# All about books! **URL:** \ **Category:** Off-topic\ **Created:** [May 31, 2018, 6:21am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758 "2018-05-31T06:21:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ema](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/ema/32/14101_2.png) [@Ema](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Ema)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/64 "2018-06-04T17:38:19Z")
> [@PiecesOfKate](#): > > So who’s Joe R Lansdale? Sorry, I forgot about replying about him… I thought of him since, like Palahniuk and Bukowski he’s american, and he’s a somehow pulp-ish novelist. He writes books very different from each other (from hard-boiled to psycho-noir, to western, to science fiction) with a dry humour I love. He is famous for the series of Hap and Leo. These books are maybe the lightests he wrote, with a strong comedic line. They’re about a couple of detectives. One is eterosexual, democratic and white. The other is black, gay and republican. They often quarrel about politics, especially while they’re hard beating up some bad guy. > [@](#): > > > [@Ema](#): > > > > I have a record of the dates in which I have read a good half of all the books I have read… I think I can make a game… > > > > Best book of the year, from 1984 to 2018! > > So is the game to guess your best books from those years? No, that would be too hard! 😄 the game is for me, to find one book for every year! ---
**Author:** ![PiecesOfKate](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/piecesofkate/32/93_2.png) [@PiecesOfKate](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/PiecesOfKate)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 6:06pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/65 "2018-06-04T18:06:24Z")
Thanks, his stuff sounds interesting 🙂 > [@Ema](#): > > No, that would be too hard! 😄 the game is for me, to find one book for every year! Ohhhh 😀 let us know what you come up with. ---
**Author:** ![kaiman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kaiman](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/kaiman)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/66 "2018-06-04T18:29:32Z")
> [@yrface](#): > > 😆 That’s a good one for Baudolino. I also like The Island of the Day Before. I started Prague Cemetery but never finished that for some reason… must have run out of brain cells. I read The Prague Cemetery after being to the actual place in Prague, last year in December: ![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thimbleweedpark/original/2X/6/66fc8ecfde3b8b9c822eb29e592df44cbba56f3c.jpg) I thumbed through The Island of the Day Before in bookstores a few times, but never really found a passage that has made me want to continue reading. ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/68 "2018-06-05T13:29:40Z")
To bad my dad writes in german only, otherwise I´d plug him here, too. ---
**Author:** ![Guga](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/guga/32/14476_2.png) [@Guga](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Guga)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/69 "2018-06-05T13:43:22Z")
Do it nevertheless! So I have an excuse to plug mine. ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 4:39pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/70 "2018-06-05T16:39:09Z")
There is a new Stephen King short story out that was put on his official website for free distribution and sharing. It´s only about 36 pages and divided into like 10 chapters. I could read it, if you like and upload one chapter at a time. ---
**Author:** ![kaiman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kaiman](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/kaiman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/71 "2018-06-05T17:02:42Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > To bad my dad writes in german only, otherwise I´d plug him here, too. Google turned up 2 books with fantastic short stories. One of which looks like something I would enjoy, the other one seems a bit too grim, based on the description. Not such a big fan of short stories, but I think I’ll bite 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![Frenzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/frenzie/32/4416_2.png) [@Frenzie](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Frenzie)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/72 "2018-06-05T18:15:45Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > To bad my dad writes in german only, otherwise I´d plug him here, too. Deutsch ist ja soooo schwierig. 😛 French is hard. German is a breeze unless you’re in a situation where you have to care about _writing_ all the cases just right. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/73 "2018-06-05T18:29:18Z")
Sag das mal unseren Kollegen hier. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Frenzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/frenzie/32/4416_2.png) [@Frenzie](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Frenzie)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/74 "2018-06-05T18:30:44Z")
Where are they from? ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/75 "2018-06-05T18:52:18Z")
I mean the people on the forum. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Guga](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/guga/32/14476_2.png) [@Guga](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Guga)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/76 "2018-06-05T19:17:50Z")
> [@kaiman](#): > > Google turned up 2 books with fantastic short stories I also found something, I suppose it’s him. I mean, the surname and the city match. So… the next challenge is, find my book on Amazon. I think you have enough hints about me to find out. ---
**Author:** ![kaiman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kaiman](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/kaiman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/77 "2018-06-05T19:24:37Z")
> [@Guga](#): > > So… the next challenge is, find my book on Amazon. 4 stars on Goodreads. Unfortunately, the only Italian I know is Pizza and Pasta 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![Guga](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/guga/32/14476_2.png) [@Guga](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Guga)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/78 "2018-06-05T19:29:36Z")
> [@kaiman](#): > > 4 stars on Goodreads Whoa, that’s true. I didn’t even know it was listed there and now I wonder who rated it 😛 I’m thinking of translating to English some of the short stories I wrote, but I usually write a lot of puns, and adapting them would be a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2018, 7:49pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/79 "2018-06-05T19:49:08Z")
> [@Guga](#): > > I mean, the surname and the city match. That means the chances are like really really good. ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2018, 12:24pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/80 "2018-06-10T12:24:19Z")
Three non fiction recommendations from me: ![20180610_140555](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thimbleweedpark/original/2X/9/969644de4a2da5348997c6f535524cb70aa82e7e.jpg) **Kens’s Guide to the Bible** by Ken Smith You won´t believe some of the stuff that the “good book” actually says! Also google for “The Brick Testament” for an even funnier take on the text. ![20180610_140709](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thimbleweedpark/original/2X/b/b34629cc45b27003fa9ae63eddc162451c738d02.jpg) **The Demon-Haunted World** by Carl Sagan One of the greatest reads I ever had in my life. Might as well change the very view you have on the world. ![20180610_140754](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thimbleweedpark/original/2X/1/1d18bc220035b4496aaf704fe48c3f28090ca1c8.jpg) **The Skeptic´s Dictionary by James Randi** (german edition pictured) Ever wondered: Is that thing they tell me about for real? Chances are you may find it here. Besides many magic tricks are explained here. ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 6:40pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/81 "2018-06-12T18:40:46Z")
I´m trying to compile a list, mostly for myself of must-read genre fiction books. I´ve included Sci-Fi Fantasy and Horror, tried to be as chronological (starting in the 19th century) as possible and only included one per author which really wasn´t easy in some cases. There are many “read before you die lists” but I haven´t seen one soley focusing on genre literature so far, so I just gave it a try. I´ll add to it later but also take suggestions and corrections. Epic Of Gilgamesh Song Of The Nibelungs Beowulf Arabian Nights Homer - The Odyssey Thomas Moore - Utopia Geoffery Chaucer - Canterbury Tales Wolfram von Eschenbach - Parzifal Ludovico Ariosto - Orlando Furioso John Milton - Paradise Lost William Shakespeare - Midsummernight´s Dream Johnathan Swift - Gullivers Travels Lewis Carrol - Alice In Wonderland & Alice Through The Looking Glass Mary Shelley - Frankenstein Gaston Leroux - Phantom Of The Opera Victor Hugo - The Hunchback of Notre Dame Jules Verne - Journey to the Center of the Earth Edgar Allen Poe - The Fall Of The House Of Usher Oscar Wilde - The Picture Of Dorian Gray Henry James - The Turn Of The Screw Robert Louis Steven - Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Frank L. Baum - The Wizard Of Oz Fritz Leiber - The Big Time H.G. Wells - The Time Machine Ambroce Bierce - At Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge Bram Stoker - Dracula Franz Kafka - The Metamorphosis / In The Penal Colony E.R. Eddison - The Worm Ourobous H.P. Lovecraft - Shadow Over Innsmouth Edgar Rice Burroghs - A Princess Of Mars Robert E. Howard - Conan The Barbarian JRR Tolkien - Lord Of The Rings C.S. Lewis - The Chronicles Of Narnja Shirley Jackson - The Haunting Of Hill House Ray Bradbury - Something Wicked This Way Comes Richard Matheson - I Am Legend Charles Beaumont - Short Stories Piere Boulle - Planet Of The Apes Ira Levin - The Stepford Wives Stefan Wul - Fantastic Planet Michael Moorcock - Elric Of Melniboné Harlan Ellison - A Boy And This Dog James Graham Ballard - High-Rise Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse 5 John R Delany - Dhalgren Robert Bloch - Psycho Frank Herbert - Dune Stanislaw Lem - Solaris Joe Haldeman - The Forever War Arkadi & Boris Strugazki - Hard To Be A God Isaac Asimov - Foundation Trilogy Arthur C. Clarke - Childhood´s End Jean Pierre Andrevon - Machine Men Against Gandahar Robert A Heinlein - Stranger In A Strange Land Aldous Huxley - Strange New World George Orwell - 1984 Phillip K. Dick - Ubik Gene Wolfe - The Book Of The New Sun William Goldman - The Princess Bride Piers Anthony - On A Pale Horse Peter Straub - Ghost Story Orson Scott Card - Ender´s Game Roger Zelzany - Chronicles Of Amber Craig Harrison - The Quiet Earth Stephen King - IT William Gibson - Neuromancer Bruce Sterling - Schismatrix Clive Barker - Books Of Blood Iain M. Banks - Consider Phlebas Dan Simmons - Hyperion Cantus Robert Harris - Fatherland Tad Williams - Otherland Terry Pratchett - Mort Douglas Adams - The Hitchhiker´s Guide Through The Galaxy Anne Rice - Interview With The Vampire Marion Zimmer Bradley - Mists of Avalon Neal Stephenson - Snowcrash Haruki Murakami - Hardboiled Wonderland Joanne K Rowling - Harry Potter series Ursula K. Le Guin - Earthsee Michael Chrichton - Sphere Andrzej Sapkowski - The Witcher Wolfgang Hohlbein - Der Greif Robert Jordan - The Wheel Of Time George RR Martin - A Song Of Ice And Fire series Neil Gaiman - American Gods Phillip Pullman - His Dark Materials ---
**Author:** ![uriel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/uriel/32/1340_2.png) [@uriel](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/uriel)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/82 "2018-06-12T18:47:14Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > Henry James - The Turn Of The Screw this one is sooo good. ---
**Author:** ![Frenzie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/frenzie/32/4416_2.png) [@Frenzie](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Frenzie)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/83 "2018-06-12T19:08:48Z")
There’s a notable absence of Dracula. I just read _It_. Not one of my favorite Kings tbh. According to myself, _Lisey’s Story_ is King’s best. But most of my ratings don’t seem to have made it to LT. A few things missing from your list: 😉 The Boys From Brazil, something by Jack Vance, Slaughterhouse Five, Planet of the Apes, something by Kafka, Beloved (Toni Morrison). ---
**Author:** ![kaiman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kaiman](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/kaiman)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758/84 "2018-06-12T19:35:15Z")
Fritz Leiber, E. R. Eddison, Stanislaw Lem, Isaak Asimov, Gene Wolfe, Dan Simmons, Roger Zelazny, Tad Williams, Piers Anthony, Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Jordan, Andrzej Sapkowski … for a start 🙂. **Update** : Philip K. Dick, William Goldman Nice list, otherwise. While I do know about 95% of the authors and 75% of the books, I must admit I only read about 15% of those listed. > [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > George Orwell - 1948 That’s the prequel? 😄 [Previous page](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758.md?page=3) [Next page](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/all-about-books/2758.md?page=5)