Forumosa Book Club

I’m starting to read more books. Any recommendations? I was thinking the book Jordan Peterson always refers to, Gulag Archipelago. Has anyone read it?

What’s the objective? Are you looking for something to relax, something to learn, or something to broaden your political viewpoints?

I’ve read about 1/4 of Gulag Archipelago. I didn’t finish it because it belonged to the hostel where I was staying on Orchid Island and I never came across another copy. Seemed like a good book.

If you’re looking for other “serious” fiction I’d recommend Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.

Blood Meridian is excellent, but I’d recommend starting with All the Pretty Horses and then the rest of the Border trilogy if you’re going to read Cormac McCarthy.

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@Andrew0409 my son gave it a 5-star review

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Cities of the Plain. That ending. That ending just followed me around for days.

…or sharpen them.

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Start with Child of God.

Yeah, this works too, as a starting point.

Try the public library. :slightly_smiling_face:

Something interesting.

Novels

  • Matterhorn
  • The Sympathizer

Nonfiction

  • Sex at Dawn
  • 100 million years of food
  • Opium and Empire
  • The walkable city
  • The Intelligent Investor
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Sounds like something I should read since i’m in finance. Thanks for the recommendations.

In that case also check out A Random Walk Down Wall Street and The Little Book of Common Sense Investing.

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@Andrew0409 this topic prompted an hour long discussion w my son on why communism isn’t just an economic policy, but a breeding ground for corruption. As heart-wrenching as the book is, he made it sound like a necessary read.

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I will def check it out! ANything else he thinks is a necessary read?

That’s kind of outdated.

How to Talk About Money is the book I gave my son and my aunt’s grandson. I recommend it to nearly any student who will listen.

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The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition

His Dark Materials

Fahrenheit 451

Moby Dick

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I bought “The Sympathizer” a year or so ago, but haven’t read it. Might have to read it. I would recommend “Sapiens:
A History of Mankind” as an interesting non-fiction read.

I used to read like 20-30 books a year. Since I had a baby though it’s now like 2 to 3. :disappointed: I can’t blame it all on parenthood though as I’m also becoming a lazy Netflix addict. :sob:

I’m trying to get back in the habit though. Earlier this year I read ‘Revolutionary Road’ and ‘Pachinko’, which I’d both recommend. Next I’m going to try ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

You may like ‘Pachinko’ due to your Korean heritage. I included the Wikipedia link above so you could skim the first few lines of the plot synopsis, but it’s basically about the hardships a Korean expat family has to endure living in a ghetto in wartime Japan.

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