Recommendation thread

Discussion in 'Books' started by Ringo, Jan 11, 2010.

  1. Ringo

    Ringo Member

    Jun 10, 2002
    Rough and Ready
    Club:
    Yeovil Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just a thread for people who want a new book to read.
    Might be nice to post what you're looking for and let the masses help guide you.

    I recently read a WWII novel ... it was sort of a spy novel, but not really. anyawy, if left me wanting more.

    I'd really like to read a good cloak-and-dagger novel. maybe something WW1, WW2 or even early cold war. More mystery than action. Anybody got a good title to recommend?
     
  2. irvine

    irvine Member

    Nov 24, 1998
    S. Portland, ME
    WWII:

    anything by Alan Furst
    Follett, Eye of the Needle

    Cold War:

    anything by Le Carre
    Deighton's series that starts with Berlin Game

    Couple of WWII home front books with a bit of cloak and dagger:

    Dunning, Two O'Clock Eastern Wartime
    (shameless self-promotion) Irvine, The Narrows
     
  3. Ian Lozada

    Ian Lozada Member

    May 29, 2001
    The Pick Four Pool
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Cold War:
    The Company, Robert Littell. Spans the era of pre-Wall Berlin Base, to the coup against Gorbachev.
     
  4. royalstilton

    royalstilton Member

    Aug 2, 2004
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd specifically like to recommend Smiley's People, by John Le Carré. I'm not sure everyone would say it's his best work, but here's a review:


    This is the last volume in a trilogy which, without any doubt, the best spy story ever written in English. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy began it with the story of George Smiley's uncovering of the mole in British Intelligence HQ, known as "the Circus." The Honourable Schoolboy -- which largely stands alone from the first and third books, and is a superior piece of work by itself -- tells of Smiley's first steps toward revenge against Karla, head of Moscow Centre and his personal enemy for nearly thirty years . . . only to be denied the fruits of his own success by political machinations at home. Smiley's People brings everything to a very satisfying conclusion, via the discovery that Karla has an unsuspected human side, which makes him vulnerable. As always, Le Carre's development of his characters is masterful and his dialogue and descriptive passages make it clear why, at his best, he is considered an exceptional stylist. The pace of the action in the early part of the book is purposely rather slow, drawing you in, making you pay attention to what's happening and thinking about what secrets might be behind it all -- just as one imagines George is doing. Unreservedly recommended.
     
  5. Ringo

    Ringo Member

    Jun 10, 2002
    Rough and Ready
    Club:
    Yeovil Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    so are the other two worth reading first?
     
  6. irvine

    irvine Member

    Nov 24, 1998
    S. Portland, ME
    They're all great.

     
  7. Ringo

    Ringo Member

    Jun 10, 2002
    Rough and Ready
    Club:
    Yeovil Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I searched through two used paperback stores and couldn't find ANY of the titles listed. But I did find Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy at the library.
    Very excited to dig in! Thanks everybody!

    maybe it's just me, but I think keeping this thread going could be very useful. anybody else need a suggestion?
     
  8. royalstilton

    royalstilton Member

    Aug 2, 2004
    SoCal
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    1 person likes this.
  9. dada3345

    dada3345 Member

    May 2, 2008
    in series of tubes!
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Yiddish Policemen's Union By Michael Chabon

    And if anyone's a comic book fan he also wrote a book about 40's comics The Amazing Adventure's Of Kavalier And Clay

    The Beautiful Miscellanious by Dominic Smtih is also pretty good.
     
  10. CrewArsenal

    CrewArsenal Member

    Feb 23, 2007
    Pickerington, Ohio
    My current list of "books on my list of books to read" numbers about 145, down from a high of 173.

    It has medieval/ancient historical mysteries, historical fiction, some sports, bios, science, thrillers, and a few other things.

    WorldCat provides a nice create-a-list feature that also enables you to search for books at any library linked to WorldCat. I am able to obtain many items not carried by the Columbus Library via inter-library loans.
     
  11. dada3345

    dada3345 Member

    May 2, 2008
    in series of tubes!
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow that sounds cool as hell. I'll have to check that out.
     
  12. allegrabene

    allegrabene New Member

    Jul 11, 2009
    Alexandria, Va
    Club:
    Celtic FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    this is an interesting alternative history, mystery book tying together lindburgh's baby with a scenario that has charles lindburgh beating FDR in the 1940 election and how that effected WWII. Very interesting but a little heavy on the politics
     
  13. dada3345

    dada3345 Member

    May 2, 2008
    in series of tubes!
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I also recommend Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby. It's basically a series of essays by the author about being an Arsenal fan throughout his life. My favorite soccer book ever.
     
  14. Iceblink

    Iceblink Member

    Oct 11, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    Ipswich Town FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    My library had a WMA audio edition of this book, but I think it's abridged. I usually listen to a book that I'm not reading while in the car. This one's about nine hours long, but the book is over 600 pages. I looked on Amazon and only saw abridged audio editions. What's up with this? I never bother with abridged audiobooks. Should I this time? I'm thinking that I shouldn't, as it seems like something I'd like, and I do have a hard copy.... just a lot of books ahead of it.
     
  15. dada3345

    dada3345 Member

    May 2, 2008
    in series of tubes!
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not Sure what's exactly cut out in the abridged version. So I couldn't really tell you whether it's worth it or not. I can't really imagine what they could cut out without losing huge chunks of the story/character. I can say the I read the full version but it was a quicker read than I expected. I'd say go with the unabridged version, and maybe bump it up your book list if you can.
     

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