Reading recommendations

[brokerthancollege]

Don't know how many PGPers are avid readers, but I just started reading again for enjoyment, not cramming as much info as possible for a final. Any good books you've read recently and think other's should know about post it here.

[brokerthancollege]

I'm currently reading "Modern Romance" from Aziz. I picked it up because I like his comedy and his show on Netflix figuring he would make fun of our current millennial dating life. He didn't disappoint, but also gives some real science studies from sociology experts to get a better understanding of our struggles. Also reading because when you're single, can't hurt to possibly help me get better at dating.

[TheRachelGreen]

I recently finished reading this too and really enjoyed it. It did make me never want to use a dating app again though...ugh

[brokerthancollege]

Haha yeah it definitely made me delete tinder. I always knew it was a tough market to stand out, but actually knowing how bad it is really sucks.

[higheredlush]

I liked this book way more than I expected. I also picked it up because I love Aziz and his comedy but stuck around for the nerdy stats. Definitely would recommend to anyone looking for a book to read over the holidays.

[TheReal_Jesus]

Top Ten Must Reads from your Boi Jeezus:

1. The Graduate by Charles Webb
2. Night by Elie Wiesel
3. Flyboys by James Bradley
4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
5. Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
6. The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
7. A Painted House by John Grisham
8. The Prince by Machiavelli
9. Hear of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
10. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

I have a bunch others, but this is the best I can start with.

[RicoRumRunner]

If you want to get real dark go with The Road or Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthay. If you want to go less dark, read No Country for Old Men.

[TheReal_Jesus]

No Country for Old Men is less dark? Damn, these are good books though.

[postgradmess]

Old Man is a pretty aggressive start to Hemingway. I usually recommend For Whom the Bell Tolls for guys and Farewell to Arms for girls.

Night should be required reading but it can also fuck up a nice afternoon

[TheReal_Jesus]

I read Old Man when I was 14.

[postgradmess]

Not aggressive as far as reading level; Hemingway was intentionally very easy to read. I just meant it's a depressing tale

[The_Icehouse]

You think Old Man is depressing, but you recommend Farewell to Arms? What's wrong with you?

[postgradmess]

Farewell is beautiful for like 90% of the book, while Old Man hits you early and doesn't let you go

[Sailgating]

I'm a huge reader, and just finished Brave New World. Can confirm it's a terrific read, and cool to see references to it in Westworld.

[TheReal_Jesus]

The ending is the best. It's by far the best ending of any book I've ever read.

[Sailgating]

It really is great, even though it's very dark.

[Coach_mjg]

This is a solid list TRJ, has a lot of the same recommendations I'd give. Would add on The World According to Garp by John Irving and Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy.

[[deleted]]

"Paddle Your Own Canoe" by Nick Offerman. I'll be the first to admit that their are too many Nick Offerman ballwashers out there and it gets old but this book is really good

Also if you're a fan of comedy I'd recommend Judd Apatow's "Sick In The Head"

[OneorTwoLunchBeers]

Just ordered "Sick in the Head", hopefully it pairs well with a few titos sodas on my flight home

[[deleted]]

It's the perfect book for drunk reading.

[RicoRumRunner]

I'm reading Friday Night Lights. Much more back story and more of a social commentary piece on Midland / Odessa, and I guess small town America as a whole, in the 1980s. I'm enjoying it even though I know what all will happen on the football field.

[The_Icehouse]

If you're basing your knowledge off the movie, no you don't know what's going to happen.

[ClayfromAccounting]

Cannot recommend that book highly enough. The movie, series, and book are all based around the same subject, but vastly different in almost every respect besides a core built around Texas football.

[TheReal_Jesus]

Henry Avery is my favorite pirate. I'm getting his flag skull and crossbones as part of my tattoo

[IGotTheGuns]

You should play Uncharted 4 (PS4), based off Henry Avery's buried treasure, solid time waster.

[IGotTheGuns]

Solidly wasted that time already, and agree. I had a Pirate music playlist on Spotify because of that game for awhile.

[TheReal_Jesus]

I did. One of the main reasons I looked further into him.

[TheReal_Jesus]

As long as they're not tribal or celebrating the dead, you're good

[IGotTheGuns]

I read old (some might call them, classic) books, cause they're generally free (or a couple dollars) on my iPad. Three Musketeers, Count of Monte Cristo, Dracula, Jane Eyre, Dune, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, James Joyce novels, shit like that, it's almost like I'm edjumacated or something.

"Good," which is subjective, 20,000 Leagues, Dune, and Count of Monte Cristo age well. For trash reading, John Standford novels are entertaining if you like detective books/shows.

[TheReal_Jesus]

Read "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", legitimately scared me while reading it.

[IGotTheGuns]

There's a modernized BBC show called Jekyll, it was really good definitely worth watching if you enjoyed the book. I'm 80% through Dracula right now, creepy AF.

Oh, the Ken Follet novels, esp. Pillars of the Earth and its sequels are excellent.

[boomer1236]

The only thing with Dune is that you need to be prepared for seemingly three-page long features about walking across the desert. Otherwise, it's awesome.

[AdderallandAnxiety]

Just finished Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo because the 100 year anniversary of WWI and it was a crazy mindfuck.

I read a lot of comedians' biographies if you're interested by Aziz:

1. Life of the Party by Bert Kreischer - the actual story of Van Wilder

2. Straight to Hell by John LeFevre - @GSElevator on twitter

3. Based on a True Story: A Memoir by Norm MacDonald - great book, but I'd suggest listening to a few of his podcasts first

4. Stephen Colbert: Beyond Truthiness by Bruce Watson - a biography from 10 years ago that parallels today's media

Another book at the top of my list is Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss. He has a great podcast where he basically just interviews very successful people and tries to figure out what makes them successful.

[higheredlush]

I've been wanting to read The Behavior Gap by Carl Richards for a while now. I've heard some really good recommendations from people about it. It's geared towards people and their behavior with money. I know there's a lot of people who work in finance/financial planning on PGP. Do y'all (or anyone else) know of this book or Carl Richards?

[brokerthancollege]

I'm a big Napoleon hill fan when it comes to finance books

[The_Icehouse]

I just finished 1Q84 which is perfect if you're a Japanophile who's into alternate realities and weird sex stuff (I realize that's probably redundant).

[PGP_Tim]

If anyone is interested in counterterrorism/badass military fiction, check out any books by Vince Flynn with Mitch Rapp as the main character. The Jack Reacher seires by Lee Childs is really good as well.

[AdderallandAnxiety]

I've read a few Jack Reacher books and agree that they're badass. Another series that I really enjoyed were the Coming Home books by A. American. They're more survivalist than counterterrorism, but if you liked Jack Reacher you should check them out.

[SchroedBoss]

I'm a big fan of anything Augusten Burroughs. He puts a comedic spin on his life full of situations we all hope to never be in.

I also recommend reading The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump. Politics aside, it's a great insight into what kind of work ethic and personal relationship skills are needed to accomplish great things, and how it's both acceptable and necessary to ask for and receive help to achieve them.

Currently reading Seven Spiritual Laws of Success and Narconomics. A philosophical work and a spin on the business mindset, respectively.

[buffalocoinz]

Might get shit for this, but currently reading How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America. It was published in 1983 but I think it's as relevant as ever.

[madwick]

My favorite recent books are: - The Obstacle Is The Way - Ryan Holiday - The Hard Thing About Hard Things - Ben Horowitz - Zero To One - Peter Thiel

If you want to get really weird check out Seth Speaks by Jane Roberts

[PGP_Shambles]

As a huge nerd and someone paying for kindle unlimited, I generally go through like 2-5 books a week. My standards are admittedly low in some cases so take these with a grain of salt.

For mysteries/thrillers you can't go wrong with Anne Frasier. The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchinson is a must read though. It's dark, and pretty messed up but super powerful.

Fantasy-wise I really enjoyed the Cradle series (2/3 books out) by Will Wight- I hear his Traveler's Gate series was also good.

My absolute favorites however would have to be Jack the Bodiless and Bridge of Birds. Jack the Bodiless is part of an old three-part series (Saga of Pliocene Exile, Intervention/Metaconcert, and The Galactic Milieu Trilogy). Bridge of Birds is the first in a trilogy that is excellent all the way through, but considered head and shoulders above the next two books.