I love a Good "Good Book" thread

[crustBrother]

Frank Herbert wrote Dune back in 1965 and 55 years later we are still trying to bring his vision to cinima in an acceptable form. Not just Dune but Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune.

That is true Science Fiction. Herbert was a master. Besides Dune. The Santaroga Barrier. Hellstroms Hive. The Jesus Incident series. The Dosadi Experiment/Whipping Star.

That is vision. Yes, it's Science Fiction. But it makes Star Wars look like a preschool primer.

One of the interesting things is Frank's son, Bryan Herbert has written a dozen books of his own trying to fill in his dad's shoes where Frank left off upon his untimely death.

This is clearly a case where you can see that genius is not an inherited trait.

I read the Dune series 30 years ago when I was in junior high and although I enjoyed them, I honestly I think the politics were a bit much for my adolescent brain and I probably didn't get everything the books have to offer. I'm thinking I should probably give them another go before watching the movie. Trailer looks fucking legit!

 

[SFKneelo]

Just finished ‘The Dreampt Land’ by Mark Arax. It was a well-researched and interesting exploration of the history of water management in California. It’s always been relevant, and very much in the news now. Definitely recommend it.

 

[ringer]

Just finished ‘The Dreampt Land’ by Mark Arax. It was a well-researched and interesting exploration of the history of water management in California. It’s always been relevant, and very much in the news now. Definitely recommend it.

I went to the same high school as Mark and his sister and brother.

 

[afoaf]

I really like the boundlessness of sci-fi

it's like magical realism for the more technical

I want to start the Imperial Radch trilogy....

 

[SrPato]

I really like the boundlessness of sci-fi

it's like magical realism for the more technical

I want to start the Imperial Radch trilogy....

Currently reading:
On the plain of snakes: A Mexican Journey by Paul Theroux. This has already been reviewed on here but damn it's interesting. I learned three new words in the first 4 pages.

Flash Point by Jack Slater. A modern spy adventure series that follows Jason Trapp, the top ghost for the U.S. government and his exploits around the world.

The Making of a Chef by Michael Ruhlman. It's the story of his time enrolled in the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) under the tutelage of Chef Pardus. He took the course with the intention of describing to the world what it's like to attend such a prestigious culinary school and soon discovered he had quite a knack for it. I'm only half way through but still haven't been able to determine if the title is about himself or Chef Pardus.

 

[crustBrother]

I really like the boundlessness of sci-fi

it's like magical realism for the more technical

I want to start the Imperial Radch trilogy....

Couple to consider...

This one was EXCELLENT...

Silo (series) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And this was also a page turner...

Hyperion Cantos - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rts265]

books I’ve read this year that I’d recommend:

other side of sanity, shepley
Soft apocalypse, will McIntosh
First fifteen lives of Harry august, north
Roadside picnic, strugatsky
Gone world, sweterlitsch
recursion, crouch
Dark matter, crouch
Need to know, Cleveland
sea of glory, philbrick
the red sparrow series by Mathews was good too

 

[afoaf]

Amazon.com

I started reading this for my trip...it was recommended by some desert outdoor people

he makes some extremely controversial statements in this book

I'm not sure I like it or not...he hits some high notes for sure, but his politics are odd

 

[Autoprax]

 

[npsp]

Just finished ‘The Dreampt Land’ by Mark Arax. It was a well-researched and interesting exploration of the history of water management in California. It’s always been relevant, and very much in the news now. Definitely recommend it.

The Dreampt Land, Cadillac Desert and China Town are three great reads if you want to learn the history of water and development in CA.

 

[afoaf]

The Dreampt Land, Cadillac Desert and China Town are three great reads if you want to learn the history of water and development in CA.

I think the biography of Williiam Mulholland done by his Grandaughter is better in the sense that
it hits a lot of the high notes of the three without the swamped out, slog sections

 

[npsp]

I think the biography of Williiam Mulholland done by his Grandaughter is better in the sense that
it hits a lot of the high notes of the three without the swamped out, slog sections

Can't believe I forgot that one. Rivers in the Desert is also good.
I really got into learning CA's water history when taking a couple of resource management classes in college. The history of Mulholland, LADWP and the Owens Valley is really interesting and makes for good conversation on the drive up the 395.

 

[ringer]

Can't believe I forgot that one. Rivers in the Desert is also good.
I really got into learning CA's water history when taking a couple of resource management classes in college. The history of Mulholland, LADWP and the Owens Valley is really interesting and makes for good conversation on the drive up the 395.

All that stuff is very interesting to me. Despite all of his accomplishments, Mulholland died a defeated and sad man due to the St. Francis Dam disaster.

 

[Autoprax]

A life that ends badly isn't necessarily a bad life.

 

[huryanpost]

sh:t happens. For reasons foretold or not.

 

[afoaf]

Can't believe I forgot that one. Rivers in the Desert is also good.
I really got into learning CA's water history when taking a couple of resource management classes in college. The history of Mulholland, LADWP and the Owens Valley is really interesting and makes for good conversation on the drive up the 395.

I met a guy backpacking last year that said he walked the entire owens valley pipeline

I asked what he did about the trespassing issues and he said it was so far out that no one
really gave a fk...he never had an issue

the stories about all the sabotage through there by the valley people is good guerilla warfare!

All that stuff is very interesting to me. Despite all of his accomplishments, Mulholland died a defeated and sad man due to the St. Francis Dam disaster.

major imposter complex, I imagine...considering where he came up from

also, one man can't bear the responsibility for something like that...it wasn't a failure, just
unknown unknowns.

what's crazy is I've driven through that canyon a ton before realizing it was the site of the
old dam.

 

[manbearpig]

All that stuff is very interesting to me. Despite all of his accomplishments, Mulholland died a defeated and sad man due to the St. Francis Dam disaster.

 

[npsp]

I met a guy backpacking last year that said he walked the entire owens valley pipeline

I asked what he did about the trespassing issues and he said it was so far out that no one
really gave a fk...he never had an issue

the stories about all the sabotage through there by the valley people is good guerilla warfare!



major imposter complex, I imagine...considering where he came up from

also, one man can't bear the responsibility for something like that...it wasn't a failure, just
unknown unknowns.

what's crazy is I've driven through that canyon a ton before realizing it was the site of the
old dam.

I've done a lot of work with LADWP on their "Dust Suppression" project. It's pretty easy to access most of their property and no one really cares if you're out there looking around.

 

[SlicedFeet]

Haven't read a book in awhile...god damn picture view.

The GOD Equation - Michio Kaku.

First off, the best name a theoretical physicist could ever have.

Second, he can explain what they do and how they think in words We can relate to.

Third, he gives us the history of the top physicist theories and how they relate to our world and will continue to,

Fourth/20 - They are just a bunch of stoners (physicist) that don’t realize it. If they only knew what goes through the average persons mind on mushrooms or even taking a BIg hit of THC... Gravity would have be incorporated in quantum theorry years ago.

HIGHLY recommend.

 

[Kento]

Recently read Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. It took a couple chapters to get used to the writing style but really great read and absolutely amazing something like that could be written back in 1992. Absolutely prophetic in some respects.

Iberia by Michener was great; been wanting to go to Spain for a while and still do. Different than his usual books as it was more of a travelogue.

My wife had picked up a couple of McMurtry books from some book fair years back but never read them and they're just sitting around. When I heard he died, thought I'd read Cadillac Jack. Some entertaining characters but the story never seemed to really go anywhere and no resolution of any note but I suppose that's part of the point about that antique roadshowing scene. At least it was a quick read.

Big Nowhere by James Ellroy was a solid crime novel. Fun read.