Who here likes to read?

[FishTank]

As the seasons pass into the frozen abyss of winter, I try to find other things besides fishing to keep my mind occupied and tend to read a couple of books during the off season.  Last year I read a couple of the Harry Potter books (my wife is a reading teacher), The Devil in the White City, Eargon (boring and for kids), Four Past Midnight, and The Name of the Rose, again (my personal favorite).

If you like books on history, I would highly recommed The Devil In The White City.  It is about the construction of the 1893 Worlds Fair in Chicago and a serial killer that preyed on the people attending.  It is a little slow in spots but living here in the midwest I found it interesting.  

I am thinking of reading the Golden Compass series based on my wifes recommendation but after reading a summary of the books, I might change my mind and go back to reading Robert Ludlum.  You guys got any suggestions?

[fourbizz]

Robert Jordan's  "WHEEL OF TIME" series.

I wouldn't start the series unless you have a couple of years though.

There are currently 11 books of 500-1100pages (paperback)each in the main series with the twelfth supposed to finish the story (it is all the same story line). There is also a full length prequel as well. I have read all the books besides the 11th at least twice. There are well over 10,000 pages in the paperback versions.

Unfortunately the author died in september leaving the last book partly finished. Another author is going to pick up where he left off, but if he screws it up, I swear I am gonna send him hatemail everyday! ;D

They are fantasy epics in the ilk of lord of the rings, but much darker, violent, expansive, and entertaining.

Yes I am a fantasy book nerd, but no one that I have convinced to read the first book has escaped without becoming addicted.

[Pond Hopper]

I really enjoyed Dan Brown's books and also feel that the DaVinci Code was not even the best one.  I am waiting for him to come out with another book.

[FishTank]

I really enjoyed Dan Brown's books and also feel that the DaVinci Code was not even the best one. I am waiting for him to come out with another book.

I really liked the DaVinci Code, believing his way of seeing things is up to the reader, but I thought it was one the best works of fiction that I had ever read. I also liked Angels and Demons but it seemed slow compared to the DaVinci Code.

Fourbizzle,

I tried to read the Wheel of Time years ago but it put me to sleep. I might give it a shot again since I have some time on my hands.

[roadwarrior]

I'm a James A. Michener fan.

My favorites include: Centennial, Hawaii and Poland.

For lighter reading, John Grisham.

Another area of particular interest was a series by Robert Ardrey beginning with "The Hunting Hypothesis". For a number of years before his death, Ardrey and Donald Johanson (the paleoanthropologist who discovered Lucy) wrote several books back and forth attacking each other's theory. I enjoyed these books immensely.

Carl Sagan (Comos and later, Contact) is another.

For Civil War buffs, "The March" by E.L. Doctorow is a must read. This is not so much a war novel, but a story of the people struggling through the times. I found it fascinating. Southerners might find it more interesting , but it wasn't written just for Rebels.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Does reading forums count?  If so I do.

[Fish Man]

Anything writen by Tom Clancy, They are the only books that really can keep me interested long enough to finish them

[tyrius.]

Yes I am a fantasy book nerd, but no one that I have convinced to read the first book has escaped without becoming addicted.

Jordan lost me in the WOT series.  He drug it on for far too long, too many characters, too many sub-plots.  Goodkind's series is now the same way.  I like George RR Martin's series too.  For the typical fantasy books Salvatore is the best.  His books are like candy though, no real substance to them.

Jeff Shaara's books on the various American wars are very good.  I'm currently reading the WW1 book.

Jack Whyte's books on the fall of the Roman empire in Britain and the rise of King Arthur were good.  A fantasy story based on real history.  I like those the best.  I can learn something while being entertained.  

Grisham is also good light reading.

I have many more authors that I like.  I read too much growing up but now I don't have the time to read as much as I would like.

[fourbizz]

Yes I am a fantasy book nerd, but no one that I have convinced to read the first book has escaped without becoming addicted.

Jordan lost me in the WOT series.  He drug it on for far too long, too many characters, too many sub-plots.  Goodkind's series is now the same way.  I like George RR Martin's series too.  For the typical fantasy books Salvatore is the best.  His books are like candy though, no real substance to them.

Jeff Shaara's books on the various American wars are very good.  I'm currently reading the WW1 book.

Jack Whyte's books on the fall of the Roman empire in Britain and the rise of King Arthur were good.  A fantasy story based on real history.  I like those the best.  I can learn something while being entertained.  

Grisham is also good light reading.

I have many more authors that I like.  I read too much growing up but now I don't have the time to read as much as I would like.

I hear you. Many people say the same things about the WOT series. But for me, the negative points that people see are actually the reasons that I like the series so much. The complexity is sometimes overwhelming, but that is what I really dig about those books. I mean, there are things briefly mentioned off hand that become pivotal 5,000 pages later. I like that!

[Shad_Master]

I read anything by Dean Koontz - just finished Brother Odd, the last of the "Odd Thomas" trilogy - he has a new one out, but I'm too cheap to by the hard back - will have to wait until it comes out in paperback.

[Cephkiller]

YES!

I am an unapologetic literary snob.  I love to read but find anything written in the last 50 years to be nearly unbearable.  Dostoevsky is absolutely brilliant.  I suggest you begin with Crime and Punishment and if that tickles your fancy, try to tackle The Brothers Karamazov.  Shakespeare is timeless, of course.

For something more modern, I suggest Steinbeck (Grapes of Wrath or especially Of Mice and Men).  The absolute masterpiece of the last century has to be Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.  He manages to make one appreciate and sympathize with the main character who is a pedophile.  That is no small feat.  If anyone wants some suggestions from any specific genre, just ask!

[Pond Hopper]

I really enjoyed Dan Brown's books and also feel that the DaVinci Code was not even the best one.  I am waiting for him to come out with another book.

I really liked the DaVinci Code, believing his way of seeing things is up to the reader, but I thought it was one the best works of fiction that I had ever read.  I also liked Angels and Demons but it seemed slow compared to the DaVinci Code.

Fourbizzle,

I tried to read the Wheel of Time years ago but it put me to sleep.  I might give it a shot again since I have some time on my hands.

The knowledge that he uses in his books is amazing and takes a ton of research, which blows me away for a fiction writer using so many facts.  However, I preferred Angels and Demons to The Davinci Code but everyone has their preference.  Digital Fortress was a good read but somewhat tough to comprehend with all of the technical terms and computer talk.  My favorite though was Deception Point, I was wrong about half a dozen times as to who was the culprit and the outcome was no where near what I expected, except for the guy getting the girl!

I just got a new book from my girlfriend which is Runaway Jury by John Grisham and looking forward to breaking into that one.

[Hookemdown.]

I'm a Joseph Heller fan.  I absolutely love Catch-22 (If you haven't read it, I highly recommend this book)

I also like Kafka

[Cephkiller]

I also like Kafka

Like taking hallucinogens without all the consequences  

[Micro]

I read a lot of history.

When I want to feel inspired, I read Lincoln: Selected Speeches and Writings.

Otherwise, I like to read books about WWII, particulary the airwar.  Some of my favorites:

To Win The Winter Sky (about the airwar over the Ardennes)

Six Months To Oblivion (about the destruction of the German airforce in WWII)

Bloody Shambles (about the airwar over the Malaya, Sumatra, etc)

The First Team (about the naval airwar in the Pacific during the first year of WWII)

I don't read a lot of fiction (haven't read any in years)

[fish-fighting-illini]

 When I took up reading again after a mnay year abscence I swore I would not fall into the "fiction novel" trap just an occasional dose.

 I wanted to read to learn thus I read non-fiction mainly about successful people, lots of autobiographies. Abraham Lincoln stuff, Henry Fonda, Norman Swartzkoff, Lee Iococa, Hooward Cosell, Abbot & Costello etc.

 I resisted the fistion trap but once I read Stuart Wood(s?) it was all over done. I could never put one down. I've read every book he has written ( close to 20?) that I have gotten my hands on so far. Everyone ( probably 50 people or more have all started to read him for several years running. Its a lot murder mystery stuff but the man can write. Much much more captivating than Grisham and the others to me.

 Instead of "trying" to find a book, starting and stopping 2 or 3 to find one to read I just pick up a Woods as I know I will like it. I have never read a bad one from him.

[FishTank]

If you guys want to dig a little deaper, I have two more suggestions.

The Universe In A Nutshell and A Brief History In Time by Stephen Hawking.

They are sort of like quantum physics for dummies. I thought it would all go over my head but once I got past p-branes and string theory I was OK. ;D

[jeremyt]

When I first joined the Marine Corps I would read John Grisham novels  on deployments. Here lately I have been on a Marine Corps history kick. I recently read  "Iwo Jima"  by Bill D. Ross.  Man what a read, it makes it seem like the stuff I and others have done in Iraq is nothing compared to those who went before.  I have also read ' No bending Knee, the battle of Guadal Canal"  You will never understand where you are if you don't know where you came from.

[skillet]

 Have enjoyed reading for as long long time. Can remember the "Wind in the Willows" series from grade school. I think the only way I made it thru English classes, we had 1/2 year of grammer and 1/2 year of literature. Never did worth a d**n in grammer and did great in lit. Can still quote introduction to Canterbury Tales in old English

 Hate it when I have finished all the books an author has written. It's like loosing a friend.

 Read fantasy novels and series for years. Kind of hung up in detective novels now.

 Really liked Dan Brown's books. Thought "Angels and Demons" was the best. Thought all the facts and history he threw in it and "DaVinci Code" was a real plus and helped make it so believable. If not mistaken his wife is an art historian. That should have really helped him. The only thing that bothered me is if you picked the number 1 person who shouldn't be the bad guy, he was! Realizing this after reading the 2nd book, kind of killed it for me in the next 2...

                                                 As Ever,

                                                  skillet

[Panamoka_Bassin]

I consider myself a voracious reader. I used to try reading a book a week, but nowadays its more like a book a month (getting old sucks in soooo many different ways...). Recently, I read 1776 by David McCullough (John Adams, Truman, ect.) and if anyone here like American history, this is a must read. Catch a Fire by David White is great too if you're into music or ever wanted to know about Bob Marley. Of course, F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby ranks up there as one of my favorites. Hookemdown mentoined my second fave, Catch22, which bears reading at least 3 times to get it all.

Other favorite authors of mine include:

Douglas Adams (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy)

Nelson deMille

John LeCarre

Tony Hillerman

William Shakespeare

Terry Goodkind

John Updike

Ken Kesey (One Flew Over The Cukoos Nest)

Mario Puzzo (The Godfather)

Mark Twain

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

-MANY, MANY more that just wouldn't fit in here...

[Guest muddy]

One of the hidden benifits of going back to school, I started reading again and enjoying it. I am between classes now and I am reading the Collected speeches and letters of Martin Luther King Jr., he is a personal hero, and with all the violence we are experiencing on center these days, I am trying to put something together to present to the kids when they come back from winter break. On a lighter note i am terying too gather stuff to read on Bass Biology during the winter.

[Dan:]

I've been in the middle of Rabbit, Run by John Updike for a while, I like him as a writer though.

I'm also a huge Hemingway fan, books and short stories. Gotta love that iceberg principle...

Muddy, have you read "The Drum Major Instinct"? I like that essay a lot.

hookemdown, I don't see how you like Kafka, I can't stand him. I read the metamorphosis in 10th or 11th grade and I recall it reading like the dream of a passed out crack head.

[Tin]

I like to analyze a book, find symbolism, political stuff at the time the book was written, and other little things that are in there. My personal favorite for this is "All Quiet on the Western Front". TONS of symbolism and little messages tucked in. Like Kemmerick's boot's, and the price of a life and the horrors of war. Amazing book.

Also things Shakespeares' MacBeth and Caesar and great for doing this with.

[mattm]

I love reading.  Right know i'm reading Tender Bar, its a memoir, and not to bad.  My absolute favorite is Lonesome Dove.  Anyone who hasn't read it really should.  Awesome story and great character development.

[frogtog]

I am so sorry. You guy's just haven't been reading unless you have read

Patrich F. Mcmanus ( Last Name Might Be Spelt wrong ) I have read some of

his books and laughed till I cried, especially ( The Night The Bear Ate Gumball )

It might just be me and my since of humor, but this guy is the best if you like to

laugh. He use to write for Outdoor Life.