Recommend Me Some Books!

LSplatz on 13/07/2016 - 11:46
Last edited 13/07/2016 - 12:55 by 1 other user

Hey all, first post, I've used OzBargain for ages but never made an account!

I am planning on ordering some books, but my own reading list has gotten very short, would love to supplement it with some recommendations! Recommend me anything you enjoy/love, I always like reading new things I wouldn't have otherwise found.
Some books I have recently really enjoyed;

Sapiens: A Brief History of Human Kind - Yuval Noah Harari
What If - XKCD
Strange Than You Can Imagine: Making Sense of the 20th Century - John Higgs
The Postman - David Brin

The Hobit/LoTR are very close to my <3

I have recently really like books that blow ones mind a bit with insane stuff about the world/universe we live in, or that teaches you about little known aspects of cool things (I know that sentence is silly haha, but if you have read XKCD or Sapiens I think you will get what I mean). Definitely looking for Fiction books as well, been reading way too much non-fiction recently. But recommend absolutely anything as said above.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

General Discussion

Comments

  • mskeggs on 13/07/2016 - 12:14
    +1

    Fiction:
    Neal Stephenson if you like big stories with oodles of plot.
    The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
    The Martian might fit the bill too.

    Non-fiction:
    The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 21:57

      I saw The Martian during opening week then got the book this year and demolished it in a day!!! Liked it even more than the film, and that was probably my favorite film of the year!

      Chose two random Neal Stephenson's books to look at. I am going to have to read those. Windup Girl sounds immense, on the list. And The Knowledge, hole in one for me!!!

  • Heracles26 on 13/07/2016 - 12:26
    +2
    • Siddhartha
    • King Solomon's Mines
    • Treasure Island
    • Gates of Fire
    • Into the Wild / Into thin Air
    • The Snow Leopard
    • A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
    • The Alchemist
    • The Mind Illuminated (currently reading - good guide for getting into meditation if you really want your mind blown)
    • Heracles26 on 13/07/2016 - 15:27
      +1

      Also…

      • The Road
      • No Country for Old Men
      • Blood Meridian

      All great books!!

      • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 21:59
        +1

        These all look so interesting, not going to have to top up my list for ages! I started watching the movie of The Road but got busy and forgot, need to watch that. No Country for Old Men made a fantastic movie, will look at the book. Think Snow Leopard will get ordered this round. Will have a squizz at the book on meditation to!

  • BuyoTheCat on 13/07/2016 - 12:27
    +2

    I am in a book club with friends and I realised that just because someone likes a book does not mean that I will like it too.

    Books that I do like:
    Millennium trilogy:
    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
    The Girl Who Played with Fire
    The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest

    The girl in the spider's web I have not read.

    If you have not read Roald Dahl's books, do it. They are enjoyable even for adults

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:02

      Mum has the Millennium trilogy, will borrow the Dragon Tattoo off her some time soon! Gosh, I was in love with one of Roald Dahl's books as a kid, cannot for the life of me remember which. To Google!!

  • one man clan on 13/07/2016 - 12:47
    +1

    If you like epic Fantasy like LOTR try the Malazan Book of the Fallen. It's a 10 book series so you won't have to ask this question again for a while!

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:04

      The description of the first in the series is great. Reminded me of so many stories I like, LOTR course, Mistborn, a little A New Hope. Gonna have to look into an eReader cause buying huge series like this is expensive ahaha, I demolished A Song of Ice and Fire in a little over 3 months!!

    • FiDad on 07/06/2017 - 14:14

      I started reading Malazan series pretty much next day after your comment. Just finished 10th book and must say this is the best series i hae ever read, thanks a lot for the recommendation one man clan.

      • one man clan on 07/06/2017 - 16:34
        +1

        My work here is done!

        So fantastic. I've been tempted to re-read it now for some time but I won't read another book for 6+ months then… Best part about Malazan is you don't have to wait years for the next book in the series (GRR Martin and Patrick Rothfuss I'm looking at you)

        • FiDad on 07/06/2017 - 16:52

          I am thinking of re-reading it too once I finish reading all the other book in Malazan universe which will take me another 6 months at least, i am happy to just keep reading these for a while. Someone actually recommended KingKiller chronicles to me but i decided not to read it now but wait for all the books have come out.

  • PrimalNuke on 13/07/2016 - 12:49
    +1

    Hands down, the best book series I've ever read is the His Dark Materials series by Phillip Pullman. Another must-read would have to be the Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker series.

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:06
      +1

      His Dark Materials seems totally my kind of thing, and the trilogy was on a good discount so its in the order, cant wait!!! I watch The Hitchhiker's movie a bunch when I was younger, would love to read the books!

  • cocomelon on 13/07/2016 - 14:19
    +1

    Sun Tzu

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:08

      I read The Art of War a couple years back, was pretty mind blowing. I lack the words right now to describe how forward and immense his doctrine was, and to be written so long ago. Will have a look for other texts

      • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2017 - 15:42

        Really? I thought it read like a bad managerial text book.

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:12
      +1

      A Short History of Nearly Everything is down 110%, like the flavor synopsis as well. Alan Alda's book also sounds great, Dad is a huge MAS*H fan so he will be wanting to read it as well!

      All those fiction books sound great to. I only read my first Terry Pratchett book earlier this year, only reason I havnt dove into the whole of Rimworld is the cost of buying them all!!! Roadside Picnic, I believe thats one of the books in the series that the STALKER games are based on, will have to give that a read!

      • Speckled Jim on 13/07/2016 - 23:41

        Spot-on all round!

        Splinter… actually has an interesting story behind it (online somewhere). The short version IIRC was Lucas outsourced the writing task for an easy plan-B story. Something like that.
        Not really fanfic, neither is it strictly canon. Something of an oddball.

        Roadside Picnic is the foundation for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and aside from the game, there was also a movie released in 1979. It's a tense drama with little action or 'splosions.

        I was going to list The Celestine Prophecy, but it's quite polarising. I enjoyed it 20 years ago but may well have a different take on it now.

      • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2017 - 15:43

        I found Bryson's book on Australia better but still enjoyed this one.

  • Grande Kintama on 13/07/2016 - 17:22
    +1

    Metro 2033

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:12

      I love the game, havnt played it in yonks though… totally going to give the book a go though!

      • Grande Kintama on 14/07/2016 - 17:36

        The book is just as exciting as the game but it expands on some elements of the area that wouldn't make for exciting gameplay. Well worth the read.

  • inherentchoice on 13/07/2016 - 21:53
    +2

    There's a massive thread about recommended books here.

    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/214323

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:17
      +1

      As I open that link, all I could hear in my head was the music from the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark where they finally find and remove the Ark… wow. I am never gonna run short for books again!!! EVER EVER!!! Thanks so much for the link!!!!!

  • BuyoTheCat on 13/07/2016 - 22:26
    +1

    more just came to mind.

    A Game of Thrones
    A Clash of Kings
    A Storm of Swords
    A Feast for Crows
    A Dance with Dragon

    • Splatz on 13/07/2016 - 22:32

      Thanks. Read those in about 3 months :) . Waiting (like you I assume) on Mr R.R.Martin to get the next lot out!!!

  • [Deactivated] on 14/07/2016 - 09:58

    If you like fantasy, I really enjoyed the Shannara series when I was younger.

  • try2bhelpful on 14/07/2016 - 22:35

    Absolutely agree about the Terry Pratchett books, I actually have bought all the books because I re-read them regularly. I strongly suggest that you frequent the library and borrow the books to start with; you can make the investment later if you want to. His loss was an absolute tragedy.

    I would also recommend Tom Robbins - Jitterbug Perfume, Only Cowgirls Get the Blues and Skinny Legs and All.

    Dorothy L Sayers - Lord Peter Whimsey series of books.

    Hugh Laurie - The Gun Seller.

    Jasper FFord - The Thursday Next series, starting with "The Eire Affair", also his Nursery Crimes Series. Completely bonkers and great fun.

    Personally I can't pass an Op Shop, most books cost $4-$5 and they often have $1 days. You can get some real bargains, particularly if you have a wander around Op shops in some of the posher areas.

    I do try to cull but I have 4 tall bookcases full of books. I justify them as insulation; a great bank of thermal mass.

    It is great to see other people's ideas as well.

    Happy reading.

    • Speckled Jim on 15/07/2016 - 01:06

      Hugh Laurie - The Gun Seller

      Must read again. Thanks for the reminder!

  • quietsarcasm on 15/07/2016 - 12:01

    Feist wrote some wonderful books. A big catalogue to get through though. Probably my favourite author.

    A little different to what you might be looking for, but the Vampire Hunter D series by Hideyuki Kikuchi are what I'm currently reading. The cover art was what got me interested but I've really enjoyed them so far. Plus shorter books make for quicker reads :)

  • [Deactivated] on 15/07/2016 - 13:24

    80's Stephen King, but get used to overuse of the word "masturbation".

  • shaiguy on 19/08/2016 - 12:47

    Non-fiction:
    - Mindset by Carol Dweck
    - Crucial Conversations by Kerry Paterson

  • [Deactivated] on 07/06/2017 - 15:39

    The Great Train Robbery: Michael Crichton
    Our Mutual Friend: Charles Dickens
    The Australian Trilogy: Bryce Courtenay
    Needful Things: Stephen King
    Moll Flanders: Daniel DeFoe

  • 2ndeffort on 07/06/2017 - 17:52

    If you like reading about the human condition and how things that we take for granted arent always what they seem read Anything from Malcolm Gladwell. His book 'Outliers' is a classic and highly rated book, very entertaining and very thought provoking. other books are 'The tipping Point' and 'What the Dog Saw', all great reads.

    If you like reading about 'unintended consequences' read the 'Freakonomics' books.

    If you like reading about how chance and incompetence have changed the face of human history read anything by Erik Durschmied

    If you like Fantasy books, obviously Game of Thrones is great, recent book series that are also great are:

    The lies of Lock Lamora

    The Emperor's blades

    If you like some interesting potential science fiction stuff i highly recommend 'We are legion (we are bob)' Great book series up to book 2 now. Basically in the near future they work out how to upload the brain of dying people to a computer. When you wake up you are in a computer as a sentient person with all of your old memories. They then build spaceships to search the universe and use 'bob's' to pilot the ships they have printers to replicate themselves and build more bobs and they setoff to discover the universe.

    If you like dystopian zombie style apocalypse books i recommmend:

    'The Remaining' series

    or 'the Mountain Man' series

  • lizzle on 10/06/2017 - 08:36

    I love reading fantasy books. From the top of my head, these series were great:
    Patrick Rothfuss - Kingkiller chronicle
    Brent Weeks - Lightbringer series
    Lian Hearne - The Otori tales
    Joe Abercrombie - The First Law series

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