Favorite Books, Good Reads & Recommendations (Compiled)

[thousandred]

4 hours ago, 72%dark said:

 

I read a lot of fiction and feel no guilt whatsoever. Life is more than a sum of objective facts, and literature is one of mankind’s ways of making sense of the myriad facets of existence that underlie and transcend the banal facts. As writer John Dufresne put it, “Fiction is telling the truth, not telling the facts.” (2003)

 

I do read non-fiction too of course, but I’d be a dull and soulless person if I read only non-fiction. Besides, the pleasure derived from reading fiction is really quite benign compared to other sources of pleasure.

 

A novel I’m currently reading: The One-Eyed Man by Ron Currie.

 

 

Lol. Back when I still advertised my interests on one of the apps, I listed reading at the top, but only one person I chatted with ever discussed it with me. Anyway @thousandred you know how to get in touch with me if you wanna discuss the books we’re reading. 

if someone is hitting me up because of books, i'm flattered hahaha. What is One Eyed Man about? 

[thousandred]

50 minutes ago, hannibalism said:

a nerd thread! :))

 

it is quite difficult to find gay men who read on the apps. and my profile always read: "mistrusts those who don't read"

 

loves to read but a slow reader... which frustrates me sometimes.

 

i buy most of my books too cos too slow to be borrowing. I actually like the smell of old books, and my fave haunts were secondhand bookshops. well, and it's environmentally responsible too... tried to get into ebooks, but still missed the tactility of printed ones. 

 

anyway been on a dystopic binge lately, and read brave new world, 1984, currently on handmaid's tale.

 

hope to hear more from you guys!

oh yes the dystopian ones. i have quite a bit of collection. i finished brace nee world recently and i had to think hard and ling what the author was trying to portray, especially this is his concept of twisted future around 1930!

[Guest wc123]

1 hour ago, thousandred said:

oh yes the dystopian ones. i have quite a bit of collection. i finished brace nee world recently and i had to think hard and ling what the author was trying to portray, especially this is his concept of twisted future around 1930!

 

ah.. social engineering paradise. it's already happening irl;d

[Nipoet]

I read fiction, mostly.

Fantasy Fiction, mostly.

Only seldom do I dabble in non-fiction, or science fiction, but I love Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. Very interesting.

Now studying part-time, so no time to read for leisure. Must gnaw on the textbook if I want to pass. T.T

[thousandred]

Any one else has other book recommendations?

[Arthur]

14 hours ago, thousandred said:

 

How are these book? Nothing to envy has been in my wish list since forever!

 

Hello and thanks for your text @thousandred

As you can see from the eclectic titles, they’re quite interesting, it’s nice to ‘see life’ from different angles 

 

Nothing to envy? Harrowing. Heartbreaking. 

Makes you appreciate the little that you have

[thousandred]

Just now, Arthur said:

 

Hello and thanks for your text @thousandred

As you can see from the eclectic titles, they’re quite interesting, it’s nice to ‘see life’ from different angles 

 

Nothing to envy? Harrowing. Heartbreaking. 

Makes you appreciate the little that you have

I own quite a collection of North Koreans refugees and escapees, but Nothing to Envy is now my to-buy book in April! 

[Arthur]

2 minutes ago, thousandred said:

I own quite a collection of North Koreans refugees and escapees, but Nothing to Envy is now my to-buy book in April! 

 

North Korea fascinates me too!!

Not sure if you’ve read Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden? Equally good!

[thousandred]

5 minutes ago, Arthur said:

 

North Korea fascinates me too!!

Not sure if you’ve read Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden? Equally good!

Yeah that was the first book that got me hooked! I read it 7-8 years ago! haha

[Arthur]

9 minutes ago, thousandred said:

Yeah that was the first book that got me hooked! I read it 7-8 years ago! haha

 

Jia by Hyejin Kim?

[thousandred]

1 minute ago, Arthur said:

 

Jia by Hyejin Kim?

read that as well! Hahaha

[Arthur]

7 minutes ago, thousandred said:

read that as well! Hahaha

 

We must’ve covered the same books on North Korea! Haha

[doncoin]

For light hearted reading, someone gave me a copy of "Texts from Jane Eyre..." by Mallory Ortberg.

[Guest 72%dark]

17 hours ago, hannibalism said:

a nerd thread! :))

 

it is quite difficult to find gay men who read on the apps. and my profile always read: "mistrusts those who don't read"

 

loves to read but a slow reader... which frustrates me sometimes.

 

i buy most of my books too cos too slow to be borrowing. I actually like the smell of old books, and my fave haunts were secondhand bookshops. well, and it's environmentally responsible too... tried to get into ebooks, but still missed the tactility of printed ones. 

 

anyway been on a dystopic binge lately, and read brave new world, 1984, currently on handmaid's tale.

 

hope to hear more from you guys!

 

The Handmaid’s Tale is one of my all-time faves! 

If you don’t mind Atwood’s recognizable authorial voice, you might also enjoy her MaddAddam trilogy, post-apocalyptic speculative fiction leavened by her distinctively sardonic wit.

 

I love the smell and the feel of (old) books too!

 

16 hours ago, thousandred said:

if someone is hitting me up because of books, i'm flattered hahaha. What is One Eyed Man about? 

 

The One-Eyed Man follows the adventures of an American whose wife’s recent death causes him to question the status quo and his previously held assumptions, thus providing via his deadpan narrative voice a wry critique of the social/cultural/political milieu. But lest it sound like just so much intellectual snobbery, it also hides a tender emotional core, for example in scenes when he recounts his wife’s last days in the grip of cancer.

[Guest 72%dark]

@thousandredif you enjoy fiction set in/about North Korea, there’s also Adam Johnson’s The Orphan Master’s Son, the 2013 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

 

Science fiction from an Asian writer: Cixin Liu’s The Three-Body Problem. (Nebula and Hugo Awards)

[thousandred]

@72%dark oh yes i just bought Three Body Problem. but first it'll be thinking fast and slow!

[bluefish20008]

Finished Marie Kondo series last month. Currently on The Prince (Machiavelli) and Call Me by Your Name (Aciman). Really sounds like split personality.

[lovemeasiam]

13 hours ago, Arthur said:

 

We must’ve covered the same books on North Korea! Haha

Arthur, pardon me for not being savvy with it technology. Have been wanting to get into e-books, as it is more feasible today. Nevertheless, don't seem to get around it. How do one actually get on board e-books and e-reading. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[thousandred]

26 minutes ago, hannibalism said:

omg. those are the two books i want to read! we should have a book club or something... or a library service amongst ourselves.

haha it's highly commented and rated apparently. 

 

8 minutes ago, lovemeasiam said:

Arthur, pardon me for not being savvy with it technology. Have been wanting to get into e-books, as it is more feasible today. Nevertheless, don't seem to get around it. How do one actually get on board e-books and e-reading. Thanks in advance for your advice.

been also thinking about eReaders but was thinking about feasibility and the retention of cheap prices comparable to book depository. 

 

55 minutes ago, bluefish20008 said:

Finished Marie Kondo series last month. Currently on The Prince (Machiavelli) and Call Me by Your Name (Aciman). Really sounds like split personality.

how was Call me by your name? i got that book but never had the chance to read it 

[Eyaw]

11 hours ago, thousandred said:

@72%dark oh yes i just bought Three Body Problem. but first it'll be thinking fast and slow!

Three-Body Problem is in my to-read list. 

https://www.lrb.co.uk/v40/n03/nick-richardson/even-what-doesnt-happen-is-epic

 

Other Chinese Sci-Fi that I've read included The Fat Years by Chan Koonchung and Folding Beijing by Hao Jingfang. 

 

Other than Sci-Fi, there's also Young China Hand by a Singaporean: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/fowl-tale-on-doing-business-in-china

 

I also enjoyed reading Frog by Mo Yan, A Map of Betrayal by Ha Jin. 

 

 

[Guest ReadingToo]

I like Murakami and have read most of his books, although some are only so-so, like his first book! He has good story line and I like to compare his writings in his various novels. Try the "Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki", "Norwegian Woods" and "Kafta on the Shore". As he is influenced by Natsume Soseki, it will also be nice to read this Japanese writer's work. I particularly like his "Kokoro" and "Sanshiro". Go try and see if you like them.

 

I stopped buying books because they were taking too much space. Now, I borrowed them from the National Library. The books I have mentioned are all available in the library.

 

 

[Arthur]

10 hours ago, lovemeasiam said:

Arthur, pardon me for not being savvy with it technology. Have been wanting to get into e-books, as it is more feasible today. Nevertheless, don't seem to get around it. How do one actually get on board e-books and e-reading. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

Hello @lovemeasiamand thank you for your message!

 

Believe you me, I’m not as tech savvy as you’d like to imagine, really! Haha! 

 

My bf finally convinced me to get a kindle (only about 2 years ago?), seeing how I tend to splurge on books and the imminent danger of running out of standing space! I’m sure you’d agree that they’re not cheap, so kindle it is then! 

 

I still do give in to the occasional phy. book. 

I recently bought The Ghost of the Tsunami (RL Parry) for almost $30 whereas the kindle version is only about $18! 

 

And mindful that some titles may not be available in e-version. I had a hard time sourcing for Four Reigns (Kukrit Pramoj) that I ended up getting the last known phy. book in town!

 

I suppose there’s pros and cons in everything. 

Nothing beats the smell of a book, be it old or new!

A kindle saves you space and money (and some say the trees..)

You’ll have to weigh it yourself I guess, see if e-books/reading is suitable for you. 

(one of my guilty pleasures nowadays is being able to read in the dark! haha!)

[MinWoo]

Call Me by Your Name  =]

[lovemeasiam]

18 hours ago, Arthur said:

 

Hello @lovemeasiamand thank you for your message!

 

Believe you me, I’m not as tech savvy as you’d like to imagine, really! Haha! 

 

My bf finally convinced me to get a kindle (only about 2 years ago?), seeing how I tend to splurge on books and the imminent danger of running out of standing space! I’m sure you’d agree that they’re not cheap, so kindle it is then! 

 

I still do give in to the occasional phy. book. 

I recently bought The Ghost of the Tsunami (RL Parry) for almost $30 whereas the kindle version is only about $18! 

 

And mindful that some titles may not be available in e-version. I had a hard time sourcing for Four Reigns (Kukrit Pramoj) that I ended up getting the last known phy. book in town!

 

I suppose there’s pros and cons in everything. 

Nothing beats the smell of a book, be it old or new!

A kindle saves you space and money (and some say the trees..)

You’ll have to weigh it yourself I guess, see if e-books/reading is suitable for you. 

(one of my guilty pleasures nowadays is being able to read in the dark! haha!)

 

Aurthur thanks for the response and answer. Be cautious of reading in the dark. Not good for the eyes. 

Agree with what you said. There are pros and cons to consider. And we cannot totally get rid of any of those two modes of reading.

 

[Arthur]

10 hours ago, lovemeasiam said:

 

Aurthur thanks for the response and answer. Be cautious of reading in the dark. Not good for the eyes. 

Agree with what you said. There are pros and cons to consider. And we cannot totally get rid of any of those two modes of reading.

 

 

Yes sir, I appreciate that it’ll spoil my eyesight, just that sometimes it’s rather difficult to put the book down (or switch off!) when one is at the climax of the story as I’m sure a reader would understand.. haha

 

Have both, keep the books and get an e-reader. 

Buy the book/s only when u can’t get the e-version. That way you’ll have a balance, I suppose?

 

I wish u a delightful reading journeys!

 

#bookworm #letthemindtravel #tellmeyourstories

[bluefish20008]

On 03/02/2018 at 11:51 AM, thousandred said:

haha it's highly commented and rated apparently. 

 

been also thinking about eReaders but was thinking about feasibility and the retention of cheap prices comparable to book depository. 

 

how was Call me by your name? i got that book but never had the chance to read it 

 

Still at the first few chapters of CMBYN. Lots of Elio's inner drama XD

[thousandred]

8 hours ago, bluefish20008 said:

 

Still at the first few chapters of CMBYN. Lots of Elio's inner drama XD

don't spoil the boooooook >~<

[Arthur]

Just done with New Beginnings (Yap Chan Ling)

 

Now moving on to The Magic Circle (Charmaine Chan) 

[thousandred]

Just now, Arthur said:

Just done with New Beginnings (Yap Chan Ling)

 

Now moving on to The Magic Circle (Charmaine Chan) 

im reading thinking fast and slow.. slightly repetitive but its not bad as far as it goes

[hiroki]

On 2018/3/14 at 9:30 PM, hannibalism said:

started on 'the grand hotel abyss' (apparently an allusion to philosophers who reside at the edge of the abyss, waxing lyrical about the dire state of the world in relative comfort), a history of the frankfurt school and its constituent members. proving to be quite an intriguing read so far.

 

niceee, i wish more ppl knew about the frankfurt sch. i remember the papers i had to write on adorno, benjamin and co. in my grad seminars haha. they're def an interesting bunch of thinkers/writers.

 

[bigtommyboysg]

Started a book club of sorts last year with a straight friend who is also into reading. The aim is to read a book a month and the book has to be released in that year. So far we have finished 4 books this year so technically we are up to April. Lol. 

 

The books we read so far:

Winter - Ali Smith

Woman in the window - A J Finn

Asymmetry - Lisa Halliday

King Zeno - Nathaniel Rich

 

Of cosh in between we will do our own reading as I’m also into comics and Chinese books etc. currently I’m at the 2nd book of the latest Murakami book in Chinese. Not an enjoyable read for me despite me being a murakami fan..

 

 

[Guest HiddenValues]

I recently finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It was a very light and surprisingly enjoyable read; I had tried one or two of his earlier works years ago and I remembered I couldn't get into them. 

 

I also read The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. I was drawn by its very promising premise but... 

 

I'm currently reading volume 1 of Best New Singaporean Short Stories in order to get a  more current appreciation of our local writing scene. 

[Guest Guest]

Being a serious reader with an interest in reading, I highly recommend you to read works by Russell Lee.

 

He really can write very well and his books are very popular as many people like to read hus books.

 

Another good read is 50 Shade of Grey. This book is also very popular and even made into movies. It is not a story about old people as many people mistaken. The story line is very intense. If you lazy or no time, can watch the movie instead.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

I used to read books that I loan from the library. Usually read on my way to work either on bus or train.

 

Last year I noticed that my eye sight s getting bad and my astigmatism got worst. So I switch to audio book. 

 

My last audio book which I just completed about 3 days ago was Origin by Dan brown. As usual the story was compelling and I soon got sucked into Robert Langdon's race in Spain. 

 

On average I read about 2 books a month. 

 

 

[LionZoned]

I'm a big fan of fiction myself, especially fantasy and science fiction. I hardly read non fiction; it has to be particularly interesting, I think the last non fiction book I read was about copywriting. 

 

I'm always looking for more book recommendations, especially in the fiction category!

 

If anyone wants to read an author with really good and expansive world building with great characters and intricate magic systems I highly recommend Brandon Sanderson 

Edited May 5, 2018 by LionZoned

[wuyong]

I don't read much fiction nowadays. Currently reading Manuel DeLanda's Intensive Science and Virtual Philosophy. 

[Russ]

Heavy but historically important for our community, history of Fridae.com and Stuart Koe -- Imagining Gay Paradise by Gary Atkins.

 

Waited a long time for the price of Three Body Problem's Vol 3 to drop. Finally will start it soon, after finishing this highly recommended tome: 

 

Paper Menagerie, international award winning stories by Ken Liu (who did the best translation for Three Body). I looked at the first couple of pages and couldn't leave the shop without buying it!

 

Waiting to be savoured, Fragrant Orchid,  Li Xianglan autobiography.

[NewbieOnboard]

Wonder - RJ Palacio

And the Montains Echoed - Khaled Hosseini

When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

 

[Butterscotch]

On 2/1/2018 at 8:47 PM, thousandred said:

I am embarking on a quest to finish 2-3 books a month, even though my annual goal is a book a month.

 

Good luck on your goal! I've also set a goal to finish 12 books this year, though hopefully I'll get to hit more. Would graphic novels count?

 

If anyone is interested in young adult fiction, I am recommending Benjamin Alire Saenz's Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. Read this for my book club and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed and liked it.

[riverrobles]

I bought two from a fair in Clarke Quay and got me interested in buying Singapore literature, reading it now:

1. Let's Give It Up For Gimme Lao by Sebastian Sin - fiction 

2. Friday's with Philip -  a collection of Phillip Lee's  articles about Singapore society

[Sh3rlock]

I have finished reading The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng 10 days ago. Since then it was particularly the multiple sub themes of the book that ensured I could not get it out of my mind.

 

The main theme is the relationship between a young man and his older Japanese sensei, who introduces the young man to akido and undertakes to train him. Set in pre-war Penang, this relationship is soon complicated by the occupation of Malaysia by the Japanese. Especially showing Tan Twan Eng’s craftsmanship as a writer, is the way he uses the description of their akido training sessions as metaphor for their developing physical relationship. 

 

The sub sub themes woven into this enthralling and enchanting story are diverse and a combination of western and eastern philosophies on life including predestination, reincarnation, and our purpose in life.  

 

Highly recommended and I am looking forward to reading his second novel Garden of the Evening Mist.

 

Currently re-readingThe Secret History of the World by Jonathan Black.

Edited August 11, 2018 by Sh3rlock

[randomperson]

.A

Edited May 1, 2020 by randomperson

[heliumduck]

On 6/25/2018 at 11:34 PM, heliumduck said:

send you 2 books

 

Daring greatly by Brene Brown

https://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=daring greatly&amp;search=Find+book

https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Greatly-Courage-Vulnerable-Transforms-ebook/dp/B007P7HRS4/ref=sr_1_1

 

the courage to be disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

https://www.bookdepository.com/search?searchTerm=courage+to+be+disliked&amp;search=Find+book

https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Be-Disliked-yourself-happiness-ebook/dp/B074TWG8V7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1529940845&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=courage+to+be+disliked

 

quote from another thread to repost

[HC-B]

Singaporean writers have yet to perfect the art of a really great novel that one can really sink one’s eyes and teeth into with hearty satisfaction and come away from it with feeling and a reeling mind. The last satisfactory read by a local writer was, for me, Mammon Inc by Hwee Hwee Tan. Still, we have good writers: Amanda Lee Koe’s Ministry of Moral Panic and Alfian Sa’at’s A History of Amnesia cover topical issues relevant to our society and collective psyche.

 

Malaysia has a gem of writer in Tan Twan Eng with The Garden of Evening Mists. It is captivating, poignant, personal, multifaceted, doesn’t trivialise the Melayan experience or demonise the Japanese in describing the Japanese Occupation but offers a different perspective. The subtle anecdote about the Japanese pilot captain, his infatuation and affection for his junior cadet and the choice he ultimately made to show and prove it, embedded in a tale to highlight humanity during inhumane times, is written very movingly.

 

Of all his novels, the best Neil Gaiman, and the one to start if one has yet to read any of his titles, has to be Neverwhere. Followed by American Gods, Coraline and then Stardust.

 

Hans Rosling’s Factfulness warrants repeat readings. It’s easy and simple to understand yet arms one with a skill in looking at and receiving statistics and trends and interpreting them in a more critical and logical manner.

 

With the Netflix dramatisation, Margaret Atwood is finally in fashion. An avowed fan, I recommend A Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, Good Bones, Alias Grace and, the first Atwood I read that started my journey and the best in my opinion, The Blind Assassin.

 

John Le Carré’s The Little Drummer Girl is the current pageturner for me. Just started and it’s potentially up there, if all goes well, with The Constant Gardener, Smiley’s People and A Most Wanted Man.

Edited October 22, 2018 by HC-B

[heliumduck]

On 5/14/2018 at 2:33 AM, NewbieOnboard said:

Wonder - RJ Palacio

And the Montains Echoed - Khaled Hosseini

When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi

 

1

 

Wonder  is a great boook

 

 

so much fiction in this thread though haha

[wuyong]

Continuing my non fiction reads: 

 

Machine learning - Alpaydin

 

Philosophy of biology - Garvey

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by wuyong

[Cube3]

Mostly entertaining reads on a getaway. Lately running out of good sci-fi/fantasy at NLB, just started on Terry Goodkind's Seeker series (i.e. TV series Legend of the Seeker). Highly readable!

[tomcat]

anyone into speculative sci-fi can try Bird Box by Josh Malerman.

interesting premise, especially for those who like apocalypse type settings.
Bird Box is being adapted into a film, starring Sandra Bullock, Sarah Paulson.



another long time favourite is A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.

what can I say about this book, other than Life-Changing!

Edited October 23, 2018 by tomcat

[Sh3rlock]

21 hours ago, HC-B said:

Singaporean writers have yet to perfect the art of a really great novel that one can really sink one’s eyes and teeth into with hearty satisfaction and come away from it with feeling and a reeling mind. The last satisfactory read by a local writer was, for me, Mammon Inc by Hwee Hwee Tan. Still, we have good writers: Amanda Lee Koe’s Ministry of Moral Panic and Alfian Sa’at’s A History of Amnesia cover topical issues relevant to our society and collective psyche.

 

Malaysia has a gem of writer in Tan Twan Eng with The Garden of Evening Mists. It is captivating, poignant, personal, multifaceted, doesn’t trivialise the Melayan experience or demonise the Japanese in describing the Japanese Occupation but offers a different perspective. The subtle anecdote about the Japanese pilot captain, his infatuation and affection for his junior cadet and the choice he ultimately made to show and prove it, embedded in a tale to highlight humanity during inhumane times, is written very movingly.

 

Of all his novels, the best Neil Gaiman, and the one to start if one has yet to read any of his titles, has to be Neverwhere. Followed by American Gods, Coraline and then Stardust.

 

Hans Rosling’s Factfulness warrants repeat readings. It’s easy and simple to understand yet arms one with a skill in looking at and receiving statistics and trends and interpreting them in a more critical and logical manner.

 

With the Netflix dramatisation, Margaret Atwood is finally in fashion. An avowed fan, I recommend A Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, Good Bones, Alias Grace and, the first Atwood I read that started my journey and the best in my opinion, The Blind Assassin.

 

John Le Carré’s The Little Drummer Girl is the current pageturner for me. Just started and it’s potentially up there, if all goes well, with The Constant Gardener, Smiley’s People and A Most Wanted Man.

Omgosh! Glad to hear someone else into John Le Carrè! Got hooked by The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and was completely sold after Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Just love the way he allows and even demands the reader to become the spy. 

[pansapiens]

I will always ALWAYS recommend anything by Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, Susannah Clarke, Garth Nix, and Bill Bryson.

 

I did binge Robert Ludlum, back in university days, but spy thrillers lost their shine for me eventually. I'm currently slowly slogging through The Sarawak Report, though, which feels very much the same sometimes!