The Books Thread

OK so now the iPhone has a book thing on it i may take peoples advice of reading to relax before i go to sleep (doubt it will work but ill try)

So does anyone have any recommendations on any good books?

I hear most books are better than the films they bring out so lets give it a go
 
Coopz said:
So does anyone have any recommendations on any good books?
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If only there were a thread about books where people talked about books they were reading and enjoyed, then other people could read these posts and try the books out for themselves, we could call it something catchy like "what to read" or "this thing with the words and stuff is so cool" or even "The Books Thread"......
 
Roadside Crosses - Jefferey Deaver 7/10
A bit like The Mentalist, but slightly darker. Decent enough read.

The Ghost(writer) - Robert Harris 8/10
You can see the movie trailer.....

The Paris Option - Robert Ludlum 8/10
Usual Ludlum action adventure, very good.
 
Placebo said:
If only there were a thread about books where people talked about books they were reading and enjoyed, then other people could read these posts and try the books out for themselves, we could call it something catchy like "what to read" or "this thing with the words and stuff is so cool" or even "The Books Thread"......
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I just wanted recommendations not a list of what people have read like in here and i asked the same kinda question about apps in the iPhone thread and strangely enough people gave me some
 
All i saw is you posting what you have read not if you enjoyed it or not :)
 
This discussion is nearly doubling the original amount of posts in the thread! :D

As for recommendations:

Coopz:
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Placebo:
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:P
 
Coopz said:
All i saw is you posting what you have read not if you enjoyed it or not :)
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I enjoy and recommend books by:

James Grippando
James Ellroy
Kathy Reichs
Harlan Coben
Michael Crichton
Dan Brown
James Patterson
Jeff Lindsay
Karin Slaughter
Lee Child
Michael Connelly
Robert Crais

They're probably the authors I've read over the last 2-3 years, they all write series' of books usually 10-15 each so in that list there's probably around 150-200 books, should keep you going a while. Hope that helps.
 
I've been dissapointed with the latest efforts from him; "Next" and "State of fear". Both had excellent potential, enough facts, interesting technology and a good basis for a story, but in the end they just turned into flat stories with a patronizing "be carefull about technology" tone.

Got the impression he spent most of his time researching the material but didn't have time to put an exciting story together.
 
Right been away for two weeks lying on a beach reading so here are my reviews;

1st to Die – James Patterson - 8/10
Good start to the series. A bit like Kathy Reichs in tone and humour.

Reckless – Andrew Gross - 8,5/10
Didn't realise it was the 3rd in the series but it didn't really matter. Really good read if you like financial thrillers.

Gone Tommorow – Lee Child - 8/10
Jack Reacher serie, again didn't realise it was the latest one. Good read, Jack Bauer without help and great dry humour.

The Robert Ludlum's The Moscow Vector - 8/10
Usual Ludlum action thriller.

Robert Ludlum - The Apocalypse Watch - 6,5/10
Decent, would have been higher if it hadn't gone on for 800pages!

Cross Country - James Patterson - 8,5/10
Really good thriller with Alex Cross.

You've Been Warned - James Patterson - 4/10
Sixth Sense meets Shutter Island set in a nanny/rich family environement. Boring story and you could see the end coming from halfway through the book.
 
Thanks for the offer, but I'm old skool and like to have a book in my hand. Besides it will be a while till I can have a good read again. :(
 
I finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown about a month ago. He sure knows how to get people to keep reading with a mediocre plot. I liked the ending, but I thought at times it was abit repetitive and farfetched... but it was alright.

Now I'm reading Naomi Klein's No Logo. Its a bible at my uni.
 
Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth.

This book will change your life. Read it a year ago and been buying copies for friends/family and recommending it to anyone I care about since.
 
PLF said:
Eckhart Tolle - A New Earth.

This book will change your life. Read it a year ago and been buying copies for friends/family and recommending it to anyone I care about since.
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I assume you've also read The Power of Now then?
 
Milanista said:
Now I'm reading Naomi Klein's No Logo. Its a bible at my uni.
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I remember very well reading that book, at the same time i was reading the excellent biography about Michael Jordan by veteran journalist David Halberstam.
In that book you read about the nike deals that Jordan did and that he was the poster boy of nike.
In no logo you get a glimpse of the dark side of nike.

Why do sport stars rarely ever ask themselves questions about the firms they are representing...especially third world stars like all those Brazilian football players who work for Nike and similar firms.
 
gerd said:
In no logo you get a glimpse of the dark side of nike.
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.... and levis.... and adidas.
i haven't bought anything from those 3 brands ever since i read that book.
gerd said:
Why do sport stars rarely ever ask themselves questions about the firms they are representing...especially third world stars like all those Brazilian football players who work for Nike and similar firms.
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probably for the same reason why customers prefere to "ignore" some brands' policies and still buy their products.
 
gerd said:
I remember very well reading that book, at the same time i was reading the excellent biography about Michael Jordan by veteran journalist David Halberstam.
In that book you read about the nike deals that Jordan did and that he was the poster boy of nike.
In no logo you get a glimpse of the dark side of nike.

Why do sport stars rarely ever ask themselves questions about the firms they are representing...especially third world stars like all those Brazilian football players who work for Nike and similar firms.
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I'm about half way through now, and it's not only sports that has things like this happening. If I was a player starting out, and was labelled as the next big thing, I'd be so full of ego that I'd sign the biggest and best contract to a sponsor. It's overwhelming and you'd feel special.

It's sort of like the argument of diving. If footballers were off the pitch they'd say how its horrible and bad, and genuinely believe it. Once on the pitch, they do it because of thousands of different factors.

Also, you need to consider that most of the time the firms are subcontracting to subsidiaries, so half the time they are unaware of poor working practices. There are also cases where these practices are or have become the norm, so if one company stops, every other company is still doing it. Big brands only care about their perceived personality and image, most of them only subcontract and actually own barely any assets. Nike ads are about 15% about the product and 85% about sports or athletes.... so players feel like they're becoming involved with a brand that breathes and represents sports.
 
Milanista said:
Also, you need to consider that most of the time the firms are subcontracting to subsidiaries, so half the time they are unaware of poor working practices.
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no mate, they're perfectly aware. when u outsource the production to a chinese factory, whose direct and indirect labour costs are 5 times cheaper, u know very well what's going on in that factory.

and the most disgusting part is that some of those big firms reach agreements with those local governments to prevent any develompment and progress in labour legislation and workers conditions.
it sickens me.
 
I totally agree with lo zio about subcontracting to subsidiaries.

Oh and Stef, there is one thing i will never forget about No Logo. That's the part where she describes that anti-globalists took Haitian sweatshop workers to a Wallmart.

They showed them Disney T-shirts that they make daily in Haiti. With the wages they earn making those t-shirts they could buy that T-shirt with the wages of several months. That is one of the most absurd thing about World Trade and free market economies.

There is need for global minimum wages.


On topic.

I just finished one of the best books i've ever read.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
This book is about a company of Marines during the Vietnam war in 1969.

Marlantes has been working 35 years on this novel.
He had the idea when coming back from Vietnam.

Soon after his coming home he had a date with a beautifull girl he loved. She liked him a lot until he told her he was an ex-marine who fought in Vietnam. She (like him) was against that war and considered Marines "bad people". Marlantes to write her a letter to explain what it is to be a Marine in a war you are opposed to. He never stopped writing and the result was published this year, a magnificent novel.

I wonder what happened with Marlantes and the girl.
 
gerd said:
I totally agree with lo zio about subcontracting to subsidiaries.

Oh and Stef, there is one thing i will never forget about No Logo. That's the part where she describes that anti-globalists took Haitian sweatshop workers to a Wallmart.

They showed them Disney T-shirts that they make daily in Haiti. With the wages they earn making those t-shirts they could buy that T-shirt with the wages of several months. That is one of the most absurd thing about World Trade and free market economies.

There is need for global minimum wages.


On topic.

I just finished one of the best books i've ever read.

Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
This book is about a company of Marines during the Vietnam war in 1969.

Marlantes has been working 35 years on this novel.
He had the idea when coming back from Vietnam.

Soon after his coming home he had a date with a beautifull girl he loved. She liked him a lot until he told her he was an ex-marine who fought in Vietnam. She (like him) was against that war and considered Marines "bad people". Marlantes to write her a letter to explain what it is to be a Marine in a war you are opposed to. He never stopped writing and the result was published this year, a magnificent novel.

I wonder what happened with Marlantes and the girl.
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global minimum wages would bankrupt the world my friend... i want to read that book now gerd.. sounds awesome
 
lo zio said:
.... and levis.... and adidas.
i haven't bought anything from those 3 brands ever since i read that book.

probably for the same reason why customers prefere to "ignore" some brands' policies and still buy their products.
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do you drink coffe? wear cotton clothes? Do you have a pc? why yes obviosuly..

kind of ignorant to single out those companies when you wouldn't be able to wipe your ass with toilet paper if you really stuck to your principals..

not trying to be a dick, but if you started looking around there isnt much these days that isnt made in some sweatshop.. shit you being from italy should know all of those fashionable italian clothes you see around town are more then likely fake chinese knockoffs made by a 8 year old in some sweatshop in china brought to italy via gangs and mobsters

but singling out nike and Adidas who do employ thousands of people who make a very very good living is kind of ridiculous if you ask me... im not saying those companies are squeaky clean but there far from being the dirtiest
 
i didn't mention those 3 companies coz i think they're the only ones which take advantage from outsourcing their production in countries with poor or non existant labour legislation...
i just made a few names coz making a list would be off topic and non rilevant...
but of course there are hundreds of companies which do the same thing. i don't buy anything from dolce and gabbana, or calvin klein or logitech and so on....
if i have to buy a suit i go to the taylor who has a small shop right next my office. or i go get myself an armani, coz i know they only produce in italy (and u won't find any "fake armani" in italy)... i'll never buy d&g coz i know they outsource in thailand, in a factory where people observe 12 hours shift... i'll never buy adidas again and nike again coz they outsource in chinese factories where workers can't even take a break to go to the bathroom (they apply catheters to their workers).

there's nothing ignorant or naive in that. it's all about awareness. it's our obligation to know where the stuff we buy comes from and how the companies we buy from operate on the market. we can't complain about the non human conditions of workers in some countries and then go buy a levis jeans..... that is hypocrite imo.

of course there are some areas (like computers) where u basically have no choice.... both intel and amd outsource in china, so if i need a pc, i have to come to terms with my principles.... but as long as i have a choice, i prefere to avoid some brands.

btw, the toilet paper i use is produced in a small factory in toscana, while my coffee comes from napoli... so nothing to worry about :P

anyhow, to get us back on topic....
six days of war, of michael oren
it's about the 6 days war, wich occurred in 1967 between israel and egypt, syria and jordan.
michael oren is israeli ambassador to the USA, so u get only one point of view of course.... a very, very interesting read nontheless, especially about the role usa and russia played in the events that brought to that war.
i would certainly recomand it, if u're interested in the middle-east topic.
 
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