Looking for book suggestions

Let me start by saying that I tend to be a very picky reader. I love to read but I tend to get bored easily.

My favorite books are; Shogun (by far my all time favorite) All of Tom Clancy's fictional stuff. A lot of Stephen King and a few others along those lines.
I'm a big fan of historical and military fiction but cannot seem to find any good authors that appeal to me

I have read Da Vinci code and the Harry Potter series and just felt a little disappointed in both.

I sorta feel like I know exactly what I want but just don't know how to find it.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated

Originally posted by Anjin
My favorite books are; Shogun (by far my all time favorite)

You mentioned that your "all time favorite" book was James Clavell's Shogun. Shogun is, incidentally, one of my own "all time favorites" as well. I just wonder whether you have gone on to read some of Clavell's other books?

Shogun is actually the first book in what can easily be considered a series.
Try reading Tai Pan followed by Gai-Jin. Although the books were not necessarily written to be a series, I have found them to be most satisfying and complimentary when read in this fashion.

King Rat is a "stand alone" novel set in a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp. An excellent read which reflect some of Clavell's own experiences and perceptions as he, hemself, was a POW in the hands of the Japanese.

After reading King Rat, you might actually consider renting the film of the same name. Starring George Segal, "King Rat", the film, is a surprisingly good adaptation of the novel.

You might follow up this reading list with Clavell's novel of Iran, Whirlwind -- during the time of fundamentalist revolution and the overthrow of the Shah. Again, Clavell brings his own experiential insight into this particularly relevant event as Clavell spent a considerable time living in Iran. Again, a good read.

I have deliberately excluded Clavell's , Noble House from this list. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a good book but, for some reason, it never really "grabbed" me. Maybe it's time that I gave it another chance? Regardless, I still recommend this book as I wholeheartedly recommend all of this great writer's works.

Here's some bio material on James Clavell.
He has an amazing career as a screenwriter as well as being a novelist. Does the movie "The Fly" ring a bell?

Anyway, in my opinion, James Clavell is certainly a good choice for some reading material. One could certainly do worse.

I've got a book that may interest you, it's called "The World Was Going Our Way, The KGB and the Battle For the Third World." by Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin. Mitrokhin was a KGB agent who smuggled out thousands of documents from the KGB and the book documents how the Soviet Union thought that the third world nations were the way to make the rest of the world conform with their beliefs. It also details the Soviets dealings with third world leaders to foster more anti-americanism (as if we needed any help with that) around the globe.

Its a fairly long book at almost 500 pages of text and about 200 pages of notes and references but i found it very interesting, as i grew up in the latter half of the cold war, to see what the other side was thinking.

Originally posted by benevolent tyrantI just wonder whether you have gone on to read some of Clavell's other books?

I actually have read all of Clavell's books and I do agree with you about Noble House
I actually had to buy Whirlwind from Ebay since I believe it is out of print.

Shogun was the first novel I ever read that truly transported me to a different time and place and made me care so much about so many different characters. It amazed me that an author could make me love and hate a character and culture at the same time.

Thanks for your reply

Originally posted by AegisFang
I've got a book that may interest you, it's called "The World Was Going Our Way, The KGB and the Battle For the Third World." by Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin. Mitrokhin was a KGB agent who smuggled out thousands of documents from the KGB and the book documents how the Soviet Union thought that the third world nations were the way to make the rest of the world conform with their beliefs. It also details the Soviets dealings with third world leaders to foster more anti-americanism (as if we needed any help with that) around the globe.

Thank you for the suggestion!

This sounds very much like something I would enjoy

Colleen McCullough, author of The Thorn Birds, did a seven novel series of the end of the Roman Republic which I found to be some of the best historical reading ever. She also did a couple of historical novels about the early settlement of Australia, the first one was Morgan's Run.

Most of the Rome books are here on Amazon. They're huge novels, very satisfying, and historically accurate as far as I can tell. They ought to keep you busy for a couple of months.

A Good And Happy Child is a good read.

So is the Joe Hill book (Stephen King's son)

If you like getting caught up in historical fiction, pick up anything by James A. Michener. Most of his stuff runs to 1000 pages and it's all pretty good.

Try The Source, or Centennial, or Chesapeake. The guy wrote 40 some books, and although I haven't read them all, I have yet to be disappointed.

The Bridges at Toko Ri was not only an excellent read, but was made into a very good William Holden movie. Korean War stuff.

Originally posted by yeahright
If you like getting caught up in historical fiction, pick up anything by James A. Michener. Most of his stuff runs to 1000 pages and it's all pretty good.

My mother lives for Michener's books, she's read everyone of them at least 5 times, and says they are some of the best books she's ever read. I haven't read them yet but someday i'll get around to it when my present stack of yet to be read books get's a little smaller. great suggestion.

Originally posted by Anjin

I'm a big fan of historical and military fiction but cannot seem to find any good authors that appeal to me

Any suggestions would be much appreciated

Hi Anjin, based on the above, I would like to recommed a book by an author called Simon Pearson, entitled 'Total War 2006' If yo uhaven't read it, it is aboutevents leading up to WWIII, according to the author, who himself is a military expert.

I found it to be a good read, and it covered many bases of ideologies relating to Israel and the Middle East.

Whilst reading it, I thought tht the timing may be off, but the direction we are heading towards today, certainly makes for a most plausible set of possibilities and outcomes, if WWIII were to begin with the iran conflict

[edit on 24/7/2007 by deaman88]

One of my favorite authors is Clive Cussler who wrote "Raise the Titanic" among many others. His books are always filled with adventure and intrigue and always keep me totally engrossed, especially the Dirk Pitt series of books, of which"Titanic" is one. Very good reading.

Another good writer of military and political fiction is Robert Ludlum, of "The Bourne Identity" series of books but he has also written many others that are very close to the type of thing Clancy writes.

Hope this helps. Good reading!

LS

Have you tried Papillon by Henri Charriere? If you haven't I recommend it, and I guarantee you wont put it down till it's finished. I give it 10/10. It is THE book of all books. ROOTS is another great book and so is Angela's Ashes. These are my three favourite reads, though I'm still trying to find something that can beat them.

I'd like to recommend "Into the Buzzsaw: The Myth of a Free Press", a compilation of reports that journalists could not get published/broadcast.

For example, a couple Florida reporters tell how they stumbled upon the recombinant bovine growth hormone story (put in your milk/products), and how they were fired for pursuing this story. Another story by a former DEA agent about how the top drug dealers in the world are protected from on high. Another story about the POW's left behind in Viet Nam. You get the idea. It's an easy read and I guarantee you won't be able to put it down, or stop telling everyone you know to read it.

Michner books are very good, I have read a few of them and my favorite is Alaska, very good and informative books. If you like historical war books stephen ambrose is good if you enjoy WW2 history. I am a pretty big fan of Dean Koontz, I really enjoy his writing style. Strangers, the taking, odd thomas series, and twighlight eyes are some of my favorites from him. I also really enjoy reading Stephen king books, if you havent read the stand, that is a long book, but very good. There are so many books out there, I also enjoy biographies, I just read one on teddy roosevelt that was good. Also the federalist papers is a pretty good book to read.

I love reading, I read alot more then watching the stupid TV, it is just awesome to get into a book and lose yourself in it. I hate it when you read however and some a hole feels the need to talk to you, ugh, takes you right out of your little world. Oh another one I really liked was the green mile by stephen king, so much better then the movie.

Try Umberto Eco "Foucault's Pendulum" or "The Name of the Rose."

Foucault's Pendulum is about conspiracies, hermeticism, occult, Templars...
Good Stuff!


[edit on 18-2-2008 by TheComte]