# What's your favorite book?



## juggernaut (Jan 9, 2007)

I'm talking about BOOKS, not rags like Flex and M&F. 

My personal favorites are any John Grisham book, Mark Twain (Puddin'Head Wilson) Dean Koontz (especially Intensity) and Mario Puzo (the Godfather). True Crimes about the Mob are always favorable.

I recently read a a book called Born Blue by Han Nolan. I had to read it for my students and WOW, it took me.

On the health side, Arnie's book is always a good reference.


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## fletcher6490 (Jan 9, 2007)

My favorite book is "My Side of the Mountain".  It's kinda childish but what a great story.


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## Squaggleboggin (Jan 9, 2007)

Mario Livio
-The Golden Ratio

Brian Greene
-The Fabric of the Cosmos
-The Elegant Universe

Michio Kaku
-Beyond Einstein

Richard Wolfson
-Simply Einstein

Jim Al-Khalili
-Quantum

Brooks Kubik
-Dinosaur Training

Thomas Foster
-How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Tom Stafford & Matt Webb
-Mind Hacks

I like all of these. I have a hard time choosing favorites. So many are so good.


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## DOMS (Jan 9, 2007)

_Think and Grow Rich_ by Napoleon Hill
_Rich Dad, Poor Dad_ by Robert Kyosaki
_Real Money_ by Jim Cramer
_Options and Option_ _Trading_ by Robert W. Ward
_Battlefield Earth_ by L. Ron Hubbard
_Christine_ by Stephen King


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## juggernaut (Jan 9, 2007)

There was a scifi series called America 2049 back in the eighties. I loved those books soooo much.


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## juggernaut (Jan 9, 2007)

Christine was good too.


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## szandor (Jan 9, 2007)

1. dune - frank herbert

i must not fear. fear is the mind-killer. fear is the little-death that
brings total obliteration. i will face my fear. i will permit it to pass over me
and through me. and when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its
path. where the fear has gone there will be nothing. only i will remain.

2. for whom the bell tolls - ernest hemingway

we do it coldly but they do not, nor ever have. it is their extra sacrament...they are the people of the auto de fe; the act of faith. killing is something one must do, but ours are different from theirs.


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## juggernaut (Jan 9, 2007)

I tried reading Dune 6 bazillion times and still couldnt understand it. it's freaking nuts!


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## goandykid (Jan 9, 2007)

1984, valaci papers, bfg, the last season, Art of War


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## goandykid (Jan 9, 2007)

animal farm to an extent



1984 was amazing, favorite by far.


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## szandor (Jan 9, 2007)

anything by aldous huxley


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## maniclion (Jan 9, 2007)

On the Road and in fact any Kerouac book and most other beat authors like Billy Burroughs and the latter beats who turned it to gonzo, what say you Mr. Thomspson?  Tom Robbins (one because he was friends with this guy and 2 because he has some of the best methaphors)

Oh and JP Donleavy's A Singular Man and The Ginger Man, which by the way my dear children will be coming to theatres near and far with Johnny Depp as the star....

Steinbeck, Hemingway, Dos Passos, Huxley, Fitzgerald, Ayn Rand, Kurt Vonnegut, Henry Miller (I watched in fact 'Henry & June' the other night, what an author she should have been, _Anais Nin...)_ All lined up neatly next to my copy of Catcher in the Rye, and Jack London man talk about a great book Call of the Wild and what a great man and his adventures, I have to be like them....I want to be like them...


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## goandykid (Jan 9, 2007)

You used punctuation? I could read that last post, manic!


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## maniclion (Jan 9, 2007)

goandykid said:


> You used punctuation? I could read that last post, manic!


Oh punctuation now you reminded me that I like Hubert Selby jr.  Even though his writing style was raw man his stories made some good movies, Requiem for A Dream and Last Exit to Brooklyn


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## shiznit2169 (Jan 9, 2007)




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## Seanp156 (Jan 9, 2007)

The Alphabet of Manliness.


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 9, 2007)

juggernaut said:


> I'm talking about BOOKS, not rags like Flex and M&F.
> 
> My personal favorites are any John Grisham book, Mark Twain (Puddin'Head Wilson) Dean Koontz (especially Intensity) and Mario Puzo (the Godfather). *True Crimes about the Mob are always favorable*.
> 
> ...


 
You'd love:

Underboss by Peter Maas (autobiography of Sammy "the bull" Gravano)

Mob Over Miami by Michele McPhee (autobiography of Chri Paciello, NY OC asscoiate and Miami night life Icon)

Both highly recommended


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 9, 2007)




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## DOMS (Jan 9, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> You'd love:
> 
> Underboss by Peter Maas (autobiography of Sammy "the bull" Gravano)
> 
> ...




Did you ever read Mafia Cop?  The guy wrote a book about how he grew up in a Mafia family, but became a cop.  It turns out he was lying and did a lot of jobs for the Mafia while working as a cop.


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## juggernaut (Jan 10, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> You'd love:
> 
> Underboss by Peter Maas (autobiography of Sammy "the bull" Gravano)
> 
> ...


My dad is reading Underboss (the man responsible for my voracious reading habits). He said he'd give to me when he was fiinished. Is it that good?


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## goob (Jan 10, 2007)

Mr Nice - Howard Marks


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## Bakerboy (Jan 10, 2007)

The Cotton Pickers - B. Traven

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 10, 2007)

DOMS said:


> Did you ever read Mafia Cop? The guy wrote a book about how he grew up in a Mafia family, but became a cop. It turns out he was lying and did a lot of jobs for the Mafia while working as a cop.


 
The title rings a bell but I've never read it. Any good?


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 10, 2007)

juggernaut said:


> My dad is reading Underboss (the man responsible for my voracious reading habits). He said he'd give to me when he was fiinished. Is it that good?


 
One of my favorites. _Mob Over Miami_ is surprisingly good too. This kid Chris Paciello was involved with the mob in NY. Changed his name and moved to Florida to get away from a murder he was involved with. He then opened up one of the most popular night clubs on Miami Beach, dated super models, got into fights with all kinds of athletes, ect. ect. Very entertaining and a true story.


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## DOMS (Jan 10, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> The title rings a bell but I've never read it. Any good?



It was pretty good, considering that most (if not all) of it was a lie.

Here's the book.


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 10, 2007)

Might have to check it out. I've also heard this book about the Irish mob in Boston, Whitey Bulger & the FBI is great:


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## DOMS (Jan 10, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> Might have to check it out. I've also heard this book about the Irish mob in Boston and Whitey Bulger is great:



I'm adding this to my reading list.


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## lioness (Jan 10, 2007)

Don Miguel Ruiz's - The Four Agreements 

"_For many, The Four Agreements is a life-changing book, whose ideas come from the ancient Toltec wisdom of the native people of Southern Mexico. The Toltec were 'people of knowledge' - scientists and artists who created a society to explore and conserve the traditional spiritual knowledge and practices of their ancestors. 

The Toltec viewed science and spirit as part of the same entity, believing that all energy - material or ethereal - is derived from and governed by the universe.  

The simple ideas of The Four Agreements provide an inspirational code for life.  Here is how Don Miguel Ruiz summarises 'The Four Agreements':_

agreement 1
*Be impeccable with your word - *Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. 

agreement 2
*Don???t take anything personally - *Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won???t be the victim of needless suffering.

agreement 3 
*Don???t make assumptions - *Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

agreement 4 
*Always do your best - *Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick..."


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## maniclion (Jan 10, 2007)

Robinson Crusoe is a great book and so is Gulliver's Travels......


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## lioness (Jan 10, 2007)

I read these a long time ago...  magical.
Chronicles of Narnia ~7 books


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## juggernaut (Jan 10, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> One of my favorites. _Mob Over Miami_ is surprisingly good too. This kid Chris Paciello was involved with the mob in NY. Changed his name and moved to Florida to get away from a murder he was involved with. He then opened up one of the most popular night clubs on Miami Beach, dated super models, got into fights with all kinds of athletes, ect. ect. Very entertaining and a true story.


donnie brasco's book was exciting work.


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## BigDyl (Jan 10, 2007)




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## juggernaut (Jan 10, 2007)

DOMS said:


> I'm adding this to my reading list.


not into the Irish mob thing. I cant associate with it. I am the second generation of strong Italian families (sounds like a beginning of a book). I am thoroughly influenced by my Italian heritage. Old World values and the like.


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## lioness (Jan 10, 2007)

One of my all time favorites:  Oh, the Places You???ll Go!

I received it as a gift when I finished graduate school.  It sort of sums up life in a simple...almost childlike zen way.


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 10, 2007)

juggernaut said:


> not into the Irish mob thing. I cant associate with it. I am the second generation of strong Italian families (sounds like a beginning of a book). I am thoroughly influenced by my Italian heritage. Old World values and the like.


 
I'm Italian myself. Whitey Bulger's right hand man was Stephen "Machine Gun" Flemmi. Italian and Irish organized crime is extremely similar and have enormous involvement with one another. Italians and Irish were allies in NY as well as Boston & Chicago in most popular years, dating back to prohibition. I've heard this book is awesome.


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## goandykid (Jan 10, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> You'd love:
> 
> Underboss by Peter Maas (autobiography of Sammy "the bull" Gravano)
> 
> ...



One of the books I listed, Valaci Papers, is by Peter Maas. It's a vivid recount of Joe Valaci when he squealed on the mafia, and a detailed history of his 30 odd years in the mafia.


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 10, 2007)

goandykid said:


> One of the books I listed, Valaci Papers, is by Peter Maas. It's a vivid recount of Joe Valaci when he squealed on the mafia, and a detailed history of his 30 odd years in the mafia.


 
I've heard that's a good one too. Did you like it? There's a movie too I think. Right now I'm working on the Luciano Story. Another OG.


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## goandykid (Jan 10, 2007)

I loved Valaci Papers, Luciano sounds familiar. Did he squeal too? I think Valaci was trashing him in his book.

The movie is old but also great, I love it almsot as much as the godfather.


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 10, 2007)

goandykid said:


> I loved Valaci Papers, Luciano sounds familiar. Did he squeal too? I think Valaci was trashing him in his book.
> 
> The movie is old but also great, I love it almsot as much as the godfather.


 
No he's considered the originator of the Mafia in the US. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Luciano


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## goandykid (Jan 10, 2007)

The way I remember, (in a nutshell) Valaci was working for someone who had respect for everyone, he was killed and some db took voer that eld to the fall of their whole fmaily. Genovese, maybe?


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## juggernaut (Jan 10, 2007)

lioness said:


> Don Miguel Ruiz's - The Four Agreements
> 
> "_For many, The Four Agreements is a life-changing book, whose ideas come from the ancient Toltec wisdom of the native people of Southern Mexico. The Toltec were 'people of knowledge' - scientists and artists who created a society to explore and conserve the traditional spiritual knowledge and practices of their ancestors.
> 
> ...





I smell chick book.


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## shiznit2169 (Jan 10, 2007)

Anyone ever read the "House of Leaves"? My friend read it and he said it was some crazy shit and i plan on reading it soon but just wondering if any of you have.


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## maniclion (Jan 10, 2007)

shiznit2169 said:


> Anyone ever read the "House of Leaves"? My friend read it and he said it was some crazy shit and i plan on reading it soon but just wondering if any of you have.


I've been meaning to get into that stuff, _Cybertext _as well, but I keep getting wrapped up in older literature, I need to immerse myself in some new stuff maybe _The          Policeman's Beard Is Half Constructed _a book of computer generated poetry


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## KentDog (Jan 10, 2007)

I liked Richard Preston's _The Hot Zone_ which was a book about the Ebola virus in which the movie Outbreak was based upon. I liked Mario Puzo's Godfather as well but most likely only because I am a huge fan of the first two movies. There was a lot in the book that wasn't in the movies (a lot more Johnny Fontane for example, but I'm glad they cut this stuff out).

I really enjoyed my Moral Theory and Ethics textbook when I took a philosophy course several years ago, but I cannot remember the authors (it was mainly a collection of writings by different philosophers such as Emmanuel Kant) as well as the Dictionary.


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## BigDyl (Jan 10, 2007)

Clive Barker pwns you.


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## lioness (Jan 11, 2007)

juggernaut said:


> I smell chick book.


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## Brachiisaurus (Jan 11, 2007)

Harry Potter


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## Burner02 (Jan 11, 2007)

Without Remorse, Tom Clancy


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## Soul of Sol (Jan 11, 2007)

Imma sucka for science fiction. I like to have my imagination stretched. John Varley had a series of called Titan, Wizard, and Demon about humans coming in contact with a living planet.

 When I was a kid I read all the Judy Blume books. God, I have read a lot.


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## juggernaut (Jan 12, 2007)

lioness said:


>


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## Doublebase (Jan 12, 2007)

The Indian in the Cupboard.  Hands down.


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## Goodfella9783 (Jan 12, 2007)

The Fudge series by Judy Blume was always great...remember Peter Farley?

Goosebumps were pretty popular too


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## KentDog (Jan 12, 2007)

Goodfella9783 said:


> Goosebumps were pretty popular too


Yeah I remember Goosebumps and Fear Street. Also the Boxcar Children were popular but I never read them, only said I did to get through those 3rd and 4th grade book reports, then made shit up because there were so many books in the series there was no way any teacher could have read them all.


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## Decker (Jan 12, 2007)

My favorites some current, some not:

On The Road, Jack Kerouac
Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace Gore Vidal
Profit Over People Noam Chomsky
No One Here Gets Out Alive Danny Sugerman
The Accidental Theorist Paul Krugman
Reading Nietzsche Robert Solomon
The Anarchist Cookbook
Letters and Opinions Albert Einstein
Comparative Religion Harry Tiebout
Juggs: Floppers Edition (boxed set) various contributors


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## maniclion (Jan 12, 2007)

Doublebase said:


> The Indian in the Cupboard.  Hands down.


Someone hasn't read a book since third grade.....


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## Jodi (Jan 12, 2007)

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?t=15264&highlight=book


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## maniclion (Jan 12, 2007)

Thomas Harris, I love reading about Hannibal Lecter........I read Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon and Hannibal......I didn't even know he just released Hannibal Rising which details Hannibals childhood into early adulthood.  I just find the character of Lecter intriguing......not the serial killer, but the doctor and scholar.


Even though the movies are awesome, his books are even more so as most books to movies are, I recommend if you liked the movies to read his books you'll learn a lot, especially Hannibal and once I get Hannibal Rising I'll give you guys an update....


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## Vieope (Jan 12, 2007)

_Books are great things. I did not have access to them while growing up, too expensive and I didnt have a good library around. But now things are better and I read from 20 to 30 books a year. I know it is not a lot but that is how much I can handle and not get too stressed with it.  

There is something new to my reading habits too, I can stop reading in the middle of a book if I dont like it. Before, I read everything, hoping it would get better. _


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## goandykid (Jan 12, 2007)

Enders Game as well


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## Seanp156 (Jan 12, 2007)

BigDyl said:


> Clive Barker pwns you.



I bet you can't wait for this then: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/adventure/clivebarkersjericho/index.html


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