Alright, I just finished reading Boys from Brazil and Rosemary's Baby and now I'm rereading Master and the Margarita for what seems to be the 25th time. Liked Boys from Brazil, even if at times it shows its age and Rosemary's Baby was good. Master and the Margarita, out of all the things I love about it, it's the idea of a cat that likes vodka, pistols, and chess. And this is something I think yasik and nice can help me with: I'm looking for some good Russian novels and some historical books on the Soviet Union. Anything that helps cover countries like Lithuania would be nice as well if they exist.
I recommend that you check out Jimmy: The Autobiography of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink I thought it was a good read. Love any Ann Rice novels about Vampire Lestat or any Clancy Novel's. Then you have your classics from Tolkien. Can't go wrong there.
Mostly into cryme/mystery/suspense or the fantasy genres myself Though biographies are always a good read(usually a better word?). My friends finally got me to read the HP books, took me about a week, good stuff. finished the first book in the millenium trilogy, really liked it. working on "The name of the Wind" right now, good read so far was recommended to me as a more adult version of HP.
The James Bond novels have some Russian history in them I read a lot, but tend to read to get away from the thinking grind at work so stick to historical fiction such as CS Forester, Patrick O'Brien and Bernard Cornwell. Also really like Asimov who blended Science Fiction with social historical/evolutionary elements. The story arc which began chronologically with Caves of Steel and ended with Foundation and Earth (also know as the robot and foundation series, about 10 books in all) are absolutely some of the best books I've read. I don't actually like Sci-Fi novels too much, but Asimov was a master of the genre and his books are extremely accessible. Tolkien is always close to the top of my reading list. Read the first Stieg Larsson and enjoyed but only got halfway through number 2 and just let the library have it back - didn't grab me as much. For a real break from the norm, Watership Down is a classic and is set in my home town.
This. If its "good" the genre doesn't really matter. Asimov is the master and any reader should hit his books. Stopped reading fictions/biographies as of late. Maybe not what most people go for in reading material, but nowadays I've found myself reading stuff written by what i like to call "practical thinkers". Currently reading Carl Von Clausewitz On War. It's a military treatise but like the Sun Tzu/Art of War it can be applied to most problems. Not historical on Soviet Union or Lithuania but the obvious ones are anything by Dostoevsky (messed up dude), my favorite is Notes from the Underground. Tolstoy's War and Peace is great! But again obvious i wouldn't be surprised if you read em.
Kaz, can you be a bit more specific? What time frame are you most interested with? Any particular leader? Why Lithuania? You may also try to wonder through the literature thread on the russian board. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=617485
Sorry for not getting back to this sooner, Yas, but here's what I'm looking for: 1. Timeframe: The start of the revolution with the Bolsheviks and the build-up to it, Lenin, Trotsky, all of Stalin, and leading up to Khrushchev. I'm interested in the start of that era to Khrushchev's time in charge. Shoe smashing and all. 2. Leaders and notable figures like Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, along those lines. 3. As for Lithuania, part of my family is of Lithuanian heritage and I'm interested in that. I'm curious about it's history and the Soviet Union.
Are you interested in their biographies or just that time? Also, are you looking for strictly historical accounts or you're ok with a novel-type of books?
Start with this one. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Peoples-Tragedy-Russian-Revolution-1891-1924/dp/014024364X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300834480&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891-1924 (9780140243642): Professor Orlando Figes: Books[/ame] I read biographies of all those leaders you mentioned, and while they do tend to concentrate on those specific individuals, they also cover all of the relative historical figures and facts during that time. Let me know if you want those authors.
There is a ton written on Lenin. Of course, you can also read his own work, even if it is internally inconsistent and interminably dull. But it gives you a sense of the (rather unpleasant) man he was. Trotsky also wrote quite a bit, and his books are a lot better, but are ultimately little more than denunciations of Stalin. The two did not get along. Simon Sebag Montefiore published a pretty good biography of Stalin a few years ago, and also a biography of the younger Stalin (who "funded" Lenin by audacious bank robberies). In terms of the broader sweep of history, historians like Richard Pipes (he leans heavily anti-communist) are pretty good. For a counterpoint, you can read his graduate student, Peter Kenez. As for Lithuania, I have no idea Does Sabonis have a biography? EDIT: I've not read the Figes book Yasik suggested, but I have heard good things.
Thanks to the both of you, I've gotten interested in Eastern European history again after reading the Master and the Margarita last year. Studied it a bit when I started college but lost most interest in it for a while sadly.
I actually had a dog whose racing name was Garth Brooks, but dad wasn't having it and we just ended up calling him Garth because he responded to that.
I'll read just about anything (Except Ayn Rand ), if it's interesting I'll read it. I reread American Psycho and Rules of Attraction recently, good books IMO.
The only things I have been reading since August, except text books, are HBS cases on every subject possible. SO sick of it.
I've been reading Dodd-Frank, the proposed rules on Dodd-Frank, and comment letters on the proposed rules on Dodd-Frank. I win. Sort of. (But not really.)
Ugg, why would you ever read that. Love it. Shame that i saw the movie first. Stopped reading it midway, not for me.
I just finished this, thank you Yas for suggesting this. It's been a great read. I just picked up Levin's "Rosemary's Baby". Liking the look of it, so far.
Been on a sports book kick recently. Just finished "The Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons which I really enjoyed. His Celtic bias shows through (not a surprise), but its very comprehensive, pretty funny, and an easy read despite being 700+ pages. I burned through it. Now I am about a 1/3rd of the way done with "Tor!" by Uli Hesse. Some pretty fascinating stuff so far about German soccer during and after WW2. He writes it like a long story rather than a typical sports book. Would definitely recommend it. Next after that is the Official Chelsea 100 year anniversary book.
On a bit of a noir binge at the moment, so i'm reading a bunch of Raymond Chandler short story collections, this summer i'll man up and devour a fantasy epic for the first time in years, Steven Erikson or the next George RR Martin if it ever comes out.