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Studiodave and his wife will be celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary next Thursday. We will be taking a cruise on the Caribbean.
Now, I need adice on books. Something intellectual but not challenging. Something funny but not "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy."
Thus far, I have "Moneyball," "Game of Shadows," "Truman"...
Please let me know....
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16 comments:
Intellectual:
Frank Rich, "The Greatest Story Ever Sold"
Kevin Phillips, "American Theocracy"
Funny:
David Sedaris, "Me Talk Pretty One Day" (or, well, pretty much anything)
Dan Savage, "Slouching Towards Gomorrah"
Intellectually Funny:
Sarah Vowell, "Assassination Vacation"
Funny: Christopher Moore, "Lamb". An absolute scream about the years of Jesus's life that do not appear in the bible. Riot.
Intellectual: Elaine Pagels, "Beyond Belief" The story of the Lost Gospel of Thomas and why some books made "the cut" into the bible and others didn't.
You know, TJ, i loved Fight Club, but Haunted is a week of my life I'll never get back.
Just finished a Terry Pratchet novel, "Going Postal." Funny stuff. I generally don't like comedy books, but this guy I liked.
The Janet Evanovich mystery books are pretty funny too, plus there's violence.
But dude, you need to get back to your roots. Sci fi! Get yourself a nebula and hugo winner!
Mrs. T wants me to pass on this book idea, authored by Eric Idle. Seeing as how she likes monty p, her taste is obviously poor.
http://www.amazon.com/Road-Mars-Eric-Idle/dp/0375703128/sr=1-1/qid=1161259295/ref=sr_1_1/102-8471377-6137754?ie=UTF8&s=books
Terry Pratchett books are great - very Hitchhiker's, though. I'm in the middle of his 34-book "Discworld" series, and I can see many similarities. I would highly reccommend it, though, if you're in the mood for funny. Start with "The Colour of Magic", though - the first book in the series.
Have you read Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series? This was my choice of books on my last cruise. It's high fantasy - A very compelling story. Don't be put off by the size of his books - he's wordy, but once you're inside, you don't even notice. (Although it's likely your wife will when you don't come to bed for 3 days straight). An epic series, I recommend it to everyone. Start with "Eye of the World".
TJ-
I just started Coyote Blue. Really funky, really cool story.
TH and Scott-
I have been a huge Pratchet dork for a long time. I love his books. One of my favorites is Thief of Time.
Me, I like Harry Turtledove's alternate histories. Start with How Few Remain and go from there.
For intellectual pursuits, Jack Miles' God: A Biography is pretty good, as is Robert Caro's The Power Broker (you'll need a much longer cruise, though).
My favorite fiction-ish book is Julian Barnes' A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters.
WF
I haven't read Turtledove, but I hear he's good. Speaking of alternate histories, Philip K. Dick's "The Man in the High Castle" is a good what-if-we-lost-WWII one. Made me want to read more by him, though all the movies they've made out of his work might ruin it for me.
Otto, I loved The Man In The High Castle. I haven't read much alternate history, but I thought it was a very different way of doing that kind of story.
A lot of these people have suggested things that immediately sprang to my mind. I could still suggest Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubneror Stiff - The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach for the intellectual ones. As for the funny, I suggest The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde, a murder mystery set in an area of England where nursery rhymes are real. Might not be your cup of tea, but I liked it.
I also enjoyed "Lamb" - so with this many votes I think you are not only required to read it, but host the first book club meeting (I perfer my cucumber sandwiches without the crust please)
Also anything by Martin Amis (son of Kingsley) is pretty good- start with "The Rachel Papers", "Money", "London Fields" or "Success".
And of course, at least once a year, I read "Catch 22"
So it is true: after ten years of marriage one does more reading books than knocking boots. That's a lot of books, Studiodave. Damn.
John Hodgman's (aka "PC" in the Mac commercials) "The Areas of My Expertise" is must-stop-reading-this-on-the-subway-else-risk-laughing-hysterically-in-an-awkward-public-place funny.
Anything by George Saunders. Intellectually funny short fiction.
These comments are so guyish.
Congratulations on the anniversary, SD! Get the lady something nice! (some time away from the kids is a great start)
When I go on vacation, I can't really concentrate, so I end up just reading Dune for the umpteenth time or filling in a puzzle magazine. Don't cruise ships have casinos? or are they verboten when the wife is around??
My suggestion: Sudoku.
This is great. I have my shopping list. Thanks for the props Mrs. T - but I think the credit goes to Mrs. Studio who long ago figured out I was neither rich, nor smart, but have stuck with me.
I must be a great lover or something...
Smitty:
It's an election year and the Michigan Dems are poised to take the House and Re-elect the Gov. Put down the books and start knocking doors.
-B
Too late for your trip, Studio, as I have been gone on my own vacation, but here're mine...
I'll second Sedaris and Vowell, but swap out titles.
Go with Sedaris' "Naked" Funniest thing I have ever read. Period. I literally was crying on the F-train and somebody asked me if I was okay.
And for Vowell, I just read "Partly Cloudy Patriot" [review] Fantastic. Funny in the typical nerdy, NPRish way you'd expect, but politically sharp as well. Written between Bush winning the White House and the first mid-terms. Particularly timely once again.
"Moneyball" is really good as well, though Beane's warts have become more apparent over the last season or two... (hoping Bonderman continues to make a fool of Beane tomorrow night)
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