Forums > Off-Topic Discussion > Books you would recommend reading

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BSVS

Posts: 36

Orlando, Florida, US

So I'm doing a search for a book on amazon as of lately. I don't have a Barnes and Nobles nearby so amazon or web is all I have at the moment. Im looking for a book for empowerment or just spark the creative process, I believe we all need that push or drive for innovative ideas in our work. I know I'm one of them who ponders in what I can do to achieve different results. So what do you guys suggest or recommend in reading? All suggestions are appreciated!

Dec 14 15 06:31 pm Link

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Tony From Syracuse

Posts: 2503

Syracuse, New York, US

"the lovely bones"  its about a tween girl who is killed by her next door neighbor pervert in secret and she looks down from heaven on the aftermath of how it affected all that knew her. really sad. they made a movie of it, but it was never as good as the book at all.

Dec 14 15 06:41 pm Link

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Natural Means

Posts: 936

Yamba, New South Wales, Australia

Atlus Shrugged.

Dec 14 15 06:42 pm Link

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Evan Hiltunen

Posts: 4162

Minneapolis, Minnesota, US

Dec 14 15 07:35 pm Link

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Nat has a username

Posts: 3590

Oakland, California, US

Haruki Murukami "after dark"
Leonard mlodinow "the drunkard's walk" (Math heavy but readable)
Will add more later as I think of them...

Dec 14 15 07:40 pm Link

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Orca Bay Images

Posts: 33877

Arcata, California, US

The Martian. The movie is excellent. The book is better.

Persistence, maintaining one's sense of humor under trying conditions, knowing your shit (in more ways than one) and knowing when to improvise.

Dec 14 15 07:47 pm Link

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Motordrive Photography

Posts: 7086

Lodi, California, US

The Alchemist, sometimes it's a long winding journey to get where you
need to be. You do things that don't seem to help to your goal, but they do.

Dec 14 15 07:48 pm Link

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Frank Lewis Photography

Posts: 14487

Winter Park, Florida, US

Just about anything by Craig Johnson. Especially this:

https://img.deseretnews.com/images/article/midres/1263699/1263699.jpg

Dec 14 15 07:50 pm Link

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Michael Bots

Posts: 8020

Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Dec 14 15 08:00 pm Link

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Lovely Day Media

Posts: 5885

Vineland, New Jersey, US

I highly recommend Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

It is not about making money. It is really about making up one's mind to make money but I have used it for other things as making up one's mind is making up one's mind. While the book talks about people who made a lot of money, the first thing they had to do was get their ideas together and work them. If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life and the money will follow ... eventually.

One has to make up one's mind and stick with it or it will never happen.

The original version came out in 1937 or so so this "information" isn't brand new. Most people just choose to not think this way because it's not exactly easy or fun.

After one gets done reading it, I highly recommend reading it again and again. Each time I read it, I get something new out of it.

Dec 14 15 08:15 pm Link

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NewBoldPhoto

Posts: 5216

PORT MURRAY, New Jersey, US

Paradise Lost
Cats Cradle
Heart of Darkness
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Lolita

Dec 14 15 09:07 pm Link

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Tony Lawrence

Posts: 21526

Chicago, Illinois, US

I love; Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.   http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Motorcycl … 0060589469     Another favorite is.   The Four Agreements.   I like, The Art of War.   Maybe you'd enjoy; The Teachings of Don Juan:   http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/the-tea … kid=3x2988

I don't buy books anymore though.   You can download them for free from your public library.

Dec 14 15 09:07 pm Link

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rxz

Posts: 1079

Glen Ellyn, Illinois, US

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid  by  Hofstadter
Rules for Radicals  by  Alinsky
L'Amerique Brule (America Is Burning), aka - Farewell America  by  Hepburn (probably an alias)

Dec 14 15 09:18 pm Link

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Zack Zoll

Posts: 6895

Glens Falls, New York, US

Slaughterhouse Five. My favourite book of all time.

Which is odd, because I don't like sci-fi. And most post-modern literature is too self-aware for me to enjoy. And this book is both.

But it has my favourite quote of all time, and an excellent mantra:  so it goes.

Without spoiling it too much, there is an alien race that exists outside of time, and can see past and future as if it were occurring in the present. They react to bad news with 'so it goes.'

It can be perceived as defeatist, or as a stand that something bad will not change how you live your life - you just keep on keepin' on.

I like the second interpretation.

The rest of the book is good too. It's another Vonnegut book. But that oft-repeated line is what does it for me

Dec 14 15 09:21 pm Link

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NewBoldPhoto

Posts: 5216

PORT MURRAY, New Jersey, US

Zack Zoll wrote:
Slaughterhouse Five. My favourite book of all time.

Which is odd, because I don't like sci-fi. And most post-modern literature is too self-aware for me to enjoy. And this book is both.

But it has my favourite quote of all time, and an excellent mantra:  so it goes.

Without spoiling it too much, there is an alien race that exists outside of time, and can see past and future as if it were occurring in the present. They react to bad news with 'so it goes.'

It can be perceived as defeatist, or as a stand that something bad will not change how you live your life - you just keep on keepin' on.

I like the second interpretation.

The rest of the book is good too. It's another Vonnegut book. But that oft-repeated line is what does it for me

Zack, I just want to point out that while "Billy Pilgrim had become unstuck from time..." the poor bastard was mad as a hatter, totally 'round the bend, completely taken leave of his senses and suffering from PTSD.
OP,  I must concur with Zack- Slaughterhouse 5 is brilliant. A great recommendation.

If Slaughterhouse 5 is in your wheelhouse but scifi isn't your thing consider Catch-22 by Heller

Dec 14 15 09:59 pm Link

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Koryn

Posts: 39496

Boston, Massachusetts, US

Anything by:

Hubert Selby Jr.
Henry Miller
James Baldwin
Carson McCullers
Irvine Welsh

(My tastes in literature just became blindingly obvious.)

That being said, I'm reading a book right now called "Her Fearful Symmetry." I'm pretty impressed with it, and I'm extremely difficult to impress.

Here are some of my more contemporary suggestions:
- The Road and No Country for Old Men, by Cormac McCarthy (The movies will not give you the beautiful language and poignant writing you get to chew on by reading these books.)
- Little Bee by Chris Cleave (This is about an African refugee woman. There are brutal images of rape and violence in this book. It is deeply effecting, but not necessarily easy to read.)
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed (This is more of a "pop fiction" memoir, but it's entertaining, addresses the pain of losing one's parent to terminal illness, and how we "redeem" ourselves after a period of bad coping strategies.)
- Peace, Love and Petrol Bombs, by DD Johnston. (I loved this "indie" press book, though many might find the its politics objectionable, as it has fairly anarchist leanings, but it's playful.) https://www.akpress.org/peaceloveandpetrolbombs.html
- The Chelsea Whistle by Michelle Tea (Tea's work is often categorized as "Queer" or "GLBT," but I think her books are relevant to the experiences of many women who grow up working class, and hit their 20s fumbling for a life path. These books may appeal more to women than the other books I've listed, but there is a gritty, punk rock element to her work that will appeal to some, probably younger, men.)
- The Walk Series, Richard Paul Evans (Okay, here's the more saccharine, heart-warming, love-they-neighbor books. They're a little cheesy, but I enjoyed them personally. These books are good for people who might not want to read about war, death and menstrual blood. The other books I've mentioned are pretty...raw at times.)


I could really go on and on, and I could recommend some pretty obscure, indie stuff, but that's my accessible list.

Dec 16 15 08:01 am Link

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Zack Zoll

Posts: 6895

Glens Falls, New York, US

NewBoldPhoto wrote:

Zack, I just want to point out that while "Billy Pilgrim had become unstuck from time..." the poor bastard was mad as a hatter, totally 'round the bend, completely taken leave of his senses and suffering from PTSD.
OP,  I must concur with Zack- Slaughterhouse 5 is brilliant. A great recommendation.

If Slaughterhouse 5 is in your wheelhouse but scifi isn't your thing consider Catch-22 by Heller

The wrong wound! Yossarian had been treating the wrong wound!

An equally good book. I read both of those around the same time, along with One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest.

They all have a lot in common. I think the only reason I don't rate Cuckoo higher as a book is because that's one of the rare times when I think the movie really got it right. There are differences, but I feel I can watch the film and see the same characters and feel the same emotions as the book.

Outside of nonfiction, I can probably count on one hand the number of times a film nailed it that well. At least for what I read and watch.

Dec 16 15 06:02 pm Link

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highStrangeness

Posts: 2485

Carmichael, California, US

I'm currently reading this, almost done with it.  It's quite an interesting and though-provoking read.

https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51y2oVtlwOL._SX325_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

Dec 16 15 06:25 pm Link

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Jules NYC

Posts: 21617

New York, New York, US

https://rtlog.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/insomnia.jpg

Dec 16 15 10:40 pm Link

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Isis22

Posts: 3557

Muncie, Indiana, US

I prefer thrillers. My favorite author is John Ramsey Miller. He has been to Hollywood a few times to try and get his books made into movies but no dice. It's a shame because when I read his books I can picture what I am reading. Runner up is Jeffery Deaver. My daughter loves the latter, hasn't read the former though.

Dec 17 15 01:28 pm Link

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Model MoRina

Posts: 6638

MacMurdo - permanent station of the US, Sector claimed by New Zealand, Antarctica

These are great - quick reads, but very inspirational.

https://emilyjourney.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/tao-of-pooh.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/00/Tepig.jpg

Dec 17 15 02:32 pm Link

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D a v i d s o n

Posts: 1216

Gig Harbor, Washington, US

The Art of the Deal [Donald J. Trump

https://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j135/Rusticstudios/516W6PY-hvL._SX300_BO1204203200__zpstlneb0qg.jpg

Dec 17 15 02:42 pm Link

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kickfight

Posts: 35054

Portland, Oregon, US

T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone by Hakim Bey
The Process by Brion Gysin
The Valkyries by Paulo Coehlo
The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse
Erewhon by Samuel Butler
The Red Book by Carl Gustav Jung

Dec 17 15 02:50 pm Link

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-fpc-

Posts: 893

Boca Raton, Florida, US

anything by Bukowski

Dec 17 15 03:28 pm Link

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Natural Means

Posts: 936

Yamba, New South Wales, Australia

Don Quixote.

The feel wit like that from 500 years ago was a bit humbling to me as a young man.

Dec 17 15 03:41 pm Link

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Farenell Photography

Posts: 18832

Albany, New York, US

"Guns of August" by Barbara Tuchman

http://www.amazon.com/Guns-August-Pulit … +of+august

Nonfiction about the events surrounding the outbreak of WWI. Historical events framed & written as if it was a thriller.

Dec 17 15 08:02 pm Link

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Happy Guy Photos

Posts: 1271

Upland, California, US

The Ascent of Man
Watership Down
Unbroken

Dec 17 15 08:09 pm Link

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ASPEN CREATIVE

Posts: 13

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Nov 14 16 02:55 pm Link

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FFantastique

Posts: 2535

Orlando, Florida, US

https://www.amazon.com/Anarchy-Apocalyp … 1606089625
Anarchy and Apocalypse: Essays on Faith, Violence, and Theodicy
Ronald E. Osborn

Day in the Life of ________

This was LIFE. [?]

Claire de Terre [earth light]

12/7/2016 EDIT:
OOPS I didn't read the assignment carefully: "book for empowerment or just spark the creative process,"
In that case, probably skip the first one on Anarchy--unless you're a war correspondent.
All the others remain relevant.

Add:
Artist Way--she advises you just write for about 20 minutes a day--gibberish if necessary--just to get things flowing. (so I'm not overanalyzing what I write her--just getting it down).

Whack on the Side of the Head by Roger Van oech (sp?)

Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg (?).

Tony Robbins stuff

Jim Rohn's stuff.

Napoleon Hill's material.

The Martian--I concur--movie good, book better. Also makes me think--"What would *I* do if I were in that unusual situation?"
If I were in control on the ground, I would disclose to crew the reality. They deal with this type of thing. They're adults. They can handle knowing Mark's alive on Mars! Book has a lot of humor. The overall experience can make you less intimidated and more empowered about other decisions in life and taking action because, given the whole scope of things, they're probably not as life threatening!

OP: do you have enough material?

Dec 06 16 11:28 am Link

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Lisa Everhart

Posts: 924

Sebring, Florida, US

Thomas Merton's autobiography, The Seven Story Mountain.

Dec 07 16 12:14 am Link

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64318

Posts: 1638

San Anselmo, California, US

Evan Hiltunen wrote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Chants_de_Maldoror

Just find a good translation.

The best translation   I used to own it  by  Wernham, Guy (translator). Maldoror (1943). ISBN 0-8112-0082-5

Hard to find its a rare book.  Guy Wernham was a character who lived above The City Lights Book store in San Francisco.
Good luck on finding it   Mike

Dec 07 16 01:30 am Link

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64318

Posts: 1638

San Anselmo, California, US

One of  the great early thinkers  a contemporary of Voltaire. He was also friends  with Benjamin Franklin, Hume, Diderot, Hume and Adam Smith.

The System of Nature or, the Laws of the Moral and Physical World (Système de la Nature ou Des Loix du Monde Physique et du Monde Moral) is a work of philosophy by Paul Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach (1723–1789)
Several translations available

Dec 07 16 01:44 am Link

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R.EYE.R

Posts: 3436

Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IKtyYWwInRk/TcVS52KmNzI/AAAAAAAAB64/_2hw7_PKYvI/s1600/000Karl%2BMarx%2527s-Das-Kapital.jpg

Dec 07 16 06:34 am Link

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Tony Lawrence

Posts: 21526

Chicago, Illinois, US

1. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance 
2. The Four Agreements.
3. The Teachings of Don Juan
4. The Art of War
Anything and I mean anything written by Phillip K. Dick and to a lessor degree Harlan Ellison.

Dec 07 16 11:37 pm Link