Books

[Deitz Dittrich]

I am the head of a book club, we only have about 12 members. Please share if you have read any great books lately to suggest to my book club...

another question would be how many would be interested in a FM/HSO book club?

Recent books I have read that I would suggest.

Any book by P.J.Tracy(MN author.. actually its a mother daughter team)... Monkeywrench, Live Bait, Dead Run.. all murder mysteries that take place in MN and Wi

Any book by William Kruger Kent... Another murder mystery guy(can you tell thats what I am into) also a MN author. He has an awesome 3 book series, Iron Lake, Purgatory Ridge, Boundry Waters..

[The_Duckslayer]

If you have not read them you need to get them ASAP! The books are Stories of the old Duck Hunters by Gordon MacQuarrie! There are 4 I think. I have three of them and they are THEE ONLY books that I have ever read more than one time. It is all about hunting and fishing and after all, is that now what this forum is all about? Get them, you won't be dissapointed! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Paul Waldowski]

John Sanford all the way. All of his books take place in the T.c. It's intriguing reading the book and putting things and places in your mind as they happen.

[Deitz Dittrich]

PDub- Dont most of his books have the word Prey in them? I have read a few of them... Naked Prey I think was one of the best... had an anie oakly type character in it.

[AaronM]

Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code are must reads. Great books that really get you thinking.

[Deitz Dittrich]

read them both.. and much prefered A&D... by quite a bit! but as stated, both very good reads!

[Bobb-o]

Love anything by Vince Flynn, cannot get enough of his books, and am so excited for the new one coming out in october. Anyone here read anything by C.J. Box? he is another good writer, and all the stories are mysteries that center around the main character who is a game warden good read in a deer stand, although some times you get a little creeped out.

[Paul Waldowski]

DD,

You hit the nail on the head. The Prey Series was exactly what I was talking about.

[fishwidow]

Chuck Logan is another Minnesota based mystery writer, with BWCA and Northwestern Minnesota.

Other favorite authors: Sanford, Tony Hillerman, and Elmore Leonard. Pretty good reads.

[eyepatrol]

I'm trying with all my might to read Moby Dick, but man that book is starting out sloooooow! Very, very detailed from moment to moment which is making it difficult for me to stay interested, but I'll finish it (sometime).

[Matt Johnson]

I just finished reading The Da Vince Code, great book! I guess I need to read Angels and Demons now...

[eyepatrol]

Matt....where in the world do you find time to read books???

[Gissert]

I tend to like to read a lot of non-fiction/history stuff.

A few years ago when George Mallory's body was found on the north side of Everest, it sparked an interest in the big peaks and the people who climb them.

One great book is "Into Thin Air", by John Krakauer. It details the tragic day on Everest in the spring of 1996 when several people lost their lives. Anatoli Boukereev (sp?) has a good book detailing the events from another perspective.

Chris Bonington has several good books, my favorite being "The Everest Years". In this, there is the story how he and Doug Scott were the first to summit the Ogre in Pakistan. Shortly after the ascent, Scott broke both his ankles on a rappel, and Bonigton broke several ribs. Their epic descent is some great reading. This happened in 1977, and this peak was not summited again until 1999 or 2000, though many had tried.

Doug Scott has a great table top book called "Himalayan Climber." Scott is a great photographer in addition to his mountain climbing prowess. This book has some of the most stunning photos of the worlds toughest mountains in print.

[Farley]

Matt, I've read every one of Dan Browns books, and they were all good. Angels and Demons was probably the best. It makes you want to go see the places he describes in the story.

The last book I read was Crime and Punishment by Fydor Dofchesky(sp?). Took a long time to read, it gets really confusing with all the Russian names, they all sound alike. But it was worth the time.

Any Hunter S. Thompson fans here?

[Guest]

An old favorite is John D Macdonald - Travis Mcgee series - 'bout a Florida houseboat bum who takes his retirement as he can - murder mystery stuff. MacDoonald has been dead over ten years I suppose and his stuff is availible in most libraries - start at the first in the series (recall ten or twelve) and go forward - easy mind candy. He also wrote a few others, Condominium comes to mind.

John Gresham is good, but like Dean Kuntz his books are pretty predictable, but he had one very good one " A white painted house" (I think) that was set in Southern Arkansas and a good read, later made into a movie I believe.

Also agree with PJ Tracy's books - good ones.

With nothing much of interest on TV, books seem much better IMO. They also pass the time in a deer stand!

[Powerstroke]

I prefer to read Non-fiction. It fascinates me to know that I could see the places I read about or meet the people written about.

My most recent favorites are...

Lost in the Wild by Cary J. Griffith

Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson

Population 485 by Michael Perry

Lost is about 2 different stories of personal survival in the BWCA and Quetico. The stories are told simultaniously which is sometimes hard to follow. I found myself more interested in one story than the other, but in the end both were very captivating and offered many real-life lessons. A percentage of proceeds are donated to the Lake County Volunteer Search and Rescue squads. I read this book in 2 days and have since borrowed it to several friends.

Shadow divers is about deep water shipwreck divers who discover a WWII sub and make it their duty to indentify this ship and grant closure to the families. Well written with great pictures of the people and artifacts of the book.

485 is somewhat of a memoir of a volunteer firefighter in his small Wisc. town. Great story telling by an amazing writer. His metaphorical comparisons create amazing visuals. This book can appeal to everyone. It doesn't assume you know about the fire service. It teaches about the fire/rescue field as it goes and deals alot with interpersonal relationships.

[AaronM]

Another good book by John Krakauer is "Into the Wild." If you enjoyed "Into Thin Air," you'll like that one as well.

Another author I've enjoyed is Leon Uris. Any fans here?

[ocf]

i want to get the 2 books by kvd, secrets of a champion and bass sratagies, both look great

[Nodak7mm]

Alright!!! Now your talking as I am a self proclaimed book-worm.

Recent Reads:

"Ojibwa Warrior", Dennis Banks Autobiography.

"Wisdom of our Fathers", Tim Russert.

"Waterline", Joe Soucheray.

Alaska Themed: 1st two pertain to modern day "Into the Bush"

"The Final Frontiersman", story of Heimo Korth, James Cambell. Artic Homestead, Nora Cobb. Alaska's Wolfman, Jim Rearden. Castners's Cutthroats, also by Rearden.

"Bitter Harvest" Story of Gordon Kahl, by Corcoran.

Some of my all time favorites: "Hell, I was there", Elmer Keith. Anything by Peter Capstick with my favorite, "The Last Ivory Hunter. Anything by Bob Cary. "Trophies of the Heart", Russel Thorneberry.. "Crow Killer, the Saga of Liver Eating Johnson", by Thorp and Bunker. Marine Sniper, Henderson (Semper Fi Gunny, RIP!!!)

I am like Gissert, read alot on non-fiction historical. One we both agree on that details the history of commercial fish on LOTW, "A Time to Fish and a Time to Dry Nets, Alvin Johnson. Always read local historical stuff.

AS far as pulp for a great read: Anything John Sanford, Clive Cussler & most Tom Clancy!! Bang, bag shoot em up, detective, hi tech action thrillers.. Cannot forget, Louis Lamour..

Most biographies: Recent ones include the Dennis Banks one mentioned above. Kiss and Make up, Gene Simmons. One More Time, Carol Burnett.

Warped but very interesting: "Stiff", the curious lives of human cadavers. Deaths Acre", inside the real forensic body farm , Dr. Bass.

My list could go on and one. But good for starters and I think I'll Add from time to time.

Good Idea for this forum!! Always looking for a good read...

Rod

[CodyDawg]

Here are some dandy's:

Marine Sniper; the story of Carlos Hathcock. You will wish you were half the man he was and it is a fairly quick read.

Dirty White Men and others in the series by Stephen Hunter. Great sniper books.

Ice Station and others by Matthew Reilly. Hold on, this is ultrafast action.

Inside Delta Force by Eric Haney. Have you seen the TV show "The Unit"? It is based on this book. Just finished it, it is nonfiction and all I have to say is "Thank you Delta Force". By any chance, do we have any Delta Force Operators on here???

Great idea for a forum, I have filled up a sticky note with ideas...!

[koonie]

Basscatcher, give up on Moby Dick! Reading that book is like a visit to a sadistic proctologist. If you want to read a classic try The Jungle by Upton Sinclair! Awesome book. Maybe something like Of Mice and Men by Stienbeck or one of Hemmingways books. Also, Stephen King has a series of books called the Dark Tower that is incredible. All Stephen King books aren't horror just so you all know. Sanfords Prey series is very good. I also really liked Dune by Frank Herbert. If you can get your hands on the magazine called Sporting Tales do yourself a favor and read it. It's a bunch of old hunting and fishing stories from some of the well known outdoorsmen of the past.

[eyepatrol]

Moby Dick has been difficult to read and keep my attention no doubt. All kinds of "mariner jargon" in there that makes it rather confusing at times. Still, I'm gonna get through it as I don't like to "waste" my money. It might take a year for me to read, but I'll eventually get through it.

[Gissert]

I struggled with Moby Dick too.

I had to do a report on William Faulkner in high school, and found his style also tough at the time. I since have come to like him, however.

One I like to read every couple years is Ernest Hemmingway's Old Man and the Sea. Easy read, pure classic.

[DigitalFisherman]

I'm in the non-fiction camp as well and have read most of the books that have been listed.

Into Thin Air is a great read. Several of the other surviving climbers have also written about this event... it would be interesting some other accounts of what happened up there. If you liked Into Thin Air, I would recomend "Endurance" (cant remember the auther's name) abuot Shakelton's attempted trans Antartic expidition. It is very well written in that same naritive non-fiction style and is an incredable story.

If you ever day dream about "living off the grid" or stepping back in time, I recomend reading "The Last of the Mountain Men" about Silvan Hart and "Canoeing with the Cree".

[JollyT]

I tend to be a SF and fantasy geek. I also read a lot of military history and science.

One science fiction writer I like a lot is David Drake. His "Hammer's Slammers" series is basicly his Vietnam experiences in the far future. I think he used his writing to work through his PTSD.

Another interesting book I read lately is called "Shooter" the experiences of a Marine sniper in Iraq. Not as good as "Sniper", but still interesting.