book book

[jazzfish]

I've got a 40% off coupon at Borders, but there's not really anything I want. (Well, other than Dust, but the coupon's only good with a $20 purchase, and Dust is in paperback.)

I'm thinking about wandering over anyway after work today or tomorrow and maybe picking up In Defense of Food. Thing is, I already read Pollan's "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants" article from this time last year, so I'm not convinced I'll be getting much out of the book.

Suggestions? Note that the Tysons Borders tends to have a moderately crummy selection.

Comments

[antikate.livejournal.com]

Axis by Robert Charles Wilson (it's the sequel to Spin, which you should also read if you haven't)

EBear's A Companion to Wolves, maybe? (I bought it but haven't read it yet)

[jazzfish]

Spin was really good, but I have it in paperback, so I'm holding off on Axis 'til it's in paperback too.

Got _ACtW_ for Xmas, actually. It's good stuff if you don't mind the fairly light plot. Messed with my head in useful and necessary ways.

[salzara-tirwen.livejournal.com]

thankyou! I was looking for Axis the other day but I couldn't remember the title or author.

...that doesn't sound right somehow.

[jmax315.livejournal.com]

Somewhat hard to say without knowing your taste in books and your existing collection, but that said:

The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor, David S. Landes ISBN 978-0393318883

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character), Richard P. Feynman ISBN 978-0393316049

Kitty and the Midnight Hour (Kitty Norville Series, Book 1), Carrie Vaughn ISBN 978-0446616416 [Warning: this is volume 1 of a four volume series. Happily, they're all out in paperback.]

The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history, John M. Barry ISBN 978-0143036494

[jazzfish]

Existing collection, though I still haven't gotten around to adding the 200ish mass-market paperbacks.

The Feynman and its sequel are absolutely brilliant and I loved thme to death.

uilos has The Great Influenza, and if she doesn't she ought to, so I can borrow it from her.

I'm trying to stay away from series books right now. Last thing I need is even /more/ books piling up in the To-Be-Read stack.

The Landes sounds intriguing, though. Thanks.

[uilos.livejournal.com]

Dude, it's a book with "influenza" in the title. I have it. :) The only thing that beats out 'flu' in a title for purchasing desirablitity is 'plague'.

[jmax315.livejournal.com]

IIRC, one release of this book substituted "plague" for "pandemic" in the title, so you obviously should own _that_ printing and no other.

Oh, and...

[jmax315.livejournal.com]

"uilos has The Great Influenza"

I'm sorry to hear that. Hope she gets over it quickly.


"and if she doesn't she ought to"

Geez, that's awful mean-spirited, dontcha think?

*grin*

[jameshroberts.livejournal.com]

If you're thinking of a food-related book, I recommend anything by Anthony Bourdain; e.g. "Kitchen Confidential", "A Cook's Tour", or "No Reservations".

[jazzfish]

hm. Perhaps. I'm told Mr Alton is pretty good as well.

[skreidle.livejournal.com]

For light humor, anything by Carl Hiaasen. For sociopolitical sci-fi, James Halperin's The Truth Machine.

[jazzfish]

I seem to recall reading something by Hiaasen and liking it, although I may be thinking of Elmore Leonard.

And the Halperin definitely sounds interesting, but isn't too likely to be stocked at Tysons.

[shadowsong.livejournal.com]

ekaterina sedia's "the secret history of moscow" is highly recommended, although not by me cause i haven't read it yet. you'd probably like it, though.

if you like junk-food fantasy, you might want to try jim butcher. i think his dresden books are better than his codex alera books.