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Topic: Book recommendations and reviews (Read 1256 times)

legendary
Activity: 3374
Merit: 1824
July 22, 2014, 03:50:20 PM
#30
I can recommend Miserable from Victor Hugo.
Great novel about real people in 19 th century in French, their circumstances, struggles, suffering, etc.
Great book!

Your right ,the book is a  masterpiece ,i almost forgot about the famous Jean Valjean!This book contains a little bit of everything. By the time you're finished you've had a bit of military history (the whole Waterloo section), several political essays from both the "royalist" and "republican" side of things, some education about how Europeans cities, such as Paris, have grown from the middle ages to modern times, and a fair bit of philosophy of the meaning of life, the difference between right and wrong, and the relationship of duty to morality.

Yes, I agree.
Fantastic book, the best I read in my life.
To this very good review above I can add one more important point.
This great story is very good example of moral values, goodness, living for the sake of others by the main character, Jean Valjean.
Despite all evil things happened in his life, all bad luck, he remained honest, good man and helped a lot people during his life.
This man is really very good example for all of us and this story always inspire me.
hero member
Activity: 532
Merit: 500
Currently held as collateral by monbux
July 21, 2014, 09:12:53 AM
#29
Anyone read Fight club? I know you have you must have it's one of the best books I have ever read much better than the movie.
hero member
Activity: 1492
Merit: 763
Life is a taxable event
July 21, 2014, 09:11:50 AM
#28
Why bother reading this book if there is a TV Serial which is a lot better.Its famous all over now Games Of Thrones.

Because things happen in the book much differently and make a lot more sense.

The book is like a parallel universe.

I like the book and the show almost equally but I find that the book has much more to offer (higher immersion factor).
member
Activity: 99
Merit: 10
July 21, 2014, 04:13:47 AM
#27
A good fiction series I would recommend would be Eragon (Eargon, Eldest, Brisinger, inheritance).

it's in amazing book series With a good Plot.

With Magic, Dragons, Dwarfs, elves, battles, and many other things that make it a great series.
legendary
Activity: 826
Merit: 1000
amarha
June 05, 2014, 10:42:21 AM
#26
Fiction:

A Song of Ice and Fire (only if you have about 15 days of free time)


Why bother reading this book if there is a TV Serial which is a lot better.Its famous all over now Games Of Thrones.


I haven't read the series personally but I've heard from many people that the books are better than the series. Also, the books go more in depth and introduce other characters that are not included in the HBO adaptation.
legendary
Activity: 1414
Merit: 1000
June 05, 2014, 10:17:25 AM
#25
Fiction:

A Song of Ice and Fire (only if you have about 15 days of free time)

Why bother reading this book if there is a TV Serial which is a lot better.Its famous all over now Games Of Thrones.
I can recommend Miserable from Victor Hugo.
Great novel about real people in 19 th century in French, their circumstances, struggles, suffering, etc.
Great book!

There is also a movie based on this book. Les Misérables http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/?ref_=nv_sr_1 It has won 3 academy awards.I would like to know which is better in this case Book or Movie?
You should read the book first!I didn't like the movie that much,probably because is a musical. But there is another movie with the same name,a little old ,it came out in 1998,which was very good and i recommend you to see it.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119683/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhhsylxYafE
Thanks for suggestion.I'll try both.
sr. member
Activity: 378
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 09:43:32 AM
#24
I can recommend Miserable from Victor Hugo.
Great novel about real people in 19 th century in French, their circumstances, struggles, suffering, etc.
Great book!

There is also a movie based on this book. Les Misérables http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/?ref_=nv_sr_1 It has won 3 academy awards.I would like to know which is better in this case Book or Movie?
You should read the book first!I didn't like the movie that much,probably because is a musical. But there is another movie with the same name,a little old ,it came out in 1998,which was very good and i recommend you to see it.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119683/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhhsylxYafE
legendary
Activity: 1414
Merit: 1000
June 05, 2014, 09:28:08 AM
#23
I can recommend Miserable from Victor Hugo.
Great novel about real people in 19 th century in French, their circumstances, struggles, suffering, etc.
Great book!

There is also a movie based on this book. Les Misérables http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/?ref_=nv_sr_1 It has won 3 academy awards.I would like to know which is better in this case Book or Movie?
hero member
Activity: 1492
Merit: 763
Life is a taxable event
June 05, 2014, 09:24:31 AM
#22
Fiction:

A Song of Ice and Fire (only if you have about 15 days of free time)

Non-fiction: Into the wild
                  IUPAC Blue Book (http://www.acdlabs.com/iupac/nomenclature/)
sr. member
Activity: 378
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 09:21:04 AM
#21
I can recommend Miserable from Victor Hugo.
Great novel about real people in 19 th century in French, their circumstances, struggles, suffering, etc.
Great book!

Your right ,the book is a  masterpiece ,i almost forgot about the famous Jean Valjean!This book contains a little bit of everything. By the time you're finished you've had a bit of military history (the whole Waterloo section), several political essays from both the "royalist" and "republican" side of things, some education about how Europeans cities, such as Paris, have grown from the middle ages to modern times, and a fair bit of philosophy of the meaning of life, the difference between right and wrong, and the relationship of duty to morality.
sr. member
Activity: 378
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 09:12:34 AM
#20
Fictional Book -Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris -I can say I know more about Cicero than I did when I started the book, but more important, the book transported me a different time and place. When I had to put the book down for the night, I always had a little jolt that I was actually sitting in Montgomery, Alabama. The descriptions of the political and legal manuevering by Cicero et al. were fascinating and not too terribly far afield from what occurs in those professions today. Now that I've finished the book, I find myself missing my new friends - and enemies - in Rome. Getting so immersed in a book is becoming increasingly rare in my experience.

I just had a quick look at the reviews of this on Amazon and it looks like it is pretty good. I like reading about ancient Rome but I don't think I've read a historical fiction novel based on that era. Looks like other books by this author are highly regarded as well.
I am a fan of history and in special on the Romans time,i find that era so fascinating for me.And also great people ,like Cicero,who chose family over power.I recommend you to read it,it will worth your time !
legendary
Activity: 3374
Merit: 1824
June 05, 2014, 09:03:53 AM
#19
I can recommend Miserable from Victor Hugo.
Great novel about real people in 19 th century in French, their circumstances, struggles, suffering, etc.
Great book!
legendary
Activity: 826
Merit: 1000
amarha
June 05, 2014, 09:00:01 AM
#18
Fictional Book -Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris -I can say I know more about Cicero than I did when I started the book, but more important, the book transported me a different time and place. When I had to put the book down for the night, I always had a little jolt that I was actually sitting in Montgomery, Alabama. The descriptions of the political and legal manuevering by Cicero et al. were fascinating and not too terribly far afield from what occurs in those professions today. Now that I've finished the book, I find myself missing my new friends - and enemies - in Rome. Getting so immersed in a book is becoming increasingly rare in my experience.

I just had a quick look at the reviews of this on Amazon and it looks like it is pretty good. I like reading about ancient Rome but I don't think I've read a historical fiction novel based on that era. Looks like other books by this author are highly regarded as well.
legendary
Activity: 826
Merit: 1000
amarha
June 05, 2014, 08:56:07 AM
#17
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond was awesome and definitely worth checking out.
I genuinely enjoyed reading Guns, Germs and Steel. I enjoyed not because of the readability but the concepts and facts that I learned while reading. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to further their knowledge in human prehistory with a link to the present day. Diamond used extensive examples to back up his argument throughout the novel and did well to acknowledge his shortcomings in the epilogue. Well written!

It's been a while since I read it, but I remember thinking that while it might be true that genetic differences aren't a actor in "Eurasian" success, cultural differences might have had a lot more to do with it than he theorises. That's not to say that the environmental/geographical factors like he outlines in the book weren't a huge factor.
sr. member
Activity: 378
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 08:52:21 AM
#16
Fictional Book -Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris -I can say I know more about Cicero than I did when I started the book, but more important, the book transported me a different time and place. When I had to put the book down for the night, I always had a little jolt that I was actually sitting in Montgomery, Alabama. The descriptions of the political and legal manuevering by Cicero et al. were fascinating and not too terribly far afield from what occurs in those professions today. Now that I've finished the book, I find myself missing my new friends - and enemies - in Rome. Getting so immersed in a book is becoming increasingly rare in my experience.
sr. member
Activity: 350
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 08:48:21 AM
#15
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond was awesome and definitely worth checking out.
I genuinely enjoyed reading Guns, Germs and Steel. I enjoyed not because of the readability but the concepts and facts that I learned while reading. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants to further their knowledge in human prehistory with a link to the present day. Diamond used extensive examples to back up his argument throughout the novel and did well to acknowledge his shortcomings in the epilogue. Well written!
sr. member
Activity: 364
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 08:25:31 AM
#14
Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson.
I also read a book called The Alchemy of Air which is about how we avoided the food shortage that was predicted a while ago, but also helped fuel the rise of Hitler by doing so. It's pretty interesting.
I also read Devil in the White City this year, what an incredible story. Although I subsequently learned it doesn't make a great topic of conversation for a first date!
sr. member
Activity: 448
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 08:20:14 AM
#13
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond was awesome and definitely worth checking out.
sr. member
Activity: 350
Merit: 250
June 05, 2014, 07:03:11 AM
#12
Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson.
I also read a book called The Alchemy of Air which is about how we avoided the food shortage that was predicted a while ago, but also helped fuel the rise of Hitler by doing so. It's pretty interesting.
hero member
Activity: 583
Merit: 500
June 05, 2014, 06:19:44 AM
#11
Fiction:

Voltaire:     Candide
Murakami:  Wind up Bird Chronicles
Kobo:         The Woman in the Dunes
Vonnegut:   (Anything)


Non-fiction:

Habermas:  The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere
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