So any good Books you would recommend?

Published

I'm still being cautious despite both inoculations. So over the last year I've read quite a few good books and I'm always on the lookout for good ones. Currently reading, Land of Big Numbers, by Te Chen, Wolves of the Calla, Stephen King for the umpteenth time. I always have a Stephen King on the go. I read about five books at a time. Also reading the Minuturist, Jessie Burton and Tokyo Year by David Peace, I think his name is. 

I jump around as my mood suits me. 

1 hour ago, DavidFR said:

Interesting selection. Have only read 2 of the 35:  Krakauer's "Into The Wild" which I did enjoy, and Arundhati Roy's "The  God of Small Things" which absolutely has to be read. 

Intrigued by his wine themed books, on which topic  I would recommend this Nina Caplan's "The Wandering Vine"

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An absolute delight for wine lovers.

Have just re-read for the umpteenth time my favourite books, Agota Kristof's "The Book of Lies" trilogy (comprising, "The Notebook," "The Proof"  and "The Third Lie") Sometimes publised as "The Notebook Trilogy" - a very honest and horrifying work revealing just how depraved human nature can be.  Definitely a must-read.

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https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/12/agota-kristof-the-notebook-slavoj-zizek

I'm going to take more persuading. Based on this review, I am not going anywhere near these books. 

I'm a great believer in, 'When you look into the darkness it looks back at you' 

I'm a psych nurse and empathy is usually off the scale for us. I don't mind watching horror movies or reading about horror, but first hand accounts are off limits. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

I want a copy of Maya Angelou's quotes. Every now & then, I see a quote o hers, and I think it's so wise, prophetic, moving, etc. I'd like to read more.

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
On 5/14/2021 at 2:09 AM, Curious1997 said:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/12/agota-kristof-the-notebook-slavoj-zizek

I'm going to take more persuading. Based on this review, I am not going anywhere near these books. 

I'm a great believer in, 'When you look into the darkness it looks back at you' 

I'm a psych nurse and empathy is usually off the scale for us. I don't mind watching horror movies or reading about horror, but first hand accounts are off limits. 

Then let me try and peruade you Curious, and hopefully you'll live up to your screen name ?

Bear in mind the reveiw you read is by Slovene philosopher Sjavoj Zizek who if you've read any of his own books ("Violence" or "For They Know Not What They Do" for example), doesn't need much to coax out his dark side.

Kristof's books are set in the 2nd world war and in one of the communist dictatorships of Eastern Europe that follows (she doesn't name it but you know it's Hungary). For me the point is that she exposes what ordinary "nice" poeple are capable of in situations of war and what dictatorial régimes can impose on people in that name of the state. Such things happen for real and far from being a work of horror in the Stephen King mode, her books are more a very realistic exposé of the worst depths to which human beings can sink. We have many example of this (the war in ex-Yugoslavia, Jewish and Arab Israeli nighbours fighting each other today).  I think we need to recognise this side of human nature - my own view is that if as humankind we bury our heads in the sand we ignore these things at our peril. Apart from that the whole trilogy is quite simply just a damn good story with some shocking twists, told in a very original style.

If you're ever convinced I'll look forward to discussing with you on here! ?

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I don't find anything of Stephen King's to be horror. I actually like his back stories and character development. 

I imagine they are good books but the last four years of Trump actually scared me silly. I really thought that we would lose our democracy and end up being like Eastern European countries and with the greatest idiot this country has ever seen in power. Especially with his moronic minions. I never actually believed that this country was as corrupt or morally bankrupt as eastern European countries, but I actually think we are on par. 

I know the background to former Yugoslavia and Milosovic war crimes and the horrors he brought to the region. I lived in England for a bit and played a lot of soccer with East Europeans and went drinking with them as well. I know this is generalizing, but many of those guys appeared capable of horrors based on their talk. They didn't seem to process empathy the same way. They really had a callous disregard for other people and even each other. It was just my impression. The way they talked about violence and guns in a country especially in the area we lived, where a single punch thrown would probably have caused those women to faint. You always seem to feel like there was something menacing about them and they were students in college and professionals. Was it Munch or Dante, when you look into the darkness it looks back at you? I need more sedate reading currently. 

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
3 hours ago, Curious1997 said:

Was it Munch or Dante, when you look into the darkness it looks back at you? I need more sedate reading currently. 

"if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you"

Friedrich Nietzsche.

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3 hours ago, DavidFR said:

"if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you"

Friedrich Nietzsche.

Which is why I don't mind reading horror for entertainment but anything real life based is took much. Humans are apparently much worse than our imagination can conjure. 

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Available for preorder:

Here, Right Matters  An American Story

By Alexander Vindman

On Sale: August 3, 2021

Put my order in as an author that deserves being supported.

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2 hours ago, NRSKarenRN said:

Available for preorder:

Here, Right Matters  An American Story

By Alexander Vindman

On Sale: August 3, 2021

Put my order in as an author that deserves being supported.

Yes he does. Courageous man! 

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
On 5/12/2021 at 10:21 AM, NRSKarenRN said:

Remember to support your public library!

Found his in my internet wanderings today @ Mens Journal

35 Books Every Man Should Read in His Lifetime

Most of the books,  I was unaware  except for the Invisible Man which I read in HS 50yrs ago and didn't understand --time to re-read it.

What a list!

An aside...the bus that was featured in the story "Into the Wild" was recently airlifted out of the near wilderness and will be displayed in the Fairbanks area.  That sad story resulted in more than one death or rescue of curious tourists feeling a need to hike back to the camp.  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/19/us/into-the-wild-bus-removed.html

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