Author Topic: Evilbore Paperback Elitist "Finer Things" Club: Recommend me a book! (Read 3174 times)

The Fake Shemp · « **on:** December 03, 2007, 03:35:01 AM »

I am flying home on Friday and I want something to read for the flight. The last recommendation was Patel's - he recommended Max Brooks' World War Z. And I loved it. One of the best impulse airport purchases I ever made.

Now, as I get older, I'm not really a fan of fiction. I tend to prefer non-fiction, in the vein of guys like Richard Preston or Jon Krakauer. Guys who can spin a good yarn with facts and anecdotes, that aren't too difficult to digest but good reads. I don't like agenda books or books that are too difficult to digest.

I'll dive into a good horror read, but let's not beat around the bush - the premiere American author, Stephen King, has been woefully mediocre for years. Dean Koontz is TV movie of the week material. Clive Barker hasn't come out with anything new (where the fuck is my Hellbound Heart/D'Amour novel?).

So I'm open to suggestions at this point.

Ichirou · « **Reply #1 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:35:42 AM »

Do you like detective novels?

bagofeyes · « **Reply #2 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:37:14 AM »

How about Gore Vidal's 'Lincoln'?

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #3 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:37:34 AM »

What about Capote's "In Cold Blood"? It's a non-fiction classic.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #4 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:37:53 AM »

Quote from: Ichirou on December 03, 2007, 03:35:42 AM

Do you like detective novels?

Not unless they involve Batman.

... what is Gore Vidal's Lincoln about? Not a fan of "In Cold Blood". Read it before, though.

bagofeyes · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:38:31 AM »

Lincoln

Ichirou · « **Reply #6 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:39:20 AM »

Abraham Lincoln, lol.

If you're gonna read Gore Vidal, my favorite work of his is easily Julian, his historical novel about Julian the Apostate.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #7 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:40:42 AM »

I can figure out who it's about from the title, but what is it about? Is it just a straight biography? Or what?

bagofeyes · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:41:51 AM »

Quote from: Willco on December 03, 2007, 03:40:42 AM

I can figure out who it's about from the title, but what is it about? Is it just a straight biography? Or what?

From wiki:

Set during the American Civil War, the novel describes the presidency of Abraham Lincoln through the eyes of several historical figures, including presidential secretary John Hay, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, Secretary of State William H. Seward, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase, his daughter Kate Chase, U.S. Representative Elihu B. Washburne, and conspirators John Wilkes Booth and David Herold.

Ichirou · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:42:20 AM »

Since you're into movies, how about This Is Orson Welles, the interview book between Peter Bogdanovich and Orson Welles? It's fascinating reading.

If you were to veer back into fiction...You should read Haruki Murakami. I'm reading Hard-Boiled Wonderland right now, and it's amazing (actually, it reminds me a lot of Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville). But maybe something like Norwegian Wood would be better to get started with.

Ichirou · « **Reply #10 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:43:55 AM »

How about some Thomas Pynchon? Crying of Lot 49 is pretty accessible. You could read some Cormac McCarthy, too. The Road won the Pulitzer and is apparently going to be adapted into a film sometime soon.

Also: Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections and Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #11 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:43:59 AM »

I'm gonna go read right now. I haven't even finished Blood Meridian yet. I always game or waste time on here instead. I'm such a pleb. $:-\$

brawndolicious · « **Reply #12 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:49:24 AM »

if you want something with facts in it that are easy to digest then read Fast Food Nation. You'll probably actually like it if you're interested in just how the fuck fast food got started (it's disturbing).

for fiction (that's semi-serious) I would recommend the book Wicked it's a prequel to Wizard of Oz and mocks the setting and is REALLY well done and no, you don't actually have to remember any of the WoZ (book goes around 400+ pages though). Also, Ursula K. Leguin books are pretty damn fun. airtravel length too.

Ichirou · « **Reply #13 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:50:20 AM »

Blood Meridian's a hard book to get through. Keep at it. It took me a while the first time, too.

Wicked sucks, don't listen to am nintenho when it comes to book recommendations. The guy hates Slaughterhouse-Five. He has horrible taste.

bagofeyes · « **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:52:04 AM »

And Ursula Le Guin sucks

Smooth Groove · « **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:52:22 AM »

Gore Vidal rapping!

[youtube=425,350]rGRvWMq38XQ[/youtube]

brawndolicious · « **Reply #16 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:52:45 AM »

I don't hate SL5, I just didn't like how he included WW2 into it. seemed sort of juvenile.

what the hell is wrong with Wicked? you're the first person I've seen dislike it (unless you just hate fantasy books which is totally fine).

Quote from: bagofeyes on December 03, 2007, 03:52:04 AM

And Ursula Le Guin sucks

your mom sucks.

Leguin is from the bay area. support bay area writers.

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #17 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:54:11 AM »

Quote from: am nintenho on December 03, 2007, 03:52:45 AM

I don't hate SL5, I just didn't like how he included WW2 into it. seemed sort of juvenile.

ahhhhhhhhhh

bagofeyes · « **Reply #18 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:54:31 AM »

Quote from: am nintenho on December 03, 2007, 03:52:45 AM

I don't hate SL5, I just didn't like how he included WW2 into it.

Ichirou · « **Reply #19 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:54:41 AM »

Quote from: am nintenho on December 03, 2007, 03:52:45 AM

I don't hate SL5, I just didn't like how he included WW2 into it. seemed sort of juvenile.

what the hell is wrong with Wicked? you're the first person I've seen dislike it (unless you just hate fantasy books which is totally fine).

I like fantasy books, Wicked is just a piece of shit.

And, uh...wow, you are fucking clueless when it comes to Slaughterhouse-Five. It's kind of like saying "Yeah, I didn't hate Schindler's List, but I didn't like how Spielberg had to put all those nazis and concentration camps in it."

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #20 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:55:56 AM »

I don't hate Taxi Driver, but I hated how Travis had to drive people around. It seemed sort of boring.

Ichirou · « **Reply #21 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:57:59 AM »

I didn't like Catch-22, I didn't get why Yossarian had to go on all those bombing missions.

I didn't hate Blood Meridian. I mean, it was cool, but why did there have to be all those cowboys? Ever since I saw Brokeback Mountain I think all cowboys are gays.

I dunno, it all seems sort of juvenile.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #22 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:01:29 AM »

well no, I liked SL5 for a different reason than most. I LOVED his idea of the aliens and the way time works. but it sounded stupid (from a writing point of view) to put in a real life historical event as though that really would help the reader understand what vonnegut is trying to get across. it was a pretty simple writing/story theory but he got all caught up in it and made it to complex rather than making a very fleshed out story with it.

bagofeyes · « **Reply #23 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:02:25 AM »

lol, dude, you might wanna stop talking now

brawndolicious · « **Reply #24 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:06:25 AM »

well I am suggesting that the dead guy go back and rewrite his book.

ToxicAdam · « **Reply #25 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:12:48 AM »

I love these books.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #26 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:15:59 AM »

those are pretty good. I learned from those that the 6th most popular reason people miss work is they're having sex and more people scrunch up their toilet paper than fold it (for wiping their booty).

/changes topic

etiolate · « **Reply #27 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:37:04 AM »

Quote

Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

This might work. It is basically about two jewish boys who create a popular comic book during the WW2 era. It's not the best Chabon though and to me, it pulls a Dumbledore.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #28 on:** December 03, 2007, 04:45:37 AM »

I already read that Chabon book.

So far, I think the best recommendation is that Lincoln bio.

Flannel Boy · « **Reply #29 on:** December 03, 2007, 05:41:10 AM »

I'm currently reading Doubt: A History by Jennifer Michael Hecht. It's a very good book and very well written. The book basically chronicles the history of some of histories great doubters.

Ichirou · « **Reply #30 on:** December 03, 2007, 05:47:18 AM »

Quote from: Willco on December 03, 2007, 04:45:37 AM

I already read that Chabon book.

So far, I think the best recommendation is that Lincoln bio.

You like Gore Vidal?

Mandark · « **Reply #31 on:** December 03, 2007, 05:57:33 AM »

I haven't read any of Vidal's fiction, but I got his collected essays.

Christopher Hitchens aspires to be Vidal.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #32 on:** December 03, 2007, 06:04:11 AM »

I am tempted to dive into Barker's Book of the Art stuff, which I've never read. My guess is only Prole has read them, though, so I'll wait for his recommendation.

Ichirou · « **Reply #33 on:** December 03, 2007, 06:22:15 AM »

Quote from: Mandark on December 03, 2007, 05:57:33 AM

I haven't read any of Vidal's fiction, but I got his collected essays.

Christopher Hitchens aspires to be Vidal.

Since Willco decided to go with Lincoln, I recommend you start off by reading Gore Vidal's Julian. It's a wonderful piece of historical fiction, meticulously researched.

FlameOfCallandor · « **Reply #34 on:** December 03, 2007, 10:33:30 AM »

We the living

GilloD · « **Reply #35 on:** December 03, 2007, 11:15:58 AM »

Either read Chris Adrian's "The Children's Hospital" or never read again.

Robo · « **Reply #36 on:** December 03, 2007, 11:21:05 AM »

Quote from: am nintenho on December 03, 2007, 04:01:29 AM

well no, I liked SL5 for a different reason than most. I LOVED his idea of the aliens and the way time works. but it sounded stupid (from a writing point of view) to put in a real life historical event as though that really would help the reader understand what vonnegut is trying to get across. it was a pretty simple writing/story theory but he got all caught up in it and made it to complex rather than making a very fleshed out story with it.

I feel like a distinguished mentally-challenged fellow responding to this with a recommendation, but it sounds like you should read Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan as it primarily focuses on time, fatalism, and eventually the very same aliens, and without all that unimportant real-life shit!

Valcrist · « **Reply #37 on:** December 03, 2007, 02:20:45 PM »

Blink, or Sperm Wars

TVC15 · « **Reply #38 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:06:09 PM »

I keep wanting to shit on am nintenho about Slaughterhouse-Five, but I know I'd be spitting at the rain. I'll just say this: Am nintenho, did you like, not read the first chapter of the book, where Vonnegut like, blatantly talks about the writing of the novel, or are you just that fucking distinguished mentally-challenged? Vonnegut includes a fucking metafictive chapter right at the beginning of the book talking in detail about the novel that follows!

brawndolicious · « **Reply #39 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:33:29 PM »

I know that. I think he could do MORE with it if it was actual fiction. you can't use a device like that if you're trying to show character development. the fact that he uses that technique TOO frequently (so it loses it's gimmick in making the reader concentrate) also makes the book worse. if it's going to be based on reality, it can't have some subtle parts where that technique is used, the average reader would realize that but they wouldn't get anything out of it (cause reading doesn't really have a point A to point B thought process).

I could see that he had a GREAT writing technique (and knew how to use it) but I think that he decided to go with a WW2 story and then decided how to incorporate the writing technique later. I just have a different opinion.

TVC15 · « **Reply #40 on:** December 03, 2007, 03:47:50 PM »

I don't think you get Vonnegut. Most of his books use autobiographical details to some extent. God help you if you ever attempt to read Breakfast of Champions without having your feeble head explode.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #41 on:** December 03, 2007, 05:40:01 PM »

yeah but didn't he fight in WW2? that makes it a bit more important.

demi · « **Reply #42 on:** December 03, 2007, 05:42:49 PM »

Get Light, I read a pretty good review from Genghis Cohen the other day

demi · « **Reply #43 on:** December 03, 2007, 06:01:23 PM »

haha just kidding

Ichirou · « **Reply #44 on:** December 03, 2007, 09:30:55 PM »

am nintenho is pretty dumb.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #45 on:** December 03, 2007, 09:31:51 PM »

suck my balls.

Ichirou · « **Reply #46 on:** December 03, 2007, 09:36:51 PM »

Ask your teacher the title of that book that says what you can and can't write about in fiction.

Madrun Badrun · « **Reply #47 on:** December 03, 2007, 10:30:00 PM »

Read Fifth Business. That goes for everyone!

APF · « **Reply #48 on:** December 03, 2007, 11:48:14 PM »

Quote from: Smooth Groove on December 03, 2007, 03:52:22 AM

Gore Vidal rapping!

[youtube=425,350]nYymnxoQnf8[/youtube]

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Author Topic: Evilbore Paperback Elitist "Finer Things" Club: Recommend me a book! (Read 3174 times)