Book recomendations please

just read Rod Stewart's biog which was very interesting, still don't like the tight wad though

The Smart Money by Michael Konik.

Excellent behind the scenes look at big money gambling

True Crime   In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.You may have read it as it was published many years ago but a classic study of murder in a small town.

Or Fatal Vision, again not a recent book but a great read telling the true story of a serving soldier who murdered his wife and kids and blamed drug crazed hippies.

Sport and Gambling can be covered by Barney Curleys autobiography "Giving a Little Back"

Two crime/detective true or fiction

The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) (murder of a supermodel)
An Officer and a Spy - Robert Harris (The 'J'accuse' Dreyfus affair)

both excellent imo.

The dice Man

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70912.The_Dice_Man

A six or a four and I'll read it

Sport - too many to single one out

Gambling - I can recommend liar's poker, set in the city & wall street but gambling in its purest form, a brilliantly entertaining read imo

Crime/detective true or fiction - the profession of violence (biography of the kray twins)

Historical event - fight for the sky, douglas bader's first hand account of the battle of britain

Biography - the moon's a balloon, autobiography of david niven, hilarious from start to finish, but probably only of interest to someone who remembers him

Niven's Bring on the Empty Horses also brilliant.


Historical event - Trafalgar: The Men, the Battle, the Storm - Tim Clayton & Phil Craig

agreed FM; the anecdote about Michael Curtiz on the set of the charge of the light brigade is literally rib-achingly funny 

Thanks for suggestions so far,only one i've read is dice man thanks mc,agree a tremendous read!!!

Like the sound of liars poker MB,the niven ones you also sell well lads and while im vaguely familiar with him im a bit put off by not really remembering him!

The true crime suggestions am researching now,thanks a lot guys,all books bought will be suggestions of this thread so keep em coming please,if theres one book i simply have to read and i havent included in the genres,post it up please as long as it aint horror or science fiction its a runner!

On the road, Jack Kerouac. Doesn't really fit any of your genres but you wont be disappointed.

Sport - Men And Horses I Have Known (George Lambton)

Gambling - The Druids Lodge Confederacy (Paul Matthieu)

Crime/detective true - Cullotta: The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness (Denis Griffin)

Historical event - The Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich (William L Shirer)

Biography - Grant (Jean Edward Smith)

for crime/detective I strongly recommend an author called simon kernick..now read just about all of his books and they are all really good..some of them contain same character so could be worth starting with the first one and going in order but any of them could be read as a one off..my first one was called relentless...started at a great pace and never stopped..

I like Robert Wilson's 'Falcon' series of books.  Falcon is a detective in Seville.

They are darker than most crime fiction, brilliantly evoke the atmosphere of the city and feature stronger and deeper character development than most crime procedurals.

It is essential to read them in order, the first is 'The Blind man of Seville'.

Ok,liars poker and an officer and a spy bought so far,thanks.

Liked the look of the druids lodge,but waaaay too expensive!

Keep the suggestions coming please!

Liar's Poker seconded (thirded?) - Very good, also the fictional story "Bombardiers" by Po Bronson, about the same sort of thing but very funny.

The Damage Done - Warren Fellows. A true account of a convicted drug dealer and the 12 years he spent in the Bangkok Hilton. Harrowing but very engrossing.

"Luck" by the cricketer Ed Smith

Part sport, part gambling, part biographical and part historical.  No crime though

The Violent Century - Lavie Tidhar

A typically British Superhero story and likely to become a masterpiece of 21st century fiction.

The Violent Century - Lavie Tidhar

A typically British Superhero story and likely to become a masterpiece of 21st century fiction.

damage done bought,thanks slippy

i think something lol is in order now to be added to the list given slippys "harrowing",offering!

bombardiers sounds just the ticket you think ken?!

actually a funny autobiography would be cool...

Bringing Down the House (Ben Mezrich) - Very good, the story of MIT students who ran a card counting scam on the blackjack tables, made into a reasonably decent film "21".

I also immediately thought of Robert Harris's 'Officer and a Spy', as it covers off the last three on that list and is an excellent read.

Perhaps the best sports book I've read is David Remnick's 'King of the World' about Ali's early years in the context of the social/racial unrest of the era. Which, again, covers off quite a few on the OPs list.

Monster by Steve Jackson is the best true crime book I have read and I must have read a 1000!

anymore please people?

have until 2pm tomorrow to pick the books

Newtonian Casino is a good gambling read but can become technical, true story of some American Uni dropouts who built a computer to beat the roulette wheels

Phil Silvers biography is good and quite funny in parts.

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee is a terrific although extremely sad read. Genocide, that is what it was.

Red Cloud`s biography is another terrific read.

Three Strides Before the Wire...Elizabeth Mitchell...about Chris Antley and Charismatic.

Re  Fatal Vision I mentioned before it was written by Joe McGinnis who also wrote another brilliant true crime book called Blind Faith about a smug flashy  businessman who had his wife killed. The book is about the evidence building up against him set against the Blind Faith of his three sons that he was innocent. McGinnis also wrote a brilliant book about football which is weird for an American. He became obsessed with a serie B Italian team and went to live in Italy for a year to follow them.Its called The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro.

If you like a work of total fiction, try the Wholly Bibbly.

is that like the bible but the noel edmonds version taxi?

They have always got to slag off Christianity.

If you want to read a book about The First World War, try "The First Day on The Somme" by Martin Middlebrook.

Great thread
I love a good read , especially true crime but barely find the time as i constantly think i have to be actively busy

Damage done , Monster & the Joe Mcginnis books sound very interesting

Devilfish' autobiography is an entertaining read along with Stu Ungar 'one of a kind'

'Filth' by Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting author), is a crime story with a bit of a twist. Recently made into a decent film too.

'War, Baby', Kevin Mitchell, kind of biography, historical event and sports book all in one, about the Benn-McClellan fight.

'Everything is Illuminated' doesn't really fit in your categories, but is just my favourite book.

Taking Chances - John Haigh ,Sport and Gambling

Stu Ungars i loved mc.

Everything is illimunated bought,many thanks bacontrout.

I stuck one in of my own in the end,nothing to envy,about life in north korea,im sure it was a previous recommendation on another book thread here that are always choc full with great picks,as posted by everyone on this thread,will save this to favourites and get around to some of other books posted here in future no doubt,many thanks to the good good people of chit chat.

wolf of wall street,autobiography by jordan belfort that precursed the film.
highly amusing in places as well as interesting.

recommend buying a kindle as well,so much less aggro than piles of books.

My favourite ever crime fiction novel was The Broker by John Grisham I have read it a few times over the years and always enjoy it.

I would also recommend his recent one called The Racketeer,it was also excellent.

The biggest problem with novels written 10/15 years ago is they have quickly become outdated due to internet/mobile phones etc.The Dick Francis novels which I loved as a youngster seem so so outdated with payphones and no motorways etc

I got a book about helium gas.

I couldn't put it down.

chavman 12 Aug 14 13:27 Joined: 04 May 12 | Topic/replies: 8,279 | Blogger: chavman's blog

recommend buying a kindle as well,so much less aggro than piles of books.

was a bit sceptical at 1st chav but had one for xmas and have to say im a convert and agree with you.

Same for me guys got a kindle for chrimbo a great present,you should try the broker pat starr you will like it especially after the first 2/3 chapters it gets unputdownable.

The Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich (William L Shirer)

Top choice but .....The Berlin Diaries ,his time in Germany  as a radio reporter to America (1934-41) before he had too leave sharpish is even better.

Best sports autobiog I have read is Paul McGrath's book , could not put it down.

Crime

Read a few of Karin Slaughters books in the last couple of months, enjoyed them all.

Would recommend Criminal & Cop Town so far.

Kindles are for Chavs

Yes 626, Shirer`s Berlin Diaries is very good book too.

The Nightmare Years is a magnificent tv drama about Bill Shirer`s experience in pre war Berlin. Well worth a watch. I`m sure 626 has seen it.

Indeed

would you even get all these books on a kindle though & how much would they cost, or can you download some

I've bought
The Smart Money by Michael Konik.
&
The Damage Done - Warren Fellows.


Patrick if you liked Stu Ungar you must read Devilfish if you haven't , a real rogues rag to riches story !

well Patrick star what did you settle on in the end

In the end i went for:

Liars Poker- Michael Lewis

Did enjoy it though still couldnt quite grasp the concept of the game even after i'd finished the book! lol

The Damage Done- Warren Fellows

As harrowing as slippy stated and quite tragic how something can escalate to that situation with the individual having no concept really of what lies in wait for him in a foreign judiciary! Thought at times the writer was a little eager for readers to feel some sympathy for him with his little acts of heroism when there was no real need,there'd be very few humans you couldnt sympathise with that find themselves in his situation!

Nothing To Envy-Barbera Demick

North Korean Defectors stories,just a fantastic read,fascinating insight into their lives!

An Officer and a Spy- Robert Harris

Thoroughly enjoyed,think it can be quite hard to keep the reader in a writers grasp when the readers knows the outcome,this book did it easily for me!

I Am Pilgrim- Terry Hayes

Jack Bauer is officially a pu55y! Non Stop action and so so clever twists,loved it!

Everything Is Illuminated- Johnathan Saffran

An absolute work of art!
The first 2 chapters i thought i was reading a Do Wah Diddy thread and was on the verge of binning it as was finding it difficult to "get it".By the time i'd finished the 3rd chapter and embarrassed myself,my kids and my misses by laughing uncontrollably on a rammed spanish beach i couldnt put it down,one of the quirkiest,funniest and most enjoyable books i've ever read,my fav book of the holiday,unique in its brilliance!

Devilfish-Dave Ulliot
Pretty much what you'd expect,was looking for something short and easy to read last day and a half of the hol and this fitted the bill perfectly,liked the fact that ulliot concentrated on his pre poker playing days so much,made for a much more interesting read than "poker player wins a few hands loses a few hands" boring garbage.

Once again,thanks to all you lovely people for some great picks and these books made the hol for me as much as the sunshine and family time!

Looking forward to reading some more of the suggestions already posted here and any more people have also