Book recommendations for a nautical reader.
March 11, 2012 4:31 AM Subscribe
Book recommendations for late 30's Australian Marine Engineer currently stuck on naval ship on the way to the Middle East?
He loves:
Kinky Friedman
Neal Stephenson
Terry Pratchett
Hoping to get him into a few new writers! Maybe even some books set in the Middle East or his other favourite country Thailand?
He loves:
Kinky Friedman
Neal Stephenson
Terry Pratchett
Hoping to get him into a few new writers! Maybe even some books set in the Middle East or his other favourite country Thailand?
Best answer: Iain M Banks sci fi is a lot of fun
posted by mattoxic at 5:00 AM on March 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by mattoxic at 5:00 AM on March 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'm really digging Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson, an alternate history novel about the Islamic and Chinese civilizations, by a renowned sci-fi author (the Mars Trilogy). Since a lot of the story is set near where he's going and contains a lot of real history, it might be relevant as well as entertaining.
posted by Joe Chip at 5:05 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Joe Chip at 5:05 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Tim Dorsey writes wacky mysteries, which might appeal to his Kinky Friedman-digging side.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:12 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:12 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
The book 1421 is a popular history book about an interesting period in Chinese naval history, among other things putting forward the thesis that the Chinese discovered Australia before the Dutch, and it ties in nicely to Years of Rice and Salt if he's going to read that.
posted by Joe Chip at 5:34 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by Joe Chip at 5:34 AM on March 11, 2012
How about Jasper Fforde? The Thursday Next series is a lot of fun.
He also could get a real kick out of the Lemony Snickett A Series of Unfortunate Events.
I also would put Neil Gaiman at the intersection of Stephenson and Pratchett. Maybe suggest Good Omens?
posted by Mchelly at 5:35 AM on March 11, 2012
He also could get a real kick out of the Lemony Snickett A Series of Unfortunate Events.
I also would put Neil Gaiman at the intersection of Stephenson and Pratchett. Maybe suggest Good Omens?
posted by Mchelly at 5:35 AM on March 11, 2012
This is nothing like the books you mention, but as an engineer has he read Nevil Shute?
posted by paduasoy at 5:50 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by paduasoy at 5:50 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Stuck on a ship? Perhaps it's time to dive into the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. A true pleasure at whatever point in your life you choose to save them for!
posted by fairmettle at 6:43 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by fairmettle at 6:43 AM on March 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Year of Rice and Salt is a great suggestion. Also, The City and The City might resonate if he feels culturally out-of-place in his destination.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 7:31 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 7:31 AM on March 11, 2012
Best answer: Big Kinky Friedman & Prattchett fan here. Seconding Tim Dorsey. Love his Serge Storms books. Dave Barry wrote a couple of mystery/caper books, Big Trouble and Tricky Business . Jasper Fforde has two books that are parrallel to his Thursday Next series that I enjoyed even more than the Thursday Next books.
posted by KingEdRa at 8:07 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by KingEdRa at 8:07 AM on March 11, 2012
Best answer: John Burdett’s series featuring Royal Thai Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep.
posted by mlis at 8:22 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by mlis at 8:22 AM on March 11, 2012
Peter F Hamilton - the Void Trilogy series or the Commonwealth Saga
posted by iamabot at 8:52 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by iamabot at 8:52 AM on March 11, 2012
Game of Thrones is suitably wordy and enthralling for boat reading. It doesn't exactly resolve by the last available book (haha) but it's a good yarn.
posted by fshgrl at 11:24 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by fshgrl at 11:24 AM on March 11, 2012
Best answer: He might enjoy the works of Carl Hiaasen.
posted by mogget at 11:55 AM on March 11, 2012
posted by mogget at 11:55 AM on March 11, 2012
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posted by backwards guitar at 4:47 AM on March 11, 2012