Anyone suggest a good book to read?

Pherekydes

The History of Western Science by John Gribbin.

starbelgrade

Ush1 wrote: »

That actually looks pretty good but I'd reckon I would have to read The Zombie Survival Guide first?

I haven't read the first one. I don't think the second one is a sequel, though I could be wrong. Either way, it stands up well on it's own.

Cianos

The Agogo wrote: »

A Confederacy of Dunces (comedy)

Brilliant book

edit: Currently reading The Death And Life Of Great American Cities, by Jane Jacobs. If you want an insight in to the failures of modern city planning it's a very good read. She explains the misplanning and recklessness behind suburban sprawl and segregated zoning, how they contribute to poor economies, higher crime rates and alienation of their citizens. Her writings are entirely relevant to the state of Ireland today, even though the book was first published in 1961. If anything it's a good point of reference to the repercussions of the construction industry and what we have been left with as a result of the carelessness and greed.

scientific1982

Read "monster" by Sanyika Shakur. Its the autobioography of a leader of the crips gang. Good read.

Gillington

I know its a bit obvious now the film is out but Mr Nice is a cracking read

Doc

"One big damn puzzler" by John Harding.

Its a comedy and a very good book.

Doneg Al

Ush1 wrote: »

I don't like fiction. I like comedy, autobiographies, some science but mainly true crime books. Anything with serial killers or the mafia and I'm hooked.

"A short history of nearly everything" by Bill Bryson.

And in Crime Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders, Terry Sullivan and Peter T. Maiken

FunkZ

The Man in the High Castle - Philip K Dick.
It's a book written in the 60's and it is alternative history.

Check out The Diet Delusion by Gary Taubes, ridiculously interesting =]

Nulty

Bill Bryson

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Have barely been able to put it down.

Plus your supporting charity..In 2004, this book won Bryson the prestigious Aventis Prize for best general science book.[5] Bryson later donated the GBP£10,000 prize to the Great Ormond Street Hospital children's charity.

Nulty

Doneg Al wrote: »

"A short history of nearly everything" by Bill Bryson.

And in Crime Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders, Terry Sullivan and Peter T. Maiken

:pac:

Excellent choice!

starbelgrade

scientific1982 wrote: »

Read "monster" by Sanyika Shakur. Its the autobioography of a leader of the crips gang. Good read.

You've got your book titles mixed up there. "The Man inside the Jacket" by Mr. Tayto is the autobiography of the leader of the crisps gang.

ascanbe

Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets by David Simon.
From your description of what you like i'd say this would fit the bill.
Incredibly well-researched and deals with pretty much every facet of police-work, detective-work, forensics etc; though was written in the late 1980's so would obviously have dated somewhat.
Still, it's an absolutely gripping read and extremely informative.

SV

Nulty wrote: »

Bill Bryson

A Short History of Nearly Everything

Have barely been able to put it down.

Plus your supporting charity..In 2004, this book won Bryson the prestigious Aventis Prize for best general science book.[5] Bryson later donated the GBP£10,000 prize to the Great Ormond Street Hospital children's charity.

I have that in my hand right now..I don't know whether to start reading it or not.
It looks pretty boring

Biggins

ascanbe wrote: »

Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets by David Simon.
From your description of what you like i'd say this would fit the bill.
Incredibly well-researched and deals with pretty much every facet of police-work, detective-work, forensics etc; though was written in the late 1980's so would obviously have dated somewhat.
Still, it's an absolutely gripping read and extremely informative.

Two similar books wriiten by one author (Mark Baker)
They are "Nam" and "Cops".

True life accounts of sometimes surreal and eye opening stuff.

Nulty

SV wrote: »

I have that in my hand right now..I don't know whether to start reading it or not.
It looks pretty boring

I'm on about page 200, I love that sort of stuff. It doesn't go too deep into anything...read 40/50 pages and come back and tell us what you make of it.

kowloon

Ush1 wrote: »

That actually looks pretty good but I'd reckon I would have to read The Zombie Survival Guide first?

If you liked one you'll probably like the other, but they're not part of a series, just by the same author. Survival Guide is exactly that, written like a how-to book.

Doneg Al

SV wrote: »

I have that in my hand right now..I don't know whether to start reading it or not.
It looks pretty boring

Definitely read the first 50 pages, amazing and funny. And as an added bonus, makes whoever reads appear smarter than they actually are!

starviewadams

The Guards by Ken Bruen

http://www.kenbruen.com/guards1.php

skelliser

ascanbe wrote: »

Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets by David Simon.
From your description of what you like i'd say this would fit the bill.
Incredibly well-researched and deals with pretty much every facet of police-work, detective-work, forensics etc; though was written in the late 1980's so would obviously have dated somewhat.
Still, it's an absolutely gripping read and extremely informative.

And its the basis for "the wire"

Jamiekelly

Michael J Fox's Lucky Man is a solid read. Angela's Ashes is both sad and funny and 100 times better than the film.

digme

Ush1 wrote: »

I don't like fiction. I like comedy, autobiographies, some science but mainly true crime books. Anything with serial killers or the mafia and I'm hooked.

mr nice and midnight express

you'd love both of them

Sharkey 10

read the "cosa nostra" its about the siclian mafia , it really explains how much polical power they had.

DOC09UNAM

Anything by john grisham or kathy reich

Shenshen

Ush1 wrote: »

I don't like fiction. I like comedy, autobiographies, some science but mainly true crime books. Anything with serial killers or the mafia and I'm hooked.

Sorry, I could recommend fiction and science books. I find crime stories indescribably boring.

_feedback_

Ozzy Osbourne Autobiography. I just finished it, it's very funny. Only the last chapter is about "The Osbournes" etc. The rest is good rock 'n' roll madness!

More serious read: Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith

Hells Belle

Billy Connolly's autobiography is a good one and a bit surprising. Another good one is David Attenbourgh's.
For crime The Ice Man is a gory mafia one, the guy is off his tits - its both biography and crime :cool:

Biggins

Shenshen wrote: »

Sorry, I could recommend fiction and science books. I find crime stories indescribably boring.

Trust me, you won't find "Cops" by Mark Baker very boring.
Its a collection of hundreds of stories (sometimes a few sentences, most times a few paragraphs) from cops from one side of America to the other.
You read about the terrible depressions some suffer like one who found a young dead baby up in a tree after it flew through a window in a car crash, to others who were coming to terms with getting shot and some how survived.

I've read both his books and I can honestly say that they are two books that once you start into them, its impossible to put them down.

http://www.amazon.com/Cops-Mark-Baker/dp/0671685511

http://www.amazon.com/Nam-Vietnam-Words-Abacus-Books/dp/0349102392/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287045878&sr=1-2

Shakeandbake!

The Outfit by Gus Russo - The story of the Chicago Mob

Five Families by Selwyn Raab - The NYC Mafia

Two excellent, well researched books.

orourkeda

Penthouse and Playboy.

All those lovely diddies.

MingulayJohnny

Hellraisers , The life and inebriated times of Richard Burton , Richard Harris , Peter O ' Toole & Oliver Reed. Insightful , tragic but mostly funny tales. By Robert Sellers.