Books I would like to Read
February 7, 2008
I have been meaning to create this list for quite awhile now, and decided that I just might as well get on with it. Thanks to this post by Scott. This is the list of books that I want to read. I’ll try to re-arrange it so that I have what I want to read most on top.
If you have any recommendations, feel free to give them to me. Please don’t be offended if I re-order and end up placing your recommendation at the bottom, or if I don’t include it at all.
After all, we all have different interests. Also, feel free to ignore any of my recommendations, or to place them at the bottom of your list 
Reading
- CryptoNomicon – Neal Stephenson (Recommended by Art)
To Read:
- Zombie Survival Guide – Max Brooks (Recommended by Art)
- Pandora’s Star – Peter F. Hamilton (Recommended by Art)
- Judas Unchained – Peter F. Hamilton (Recommended by Art)
- Lord of the Flies, by William Golding (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos) I’ve Read this one before, but I can’t remember it too well.
- The Catcher In The Rye, J.D. Salinger (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos) I’ve always wanted to read this one.
- Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos)
- Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos)
- The Lazlo Letters: The Amazing, Real-life, Actual Correspondence of Lazlo Toth (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos)
- American!, by Don Novello (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos)
- Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos) Another one that I’ve always wanted to Read, and never have gotten to.
- Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos)
- In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote (Recommended by Scott at My Thermos)
Finished Reading
- World War Z – Max Brooks
- I am Legend – Richard Matheson
Also on Port 16:
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February 7th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Don’t forget the Zombie Survival Guide from Max Brooks.
Also, I thoroughly enjoyed the Commonwealth Saga from Peter F. Hamilton. Two books in the saga, Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained. The best hard sci-fi I’ve read in a long time.
Also just about anything from Harry Turtledove. He’s the best in alternate history novels.
February 8th, 2008 at 6:24 am
Thanks Art! I’ll have to add those too, except for Harry Turtledove. I have one of his books, and I didn’t like it.
Is Crypto-Nomicon part of a series? In the front of the book it says something to the effect that this is the first book.
I’ll update the post.
February 8th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Sorry to hear you didn’t like Harry Turtledove. What did you read?
Cryptonomicon (It’s only one word, by the way. I know it’s hyphenated on the cover of the paperback, but that’s just to make it fit.) is only one book. I have a different edition than you, the big trade paperback edition, and I couldn’t find anything like what you mentioned. When you get to the end of the book, you’ll see that the story is pretty much all wrapped up, and there’s not much more that can be done with it anyway.
February 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Thanks! I have a huge paperback, and there was a except in the front that led me to believe that it’s part of a series.
I don’t remember the Turtledove title, I think it was something along the lines of World War II is interrupted because we are invaded by aliens.
February 8th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
That was the Worldwar series, and it sounds like you read the first one, In the Balance. There are seven more books in the series after that one.
Also by him is The Great War series. This starts with the South winning the Civil War and goes right on up to the time WW2 would have taken place in the real world. Eleven books in that series.
Days of Infamy is also good. There are only two books in this series that describes what might have happened had the Japanese actually occupied Hawaii in 1941.
Then he’s written several novels that stand by themselves, like Guns of the South. In this story, South African skinheads travel back in time and supply the Confederacy with machines guns, grenade launchers, and other modern weapons to help them win the Civil War.
I just kind of like these “What if…?” twists on history. I find them interesting and entertaining.
February 8th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I thought the story sounded good, if I remember correctly, they just didn’t grab me. It’s sitting on my bookshelf, maybe I’ll give it another shot.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
That list of books sure looks familiar to me…
I liked the Turtledove Worldwar series ok but my brother is a big fan of his stuff.
SB
February 8th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Yea, your post reminded me that I wanted to make the list. Thanks Man!
Although, I guess I could have said so explicitly huh?
February 8th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
There, I fixed it
February 8th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Hey Mike,
No need to have changed it – I certainly felt properly credited – if not overly credited already. Glad you found the post helpful.
SB
February 9th, 2008 at 7:50 am
No problem, and I did find it helpful, it coincided nicely with my recent reading binge.
February 14th, 2008 at 12:56 am
I’ve thumbed through the Zombie Survival Guide. It’s completely bizarre. Have you ever read any of Carol O’Connell’s books. They’re crime/mystery novels, most of which are part of a series. Very well written as far as that genre goes. Not in the same league as most of those mentioned above, but excellent reading.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Thanks for the comment Kellypea! By bizarre, do you mean “thank god I read it because now I’m prepared for the coming Zombie apocalypse?” Just kidding
World War Z was also by the same author, and the snippets I’ve seen from the Zombie Survival Guide look pretty good, but I’m into the Zombie stuff.
Also, thanks for the suggestion about Carol O’Connell, I haven’t read anything by her, and I personally don’t read much crime / mystery, but my wife does. She has been addicted to the Janet Evanovich titles lately.
The list above is mostly from Scott’s site, and he did have some really hefty tomes, I have another list (on paper) that I need to sync with this one.
February 16th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I’ve read the Zombie Survival Guide (for some strange reason I have two copies of it) and I thought it was pretty entertaining. I can totally tell you’re into Zombie stuff by the books on there (World War Z, I Am Legend). I was wondering if I Am Legend was any good? I saw the movie but apparently it was a lot different from the book and I’m thinking about reading it, but I’m not sure.
February 16th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Oh man, I’m an idiot. I stumbled on this site and then I saw that you have a book review up for I Am Legend. Disregard my question!
February 16th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hey Samantha,
I Am Legend the movie and I Am Legend the book are two different beasts. If you want to see a movie that is almost exactly like the book, check out the 1964 film The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price. Richard Matheson even had a hand in writing the screenplay, which could explain why the movie follows the book so closely.
February 16th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
No worries Samantha! Thanks for the comment!
I did like I am legend the story, but I couldn’t tell you if the movie is any good. Thanks for answering her Art.
February 21st, 2008 at 12:02 pm
[...] I mentioned in my “Books I would like to Read” post, I’m working on Cryptonomicon right now. Great book so far! I really love [...]