Comments on: Wanted: Quality Reads

By: lulu

lulu — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:40:52 +0000

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan. A must-read for anyone who cares about where their food comes from and what’s in it. Fascinating, eye-opening, intelligent, funny, and well-written. One of the best books I’ve ever read.

By: Kim Werker › Recommended Reads: Sci-Fi

Kim Werker › Recommended Reads: Sci-Fi — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 17:52:23 +0000

[...] to many generous responses to my plea for book recommendations, here’s a list of science fiction books to put on your list. As I get to them, I’ll [...]

By: penny

penny — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 21:05:53 +0000

still haven’t organized my book shelf but may i second the recommendation of ‘nemesis’ and add to it ‘Time and Again’ by Jack Finney.

and I whole heartedly endorse ‘ender’s game’

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 17:23:07 +0000

Ok, I was totally going to recommend the Foundation Series. However, Asimov was an extremely prolific writer and many, many, many of his works are worth a read. I second (third?) Nightfall, and recommend Nemesis; also see if you can get your hands on two short stories he wrote called ‘The Last Question’ and (I think) ‘A Feeling of Power.’ I really recommend Card’s Ender’s Game. It’s one of my all-time favorite books of any kind, and I’m picky about the author’s technical writing ability, as well. Let’s see…I enjoy the work of Larry Niven – Ringworld and The Integral Trees. I also read a lot of Andre Norton and Anne McCaffrey, although those begin to blur into fantasy (not a problem for me, as I actually prefer that genre). It sounds like your Dad and mine would get along.

By: Marikka

Marikka — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:49:04 +0000

I love Diamond Age, although, I will admit that it takes a bit more patience than the average SF and a lot of trust. It’s the trust issue that seems to stop a lot of people, because you have to trust that the author is going to explain that you don’t get in that initial chapter. And if you haven’t been initiated in that sort of trust, it’s hard to give in.

Apparently, I’ll have to try out Dan Simmons if he uses poetry as a basis for a book.

By: Francesca

Francesca — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 14:08:41 +0000

Try Iain M Banks. Note the M…. the books he writes as Iain Banks are totally different. He and Dan Simmons are the only two scifi writers I am crazy about. Incredible stuff. Dan Simmons uses Keats´poetry as a base for his books. Good stuff.

By: penny

penny — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 02:35:40 +0000

oh most definitely ender’s game! I’m due for a reread. now i’ll have to organize my sci-fi collection so i know what i own and what i don’t.. foundation is on my list for another attempt this summer.

By: cecily

cecily — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:51:44 +0000

Rob recently re-read the entire Foundation series (including additions written by other authors) in chronological order for the story arc (not publication). I simply don’t read enough to re-read all that! I do adore Asimov though! Nightfall (a co-write piece from the end of Asimov’s life)is a quick and fun read. It’s one of those reads that plays out like a movie in my head as I read. I’ll note that music by Air is an excellent soundtrack to that one.

Then, there’s Snow Crash and Diamond Age. They both rock, though both are guilty of a gratuitous sex scene or two. Snow crash is a bit less mature a work than Diamond Age. if choosing between the two I say Diamond Age.

Have I pushed that book on you before?

By: Marikka

Marikka — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:36:41 +0000

I’d recommend SF that no one wants to think of as SF: The Time-Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (this one inspires a tremedous sense of love whenever I think about it, but I think Ishiguro is sublime).

And on the more traditional front:

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card (although the subsequent Ender books are a bit preachy, but my dad loves the subsequent Bean books)

Anything by Octavia Butler because she was super cool.

Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm…Kate Wilhelm remains super cool.

And my favorite dystopian novel ever: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. (I liked 1984 well enough, but I fell head over heels in love with Brave New World, a love that has survived fourteen years now.)

I’ve been slogging through a lot of mediocre SF lately, which has depressed me, but since everyone else loves it, I’m wondering if maybe I just don’t connect with SF anymore.

And although I am reluctant to mention that Harlan Ellison got me back into SF in college, I will say that he did, even though his recent behavior makes me want to hang my head in shame after admitting as much. But his Alone Against Tomorrow story collection makes me want to forget his recent indiscretions.

Then, if you are willing to jump ship and venture towards the reason why some folks refer to science fiction and fantasy as speculative fiction, the short story collections by Kelly Link.

By: Katya

Katya — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:12:48 +0000

If you like ‘food/cookery-books’ with different approaches to cooking you should try Heston Blumenthal. He’s got a bunch of books, he’s normally taking very basic dishes, best ingredients and is looking how too make them perfect, I mean really perfect. Lot’s of chemical explanations on how to get the right taste etc.