• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Favorite Books

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
I have read a lot of great literature, and teach some of my favorite literature...

...but I'm dropping a plug for audio book Stinker Lets Loose on audible. Funny stuff to listen to while driving. It's based on a spoof of trucker movies of the late 70's.
 
CleveRocks said:
So I read alot.. and my tastes are all over the map. Old favs are Catcher in the Rye, and Breakfast of Champions.. full disclosure, I own every Vonnegut book..

I think the most thoughtful book ever written is Walden, but it's complex language, which nobody uses mostly.. And I think the most beautiful English language is in Fitzgeralds Tender is the Night which is not a great story, Gatsby is a better story..

I am also not a Hemingway fan, because I think he sells the language short, and not fond of Steinbeck because he is depressing.

Tolkien is a good story, and if you have the patience War and Peace is a lot of good stories.. Frank Herbert is a good escape.

Can't beat Twain for a good laugh.

Modern work I have enjoyed the Expanse series, ..I also have enjoyed the Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy Killing Patton etc series a lot more than I thought I would. Dragon Tatoo series was fun..

Ancient work, Thucydides is a must read. Religous content if course the Bible or the Koran in the correct order.. I have tried the Book of Mormon, but struggle to stay interested. Doctrine and Covenants is more interesting.

I also like old speeches. Kings, I have a dream, or Teddy R's speech after he was shot, Lincoln.. I have a number of essays that are pretty good. But I really like Karl Kapeck in that category. I find a lot of interesting stuff in old English Textbooks. It's interesting what people regard as good literature in different generations. Poe is surprising, and I think Braer Rabbit is funny, but you won't find it at the library.

I could go on for a long time. I like books.
Click to expand...

If you like SF/fantasy at all, try Dan Simmons' Hyperion, and almost anything by Jack Vance. They are two of the most literate guys in the field, especially Vance, and the words alone are a pleasure.
 
The Human Q-Tip said:
If you like SF/fantasy at all, try Dan Simmons' Hyperion, and almost anything by Jack Vance. They are two of the most literate guys in the field, especially Vance, and the words alone are a pleasure.
Click to expand...

I read Simmons' The Terror and loved it. Hoping the show AMC is making does it justice.

You should check out Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space series if you want some quality sci-fi. Reynolds is interesting because he was an actual astronomer with the European Space Agency before becoming a full-time writer, so he's got some technical clout.

The Expanse is great too.
 
The Human Q-Tip said:
If you like SF/fantasy at all, try Dan Simmons' Hyperion, and almost anything by Jack Vance. They are two of the most literate guys in the field, especially Vance, and the words alone are a pleasure.
Click to expand...

Hyperion is one of my favorite books ever. Loved the sequel too. The sense of mystery and awe was just so great, my imagination was running wild. The sequel tried hard to explain everything, and I think it succeeded, mostly. Kind of want to go back and re-read that.
 
Happiness hypothesis - Jonathan haidt

The power of habit-Charles duhigg

Natural processes analyzed from a psychological and neuroscientific perspective.
 
Chris said:
Hyperion is one of my favorite books ever. Loved the sequel too. The sense of mystery and awe was just so great, my imagination was running wild. The sequel tried hard to explain everything, and I think it succeeded, mostly. Kind of want to go back and re-read that.
Click to expand...

That's been one of those books that's been on my list for a while, but never got around to reading it. Think I'll pick it up and give it a shot.

Want to read Altered Carbon as well before the Netflix series drops. Which is apparently in like two weeks so I guess I better get the fuck on that.
 
Last edited:
Could use some data driven non fiction. Psychology, anything about the human condition etc
 
The productivity project is fantastic. Author goes into helpful hacks on getting the most oit of your day - calendar and scheduling, relaxing after Work and rejuvenating etc. All data driven. Highly recommend

Waking up Sam Harris is just fantastic. This is his area of expertise. It requires several listens. Complex ideas

Power of habit is brilliant. It teaches you how to create cues, among other things. I've used this for work. There are four typical interactions that go bad and I can't help myself from blowing up and ruining mine and other peoples days and put my job at risk. I noted them, set out a plan on how to deal with them, created a script that would get my point across and not escalate etc. Now it's just a script and everyone likes me. I keep the cues on a list widget on my phone so it's always looking back at me and ready to go. I don't even flinch when these situations arise.

Also used that one to get myself into good habits. I never wear my seat belt. Downloaded an app called "thing counter" and tallied every time I put it on. Now I never forget.. Took 5 days.
 
Ready Player One

Most of my students have read it and decided to give it a shot. Pretty cool book, a lot of 80’s references
 
Paradox of choice

First half is so fucking stupid and obvious thar when the second half starts you're shocked.

The whole time you're thinking "can you stop giving the issue and provide the solutions?" there is a chapter or two of that but it would have been much better written if thar was implemented throughout the book.

I think it's an important read
 
Notes from the Underground by Dostoevsky.

True Believer by Eric Hoffer.

Cornbread Mafia by James Higdon.

Krishnamuriti's Notebook by Jiddu Krishnamurti.

Junky by William S Burroughs.

The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hess.

I could go on and on, but usually, my favorite book is the one I'm currently reading which would be Hitler's Table Talks by Martin Bormann.
 
On my list :

75 optimistic graphs - Steven pinker

Effective altruism - I forget dude's name
 
Chris said:
Hyperion is one of my favorite books ever. Loved the sequel too. The sense of mystery and awe was just so great, my imagination was running wild. The sequel tried hard to explain everything, and I think it succeeded, mostly. Kind of want to go back and re-read that.
Click to expand...

I wasn't a huge fan of the sequel, but man the original was an absolute work of art. The way he switched genres and characters and somehow made it feel like all 7 were interconnected and destined to meet just based on their past stories was incredible. I don't think I've ever felt so many different emotions reading a book before. Absolutely fantastic world building.
 
Jack Brickman said:
I read Simmons' The Terror and loved it. Hoping the show AMC is making does it justice.
Click to expand...

So far, it seems really good. Great casting.

Always thought that GRRM's Fevre Dream would make a good movie/miniseries. It blends Mississippi riverboats and....vampires.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top