Favorite books

[Kevin77]

I am one of the 9.8% of Americans that are unemployed and I have some time on my hands. What are some interesting books that you would recommend. They don't have to be gun related and fiction or non-fiction is fine.

 

[chevyforlife21]

the history of marlin and the history of winchester books

 

[R_Thornhill]

Oh man where to start. Well how about the classics... Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 (my personal favorite), Aldous Huxley's Brave New World. Both are about government censorship. Kind of a V for Vendetta without the action. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, it is short and full of excitement. Call of the Wild, White Fang, Tom Sawyer, Animal Farm... Fields of Honor is a Civil War book made by Natl Geo. It gives a very interesting indepth look at every angle of the most infamous battles. Very entertaining and even gives a personal look into the key players lives and reputations. Such As Us is about poor sharecroppers in the South. It is a series of first hand interviews. Very interesting.. Once you finish all of those let me know and Ill recommend some more Good luck on the job hunt...

 

[9MMare]

Good topic!

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" by Jared Diamond.
How human civilization developed, focused around these 3 themes and discussing how different races and cultures developed based on the resources their continents offered.

"1491, New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus" by Charles C. Mann
Covers the human colonization & cultures of the Americas by discussing and comparing current major (& some surprising) theories.

"World War Z" by Max Brooks
World at war against zombies but focus is on human issues, politics, war strategies and tactics, etc. It's very timely, written during and referring to the last presidential administration.

"One Second After" by William R. Forstchen
Written by a military historian, it's a fictional account of what happens in an East Coast community after the US and it's govt are completely disabled after an enemy EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) attack.


All 4 of these books are easy reads, entertaining, and thought-provoking. The first 2 are non-fiction. The other 2 are fiction.

 

[BHP FAN]

Monster Hunter International,by Larry Correia...it's the best thing written in the last ten years....Tunnel in the Sky,Robert Heinlein,it's the best thing written before that.

 

[Kevin77]

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep 'em coming.

R ThornhillWe must have similar tastes in book beause I have read all but four of the books you suggested. I will probably read Farenheit 451 and Animal Farm(can't belive I haven't read that already).

 

[sfc_mark]

Animal Farm is a good call, but only 135 pages long. Also try:

1984 - George Orwell (almost scary parallels with current politics)

Battle Cry of Freedom - James McPherson (good analysis of Civil War, along with pre and post-war events)

If you get into classic literature, besides Tom Sawyer which was already recommended, I'd add A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens.

 

[BHP FAN]

Someone already suggested World War Z,by Max Brooks,but I'd like to suggest you read the Zombie Survival Guide [same author],first.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Many of the out of copyright books are available free online.

 

[paintballdude902]

civil disobedience- henry david thoreau

into the wild - john how ever you spell his last name

Walden- same as 1st

a sands county almanac aldo leopold

if you didnt bring jerky then what did i just eat - bill heavy

the zombie survival guide - max brooks

to build a fire- jack o'connor

 

[jim in Anchorage]

civil disobedience- henry david thoreau

into the wild - john how ever you spell his last name

Walden- same as 1st

a sands county almanac aldo leopold

if you didnt bring jerky then what did i just eat - bill heavy

the zombie survival guide - max brooks

to build a fire- jack o'connor

Was that not Jack London?

 

[notbubba]

It's Superman by Tom DeHaven, a reworking of Clark Kent's start as a super hero.

Many of the out of copyright books are available free online.

jim in Anchorage, where on line?



I hated The Old Man and the Sea, I really disliked everything by Ernest Hemingway, but others love him.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

No particular spot, I just type in the name of the book and see what I get. I just read 20000 Leagues Under the Sea online. Again, they have to be out of copyright.

 

[swiftak]

"Alaska" by James Minchner ought to take about 6 months off of your life.

 

[Dewey123]

I enjoyed World War Z as well, but you don't really need to read the zombie Survival guide first. I didn't, and I sure enjoyed that book. I also read Monster Hunters International, written by The High Road's Larry Correia. If you like fantasy at all, try anything by Terry Pratchett. Anything by Heinlein is good, I've read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Glory Road, and Starship Troopers, and enjoyed them all. Most of these should be at your local public library.

 

[mickmten]

Any of the Jack Reacher books written by Lee Child - start with "The Killing Floor".

 

[R_Thornhill]

Anything by Jules Verne is great if you are looking for an easy read with alot of adventure. I am currently in the middle of two books. Thirteen Moons which is a new NY Best seller and The Island by Aldous Huxley which is a 'what if' continuation to Brave New World. I am a history major so if you want any suggestions about historically accurate books we have to read about 5 per class per semester...

 

[Wa shooter]

Alas Babylon - all time favorite.

 

[Rembrandt]

The real accounts of "Liver Eat'n Johnson", much better than than the Robert Redford Hollywood version....a must read.

Rumors, legends, and campfire tales abound about Johnson. Perhaps chief among them is this one: In 1847, his American Indian wife was killed by Crow Indians, which prompted Johnson to embark on a 20-year vendetta against the tribe, killing over 300 Crows. The legend says that he would cut out and eat the liver of each man killed, but it's quite possible that this only happened once and that he just pretended to eat the liver. In any case, he eventually became known as "Liver-Eating Johnson". Since eating the liver of a victim is a symbolic way of completing a revenge slaying, or assuming some qualities of the vanquished, credence might be given to this activity.

Another story is when Johnson was ambushed by a group of Blackfoot warriors in the dead of winter on a foray to visit his Flathead kin, a trip that would have been over five hundred miles. The Blackfoot planned to sell him to the Crow, his mortal enemies, for a handsome price. He was stripped to the waist, tied with leather thongs and put in a teepee with an inexperienced guard outside. Johnson managed to chew through the straps, then knocked out his young guard with a punch to the face, took his knife and scalped him, then quickly cut off one of his legs. He made his escape into the woods, and survived on the Blackfoot's leg until he reached the cabin of Del Que, his trapping partner, more dead than alive, a journey of about two hundred miles.

 

[Kevin77]

RembrandtI'm DEFFINATELY reading that one!!!

 

[rodregier]

free online books:

Project Gutenberg

http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/

 

[Smoke14]

Red Storm Rising, Salem's Lot, and The Stand.

 

[Deanimator]

The Collector Grade books, "The Devil's Paintbrush" and "The Grand Old Lady of No Man's Land", about the Maxim and Vickers machine guns respectively. Then their "The Browning Machine Gun, Vol.s I and II". Those cover .30 Browning ground and aircraft guns, domestic and foreign.

 

[chrisb507]

To keep things on-topic, I'll recommend: In the Gravest Extreme: The Role of the Firearm in Personal Protection.

 

[9MMare]

Alas Babylon - all time favorite.

Absolutely one of the best! I thought about adding that to my list.