What to Read

dyslexic dog

dyslexic dog

Super Anarchist
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Needing some ideas for books to read. Just finishing "When the Irish invaded Canada" by Christopher Klein. A history lesson I did not know about. Probably the reason Canada's territories were united into one. Fascinating snippets. 

Also, "Undaunted Courage" by Ambrose on the Lewis and Clark expedition.

 
Snaggletooth

Snaggletooth

Morrelle Compasse
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Currentlety struggleng gette throuht The Mosquito, in my pile-to-reade; the sheppardes life, our kinde of traitorre, bigge badde booke of Bill Murraye, and tacke a secant cracke at 'Angle of Repose.'

 
Bump-n-Grind

Bump-n-Grind

Get off my lawn.
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Chesapeake Bay/Vail
image.jpeg

 
slug zitski

slug zitski

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valis

valis

Super Anarchist
3,773
597
Friday Harbor, WA
I've become addicted to the "Sharpe" series, by Bernard Cornwell.  These fictional novels feature a British rifleman (serving under Wellington) in the Napoleonic war.  They are short and have lots of action, with some memorable characters.  Sharpe is low-born, but works his way up through the ranks due to his abilities and attitude.  These novels are sort of "Horatio Hornblower in the army", although Horatio had a much better start in life than did Sharpe.

I had already watched the TV series based on the books, and quite enjoyed it, so I started the books with a solid image of Sharpe and the other major characters.  I don't know how much this colors my impression of the novels, but I suspect I would have enjoyed them in any case.  I'm reading them on my Kindle -- probably should have bought the whole series when I started, rather than a new one every two or three days (these are not thick books).  BTW, the Sharpe novels were mentioned by someone here on SA -- thanks!

 
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The Main Man

The Main Man

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Blighty
valis said:
I've become addicted to the "Sharpe" series, by Bernard Cornwell.  These fictional novels feature a British rifleman (serving under Wellington) in the Napoleonic war.  They are short and have lots of action, with some memorable characters.  Sharpe is low-born, but works his way up through the ranks due to his abilities and attitude.  These novels are sort of "Horatio Hornblower in the army", although Horatio had a much better start in life than did Sharpe.

I had already watched the TV series based on the books, and quite enjoyed it, so I started the books with a solid image of Sharpe and the other major characters.  I don't know how much this colors my impression of the novels, but I suspect I would have enjoyed them in any case.  I'm reading them on my Kindle -- probably should have bought the whole series when I started, rather than a new one every two or three days (these are not thick books).  BTW, the Sharpe novels were mentioned by someone here on SA -- thanks!
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They are great. His other series are also well worth reading.

 
P

pbd

Super Anarchist
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Ca
Pick one or all of the following:

Gentleman in Moscow

Lincoln Highway

Rules of Civility 

All by Amor Towles.

 
S

sledracr

Super Anarchist
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valis said:
I've become addicted to the "Sharpe" series, by Bernard Cornwell. 
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I read the whole series, end-to-end, earlier this year (in chrono order, not in order published).  Really enjoyed it. I'd read one or two over the years, but the deep-dive was a lot of fun.  (I seem to be binge-reading series these days)  And I got a perspective on the battle of Waterloo that I hadn't gotten from reading the various histories. 

Did you know there's a new Sharpe book coming out next month?  "Sharpe's Assassin"

 
S

sledracr

Super Anarchist
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PNW, ex-SoCal
dyslexic dog said:
Needing some ideas for books to read.
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What are you in the mood for?  history?  fiction?  non-fic?  historical fiction?  action/thrillers?  

Narrow it down a bit for me, I'll probably have some ideas.

For starters.... 

-- the Sharpe series (mentioned above) is good.  Adventures of a foot-soldier in the Napoleonic wars
-- the "Gray Man" series is a lot of fun, written by the guy who co-wrote the last several Tom Clancy books
-- .... and then it's an easy segue to the "Mitch Rapp" series from Vince Flynn if you enjoyed the Gray Man
-- the "Prey" series by John Sandford is good
-- from the wayback machine <lol> the "Travis McGee" series from John D MacDonald is always worth a visit
-- I periodically go on a history binge, right now in the middle of a number of books on Pearl Harbor and Midway
-- if you like Ambrose, you'd probably like McCullough, too.  Lots to choose from
-- favorite authors include Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith and James Michener
-- favorite historical fiction is the "Camulod" series by Jack Whyte.  Great storyteller
 

 
R

redboat

Super Anarchist
4,699
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Littleton, Colorado
Last year I read Martin Gilbert's History of the Twentieth Century. Three large volumes worth chronicling almost every aspect of the world between 1/1/1900 and 12/31/1999 in great detail. The political, social, economic and cultural arenas are all discussed exhaustively obviously including WWI, WWII and all the major and minor conflicts that you knew of didn't know about. There were countries created and eliminated that I had never even heard of before. Well written, it very clearly and repetitively confirms the old adage, "The one thing we learn from history is that we don't learn from history". Politics, religious fervor, nationalism, greed and never ending self righteousness on full display.......everywhere.

Helps me understand how this world got to where it is today and how as mankind we are so completely fucked. We never have nor apparently never will learn from the lessons of the past.

 
valis

valis

Super Anarchist
3,773
597
Friday Harbor, WA
Yes, Hornblower!  I have the full set in paperback, and for my Kindle all that are available (not all are).  A&E also had a good miniseries based on the books, but the last time I tried to find it it seemed to have vanished.

As long as we're talking about Napoleonic-era British navy epics, the Jack Aubrey books (Master and Commander, etc.) by Patrick O'Brian are also excellent.

Non-fiction, I have a shelf full of historical Arctic and Antarctic exploration.  "The Last Place on Earth" and "Shackleton" by Roland Huntford are very good, although some take issue with his treatment of Scott.

Sci-Fi, don't get me started, but Neal Stephenson's "Cryptonomicon" is a favorite.

 
dyslexic dog

dyslexic dog

Super Anarchist
3,791
271
Michigan
sledracr said:
What are you in the mood for?  history?  fiction?  non-fic?  historical fiction?  action/thrillers?  

Narrow it down a bit for me, I'll probably have some ideas.

For starters.... 

-- the Sharpe series (mentioned above) is good.  Adventures of a foot-soldier in the Napoleonic wars
-- the "Gray Man" series is a lot of fun, written by the guy who co-wrote the last several Tom Clancy books
-- .... and then it's an easy segue to the "Mitch Rapp" series from Vince Flynn if you enjoyed the Gray Man
-- the "Prey" series by John Sandford is good
-- from the wayback machine <lol> the "Travis McGee" series from John D MacDonald is always worth a visit
-- I periodically go on a history binge, right now in the middle of a number of books on Pearl Harbor and Midway
-- if you like Ambrose, you'd probably like McCullough, too.  Lots to choose from
-- favorite authors include Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith and James Michener
-- favorite historical fiction is the "Camulod" series by Jack Whyte.  Great storyteller
 
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Read a lot of history. But I like Hiaason and some of the Swedish detective stories.  Tim Dorsey. …………. Lots of places I go. Just thought I would share a good one and ask for the same 

 
MisterMoon

MisterMoon

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It's one I've been meaning to read, but it sat on my bookshelf for the last 20 years for, well, reasons. Or no reason at all, I don't know. We went camping in the mountains last week, so I wanted something to read knowing we'd have at least on cold and rainy day.   

I finally picked up last week and read it all the way through: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.

Recommend.  
 

 
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