Books books books.....

[telkanuru]

I use Clancy as filler reading, normally. For say, 8 hour plain trips. It's helpful to only have to bring 1 book. The problem with his writing is that it can easily be condensed into something a quarter as long without losing any content. It's why movies based off of his books work.

Also, I know this is a blasphemous thing to say on a fencing forum, but I absolutely cannot stand Dumas' prose. At all. There is annoyingly little action in any of his books. It's mainly court intreague, and very, very dull.

[neevel]

The other issue with "Dumas" books is picking which ones he actually wrote and which were ghost-written. Some of the ghosted ones come across like a Bulwer-Lytton Contest entry by someone who missed the bit about it only needing to be an opening paragraph...

[fencerontheline]

I really liked Rand's Anthem, and Candide by Volaire

Some other faves from recent years

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
A Scientist in the City by James Trefil
The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand (read it before the movie came out and thought "wouldn't this make a great film")
The White Deer by James Thurber (all time favorite)

Recently I've started rereading a series of books by an obscure author named J.K. Rowling

Have you read Zadig by Voltaire(I liked it better than Candide), or Atles Shrugged or Fountainhead by Ayn Rand...? Good stuff 'em- books.....

[achilleus]

I am amazed to see other Gaiman fans...

I've been one for over 12 years...

[Soldier]

I use Clancy as filler reading, normally. For say, 8 hour plain trips. It's helpful to only have to bring 1 book. The problem with his writing is that it can easily be condensed into something a quarter as long without losing any content. It's why movies based off of his books work.

Also, I know this is a blasphemous thing to say on a fencing forum, but I absolutely cannot stand Dumas' prose. At all. There is annoyingly little action in any of his books. It's mainly court intreague, and very, very dull.

Unless you enjoy the detail of weapons systems, interactions, et cetera, such as I do.

[telkanuru]

well, I do appreciate the 2 chapters devoted to the first second or so of nuclear detonation

[fencerontheline]

I am amazed to see other Gaiman fans...

I've been one for over 12 years...

I just started(and finished) Sandman.......

Great comic literature.....

[gojujay]

F.A. Hayek
Jared Diamond
Aristotle
R.A.Salvatore
Raymond E. Feist
Terry Goodkind

[Soldier]

well, I do appreciate the 2 chapters devoted to the first second or so of nuclear detonation

I do get your sarcasm, but I actually found that whole part entertaining.

[Gav]

I've read most of his SF (I''m not sure that I read all of it so I can't say - he was so prolific). I've also read a wide selection of his essays - which are excellent (better than Sagan's in my opinion and up there with Clarke) and some his detective stories. I'd recommend Asimov to anyone. Very easy to read as well.

But it reminds me. I forgot to put down Frank Herbert! Dune aside (and that would be up there on my recommendations as well) he wrote other interesting SF.

[Tireur]

I use Clancy as filler reading, normally. For say, 8 hour plain trips.

As opposed to ornate trips?

[K Degnon]

At least it wasn't while tripping.

[Moonitic]

ahh...books...

Some favorite authors of mine are L.J. Smith, Frank Peretti, Liz Curtis Higgs (currently reading Fair is the Rose & adoring it), some Anne Rice, Shakes the Bard & far too many non-fiction books that deal with piracy, vampirism, fiction writing & stage combat.