Top products from r/suggestmeabook

We found 156 product mentions on r/suggestmeabook. We ranked the 5,315 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top comments that mention products on r/suggestmeabook:

u/stackednerd · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Fellow fan of series here! Let me see...

Young Adult
Percy Jackson series is fun (and finished, too, I think).
Artemis Fowl series isn't quite as good as Percy Jackson IMHO, but it's got a following.

Fantasy
Harry Dresden series This is one of my favorites. Harry is Chicago's only professional wizard. There are a ton of these books and they are still going strong.
Game of Thrones These are great...but unfinished. If you watch the show, reading the books does help you get even more out of the story, I think.
Wheel of Time Another good series. There is a LOT of this series and it's finished. (Thank you, Brandon Sanderson!)
Mistborn Speaking of Brandon Sanderson... This one is very good. I highly recommend reading the Mistborn books before trying the Stormlight Archive, but only because as good as Mistborn is, Stormlight Archive is even better.
Stormlight Archive Amazing. Man, these are good. The series isn't finished, but the two books that are available are some of my favorites ever.
Kingkiller Chronicles I loved the first book. I could not freakin' believe I enjoyed the second one even more. The third one is still pending.
Temeraire Dragons in Napoleonic times. Super cool premise! This one is not finished (I don't think, anyway).
Gentlemen Bastards Con men in a fantasy realm. It's pretty light on the fantasy elements. Very light, I'd say. I'd also say that it has some of the very best swearing that I've ever come across. :D

Scifi
Old Man's War I'm almost finished this one--it's amazing!

Horror/Thriller
Passage Trilogy I've heard these described as vampire books...maybe zombie books... It's apocalyptic for sure. Great books!

Mysteries
Amelia Peabody Egyptology + murder mysteries. Super fun, but trust me...go with the audiobooks for these. They are best when they are performed.
Stephanie Plum Total popcorn reads. If that's your thing, shut off your brain and just enjoy.
Walt Longmire These get particularly good as it goes along. The main character is a sheriff in modern day Wyoming. (Side note: The TV show is also great--just don't expect them to stick to the books.)

Graphic Novels (Everything recommended can be gotten in a "book" format instead of only in comic form, in case that matters. I've gotten most of these from my local library.)
Locke & Key Eerie as crap. Love the art! This one is on-going.
Y: The Last Man All the men on the planet drop dead in a day...except for Yorrick. REALLY good. This is the series that got me reading graphic novels. Plus, it's finished!
Walking Dead I am not a zombie fan...but I like these. They're not done, but I've read up through volume 22 and am still enjoying them.

Other
OutlanderI have no idea how to categorize these or even give a description that does them justice. I refused to pick it up for AGES because it sounded like a bodice-ripper romance and that's not my bag. But these are good!

I hope there's something in there that'll do for you. Have fun and read on!

Edit: Apparently, I need to practice formatting. :/
Edit 2: I forgot to add the Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards #1).

u/tigrrbaby · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

One book that i didnt see mentioned in a casual skim of the posts is Off to be the Wizard
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715

A very silly series where a modern day guy ends up in an alternate dimension where he can do magic/control the world via programming. Super light reads, fun and funny, and pulls in your computer interest. If you enjoy the first one, you can pick up the others.

If you want something a bit meatier, check out some Douglas Hofstadter.

Le Ton Beau de Marot (it's in English) is about the process and problems of translating languages, and makes surprisingly good bathroom reading because the chapters are short. He starts the scope small, talking about whether to focus on literal meaning or the spirit of the words, and then brings in more concepts like artificial constraints (poetry, or even writing without certain letters, for one example). It is philosophical, informative, and amusing. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012HVQ1R0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_L2sgAbDYFK1XK

He also wrote Godel Escher Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0465026567/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_b3sgAbQ79TTGS better writers than I have written reviews (this one is from Amazon)

>Twenty years after it topped the bestseller charts, Douglas R Hofstadter's Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid is still something of a marvel. Besides being a profound and entertaining meditation on human thought and creativity, this book looks at the surprising points of contact between the music of Bach, the artwork of Escher, and the mathematics of Gödel. It also looks at the prospects for computers and artificial intelligence (AI) for mimicking human thought. For the general reader and the computer techie alike, this book still sets a standard for thinking about the future of computers and their relation to the way we think.

u/slugposse · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Off to Be the Wizard by Seth Meyer is my favorite comfort food book. It's very light, but engaging, and presents an intriguing premise that's fun to think about.

I listened to the audio versions of the series read by Luke Daniels, who was a great match for the material, I thought.

I want to read print if I'm sitting and relaxing, but if I have to be up and active, doing tasks like laundry or driving that leave my mind free to ruminate, audio books really save me from myself.

u/sun_tzuber · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

First and foremost, 48 Laws of Power. It will show you 100+ ways other people have tried and where they failed and succeeded. It's a great introduction. Get this first.

A lot for these are free on gutenberg.org

Meditations - On being ethical and virtuous in a position of power.


33 strategies of war - A great companion to the 48 laws.

Art of war - Ancient Chinese text on war and power. All but covered in 48 laws.

Hagakure - Japanese text on war and power. All but covered in 48 laws.

On war - Military strategy from Napoleonic era. All but covered in 48 laws.

Rise of Theodore Roosevelt - Amazing book.

Seeking Wisdom from Darwin to Munger - Abstract thought models and logic patterns of highly successful people.

The Obstacle is the Way - Not labeled a book on power, more like thriving during struggle, which is important to a leader.

Machiavelli: The Prince - Pretty much the opposite of meditations. All but covered in 48 laws.


Also, here's a good TED talk on why power/civics is important to study: http://www.ted.com/talks/eric_liu_why_ordinary_people_need_to_understand_power?language=en


If you've gone over these and want something more specialized, I can probably help.

Are you planning on taking us over with force or charm?

u/kylesleeps · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Swan Song - Robert McCammon Of the books I read last year this was my favorite.

Old Man's War - John Scazi - It's a pretty fun Military Sci-fi series

Leviathan Wakes - S. A. Corey - Near space, space opera.

Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson - Epic Fantasy with an interesting magic system, good place to start with a popular author

The Blade Itself - Joe Abercrombie - "Grimm Dark" fantasy, he does an interesting thing by playing with a LotR style quest.

The Black Prism - Brent Weeks - Interesting Magic system, one of my favorite ongoing fantasy series. Much better than his first trilogy IMHO

Midnight Riot - Ben Aaronovitch - Funny urban fantasy series that takes place in London

His Majesty's Dragon - Namoi Novik - Napoleonic* war + dragon's, fun quick reads.

Sevenes - Neal Stephenson - Stand Alone sci-fi novel about human's trying to survive in space as the world ends.

I can suggest more if you want, and I assume you've probably read at least some of these. Hope you enjoy some of them at least though.

u/at-night_mostly · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Bit late, but seems we have similar taste, so here are some things I really love:

House of Leaves - not a straightforward read, but it's worth sticking with it; the labyrinthine structure of the narrative mirrors that of the house, and is an overwhelming presence, a character in its own right. The story itself is ambiguous, fragmented, ultimately unresolved, and stubbornly avoids any traditional narrative satisfaction, an exercise in open-ended uncertainty, so if you crave narrative closure, this probably isn't for you. But if you can tolerate the ambiguity, it's a book you can get thoroughly lost in.

Good Omens - since you're a Pratchett fan, you've probably read this collaboration with Neil Gaiman. If you haven't, you're in for a real treat - one of his best.

Anything by Phil Rickman. The Merrily Watkins books are essentially supernatural detective stories, based on the traditional folklore of the borderlands between England and Wales, with a little exorcism on the side. My favourites are his early books, especially The Man in the Moss and December.

Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury classic evoking the fears and freedoms of childhood. Wonderfully and weirdly atmospheric. If you like it, you should also read Dandelion Wine - not genre, but in Dandelion Wine he perfects his evocation of childhood, and personally, I think it's his best book. The realities of life, death and mortality, along with its wonder and mystery, seen with the clarity of childhood. And none of the usual rose-tinted 'innocence'.


u/Cdresden · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

You might be interested in Pierce Brown's Red Rising series if you haven't tried it already. I felt it started slow, and had more of a YA feel than I would normally go for, but it shifted gears and became interesting. The second book, Golden Son is actually better than the first, and I'd say it's one of the top 3 SF of last year.

William Forstchen finally came out with One Year After, the sequel to his influential post-apoc One Second After.

Michael J. Sullivan's The Age of Myth is the first book in an enjoyable new series. It's set in the same world as his Riyria series, but in an earlier age.

Too Like the Lightning by Ada Palmer is a rich SF, dense with ideas. It's cultural immersion SF, so it takes a couple of chapters to really understand what's going on, but then you're off to the races. A shoe-in for the awards shortlists.

On the lighter side, David Wong's Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is very enjoyable.

u/Onyxnexus · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Sup homie,

Now firstly before I get into the actual books I am going to recommend Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast - He's effectively doing audiobooks via podcast these days (I'm actually re-listening to "Prophets of Doom" at the moment, it's about 4 hours 30 minutes of excellent storytelling of historical events) - Really, really recommend that. (you can also buy all the old episodes).


Now onto the History Nonfiction books themselves:



Michael Pollan - The Botany of Desire - While somewhat more of an analysis of how plants have become and evolved according to human cultivation the book does an excellent job of historically breaking down each major event and process involved.



John H. Mayer - Empire of Blue Water: Captain Morgan's Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe That Ended the Outlaws' Bloody Reign - Title says it all. Pirates. Open seas. History. Strong recommend.



Alfred Lansing - Endurance - Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - If you love an amazing story of stoicism, heroism, and amazing leadership then anything about Shackleton should be on your list. This epic tale follows Sir Ernest Shackleton's voyage on the Endurance with the aim to cross the Antarctic - which failed. What happened next throughout the following months is an monument to the incredible spirit of a man, his crew, and the desire to get everyone home.

If you need more try looking into the below:

Niall Ferguson - The War of the World

William L. Shirer The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich A History of Nazi Germany

Andrew Roberts - The Storm of War

Jared Diamond - Guns, Germs, and Steel

Marcus Aurelius - Meditations

u/JustTerrific · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Despite the fact that it's got comedic elements, there are plenty of parts in John Dies At The End that are pretty wonderfully creepy.

House of Leaves always needs mentioning, it works its magic on numerous levels.

The absolute scariest ghost story I've ever read, and I never hear anyone talking about it, is Beyond Black by Hilary Mantel.

You can't go wrong with Stephen King, but if you haven't cracked into his books yet it can be a daunting task, he has a huge bibliography. For me, IT, The Shining, Salem's Lot, and Pet Sematary are some of the scariest, plus pretty much any of his short story collections are golden. In fact, any one of his short story collections might be the best place to start with King, I would recommend Skeleton Crew.

And while I wouldn't necessarily categorize it as strict "horror", one of the books that's scared me the most is Alan Moore's graphic novel From Hell. It's an absolute beast (and it's pretty much nothing like the film adaptation with Johnny Depp, so don't let that color your perceptions).

u/Wilmore · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I'm reading Red Rising now, and I'm digging it (heh.) It's set on Mars, but it's far enough in the future that it's more fantasy than scifi. Much of the book gives off a Potteresque vibe to me, even if the plot sounds entirely different. There's also a lot of references to Greek and Roman mythology if you're a fan of that.

I also just read the Martian, which was really good (I guess I'm on a Mars kick.) It's basically the Hatchet but on Mars (it follows an Astronaut stranded on Mars having to survive.) I expected it to be sort of dry, but it was the opposite - extremely entertaining and often pretty hilarious.

u/furgenhurgen · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

It's one of my guilty pleasure books that I try to reread each year - Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy. Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favorite books, so hopefully you'll like Circle of Friends. Unlike the Perks movie, which I really liked, don't watch the Circle of Friends movie...they started with a great book and took a huge dump all over it and released it in theaters.

Also, Lamb. http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815

u/Bufo_Stupefacio · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

If you liked Dan Brown, you could give Umberto Eco a try with Foucault's Pendulum or In the Name of the Rose - His books are more intelligent and were written before Brown was around.

I read a lot of historical fiction, if that is of interest you could start with The Gates of Fire by Pressfield or The Last Kingdom by Cornwell

Mystery, action, and fantasy all rolled into one - Dresden Files might be of interest to you - it is kind of a detective noir mixed with fantasy. Also, the series vastly improves as it progresses.

If you would like a coming of age story, The Power of One follows a boy in turn-of-the-century South Africa and examines class and race relations in a very accessible way.

If you want to try reading some of what are considered "The Classics" I would recommend All Quiet on the Western Front and To Kill a Mockingbird

Tried to think of some of my favorites across several very different genres...If any of these appeal, I can expand on them with more similar suggestions.

u/OhShitItsSam · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I can't stress this enough, This entire book is pure satire. Again, satire. That being said it is also very well informed and rather witty.

You've asked for basically something akin to a bible textbook it sounds like and not an entertaining story, I'm only suggesting this because it's the book responsible for me actually going on and finally reading the bible. Much like you said, I also found the bible itself to be a pretty difficult read by today's standards.

Anyways. If you'd like something light and honestly really good to read in your downtime check out Lamb, by Christopher Moore.

u/-solinari- · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

What sort of fantasy do you think you would like? High fantasy, modern day real world fantasy, steam punk, romance, adventure, coming of age?

If you are looking at staying with a Young Adult fantasy theme, I would suggest Cassandra Clare's series, [The Mortal Instruments] (https://www.amazon.com/Bones-Mortal-Instruments-Cassandra-Clare/dp/1481455923/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478740289&sr=8-3&keywords=the+mortal+instruments) and it's prequel series, [The Infernal Devices] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1481456024/ref=pd_sim_14_6?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1481456024&pd_rd_r=H6XGB69FAEC3097ZA851&pd_rd_w=lLXM8&pd_rd_wg=MOvOs&psc=1&refRID=H6XGB69FAEC3097ZA851) . The prequel series is actually my favorite of the two. It is steam punk fantasy while the other is not. I also would recommend [The Dresden Files] (https://www.amazon.com/Storm-Front-Dresden-Files-Butcher/dp/0451457811/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478740351&sr=1-1&keywords=dresden+files), by Jim Butcher even though they are not Young Adult. They contain every type of fantasy creature and setting you could imagine. It's a series about a private detective in modern day Chicago who also happens to be a wizard.

If you want to delve into a zombie genre, I have enjoyed [The Forest of Hands and Teeth] (https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Hands-Teeth-Carrie-Ryan/dp/0385736827/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478740244&sr=8-1&keywords=forest+of+hands+and+teeth) series by Carrie Ryan as well as [The Enemy] (https://www.amazon.com/Enemy-new-cover-Novel/dp/1484721462/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478740190&sr=8-1&keywords=the+enemy+charlie+higson) series by Charlie Higson.

u/TheFlyingTomoooooooo · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Ready Player One

by Earnest Cline

I'm not sure if anyone else has recommended it on this sub yet, but I will say that if you love FireFly, then you will love this book!

u/hulahulagirl · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Not a specific recommendation, but see if your local library has access to the Overdrive app which will allow you to read ebooks from them for free.

Wool by Hugh Howey is a sci-fi-ish book you might like. Quick and easy read with a compelling plot.

u/aknalid · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I am a few years older than you and I have been going hard with books lately. It's not amazing, but I am on track to finishing about ~400 books by the time I am 30. I am also going for quality more than quantity. As in, if I feel like I didn't digest a particular book, I will keep at it and put other books on hold.

In any case, here are my top 3 recommendations:

1.) The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

2.) The 48 Laws of Power

3.) The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Also, Influence by Robert Cialdini is excellent. One of my favorites.

A little cautionary warning about asking people for recommendations though: Be careful about following other people's lists because those book won't vibe with you the same way. Each of us had our own unique life experiences, so you should be ideally choosing your own books. Lists are good for clues/inspiration though. Frequently, books choose me, not the other way around.

Also, try to keep track of the books (and knowledge) you read. I keep a single page HTML page with all the books I read along with a short note in reverse chronological order. I also have the option of putting this list online in the future if I need to.

u/JimmehGeebs · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

If you're into weird/gimmicky/out-there writing styles, Mark Z. Danielewski (author of House of Leaves) is writing a 27 volume series called The Familiar. He'll be releasing a novel every 6 months for the next 13.5 years. I'm most of the way through One Rainy Day In May, and while it's definitely got his writing style, it's actually really enjoyable to read. So give those a shot if you're interested in a very long series, lol. They even have their own subreddit for those curious to learn more!

u/underthemilkyway · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Looks like you could use some direction in a comforting form. Some books to consider:

The Tao of Pooh

A great little book to get you to look at things differently at times. I wont go deep, but I think the reviews on amazon give you a good idea of what to expect. It's quite short as well, so it wont be some huge commitment.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values

This is not a manual for repairing motorcycles. No, it's a work of fiction that helps you find a more "zen" approach to live. Have you seen "The Big Lebowski"? Yeah, it defends the values in finding peace in the world around you, even if things don't always go smoothly.

Invisible Monsters

Finally a book for embracing and confronting that anger and hurt you have built up. Palahniuk is just the author for the job. Don't read the synopsis and DON'T get the silly remixed version of the book. I've known people who have found this book life changing. It seems to really speak to women.


u/getElephantById · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I have a couple of books about big game hunters on my list, but I have not read either of these yet:

  • Man-Eaters of Kumaon by Jim Corbett, memoirs of a big game hunter in India in the early 20th century.

  • The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant, about hunting a killer tiger in remote Russia.

    As for explorers, the best non-fiction I've read about explorers are The Lost City of Z by David Grann, about Percy Fawcett's attempts to find Eldorado in the jungles of South America, and Endurance by Alfred Lansing, about Shackleton's survival after his doomed polar expedition.

    It occurs to me that none of these are set in Africa. Hope that's not a deal-breaker.

    I'll also recommend my favorite memoir of all time, Papa Hemingway by A.E. Hotchner. It's about his time spent traveling with Ernest Hemingway, who was something of a hunter and adventurer, and recounts a lot of very exciting trips to exotic locales in which manly deeds were done.
u/House-Fire · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I'd highly recommend the Broken Empire trilogy by Mark Lawrence (Starting with Prince of Thorns).

It's very dark with a good dose of sarcasm. There are plenty of interesting characters but you won't get lost trying to memorize a millions names and places. Plus Mark is a regular on Reddit and seems to be a super cool guy.

u/euphorickittty · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

This may be a little outside of what you're looking for, but I found it pretty interesting. Have you seen S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst? Hard to describe, but it's like a story in a story. There's the main book, and then two people talking about it and to each other in the margins... Ha, it sounds weird, but it was unique if nothing else.

u/MJ724 · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I recommend Old Man's War

​

The beginning line is awesome: John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army.

​

It's part of an amazing series and they are all excellent books.

u/Sailing2Nowhere · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I’m always going to recommend the book “House of Leaves” by Mark Z. Danielewski

I can read it over and over and still find new things that I never noticed before, and the story is still intriguing even after finishing the book.
I definitely recommend joining the book club dedicated to it on Facebook, too. The author is active on it, and even answers some of the readers’ questions from time to time.

u/zabloosk · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Gotcha, I totally understand. I don't think your assessments are incorrect! PS I also loved A Monster Calls.

I always recommend from Marcus Zusak - I Am The Messenger. He wrote The Book Thief, which got a lot of traction (because of the movie) but this is an earlier work with I think more gravity/character development, and a good bit of humor. It's about this kid who's an underage cab driver, kind of a loser, and starts getting these cards in the mail, putting him on a bunch of missions, all the while wondering who's responsible, and why. A bit fantastical, but also grounded.

​

Ready Player One crushes the atmosphere/setting, but if you're not into video games/VR as a theme, it might not be as interesting. However, my 65 year-old mom knows nothing about video games and she liked it, too, if that means anything, haha.

u/Aylesbury · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

S. (www.amazon.com/S-J-Abrams/dp/0316201642/) would be a good example. It's a story about two people who read a book and they tell their story by means of annotations. It also comes with tons of inserts that add to the story, like postcards and maps. Here's a picture:

http://i.imgur.com/Qm4Tmje.jpg

There was a picture, which had watermark illustrations, not sure of the name anymore. There are also tons of cool up-market editions by publishers. I'd say the folio society would be a good example, being a publisher who specializes in such editions. Look at their limited editions - they are beautiful.

http://www.foliosociety.com/limitededitions

u/Aktor · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Patrick Rothfus' "Name of the Wind" is the first book in an ongoing trilogy. A coming of age story without being young adult. It has some intrigue like Dune and a sense of humor and danger like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. It is a medieval era fantasy but the "magic" has certain rules that make it more interesting then something like Harry Potter.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Name-Wind-Kingkiller-Chronicle/dp/0756404746

u/TsaristMustache · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

One Second After

It has the added bonus of being based on a pentagon study about what would happen to the US if an EMP were detonated. Author is former
Military. Really cool and fun read. There’s three in the series.

u/big_red737 · 8 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I had a lot of fun reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, like I did when reading The Martian and Ready Player One. I genuinely didn't know where the story was going to go or how it was going to end with this one.

Also, Andy Weir has a new one coming out on November 14th called Artemis

Wool by Hugh Howey or anything else by Hugh Howey. I've been eyeing Sand for quite awhile.

u/Madolan · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

That's a tall order!

Some books that similarly acknowledge the book you're holding as complicit in the story, or bring in multimedia elements, might include Tree of Codes by Jonathan Safran Foer, Night Film by Marisha Pessl, A Humument by Tom Phillips, or S by J. J. Abrams and Doug Dorst. The Raw Shark Texts also plays with words on the page in an interesting way.

I also liked Danielewski's Only Revolutions. It's not on par with House of Leaves but it is a unique read: two protagonists tell the same story from their own perspective. As the book progresses, each chapter gets shorter and the font gets smaller, like the tale is spiraling in on itself. And when you've finished one character's story you literally flip the book upside down to start the other's. (Danielewski recommends reading one chapter from one side, then the corresponding chapter from the other, as you go. The hardcover includes two bookmarks for this purpose.)

u/bluedijon · 10 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Ship of Theseus by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams (yeah, that JJ) seems like it might fit your interests - it's not aesthetically wild from the outside, but the main story takes place in marginalia, post-cards, written letters, and I think at one point a napkin that all happen around the grounding typed text. There are literally papers stuffed into the book that fall out as you read, which is a really fun experience and aesthetically different than anything I've encountered before or since!

u/admorobo · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Lamb by Christopher Moore is a fictional retelling of Jesus' life from the point of view of his childhood friend Biff. Parts of it are very funny, others are much more serious, and it pokes fun at the Bible without ever being disrespectful.

u/Compuoddity · 5 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Handbanna84 has good recommendations.

It's an easy read, but gives a lot of insight into 3rd-world countries. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Then what you do is keep a note of things you want to dig into deeper, and you can start to get more granular with your requests and searches.

EDIT: - Just thought, Malcolm - Blink - this book isn't about religion/cults, but gives an interesting insight into how we think and why we do the (stupid) things we do.

u/Liebo · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson- Fascinating book about psychology and neuroscience about how psychopathic tendencies are pretty common among us humans. Very readable and entertaining.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson- Incredibly wide-ranging look at the developments of the universe and natural sciences from the big bang to today. It's an informative read but also contains Bryson's usual wit. Not my favorite book by Bryson but you will likely learn a lot and it's a worthwhile read.

u/Kaioatey · 6 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I've read a few of Alan Watts books, I would recommend The Book (on the Taboo agains knowing who you are). The Way of Zen is also a great introduction to Buddhism. I also like the work of J. Krishnamurti. On Having No Head by Douglas Harding is also a classic for backpackers.

u/vivling · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I just read a good apocalypse/prepper novel (and boy, those are hard to find.) - Anyhow, seems to hit some of your sweet spots, and the author is a military history professor. https://www.amazon.com/Second-After-John-Matherson-Novel/dp/0765356864/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481885962&sr=8-1&keywords=one+second+after

u/Iamyourbetter · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Try reading Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore. It's a book about Jesus Christ told through the viewpoint of his childhood friend, Biff. The book contains the wisdom and the intelligence of a true coming of age novel while simultaneously using crude and sacrilegious humor to keep you laughing through the whole thing. This book is light-hearted, but also deals in some serious, even dark emotions.

Both the book and Christopher Moore are highly acclaimed by readers so if recommend looking up other reviews for this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411261257&sr=8-1&keywords=lamb+the+gospel+according+to+biff

u/eternitarian · 6 pointsr/suggestmeabook

You might like John Dies at the End. It's about a guy whose crazy friend takes a 'drug' that reaches into another dimension, kind of. It's really interesting.

u/Manrante · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

The Wool series by Hugh Howey. Ebook of the 1st part is free, so you can see if it's something you like.

The Red Rising series by Pierce Brown.

Both these series are excellent, and will keep you up at night. Both these series have been optioned for films, and are in development.

u/Heimdyll · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

There is a stand-alone dystopian novel called ["Ready Player One"](http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Player-One-Ernest-Cline/dp/0307887448/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426611964&sr=8-1&keywords=ready+player+one_. Recently read it and pummeled through it in under a day (which is rare for me). I can't explain too much without giving a whole lot away and I haven't read the books that you have enjoyed, but I would recommend it!

u/Bizkitgto · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Here's something trippy, and something you may not expect...S by JJ Abrams. Its' a puzzle, mystery, drama, love story, mission, action/adventure....all while being a book within a book wrapped in a riddle.....literally! Have a look and have fun, there is no end to what you can uncover in this mess.

['S' the Book] (http://www.amazon.com/S-J-Abrams/dp/0316201642)

u/habroptilus · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood by Oliver Sacks. Sacks is best known for writing case studies of his patients as a neurologist, such as The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat. Uncle Tungsten is part memoir, part history of and introduction to chemistry. There's nothing quite like it out there.

The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. Dawkins's Twitter antics notwithstanding, this book is an unmissable classic in biology.

Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter. An ode to consciousness, full of puns, music and metamathematics.

Mind, Body, World by Michael Dawson. This is a textbook, but it's (legally!) available for free online, and it's totally engrossing. The author uses his work in music cognition to introduce the major theories and paradigms of cognitive science and show how there isn't as much separation between them as it seems.

u/00Deege · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

[A Short History of Nearly Everything] (https://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Nearly-Everything/dp/076790818X) by Bill Bryson. Fun, interesting, and informative.

u/KimberlyInOhio · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

How about giving him a book of Stephen King novellas? Four Past Midnight, Hearts in Atlantis, or, if he wants some really scary, dark stuff, Full Dark, No Stars.

Or Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos for military sci-fi. Or Old Man's War by John Scalzi. OMW is a terrific series. Love those books!

u/Ryksos · 5 pointsr/suggestmeabook

John Dies at the End by David Wong is a very funny, light-hearted book. Might be right down your alley. If you end up liking it, there's also a sequel titled This Book is Full of Spiders, which carries the same tone and writing style.

u/paulie719 · 5 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Try Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. It's not scary, but it's pretty creepy.

u/Tankrunner · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Off to be the Wizard & Magic 2.0 series might fit the bill for you. It'll be a little different take on medieval wizardry, but it is a real entertaining read.

u/Lovie311 · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Try this! One of the best books I’ve ever read.

A Short History of Nearly Everything https://www.amazon.com/dp/076790818X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pIXACbY3N7CZP

u/sirenatx · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I would also suggest John Dies At The End. Totally unrelated but just a fun read. My husband got me to read it a while back.

u/CynicKitten · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

All of his books are hilarious. I actually came here to suggest Lamb, which is slightly heavier, but is mostly just hilarious.

u/minni53 · 9 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Ship of Theseus by JJ Abrams seems similar to HoL in it is a physical reading experience. If that makes sense.

Also if you like footnotes & meandering you could try Infinite Jest.

u/copopeJ · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Pierce Brown - [Red Rising] (http://www.amazon.com/Red-Rising-Book-Trilogy/dp/034553980X)

It came out in July and is awesome. Book 2 just came out, too.

u/rebthor · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

It's not the same as Lost in terms of character development but the overall strange vibe while you're trying to work out a mystery is covered pretty well in Wool.

u/itsasecretidentity · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Just suggested this in another thread about time travel. Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer.

I read this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. It's on the lighter side of things.

Amazon description: Martin Banks is just a normal guy who has made an abnormal discovery: he can manipulate reality, thanks to reality being nothing more than a computer program. With every use of this ability, though, Martin finds his little “tweaks” have not escaped notice. Rather than face prosecution, he decides instead to travel back in time to the Middle Ages and pose as a wizard.

u/skpanda · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

The book S. by J. J. Abrams and Doug Dorst. Its a book that is about two people communicating through a book. So you are reading what they are writing in the book. I haven't read too far into it but it's really interesting.

http://smile.amazon.com/S-J-Abrams/dp/0316201642/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411962881&sr=8-1&keywords=s.+book

u/Unathana · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Maybe you'd enjoy Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach Trilogy, which begins with Annhilation. Personally, it was a little bizarre for my taste (like reading the diary of Salvador Dali while on acid kind of bizarre), but it was certainly unique to my experience. I haven't read the second two yet, but from what I understand, while the politics increases, I don't think it becomes completely politics-centered. Based on your description, it might be what you're looking for.

u/StrawDawg · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Also not really specifically what you are asking for, but a subtle kick to the head with some perspective mixed with eastern philosophy may help.

Get into some Alan Watts... lots of videos/lectures online.


Book form: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Taboo-Against-Knowing-Who/dp/0679723005


Maybe also a slow read of Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.
https://www.amazon.com/Siddhartha-Hermann-Hesse/dp/0553208845/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524148436&sr=1-3&keywords=siddhartha+herman+hesse

u/Minte_Fresh · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

The Name of the wind and The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss based on your fantasy preferences

u/guineabull · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

I enjoyed the Wool series by Hugh Howey.

u/BlairWaldorfHeadband · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

One Second After by William R. Forstchen is really good (despite having a forward by Newt Gingrich).

u/tryano · 14 pointsr/suggestmeabook

The only book I've read that fits that description is ["Lamb"] (http://www.amazon.com/Lamb-Gospel-According-Christs-Childhood/dp/0380813815) but it's entirely fictional and a comedy so I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for.

u/SlothMold · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire universe is like this. Start with either Prince of Thorns or Prince of Fools.

u/lambros009 · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer is definitely Lovecraftian in atmosphere and setting, as well as plot. I've also seen hints of cosmic horror in there. Highly recommend it.

u/LazyJones1 · 7 pointsr/suggestmeabook
u/ViinDiesel · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Red Rising by Brown
"A lot happens in this first installment of a projected trilogy. Darrow, living in a mining colony on Mars, sees his wife executed by the government, nearly dies himself, is rescued by the underground revolutionary group known as Sons of Ares, learns his government has been lying to him (and to everybody else), and is recruited to infiltrate the inner circle of society and help to bring it down from within—and that’s all inside the first 100 pages. .."

u/rafikiwock · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage. No joke, every American household has 3 copies of this book lying around. It's a book about an arctic exploration where pretty much everything possible goes wrong.

u/youpostyoudie · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

One Second After is very good. It stays very grounded the whole time and deals with the aftermath of a nationwide EMP attack (not entirely accurate) on the US.

https://www.amazon.com/Second-After-John-Matherson-Novel/dp/0765356864

u/MrsHirni2012 · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Maybe Ready Player One by Ernest Cline? He's writing a sequel, but I really think it can stand on its own. Here's an Amazon link so it shouldn't be spoiler-y.

u/UncleDrosselmeyer · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

For the New Intellectual by Ayn Rand, it is an insightful and short essay. Some editions include excerpts from her more famous novels.

The Book by Alan W. Watts, short and penetrating.📚

u/pblood40 · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Prince of Thorns - There are 5 or 6 books now in this post apocalyptic fantasy series

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052RERW8/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

u/workpuppy · 26 pointsr/suggestmeabook

House of Leaves was my first thought, followed by Ship of Theseus.

You need to have someone doing something interesting with the media in order to really lose something going to e-book.

u/TheNickropheliac · 3 pointsr/suggestmeabook

If she's into horror novels, such as Paranormal Activity, I recommend you buy her House of Leaves. It's something that's bound to keep her up at night. http://www.amazon.com/House-Leaves-Mark-Z-Danielewski/dp/0375703764

u/librariowan · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Ok, sorry it took so long, but maybe try Spice and Wolf light novels, Konosuba, Death March to a Parallel World, and No game no life.

If the manga light novels aren't your style, then perhaps The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, The Dark Tower series by Stephen King, or The Passage by Justin Cronin.

u/finkgraphics · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Ishmael by Daniel Quinn.

AND

Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance By Robert Prsing

Both books have ideas that influence the way I think since I have read them. Zen Art also is a character with a mental illness and how it influences his really deep thoughts about life.

u/SurfeitOfPenguins · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Off To Be The Wizard by Scott Meyer?

(Normally I link to Goodreads instead of Amazon, but Goodreads is throwing up a certificate error for me right now.)

u/thebrandon · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

I have trouble listening to the Dresden books. It's just so breathy that it annoys me.

You can hear a sample here: Amazon

The numerous audible inhales and exhales just grate on me.

u/SilverWingsofMorning · 4 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Start reading The Dresden Files

Book 16 isn't due out until 2015, so you may be able to catch up in time.

This is very much a "just trust me". Book 1 isn't the best of the series, but everyone has to start somewhere. Very quickly it becomes an addiction.

Click Here for the amazon link. You can buy it in almost any format.


For Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name.

u/mattymillhouse · 2 pointsr/suggestmeabook

The Broken Empire series by Mark Lawrence. The first book is Prince of Thorns. Maybe not exactly what you're looking for, but if you're like me, you'll find yourself rooting for the prince, and every once in a while stopping to think, "Wait. Am I rooting for the bad guy? I think I'm rooting for the bad guy."

And there's the First Law series, by Joe Abercrombie. The first book in that series is The Blade Itself. I think you're going to like Inquisitor Glokta and Logen Ninefingers. Fair warning: My personal opinion -- and I'm sure many (most?) disagree with me -- but I thought the first book was mostly to set up the rest of the series. So at least for me it took a while to really get into the series. But it does grimdark very well.

u/Rosemel · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

The plot and setting are entirely different, but I found myself comparing the The Witch's tone and atmosphere to Annihilation. They both have that surreal sense of unease about an unseen force, and deal with isolation and mistrust.

u/ProblemBesucher · 1 pointr/suggestmeabook

Ah I've seen your comment below. read maybe:

Joe Abercrombie - Best Served Cold

Max Berry - lexicon

Dürrenmatt - Suspicion

Gaiman - Good Omens

Kafka - The Trial

Sillitoe - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner

Adams - Hitchhiker's Guide ( no way you haven't read that - but who knows )

Branderson - Way Of Kings

Libba Bray - The Diviners

Nietzsche - Thus Spoke Zarathustra ( there is a really ugly bible style translation - beware!!! )

Lynn Kurland - Star Of The Morning ( your sex and age is of interest )

Schwab - Vicious

Bakker - The Darkness That Comes Before

Robert Thier - Storm and Silence

Eco - Name Of The Rose ( no way you haven't read it but u know the drill ) + Foucault's Pendulum

Lord Of The Rings ( duh )

Sanderson - Mistborn

Sanderson - Alloy of Law

Harris - Hannibal

Rothfuss - The Name Of The Wind

Bukowski -Ham on Rye

Burroughs - Running With Scissors

Wong - John Dies at the End

u/haloshade · 13 pointsr/suggestmeabook

House of Leaves is a modern classic for highly imaganitive horror. Everything from the book's strange plot to its even stranger composition. The only way to really read the book is to get the physical copy since you have to do crazy shit to read it.