Other Recommendations - for the unenlightened

[Shrodinger's Cat]

Originally Posted by star.torturer

its good isnt it

all books are great, so i cant recomend any of them

He really put in perspective, for me, with that book - how absolutley huge the universe is, and how mind-bogglingly small Earth is. It's almost funny. Very good book though, yes indeed.

[Rane Longfox]

I thought a Short History of Nearly Everything was one of Bryson's weakest books, actually. I would recommend both "Down Under" (or "In a Sunburned Country" in the US) and "Notes from a Small Island" much more highly.

[Shrodinger's Cat]

I haven't read any other Bryson books, so I cannot compare it to anything. What do the books you mentioned have to deal with? It's the scientific (which Bryson is weak at) theme, as well as the deep-in-space-the-universe-is-*******-huge motif that pulled me in.

[star.torturer]

good science and history and fun and jokes given tough Longfox

though all books are still good

[Rane Longfox]

@ SC - They're books documenting his travels. Around Australia and the UK respectively.

[Marya]

I have a book that I unfortunately haven't read yet but it's called A Void (La Disparition). Originally written in French by Georges Perec and later translated by Gilbert Adair, this book was written without the letter E (in both the original French and it's English translation)*.

As his country is torn apart by social and political anarchy, A Void's protagonist, Anton Vowl, a chronic insomniac, is unaccountably found missing. Ransacking his Paris flat, a group of his faithful companions trawl through his diary for any indication, any faint hint, as to his location. All it brings to light, though, is Vowl's liking for parody, wordplay and dazzling fictional constructs - and gradually, insidiously, a ghost from Vowl's past starts to cast its malignant shadow...

*There's a term for this but I can't remember.

[Nesacat]

It's a lipogram. Have heard several times of this book and now that I have a title, shall try and get a copy. How very curious. Thank you for this Marya.

[iansales]

Ernest Vincent Wright wrote one titled Gadsby in 1939.

[Marya]

Originally Posted by Nesacat

It's a lipogram. Have heard several times of this book and now that I have a title, shall try and get a copy. How very curious. Thank you for this Marya.

That's the word! Thanks. I hope you enjoy the book when you get it.

[Nesacat]

The Book of Snobs by William Makepeace Thakeray

It's an absolute joy to read this book. You have to read it the way I'd imagine Jeeves the butler speaks. It requires THAT tone of voice.

The book is about snobbery in England and works it's way through several different categories from Snobs Royal and Respectable Snobs to University Snobs, Continental Snobs and even Literary Snobs.

In case you were wondering ..."in the literary profession there are no snobs. Look around at the whole body of British men of letters and I defy you to point out among them a single instance of vulgarity, or envy, or assumption."

And on Clerical Snobs ...The wisdom of our ancestors (which I admire more and more every day) seemed to have determined that the education of youth was so paltry and unimportant a matter that almost any man, armed with a birch and a regulation cassock and degree, might undertake the charge: and many an honest country gentleman may be found to the present day, who takes very good care to have a character with his butler when he engages him, and will not purchase a horse without the strongest warranty and the closest inspection; but send off his son, young John Thomas, to school without asking any questions about the Schoolmaster, and places the lad at Switchester College, under Doctor Block because he (the good old English gentleman) had been at Switchester, under Doctor Buzwig, forty years ago.

It's a satirical gem this book and one of the pleasures of reading it is in recognising the awful immortals still with us to this day.

[j. d. worthington]

I've always had a fondness for Thackeray's satirical streak... Going to have to check this one out, too.... Keep up the good work, Nesa.

[Loner]

I now have an even longer list of books I want to read thanks to this thread! (Yes, I keep an actual list of books I want to read)

I would recommend:
Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome
First published in 1889.A hilarious (and still accurate) description of what it's like to take a shoddliy planned boating holiday with two friends. Any one who has ever travelled in close quarters with annoying friends will appreciate this book.

Syrup by Max Barry
A satirical and clever story about an ingenue who comes up with a new idea for Coca Cola and struggles to keep control of his idea once the machinations of the marketing department begin.

All Tomorrow's Parties by William Gibson
Set in the near future where technology is even more prevalent in our lives. The best part about Gibson's cyberpunk books are his approachable characters and poetic description. His characters are just average people in gritty, neon-lit locations dealing with situations that test their courage and belief.

[Cloud]

"The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding" a wonderfully written history by Robert Hughes.

"Ancient Marks: The Sacred Origins of Tattoos and Body Markings" -- an absolutely gorgeous book of tattoo and other body modification photography by Chris Rainier, one of Ansel Adams' proteges. If you look, you can find an internet site with some of the pictures.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond--why some societies progress and some fail.

"Curly Girl" by Lorraine Massey: how to throw away your shampoo and take care of your hair if you have or want curls

[Nesacat]

Originally Posted by Loner

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome
First published in 1889.A hilarious (and still accurate) description of what it's like to take a shoddliy planned boating holiday with two friends. Any one who has ever travelled in close quarters with annoying friends will appreciate this book.

This is one of my all time favourites and I have it in several edition. It's a book I pick up and read parts of very often and it never fails to brighten the day. You have to feel sorry for the poor dog Montmorency caught in a boat for days on end with those three.

[ladyflorange]

If Nobody speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor
Best book I've read in a long time. Also my boyfriend recommends Vinyl Cafe by Stuart McLean and anything by Nick Hornby if you want something light to read. I'm sure there are many many more but I can't think of them at the moment as I'm not at home so don't have my collection to hand! ... that is a weird wink. Anyway!