I read.
A lot.
Probably more than the average person but less than the weakest scholar. To be honest, I find more calm in literature than I do most types of music. I don’t particularly hang out & sip coffee at Borders and I’m not a member of any book club. How I come across books is fairly simple – some upon suggestion, others by random selection. I can spend ten minutes in a store, look @ fifty covers, recognize the names of twenty authors & read the back covers of ten…then walk out with five books to read over a two to four week span.
So with that said, here’s a few recent books I’ve read and a cursory overview, plus a “yay” or “nay” towards them. You could always read an Amazon review, but I presume you’d like an even more personal response to some of these. Therefore I’m here for you my friend.
In the comments, feel free to make suggestions for good reads as well because that’s more of the actual purpose of this post.
Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem
A murder mystery with the lead character being a detective with a mean case of Tourette’s syndrome, word to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. A little confusing at times, but that may be part of the draw.
No Lights, No Sirens: The Corruption and Redemption of an Inner City Cop by Robert Cea
Can’t wait on The Wire or want something to read in between weekly episodes? This story of a corrupt cop & his “Redemption” is more about their crooked ways, cop slang &crackheads…and a page-turner.
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto by Chuck Klosterman
I actually picked this one up after seeing it recommended in Complex a few months ago. If you’re a fan of pop culture & music as a whole, this one might be for you. Any author that can effortlessly ramble & relate on topics ranging from The Dixie Chicks to the 80′s Lakers-Celts rivalry and Billy Joel. Very well-written & funny but a bit prolonged at times.
Snitch: Informants, Cooperators, and the Corruption of Justice by Ethan Brown
Personal bias aside, this book clocks in a notch under Queens Reigns Supreme. It starts as if you can plan on being completely overwhelmed by the legal jargon involved, which can be discouraging. But with poignant examples of the foul relationship between DA’s, informants & the federal guidelines that influence them, Ethan manages to break it down to a level of understanding to where you’ll be able to hold conversations on 5K motions, mandatory minimums & downward departures in sentencing guidelines. Edutainment at it’s finest.
The Book of Useless Information by Noel Botham
One of the best bathroom readerers ever. I’ve literally found myself in conversations about this book on planes, @ work & in the drive-thru line @ Dairy Queen (hey, the lady asked). One of the Amazon reviews on the first page says “I found enough false information in this book that it renders the book useless, unless you like to spend your time searching Google to verify facts…”. Motherfucker, I didn’t say I believed everything in the book…but I was damn sure entertaining & it made my mind drift, imagining some of the possibilities. Buy it used & enjoy.
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People by Toby Young
I actually picked this one up after having tried to read Carnegie’s How To Win Friends & Influence People. After a few chapters, I deemed my fate to be that I’d have a lonely funeral & that it was useless to maintain my personal Myspace because I’d rather not have friends @ the cost of reading such a boring tome.
Unless there’s some jewel hidden in the latter, pick up Young’s book instead and prepare to laugh as he details his rise & fall in New York’s print media. If you deal with the music industry, labels, promotional companies and the ilk, you will be able to relate. If you don’t, after reading this, you’ll be glad you don’t have to.
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Well, if you like vampire stories, check out Midnight Mass, and the rest of that series of books. Kind of mirrors the original I Am Legend text somewhat.
I can also link you to this thread on one of my favorite forums: http://www.armoredcore.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2197
rich dad poor dad – what the rich teach their children about money that the poor dont
48 laws of power – robert greene
Get Smarter: Life and Business Lessons by Seymour Schulich – how to get that corporate paper and infiltrate the suits
ch’yea
How in the hell do you have time to read books?
This is why I respect TSS fresh!
Check out 2012 The Return of Quetzacoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck.
It’s listed as new age and does kinda fit that category, but has some ill perspectives about human consciousness.
A very psychedelic read.
Your niece wrote this post… lol… if she didn’t then ur a role model u smart person u.
word to Big Fonz… I’m a book lover too, but G, where in the hell do you find time to read a book???
lol…it’s one of only two working sedatives for me.
they all sound interesting, will have to make it on the library trip one day. i’m going to quit complaining about not enough time to do everything, if you have time to read with everything else you’re doing. just time to step the game up.
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto seems like a good read… reviews aren’t bad either. I think I’mma pick this one up @ Barnes & Noble while I’m out today…
@ Koolaid… Rich Dad, Poor Dad seems interesting as well…. good lookin’ out on that one.
Although its an old novel …. I would suggest everyone read “Miles The Autobiography with Miles Davis and Quincey Troupe”.
Since we all have this universal affection for music and the history behind it this is a GOOD READ! It reads as if Miles is sitting right next to you on the couch.
Its a text that almost mirrors The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Someone who is down and out who brings themselves up out the gutter and makes something of their life kinda way.
^ Books are only “old” to people who read on the regular IMO.
@ Gotty, thanks for posting that Mark Ronson & Rhymefest – Man In The Mirror joint yesterday… that shit’s kinda hot.
^ I’ve read Miles autobiography. It was great. Entetaining, revealing, a bit intricate @ times (when discussing music).
Rich Dad…was one I couldn’t get into. Seemed more “self-help”/inspirational, at least the little bit I read.
Finding time to read is hard but I’ve made it a part of my day, whether it be a few pgs or chapters. Just squeeze it in where I can.
i hope they serve beer in hell – tucker max
Haha, I was going to suggest it. Read that months ago & that shit was fuckin hilarious. Dude’s stories have to be fictional in some parts b/c there’s no way you could do all the shit he said he’s done & still be alive & healthy lol
This is what makes TSS the best…
I read alot too, philisophical books for school… the usual onces: Dante’s divine comedy and whatnot… shit will ruin your life, you’ll never see thigns the same
yeah reading…i remeber the Giver. that was intense, i got alot of old book I had to read for highschool back in the day, they are great still tho..the crucible, walden, moby dick. i like those books that tak you to another place, let your imagination free.
Perfect summary of Chuck Klosterman Gotty – however, ‘Fargo Rock City’ is his best in my opinion and I’m not even a big fan of heavy metal
I agree with someone who suggested The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene. You gotta check it out.
Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary; by Jasmine Guy. Its a good semi TSS related read.
The Good Earth is my all time favorite not TSS related.
We actually have the book of useless information in our bathroom right next to the playboy. Comes in handy during those busch light created number 2′s.
“Miracle In The Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story”
about the psu player who was paralyzed in a game in 2001(?) and his recovery/family…..great read for football/psu fans, but overall really touching and emotional.
Anything written by James Swain. Start with Grift Sense.
Tuckermax.com
^^has all but one story from his book plus a lot more. I bought it and didn’t realize the stories were all online til afterwards.
@ D Carter – little tmi on the whole busch lite bm’s but it’s all good we all been there with our favorite malted beverages….on the reading tip – let me suggest anything by chuck palahniuk (author of fight club) guy’s books are fuckin insane
Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary; by Jasmine Guy.
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Read that after hearing Afeni speak @ a local univ.
K1NG – Reading the book feels much better than reading all that shit online lol.
Comes in handy during those busch light created number 2′s.
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ROFL
like Geo from the Blue Scholars said, “if you got time to take a shit, you got time to read a book”.
check out some Salman Rushdie. i started w/The Satanic Verses, and hit up the rest of his catalog from there. i’d suggest Fury, The Ground Beneath Her Feet and East, West, and The Moor’s Last Sigh.
also, Makes Me Wanna Holler by Nathan McCall was an extremely good read.
if you’re minding your wallet, the best place to get books (if you already know what you’re looking for) is half.com.
You guys should check out The White Boy Shuffle by Paul Beatty (misleading title). It’s a bout a black “surfer boy” who grows up in Orange County or some shit but his mom moves him to South Central (I think) to give him a taste of struggle. One of my favorite books, very funny and will have you thinking at the end.
Homicide a year in the killing streets- David Simon
just more great writing from the creator of The Wire and the tv show Homicide.
cormac mccarthy – the road.
bleak as fuck, but a really good read.
No disrespect to those who mentioned it (truly / sincerely)…
But we need to move beyond the 48 Laws.
Good reading… however, there are so many great works out there…
Please check out some new materials.
It simply came to my attention upon reading this that every time Gotty makes a book post…
That title comes up again (and again).
Too much emphasis is placed upon it.
Apologies if I have offended anyone.
48 is good, but it should only be a starting point, not an end. I’ve got a few more books that I didn’t mention that are all based around dealing w/people, the art of the deal, communication, etc etc, which was what I learned from peepin 48 (after orig reading The Prince & AOW of course)
Conversations with God is a very good read, but it’s a mindfuck of a book which needs re-reading a good few times just to digest where you stand on what you are reading.
The Monk who sold his Ferrari – Robin S Sharma. Good too, spiritual and something that makes you think about who you are.
Conversations with God
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Tried to read that joint but uhhh…I guess i’m going to hell lol. Not that I’m sacrireligious but it didn’t move me. Maybe I’ll try to reread it.
read the conversations. wasnt too impressed.
Blink by malcolm gladwell was nice. or mybe i was just that bored
Gotty,
Glad to see you’ve got a post on your latest reads. I see you mentioned the Dale Carnegie book. You found that boring? It changed the way I look at things and helped me understand what makes people really tick. I thought it was a good read but I guess it did start off kinda slow. I’m going to check out the book you rec’d instead but I think you should give Dale’s book a second read.
I’m not much of a fiction guy but I must recommend (if you haven’t already read it) I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Yes, it’s the novel that the movie with Will Smith is based off and no, I didn’t read it because of the movie. Stephen King has said that it was his most influential book. Can you dig that? Keep us updated on your new reads.
hmm, evertime I read a “book post” I get to saying, “I’ma start reading again”. But hell, it is a new year. This maybe something I could stick to; I have several vice’s I may need to control a bit better: this lil one of not reading books, should be easy comparatively. Great post though. Will def ck some of these.
Of all the above, only read “Rich Dad Poor Dad” eh, informative I guess. Anything financial like that can change with the times. And it only does any good, if u implement.
i need them raekwon the vatician mixtapes
talib n madlib
sumbody help me out
For some seriously humors reading check out the books by John Swartzwelder – a writer for the early Simpsons – some of his books -”The Time Machine Did It” , “How I Conquered Your Planet”, and “The Exploding Detective”