Ok guys, for those who have missed it there has been some talk here about getting a book club off the ground. Rather than endlessly debating how to run this thing, lets just give it a shot and then fine tune the thing down the track - Ready, Fire, Aim style. So this round or month will be round 0, a trial.
I've taken a book suggestion from each member who kicked in on the planning thread that will hopefully be of interest to all and widely available.
Lets look at this rounds contenders, in order they were suggested:
1. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. Book was suggested by ?Kick and also strongly recommend by Roosh here. 312 pages.
Amazon description: "A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine".
2. Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships by Eric Berne. Book was suggested by me, based on several strong recommendations on Ricky Raw's blog Rawness, including here. 173 pages.
Amazon description: "The most accessible and insightful book ever written about the games we play: those patterns of behaviour that reveal hidden feelings and emotions. Wise and witty, it shows the underlying motivations behind our relationships and gives you the keys to unlock the psychology of others - and yourself. You'll become more honest, more effective, and a true team player."
3. Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp by C.D. Payne. The book was recommended by AntiTrace, who ensures us it is much better than the mediocre Michael Cera movie it spawned and said it was "...a book that heavily influenced my teenage years. They made a movie about it a couple years back, it was ok but it only covered the first 1/3 of the book. I recommend you guys check it out too, its long but its a fun read. Ive re read three times throughout my life, and I am not a reader. The kid in book grows to become a legit G." 498 pages.
Amazon description: "This is the story of a precocious 14-year-old who reveals his struggles with the life, love, and libido of adolescence through his excruciatingly long and detailed journal. Bored by his mind-numbing high school and bewildered by the escapades of his wacky, divorced parents, Nick and his pals turn their attentions to the mysterious pursuit of true love and the quest for loss of virginity. Hormones rule. Nick's journal entries read like a cross between Holden Caulfield and Doogie Howser, or The Wonder Years with a dash of Philip Roth. There are a few truly funny scenes as Nick strives to outwit archrival Trent for the love of the brainy and beautiful Sheeni."
4. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. The book was suggested by houston based on Roosh's recommendations describing it as "Required reading and future classic. If you haven’t read this book yet, why are you still alive?". It has also been recommended by Neil Strauss, Tucker Max and countless others. I read it quite a few years back and really enjoyed a gained a lot from it, would happily re-read. 452 pages.
Amazon description: "The laws cull their principles from many great schemers--and scheming instructors--throughout history, from Sun-Tzu to Talleyrand, from Casanova to con man Yellow Kid Weil. They are straightforward in their amoral simplicity: "Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit," or "Discover each man's thumbscrew." Each chapter provides examples of the consequences of observance or transgression of the law, along with "keys to power," potential "reversals" (where the converse of the law might also be useful), and a single paragraph cleverly laid out to suggest an image (such as the aforementioned thumbscrew); the margins are filled with illustrative quotations. Practitioners of one-upmanship have been given a new, comprehensive training manual, as up-to-date as it is timeless."
5. Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts. RioNomad suggested this book, he described it as one of the 5 books "...that have influenced my life and helped me make it what it is." It is widely recommended to be the bible for travelers. I read it before traveling SE Asia and would gladly read again. 224 pages.
Amazon description: "Veteran vagabond Potts regales readers with his mantra: anyone with an adventurous spirit can achieve the feat of taking extended time off from work to experience the world. Potts tells how to negotiate time off from work, prepare for travel, and get the most out of your time on the road. Each chapter contains a profile of a famous proponent of vagabonding, quotes from everyday people with extensive travel experience, and a tip sheet of print and online sources for practical travel advice on topics such as airline tickets and accommodations as well as safety concerns."
6. 1984 by George Orwell. the chef made the call on this one, "...hands down the best book i've read in my entire life, nothing has really came close to it." A classic. Roosh has read it 3 times and calls Orwell a hero. 304 pages.
Amazon description: "Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff's attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell's prescience of modern life--the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language--and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written."
7. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. johnw28 advocated reading books that give give an insight to countries you wish to explore, he suggested 4 authors to open your eyes to all things latin America, including Nobel Prizie winning Colombian Marquez. So here is one of Marquez's most famous works along with Love in the Time of Cholera. Checkout Roosh's thoughts here. 448 pages.
Amazon description: "The story follows 100 years in the life of Macondo, a village founded by José Arcadio Buendía and occupied by descendants. Then there are the women who struggle to remain grounded even as their menfolk build castles in the air. If it is possible for a novel to be highly comic and deeply tragic at the same time, then One Hundred Years of Solitude does the trick. Civil war rages throughout, hearts break, dreams shatter, and lives are lost, yet the effect is literary pentimento, with sorrow's outlines bleeding through the vibrant colors of García Márquez's magical realism.
8. Sex 3.0 by JJ Roberts (also buy here). naughtynomad recommended this by saying "The author gives a great historical account of sexual relationships, the sinister origins of marriage, and the current sexual marketplace post-civil rights and and post-feminism. With a liberal, cynical and humanist paradigm, the author explores how our conditioning and social environment pressures us to settle down in a "fenced" relationships, whilst denying our basic nature. The book clearly shows shows how "Marriage is normal, but not natural." This book makes you question everything you've ever learned about what relationships should be like, and ultimately offers a better alternative where love and nature, not traditional, triumphs." NN also gives more thoughts on his blog here. 266 pages.
Ok I think it is a good mix of books to choose from, vote up, hopefully we can declare a winner by Thursday (15th) and then we can get reading..
I've taken a book suggestion from each member who kicked in on the planning thread that will hopefully be of interest to all and widely available.
Lets look at this rounds contenders, in order they were suggested:
1. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain. Book was suggested by ?Kick and also strongly recommend by Roosh here. 312 pages.
Amazon description: "A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine".
2. Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships by Eric Berne. Book was suggested by me, based on several strong recommendations on Ricky Raw's blog Rawness, including here. 173 pages.
Amazon description: "The most accessible and insightful book ever written about the games we play: those patterns of behaviour that reveal hidden feelings and emotions. Wise and witty, it shows the underlying motivations behind our relationships and gives you the keys to unlock the psychology of others - and yourself. You'll become more honest, more effective, and a true team player."
3. Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp by C.D. Payne. The book was recommended by AntiTrace, who ensures us it is much better than the mediocre Michael Cera movie it spawned and said it was "...a book that heavily influenced my teenage years. They made a movie about it a couple years back, it was ok but it only covered the first 1/3 of the book. I recommend you guys check it out too, its long but its a fun read. Ive re read three times throughout my life, and I am not a reader. The kid in book grows to become a legit G." 498 pages.
Amazon description: "This is the story of a precocious 14-year-old who reveals his struggles with the life, love, and libido of adolescence through his excruciatingly long and detailed journal. Bored by his mind-numbing high school and bewildered by the escapades of his wacky, divorced parents, Nick and his pals turn their attentions to the mysterious pursuit of true love and the quest for loss of virginity. Hormones rule. Nick's journal entries read like a cross between Holden Caulfield and Doogie Howser, or The Wonder Years with a dash of Philip Roth. There are a few truly funny scenes as Nick strives to outwit archrival Trent for the love of the brainy and beautiful Sheeni."
4. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. The book was suggested by houston based on Roosh's recommendations describing it as "Required reading and future classic. If you haven’t read this book yet, why are you still alive?". It has also been recommended by Neil Strauss, Tucker Max and countless others. I read it quite a few years back and really enjoyed a gained a lot from it, would happily re-read. 452 pages.
Amazon description: "The laws cull their principles from many great schemers--and scheming instructors--throughout history, from Sun-Tzu to Talleyrand, from Casanova to con man Yellow Kid Weil. They are straightforward in their amoral simplicity: "Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit," or "Discover each man's thumbscrew." Each chapter provides examples of the consequences of observance or transgression of the law, along with "keys to power," potential "reversals" (where the converse of the law might also be useful), and a single paragraph cleverly laid out to suggest an image (such as the aforementioned thumbscrew); the margins are filled with illustrative quotations. Practitioners of one-upmanship have been given a new, comprehensive training manual, as up-to-date as it is timeless."
5. Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts. RioNomad suggested this book, he described it as one of the 5 books "...that have influenced my life and helped me make it what it is." It is widely recommended to be the bible for travelers. I read it before traveling SE Asia and would gladly read again. 224 pages.
Amazon description: "Veteran vagabond Potts regales readers with his mantra: anyone with an adventurous spirit can achieve the feat of taking extended time off from work to experience the world. Potts tells how to negotiate time off from work, prepare for travel, and get the most out of your time on the road. Each chapter contains a profile of a famous proponent of vagabonding, quotes from everyday people with extensive travel experience, and a tip sheet of print and online sources for practical travel advice on topics such as airline tickets and accommodations as well as safety concerns."
6. 1984 by George Orwell. the chef made the call on this one, "...hands down the best book i've read in my entire life, nothing has really came close to it." A classic. Roosh has read it 3 times and calls Orwell a hero. 304 pages.
Amazon description: "Among the seminal texts of the 20th century, Nineteen Eighty-Four is a rare work that grows more haunting as its futuristic purgatory becomes more real. Published in 1949, the book offers political satirist George Orwell's nightmare vision of a totalitarian, bureaucratic world and one poor stiff's attempt to find individuality. The brilliance of the novel is Orwell's prescience of modern life--the ubiquity of television, the distortion of the language--and his ability to construct such a thorough version of hell. Required reading for students since it was published, it ranks among the most terrifying novels ever written."
7. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. johnw28 advocated reading books that give give an insight to countries you wish to explore, he suggested 4 authors to open your eyes to all things latin America, including Nobel Prizie winning Colombian Marquez. So here is one of Marquez's most famous works along with Love in the Time of Cholera. Checkout Roosh's thoughts here. 448 pages.
Amazon description: "The story follows 100 years in the life of Macondo, a village founded by José Arcadio Buendía and occupied by descendants. Then there are the women who struggle to remain grounded even as their menfolk build castles in the air. If it is possible for a novel to be highly comic and deeply tragic at the same time, then One Hundred Years of Solitude does the trick. Civil war rages throughout, hearts break, dreams shatter, and lives are lost, yet the effect is literary pentimento, with sorrow's outlines bleeding through the vibrant colors of García Márquez's magical realism.
8. Sex 3.0 by JJ Roberts (also buy here). naughtynomad recommended this by saying "The author gives a great historical account of sexual relationships, the sinister origins of marriage, and the current sexual marketplace post-civil rights and and post-feminism. With a liberal, cynical and humanist paradigm, the author explores how our conditioning and social environment pressures us to settle down in a "fenced" relationships, whilst denying our basic nature. The book clearly shows shows how "Marriage is normal, but not natural." This book makes you question everything you've ever learned about what relationships should be like, and ultimately offers a better alternative where love and nature, not traditional, triumphs." NN also gives more thoughts on his blog here. 266 pages.
Ok I think it is a good mix of books to choose from, vote up, hopefully we can declare a winner by Thursday (15th) and then we can get reading..
'I blew most of my money on fast cars, booze and women. The rest I squandered' - George Best
