I'm trying to read more, you know broaden my horizons and what not. So I was wondering what recommendations you may have. Any subject is welcomed but I shall share a few of my favorites;

Video games/gaming
Religion/Atheism
Psychology
Sociology
Fantasy novels

and of course....sexuality : D

I'll add some of my recommendations below

Game of Thrones (I'm slowly but surely getting through the series)
Letter to a Christian nation (sam harris)
Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks (Ethan Gilsdorf)
Remaking Eden (Lee M Silver)

Happy Reading!

 

Lord of The Rings is essential reading in my opinion.

I also found IT by Stephen King to be amazing.

American Psycho was different.

Oh and 1984 by George Orwell is a masterpiece.

Oh yeah the Foundation series by Asimov was a joy to read too.

 

George Orwell stuff is great. Down and Out in Paris and London is brilliant.

You should read some Richard Dawkins. The guy himself is an arse, but his books/arguments are compelling.

American Psycho just gave me nightmares about rats, pipes and chainsaws. (page 71 in the paperback edition if you're interested)

 

I've read the hobbit haven't gotten to LOTR, I have a copy of 1984 on my book shelf and do love it very much.

I'll have to check that out. Thanks. I hate to be cliche but Cather in the Rye is one of my favorites. Holden pisses me off for pretty much the whole book but redeems himself at the very end as is the meaning of the title.

 

Yeah I read that many years ago and while it was OK, it wasn't the amazing experience i was expecting. Now, The Diceman is amazing. Read that about the same time and it was a far superior book.

Terry Pratchett is good fantasy stuff. Discworld novels, lots of humour.

 

Excellent I'll have to check them out. (get it? like at a library but also like, you know....I love puns...)

 

The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings series are great books. I'd have to agree with Yaz that they are essential (especially if you're a fan of fantasy). I'd also recommend The Shannara series (Terry Brooks).

Personally I feel obligated to recommend Alexandre Dumas as an author. Read the unabridged version of The Count of Monte Cristo, it's the ultimate revenge novel (yes, even more so than Hamlet).

 

Yes starsa, I get it :| Lol.

I prefer innuendo to puns. Less work and more childish. :excited:

 

The picture of Dorian Gray is interesting to say the least. It has quite a bit to say in the artistic department, whether or not it has any meaning I cannot say.

 

Im a fantasy reader myself, so I would suggest, Dragonlance, the Mistborn, the Coldfire trilogy, Dresden files and the Hollows (if youre into urban fantasy) LOL I could go on and on.

 

For fantasy written by women, I would strongly recommend Sheri S Tepper; I read Sheri for many years before I could second guess her plotlines. Her work has Sci fi leanings but focusses a lot on character and relationships, along with social themes.

I can also recommend Robin Hobb in the fantasy genre; my boys started reading the Farseer trilogy in their teens, and I followed suit. It was a while before I realised she was female. I am finding her latest work a little heavy going, but the Farseer, Liveship Traders and Tawny Man trilogies are excellent.

 

For sci fantasy, Piers Anthony "Incarnations of Imortality" series Eight books starting with "A Pale Horse". Also "Orson Scot Card" "Ender" series.

 

Higher Calling...story of two men, pilots in WWII, on opposite sides.
The B17 was literally shot to pieces but still flying. A German fighter pilot flew escort to get it past the coastal flak batteries to let it fly to England.
The German pilot kept trying to tell them to go to Sweden, which was only 30 miles instead of 300 away.

After the war, they met. It is a book I couldn't put down.

 

Lord of the Rings was hard reading and i did not really enjoy it, I myself are onto the 3rd book of The Fire and Ice series (Game of Thrones).
IT was pure brilliance right up until the end, it was a real page turner and finished with a what the fuck was that ending moment. Im sure King had no idea how to finish that story.

 

H. G. Wells The Outline of History is a good introduction to world history. It was first published in 1920. After Well's death it was updated. The last edition was published in 1971.

Bertrand Russell's A History of Western Philosophy is a good introduction to philosophy. It explains how historical events influenced the thinking of philosophers, and how their writings influenced philosophy.

The Outline of History should be read first, to give you a better understanding of the historical background Russell writes about.

 

Some good books...

Religion/atheism/spirituality:

Buber: I and Thou

Nietzsche: Beyond Good and Evil

Kierkegaard: Fear and Trembling

Harrington: The Immortalists

Marcus Aurelius: Meditations
​

Light Philosophy/Philosophical Satire:

Voltaire: Candide

Erasmus: In Praise of Folly
​

Fantasy:

Heinlein: No Time for Love

Reynolds: Revelation Space

(and LOTR, of course, already mentioned above)

​

 

If you like humour and fantasy/sci-fi then Robt Asprin's MYTH Series will have you giggling at least. It's about a young sorcerer that has adventures with demons (people/creatures from other dimensions) his leg man is a wizard called Aahz or as he says "No, not that one."
Each chapter has a little quote that ties into that chapter e.g. "Go ahead hit my head it won't hurt me." Bruce Lee.
Puns galore exist.

 

If you like reading about World War ll , you should read December 1941 by Craig Shirley. Also any books by John Grisham all ways execllent to read.


pete

 

Books are my favorite way to unwind, it is a rarity for me to pick up a book and not enjoy reading it, and to take something from it. Whether fiction or non-fiction, novel or true life, fantasy or reality, all books allow the reader to form his/her own opinions on the material.

Some of my most interesting reading was in works by unfamiliar authors, unfamiliar topics and/or political viewpoints different than my own.

 

Try "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer. It's a first hand account of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster where a large group of climbers was trapped high on the mountain over night. A good insight into human nature. Might fit into a few of your catagories plus has some real life adventure. Also "Lord Grizzly" by Frederick Manfred. It tells the true life tale of Hugh Glass a mountain man who was attacked by a grizzly and left for dead by 2 "friends" and recounts his 200 mile crawl back through indian country to get his revenge.