|
Post by Crowfan on Sept 21, 2014 4:47:29 GMT -5
Harry Turtledove writes some great stuff. His alternate histories definitely make you think.
And if you get North and South on DVD, there is also North and South Book 2.
|
|
|
Post by milospinstripe on Sept 21, 2014 15:50:33 GMT -5
Yes his books are fascinating. I like how he blends actual history and historical figures into his alternate history scenarios. I recently started reading some of the earlier books in "The War that Started Early" series and I've already read most of the "Southern Victory" series. My favorite of his is the "Worldwar" and "Colonization" series, I've read them all besides "Homeward Bound", very good books imo.
Any Turtledove or other authors that do alternate history that you could recommend, Crowfan? I'm always on the lookout for something good to read. I like Dean Koontz too, btw, so any of his that someone could recommend would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
|
|
|
Post by Crowfan on Sept 21, 2014 16:22:55 GMT -5
Dean Koontz is good, all his stuff is interesting. Turtledove is great, as I've mentioned. If you like historical stuff, I would recommend Richard Evans...he's a British historian and his 3rd Reich trilogy is fantastic. There are some alternate WW1 history books that have come out this year, with this being the 100th anniversary of the start of that war. What if the Archduke didn't go to Sarajevo, that kind of thing. I've got a hold on a couple of those at my local library.
|
|
|
Post by Crowfan on Sept 30, 2014 21:36:40 GMT -5
Growing Up Brady by Barry Williams. Story of his time on the "Brady Bunch". Quite interesting so far, although parts of it are strange, like when he and Florence Henderson went on a date.
|
|
|
Post by milospinstripe on Oct 1, 2014 20:16:04 GMT -5
Growing Up Brady by Barry Williams. Story of his time on the "Brady Bunch". Quite interesting so far, although parts of it are strange, like when he and Florence Henderson went on a date. That has to be pretty interesting. Barry Williams currently has a show in Bransen, Missouri where he sings and does some Brady skits I believe lol. I've heard interviews with him on the radio, On the Opie & Anthony show. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. Laid back and easy to joke around with.
|
|
|
Post by Crowfan on Oct 2, 2014 5:06:06 GMT -5
He's somebody I wouldn't mind hanging out with, and he turned out okay. Apparently Marcia(aka Maureen MeCormick), has also written a book which is checked out of the library at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by afriendlychicken on Oct 2, 2014 19:46:23 GMT -5
I loved Turtledove's Agents of Byzantium. Want to read his two alternate history books on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor: End of the Beginning & Days of Infamy.
B. C. A Rag and a Bone and a Yank of Hair
Only seven more books and I'm done with my B. C. marathon. This book represents strips from 1978 and I'm surprised at how well the strip held up it's humor & quality since it's 1958 premiere. There's very few strips represented in book form after 1984 or so except in two posthumous collections, but the best of Johnny Hart pretty much happened during that first 25 years or so, before it finally hit 'dinosaur strip' mode.
|
|
|
Post by Crowfan on Oct 4, 2014 20:57:40 GMT -5
Full Metal Jacket Diary by Matthew Modine. Modine's take on working with Stanley Kubric and making the movie "Full Metal Jacket"...it's very interesting so far.
|
|
|
Post by zurk on Oct 5, 2014 11:46:51 GMT -5
'The Big Knockover' by Dashiell Hammett, best known perhaps for his novel 'The Maltese Falcon'. It's a compilation of stories from 1925-1929, featuring The Continental Op, a nameless agent of The Continental Detective Agency.
He's an interesting character, this 'Op' guy; he somewhat defies the conventional hard-boiled detective-type of the Prohibition and Great Depression eras. The Op is described as short and pudgy, yet shrewd and capable, and motivated by the assignment more than the charms of the beautiful women he encounters.
These stories are fairly long--not novella-length, but longer than typical short story-length. So far it's been a very good read.
|
|
|
Post by Crowfan on Oct 11, 2014 6:24:47 GMT -5
Lord Of Misrule. Christopher Lee's autobiography. Just started this, so not very far along but it's very interesting so far. I'm up to his service in WW2.
|
|
|
Post by Afgncaap5 on Oct 11, 2014 13:34:58 GMT -5
I've picked up Seconds, the newest book by Bryan Lee O'Malley (the creator of the Scott Pilgrim books). So far it's nice. It reads like a fairy tale (I keep expecting to see Scott Pilgrim characters in the background for some reason. His art style must be ingrained with that series in my brain, I guess.)
|
|
|
Post by nondescript spice on Oct 13, 2014 15:53:30 GMT -5
He's somebody I wouldn't mind hanging out with, and he turned out okay. Apparently Marcia(aka Maureen MeCormick), has also written a book which is checked out of the library at the moment. i might be wrong, but i think she wrote two books? i might be thinking of another brady. if it's true, i read her latest book. she had a lot of stuff in it about her weight issues (even though she wasn't overweight, she showed a picture of the brady's while they were filming in hawaii and she had her arm across her stomach - she said she did that all the time so people wouldn't notice how "fat" she was) and also her drug problem. said the day they filmed the show at that amusement park, that it was the first time cindy got drunk. barry williams is doing brady skits? that is sad. he does seem like a nice guy, but i hate to see a one time star clinging to their glory days like that. i'm still waiting on the newest ken follett book. i put my name on the waiting list and hopefully will hear from them soon.
|
|
|
Post by Crowfan on Oct 13, 2014 17:45:59 GMT -5
He's somebody I wouldn't mind hanging out with, and he turned out okay. Apparently Marcia(aka Maureen MeCormick), has also written a book which is checked out of the library at the moment. i might be wrong, but i think she wrote two books? i might be thinking of another brady. if it's true, i read her latest book. she had a lot of stuff in it about her weight issues (even though she wasn't overweight, she showed a picture of the brady's while they were filming in hawaii and she had her arm across her stomach - she said she did that all the time so people wouldn't notice how "fat" she was) and also her drug problem. said the day they filmed the show at that amusement park, that it was the first time cindy got drunk. barry williams is doing brady skits? that is sad. he does seem like a nice guy, but i hate to see a one time star clinging to their glory days like that. i'm still waiting on the newest ken follett book. i put my name on the waiting list and hopefully will hear from them soon. Maureen Mc Cormick's book is called "Here's The Story". Someone has it checked out, so I have it on hold
|
|
|
Post by nondescript spice on Oct 14, 2014 10:21:53 GMT -5
score! my dad, who has been waiting on this last book of the follett trilogy, ordered me a book when he got his, so i should get it by friday. can't wait to start it.
i just finished is everyone hanging out without me? (and other concerns) by mindy kaling. i don't normally read books like these, although i did read bossypants by tina fey and enjoyed it, and i plan to read amy poehler's book at some point. i really like women in comedy today.
when i saw mindy developed her own show the mindy project, i didn't jump on board for two reasons - one, because watching a new show requires more commitment than i'm willing to invest, and two - i assumed her character would just be another kelly from the office, and although kelly was funny, it was because she was so irritating and shallow.
but i was wrong - there is a small percent of kelly in mindy's new character, but not enough to mar my enjoyment of the show. it is quick and funny with a good cast.
mindy's book was a quick and easy read, but funny and honest. i admire how she went about her career - she came from a loving family and has no horror stories about growing up; she has nothing but love and respect for her parents and siblings and friends. she went to and finished college before moving to new york, where she and her best friend eventually made a small name for themselves for putting on a play called matt and ben or ben and matt - where they played matt damon and ben afflick. it led her to california where the show bombed, but she ended up as a comedy writer for the office.
i like mindy because she isn't the typical size 2 starlet that is famous for stupid crap like reality shows and getting arrested. she has a good head on her shoulders, has an amazing attitude and is very funny.
|
|
|
Post by nondescript spice on Oct 16, 2014 15:32:11 GMT -5
thought i should acknowledge oscar wilde's birthday here. i remember when i was 13 or 14, there was a book i loved that i re-read many times and a friend of mine thought that was crazy, like she thought that was the only book i knew how to read, or something. it used to bug me until years later when i read one of the zillions of oscar wilde quotes out there: "if one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all."
|
|