Hadn't seen a recent thread, and easiest way to get mind off of these horrific games recently has been reading. I've been on a bit of a tear in the last couple months, a very random one. Chernow's Grant biography, War of the Worlds, Casino Royale, a rec from here a few years back - I am Pilgrim, and wrapping up Darkly Dreaming Dexter. I like to hop around from non-fiction to classics to fiction. Anyone read anything interesting lately?
that sounds awesome, I'll check it out.
This is a great book. +1
+1. All of his books are really good.
Rick Atkinson's series on WW2, or The American Revolution.
Nathaniel Philbrick, various books on American history and seafaring.
Ian Toll. Six Frigates: "The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy" Reads like a novel.
Savages: A Novel - ( New Window )
Be prepared to be horrified by the who process.
I just finished The Lincoln Highway. Not as good as Gentleman and sometimes reads like a YA novel, but definitely worth the read.
The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan is also worth a read. It tells the story of a family caught between the Russian advance on Berlin and the retreating German army.
Hitler's American Gamble - How the world changed from December 6 to December 11 or 12, 1941 and how Hitler's decision to declare war on the U.S. doomed any chance Germany had in the war.
Hitler's American Gamble - How the world changed from December 6 to December 11 or 12, 1941 and how Hitler's decision to declare war on the U.S. doomed any chance Germany had in the war.
+1 on Hitler's American Gamble. Really fascinating, in depth look at the diplomatic, and military moves that happened between the attack on Pearl Harbor and Hitler's declaration of war on the U.S. Such a crazy decision on his part, but crazy is as crazy does.
One of the best books I’ve ever read. Towels is a genius.
Next up for me is Amor Towles’ Gentleman from Moscow. He lives near me in the W Village and regularly stops by my local bookshop, Three Lives on W 10th, to sign his books for people. In October just before Lincoln Highway came out he rode up to the bookstore to sign copies while I was there with my daughter. She ended up watching his bike while he signed and she got a signed copy inscribed to her. He’s a lovely man and a fine writer.
Some other recommendations off the top of my head would be Matterhorn and Deep River by Karl Marlantes, the first one of the best Vietnam War novels and the other a multi-generational family saga of aFinnish immigrant family and their life logging and union organizing in the Pacific NW.
Also, one of the funniest and wisest books ever is Little Big Man by Thomas Berger. It was an excellent movie with Dustin Hoffman but the book was better, as is usually the case.
And in no particular order:
Any Human Heart by William Boyd
Birds Without Wings by Louis de DeBernieres
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
A Constellation of Vital Phenomenon by Anthony Marra
Anything by Paul Beatty
Almost anything by Ward Just
Deacon King Kong by Jame’s McBride
An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine
Grant's Autobiography, also 700 pages, is fascinating. I should read Chernow, too.
James Salter’s All That Is also a good read.
Non-fiction favorite is The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig.
Also A World Undone by GJ Meyer about WWl
James Salter’s All That Is also a good read.
Non-fiction favorite is The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig.
Also A World Undone by GJ Meyer about WWl
Salter is terrific.
Also, yes, agreed, A Dangerous Friend is one of Ward Just's best.But other than Rodin's Debutante I've not read anything by him that is not excellent. Another brilliant but neglected author.
"In Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari uses concepts from biology, history, and economics to tell the story of us, Homo sapiens. We start 2.5 million years ago, when Sapiens make their historical entrance, and end in the future, when the creation of an artificially created superhuman race may mark the end of the Sapiens species. Along the way, we learn how our ability to create imagined realities led to our dominance over other species. We watch as the Agricultural Revolution, the Scientific Revolution, imperialism, capitalism, and the Industrial Revolution change our species in lasting, and not always positive, ways."
If you like books set in Africa Norman Rush has two good ones, Mating and Mortals, with Mating being the better book. And William Boyd, who I mentioned earlier was born in Ghana and has written several novels set in Africa - Brazzaville Beach, A Good Man in Africa and Ice Cream War. I liked Brazzaville best of those three.
Too many books, too little time!
https://www.creators.com/books/rites-of-passage
My novel takes place in a fictionalized version of New Paltz. Lots of cooking, history and philosophy weaved into the narrative.
It’s a story I’m proud of, and if you grew up in the Hudson Valley, you’ll recognize many of the character types and scenery descriptions.
Oh yes, and fire Gettleman !