A Novel Idea

beagle001

beagle001

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Nort Central WI
Hey folks,
I know we've shared lots of nonfiction book ideas on here, but sometimes a good novel hits the spot. So, what are some novels you'd recommend?
I used my Audible trial to listen to Guthrie's The Big Sky and Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian. Both are highly recommended, but now I really want to actually read them.
I'd heard McCarthy's stuff was difficult to read, but I'm looking forward to digging in.
Everyone has seen "The Outlaw Josey Wales" but Forest Carter's duo of stories Gone to Texas and The Vengeance Trail of Josey Wales are better than Eastwood.

Next on my list are McCarthy's Border Trilogy and Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove
 
The border trilogiy is a great place to start. It would be helpful if you know a little Spanish, I found myself googling quite a bit. I'm a big fan of Jim Harrison as well, especially Wolf, being from Michigan. When I'm hunting I usually carry around a paperback western. Easy to read and a good distraction if you need a break. But, they're also not works of art that you have to rack your brain to comprehend or find the subliminal message. The Longarm series by Tabor Evans (and ghostwriters) is a favorite of mine.


I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Gone to Texas after seeing this.
 
The Border Trilogy is good, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Our library allows us to download audio books through the Hoopla app. I really like it and its free! Might be an option for you.

I like books in series and here are some of my favorites in non-fiction:
Joe Pickett series by CJ Box
Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn
Scott Horvath series by Brad Thor
Kyle Swanson series by Jack Coughlin
Sackett series by Louis L'amour
Swagger series by Stephen Hunter (later ones are kinds meh)
Khan series by Conn Iggulden
Michael Bowditch series by Paul Doiron

On thing I dislike about series is not reading/listening to them in order. I use the website fantastic fiction to look up the order of the books. Also, many of their suggestions relating to that content have been good as well.
 
Larry McMurtry is probably my favorite author. Other books of his I would recommend is the horseman pass by, leaving Cheyenne, and Berrybender narratives and the Whole lonesome dove series.

McCarthy Can be a bit heavy at times. The border trilogy it’s a great group of the books,no country for old men is a good read, the road is dark and heavy. But a good book.

Others off the top my head Blood and Thunder by Hampton sides and Empire of the summer moon by S.C Gwynne.
 
Nick Adams stories by Hemmingway (or anything by Papa).

Anything by Ivan Doig

River Why by Duncan

Anything Geirach (can get monotonous, especially if you aren't super into fly fishing, but easy and fun stuff).
 
Border Trilogy wasn't all that hard for me but in Cities of the Plains he went through about 30 pages there where he might have been chewing some mushrooms or other mind expanding substance. Well worth reading though.

If you get into crime, politics, etc. the David Baldacci books are pretty good, as are the Stuart Woods tomes featuring Stone Barrington as the main character.

I believe Noharleyyet is a big McCarthy fan and could give a concise review on all his output.
 
beagle001 said:
I used my Audible trial to listen but now I really want to actually read them.
Click to expand...

I've never really understood the distinction, I personally don't really see a distinction between, reading hamlet, listening to hamlet on audible, watching a live play, or watching a movie version if they are all word for word the same.

I have discussed this a couple of times with friends, and often posed...would their be a difference in reading a book in braille and reading with your eyes? Seems like if there is a difference between hearing and seeing words there would be with touching them? Also what about watching Hamlet with closed caption?

I definitely liked, The Border Trilogy and the work's by Doig (mandatory reading in our household as my wife is a Doig), but I tend to find myself lately steering more towards scifi/fantasy, historical fiction, and then Russian lit. My all times favorites would be the Herbert's Dune cannon, The Kingkiller Chronicles by Rothfuss, Foundation Trilogy by Asimov, Shibumi by Trevanian and Anna Karenina, War and Peace by Tolstoy, and Fall of Giants from Follett.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
wllm1313 said:
I've never really understood the distinction, I personally don't really see a distinction between, reading hamlet, listening to hamlet on audible, watching a live play, or watching a movie version if they are all word for word the same.

I have discussed this a couple of times with friends, and often posed...would their be a difference in reading a book in braille and reading with your eyes? Seems like if there is a difference between hearing and seeing words there would be with touching them? Also what about watching Hamlet with closed caption?
Click to expand...

I use audible, but I think there is a big difference. When I read something I find profound, or maybe just complicated, I read it, then re-read it. I go back a few paragraphs and read again to fully absorb it. For me it helps.

I listened to Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman on Audible. I then read it, and found that reading it was far more beneficial.


I rarely read fiction and technically it is a novella but for me nothing beats A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean. Everyone knows A River Runs Through It, but the other two stories are equally as good in my opinion.
 
Lucas Davenport Prey series (John Sandford)
Virgil Flowers series (John Sandfod)
Cork O'Connor series (William Kent Krueger)
Oliver Stone series (David Baldacci)
John Corey series (Nelson DeMille)
Walt Longmire series (Craig Johnson)
 
I've talked to a lot of people recently who I was surprised to learn have never read Rick Bass. This bummed me out. Read Rick Bass.
 
McCarthy is worth the persistence..especially the heavy ones. Suttree was the toughest to stick to and finish, but it is stunning, to say the least.
 
noharleyyet said:
McCarthy is worth the persistence..especially the heavy ones. Suttree was the toughest to stick to and finish, but it is stunning, to say the least.
Click to expand...

Suttree was rough, but an excellent novel. His best remains Blood Meridian. The Border Trilogy is light fare compared to those two.

Hemingway's novels and short stories continue to inspire.

And I really enjoy Henry Miller's work.

The Lost Generation had some brilliant novelists. The Beats had a few as well. Kerouac's books are all fun and easy to read. Ken Kesey's stuff is a blast as well.
 
Love the classics.
Is Hammett a classic now? John D. Mcdonald?
I got od'ed on Lamour...
Love Sandfords books.
Is Great River too taxing?
McCarthy can seem daunting,but worth it.
 
Lamour and J. Johnstone put out great books as well as series.
Sacketts all the way.
Smoke Jensen series books are a great read!(Johnstone)
 
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