recommended "must read" books for a very part time reader.

[poppa smurf]

righto, the boss and myself just treated ourselves to a pair of new fangled kindle fire HD readers.

so what books have you folks read that you simply couldn't put down and would recommend to a feller who reads maybe two a year.

the minister for all things joyful has already filled hers up with stuff but I haven't a clue.

[russxr67]

Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James.

That's the first in the series. He is writing his final book now and it's number 5 or 6. A great read by a great Australian.

[Legit290]

Start simple with some nice short reads. The Old Man and the Sea by Hemmingway
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck

A couple of hours reading pleasure with three of my favourites

[GasoLane]

If you have a sense of humour then anything by Terry Pratchett.

[Moby Vic]

What type of books do you like to read?

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

What type of books do you like to read?

well working 12 x 7 I haven't actually all that much time but when we nick off I have read a few such as.

for the term of his natural life.
how to hypnotise chooks and other tales.
nuclear 2.0
around australia aboard nautilus
bound to Sarah
Australia's strangest mysteries
the tin ticket
Australia's most notorious convicts
Grimms fairy tales
the old man and the sea
the rabbits bride
while the billy boils
Mary Lincoln's insanity
Hannah
a final reckoning
eater island
three men in a boat
great australian stories
the bull catcher
robbery under arms
mayflower

so looking at that I guess my taste is wide and varied.......I have taken the above suggestions onboard and purchased most from the amazon store and searching for others.

just trying to gauge what others think as a "must read".

[cs123]

I really like the Jack Reacher series. Not literary award winning but great to read at the airport. Doesn't require much grey matter.

My favourite books of all time are both science fiction and I'm not really into the genre at all.

Rendezvous with Rama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendezvous_with_Rama

Ender's Game
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enders_game

[Legit290]

Peter fitzsimons boos are a good read
Tobruk kokoda Batavia

Fun books for light reading are Robert G Barrett's Les Norton series is Aussie
I like SAS books too...Andy McNabb writes some interesting novels

[Tonz]

50 shades of grey..... lets you know what the missus really wants... supposedly

[Cheese3]

Well.... I don't read books at all but when I was in Europe back packing I was recommend one. It's the only novel I have read in my adult years (7years) and ive read it multiple times just because its entertaining, don't take it too literary but it's a good read.

The Game
by Neil Strauss

[prydey]

i like non fiction type books.

last one i read was QF32. (the A380 losing an engine disaster) absolutely great book. written by the pilot Richard de crespigny.

[Pub247]

Another aussie author i suggest is matthew reilly start with ice station

[LG17]

Originally Posted by Pub247

Another aussie author i suggest is matthew reilly start with ice station

Beat me to it!

Read all his books!!!!!!

Sex and Thugs and Rock'n'Roll - Thorpie
Most People I Know - Thorpie

Wilbur Smith is a good writer.

[xrystl]

Just read the "Dick Johnson" autobiography , easy to read and has some interesting stuff in it which opens the eyes a bit.

[Blue Ice]

Paul Carter - Don't Tell Mum I Work on the Rigs...She Thinks I'm a Piano Player in a Whorehouse

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Tell-Mom-.../dp/1600940250

This one is pretty good, he's written another book about life on the oil rigs that's pretty good to.

[XP6]

Yep another vote for Mathew Riley here, I dont mind the odd Clive Cussler novel too oh and anything Dan Brown.
If you like some epic fantasy give a Robin Hobb or Sarah Douglass trilogy's a read be prepared too be sucked into it... both are better than lord of the rings IMHO just make sure you start at the 1st of their trilogy series of books... at your rate of reading thats about 100yrs of books

[Yellow_Festiva]

Good reads (IMO) include anything by David Baldacci - liked 'The Winner' a lot, couldn't put it down. Anything by Dan Brown, loved 'The DA Vinci Code' and anything by Paullina Simons - 'Red Leaves' was a great read.

Borrowed a book about the 'Zodiac Murders' while traveling and it was an interesting read. Based on facts from a serial murder in the States (Napa Valley I think).

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_(book)

Enjoy :-)

[smoo]

Originally Posted by prydey

i like non fiction type books.

last one i read was QF32. (the A380 losing an engine disaster) absolutely great book. written by the pilot Richard de crespigny.

Must have a read of that. Along the same lines check out Daughters of Erebus by Paul Holmes on Air NZ Flight 901 into Mt Erebus.

[Pub247]

Originally Posted by XP6

Yep another vote for Mathew Riley here, I dont mind the odd Clive Cussler novel too oh and anything Dan Brown.
If you like some epic fantasy give a Robin Hobb or Sarah Douglass trilogy's a read be prepared too be sucked into it... both are better than lord of the rings IMHO just make sure you start at the 1st of their trilogy series of books... at your rate of reading thats about 100yrs of books

If you're interested in fantasy i suggest anything by Joe Abercrombie and start with "Best Served Cold" a very dark and violent fantasy just the way i like them

[Moby Vic]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

well working 12 x 7 I haven't actually all that much time but when we nick off I have read a few such as.

for the term of his natural life.
how to hypnotise chooks and other tales.
nuclear 2.0
around australia aboard nautilus
bound to Sarah
Australia's strangest mysteries
the tin ticket
Australia's most notorious convicts
Grimms fairy tales
the old man and the sea
the rabbits bride
while the billy boils
Mary Lincoln's insanity
Hannah
a final reckoning
eater island
three men in a boat
great australian stories
the bull catcher
robbery under arms
mayflower

so looking at that I guess my taste is wide and varied.......I have taken the above suggestions onboard and purchased most from the amazon store and searching for others.

just trying to gauge what others think as a "must read".

Looks like you're primarily interested in books about Austrlalia, and I see some crime stuff in there.

I picked up some interesting books on my visit. Chopper Read's Chopper: From the Inside is very entertaining and a quick read. John Silvester and Andrew Rule's Underbelly: The Gangland War is much longer, but also entertaining.

If you don't have much time for reading, a collection of short stories may be a good bet.

[Revolver]

One book I couldn't put down is also the book that every person needs to read, regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what you do.

- Rich dad, poor dad. By Robert Kiyosaki. Anything by him is eye opening. He has also done two books with Donald Trump. RDPD sat on the best seller list for awhile, then the sequel came out & sat there near it. IIRC he he the only author to have two books on the NY best seller list at once.

- How to win friends & influence people.

- The "tomorrow" series. Read the first book, tomorrow when the war began in high school. I then went on to read the next 7 books. I think there is an 8th I am yet to read.

- V8 Supercars the whole story. I bought it when it first came out, started it, yet to finish. I read what I can when I can, but just not enough time. What I have read though has been a good read.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Moby Vic

Looks like you're primarily interested in books about Austrlalia, and I see some crime stuff in there.

I picked up some interesting books on my visit. Chopper Read's Chopper: From the Inside is very entertaining and a quick read. John Silvester and Andrew Rule's Underbelly: The Gangland War is much longer, but also entertaining.

If you don't have much time for reading, a collection of short stories may be a good bet.

it took me 3 years, spread over 12 getaways to read the hardback version of "for the term of his natural life". ....not that I'm a slow reader, ...just a good talker, ....so many beer o'clock visitors to the van, ....so little reading time LOL.

thanks for the input there folks, I'm chasing these down and have managed to download most.

some are a bit elusive.

feel free to use this thread to discuss books you may have read or are about to read as all recommendations are welcome.

[NickyN]

Hi poppa,
Ever heard of "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Luttrell? The movie is coming out at the end of this year and there's a thread about this in the entertainment section here.

Long story short he's the lone survivor of his 4-man SEAL team sent on a mission. It's an easy read and the author writes in a way like he's talking to you and I like his style. He has a second book out too, titled "Service." It's a continuation of his life after he recovered, the next missions he went on and his retirement from the US Navy SEALs. I have both books on my shelf.

Here's a short clip on youtube for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPyQpTNSReE

[sgt_doofey]

Another vote for Matthew Reilly here as well. They're the sort of books that you just won't put down until you're finished. It'll suck you in from page 2.

[mr_wolf]

The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is fun and easy to read.

Bonus for the blue-blooded, one of the main characters is named Ford Prefect.

[Papa Smurf]

To be honest, all the books listed are good reading but, if you REALLY want a laugh (albeit a little dated) try some John O'grady books:


They're a Weird Mob (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1957) and its sequels,
Cop This Lot (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1960)
Gone Fishin' (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1962)
Gone Gougin' (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1975)
No Kava for Johnny (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1961) illustrated by 'wep'
The Things They Do To You (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1963) illustrated by 'wep'
Aussie English: An Explanation of the Australian Idiom (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1965)
Ladies and Gentlemen (with Douglass Baglin) (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1966)
Gone Troppo (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1968)
O'Grady Sez (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1969)
So Sue Me! (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1970)
Are You Irish or Normal? (as by Sean O'Grada) (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1970)
Aussie Etiket; or, Doing Things the Aussie Way (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1971)
It's Your Shout, Mate!: Aussie pubs and Aussie beers (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1972)
Smoky Joe the Fish-eater (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1972)
Survival in the Doghouse (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1973)
Now Listen, Mate! [re-issue of So sue me!] (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1974)
There Was A Kid: An Autobiography, Part One (Sydney: Ure Smith, 1977)
Down Under To Up Over (with Molly O'Grady) (Sydney: Lansdowne Press, 1980)

I have read most of these and they cracked me up. It is a good chance for an Aussie to have a good laugh at him/her self.

[Legit290]

Yeah I have read those. I especially liked Gone Fishin.
Until I read that I thought mullet was bait

[Moby Vic]

Anything by Mark Twain is good, too.

[Loonar]

"Bill the Bastard", - Roland Perry, good yarn about Australias greatest warhorse (ww1)

[phat_stak_tipa]

Originally Posted by Revolver 45

One book I couldn't put down is also the book that every person needs to read, regardless of who you are, where you come from, or what you do.

- Rich dad, poor dad. By Robert Kiyosaki. Anything by him is eye opening. He has also done two books with Donald Trump. RDPD sat on the best seller list for awhile, then the sequel came out & sat there near it. IIRC he he the only author to have two books on the NY best seller list at once.

- How to win friends & influence people.

- The "tomorrow" series. Read the first book, tomorrow when the war began in high school. I then went on to read the next 7 books. I think there is an 8th I am yet to read.

- V8 Supercars the whole story. I bought it when it first came out, started it, yet to finish. I read what I can when I can, but just not enough time. What I have read though has been a good read.

Yep tomorrow series is brilliant, honestly the only series of books i have ever read, the tomorrow series became the ellie chronicles in which there is 3 books.

I picked up the first book completely by accident at school also, then went directly out to the shops and bought the lot!