Recommend me something/someone to read.....

[Dayvo]

Philip Kerr's Bernie Gunther series.


As a one-off, this is an excellent book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broke-Through-Britain-Penniless-Odyssey/dp/184018163X

 

[Over The Hill]

Hi
On recommendations, early Bill Bryson is great but he tails of a bit. The one about him growing up in the US was a bore.
I do not have a book on the go very often. Often it is a sign of a mild form of dyslexia. Worth checking. I only found I had it when my kids were tested. (Back in my day it was called "thick")
If so, you may find odd things put you off books, something as simple as print size being a bit small and just being presented with a crammed page. If so try getting hardback from the library which is usually in bigger print and easier to read.

Another option with getting into reading is to perhaps go for a book that you have seen the film of. That way it is not hard work getting into the characters and you still get lots more than the film had.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Hi
On recommendations, early Bill Bryson is great but he tails of a bit. The one about him growing up in the US was a bore.

I enjoyed that, and One Summer, but then I both like his writing style in general and am a pretty huge Yankophile so found the subject matter really interesting. Wasn't a barrel of laughs though. Largely why I'd suggest 'first timers' come to the first third (but not necessarily very first) work in an authors catalogue.

 

[slowmotion]

Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole . Completely off-beam but very funny.

 

[Salty seadog]

Hey guys an gals, some good leads here thanks, have downloaded The Rosie Effect to my phone to have a go at next, will definitely look at some P J O'Rourke, have read one of his before and enjoy him. Lots of others to look at, @slowmotion I like off beam so will take a look, many thanks to all...

 

[byegad]

Terry Pratchett's Discworld saved my sanity. At a time when I was very badly depressed they were the only thing to make me smile. Now I laugh out loud when I re-read them!

 

[Salty seadog]

Hi
On recommendations, early Bill Bryson is great but he tails of a bit. The one about him growing up in the US was a bore.
I do not have a book on the go very often. Often it is a sign of a mild form of dyslexia. Worth checking. I only found I had it when my kids were tested. (Back in my day it was called "thick")
If so, you may find odd things put you off books, something as simple as print size being a bit small and just being presented with a crammed page. If so try getting hardback from the library which is usually in bigger print and easier to read.

Another option with getting into reading is to perhaps go for a book that you have seen the film of. That way it is not hard work getting into the characters and you still get lots more than the film had.

No problem reading and have read lots in the past , just not an avid reader but i know how good for you it is and would like to get back into it a bit. The subject matter has to be right and preferably with humor, for instance i like sci fi and have read a few of the old ones, Robert Heinlein i enjoyed and Arthur C Clarkes Rendevouz with Rama was one of the most visually descriptive books I have ever read. But, if you say fantasy to me then i just glaze over as it holds no interest for me.....

 

[The Hat]

ill met by Moonloght

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Nothing to do with sci-fi but.

Since you haven't read a book for a while perhaps an easy reintroduction would be something like "A Walk In The Woods" by Bill Bryson. Easily his best and funniest book, easy reading, informative and well worth reading.

Almost any Bryson is worth reading

If you want some science with it, & a few scary bits of it (ie; Yellowstone), try 'A Short History Of Nearly Everything'


Stuart Maconies books are eminently readable as well (first 2 are UK travelogues, 2nd history, & the third, reminiscences)

'Pies & Prejudice'
Adventures On The Teas'
Hope & Glory'
'Cider With Roadies'

 

[discominer]

Hey guys an gals, some good leads here thanks, have downloaded The Rosie Effect to my phone to have a go at next, will definitely look at some P J O'Rourke, have read one of his before and enjoy him. Lots of others to look at, @slowmotion I like off beam so will take a look, many thanks to all...

read the Rosie Project first- the one you have downloaded is the sequel.Carl Hiaasen is a good shout, the Skink character is amazing.

 

[vernon]

Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole . Completely off-beam but very funny.

It's hard work in places and isn't the best of books to use to get back into reading. I haven't finished reading my copy.

 

[Salty seadog]

read the Rosie Project first- the one you have downloaded is the sequel.Carl Hiaasen is a good shout, the Skink character is amazing.

My mistake it is the Rosie project i have downloaded, as for Carl Hiasson, I read a few of his some years back, he certainly kills off the baddies in some inventive ways....I remember one guy having his jaw held very widly open with a car jack and left in the forrest to perish...

I seem to have read a lot more than I actually realise....

 

[Mark1978]

One of the best series of books I have read recently are the James Maxwell "Evermen Saga". Kind of fantasy stuff, really well written.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6535367.James_Maxwell

Also, some sci-fi stuff by Dan Simmons - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

Currently reading through Iain M Banks' books. Slightly harder going than the previous ones mentioned.

As mentioned above, the Dexter books are good.

The Martian by Andy Weir is also a cracking book and a nice easy read.

 

[User169]

As mentioned above, the Dexter books are good.

.

I hadn't realized there were books until I was in the UK last week and saw them in a bookstore. Couldn't help feeling the cover - "the worlds best-loved serial killer" (or something along those lines) - was in poor taste!

 

[SeanM]

Might be a bit late now, but Den of Geek had this to say about Sparks by David Quantick

"Whenever a sniff of comedy gets near a bit of science-fiction (or vice versa), the words Douglas and Adams tend to loom large in reviews. Sparks, a novel by music journalist and comedy writer David Quantick, genuinely merits the comparison, and actually comes out of it well.

It’s the story of Paul Sparks, a man whose life is characterised by inertia and failure until he stumbles upon a massive sci-fi secret. It’s clever, sharply written, very funny, stuffed with jokes, and clearly the product of a brilliantly unhinged imagination. We’ve two words for you: angry bears.

If you’re after a recommendation from a more august source than us, then Neil Gaiman is a fan. On Twitter in 2012, he called it the best e-book he'd read. Or the best e-book he'd read in 2012. Either way. And that’s another thing. As this one’s only available on e-readers, you’re left with extra room in your suitcase for bringing home sand-filled glass souvenirs (the end goal of any trip to the seaside). "
http://www.denofgeek.com/books-comics/books/36458/13-geeky-beach-read-recommendations