What books have you think?

[klj]

What books have you read lately that really made you think (fiction or non), or stayed with you? I'm looking for a little inspired writing - not just the latest book read or best book read lately, as we have other threads for that. Just writing that got you thinking, please.

[JudesNiceThings]

Angela's Ashes - I wouldn't read it, because of all the publicity etc, and the film ( which I didn't see) because it looked too depressing.
When I read it, I couldn't put it down - very moving and inspiring.

[klj]

That was a good book, I loved how he completely avoided feeling sorry himself throughout.

[astral276]

Haven't read a book in years. I used to read at least one a day when I was growing up but seem to have lost the ability to sit still long enough to get into one. Far too many distractions nowadays.

Last one I read was Lord of the Rings when I was house and kid sitting for my sister while she and her hubby were away on holiday. Found it on her bookshelf and having always planned to read it I took the opportunity. That was the last time I picked up a book.

[iwiw60]

I would highly recommend "Millennium" by George Otis, Sr. Another one of those books you just can't put down til you're done!

[hush77hush]

just finish a book about the berlin bunker in 1945 and what happen to the people in there. Book was printed in 1974 and alot of the things in the book turn out to be untrue but still a great read.

[PoppyGrove]

I have read quite a few non fiction books that have got me thinking - trouble is the line of thinking usually wants the soap box to come along too.

However a couple of books seem to have stayed the distance of time.

One of them is The Knights of Bushido by Lord Russell, and the other One Fourteenth of an Elephant by Denys Peeks. The subject matter of both is the POW held by the Japanese during WW2. Quite brutal in places, but in a way they helped me to understand the mind of the Japanese at that time and why they treated the prisoners the way they did.

Another book that stayed the test of time is a book by John Ellis called Eye Deep in Hell - A WW1 book - covering general history of WW1 from a soldiers life in the trench aspect rather than a battle by battle aspect.

[klj]

I guess the most recent book that I've read that really made me think, and stayed with me was Zone 22 by Tig Hague. This is a true story, about a English businessman who did some business in Russia. After going to a Stag night in Belgium, he carried on to Russia for meetings the next week, and was stopped at customs, where they found a tiny amount of hashish still in his jeans and locked him up. It's an amazing story... especially the detail about Russian prisons.

[wolfsheadbooks]

LIVING WITH THE DEAD by Rock Scully

The author was manager of The Greatful Dead for 20 years.

Now, I dont even like the GD, but this is still a great read. Partly the style it's written in, partly because it covers an interesting period in music/culture in general from a first-hand standpoint. This guy was involved in the staging of Monterey, Woodstock AND Altamont !

And the story about the 3 hippies, the traffic cop and the frozen-solid VW Beetle...

[klj]

LIVING WITH THE DEAD by Rock Scully

The author was manager of The Greatful Dead for 20 years.

Now, I dont even like the GD, but this is still a great read. Partly the style it's written in, partly because it covers an interesting period in music/culture in general from a first-hand standpoint. This guy was involved in the staging of Monterey, Woodstock AND Altamont !

And the story about the 3 hippies, the traffic cop and the frozen-solid VW Beetle...

That made me curious, so picked that up recently (on here) and will give it a read. Thanks.