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Grand unified books thread

Started by Syt, March 16, 2009, 01:52:42 AM

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Sheilbh

Quote from: Oexmelin on June 08, 2009, 03:22:41 PMI can also recommend The Return of Martin Guerre (along with the film also).
Both are on my amazon wishlist.

Quote
I haven't read Le village des cannibales, but I read and enjoyed his Monde retrouvé de Louis-François Pinagot. Corbin showed up at the archives of his home departement, opened up a register, closed his eyes and picked a name and proceeded to reconstruct the universe of this no-longer anonymous man. A good lesson in history-writing.
I don't know if Corbin's been translated much.  I'll have a look though :)
Let's bomb Russia!

jimmy olsen

#151
If you're a fantasy fan, buy Warbreaker immediately.
This book has everything a fantasy fan can want. A
unique and detailed setting that feels alive. An
extremely original magic system and religious
background along with some fascinating characters.
My favorite is the God who doesn't believe in his
own religion.

It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point

Berkut

Quote from: Sheilbh on June 04, 2009, 06:29:31 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on June 03, 2009, 10:40:18 PM
The Village of Cannibals?
Another micro-history, this time of a particularly shocking crime in rural, 19th century France:
http://www.amazon.com/Village-Cannibals-Studies-Cultural-History/dp/0674939018



Hmmm, last victim of the Revolution?
"If you think this has a happy ending, then you haven't been paying attention."

select * from users where clue > 0
0 rows returned

Malthus

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Kleves

I've been enjoying Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir series recently. I think he tries a little too hard to make the protagonist a bad ass, but that's a fairly minor complaint.
My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.

Malthus

Quote from: Kleves on June 09, 2009, 03:43:37 PM
I've been enjoying Philip Kerr's Berlin Noir series recently. I think he tries a little too hard to make the protagonist a bad ass, but that's a fairly minor complaint.

I really liked the Berlin Noir series as well, and my only complaint is that I wanted one set *during* the war.  ;)
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Darth Wagtaros

Just finished Manifold:Time by Stephen Baxter. Malenfaunt, the main character is always a jackoff.  Baxter also really hates NASA.

Starting a new series called The Eyrie Affair about someone going into a book and killing Jane Eyrie. 
PDH!

Scipio

Matthew Pearl- The Last Dickens.  Pretty damn good.
What I speak out of my mouth is the truth.  It burns like fire.
-Jose Canseco

There you go, giving a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.
-Every cop, The Wire

"It is always good to be known for one's Krapp."
-John Hurt

jimmy olsen

It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point

PDH

Reread Anathem by Stephenson.  I enjoyed it again, for different reasons than my first go around.  Though Stephenson still cannot wind up (a) book(s) properly, and it always seems rushed, the story and the ability to both understand yet feel an sense of closeness/otherness makes this a very interesting book.
I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.
-Umberto Eco

-------
"I'm pretty sure my level of depression has nothing to do with how much of a fucking asshole you are."

-CdM

Scipio

Quote from: PDH on June 09, 2009, 06:11:09 PM
Reread Anathem by Stephenson.  I enjoyed it again, for different reasons than my first go around.  Though Stephenson still cannot wind up (a) book(s) properly, and it always seems rushed, the story and the ability to both understand yet feel an sense of closeness/otherness makes this a very interesting book.

I think that this one and the Baroque Cycle come closest to having actual endings.
What I speak out of my mouth is the truth.  It burns like fire.
-Jose Canseco

There you go, giving a fuck when it ain't your turn to give a fuck.
-Every cop, The Wire

"It is always good to be known for one's Krapp."
-John Hurt

Faeelin

Quote from: Sheilbh on June 03, 2009, 07:36:13 PM
If I continue to enjoy this I may plunge more deeply into micro-history and get The Village of Cannibals and The Cheese and the Worms :)

Someone already recommended Martin Guerre, but can I toss Montaillou onto the list? It's one of the best insights i into life in a medieval village, and man, is it different than you'd expect.

Malthus

Quote from: Scipio on June 09, 2009, 06:32:47 PM
Quote from: PDH on June 09, 2009, 06:11:09 PM
Reread Anathem by Stephenson.  I enjoyed it again, for different reasons than my first go around.  Though Stephenson still cannot wind up (a) book(s) properly, and it always seems rushed, the story and the ability to both understand yet feel an sense of closeness/otherness makes this a very interesting book.

I think that this one and the Baroque Cycle come closest to having actual endings.

They demonstrate he's obviously worked on this problem. The worst offenders in this respect was Cryptonomicon and The Diamond Age, both of which just sort of ended while the story was still going;
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

PDH

Quote from: Oexmelin on June 08, 2009, 03:22:41 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on June 03, 2009, 07:36:13 PM
If I continue to enjoy this I may plunge more deeply into micro-history and get The Village of Cannibals and The Cheese and the Worms :)

The Cheese and the Worms is very good, esp. if you enjoy the miller's esoterism. I can also recommend The Return of Martin Guerre (along with the film also).
I had an exceptional 1st year student last year to whom I lent these two books - they wanted more along the lines of things we had spoken of.  I believe they found them worth the read, as this person switched to become a history major...I claim full credit.
I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.
-Umberto Eco

-------
"I'm pretty sure my level of depression has nothing to do with how much of a fucking asshole you are."

-CdM

Malthus

Quote from: PDH on June 10, 2009, 09:20:04 AM

I had an exceptional 1st year student last year to whom I lent these two books - they wanted more along the lines of things we had spoken of.  I believe they found them worth the read, as this person switched to become a history major...I claim full credit.

That's good, because the quality of service at Starbucks has been shockingly low lately.
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius