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    I'm in a lull. I just got through a series of business books but I'm a glutton for the best seller's list as well.

    Fiction writers I enjoy are Jeffrey Archer (just read his latest, it was OK), Nelson DeMille among others.

    Read any good books lately?

  • #2
    I can't wait for the new Richard Ford. If you've never read Richard Ford, I HIGHLY recommend the Sportswriter and Independence Day. They are part of a series and the new book (out in August I think) is the third installment. Ford is a phenomenal, introspective writer. These books read like a memoir.

    What business books have you read, Steve? I'd recommend "When Genius Failed" by Roger Lowenstein. It's the story of the collapse of Long Term Capital Management. Lowenstein, a Wall St. Journal guy, is a phenomenal reporter and writer.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by nyc_eagle
      I can't wait for the new Richard Ford. If you've never read Richard Ford, I HIGHLY recommend the Sportswriter and Independence Day. They are part of a series and the new book (out in August I think) is the third installment. Ford is a phenomenal, introspective writer. These books read like a memoir.

      What business books have you read, Steve? I'd recommend "When Genius Failed" by Roger Lowenstein. It's the story of the collapse of Long Term Capital Management. Lowenstein, a Wall St. Journal guy, is a phenomenal reporter and writer.
      I've been reading Goldratt's "Theory of Constraints" focused books. "The Goal" and "It's Not Luck" were both easy reads in that they were set to stories. It's more business philosophy and approach.

      Is there a common theme to Ford's books?

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      • #4
        I guess the theme is not quite "midlife crisis" but more midlife reflection. He has a profound understanding of the male psyche.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by nyc_eagle
          I guess the theme is not quite "midlife crisis" but more midlife reflection. He has a profound understanding of the male psyche.
          Have you read any Nick Hornby? (A Long Way Down, High Fidelity)

          If so - is there similarity? Hornby has a dark comedy to him that I'm not sure is quite the same as you are describing.

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          • #6
            Yes, if you like Hornby, I think you'd like Ford. He's more complex than Hornby, but very much focused on what it is to be a man/a father, etc.

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            • #7
              I love Horny and Ford but they are nothing alike. Ford can be a difficult writer that you slog through and think "where is this going?" but at the end of it, you think "wow, that was very satisfying". Ford is a phenomenal writer with a master's command of his craft. Hornby is a good writer who is more pop-lit than serious "Literature". I've re-read High Fidelity about 5 times and it's always good.

              I thought Independence Day was a great great novel (and so did a lot of people as it got the Pulitzer) but Sportswriter wasn't nearly as good. Still, you have to read Sportswriter to read ID.

              Anyway, if we're doing book recommendations, I'm on a Charles Bukowski kick. Read Post Office... one of the funniest/saddest novels I've ever read. IF you saw Sideways, he quotes Bukowski in that.

              (Damn, who knew you damn dirty Eagles fans could read!)

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              • #8
                I think they address similar topics in different ways. But both are definitely in the "Guys Books" categories.

                But Ford isn't as much fun as Hornby. That's for sure.

                I agree that Independence Day is the better of the two.

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                • #9
                  Damn.. i'm all excited.

                  I love books.

                  If you guys want a great book on the relationship between a man and his son, RUN DONT WALK and get Richard Russo's Risk Pool. That book restored my faith in literature.

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                  • #10
                    If you are into debaucherous, fairly depressing reads like Bukowski, definitely read A Fan's Notes by Frederick Exley. Be warned that the author was a huge Giants fan. But I'm sure you'll smile when you read him lamenting Bednarik destroying Gifford.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by nyc_eagle
                      I think they address similar topics in different ways. But both are definitely in the "Guys Books" categories.

                      But Ford isn't as much fun as Hornby. That's for sure.

                      I agree that Independence Day is the better of the two.
                      Oh absolutely. High Fidelity is genius in its own way. How To Be Good was a piece of shit of a book though.

                      Oh and I must recommend Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Phenomenal book. Sparse, simple, and beautiful.

                      Man, talking about books makes me sound like a homo. Don't tell anyone on the Eagles board, OK?

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                      • #12
                        I'm going to pick up Risk Pool on your recommendation, SF. Don't let me down.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by sfphillyfan
                          Man, talking about books makes me sound like a homo. Don't tell anyone on the Eagles board, OK?
                          I think it makes you sound absolutely fabulous.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by nyc_eagle
                            I'm going to pick up Risk Pool on your recommendation, SF. Don't let me down.
                            That's a lot of pressure!

                            It's tough at first but get through the first 40 pages and then the character of Wussy is introduced and it's great from there on out. I love this book. Russo gets all the praise for Empire Falls but Empire Falls was nothing special. Risk Pool is.

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                            • #15
                              Alright - so where the hell do I start?

                              I don't want depressing so I'll keep my distance on the Buckowski & Exley.

                              I'm guessing I need to start with Ford's "sportswriter" then eh?

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