.

+1. Dancing at the Rascal Fair is part of the English Creek trilogy. I would highly recommend all three books. The first book in the series is English Creek, one of my favorites.

[tgapp]

Read Big Rock Candy Mountain and Angle of Repose if you want a good feel for late 19th Century and early to mid 20th Century Western US. Throw in The Crossing too.


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ahahahaha yeah all of those are among my favorites, I talk about Stegner and McCarthy all the time in this thread

@Harry gonna grab this house of sky from the library, since I've gotten to a point where I am spending too much on books. unless you think this is a "must own" title?

@bennymac I think I'll do Peter the great as an audiobook, sounds right up my alley and perfect for driving around

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[evasive_MT]

I mentioned “This America of Ours” upthread a ways. It’s a biography of Bernard and Avis DeVoto. Highly recommended if you’re interested in the early-mid 20th Century western US. He deserves to be rediscovered.