Bookhunt: What's the name of a sci-fi novel involving giant engines forming in a ring shape around the Earth? I seem to remember the title being a word with four letters in it. [more inside]
posted by CrystalDave on Dec 1, 2009 - 6 answers

YAWTBF (Yet Another "What's That Book?" Filter): I'm trying to find a book that I loved as a child (early '80s). The book was written from the perspective of a garter snake as he slithered around a little chunk of wilderness bordered by a road. [more inside]
posted by 256 on Nov 2, 2009 - 2 answers

I'm trying to remember the title and author of a young adult sci-fi novel from the early '90s (or earlier) with a character named Alana (or Alanna) and a boy who gets taken to another world. Help! [more inside]
posted by ilana on Sep 17, 2009 - 1 answer

Yet-Another-Bookfilter - I'm trying to find an 80s-ish sci-fi book that I want to think was called "The War of Forgetting". The premise was something along the lines of: two warring factions get devices, described as "battery powered, about the size of a pocket calculator, with three antennae" which can take large cubic sections of space ( hundreds of feet on a side ) and "store" them in the device, removing them from our reality. The problem is that when something is removed, people's memories of the area/thing are removed as well - so everyone forgets what was removed and why. Later in the book, as reality gets more swiss-cheesed, people try randomly restoring these blocks and the results aren't pretty. I've been trying to find this book off and on for years, now I come to you good folk for help. Yes, it's somewhat ironic that I can't remember the title. :-)
posted by HannoverFist on Aug 25, 2009 - 9 answers

[Bookfilter] Help me find a book from my sister-in-law's childhood about a princess called fenella. [more inside]
posted by hmca on Jul 21, 2009 - 7 answers

For years, my mom has been talking about tracking down a children's book she remembers reading in the 50's. She swears it's part of the Little Golden Books series, and it tells the story of a town that feeds a snowman ice cream until he explodes, causing the town to be blanketed with ice cream. Does this ring any bells? [more inside]
posted by Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld on Jul 7, 2009 - 4 answers

Travel writing recommendations that compare with the work of Kevin Rushby? [more inside]
posted by cinemafiend on Jun 23, 2009 - 6 answers

HELP! middle school/high school short story bookfilter *for Christmas! [more inside]
posted by parmanparman on Dec 12, 2008 - 1 answer

BookFilter: Looking to reread a historical novel (probably romance) with Maimonides as a character. No clue as to title or author. [more inside]
posted by terrortubby on Dec 12, 2008 - 3 answers

Book Filter: Help me identify the book about a con man or hustler that my friend's husband heard about on the radio recently [more inside]
posted by gemmy on Dec 10, 2008 - 13 answers

BookFilter: My reading list is getting very short and I'm looking to the hivemind to help me queue up a few more books to get me by. [more inside]
posted by wavering on Aug 27, 2008 - 32 answers

BookFilter: I read a story a long time ago about a sort of near-future sci-fi-ish setting where all human beings in the world were rendered sterile thanks to a man-made virus, but I can't remember what it was called. Help! [more inside]
posted by Xany on Aug 16, 2008 - 23 answers

Kids' book filter: Two sisters, possibly twins, one a brunette named Natalie but known as Tilly, English, involves going to stay in the country and horses, most likely published in the early-mid 80s (when I read it), possibly a trilogy or a series. Any help with the title or author would much appreciated!
posted by goo on Jul 14, 2008 - 6 answers

Bookfilter: I remember a kid being misled into thinking you're a robot (or some kind of cyborg) if it hurts when you chew on tinfoil. There's [more inside]
posted by shownomercy on Oct 17, 2006 - 1 answer

BookFilter: I'm looking for a book with a sort of Lovecraftian tone, than I remember being called "The Man with the Staff of Light", except it sounded cooler than that does. It involved a traveller in the Wandering Jew archetype whose distinguishing feature is his glowing staff, and who seems to act as a witness to the decay of all around him. [more inside]
posted by scrim on Apr 19, 2005 - 2 answers

AnotherLostChildren'sBookFilter

I am looking for two children's books by the same author. One is about a carved wooden indian in a canoe that makes an amazing journey. The other is about a hermit crab as it makes its way through various new shells. My 3rd grade teacher read them to us, and I loved them, but I can't remember anything useful like author or title. Thanks!
posted by omphale27 on Dec 31, 2004 - 8 answers

Looking for this book. [more inside]
posted by turbanhead on Dec 13, 2004 - 5 answers

Bookfilter: It's the day after the end of the world. What book and or books would you want to be able to rebuild? You know, if you want to be able to hunt, plant crops, make clothes, make tools, etc. How does the well educated gentleman prepare for the Apocalypse, practically? Other than the Foxfire books, what should I buy? [more inside]
posted by geekhorde on Sep 27, 2004 - 20 answers

Bookfilter: Trying to find the title of a book I read about / was told about. I recall it being explained as a large number of short stories ('26' sticks in my brain), each written from the perspective of a different passenger in a train / subway car. That's all I've got.
posted by adamkempa on May 26, 2004 - 4 answers

My niece just called and asked about a book. Her description didn't strike any chords, so I thought I'd try the denizens of AskMe.

The theme is a future where noone has a name, only a number. Noone thinks in terms of individuality, and terms like "I" and "me" are not used. The protagonist of the book meets someone who is not bound by those strictures and learns to think like an individual. The last line of the book is something along the lines of "I am" or "I am (somename)".

Ring a bell with anyone?
posted by joaquim on Jan 9, 2004 - 22 answers