Time for a new book - any suggestions?

[yeahman]

It took me two years off and on to read Moby-Dick. I found it to be surprisingly well written if a reader takes his time and savors it. Kind of like you said, it was interesting and better than I expected it to be.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick is a very worthy follow up if you want to know the true story of the whale ship Essex. It will kind of blow your mind.

https://a.co/d/gD16Kti

[The AD]

What kind of sick fuck would make you read Moby-Dick in high school?

[ötzi]

I know, right? The chapters on whale biology almost lost me again this time.

[Danno]

I had to read it in freshman (college) English. Or at least I had to read the cliff notes.

[yeahman]

The Women by Kristin Hannah is a good novel about a combat nurse in Vietnam. And her return home. Pretty fucked up but eye opening.

[websiteday@protonmail.com]

Two must read books are “No, They Can't” by John Stossel and
"Ways to Influence People" by Andy Reven.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

John Stossel is a colossal shitbag

[Bunion 2020]

Just finished The Last Chairlift by John Irving. Published in 2022 so not a new release. Pretty typical for his style but it has scenes set in Aspen, skiing at Highlands and Ajax, skiing in Bromley and other Vermont resorts. One character is a ski instructor, her lover/wife is a patroller and there are several other skiers and patrollers. Spans the time period from 1940 to 2021. Sad, funny, provocative and enjoyable if you can tolerate Irvings style. Moby Dick plays a role.

[babybear]

I kind of want to read that Last Chairlift but I have problems finishing novels. Maybe I will give it a whirl

Here’s another vote for The Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. So good. I read it a few years ago and then all the other Philbrick books afterwards because it was so good, but I think that was his best.

I went on a Robert Kaplan kick for a bit starting with “Asia’s Cauldron” which is generally about the South China Sea disputed regions. And then I moved onto “Monsoon” also by Kaplan about the Indian Ocean territories. Both good reads and good refreshers on historical and potential geopolitical issues in those regions.

Right now I am reading “Peter the Great” by Robert Massie which has been excellent so far if you are into history. This was a history I wanted to understand better with references to that MF Putin wanting to restore the Russia of Peter the great
Bonus is that it was free with Kindle Unlimited if you subscribe to that

[mcski]

Just finished The Last Chairlift by John Irving. Published in 2022 so not a new release. Pretty typical for his style but it has scenes set in Aspen, skiing at Highlands and Ajax, skiing in Bromley and other Vermont resorts. One character is a ski instructor, her lover/wife is a patroller and there are several other skiers and patrollers. Spans the time period from 1940 to 2021. Sad, funny, provocative and enjoyable if you can tolerate Irvings style. Moby Dick plays a role.

Haven’t read Irving in decades. I might have to give this one a shot just for nostalgia and ski props.

[yeahman]

Haven’t read Irving in decades. I might have to give this one a shot just for nostalgia and ski props.

Ditto

[stuckathuntermtn]

The Water Knife.

[bennymac]

That “Peter the Great” biography is an incredible story. A thick non fiction tome that has as much suspense as a Game of Thrones novel.

For those that enjoyed “In the Heart of the Sea” and want to read another nautical disaster story check out “The Wager”. Such a crazy story. The forward of the book spoils the ending (same thing as the forward in “Endurance” - why the hell do I want to know how the story ends at the start?) so I would recommend skipping it.

[lifelinksplit]

Love me some Teddy. My wife got these for a recent bday. Might take me a minute. River of Doubt is prob my favorite Roosevelt book so far. I'm just fascinated by how multifaceted the man was.

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[babybear]

That “Peter the Great” biography is an incredible story. A thick non fiction tome that has as much suspense as a Game of Thrones novel.

For those that enjoyed “In the Heart of the Sea” and want to read another nautical disaster story check out “The Wager”. Such a crazy story. The forward of the book spoils the ending (same thing as the forward in “Endurance” - why the hell do I want to know how the story ends at the start?) so I would recommend skipping it.

We listened to The Wager on audiobook on a trip last year and it was one of those that was hard to stop listening to at the trailhead so we could go out and ride our bikes [emoji38]

That is true about Peter the Great too- I keep telling my husband funny anecdotes while reading in bed at night.
His entourage full of dwarves, etc.

[dookeyXXX]

I just finished:

ON THE TRAIL OF THE JACKALOPE: HOW A LEGEND CAPTURES THE WORLD’S IMAGINATION AND CURED CANCER
by Michael P. Branch

Branch is a professor at UNR. He delves into the creation of the horned rabbit, examines its origin in global myths, and takes a look at actual horned rabbits, whose affliction has helped create anti-cancer vaccines. An interesting read that attempts to find a connection between myth, kitsch, and real life.


MICKEY7
By Edward Ashton

While I enjoyed the film, MICKEY17, the source novel is vastly different.
The basic story is the same, but here the satire is more droll and the whole affair is much more deadpan. Plus it unfolds like a twisted romance instead of an over-the-top socio-political slapstick (which is what the film is). The characters in the book are mellower and less garish, which I liked. Plus our hero is deceptively smarter than in the film.
This is a breezy read (I ripped through it in a day) and highly entertaining.
I don’t usually go in for series and sequels, but I am intrigued to read Ashton’s follow-up, ANTIMATTER BLUES, as well as delve into some of his standalone work.

[yeahman]

Hawaii by James Michener. Published in 1959. Fascinating. Very long, 1,500 pages, took me months to read. I suggest the kindle version. [emoji3]

[dookeyXXX]

Just finished DRUNK ON ALL YOUR STRANGE NEW WORDS by Eddie Robson.
Breezy locked-room murder mystery with slight cyberpunk trappings and an alien fueled conspiracy running underneath.
The mystery was pretty labyrinthine, but the ending wrapped things up a bit quick leaving some loose ends (though this might have been intentional to keep things open for a sequel…).
Still it was a fast paced romp with interesting characters and some cool sci-fi elements.

[dookeyXXX]

SOUTH OF THE PUMPHOUSE - Les Claypool
I am what you would call a part-time Primus fan. Seen ‘em live perhaps a half-dozen times and have seen a few of Les’s side projects, as well.
This 191-page tome has been gathering dust on my various bookshelves since its initial publication in 2006.
I finally cracked it open and dove into it last month.
It’s an interesting rural suburbia slice-of-life quasi noir.
It helps if you are from the Oakland East Bay Area region as that’s where the story takes place.
Claypool’s writing style is pretty straight forward—dare I say “bare bones”?—and can be dry and a little clunky sometimes, but his characters are well fleshed out and the overall story is engaging.
Plus it’s got one of those endings that I didn’t see coming and ends up making the whole novel shine.
It would actually make a great film if in the right directorial hands.


BIG TIME - Ben H. Winters
While not as immediately immersive as some of Winter’s previous efforts (the insanely stellar UNERGROUND AIRLINES or THE GOLDEN STATE), this is still an engaging, albeit slow-burn, sci-fi mystery. For some reason it reminded me of Jonathan Letham’s early dabbling in sci-fi, specifically AS SHE CLIMBED ACROSS THE TABLE.
By no means essential Winters (I’d start with the two aforementioned titles first), it’s still incredibly engaging and presents a new angle on time travel.

[DeathVan]

<p>
Infinite Jest</p>
<p>
-David Foster Wallace</p>
<p>
This will be the second time reading this incredible book.</p>
<p>
It took 8 months the first time and was fully worth it.</p>
<p>
-note, I have only met one other person who has actually completed this book.<br />
You can spend a day rereading and contemplating a single paragraph, journeying into the mind of an actual genius, so rich with vocabulary and concepts.</p>