Books You Are Reading Now Or Highly Recommend.

[younghusband]

What an excellent thread and very pleasantly surprised at the quality of most recommendations.Bendix in particular has me scurrying for Wittgenstein's Poker onmy next visit to Siam Paragon.It's very gratifying to see such interesting choices and if I'm truthful it raises my opinion of the level of interest in high culture among forum members.

[bendix]

It's definitely there in Paragon. I saw a copy in the big bookshop who's name i can never recall at the weekend. It's in the philosophy section.

[MiG16]

The Half-Jewish Book: A Celebration by Daniel Klein and Freke Vuijst

--- read this a while back....but found it to be very interesting, yet at the same time very entertaining.

the authors argue against the religious approach that there is no half Jew.....they show that half Jews are unique in their own way, with a rich mix of cultural and intellectual aspects.

some excerpts on the unique identity of Half Jews:

"To take this position--and to revel in the celebration that follows from it--we stand in clear opposition to those who insist: "You are either Jewish or you are not; there's nothing in between." And we compound this blasphemy by suggesting that there is something unique, remarkable, and downright dazzling about the half-Jewish mind and the half-Jewish face, about the art and wit created by half-Jewish sensibilities, and in the ethical, literary, and political ideas produced from the half-Jewish perspective."

the authors are married and have a half Jewish daughter.

Suegha -- this book is one of 2 on the jewish lifestyle that Ive read...not the usual historical approach that I normally find.....but more humorous everyday things....mostly american perspective ofcourse.

PS. my current read....not sure Im allowed to talk about it......but lets just say the author will not be allowed back into thailand....that should give you a clue as to what Im reading

Edited June 26, 2007 by MiG16

[suiging]

Good-Bye to All That. Robert Graves 1929. Still a most wonderful book and should be force fed to members of all Governments bent on war.

[Khnom]

I just finished Stephen Leather's "The Solitary Man". I picked it up 'coz a good chunk of the plot happens in Thailand. Didn't expect much out of it, but it turned out to be pretty entertaining.

I like "Siam Was Our Home" by Mary Buckley Stanton quite a bit. It's a true story of an American missionary woman from California who travelled alone to Siam, circa 1903. It's the first-hand account of her life, her travel, and provides a glimpe of what the people and the country was like. The book has many wonderful old pictures in amazingly good conditions. It also provides insights into the expat communities at the time.

[pumpuiman]

Bukowski....I'd forgotten how great his books and poetry are....thanks for the reminder!

There was mention of "Catcher in the Rye"....I second that.

The Brothers Grimm fairy tales make for a nice escape (you'll be surprised at how gruesome and violent children's stories were written all those years ago)

Anything by Mark Twain....."Tom Sawyer" is my favorite, but if you can find selected short stories, their great.

Speaking of collected stories.....I've got Edgar Allen Poe's collection....gloriously creepy.

Another thats just come to mind...The famous Canadian author Robertson Davies "A Deptford Trilogy".....simply summarized, it follows the lives and circumstances of a towns people, and how they are all in some way affected by a single simple event.....the throwing of a snowball. The three novels are Fifth Business, The Manticore and World of Wonders.

[steveromagnino]

It's definitely there in Paragon. I saw a copy in the big bookshop who's name i can never recall at the weekend. It's in the philosophy section.

Kinokinokiya??

or something like that.

I have just read Germs Guns and Steel; highly recommended by my mum years ago, finally someone i know bought it so i could borrow.

Awesome read, and many of the ill informed idiots on this board would do well to read it - sadly I suspect none of them read as none of them are posting in this thread! LOL

Also....high performance yacht performance by Frank Bethwaite. Bible for skiff and high speed yacht racing and tuning. Highly recommended for sailors.

And....Puckoon. A regular read for me by Spike Milligan; gift from me dad. Man some of it you couldn't get away with saying that stuff these days.

[GuestHouse]

I'm reading Seneca's 'De Tranquillitate Animi'

[larvidchr]

I am reading "Muhammad Ali, his life and times" by Thomas Hauser, give some stories and background to events that is very interesting.

Last reads, Air America, and The Ravens, two books by Christopher Robbins about the secret war i Laos.

Tell a lot about the struggle of the Hmong and General Vang Pao recently arrested in California for trying to mastermind a Coup in Laos, hot topic just now.

Edited June 26, 2007 by larvidchr

[english_farang_lady]

How encouraging to see such literary suggestions as above. Just finished John Irvings latest book "When I Find You" or something similar. Not as good as "The World According To Garp" or 'Son of the Circus' --- but exceptionally good.

Also reading two others, Michael Crighton (never fails in my experience, to entertain and educate) 'Next' about transgenic animals. With Mr Bush banning research into stem cells, it is as usual, timely on the authors part.

And Orhan Pamuks "Istanbul Memories & The City" winner of Nobel Prize for Literature 2006.

Salman Rushdie is always interesting too.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

Feel a bit of a dunce reading this thread as most folks seem to be reading 'the classics'....

Just finished another really cheesy fiction 'we love the US military-inspired' book by Dale Brown who's similar to Tom Clancy et al. Don't recommend anything by Brown. Clancy and Robinson are leaders in the 'techno-thriller-military-is-cool' genre.

Can recommend John Le Carre 'the perfect Spy' (not only because it makes me sound a bit less of a dip sh*t, it is a good read too.) Classic cold war British spy thriller, lots of old Whitehall boys scurrying around calling each other 'dear chap' etc...fab.

I tend to read reviews and think 'great, I'll get that'. But as soon as I get into the place, my mind goes blank and I get the same rubbish. Dip Sh*t. Sorry.

[garro]

I recently finished reading Four Reigns by Kurkit Pramoj. It is a great read if you are interested in Thai history.

[MiG16]

speaking of autobiography....reminds me of when I read "Lucky Man: A Memoir by Michael J Fox"

he writes about his ordeal, suffering Parkinson's disease from a relatively young age........

I found it to be really compelling.....very well written......and brutally honest...he talks also of his alcohol problems......depicting Fox as being very genuine....charming still with his humorous style that people are used to seeing in his characters......and mostly of how very brave.

before reading the book he was well just another hollywood celebrity....but after reading the book it makes you really empathise with him....and admire him....not just in his personal fight against the disease..but also his contribution to finding the cure for parkinson's through the Michael J Fox Foundation

[Naam]

i will soon finish colouring my third book. after that i am planning to read a book. is it difficult to learn reading?

[rychrde]

History of Thailand and Cambodia by M.L. Manich Jumsai

Not a great read but very interesting, especially as I now live close to the Cambodian border. Also made me think that Thailand was very very lucky to have escaped European invasion. The British had their hands full in Burma and India, whilst the French always struggled to put down Vietnamese resistance. Knowing that the French could easily invade Thailand, but didn't quite have the resources and full backing from Paris, they were able to take Cambodia and parts of Thailand just by the mere threat of military force. The general feeling here is that it was skillful Thai diplomacy, but from the documents they had no allies and kept ceeding territory every time the pressure was turned up. The First World War rather saved the country.

rych

[wolf359]

At the moment I am on book 14 of a series of 21, written by Patrick O' Brian, about the lives of Stephen Maturin and Captain Jack Aubrey. The first book being 'Master and Commander'.

[miniwai]

Just finished "A short history of nearly everything" by Bill Bryson an excellent book not his usual travel blog but full of wonder, facts, humour and insights. Actually makes science interesting! Highly recommended.

[MiG16]

Miniwai...you reminded me that I need to search for my copy of that book ...not sure if someone borrowed and hasnt returned it...

but yes..agree that its a good read.....

Im also reading Douglas Adam's last book....cant exactly say its a proper book...more a collection of mini-essays, unfinished pieces, short little snippets..that his friends and editor put together into a book after he died (RIP) ...its called Salmon of Doubt

reading some of his writing which goes as far back to the time he was a school boy confirms that hes really quite the genius

[cooL_guY_corY]

fear and loathing in america - hunter s thompson

before that was Shake Hands With the Devil written by Roméo Dallaire, he was Force Commander of the UN mission in Rwanda in 93/94 during the genocide. The book was good although it is a bit heavy on the military technical side of things. On a side note although its never said or anything i think nick nolte is supposed to portray him in Hotel Rwanda..(canadian un force commander) kinda looks like him too.

[qwertz]

Australia Through Time.

It's a big mother but a great coffee table book.

You can start and leave off anywhere you like.

Lots of illustrations too.

[eek]

'Very Thai' Philip Cornwel-Smith.

Fab photo-illustrated book of Thailands cultural history. Even explains why Thailand has those small pink tissues! Great insight into LOS.

[lodesafun]

This book is one of my favorites, by a fantastic author.

Below descrption copied from wikipedia

The Drifters is a novel by James A. Michener; published by Random House in 1971.

The story, in main, traces the lives and travels of six young people who tour Europe and Africa searching themselves and a meaning for being; in a world which has irrefutably shown them that they have no say or control in much even of their own affairs. On the surface they are runaways who have carved for themselves a world based on illegal drugs, pleasure, and machismo in exotic locales. The author pens an iconic broadcloth in a mosaic which is a document of world history and culture of the period in which it is set and is a manual on bridging generation-gaps which ever confound the society at large.

[qwertz]

A good read, lodesa, but then Michener knows how to write, never read a bad one from him.

[mcgriffith]

At the moment I am on book 14 of a series of 21, written by Patrick O' Brian, about the lives of Stephen Maturin and Captain Jack Aubrey. The first book being 'Master and Commander'.

Patrick O'Brian....absolutely marvellous.

I never read anything in a particular order, but have read "A Wine Dark Sea" and "H.M.S. Surprise" and others by him. I'm not a sailor, could care less about the difference between a mizzen and jib sail- but the way he crafts a story, creates tension, and resolves it, all with an overlay of perfect historical accuracy, is breathtaking.

Probably one of the finest historical novelists ever!

McG

[MiG16]

Ive just come back to check one more time what other books my other fellow members are reading...then it occured to me I really need to give this thread the 5 star rating it deserves....

thanks to the OP for starting this very interesting, useful and enjoyable thread...and ofcourse to everyone for sharing with us what you are reading....apart from giving others ideas about what might make a good read......i think more so...it also allows us to learn a little bit more about yourselves too

[endure]

At the moment I am on book 14 of a series of 21, written by Patrick O' Brian, about the lives of Stephen Maturin and Captain Jack Aubrey. The first book being 'Master and Commander'.

Patrick O'Brian....absolutely marvellous.

I never read anything in a particular order, but have read "A Wine Dark Sea" and "H.M.S. Surprise" and others by him. I'm not a sailor, could care less about the difference between a mizzen and jib sail- but the way he crafts a story, creates tension, and resolves it, all with an overlay of perfect historical accuracy, is breathtaking.

Probably one of the finest historical novelists ever!

McG

I'm just ploughing through 10 of his books now. Once you start reading one you seem to travel back in time to his era. It's a bit unnerving when you put the book down and find that it's 2007

[Robski]

Here's two for you, the Francis Wheen one does exactly what it says on the cover and explains very entertainingly how spin and the now culture has replaced history and value to create the vapid, manipulative society we live in today.

Mao II by Don DeLillo is the American novel par exellence, its a book about a book, unpublished but anticipated, about bonds and estrangements, about a once revered author now reclusive and out of touch and how the written word has been replaced by ever more shocking imagery to prompt our imaginations.

[enyaw]

At the moment I am on book 14 of a series of 21, written by Patrick O' Brian, about the lives of Stephen Maturin and Captain Jack Aubrey. The first book being 'Master and Commander'.

Patrick O'Brian....absolutely marvellous.

I never read anything in a particular order, but have read "A Wine Dark Sea" and "H.M.S. Surprise" and others by him. I'm not a sailor, could care less about the difference between a mizzen and jib sail- but the way he crafts a story, creates tension, and resolves it, all with an overlay of perfect historical accuracy, is breathtaking.

Probably one of the finest historical novelists ever!

McG

I'm just ploughing through 10 of his books now. Once you start reading one you seem to travel back in time to his era. It's a bit unnerving when you put the book down and find that it's 2007

Agreed, it's great coming across a Maturin/Aubrey when I'm in Thailand.. I've tried reading them back here but it's just not the same without me hammock and a sea breeze!

Another good historical novel with nautical theme is English Passengers by Matthew Kneale.

[tasasc]

At the moment I am on book 14 of a series of 21, written by Patrick O' Brian, about the lives of Stephen Maturin and Captain Jack Aubrey. The first book being 'Master and Commander'.

Patrick O'Brian....absolutely marvellous.

I never read anything in a particular order, but have read "A Wine Dark Sea" and "H.M.S. Surprise" and others by him. I'm not a sailor, could care less about the difference between a mizzen and jib sail- but the way he crafts a story, creates tension, and resolves it, all with an overlay of perfect historical accuracy, is breathtaking.

Probably one of the finest historical novelists ever!

McG

I'm just ploughing through 10 of his books now. Once you start reading one you seem to travel back in time to his era. It's a bit unnerving when you put the book down and find that it's 2007

Couldn't agree more - they are excellent. I enjoyed the movie, also, even if it was the wrong choice of actor to play Maturin (and the enemy mysteriously became French instead of American!).

I'm currently a third of the way through "The Book Of Dave" by Will Self. It's set in two time periods:

the present, where Dave is a London cabdriver, and the post-apocolyptic future, where he has become a legendary religious figurehead. It's not an easy read (the future language is distorted cockney), but it is completely engrossing.

[Jet Gorgon]

i will soon finish colouring my third book. after that i am planning to read a book. is it difficult to learn reading?

Trust Dr Naam.

Other interesting books: Buddha Da (an Irish dad discovers buddhism among family struggles; great for the dialect, too), Curious Incident of the Dog was fun, No God but God, a history of Islam but very straight, and then there is always poetry...I read many Japanese novels in uni, favs are the Boxman by Abe Kobo, Tale of the Heike, and I am a Cat by Soseski. And I still read A Tale of Two Cities every Christmastime.

My family hates me because I always read the first and last few pages of books first to see if they are worth my time. Ouch. I also love Mordechai Richler: Solomon Gursky Was Here. Duddy Kravitz. Maggie Atwood is OK. Oh ya, this new chick, Jet Gorgon: Ten Reasons to Quit Bedlam.