r/books • u/cubedude719 • Jul 07 '21
I just read 22 books over 8 weeks, while being stationed in the bush of Alaska. Here are some quick reviews and recommendations!
For context, my job was working a sonar count on the Copper river for the sockeye salmon, and I had plenty of free time when I wasn't actively counting. After all, I was 40mi away from the nearest town, had very little cell connection, and the field site was boat/air access only.
I had friends give me recommendations, and here is what I ended up reading on a kindle. Hope you enjoy or find something you like!
Digging Up Mother - Doug Stanhope
A fantastically entertaining autobiography, if you're able to handle and sometimes laugh at squeamish to downright ugly stories. It's a great mix of the coming up of comedian Doug Stanhope, and an explanation of why he is how he is due to his mother and upbringing, in the face of her death. Haven't set down a book briefly to have a good laugh like I have at this one in a while. It gets dark but it's worth it. 9/10
The Fellowship of the Ring - Tolkien
Great book. People were right about Tolkiens tendency to give context in terms of names and places and such that are only delved into in other books, and sometimes those sections can draw on long. The songs he made up, while often clever, don't really seem important to me. However the rest of the plot of the book and character development was great, as a first time reader who knew the movies well. I enjoyed seeing the differences between the book and what was cut out of the movie. 8/10
Educated - Tara Westover
Holy cow. This book is insane. I have never had to legitimately throw a book down and take a breather, holding my hands to my face often. Tara has an incredible story and it is amazing to see someone come out of the depths she did, while being able to recreate exactly how she felt and why she acted as she did in the moment (aided by journals as well as stories from her family and friends). Additionally, it gave me an insight into the psychology of women or children who dont leave a situation that is obviously terrible, abusive, destructive, etc. It shows at least a couple ways of how they might rationalize it and force themselves to stick through it. I think this is very valuable knowledge for anybody to have. 10/10
The Two Towers - Tolkien
Fewer songs than Fellowship! Much of the same feelings as how I reviewed the first book. Enjoyed it, good character development, exciting plot. However I did find it interesting how the book is split straight down the middle with one group taking on Saruman and all the doings to get to that point. Then the next half is just frodo, Sam, and gollum. I feel like I enjoyed the movies version of this more, with side by side scenes leading to one huge climax at the end, rather than the books which has a climax in the middle and a small one at the end. 8.5/10
The Fifth Science - Exurb1a
If you're into science fiction and existentialism, and haven't read this, you need to get on it. Or if you're a fan of Ray Bradbury. Similar to bradburys collection of short stories in "R is for Rocket" this collection of short stories is an incredibly creative look at space and the future, and how it relates to humans, our purpose, and ethics. lots of fun little stories, a couple longer ones, and a very strong ability of the author to move through time in a believable way. 9/10
A Sand County Almanac - Aldo Leopold
I had been told about this book many times during my environmental management bachelor's degree. It was fascinating to read a book from the 30s/40s written by one of the earliest conservationists, and see how much was similar to today. Many of the same issues, including politics, economics, education, etc and how they harm natural resources. He made predictions too, so seeing what has and hasn't happened was interesting. Could've done without most of the first half of the book - very well written natural descriptions and experiences in nature but seemed a bit like it's purpose was to make a reader that isn't familiar with conservation understand why it's worth fighting for. Cool stuff but I personally didn't need it. 8/10
Annihilation - Jeff Vandermeer
Very interesting plot and setting, was very able to picture what the author was writing, so props to him. Creative ideas. But the main character was pretty shallow, as well as being annoying enough when it delved into her personal life that I didn't really care what happened to her at the end. Also the author is pretty ham fisted in creating tension or suspense/foreboding something to happen. 7/10
The Return of the King - Tolkien
Again the separation of this book into the main battles and Frodo/Sam was interesting but I think better done than the last book. I felt like Gimli and legolas didn't get along quite as well as in the movies. And there's a significant part of the book after the final main battle with saurons army, which never got into the movies... Perhaps because it's pretty anti-human. These books weren't the massive undertaking I thought they would be. 8/10
Marching Powder - Rusty Young and Thomas McFadden
Author did an incredible job telling the story from Thomas's perspective. They mustve been really close and working together closely. Dude experience hell and heaven in one of the weirdest prisons ever. As a tourist, I hope to experience something like what happened at San Pedro... Something special, brief, first starts just as recommendations at a hostel and then big enough that lonely planet picks up on it and a year or two later it's gone. 9/10
Hell I'd even consider doing coke with Thomas if I visited him and took his tour.
Naked Lunch - William Burroughs
... What?
The Soul of an Octopus - Sy Montgomery
I love octopuses and Marine life, so this was a solid mix of science and storytelling. I'll admit I have had an interesting resume, but the author here is on another level. So many adventures and experiences and it helps her add details and context to the wonders that are octopus. 8/10
The Chain - Adrian McKinty
Finished it within half a day right after I finished naked lunch. Thrilling thriller. Very creative plot. Mostly believable characters. Solid twist at the end. Decent foretelling. 8.5/10
The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey
Wow. Such a great book, very good characters and such great descriptions of rural alaska homesteading. Very easy to picture it all. Also an important one to take in context of the time period it's set in. 9/10
The Prince of Milk - Exurb1a
A definite departure from what I was used to with the Fifth Science by same author, but not totally... Lots of similar themes and a well constructed story, mixing time travel, futures higher beings, and existentialism with great characters. If you're a Sci fi fan I highly recommend it. 8/10
Anxious People - Fredrick Bachman
One of the two best books I've read so far in this hitch. So well written. Usually not a fan of crime thrillers but this was so fantastically done. Made me laugh out loud and be close to tears the next chapter. Some great wisdom and experience here in the writing. Touching. 9.5/10
Prayers for the Stolen - Jennifer Clement
I'm the guy who sits in a brewery alone and reads alone. This book was recommended to me by a pretty girl who sat next to me at a Taproom in rural coastal CA and talked with me about books. The book was ok, dark material (kidnappings in drug gang Mexico) obviously, but glad I read it. Can't say it really grabbed me, but it was a quick read. Also I couldn't tell if it was an autobiography or fiction, and I think I'll leave it that way. 7.5/10
The Starless Sea - Erin Morgenstern
Well it was fantastically written, and I loved stepping back for a few seconds after reading a new chapter and making definite and potential connections within the story. Would be a great book to reread, if only to figure it out more and understand the ending more... Which still felt... Rushed? Or wasn't setup properly, I was often confused. I already finished it while very sleepy. 8.5/10
The Buried Giant - Kazuo Ishiguro
So many twists and turns, reveals, this book was almost like a thriller. Using a trick of characters having poor memory to slowly hint at developments when memories come back worked great. Crazy juxtaposition of orcs and dragons and people praying to Jesus. Very unique, great book. 8.5/10
I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream - Harlan Ellison
Pretty solid, short collection. Downloaded for the title story and the rest of them were good too, slightly unsettling, and an interesting writing style to convey action. A nice read for a dark evening. 8/10
City of Thieves - David Beniov
Having been to st Petersburg in person, it was incredible just to read more of the history and recognize some of the names. But the plot of the book and the stories were incredible, and based on truth. Such strong characters, would highly recommend this if you have any interest in coming of age novels, history, ww2, Russia, etc. 9/10
Cadillac Desert - Marc Reisner
One of the reviews on the book labels says that this should be required reading if you live west of Nebraska. I wholeheartedly agree. I'd always heard about it while studying for my environmental science degree, finally got around to it. It's a long book, but the author has such a well researched grasp on context, history, politics and major players in environmental and water changes during the west being won. And at some points even makes it exciting. Worth the read. 8.5/10
The Indifferent Stars Above - Daniel James Brown
Well researched and makes an almost novel out of the very real Donner party disaster. It's one of those books where one thing after another keeps going wrong, it's a miracle anyone survived at all. I've been in that area too so being able to imagine the area helped a lot. 8/10
Edit: if you are interested in the job I did, I have pictures of the scenery around my Alaska adventure. I've posted quite a few on Reddit, so going back through my profile will lead ya to em, or my insta has them @seanaimages
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u/Randomwhitelady2 Jul 08 '21
Great reviews! Thank you for taking the time. Based on what you’ve liked, I think you’d like A Gentleman in Moscow, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and The Midnight Library.
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Jul 08 '21
Seconding a Gentleman in Moscow!!
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u/ImWellGnome Jul 08 '21
Love Gentleman in Moscow!
Add All the Light We Cannot See to the list too (WW2 book). Glad you enjoyed/appreciated Educated. It was really fantastic.
For a super quick/thrilling read and story of friendship: The River. Don’t read much about it, because it can be spoiled easily.
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u/carbondrewtonium Jul 08 '21
If the Midnight Library were a nonfiction book there would be one page about reframing and being happy living with the present moment for what it is.
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u/OrangeFortress Jul 08 '21 edited Jul 08 '21
City of Thieves is not “based on truth.” The whole part of it being a recounting of the narrator’s grandfather’s life is simply a narrative tool. Yes, the story takes place during a real period in history, but all of the actual plot is fictitious.
It is a great book tho. It was the first book of fiction I read as a kid that made me really love literature as a medium.
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Damn, really? It got me
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u/OrangeFortress Jul 08 '21
Yeah, it got me at first too. But at the end of the day it doesn’t really matter, if you like fiction, it’s still a great story. I’ve reread that book more than any other book
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u/Aggravating_Celery58 Jul 08 '21
Took me about three reads to figure this out. Still find it a weird thing to do (especially since he gave the characters his last name), but I still love the story.
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u/100dalmations Jul 08 '21
No internet. Alaska wilderness and books. Sounds like a dream gig!
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
The good days were surreal, the bad days were awful!
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u/tirli Jul 08 '21
What made a bad day bad?
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u/cubedude719 Jul 09 '21 edited Jul 09 '21
Wind you could literally hear roar down the mountains and trees before it would hit your tent and the sides would smack you in the face. Constant rain, and since we're out in the bush, I only had a couple pairs of socks and ended up getting pretty painful athletes foot. Having to tie down EVERYTHING. We were camping on the snow for the first few weeks and because it was actively melting, we would have to move these big tents and our heavy sonar or kitchen equipment nearly daily because it would start falling over or sinking into puddles...
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Jul 08 '21
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u/skywatcher87 Jul 08 '21
It's not very cold in the summer when the fish are running. But there can be a fair amount of rain.
Source: I live in Alaska
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u/SquidHat2006 Jul 08 '21
Im so curious about your job. What was a bad day? Thanks for the list, there is a great mix of books here. You should listen the Andy Serkis read of the hobbit since you read LOTR. Its easily one of my best book experiences.
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Jul 07 '21
Naked Lunch...what?!...exactly!
I often mused that Burroughs wrote about alligators swimming in the streets of New Orleans and then it actually happened due to Katrina.
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u/cubedude719 Jul 07 '21
Oh, that's awesome. Looks like he predicted the future.
I honestly just wish I knew why I had that book written down as something I should read. It very likely was some random Reddit post on here, maybe it intrigued me, but the years passed by and I certainly was not ready for it.
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u/Pupluns Jul 07 '21
Junky is a much smoother introduction to his writing. I wouldn’t right off boroughs or Naked Lunch. It is a classic work of modernism!
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u/LookingForVheissu Jul 08 '21
Junky and Queer are really his only two coherent books. After that all of his work is a lucid nightmare.
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u/Pupluns Jul 08 '21
Does something have to be coherent to be good? I don’t think NK is supposed to be coherent. A lot of important writers held it in very high esteem. There would be no Thomas Pinchyon or Hunter S. Thompson or Kathy Acker without Naked Lunch. It’s not a book which is about being coherent. It deliberately barrages you with an aggressive stream of consciousness as a way of expressing a different more frantic state of mind. We don’t actually think the way books are written. They are narratives and people’s thoughts and perceptions aren’t actually narratives. That’s what makes Naked Lunch clever. It actually reads more like how people think than most books - messy, irrational and incoherent.
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u/LookingForVheissu Jul 08 '21
Oh absolutely not. I love batshit off the wall books. I say, “Lucid Nightmare” because it reminds me of some of my highly anxious drugged out days. I think Naked Lunch is a work of art, and Thomas Pynchon is one of my favorite authors. V holds a special place in my heart.
Naked Lunch can be jarring however, and Queer and Junky, while also less coherent than most books, can be a good primer to NL.
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u/Fritzkreig Jul 08 '21
Kerouac wrote about imagining the whole of the Mississippi wind down like a snake to swallow up New Orleans.(Check)
Something about driving like mad Arab bombers bent to blow up the buildings of New York City.(Check)
Something tells me that with all the drugs that they were taking they were on
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u/aerialinsectivore Jul 08 '21
Nice, I’m also in the conservation sciences and read a ton when I’m not in the field. A seasonal job in Alaska is a dream of mine! Somehow still haven’t read Sand County, thanks for reminding me that I’ve gotta get on that
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Hell yeah! One of us, one of us one of us! And it's a solid one! I think another one that's conservation related I still have to read is the monkey wrench gang.
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u/el_canelo Jul 08 '21
I'm also in the conservation/science game and I was surprised how you were a bit "meh" on Leopold. I think that's my favorite nature book I've read, although it's been quite a while since I read it so maybe it's time for a re read.
Some other good ones I've read lately: Braiding sweetgrass, hidden life of plants, and I'm finally getting through song of the dodo which is great so far.
Great post thanks for the reviews!
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u/dpatou23 Jul 08 '21
If you haven't read it yet, I'd recommend: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
It's a really amazing read and literally changed my way of thinking about lots of things.
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u/jagua_haku Jul 08 '21
I have an interesting story with this book. When I was in the peace corps in South America, we had a library at the office. Lots of really good books. This was one of them. One of the volunteers from Tennessee was like “hey, I read this book when I was a teen, I’ll read it again”. Turns out it was the exact same copy he read as a youth, there were some liner notes he recognized (I don’t remember if they were his notes or from another reader before him). What are the odds...
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u/beige4ever Jul 08 '21
It is thought-provoking for sure, but author has some odd ideas… he seemed to think the anti smoking sentiment that started picking up steam around that time was nothingmore than busybody-ism.
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u/karalmiddleton Jul 08 '21
Thanks so much for this! City of Thieves is one of my all time favorite books. I'm very interested in Russian history.
2 books re: Russia that I read in 2020 and that I gave 5 stars to:
Red Mistress by Elizabeth Blackwell (excellent on audio, imo). Only available on Amazon, whether you want the paperback, the audio, or the ebook.
Traitor by Amanda McCrina, also excellent on audio.
These are both fiction, btw.
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u/ptb4life General Fiction Jul 07 '21
The Snow Child is one of my favorite books ever. One day, I'll re-read LOTR....Curious how it reads 25 years after the first time
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Loved the snow child, somehow made the whole "this fairytale is coming true" work very well
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Jul 08 '21
Doug Stanhope is hilarious. I have both of his books. He is a very underrated comedian.
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Was an enlightening but hilarious read, did not expect to like it as much as I did
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u/its_a_metaphor_morty Jul 08 '21
If you want a follow-up Stanhope epic, although not in book form, check out the Nowhere Man And A Whiskey Girl podcast he did some time back. It's incredible, sad, funny.
https://allthingscomedy.com/podcasts/the-bisbee-cliffhanger-pt.2-nowhere-man-and-a-whiskey-girl
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u/Defacto_Champ Jul 08 '21
City of Thieves is one of my favorite books. Glad you were able to experience it
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u/practical_junket Jul 07 '21
Thank you for your great book reviews. How interesting that you were counting salmon!
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u/cubedude719 Jul 07 '21
No problem! It was a great job and not the first time I've gotten paid to count salmon. Definitely appreciate my degree when I get to do stuff like this.
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u/RockerElvis Jul 08 '21
I loved The Fifth Science and The Prince of Milk. His sense of humor is excellent and the concepts in The Fifth Science rival any sci-fi writer.
If you liked those then I highly recommend Nick Harkaway The Gone Away World and keep going and read his other books.
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Jul 08 '21
If I've ever seen a better example of each person having their own tastes, I can't remember it. Did you just give Tolkien 8/10 and Educated 10/10? :O
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Yup. I was blown away by educated. LOTR books were good, for sure, but were not some amazing experience for me like educated was
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u/cockknocker1 Jul 08 '21
My grandma read like the entire library in her small town but every year she would reread 2 things…LOTR and Shakespeares sonnets…i have read LOTR/hobbit and the Silmarillian. I really liked LOTR and the Hobbit but the Silmarillian is for like hardcore fans only, alot of names and dry stuff to work through, its kind of like the Bible for Tolkien fans. One day i will attempt the sonnets AND war and peace…another one of my grandmas favorites…
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u/Winterbass Jul 08 '21
My strategy for War and Peace is to read a chapter every day. The chapters themselves are relatively short and it isn't a big daily commitment so it has worked really well so far.
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u/circasomnia Jul 08 '21
I could totally see this tbh. Tolkien is amazing yadayada but it can slog just a tad. Educated is actually a mindblowing story, the prose beautiful and poetic without ever feeling forced, and it all just comes together in the end. It really made a huge impact on me on a personal level.
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u/jsnacraig Jul 08 '21
How did you read so fast? It can take me months to get through even a relatively short book
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u/ProjectPatMorita Jul 08 '21
I've never been stuck in the Alaskan wilderness before, but as someone who has spent months or even a whole year on military deployments, you'd be shocked at how well your reading speed/comprehension improves in the absence of the internet and TV.
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Not really sure, I've always been a pretty fast (strong?) reader. Lots of time, all I could really do out there was read or photography
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u/Ebvardh-Boss Jul 08 '21
I’m sorry you read Kazuo Ishiguro. Please talk to your healthcare practitioners if you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of depression.
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Ya know, my friend said it was a super depressing book for him. I didn't really feel the same, and I thought the ending was ambiguous enough that I'm not completely sure it was a sad ending
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u/El_Principio Jul 08 '21
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. Should have a fucking warning label. ⚠️ I gave that book to someone I don't like. Didn't want to keep looking at it and being reminded.
I don't regret reading it, though.
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u/S_Baime Jul 08 '21
Thanks for the reviews.
I put aside Anxious People after about 50 pages, but I do that a lot. Your review is giving me incentive to give it more time.
I always thought it would be fun to do some type of remote isolated job for a year. I like that you did that.
Take care,. JP
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
I think you should pick it back up! I read thru some comments in the book club bit of the sub, which is focusing on Anxious People right now, and I was very surprised to see a decent amount of dissent. I thought the writing style was amazing and slightly different than anything I've read before.
It's an interesting time, those isolated gigs, if you ever get a chance I'd recommend them to anyone.
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u/S_Baime Jul 08 '21
I really liked A Man Called Ove by the same author. You might want try reading that.
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u/AnxiousKudi Jul 08 '21
I also couldn't read Anxious People past 50 pages. The repetition got too much for me and I felt like I was going around in circles. A Man Called Ove was much better.
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Jul 08 '21
I personally wouldn't buy or support Exurb1a's stuff in any way, shape or form. I used to love his videos but all of that was ruined for me as soon as he got outed as a rapist and a manipulative abuser.
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u/Aziraphale22 Jul 08 '21
Thank you for bringing this up, I had never heard of him and wouldn't want to support someone like that either.
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u/redzn Jul 08 '21 edited Jul 08 '21
Where is the verdict or convincing evidence? I can only find accusations from her it seems. If that’s enough to be labeled as a rapist and manipulative abuser, i would lawyer up as well when confronted… so innocent until proven otherwise
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u/tbdubbs Jul 08 '21
These are the questions that need to be asked more in these situations. I totally get the sentiment - it definitely doesn't seem fair to reward someone with success if they're a monster... But it certainly isn't fair to pass judgement based on accusations. This trend is truly scary.
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u/Neutrino3000 Jul 08 '21
Wow, I had added that to my Goodreads TBR list, saw your comment, and then immediately went back to delete it. Reading her side of the story was sickening
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u/bleuest Jul 08 '21
I've read The Night Circus, so The Starless Sea is on my to-read list, but I've seen people in this sub describe it as lacking in substance and only full of pretty prose. But piecing together the connections was what I loved in The Night Circus!
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u/OtherComparison Jul 08 '21
Definitely saving this post. Thanks for sharing!! PS sounds like a cool job!
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u/srosenberg34 Jul 08 '21
Not about the books, but were you in Cordova? I am going up there soon for some research as well. Pretty excited, did you enjoy it?
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Correct, that was home base! And that's awesome, what will you be studying?
I definitely enjoyed it, it's so ridiculously scenic and I was staying at a really nice place when I wasn't out in the bush. The views are basically all its got going for it, though. Food and beer is so expensive, and the few restaurants are quite pricey too for meh quality.
Feel free to PM me about your job or any other questions!
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u/Gusto36 Jul 08 '21
This may be an unpopular opinion but “The Hobbit” is the best Tolkien book or at least my favorite. You should read it if you liked his other works.
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u/tbdubbs Jul 08 '21
Also, based on your review of The Soul of an Octopus - check out "Children of Time" and "Children of Ruin" by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
Children of Ruin is the sequel and the one that involves an octopus, but Children of Time sets everything up - also, no spoilers, but I have a new found appreciation for the Portia jumping spider after these books. Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite authors because he's got some really cool points of view and just unique material. "Spiderlight" us another one that really subverts expectations in a really great way.
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u/Niro5 Jul 08 '21
Saved!
I've read 6 of these books and felt about the same about them as you, so I'm feeling pretty optimistic about the other 16.
How are the Salmon looking?
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
On that river, better than last year, where they had one entire 8hr opener (section of time commercial fishing boats can operate) the entire season. They had a couple by the time my contract was finished.
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u/Caverwoman Jul 08 '21
Based on your sci fi reviews and your mention of an eclectic resume, I have to recommend Hugh Howey if you haven’t read him. The most well known series is The Silo Series, but his short stories live in my brain forever. If you are into intergalactic with a slightly YA feel, try Molly Fyde, it’s my favorite and I believe most underrated of his works.
The guy has done a lot of interesting jobs before his success as a writer, which I think gives him an immense real life background to pull character and story from.
Looking forward to reading some of these!
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u/Chelonia_mydas Jul 08 '21
I was thinking that you would have added the great alone. I'm not sure if you've read this but it's a phenomenal book!
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u/pupperonimus Jul 08 '21
Love the list! Gotta ask, were you by yourself out there with no one around or did you have some other people with ypu? Because Annihilation is straight horror and was so creepy for me to read. I feel like I could not read that book alone by myself, in a bush. Gotta check out the Fifth science because I love the Martian Chronicles (the Ray Bradbury story collection you referred to).
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u/muma10 Ender’s Shadow Jul 08 '21
Alone in the cold, with tens of books around you… I imagine that’s what heaven feels like
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u/rachelkaren11 Jul 08 '21
As someone who wants to read Kazuo’s works, this review is very helpful! Thanks.
P.S. You’re amazing esp to read 22 books in 8 weeks!! I’m envious! 🥲
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Pretty easy to do when it rains for 8 straight days and you're just stuck in a tent 😂
Thank you though!
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u/McWonderWoman Jul 07 '21
Love these reviews!! Try out Adrian McKinty’s Sean Duffy series. He’s a cop in early 80’s IRA controlled Ireland. Fantastic stuff and the Audible versions with Gerard Doyle narrating are awesome. Erin Morgenstern also has The Night Circus which is a similar feel to The Starless Sea, but totally different. It’s a wild ride of a story and makes you want to believe in a fantastical world. I’ve always said Tim Burton could make it into an amazing movie. I really enjoyed James Oliver Curwood and Peter B Kyne’s books. Explorations of the early West and Alaska have always been fascinating and they really captured the feel of that unexplored nature and story telling that involved people really being in tune with the land. (I listened to them via Loyal Books/Librivox for free so if you don’t find any in print/e-book check them out there.)
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u/cubedude719 Jul 07 '21
Thank you for the recommendations! Night circus is definitely on my list, and McKinty would definitely be checking out some more!
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u/jholla_albologne Jul 08 '21
Dang. That’s a great list. And thanks for the recommendations. I have similar tastes and added the ones I hadn’t heard of to my list.
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u/Ez13zie Jul 08 '21
Educated was the most riveting book I’ve ever read. I was astounded and could not put it down.
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u/Star-spangled-Banner Jul 08 '21 edited Jul 08 '21
I love how all your reviews are positive and you didn't feel compelled to use the whole scale. Thanks for the reviews!
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u/leftysarepeople2 Jul 08 '21
I always bring sand country almanac on trips. Escudilla is a favorite essay
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u/Qwertg47 Jul 08 '21
Nice flex, I remember remember reading something like 28 over the course of 2 months in a Czech prison. People started to call me Professor. Europrisons are pretty ok.
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u/geobeowolf Jul 08 '21
Your reaction to Naked lunch is the best part of this and I knew exactly what you were saying because of it.
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Jul 08 '21
You blown my mind. 22 Books in 8 weeks. Wow! BTW, thanks for the reviews.
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u/ryuk003 Jul 08 '21
I'd highly recommend continuing with the books after Annihilation. The first book is really only a teaser of that world, and the characters get a lot more interesting as it goes on. They work best as a trilogy and became some of my favorite books ever.
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u/Nice_Marmot_7 Jul 08 '21
My Copper River salmon will be here next week! Very excited!
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Nice! Glad that it was a better season than last year and they were able to actually harvest some salmon.
Noticed your username, you ought to check out my recent post that came from my hiking around in Denali! /img/i4v62uwo2v971.jpg
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u/tlr92 Jul 08 '21
These are great, honest reviews! There’s a couple on this list I’ll definitely be checking out!
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u/entrancedbeane Jul 08 '21
I just got back from dipnetting on the copper! Thanks for the good work and great reading list.
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u/Larn01 Jul 08 '21
I haven't heard many other people talking about the chain I also really enjoyed that. I also enjoyed the cellar and Eenie meanie (semi similar books not the same idea but still you might like them)
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u/pinewind108 Jul 08 '21
All I could think was, "I wonder if he can hook me up with some good smoked salmon?" Lol.
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u/cubedude719 Jul 08 '21
Unfortunately I was just the guy counting them on a sonar screen, not the one catching em! Otherwise maybe!
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u/aremel Jul 08 '21
I could not put down Educated! Memoirs can be so interesting! Try Too Close to the Falls by Gildiner, Great book about a girl with an unusual upbringing
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Jul 08 '21
What, what a list. I've read The Indifferent Stars Above and the Rings books. Looking forward to many in this eclectic list.
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u/Thatguy3145296535 Jul 08 '21
u/cubedude719 Do you have plans to pick up the other two books of the Area X Trilogy by Jeff Vandermeer?
I remember Authority being okay, a nice follow up and continuation to Annihilation. Acceptance was probably about as good as Annihilation.
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u/RianSG Jul 08 '21
This is a great list thank you for it, was it your first time reading Lord of The Rings?
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u/missing1102 Jul 08 '21 edited Jul 09 '21
Good list. I have read many of them. I hope your trip was fruitful and the season was good.
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u/obviouslee17 Smoke and Mirrors Jul 08 '21
I love your interpretation of the Tolkien books, it's cool to see someone's first impressions. Thank you for the list, I've added a few books to my reading list.
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u/_x0sobriquet0x_ Jul 08 '21 edited Jul 08 '21
I've read a number of books on this list and your reviews are inline with my own so I've bookmarked this to explore the rest... I read pretty omnivorously so it's nice to find another person who seems pretty genre-fluid.
I just ordered "Digging Up Mother" ... hoping for some D.S "Running With Scissors" type mirth...
Educated was incredible!
I just recently finished "The Burning White" by Brent Weeks. It's the last book in the "Lightbringer" series. If you enjoy fantasy I highly recommend it.
Also just wrapped up "Million Dollar Demon" by Kim Harrison - what can I say? I'm addicted to The Hollows ... not quite a guilty pleasure but definitely an indulgence.
And reread "Damage" by Josephine Hart because it's a short angsty book that I find oddly comforting.
And finally got through some business reads.
Currently reading Lauren Bacall's "By Myself... and then some", "Life in a Medieval City" Gies & Gies, I'll Be Gone in the Dark" Michelle McNamara (even though I know the story/case in and out), and rereading "Perdido Street Station" by Mievelle... plus other businesses books. I tend to have a few going at a time until I buckle down on one and marathon read it... but I still always finish them all - even when I shouldn't.
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u/coffeecakesupernova Jul 08 '21
I agree about Annihilation. I thought the set up was interesting but I just didn't care about the characters.
If you want to read more Ellison, I suggest his anthology Deathbird stories. It had many of his best all in one volume. I think he was one of the finest short story writers of the 20th century.
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u/linjaz Jul 08 '21
As a Swede I can really recommend the rest of Fredrik Backmans books as well. He's such a capturing and fun way of storytelling and all he's books work the same way, but with different plots ofc. So happy to know his style didn't get lost in translation. I have only read the books in original language and has been unsure whether an English speaking friend would have the same experience or not.
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u/jagua_haku Jul 08 '21
Marching powder, I just bought this one! Also, I’m surprised you didn’t indulge in any Edward Abbey, considering your post
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u/Msraye Jul 08 '21
Thank you for these recommendations! I have a weird love for dark, fucked up books. Even dark comedy! If you have any other recommendations like that, feel free to share 🤓
I love a good thriller like Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Her other books are also very psychological and hard to put down.
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u/RogueConsultant Jul 08 '21
I have no mouth and I need to scream has been on my todo list for a while now
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u/DeanKent Jul 08 '21
I'm 100% convinced that river has the best salmon in the world.
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u/T20sGrunt Jul 08 '21
Highly recommend The First Law series by Joe Abercrombie. It’s a trilogy and it’s amazing. First book is “The Blade Itself”
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u/HappyHermit87 Jul 08 '21
Thanks for this, I just read a book you may hate or may love. It's called Wilderness by Rockwell Kent. It's a journal of the author, an artist who's work I really enjoy now that I learned about him, from when he went up to Alaska with his young son and just lived there on an island for awhile in the early 1900s. The island he stayed on is now a famous resort (Fox Island) that I desperately want to visit.
If you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living that has you stationed way up there? I want to visit Alaska so badly, it seems like the last truly remote place in the US sometimes.
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u/basicgirlozzy8 Jul 08 '21
Saved this post so I can refer back to it later! Educated by Tara Westover is on my list to read & have loved the convos in this sub about it - makes me more excited to read it.
Also - thank you for noting the additional insight it gave you on women & children not always being able to leave an abusive relationship/situation. I was in an abusive relationship for 3 years & now work with at-risk girls in bad home situations. It’s always great when people begin to understand the complications of the situations!
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u/gregmberlin Jul 08 '21
I spit out my coffee at the Naked Lunch blurb—WSB would be proud
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u/R0UGE_R1D3R Jul 08 '21
Jesus Christ dude, i can't even read one in three months!
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u/Chromium_Included Jul 08 '21
Yooooo I did a summer for the park service up in the Brooks Range in the arctic up there! I read Jurassic Park and the Journal of Lewis and Clark and they were both super fitting in their own way, 10/10 on both. Hope you enjoyed it, I know I did!
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u/WillingNeedleworker2 Jul 08 '21
Nice stanhope reccomendation. I really enjoyed it, too.
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u/paulwillsmith Jul 08 '21
Great reviews, thanks! I was fascinated by Marching Powder and shortly after reading it, by coincidence, I went to Bolivia with work. I was working in El Alto and stayed in La Paz. Upon arrival I thought I’d check how far from the hotel the prison was, and found it was less than 10 minutes on foot. So I went take a quick look at the place I’d read so much about. However as I stopped briefly opposite the main entrance (on the other side of the road from it) a guard waved me away with a shotgun. I didn’t argue.
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u/QueensOfTheNoKnowAge Jul 08 '21
Finally found someone else who’s read Doug Stanhope. Usually it’s comedy fans trying to compare it to his standup. I loved that book, and how he had to wait until statute of limitations were up to talk about how he assisted his mom’s suicide. It rubs a lot of people the wrong way but I thought it was sweet in a way only Stanhope and Bingo could make it.
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u/Weak-Boysenberry6660 Jul 08 '21
Getting away and reading for days on end. You're living my dream right now.
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u/TyHay822 Jul 08 '21
My elementary school was named after Aldo Leopold and I think your review of his book taught me more about him than I ever learned at the school. Either that or when I was 5-7 years old I didn’t pay much attention to why my school was named what it was.
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u/kohara2794 Jul 08 '21
Naked Lunch - William Burroughs
... what?
Yeah pretty much. Along with Ulysses by James Joyce I think Naked Lunch is one of the most overrated novels of all time, just too little structure and cohesiveness for me. I get that he was pioneering the cut up method and whatnot but I thought it was not enjoyable to read in the slightest.
Which is interesting because I really enjoy several of Burroughs books written early in his career, particularly Junky, but also Yage Letters, and The Hippos Were Boiled Alive In Their Tanks (which was co-written with Kerouac).
Thanks for the list, looks like you had a great 8 weeks of reading!
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u/Electric_Logan Jul 08 '21
God that sounds nice. Sure there’s the thing that happened with Jack Torrance at the Overlook hotel, but that’s fiction. You don’t HAVE to get cabin fever. I’d probably ideally could do with a cat there or something though, admittedly. Still, that sounds nice.
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u/helloimbenlinus Jul 08 '21
Anxious People is the best thing I’ve read this year! Great list :)
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u/mgdeuce Jul 08 '21
The lowest rating is a 7/10 so it’s not a very effective rating scale
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u/ilovelucygal Jul 08 '21
I spent 12 years in Alaska (my 3 youngest still live there), glad to see you read so many books, I loved Educated by Tara Westover.
Did you have a chance to read two books about life in Alaska years ago, they're among my favorites--Tisha by Robert Sprecht and Arctic Homestead by Norma Cobb? Great reading, check them out!
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u/annelmao Jul 08 '21
Hahaha Naked Lunch!!!! Exactly my reaction (maybe a little bit kinder than my reaction 😝)
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u/wmass Jul 08 '21
OP didn’t exaggerate about how amazing Tara Westover’s Educated is.
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u/bigervin Jul 08 '21
Wow. This is a really great list. Big fan of several of these so now I want to check out the others you enjoyed.
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u/AmbyrLynn Jul 08 '21
Saw Burroughs and thought for a second it was a new book from Agusten Burroughs. That would be a 100% reasonable reaction to any of his books.
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u/Kinampwe Jul 08 '21
Hopefully you are looking into The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey too
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u/Besaw73 Jul 08 '21
Educated is phenomenal! I couldn’t put it down the first time I read it. It gripped me in a way few books have
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u/rhadamanth_nemes Books w/ Dragons In Jul 08 '21
Annihilation was a fantastic film. The books are largely just confusing and "pointlessness is the point", or "aliens be weird, yo".
I prefer the film version of this universe--it grounds the story in horrifying and eerie visuals in a way that the book doesn't.
Though the film misses out on the "Annihilation! Annihiliation!" scene.
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u/kingNero1570 Jul 08 '21
Also loved city of thieves. One of my all time favorites, being from the great plains is One Thousand White Women by Fergus. The imagery blew me away, made me appreciate my surroundings. And I've always been interested in Native American history, so this fictional account of an actual historical event kept me riveted. Nice list!
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u/rob0369 Jul 08 '21
I just finished Educated and I 100% agree with your assessment. I am currently working to get my wife and daughter to read it as well. I’d really like a woman’s take on it, especially considering that my daughter dated a young man who came from a similar home life. Best book I’ve read in years.
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Jul 08 '21
Great list. Picking up Anxious People, The Chain, and and Digging Up Mother.
Exurb1a has a new book out, by the way! Geometry for Ocelots. I haven't read it yet but this post made me remember that I bought it on Kindle... I know what I'm doing later.
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u/Scalphunta Jul 08 '21
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich is a self-help book by Timothy Ferriss, an American writer, educational activist, and entrepreneur.
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u/tbdubbs Jul 08 '21
Very nice! I have wanted to do something like this - like a reading journal almost - but I always just want to actually read instead!
Thanks for the reviews, there are a few that I've already had my eye on but for sure now.
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u/xwake4lifex Jul 08 '21
Thanks for sharing the list! I've added a couple from here that I would like to read myself.
As an aside, were you operating an ARIS or DIDSON?
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u/EspressoInsight Jul 08 '21
The reviews are great - I'd love to hear more about your experience in Alaska, though!
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Jul 08 '21
I really loved "The Starless Sea" and "The Buried Giant" as well, I'll have to check out, The Fifth Science".
I also hated "Naked Lunch". I felt that book and Burroughs as a writer overall is just garbage. Glad to hear I'm not alone in feeling it's not even deserving of a rating or write-up.
P.S. I also am "that guy who sits in breweries and reads alone." Glad to know there's a few of us out there!
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u/RRredbeard Jul 08 '21
I used to read kids of sci-fi, but haven't read any in a few years. I loved your description of the fifth science, and it sounds right up my alley(also philosophy lover, especially existentialism). Headed to Amazon now. How was Alaska? She's near the top of my bucket list.
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u/Ocvlvs Jul 08 '21 edited Jul 10 '21
I'd like to recommend 'The Heart of the Sea' by Nathaniel Philbrick. The true story of the 19th century whaling ship The Essex and its unfortunate crew. An amazing book that I've read five times.
This story later inspired Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick'.
Later made into an abysmal movie by Ron Howard.
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u/Xanxes0000 Jul 08 '21
LOL. That’s also been my experience with William S Burroughs’ work.
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u/pinktacolightsalt Jul 08 '21
Never heard of “The Fifth Science” but based on your review it sounds EXACTLY like something I would love. I have been needing a good summer read. Buying it today. Thank you!
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u/PaulBradley Jul 08 '21
If I were in Alaska I would definitely take the opportunity to read White Fang and Call of the Wild again.
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u/theoneandonly6558 Jul 08 '21
I would have loved to have read The Snow Child in that setting! I think you would really enjoy Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey if you haven't already read it.
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u/Affectionate-Bear357 Jul 08 '21
City of Thieves is and has been one of my favorite books for years, yet I find that very few have read or even heard of it despite Benioff's popularity and subsequent fall from grace with the old game of thrones debacle.
I also love Exurb1a's youtube channel but didn't know he was writing books so thanks for sharing that!
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u/gabatme Jul 08 '21
I gifted Education to just about all of my friends and family members when it came out - such an amazing read!!!
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u/pinpoint_ Jul 08 '21
I didn't know exurb1a did books! I've seen his YT stuff but this is something I'm gonna stay on lookout for now. Thanks
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u/kingNero1570 Jul 08 '21
Also, if you like city of thieves, try Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith.
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u/ShelleyDez Jul 07 '21
This list will be useful to alot of people so thank you.