My Favorite Books
A few people have asked me what books inspired me to write. I like several different categories and I guess if I were to pick a favorite, it would be non-fiction biographies. I also like science fiction, humor, new fiction and other random works.
To make a list of my favorite books complete, I have to start at the beginning. In Kindergarten, I hated reading and didn’t pick up a book for fun until about the fifth grade. Side note, I don’t expect the readers of this blog to immediately look up these look up these early titles and click “buy it now.” These titles are listed to provide some perspective into my twisted mind.
My first favorite book was The New Adventures of The Mad Scientists Club by Bertrand Brinley. It was about a bunch of kids who had boy-type adventures with loose technology tie-ins. I must have read that book at least 10 times. I still have my beat-up copy and recently, I looked it over. It had a basic writing style with some good story aspects. Perfect for a kid learning how to read.
Later, in junior high, I read the book, Lightning in His Hand, the Life-Story of Nikola Tesla by Inez Hunt. Tesla was an amazing man and I wanted to know everything about my hero. Recently I glanced at a few pages. I was surprised that it did more to glorify the man rather than present the facts. I was also surprised that the copyright date was 1964. The writing was basic, but this story was perfect for a kid who wanted to learn about the world.
There were, of course, the Hardy Boys series as well as a book called, Torpedo Run by Robb White. These were the typical young boy adventure books. I read all the available books of this genre at our local library. I also recall a favorite book that I am struggling to remember the title. It was about 2 boys taking a white-water rafting raft trip down the Grand Canyon. One of the boys was named crowbar. Growing up, I wanted so badly to have an adventure like that. Friends like that as well…
In high school, I enrolled in more advanced English classes and I got into the classics. Jack London! What an author. I loved White Fang and Call of the Wild. Another favorite book was A Bell for Adano by John Hersey. This was the first book that really got me hooked on great writing. A fantastic story with real heart and drama. Then there was Earnest Hemingway, For Whom The Bell Tolls and Old Man And The Sea. What an author! His words had so much depth and perspective.
Notably missing from this new found reading experience was science fiction. At that point in my life, I had no interest. One day, a friend loaned me his copy of Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy. I was hooked. I read everything by Douglas Adams and then began branching out into other science fiction. Also missing from this early list was non-fiction. To me, reading about real events wasn’t interesting. Also, well-written non-fiction books for kids weren’t popular at the time.
Surprisingly, in college, I reverted to reading less. Part of the reason was that I didn’t have the time. It was study or perish. Plus, while I took several English classes, [I have an English minor] the classes didn’t go beyond what I had studied in high school. In fact, I often I re-read the same books. Alright, truth. Sometimes I didn’t re-read them. I still had the same high school write-ups/reports and I tweaked them to fit what my college professors asked for. While writing this blog, I came to an understanding about my college English experience. Based on my fellow students, East Coast schools were much stronger in math, but they were weaker in English. An interesting revelation.
After college, reading held no interest as I had forgotten how much fun it was to just read. I also didn’t like going to libraries because I had to give the books back [my mother was no longer in charge of keeping track of what books were borrowed] and books cost money. I was struggling to pay for the mortgage and buy more junk for my computer. Worse still, after I purchased a book, it could be awful. Bookstores don’t refund your money if you don’t like the book. How rude! Well, this is probably the point in my life where this blog should have ended. Books, yuck!!
Two things happened that changed the course of my reading. Suddenly, there was the internet. Cheap books! Free books!!! Online reviews! Wow! The problem was that reading a long book on a computer screen was difficult. Then came book e-readers. A perfect combination. I began reading A LOT. I was finishing 1-2 books a week. I even set up a stand for my Paperwhite Kindle along with a specially positioned reading lamp so that I could comfortably read in bed. I jumped into every conceivable topic and read for 1-2 hours a night. It was a whole new world of story and knowledge.
The great ones:
One day, I was talking to my friend Dave about books. He was an avid reader and mentioned, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It blew me away. This is probably the best book I have ever read. I instantly dived into all Neil’s books and read every scrap that I could find. Neverwhere, an astounding work. So over-the-top completely creative. What a fantastic author. Neil, in the unlikely event that you’re reading this blog. Please write a sequel to The Graveyard Book!
I had always known that Tom Clancy wrote great spy stories. However, I was under the impression that his books were too complex and therefore too difficult for me to read. After 2 years of hardcore reading, I felt that I was at the reading level where I could attempt one of his works. I downloaded The Hunt for the Red October. What a great book and to my great surprise, it wasn’t difficult to read. I made me wonder where I got the idea that his books were too hard for me to read. liked the premise behind his stories and the great characters. My only complaint was that Tom Clancy jumped around too much; even within paragraphs. That being said, I was eagerly awaiting his next work and suddenly, Tom Clancy passed away. A sad day. The new guy that “writes in the Tom Clancy universe” doesn’t have the gift. Bummer.
In that same vein, I discovered the John Wells spy novel series by Alex Berenson. What a fantastic series of books. In many ways, I like Alex’s books much more than Tom Clancy’s. His stories are personal, believable and have realistic plots. I cannot wait until his next book. On a side note, his books inspired me to write my third book, Cable Ties which is now in editing.
One day, I randomly read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. What a fantastic book and all of his other book were simply great. I was hooked and I also cannot wait until his next book.
Another great author, Homer Hickam. I loved the Rocket Boy’s series. What an amazing life he led. A really great storyteller.
The rest of the books I read were kind of one hit wonders. Or at least, I didn’t like the book descriptions of the author’s other works. Here are some highlights in a vaguely alphabetic order:
700 Sundays by Billy Crystal. What an amazing life and such wonderful stories. I truly felt like I was in the same room with Billy as he was personally telling me his life’s story.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This was a very popular series. I didn’t really like his other books and for me, this was a one hit wonder. A very intense, creative book that gave me a lot to think about.
Guns Up! by Johnnie Clark. A fantastic description of what it was like to be a soldier in Vietnam. Excellent characters and writing. Again, a lot to think about.
One Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. I like good stories about great people. This book was no exception and I enjoyed every word. However, I’m learning that some of the facts were “stretched.” Still a good read.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. A very honest and personal story. Life was really difficult back then and this book is a stark reminder. This was a popular book and it was a great read.
Escape From Camp 14 by Blaine Harden. This book contained an astounding story of survival in a very dark place. North Korea is a stain on our great world and we need to do more to help those people. A painful, but a good read.
Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale. A great storybook about an audacious conman. Such personality in his words and what an amazing life he led.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. This book blew me away. It had the most complex amazing elegant story that glued me to every page. Simply astounding. The problem is that Neal took this theme too far in his next books. They were far too complex and I couldn’t untangle the plot enough to enjoy the story. Perhaps if his later works came with a guide I might have gotten into them.
Digital Apollo by D. Mindell. The Apollo program was the genesis of modern embedded computing. This is a fascinating account of this early effort. It touches every aspect of how big projects come together. A really intriguing read that left a big impression on me.
Failure Is Not an Option by Gene Kranz. This is in the same vein as Digital Apollo. The difference is that this book focused on managing the people at NASA.
Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikotter. This book is a detailed study of the largest failure that has ever occurred. Over 30 million people lost their lives to multiple manmade catastrophes. These people needed a voice and we need to understand the past so that we don’t repeat it. This was a painful, but important read.
The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux. This is a really funny book and it made me ask the question: Is he really that smart or really that crazy? Such a great book. The movie was not that great as it failed to capture the book’s crazy spirit.
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. This book made me laugh out loud so many times. What a great account of a person who really doesn’t care about what anybody else thinks.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty. The neat thing about books is they can transport you anywhere. I had no idea what goes on in a funeral home. This book brings readers to a fascinating place and is a great story about one person finding herself.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair by Robert Pirsig. This book is a complete enigma. It was simple, yet astounding. Superb characters that did very little. I think that this book should be required reading for everybody, but in order to understand why, you have to read it for yourself. Best title ever!
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. This book was as inspiring as it was depressing. A fascinating story about a wonderful person. This was the most emotional book I ever read.
A Writer at War by Vasily Grossman (Antony Beevor). I struggled to ask myself if I should include this book. It was an extremely tough read. People can be over the top cruel and the wreckage they leave behind will forever haunt us. There is a paragraph in this book that is a stark reminder of just how much evil can exist on this earth. I think about this paragraph from time to time and I’m choosing not to share this topic now because this blog is supposed to be fun. Books don’t have to be epic to be great. They can be harsh, thought-provoking and interesting. This book gave me a lot to think about in a bad way. I enjoyed it for the same reason I like eating sour candy. Do I recommend you read it? I’m not sure, but it is a story that needed to be told.
And finally, Interviewing Immortality by well… Me. Is this a shameless plug? Perhaps. I have read my story at least 50 times. I wrestled with each word and made many changes. I went to bed thinking of the characters and woke up thinking about the plot. It was a struggle, a joy, a failure, a pain, a success, a chore and an inspiration.
So why am I including my book in this list? After all the blood, sweat and tears that went into creating a book worthy of putting on the market, I still really liked the story. The characters are honest and they go on a true journey. The words have heart and the plot still captures my interest. I really truly want to know what happens next in their lives. Now, here is the real question. Would I like to buy this book at a bookstore? At full price? Without a refund? Is this truly the type of story I would like to read?
I have been thinking of this story for over 20 years and it never got boring. The answer is a definite yes. This is exactly the type of story I would like. I believe the premise is unique and the story stands on its own. I also like the characters. They have their own agenda, flaws, and mysteries. At the same time, they amaze and surprise.
It's funny. Just last night, I was editing the sequel, Finding Immortality and I had to look at Interviewing Immortality to make sure I had a fact correct. I searched for the paragraph and began reading. While I have memorized just about every word, I still wanted to read the next paragraph. The story still intrigues me. No, this isn’t a shameless promotion. I really think that I would enjoy this reading this book if I was somehow transported to a reality where I knew nothing about it. I would be excited to read the sequel and see what other books were in the works. Bill Conrad could be my new favorite author. [Alright truth. Even I have to admit that that last sentence was a shameless plug.] Let’s hope he isn’t a onetime hit author.
There are about 100 other books that I really liked, but didn’t include in this brief blog. So little time. The question is: What does my favorite selection of books say about me? I have a lot of interests. That’s clear. I also have specific tastes when it comes to books. For example, I would not read a book just to read. It needs to be something specific to attract my attention. A lot of my life is like that. No gray areas. I suppose the characters that I write about take on that trait as well. That’s probably why I like reading about them.
To make a list of my favorite books complete, I have to start at the beginning. In Kindergarten, I hated reading and didn’t pick up a book for fun until about the fifth grade. Side note, I don’t expect the readers of this blog to immediately look up these look up these early titles and click “buy it now.” These titles are listed to provide some perspective into my twisted mind.
My first favorite book was The New Adventures of The Mad Scientists Club by Bertrand Brinley. It was about a bunch of kids who had boy-type adventures with loose technology tie-ins. I must have read that book at least 10 times. I still have my beat-up copy and recently, I looked it over. It had a basic writing style with some good story aspects. Perfect for a kid learning how to read.
Later, in junior high, I read the book, Lightning in His Hand, the Life-Story of Nikola Tesla by Inez Hunt. Tesla was an amazing man and I wanted to know everything about my hero. Recently I glanced at a few pages. I was surprised that it did more to glorify the man rather than present the facts. I was also surprised that the copyright date was 1964. The writing was basic, but this story was perfect for a kid who wanted to learn about the world.
There were, of course, the Hardy Boys series as well as a book called, Torpedo Run by Robb White. These were the typical young boy adventure books. I read all the available books of this genre at our local library. I also recall a favorite book that I am struggling to remember the title. It was about 2 boys taking a white-water rafting raft trip down the Grand Canyon. One of the boys was named crowbar. Growing up, I wanted so badly to have an adventure like that. Friends like that as well…
In high school, I enrolled in more advanced English classes and I got into the classics. Jack London! What an author. I loved White Fang and Call of the Wild. Another favorite book was A Bell for Adano by John Hersey. This was the first book that really got me hooked on great writing. A fantastic story with real heart and drama. Then there was Earnest Hemingway, For Whom The Bell Tolls and Old Man And The Sea. What an author! His words had so much depth and perspective.
Notably missing from this new found reading experience was science fiction. At that point in my life, I had no interest. One day, a friend loaned me his copy of Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy. I was hooked. I read everything by Douglas Adams and then began branching out into other science fiction. Also missing from this early list was non-fiction. To me, reading about real events wasn’t interesting. Also, well-written non-fiction books for kids weren’t popular at the time.
Surprisingly, in college, I reverted to reading less. Part of the reason was that I didn’t have the time. It was study or perish. Plus, while I took several English classes, [I have an English minor] the classes didn’t go beyond what I had studied in high school. In fact, I often I re-read the same books. Alright, truth. Sometimes I didn’t re-read them. I still had the same high school write-ups/reports and I tweaked them to fit what my college professors asked for. While writing this blog, I came to an understanding about my college English experience. Based on my fellow students, East Coast schools were much stronger in math, but they were weaker in English. An interesting revelation.
After college, reading held no interest as I had forgotten how much fun it was to just read. I also didn’t like going to libraries because I had to give the books back [my mother was no longer in charge of keeping track of what books were borrowed] and books cost money. I was struggling to pay for the mortgage and buy more junk for my computer. Worse still, after I purchased a book, it could be awful. Bookstores don’t refund your money if you don’t like the book. How rude! Well, this is probably the point in my life where this blog should have ended. Books, yuck!!
Two things happened that changed the course of my reading. Suddenly, there was the internet. Cheap books! Free books!!! Online reviews! Wow! The problem was that reading a long book on a computer screen was difficult. Then came book e-readers. A perfect combination. I began reading A LOT. I was finishing 1-2 books a week. I even set up a stand for my Paperwhite Kindle along with a specially positioned reading lamp so that I could comfortably read in bed. I jumped into every conceivable topic and read for 1-2 hours a night. It was a whole new world of story and knowledge.
The great ones:
One day, I was talking to my friend Dave about books. He was an avid reader and mentioned, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It blew me away. This is probably the best book I have ever read. I instantly dived into all Neil’s books and read every scrap that I could find. Neverwhere, an astounding work. So over-the-top completely creative. What a fantastic author. Neil, in the unlikely event that you’re reading this blog. Please write a sequel to The Graveyard Book!
I had always known that Tom Clancy wrote great spy stories. However, I was under the impression that his books were too complex and therefore too difficult for me to read. After 2 years of hardcore reading, I felt that I was at the reading level where I could attempt one of his works. I downloaded The Hunt for the Red October. What a great book and to my great surprise, it wasn’t difficult to read. I made me wonder where I got the idea that his books were too hard for me to read. liked the premise behind his stories and the great characters. My only complaint was that Tom Clancy jumped around too much; even within paragraphs. That being said, I was eagerly awaiting his next work and suddenly, Tom Clancy passed away. A sad day. The new guy that “writes in the Tom Clancy universe” doesn’t have the gift. Bummer.
In that same vein, I discovered the John Wells spy novel series by Alex Berenson. What a fantastic series of books. In many ways, I like Alex’s books much more than Tom Clancy’s. His stories are personal, believable and have realistic plots. I cannot wait until his next book. On a side note, his books inspired me to write my third book, Cable Ties which is now in editing.
One day, I randomly read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. What a fantastic book and all of his other book were simply great. I was hooked and I also cannot wait until his next book.
Another great author, Homer Hickam. I loved the Rocket Boy’s series. What an amazing life he led. A really great storyteller.
The rest of the books I read were kind of one hit wonders. Or at least, I didn’t like the book descriptions of the author’s other works. Here are some highlights in a vaguely alphabetic order:
700 Sundays by Billy Crystal. What an amazing life and such wonderful stories. I truly felt like I was in the same room with Billy as he was personally telling me his life’s story.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. This was a very popular series. I didn’t really like his other books and for me, this was a one hit wonder. A very intense, creative book that gave me a lot to think about.
Guns Up! by Johnnie Clark. A fantastic description of what it was like to be a soldier in Vietnam. Excellent characters and writing. Again, a lot to think about.
One Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. I like good stories about great people. This book was no exception and I enjoyed every word. However, I’m learning that some of the facts were “stretched.” Still a good read.
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. A very honest and personal story. Life was really difficult back then and this book is a stark reminder. This was a popular book and it was a great read.
Escape From Camp 14 by Blaine Harden. This book contained an astounding story of survival in a very dark place. North Korea is a stain on our great world and we need to do more to help those people. A painful, but a good read.
Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale. A great storybook about an audacious conman. Such personality in his words and what an amazing life he led.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. This book blew me away. It had the most complex amazing elegant story that glued me to every page. Simply astounding. The problem is that Neal took this theme too far in his next books. They were far too complex and I couldn’t untangle the plot enough to enjoy the story. Perhaps if his later works came with a guide I might have gotten into them.
Digital Apollo by D. Mindell. The Apollo program was the genesis of modern embedded computing. This is a fascinating account of this early effort. It touches every aspect of how big projects come together. A really intriguing read that left a big impression on me.
Failure Is Not an Option by Gene Kranz. This is in the same vein as Digital Apollo. The difference is that this book focused on managing the people at NASA.
Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikotter. This book is a detailed study of the largest failure that has ever occurred. Over 30 million people lost their lives to multiple manmade catastrophes. These people needed a voice and we need to understand the past so that we don’t repeat it. This was a painful, but important read.
The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux. This is a really funny book and it made me ask the question: Is he really that smart or really that crazy? Such a great book. The movie was not that great as it failed to capture the book’s crazy spirit.
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. This book made me laugh out loud so many times. What a great account of a person who really doesn’t care about what anybody else thinks.
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty. The neat thing about books is they can transport you anywhere. I had no idea what goes on in a funeral home. This book brings readers to a fascinating place and is a great story about one person finding herself.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair by Robert Pirsig. This book is a complete enigma. It was simple, yet astounding. Superb characters that did very little. I think that this book should be required reading for everybody, but in order to understand why, you have to read it for yourself. Best title ever!
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. This book was as inspiring as it was depressing. A fascinating story about a wonderful person. This was the most emotional book I ever read.
A Writer at War by Vasily Grossman (Antony Beevor). I struggled to ask myself if I should include this book. It was an extremely tough read. People can be over the top cruel and the wreckage they leave behind will forever haunt us. There is a paragraph in this book that is a stark reminder of just how much evil can exist on this earth. I think about this paragraph from time to time and I’m choosing not to share this topic now because this blog is supposed to be fun. Books don’t have to be epic to be great. They can be harsh, thought-provoking and interesting. This book gave me a lot to think about in a bad way. I enjoyed it for the same reason I like eating sour candy. Do I recommend you read it? I’m not sure, but it is a story that needed to be told.
And finally, Interviewing Immortality by well… Me. Is this a shameless plug? Perhaps. I have read my story at least 50 times. I wrestled with each word and made many changes. I went to bed thinking of the characters and woke up thinking about the plot. It was a struggle, a joy, a failure, a pain, a success, a chore and an inspiration.
So why am I including my book in this list? After all the blood, sweat and tears that went into creating a book worthy of putting on the market, I still really liked the story. The characters are honest and they go on a true journey. The words have heart and the plot still captures my interest. I really truly want to know what happens next in their lives. Now, here is the real question. Would I like to buy this book at a bookstore? At full price? Without a refund? Is this truly the type of story I would like to read?
I have been thinking of this story for over 20 years and it never got boring. The answer is a definite yes. This is exactly the type of story I would like. I believe the premise is unique and the story stands on its own. I also like the characters. They have their own agenda, flaws, and mysteries. At the same time, they amaze and surprise.
It's funny. Just last night, I was editing the sequel, Finding Immortality and I had to look at Interviewing Immortality to make sure I had a fact correct. I searched for the paragraph and began reading. While I have memorized just about every word, I still wanted to read the next paragraph. The story still intrigues me. No, this isn’t a shameless promotion. I really think that I would enjoy this reading this book if I was somehow transported to a reality where I knew nothing about it. I would be excited to read the sequel and see what other books were in the works. Bill Conrad could be my new favorite author. [Alright truth. Even I have to admit that that last sentence was a shameless plug.] Let’s hope he isn’t a onetime hit author.
There are about 100 other books that I really liked, but didn’t include in this brief blog. So little time. The question is: What does my favorite selection of books say about me? I have a lot of interests. That’s clear. I also have specific tastes when it comes to books. For example, I would not read a book just to read. It needs to be something specific to attract my attention. A lot of my life is like that. No gray areas. I suppose the characters that I write about take on that trait as well. That’s probably why I like reading about them.
No comments have been added yet.
