Ducati Monster Forum

Kitchen Sink => No Moto Content => Topic started by: Super T.I.B on June 30, 2008, 01:05:58 AM

Title: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Super T.I.B on June 30, 2008, 01:05:58 AM
Now, hear me out, I just had two, make that four, beers and I think this idea has merit.  [roll]

Knowing that Ducati owners, well I like reading, are pretty well knowledgeable and like a good book as well as the next well read person  :P

I just thought that a fair few people on here would like to pass on their recommendations on books they have read and enjoyed.

Now, for me, I would go so far as to forwarding books I have read that I have enjoyed, to people on here that would reciprocate and send me the books they have read and loved.

I don't care that I live half way around the world in Australia, I would gladly send a book if the person who wanted it would send one my way.

Would this idea be any good and would it work? I know that even gathering up a group of people in your own neck of the woods could make this happen. It could be helping the environment :P by not buying books and sharing them around.  [thumbsup]

There are a few that I have read lately that I highly recommend and I would gladly forward on. I will recommend a few:

Marching Powder by Rusty Young; About a convicted drug smuggler in a prison in San Pedro. Absolutely great book.

Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hossieni (sic): Both by an Afghan author in war torn Afghanistan. I can't recommend these books highly enough.

You Wouldn't Be Dead For Quids by Robert G. Barrett: If you wanted to know what goes on in Australia's Kings Cross, and wanted a laugh, this is absolutely awesome!

Ice Station by Matthew Reilly: A fast paced action thriller that you CANNOT put down!

I think I could keep on going, but the beer is muddling my brain, what does everyone think?
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Mother on June 30, 2008, 01:43:22 AM
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela

The Long Walk - Slavomir Rawicz

see a trend?
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Super T.I.B on June 30, 2008, 02:04:03 AM
Quote from: Mother on June 30, 2008, 01:43:22 AM
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela

The Long Walk - Slavomir Rawicz

see a trend?

No..yeah but no but yeah.

That second book sounds good....I will have to look out for it.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Smiling End on June 30, 2008, 09:50:23 AM
I'd be up for this.  I just finished my 7th book in 2 weeks since my xbox was broken. 

I just finished The Legion of the Lost.  It's about an American that joins the French Foreign Legion.  Pretty interesting as long as you overlook the editing mistakes.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: sbrguy on June 30, 2008, 10:59:35 AM
over the last few months i've been bored so i read a lot of books normally assigned in high school, but never were assigned in any of my classes so they are new to me.

so i can recommend these "classics" as i'm trying to "catch up" on being well read, hey have to start with at least the classics right?

woman in the dunes- abe
the stranger- camus
cannery row, sweet thurs, winter of our discontent= steinbeck, this guy could write, who knew?
pride and prejudice-austen, ok i know its a chick book but actually its very well written and a decent story
fight club- palahniuk, ok the book is exactly like the movie, so if you watched the movie you read the book
farenheit 451-bradbury, again a classic and very good book quick read
i am legend-matheson, book is better than the current will smith movie of the same name.

good luck.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: DCXCV on June 30, 2008, 11:51:30 AM
I try to avoid reading anything serious.

Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk - As wild as Fight Club, he's just a great writer
Outrageous Fortune - Tim Scott - Lots of twists and turns and pretty damn funny
Last Call - Tim Powers - Vegas, Poker, Magic, Gangsters
Lamb - Christopher Moore - Jesus, the missing childhood years, as narrated by his best friend, Biff
The Tides of War and Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield - maybe the best classical historical fiction writer out there.  Tides is about Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War and Gates is about the same battle as the movie 300, just better.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: JohnnyDucati on June 30, 2008, 12:30:57 PM
Cormac McCarthy

Border Trilogy:  All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, Cities of the Plain

I found these very moving, very engrossing writing.  Much better than Old Men and The Road, I think.  Reread them recently, need to move on to something else now.





Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Count Desmo on June 30, 2008, 02:10:00 PM
The Count of Monte Cristo.  Try to find a good translation and I know you will love it!
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Gator on June 30, 2008, 02:31:18 PM
I am readin gHerny miller Sexus for the thrird time.

Just finished life of Pi ~ over raed I thin

Atlas Shrugged~ Great
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Duc Stamp on June 30, 2008, 03:34:52 PM
A book club huh?

You should probably have this thread moved here http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=25.0
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Super T.I.B on June 30, 2008, 04:35:11 PM
Quote from: Duc Stamp on June 30, 2008, 03:34:52 PM
A book club huh?

You should probably have this thread moved here http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=25.0

[laugh]

I do see your point.

Oprah would be proud. :-\
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: somegirl on June 30, 2008, 04:42:20 PM
Quote from: Count Desmo on June 30, 2008, 02:10:00 PM
The Count of Monte Cristo.  Try to find a good translation and I know you will love it!

Just finished that a couple of weeks ago. [thumbsup]
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: krolik on June 30, 2008, 04:45:17 PM
Sport Riding Techniques - Nick Ienatsch  [moto]
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Sinister on June 30, 2008, 06:38:40 PM
The Forgotten Man - Amity Shlaes  (incredible, and she was nice enough to return my e-mail praising her book)

Currently reading The Klondike Fever, by Pierre Berton (Great so far)

Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Manny on June 30, 2008, 08:55:41 PM
I'm in.

I should be finished with Cod, by Mark Kurlansky, in a week or so. It's short and fun and full of cool random info. Anyone want it?
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Kyna on June 30, 2008, 09:07:11 PM
Quote from: Count Desmo on June 30, 2008, 02:10:00 PM
The Count of Monte Cristo.  Try to find a good translation and I know you will love it!

+1 I really loved this book. 

Okay, for a serious book -
Marcus Aurelius Meditations - again, find a good translation.  It's one of my favorite books.

A more light read

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
I like anything by Pratchett so far.  He writes primarily satirical fantasy.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Manny on June 30, 2008, 09:10:31 PM
Oh! And speaking of good translations, Beowulf translated by Seamus Heaney is amazing. But I'm not mailing that one to anyone.

I will mail a copy of Black Sun by Edward Abbey. Amazing love story set in the desert.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Smiling End on July 01, 2008, 08:33:30 AM
There's a lot of good ones on here. 

+1 to Chuck Palahniuk's books, and Fight Club the book is not exactly like the movie, it has a different ending.

+1 to Christopher Moore's books.  Try to read them in the order he publishes them.  A lot of the characters are recurring and will appear in later books in bit parts.


The Count of Monte Cristo is absolutely amazing.  I've read it probably about a half a dozen times so far.

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is incredibly funny.  If you like that you should try American Gods by Gaiman.  It's a little darker but an amazing story that will pull you in right off the bat. 

If you want to read more of Terry Pratchett, in particular the Discworld series of books, check out this site for a recommended reading order:

http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/ (http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/)
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: sbrguy on July 01, 2008, 08:36:55 PM
Quote from: DCXCV on June 30, 2008, 11:51:30 AM
I try to avoid reading anything serious.

Invisible Monsters - Chuck Palahniuk - As wild as Fight Club, he's just a great writer
Outrageous Fortune - Tim Scott - Lots of twists and turns and pretty damn funny
Last Call - Tim Powers - Vegas, Poker, Magic, Gangsters
Lamb - Christopher Moore - Jesus, the missing childhood years, as narrated by his best friend, Biff
The Tides of War and Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield - maybe the best classical historical fiction writer out there.  Tides is about Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War and Gates is about the same battle as the movie 300, just better.

i just finished reading the Lamb book that you suggested, that is one hilarious book..

i'm not religious at all, but i would highly suggest this book to anyone that has a good sense of humor about religion and jewish customs.  the book is meant as a funny story that is all, and he is great at it.. the main character Biff and the stupid angel Raziel are hilarous.

i'm definitely going to have to read his other book "the stupidest angel" that brings back Raziel the moronic angel.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: DCXCV on July 02, 2008, 12:08:00 PM
Quote from: sbrguy on July 01, 2008, 08:36:55 PM
i just finished reading the Lamb book that you suggested, that is one hilarious book..


Awesome! - all his books are like that and as someone else mentioned, there are lots of recurring characters.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Kyna on July 02, 2008, 12:36:26 PM
Quote from: Smiling End on July 01, 2008, 08:33:30 AM

If you want to read more of Terry Pratchett, in particular the Discworld series of books, check out this site for a recommended reading order:

http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/ (http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/)

I love the Discworld books.  Thanks for the site, I may try to read them in some order now.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Smiling End on July 02, 2008, 01:09:39 PM
Quote from: Kyna on July 02, 2008, 12:36:26 PM
I love the Discworld books.  Thanks for the site, I may try to read them in some order now.

That's what I've gone back to try and do.  I had read a few here and there but now I'm reading them "in order."

For those of you who mentioned Beowulf you should definitely check out the classic Grendel by John Gardner.  It tells the tale from the perspective of the monster.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: darylbowden on July 02, 2008, 01:20:57 PM
I just finished re-reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami, I'm a big fan of his, I also enjoyed After Dark.  I have a ton of Russian lit that I love, lots of Bunin, Karamzin and the like. 
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Smiling End on July 02, 2008, 05:38:20 PM
Quote from: darylbowden on July 02, 2008, 01:20:57 PM
I just finished re-reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami, I'm a big fan of his, I also enjoyed After Dark.  I have a ton of Russian lit that I love, lots of Bunin, Karamzin and the like. 

I assume you've read The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov?  It's an amazing book.  I have the translation by Diana Burgin, which is supposed to be the best.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: darylbowden on July 02, 2008, 07:38:52 PM
Quote from: Smiling End on July 02, 2008, 05:38:20 PM
I assume you've read The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov?  It's an amazing book.  I have the translation by Diana Burgin, which is supposed to be the best.

I do actually, thanks to a semester of Russian literature.  It's funny, when dealing with Russian lit, a good translation is SO important, moreso than any other language (that I've experienced at least).
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: Smiling End on July 03, 2008, 06:09:48 AM
Quote from: darylbowden on July 02, 2008, 07:38:52 PM
I do actually, thanks to a semester of Russian literature.  It's funny, when dealing with Russian lit, a good translation is SO important, moreso than any other language (that I've experienced at least).

Can you read Russian?  That'd be pretty cool.  Unfortunately, I can only read English so I've never really had the opportunity to read something in it's native tongue and English to compare.  The closest I've come is reading Fernando Pesoa's Book of Disquiet in English while a friend of mine reads it in Portuguese.
Title: Re: The DMF Book Club.
Post by: darylbowden on July 03, 2008, 08:09:40 AM
Quote from: Smiling End on July 03, 2008, 06:09:48 AM
Can you read Russian?  That'd be pretty cool.  Unfortunately, I can only read English so I've never really had the opportunity to read something in it's native tongue and English to compare.  The closest I've come is reading Fernando Pesoa's Book of Disquiet in English while a friend of mine reads it in Portuguese.

No, unfortunately not.  I was just lucky enough to have a very respected professor (and translator himself) who was able to suss out the good translations for us students.  We also had to do some comparison readings with multiple translations and the differences were astonishing.