Live Stoner Chat The Book Thread.

[gradolabs]

Howdy folks. Welcome to the AFN book club, or at least the humble beginnings thereof. My name's Grado Labs and I love books. My favorite genre is science fiction and when I was in school I read Isaac Asimovs Robot City series... Very cool - if you've got a youngster who's a tad bit nerdy (as I certainly was) give him Odyssey - the first book in the series, published in 1987. It centers around the three laws of Robotics which Asimov himself penned in his earlier days. There's six books in the series all written by different authors but within the same context. Good for 16 year olds or really smart 12 year olds.

I stuck with science fiction through college though my tastes began to mature... William Gibson wrote a few novels, two of which I've read, both of which I own and one of which is falling apart because I've read it cover to cover dozens of times. Neuromancer! It's about a guy named Case running from debt and the galactic mob and assassins, space travel. Oh and drug use. The author once stated it was his intention to try every psychoactive substance known to man... and by the stylistic prose in his novels I'm certain he met that goal a long time ago. Anyway its a great read and one of my favorite books of all time, hands down.

Next up in the same genre is Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Its about a hero.... a protagonist fighting against a global corporation bent on enslaving the population. If you're familiar with the book at all, you know I'm not doing it justice. Great read though, defo has a permanent place on my bookshelf.

Whenever inspiration strikes me, I'll post more suggestions, and please fill these pages with suggestions of your own. Then get out there and read. Read everything! Read till you bleed! Turn off the TV right meow pick up an apple and a book and go to the moon.

 

[Noods]

Snow Crash was cool! I love Science Fiction and Fantasy. I've also been a book worm since I was a kid. The first "adult" novel I read was the Amityville Horror. I remember being scared for DAYS! after that.
I've read all of Dan Simmons' works, and Guy Gavriel Kay's. They're my favorite authors!
Right now I'm reading Brian Lumley's Necroscope Series about some hardcore, bad ass vampires and the Russian and British Secret Service's parts in fighting (ESPionage) them in the late 70's... . Very awesome stuff!
I won't shy away from some good criminal mystery thrillers either!
:smokebuds:

 

[gearbear2]

I am a reader of philosophy, religion, culture, politics, some gardening outside of cannabis, and also modern research articles (like pop mech, science, etc.)

Outside of that, I listen to mainstream audio books during all my travels and I tend to travel more than the average person, but less than a trucker.
Audio book suggestion welcome!

(I'm actually on a trip now)

 

[gradolabs]

I've read all of Dan Simmons' works, and Guy Gavriel Kay's. They're my favorite authors!

I will have to check them out. I was in the market for a couple of new authors to check out, so thanks for the recco.

Gearbear do you use audible.com - the audio book website thingy? I've never been much for books on tape (you can tell cause I still refer to them as books on tape) but I can see how it works out for most people. Not that I haven't gone digital. My first kindle lasted quite a while and took some abuse before I accidentally shattered the screen. Nothing beats a good paperback though imho.

 

[gradolabs]

Also if we're talking periodicals, Wired and Geek Magazine are my two top favorites. There's this newstand that sells all sorts of weird mags, porn too... I bought my friend a copy of Annual Tugboat Review... its a legitimate tugboat magazine (like, the marine vessel, no euphamisms here - its funny enough as it is)... but I got it as a joke for one of my stoner friends. He laughed his ass off. But now he can hold a semi intellectual conversation about tugboats cause he reads it on the shitter. I wish there was a quarterly tugboat review though... I hate waiting twelve months just to read up on the new models.

 

[Bromeo]

I'm a huge history buff. Most of my reading reflects this. I love reading the classics to. Twain being my favorite. But I'm struggling through the devine comedy right now. Its often referred to in AA but man its not a blow through easy read.

 

[gradolabs]

A little bit o Sam Clemens coming at ya! I dig. The innocents abroad is on my to do list. The mysterious stranger should peak your interests, if you're a fan... it's no great story but interesting for different reasons and not very long at all.

I read Dante's trilogy until cantos were coming out of my ears... had to put it down just before my head esploded. Good choice though.

 

[gearbear2]

yep, audible makes sense financially if you do go through an average of 1 book a month.

lol, tugboats. I kbow... the wait is aweful

 

[lykaboss]

Nice thread!, i recently started getting into reading books for "fun". Never did in highschool or college. Thinking about getting a kindle Fire for ebooks. I am picky and really don't have a particular topic that is my favorite but i will list some of the books i have read that i find were amazing.

Doctor Dealer: The Rise and Fall of an All-American Boy and His Multimillion-Dollar Cocaine Empire: EPIC story, based on a true story

The Devil in the White City: Excellent story about the first worlds fair, has some history behind it along with a guy who is a hustler and murder

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption: epic true story about a man who survived the most brutal POW camps, pretty graphic and emotional read

The Elephant Tree : i want to read this book bad, looks very good well reviewed. (will probably be my next read)

 

[TheLittleBoyWhoPointed]

I loved all of asimov's robot books...I heard rumors they were gonna film a version caves of steel, the first R.Daneel Olivaw book....hope they do.

Heinlein did some great stuff...
I can highly recommend Stephen Donaldson's GAP series......a science fiction series set in deep space....you begin hating one main character and loving the other....by the series end you are reversed in your thinking....some great prose there.

Monkey Planet by pierre boul is well worth a read...it's the book planet of the apes was based on.

LB