recommended reading

I've been reading eddings and Jordan WoT - yes I know it's not great stuff but I find it relaxing. so I am looking for a new series to read. Anyone have any suggestions?

Inspired by this thread. What book (or books/series) do you enjoy reading the most? The ones you'll happily read repeatedly. It doesn't matter if they're popular or even good literature. Just as long as they are books. Heck, I'll even allow graphic novels. For added content, give a brief...

Hello JREF! I had posted about my sister going down the rabbit hole a while back and I am sad to say that the conspiracy mindset is now firmly entrenched. It's her birthday though and I was going to get her something nice, like a good bottle of wine (she works in the industry) and a book...

I'd like to hear some recommendations for an introductory Economics book for morons, one that explains some of the foundations to a Interest rate-inflation-credit rating-recession virgin like I. Should I get a textbook or a less studious, more friendly book?

I have developed an interest in post-apocalyptic literature since watching then reading The Road. I also recently read, and was disappointed by Nevil Shute's On The Beach. Can anyone else recommend me some post-apocalyptic or bleak literature or movies? I intend on reading Metro 2033.

We've taken a younger person (early 20s) into our home for assistance. He isn't working and our location excludes retail-like work (way outside any populated areas). He does have an interest in game programming with some ideas about games he'd like to create. I have an interest in having...

My two favorite science books are Genesis:The Scientific Quest for Life's Origins by Robert Hazen This does an amazing job explaining various experiments scientists have done to try to figure out the origin of life. It explains how the knowledge is gained, not just the theories. It is...

Unsure if this is the proper forum, but I'm giving it a shot. Looking for other perspectives on these things, which are sometimes covered in the same book and sometimes not: 1. The future of war (doesn't have to be recent; comparing predictions of 20 years ago to today is fun in itself) 2...

My wife's book club is interested in trying some science fiction. They generally only read standard fiction, but are willing to gove sci fi a go. Most of the sci fi I know is the classics from the 1960's, Zelazny, Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke, etc. I think that might feel dated, so I'm looking...

Hi guys--looking for a couple of books teaching cold reading. Any suggestions?

Since the Politics and Literature forums have the recommended reading section I figured that Economics should have one too. My pick is The Prize by Daniel Yergin. It is all about oil and how it is controlled and its effects on the world. Some spots in the book are really dry reading but...

While we have other threads going on what-is-good-to-read, we're all aware that good literature can originate in a plethora of languages. The quality of the translation tends to bring it to a larger readership. While the Bible, Torah, Qu'ran are on lots of lists. What else is out there that...

I came across this list of "10 books to read before you die" at the AOL shop. http://shopping.aol.com/books/best-sellers 1. Holy Bible 2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 3. The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien 4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling 5. The Stand by...

I need something else to read while I'm waiting for the next volume in A Song of Ice and Fire. My preference would be that kind of Fantasy/medieval fiction.

I need to get some recommendations for some GOOD astronomy/science books for little kids (about the 4-6yo range). Since most of my friends know me as their friendly neighborhood Skeptic/science geek I get frequent requests for book recommendations...but now I have some friends asking me if there...

I'm 62 and when I was a child I avidly read "David Copperfield, Silas marner, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, several books by Isaak Asimov and many many others. It has been so many years that if I read these works again it would probably be almost like the first time. Anyone else in here have...

I like to listen to audio books while travelling to work . As I have almost listened to the majority of Terry Pratchett audio collection, I want to have more variety to listen to. Often I read an e-book during a work break and am stumped for the next e-book to get next. Does anybody have...

I'm sure that most here came across information in their life that made them go: "if only I had known this earlier"! My wife is reading He's Just Not That Into You and remarked that this book could have saved her heaps of uncertainty and heartbreak in her teens and early twenties. So I'm...

With the growth in eBooks and sites such as the fabulous Gutenberg Project there are a lot of free books out there and many ways to read them. So what are your recommendations from the store of free eBooks? Where are your favourite sites for free eBooks? Which free eBook are you reading now...

Hello there. I've been looking for good books in my two favourite genres, Fantasy and Science Fiction, ever since I finished A Feast for Crows. I've been floundering between various short books for a few months now, and I want a weighty series to get my teeth into. The problem is that most of...

Over the past couple of years, I have read a lot of books about evolutionary biology. A lot of books. But, now I have come to realize that the science investigating the earliest beginnings of life, is not a particular area I have gained very much knowledge about. I got the general concepts...

Ok. Since, everyone was going on about the watchmen, i decided to get a copy and read it. I must say that I greatly enjoyed it. I found much of the imagery impressive, and couldn't help but relish the ugliness of it all. So, does anyone have any suggestions as to what other graphic novels...

Whats your favorite Sf or fantasy book or books. Why? Do you hate any of them? Why? (I loathe Harry Potter, but then again...) What do you think of Gene Wolf, who's sort of a Christian?

While I see that Gray has something similar on his site, I note that it's not overly comprehensive, and I was thinking (as someone else mentioned) that we need to have a list of references and resources that support the official story. Sort of a recommended reading list for those that want to...

just an idea - perhaps it's been tried before.... basically a grouping together of the best, most accessible books to introduce layfolk to different scientific fields as a kind of rough and ready outline there could be General science - books that take in the whole lot, either as reference...

Hi all. Can anyone recommend books on the following topics? 1. Evolution. I came across Life on a Young Planet: The First Three Billion Years of Evolution on Earth on Amazon; anyone read it or have other suggestions? 2. Bible critique. I was considering Misquoting Jesus and/or Lost...

Can anyone recommend some good fiction books that have played an important role in our culture? Books that are fairly sophisticated and have had an impact on western culture. Two books that I can name from memory might be "1984" or "War of the worlds". Books like that. Not necessarily science...

I've decided to go back to basics for a while with my reading, and I'd like to know if anybody has recommendations for some general histories of various events. So that this isn't just a self-serving thread, if anybody else has some requests I or anyone else can help with, jump right in. The...

I've been a professional software developer for many years now. I've done a bit of everything, on a bunch of different platforms. (Business information systems, mostly.) And, I consider myself generally very well rounded in the realm of software design. Except maybe in one area: I have...

Hi, Although I have been a skeptic for a couple of years now, I have only read two "skeptical" books, "Flim Flam", and "The Faith Healers", both by Randi of course. I also read a lot of laymans physics books. Can anyone recommend any other books I should read? I keep hearing "The Demon...