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Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library) 115 reviews
Hunter S. Thompson
Modern Library, 1999
Hells Angels: a hard to find modern classic.
A very high quality production run, hard-bound with illustrated dust jacket etc. of a very hard to find modern classic. Read Thompson as he was before he became a cartoon character like caricature. Succinct and insightful with the acerbic wit front and centre where it belongs. A cracking good read ! Excellent value too in this Modern Libraries edition. Why pay all-kinds of stoopid money on E-bay ...
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I Am a Strange Loop 69 reviews
Douglas R. Hofstadter
Basic Books, 2008
Why I do not exist, you can too!
Hofstadter isn't for everyone, and the subject of his musings is difficult, but he has a wonderful ability to make deep ideas accessible and he is full of fun. If you took great delight in Godel, Escher, Bach or The Mind's I: Fantasies and Reflections on Self & Soul you will find renewed inspiration in Strange Loop. The author's facility in offering real world analogies to fairly abstruse ...
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QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter (Princeton Science Library) 10 reviews
Richard P. Feynman
Princeton University Press, 2006
A Fantastic Theory
Even though these lectures are more than 20 years old, Feynman did an incredible job of explaining a fundamental concept in Physics. I can see now why he received the Nobel prize for his work in this area. I would call him the Carl Sagan of Physics, except that Mr. Sagan's popularity came later in time. QED is so bizarre and incredible, yet so accurate and powerful a theory that it boggles the ...
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The Civil War: Strange & Fascinating Facts23 reviews
Burke Davis
Wings, 1988
A classic
This book is a must for Civil War buffs, presenting lots of odd facts about the War Between the States which one would probably not come across except in bits and pieces in other works. I never get tired of looking through this one.
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Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko6 reviews
Blake Bell
Fantagraphics Books, 2008
Ditko, a fascinating and uncompromising artist
This is an incredibly entertaining book. Looking at the cover, one can tell they are not looking at just another comic book artist. Opening the book one sees the first glimpse of Ditko, a five page black and white story called "Stretching Things". The story is a look at a man grown bitter by his handicap, so much so that a possible cure to his condition does'nt bring a happy ending, but a ...
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Lost on Planet China: The Strange and True Story of One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most ...23 reviews
J. Maarten Troost
Broadway, 2008
Witty and informative - great book!
I have been a fan of Maarten Troost's funny, informative writing style since his first book, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, which up to now had been my favorite book of his. Lost on Planet China has now taken that spot. I haven't traveled to China and so have no first-hand knowledge of the country; my learnings are limited to friends and associates who have taken packaged tours. I truly enjoyed ...
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A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World36 reviews
Tony Horwitz
Henry Holt and Co., 2008
journey long and strange
great research and well written. Our children should be doing this history reviews, if not through this book then through other text books. It is time to change our view of North American History.
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Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: A Novel726 reviews
Susanna Clarke
Tor Books, 2006
Great book
I can't believe I bought this for a dollar! Great book, especially if you only paid a dollar. My copy is not for sale, sorry.
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Armed Madhouse: From Baghdad to New Orleans--Sordid Secrets and Strange Tales of a White House Gone Wild56 reviews
Greg Palast
Plume, 2007
Hits on point for which the real arguments are commonly diverted from
To me, the two most important points of the book had little to do with the U.S. election. The first relates to Iraqi oil. The few remaining Bush apologists simplify the concept of "war for oil" to mean that if Americans aren't looting the oil and coming home with a barrel under each arm then the war cannot possibly be "about oil". The issue is about CONTROL of oil. The battles between various ...
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Stranger in a Strange Land538 reviews
Robert A. Heinlein
Ace Trade, 1991
Mindblowing, if you can grok it.
This novel is an absolute masterpiece. As with any great Science Fiction [this is the rare hard fiction variety], paradigms dissolve to explore humanity, spirituality and other topics on levels normally taboo to mainstream minds. This novel may be read on a multitude of layers for those minds open enough to see them.
If you liked this novel, then The Veil of Eden [www.veilofeden.com] will ...
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A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca12 reviews
Andrés Reséndez
Basic Books, 2007
An very readable and exciting true tale of early America
Unlike too many history books by college professors, this book is highly readable and exciting. I was sorry to see it come to an end, and it has sparked my interest in reading related books. And it has many footnotes, so it is easy to find related books! The book was obviously extremely well researched and paints a very balanced picture of native Americans and Spaniard explorers. While ...
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The Dord, the Diglot, and an Avocado or Two: The Hidden Lives and Strange Origins of Common and Not-So-Common ...15 reviews
Anu Garg
Plume, 2007
Just what you're looking for!
If you're a word nerd or a language lover, this is the book for you. I was searching for a birthday present for a linguaphile friend of mine, and decided that this would be a pretty good purchase. Boy, was I wrong -- it was a great purchase! I found myself reading through the chapters, picking up all kinds of useful knowledge like the origin of the word "cappuccino" (it's pretty interesting, ...
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Dead Men Do Tell Tales: The Strange and Fascinating Cases of a Forensic Anthropologist86 reviews
William R. Maples, Michael Browning
Main Street Books, 1995
Solid Storytelling
In addition to becoming one of the world's authorities in the field of forensic anthropology, William Maples was a solid storyteller. It seems rare that a scientific mind can produce a thoughtful, sensory written work, but Maples, with his co-author, did just that. Readers are treated to the inner workings of his mind - his work was not for the sqeemish - and his mind is a fascinating one. ...
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Strange Fits of Passion: A Novel66 reviews
Anita Shreve
Harvest Books, 2005
Title of book is not what you may anticipate it to be
Anita Schreve is one of my favorite authors-- commencing the day I read The Pilot's Wife--there was no way that I could have anticapated the ending of that book--a complete surprise. Following that read, I purchased her book Fortune's Rock's --another great read
Strange Fits of Passion was so good that I had difficulty putting it down.
I highly recommend it.
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Death in a Strange Country21 reviews
Donna Leon
Penguin (Non-Classics), 2005
Donna Leon Enthusiast
I spent time in Venice this summer and to prepare bought one of Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti mysteries. That was all it took to hook me- I am now reading the series in order and loving every minute. Death in a Strange Country is the second book in the series. While Leon's books don't have to be read in order, it does add to the enjoyment to follow the characters as they develop.
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Hard Revolution29 reviews
George P. Pelecanos
Grand Central Publishing, 2005
An acquired taste......
Pelecanos' books are an acquired taste. I read his first book because it was a murder mystery but because of his easy writing style, I decided to read more of his books. I'm now into my 3rd and 4th Pelcanos books.
Hard Revolution was the 2nd Pelecanos book I read. For sure HR is not a murder mystery. It isn't even a mystery book, more like crime drama. Pelacanos specializes in Washington DC. ...
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Hellboy, Vol. 6 : Strange Places11 reviews
Mike Mignola
Dark Horse, 2006
Read all of them, then read them again
I love the drawings, the characters and the storyline. And even more the questions it brings. Soul, evil, love, destiny, God, "Why am I here?"
It isn't a distraction from the most important things in my life, its a chance to see them through another lens.
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Jean-Michel Frank: The Strange and Subtle Luxury of the Parisian Haute-Monde in the Art Deco Period2 reviews
Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier
Rizzoli, 2008
Tragic and Gifted Designer: Frank
The contributions of Jean-Michel Frank to modern interiors are timeless and compelling. He created a sense of spaciousness and luxury in Paris apartments that was pure genius. Not much was known about this designer and his too-brief career; this book is a wonderful exploration of the man and his creation of interiors and furnishings. Great photos too.
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My Weird School #8: Ms. LaGrange Is Strange! (My Weird School)2 reviews
Dan Gutman
HarperTrophy, 2005
Play on Words
This series is very cute and funny. Being an elementary school teacher, I can relate to the humor and the going ons at school. My students get a kick out of these books! This is one series I will keep on my book shelves, for humor.
In Ms. LaGrange is Strange, Ella Mentry School has lost their lunch lady. The schools new lunch lady talks in French and writes YAWYE in her mashed potatoes. AJ, a ...
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The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time39 reviews
Hunter S. Thompson
Simon & Schuster, 2003
The Essential Hunter Thompson
Much like Sony's "The Essential" series, which collected the greatest songs from the greatest musicians of the past century, "The Great Shark Hunt" is an anthology of the greatest of the Good Doctor's work from his peak period of the 60's and 70's.
Perhaps no other American writer captured the essence of that tumultous era better than Hunter S. Thompson. He was simultaneously of his time ...
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