(Part 2) Top products from r/booksuggestions

I highly recommend:

1. The Orphans of Chaos trilogy by John C. Wright. He really pushes the boundaries of the imagination by writing about a universe in which there are 4 different paradigms of magic/power, each of which cancels one of the others out and is canceled out by one of the others. It's an epic Titans vs Olympic Gods fantasy, and I've read it several times--which is rare for me to do.
   
   
2. Obviously read the Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin if you haven't already done so! I delayed reading it a long time but then read all of them in a week and a half when I finally succumbed.
   
   
3. ALWAYS recommend The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
   
   
4. ALSO always recommend Lies of Locke Lamora and its sequels by Scott Lynch.
   
   
5. The Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. It's YA, but pretty mature YA, and IMO could easily transition to the regular fantasy section.
   
   
6. Books by Diana Wynne Jones. She writes YA, but fantasy that I wouldn't call immature. The best word I could use to describe it would be "whimsical." If I could compare her style of fantasy to anyone's it would EASILY be the filmmaker Miyazaki. (His films include Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, etc.--he even adapted one of her books!) I think her best work is her Chrestomanci series which has 3 volumes (each volume is made up of several novellas), but she is best known for Howl's Moving Castle, which I also highly recommend (along with its sequels Castle in the Air and The House of Many Ways).
   
   
7. Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series. It's fun, original, often dark, often humorous, fast-paced, and FILLED with action. As noted by someone else, there are vampires in the universe, but they're not the central motif. There are also other scary things, like fairies, goblins, witches/wizards, demons...the list goes on and on.
   
   
8. Terry Pratchett's Discworld canon. There are many, MANY books, and they're not written in series so you can jump in almost anywhere. I recommend Small Gods to start.
   
   
9. The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier, starting with Daughter of the Forest. There are also spin-off novels, though I haven't read them all. Her writing is beautiful and mystical. She almost makes me believe magic/fae could exist.
   
   
10. The Passion and The Promise (a duet) and, separately, The Alchemist by Donna Boyd. These are really, really excellently written. "Lush" would be the word I'd use. They're not hugely well known, and I find that utterly boggling considering how good they are.

Among Others by Jo Walton

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I think the Dark Tower series is a must read. It starts off with The Gunslinger and continues. I think it is the best series I have ever read.

If you want to look other than fantasy/sci-fi...

Lamb by Christopher Moore is very funny, makes you think, and breaks your heart. I love it.

A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my favorite books ever written. Everyone that I have given this book to has read it and bought it for someone else to read.

Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins is Tom Robbins at his best. It's also one of the most polarizing books I have suggested to friends and people online. You will either love it and buy the rest of Tom Robbins's books or you will hate it and never listen to me again. I hope it's the first reaction.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an amazing book about life in high school. I haven't seen the movie yet because I enjoy this book so much that I don't want to get pissed off at a director ruining one of my favorite books.

Good Omens by Pratchett/Gaiman is certainly a pretty rockin book.

Hopefully this helps you find some new authors to enjoy!

Edited for: I will never forgive myself if I don't put in what I consider one of the best fantasy coming of age stories ever. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss is the first of the series. Read it. Do it!

Fiction or non-fiction?

My favourite "happy" non-fiction is Bill Bryson. I just finished At home and it was the sort of book that made me laugh out loud, and also want grab random people and read out cool little passages about random things.

Nice little piece of popular science, The Red Queen is a well written and interesting book about the evolutionary basis for sex.

I love David McCullough...He's like Bryson, except where Bryson would spend 5 pages on something, McCullough will spend a thousand, and leave you feeling like you know the person he's writing about better than you know your family. My favourites of his aren't the biographies (he wins a Pulizter for damn near every one), but the stories of buildings and events. The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, The Path Between the Seas...All great, though the Pulitzers were for his Truman biography, and his John Adams biography.

For fiction? Hmmm. Intellectual and not depressing is tricky. I like Michael Chabon, but he flirts with depressing on a regular basis. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is amazing, and so is The Yiddish Policeman's Union.

Is there anything in particular you're leaning to?

Author Cherie Priest has a couple excellent books.

• Boneshaker, first book in her Clockwork Century series. It's a steampunk setting with zombies and all sorts of wonderful stuff. This book is actually on sale through the end of the month for $2.99.
  
• Bloodshot, first book in her Cheshire Red Reports series. It's about a vampire gal who is a thief-for-hire.
  
  The Dresden Files series, by Jim Butcher, is a wonderful series. It's about a wizard-for-hire in the modern world, and delves into the wonderful magic environment that Jim has created. Jim likes to put his characters through trouble and turmoil, and it's good for character development! The series starts off with Storm Front.
  
  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is another great series. It's a post-apocalyptic/oppressed setting, centering around something called 'The Hunger Games' - an annual battle that captivates the capitol and all twelve remaining districts. There is a movie releasing next year, as well.
  
  The Name of the Wind is a terrific book by Patrick Rothfuss, the first entry into his series The Kingkiller Chronicles. It's a fantasy setting, and is about a character named Kvothe recounting his life. The writing style has an absolutely artistic writing style that is captivating to read, and such interesting and progressing events that make you eagerly turn the page. I have not yet read the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear, but I'm told it's even better in every way.
  
  Terry Pratchett is an amazing and renowned author. He has been knighted, an event for which he created his own sword for by hand, battles against Alzheimer's in a most respectable and commendable way, and has created such an interesting and provoking world that provides a lot of laughs and curious perspectives on matters. Where you start is a more difficult choice. A couple choice options might be as follows (I haven't read others yet, so I can't attest to others, but there are many!).
  
  
• Guards! Guards! which is the first installment to the City Watch sequence.
  
• The Reaper Man trails after Death, after he has been fired from his job.
  
  I haven't started this book yet, nor looked into it, but I have heard terrific reviews. The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch, is his first book in his Gentleman Bastard Sequence series.
  
  And of course, if you haven't entered George RR Martin's world of Westeros, the series A Song of Ice and Fire could be a wonderful read. It's very complex and very long and not yet complete (five books so far). It starts off with Game of Thrones, which is what the recently-aired HBO series was based upon.
  
  In the science fiction sphere, I would recommend Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. It's the first in his Ender's series, and there are quite a few books set in the world. I have only read the first one, and it was an excellent read, insightful and thought-provoking.
  
  ...anyway, that should be a few to peek at!

The King in Yellow was arguable Lovecraft's biggest influence.

Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast books might be a good fit.

Haruki Murakami in my opinion does "dreamlike" better then anyone else I have read. The Wind up Bird Chronicles, might be a good start.

For something like Stardust, I would recommend John Crowly, particularly Little Big, Winters Tale, and maybe Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.

I think Clive Barker hits the tone you are looking for sometimes, but not in all of his work, maybe someone who has read him more can give a better recommendation.

If you have not read China Miéville Perdido Street Station would be a good start.

I just started The Drowning Girl so can't really give a full review, but so far it seems like it would also be a good fit.

For something that is not really what you asked for, but is a fun read for a Lovecraft fan I would recommend Charles Stross' The Laundry Files Series, Starting with The Atrocity Archive A semi comic story about the bureaucratic side of the secret agency that deals with the impending lovecraftian nightmare apocalypse, a little pulpy, but lots of fun.

For future reference, /r/askphilosophy exists for these kinds of questions.

Now, if you're looking for something more narrative that will allow you to get your feet wet, you have a few different options.

Sophie's World is really quite enjoyable, though I suppose its intended audience is probably younger than yourself.

If you're looking for something more mature, you might try philosophical fiction like Camus' The Stranger or Sartre's Nausea. Both are a great way to get into something philosophical without having to worry too much about terminology or technical language.

If you're looking for something more analytic (logic, phil math, phil science, etc.), you might try something like Russell's The Problems of Philosophy. It's a pretty good read and it's short.

If you're looking for a general introduction to philosophy, something more mature than Sophie's World but focused on the history of philosophy as opposed to a particular area, you might want to look at something like Russell's The History of Western Philosophy. If you do get more involved in philosophy, you'll discover that the book has its flaws, and Russell was wrong about several of the philosophers that he discusses, but it's a good introduction to the history of philosophy that is easily accessible if you have the time to sit down and read it.

In terms of which one's are more fun to read, I'd say the philosophical fiction and Sophie's World are at the top, as the other two books are a bit more dry, but if you're looking for something substantive and not too technical, then all of these might serve your purposes.

I hope that helped in some way, and in future, if you have any philosophy related questions, don't hesitate to ask over in /r/askphilosophy.

I feel like if your daughter and I were the same age we would be best friends, she sounds exactly like how I was at her age.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen is wonderful, I read it at about her age. No sex.

John Green's books are amazing, but Looking For Alaska has a blow job part, and The Fault In Our Stars has sex. They are in no way explicit however, and I really would recommend that she read them, at least eventually, maybe at 12, because they're beautifully written and, I think, teach really valuable lessons (in fact, the blow job scene is awkward and uncomfortable and juxtaposed with a conversation that is emotionally intimate to demonstrate that you don't need sex and physical contact for emotional connection.)

I also remember reading Artemis Fowl when I was her age.

Other recommendations:
A Face in Every Window by Han Nolan

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Cul de Sac Moon by Kimberley Clarke (my high school English Lit, Creative Writing and English AP teacher)

And when I was your daughter's age I was really, REALLY into The Royal Diaries series, my favourite being The Lady of Ch'iao Kuo and Elizabeth I.

EDIT: OH! And if she liked The Hunger Games I think she will LOVE The Giver series by Lois Lowry. And Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events might keep her occupied for a week or two, as well as the Chronicles of Narnia.

Outer Dark is really good, I would recommend that as well as Child of God. Both are some gritty dark tales in the south. If you are looking for a bit of a different McCarthy tale, check out Suttree when you get a chance - it has since become my favorite McCarthy novel or on par with Blood Meridian.

Other recommendations not McCarthy:

• The Devil all the Time
  
• One Foot in Eden
  
• Hell at the Breech
  
• Donnybrook
  
  Those are all great as well and I was recommended those through Amazon after only reading MCarthy. If you ever need more, feel free to PM me, I pretty much only read this niche genre.
  
  
  
  
  

(Edit: I didn't read the whole post and didn't know you weren't looking for self help books. Maybe these will change your mind though.)

Here are two fantastic books that can help you deal with depression and the fickle human mind. One focuses on mindfulness and the other focuses on reason. Enjoy!

The Happiness Trap (mindfulness)

https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Trap-Struggling-Start-Living/dp/1590305841/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541600072&sr=8-1&keywords=the+happiness+trap

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (reason)

https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic/dp/0195374614/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541600123&sr=8-1&keywords=a+guide+to+the+good+life

I hope these help, I can answer any questions you have about them as well.

Thinking, Fast and Slow by nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman.

It is an amazing book and I have recommended it to almost everyone I know. It is really thoroughly researched.

from wikipedia:
>Thinking, Fast and Slow is a 2011 book by Nobel Memorial Prize winner in Economics Daniel Kahneman which summarizes research that he conducted over decades, often in collaboration with Amos Tversky. It covers all three phases of his career: his early days working on cognitive bias, his work on prospect theory, and his later work on happiness.

>The book's central thesis is a dichotomy between two modes of thought: "System 1" is fast, instinctive and emotional; "System 2" is slower, more deliberative, and more logical. The book delineates cognitive biases associated with each type of thinking, starting with Kahneman's own research on loss aversion. From framing choices to substitution, the book highlights several decades of academic research to suggest that people place too much confidence in human judgment.

Dune by Frank Herbert.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. You have probably read it, but if you haven't, it's superbly funny sci-fi comedy.

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. A book that I re-read once every few years, and every time I find something new in it.

Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets by David Simon. A gripping, heartbreaking non-fiction book about police detectives. It inspired the acclaimed TV series "Homicide: Life on the Street." Simon would go on to create "The Wire."

The Big Nowhere by James Ellroy. Noir-ish procedural crime fiction. If you enjoy "Homicide," you may well like this.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, "a philosophical novel about two men, two women, a dog and their lives in the Prague Spring of the Czechoslovak Communist period in 1968," according to Wikipedia. One of my favorite books.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami. Detective novel meets sci-fi in one mind-bending existential work. If you watch "Fringe," well, this book is Fringe-y... and more.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. Time travel. Victorian England. A tea cozy mystery of sorts.

Graphic novels! Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman. Love And Rockets by The Hernandez brothers. The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki. Elektra: Assassin by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz. And of course, Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. To discover yet more great comic books, check out the Comics College series.

Ok, you like a lot of the authors I do so Imma try and throw a couple out there.
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi Set in future Thailand where global warming has run rampant, the oceans have risen, and gene companies produce food seed continuously to keep ahead of genetic plagues that destroy anything edible. It's some solid hard scifi and if you like Gibson and Dick it should do ya well.

Red Thunder by John Varley Set in the near future the Chinese are clearly going to win the spacerace to Mars and a small group decides to build a ship to beat em. This is the first in a three part series (which I just learned had a third part lookin up that link) and I enjoyed it.

As for fantasy...

The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher In the world of The Dresden Files, magic is real, along with ghouls, vampires, demons, spirits, faeries, werewolves, zombies and other mythical monsters. Harry Dresden works to protect the general public, who are ignorant of magic and the dark forces conspiring against them. This makes it difficult for Harry to get by as a working wizard and private eye. The Chicago PD's Special Investigation unit, when led by Karrin Murphy, regularly employs Dresden as a consultant to help solve cases of a supernatural nature. I love this series, whenever a new book comes out (and hes up to 14 not counting a few short story collections and such) I read it almost nonstop.

Check out Drood by Dan Simmons. I picked it up on a whim, and couldn't be happier that I gave it a chance. It's a total trip, and suspenseful in a laid-back / behind-the-scenes sort of way.

Also, I find anything by Michael Chrichton to be utterly "un-put-downable". I'd recommend starting with Congo or Prey, but definitely give Sphere a shot before you move on.

Edit: Sorry I meant Micro instead of Prey. Prey was "meh" but Micro is great. Also definitely check out Timeline! (Sorry, I'm basically obsessed with Chrichton)

Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, is another favorite of mine. But, it's been so long since I last read it that I can't really remember why. I'm going to be rereading that one again soon.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Fantasy.

Engraved on the Eye by Saladin Ahmed. Fantasy stories. Free.

Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos. SF.

Wool Omnibus by Hugh Howey. SF. (Part One, free.)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. SF.

The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Fantasy.

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You also can check in at /r/FreeEBOOKS, /r/freekindle, /r/KindleFreebies and /r/kindlebookdeals occasionally. There are lots of self-published ebooks nowadays, and lots of them are offered free or very cheap, especially if the writer is a new author. Lots of them aren't very good, but there's also some hidden gold. Some writers will offer their ebook for free for a limited time (like, a week or less) in hope of encouraging some people to write them a good review.

One of the best books I've found for introducing people to philosphy is Sophie's World. There is a lot of justifiable criticism of this book, mostly because it tries to be a novel and does just an ok job and it tries to be a philosophy text and also does an ok job at that too. However, it's easily digestible and does a pretty good job of giving you a really brief introduction to a lot of classical philosophy.

Its funny because I actually came here to suggest another Bryson book called In a Sunburned Country which chronicles Bryson's visit to Australia- thought this was relevant as OP's love interest is either en route to or already in Australia I figured she'd get a kick out of it.



If you want something that has a mix of love/romance, action, thrill, check out The Shadow of the Wind. I thought this was a good book and is very well written. Zafon is able to paint images with his words in a way that puts you in the story like no other author i've encountered.

i would throw cormac mccarthy's name into your selection, too. both "the road" and "no country for old men" are great introductions to his style. If you get a taste for his writing, definitely pick up "blood meridian." it's my favorite work of his. he's got a good sized catalog of 10 books if you get a taste for his style.

You might really enjoy The Lies of Locke Lamora. It's basically nonstop adventure. Any qualms I had about being sympathetic to a con-man/assassin/thief as a protagonist were quickly put to rest with Scott Lynch's rich portrayal of the beguiling Locke Lamora and his city of Camorr in this novel. The vibrant character navigates a story that superbly connects a coming of age tale with gang facets alongside a swashbuckling Three Musketeers-like adventure sprinkled with magic and humor in appropriate places. With dukes, kings, alchemists, spies, thieves and mafia dons as its inhabitants, the city of Camorr feels real and solid as if existing somewhere in medieval or Renaissance Italy or Spain.

Can't recommend this enough for anyone looking for a damn good book about good "bad guys."

Sounds like you'd benefit from Stoicism. This isn't fiction but a guide to wanting what you have. A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy https://www.amazon.com/dp/0195374614/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_nhM4wbXH2GV1R

Off the top of my head here are some interesting books I've read (or reread) lately that I think you might enjoy and fall nicely into the young-adult-expanding-their-mind category.

The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting Young Women by Jessica Valenti

Really interesting look at what the implications of the American obsession with virginity/purity are.

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The Communist Manifesto (edited/annotated by Phil Gasper)

Everybody should read the Communist Manifesto. It's too big of a part of history (and of America's history of opposition to communism) to not read. Gasper's heavy annotations make this an absolutely top-notch edition to read.

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At Home by Bill Bryson

Really enjoyable overview of the history of domestic life and it's myriad of quirks and traditions.

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Escaping the Endless Adolescence: How We Can Help Our Teenagers Grow Up Before They Grow Old by Joseph Allen

Very interesting look at the current trend in America of lengthening adolescence and how our extension of what we consider adolescence well into the 20s is harming young adults.

Oh if you like dystopian, then check out Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Awesome fantasy - Patrick Rothfuss The Name of the Wind. And a really cool non-fiction survival story is The Tiger by John Vaillant, about a man-eating tiger terrorizing a village in Russia.

Totally check out the library, most these days do inter-library loans within counties or regions, so if they don't have any of the above, you can request them for free. Enjoy!

I second the Horwitz nomination and add Richard Grant, author of "God's Middle Finger" and "Crazy River."
Both of those demonstrate a spirit for and enjoyment of adventure that was the core energy in Bryson's "In A Sunburned Country" and "A Walk in the Woods".

Based on your favorites Sophie's World and Siddhartha you may like this recent book on practicing the Stoic philosophy:

• A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William Braxton Irvine
  http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic/dp/0195374614/

What about the subcontinent?

Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance (ignore the Oprah sticker) is fucking heartbreaking to the point where, when you finish, you will want (simultaneously) to punch and hug the person who recommended it to you.

After, if you need a light, breezy, but still thoughtful and well-written "beach read" to cleanse your palate, there's Vikram Chandra's Sacred Games, which is essentially "The Godfather" set in Mumbai.

For a happy medium between existential pathos and action-packed bildungsroman, see also The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru.

Any of Bill Bryson's books are very good, but in a similar vein try:

Notes From a Small Island, an account of his time in the UK while traveling the length of the country.

In a Sunburned Country his travels in Austrailia.

Neither Here nor There his travels in Europe.

And though it is not a travel book, my personal favorite by Bryson is a A Short History of Nearly Everything, a history of science along the lines of the the Edmund Burke TV show "Connections" that is how every science textbook should be written. Spring for the Illustrated edition as long as you don't want to carry it everywhere you read, it's too big and heavy to be a good coffee shop read.

The curious incident of the dog in the night Time
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1400032717?pc_redir=1396408200&robot_redir=1

It was my first book in English; a great story, really easy to read.

I would have to recommend the Dune series by Frank Herbert.

[http://www.amazon.com/Dune-Science-Fiction-Frank-Herbert/dp/0441172717]

It really encompasses everything so great about sci-fi: space travel, actual science, futuristic super human capabilities and I've probably already said too much.

One of my all time favorite books.

My university had The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time one year. I hear it was the most popular one, and I personally like the book. I'd also recommend it to ESL learners because the language is not complicated, but the book is not dumbed down or patronizing.

Bonus: There is now a play based on the book, and a film being planned. <--Tying in to other school departments.

This seems like a good one. Here's an amazon link if anyone is interested.

It's usually the first one suggested:
-"The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss (Kingkiller Chronicles)

Whilst different in terms of scope and story, the world building is on par with ASOIAF. I was a little skeptic, being in the same position as you are in, when I picked it up, but now I'm anxiously awaiting both Winds of Winter and the third book in the Kingkiller Chronicles.


I've also started Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (Gentleman Bastards series). So far I'm enjoying it A LOT. I do love having an anti-hero protagonist, and the world so far is pretty engrossing. But I can't officially recommend as I'm not even half way through.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is an excellent tale of the resurgence of magic in 19th century England and it is just amazing.

I loved The First Law series, and found the Gentleman Bastards series by Scott Lynch just as engaging.

These suggestions all fit the category of 1. hard to put down. 2. simple reads

They are also more on the fantasy side of the spectrum.

Highly recommend:

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children All three books in the trilogy are great. Maybe stay away from the movie...

The Night Circus

The Hunger Games trilogy Yes, I'm sure you've seen the movies, but the books will add another level.

Have you read anything by Bill Bryson? A Short History of Nearly Everything and At Home are two of the most entertaining, well written and informative books I've ever read.

"At Home" is a fantastic book by bill bryson. It is a history of "homelife". The book is framed roughly by bill as he walks through his house in england. As he passes through each room in the house (kitchen, dining room, living room, bedroom) he tells the history of humans as it relates to that room. How we slept and courted (in ancient times, as history progressed, up until now), how we ate, how we studied and farmed, etc. It is a page turner for sure, he has amazing style. It is more focused on the changes that occurred from the middle ages until now but does touch on antiquity.

I highly recommend it. It appears to be exactly what you are looking for. It details how specific technologies and tools changed the way we live. How/where did people shit before the toilet? Did they wipe or use water? What did they eat off of? How was food cooked and preserved? How were jobs allocated?

One fact I gleaned? When you buy a college dorm plan or hotel that includes "Room and board" (which means a bed to sleep in and food), the phrase comes from the fact that in the medieval ages tavern patrons ate their food off of a wooden board laid across their laps.

I think you would LOVE Sandman Slim.

Another star wars book that follows a villain: Darth Plagueis. Not the best book ever, not the worst.

You might like Prince of Thorns. That one is pretty well written.

Also, The Lies of Locke Lamora is about a rogue, an anti-hero who learns to do better things with his life (sort of).

I've only just started Thrawn... so it's hard for me to say if any of these are a perfect fit.

We have the same taste in books! I loved Richard Feynman's memoir! Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Surely-Feynman-Adventures-Curious-Character/dp/0393316041

Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind. I haven't personally read it, but I know that it is high up there on the lists! :)

Thus is an absolutely fantastic modern examination of Stoicism: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic/dp/0195374614

I really enjoyed Sophie's World!

Richard Feynman was an amazing person.
https://www.amazon.com/Surely-Feynman-Adventures-Curious-Character/dp/0393316041

[Nine Princes in Amber] (http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Princes-Amber-Roger-Zelazny/dp/0380014300/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0) has it all - and it's a quick read. Yes, this book does start a series, but, like [Dune] (http://www.amazon.com/Dune-Science-Fiction-Frank-Herbert/dp/0441172717/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1369998755&sr=1-1), it stands alone just fine.

This book has wonderful exercises http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0195374614?pc_redir=1407091974&robot_redir=1

I just started reading Dune and I am really enjoying it so far.

The Road has always been recommended to me. It's about a father and son who are travelling to the coast but they don't know what to expect when they arrive. It's about their journey through a burned American landscape while dealing with bandits and the like.

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi. Amazon explains it better than I...
http://www.amazon.com/Windup-Girl-Paolo-Bacigalupi/dp/1597801585/ref=la_B002BM2TEK_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380994224&sr=1-1

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Link to Amazon description below.A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

I'll add Fermat's Enigma to my ever growing reading list. If you haven't had a chance to read Bryson's "At Home", do it. It's one of my favorites

The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss Kvothe is one of the most overpowered, got the answers to everything, character.
Book 1 The Name of the Wind kindle link.
Book 2 The Wise Man's Fear kindle link.

King's Dark Tidings by Kel Kade. Rezkin suffers from the same blight as the previously mention Kvothe, BUT he has social awkwardness, which is great through the first 2 books.
Book 1 Free the Darkness kindle link.
Book 2 Reign of Madness kindle link.
Book 3 Legends of Ahn kindle link.



Here is one of my favorite books. Urban Fantasy.
MC is OP, but doesn't realize it. Manages to survive things he shouldn't.

Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
The fist book is free from the Baen website.

>https://www.amazon.com/Night-Circus-Erin-Morgenstern/dp/0307744434/ref=sr\_1\_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1550263600&sr=1-1&keywords=the+night+circus+by+erin+morgenstern

Never heard of it. Thanks for the suggestion!

A few of my favorites from over the years...
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water

The Secret History

The Shadow of the Wind

I especially liked In a Sunburned Country. I find that his European travelogues are much less snide than his American ones.

If you looking for in depth characters and story, but not necessarily horror try Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: A Novel https://www.amazon.com/dp/0765356155/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wK6XCbT15W2BZ

Sophie's World may be a good start.

Armor, by John Steakley is a good one.

One big I go back to when I'm feeling down is Bill Bryson's In A Sunburned Country. Hilarious, very informative, and it really draws you in.
I would recommend any of his travel books, but this one is my favourite by far.

Here are some suggestions that might work:

Eleanor & Park

The 100-Year-Old-Man Who...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

It really depends on where your taste overlaps.

Possibly the Sandman Slim novels, kind of a noir LA gumshoe that escaped from Hell, also authors like Charles De Lint or Joe Hill would be worth checking out.

*edit accidentaly posted Help a Bear is Eating Me in this thread instead of another, hahaha

I would recommend a couple of books:

Thinking: Fast and Slow https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374533555/

The Information https://www.amazon.com/Information-History-Theory-Flood/dp/1400096235

I actually just bought a book called The Fall of Lucifer from a second-hand shop (50 cents. Why not?) which looks promising. I haven't read it though.

Good Omens is, of course, a classic, and a really great book.

There's also the Sandman Slim series by Richard Kadrey which heavily involves the Devil and other demons, especially after the first book, and it's a hell of a lot of fun to read. (Pun intended.)

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. It takes place in Spain in the 20's and 30's. It's a cool mystery.

Armor by John Steakley

Ex Heroes by Peter Clines

14 by Peter Clines

And everything by William Gibson. Seriously, just all the things by him but start with Neuromancer

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard Feynman.

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry


http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Balance-Rohinton-Mistry/dp/140003065X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421846437&sr=1-1&keywords=a+fine+balance

"The Dog Stars" by Peter Heller and "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy are both part of the modern canon, IMO.

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Circus-Erin-Morgenstern/dp/0307744434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457129002&sr=8-1&keywords=the+night+circus

The Night Circus - by Erin Morgenstern. (https://www.amazon.com/Night-Circus-Erin-Morgenstern/dp/0307744434/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1550263600&sr=1-1&keywords=the+night+circus+by+erin+morgenstern)

If she's philosophically inclined, perhaps Sophie's World?

Thinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman

The Now Habit

The Power of Habit

Thinking fast, thinking slow

Tao te Ching

this should be exactly what you're looking for

http://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Strange-Mr-Norrell-Novel/dp/0765356155

How about
Armor?

The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi

The Devil All The Time by Donald Pollock and The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell, both are great gritty small town stories.

The Devil All the Time. I loved it.

• Ursula K Le Guin's Hainish Universe books: Worlds of Exile and Illusion, The Word for World is Forest, and The Left Hand of Darkness
  
• Iain M Banks' Culture Series
  
• Isaac Asimov's Foundation Series
  
• Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon the Deep and A Deepness in the Sky
  
• Charles Stross' Singularity books
  
• Robert A Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers, and Have Space Suit, Will Travel
  
• Michael Marshall Smith's Only Forward and Spares
  
• Neal Stephenson's Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon
  
• William Gibson's Neuromancer
  
• Larry Niven's Ringworld and The Mote in God's Eye
  
• Frank Herbert's Dune series
  
• John Scalzi's Old Man's War series

The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime by Mark Haddon. You're welcome... about Shadow.. It's mystery someones burning copies of a book and the kid in the bookstore tries to figure out who's behind it. It's soooo goooood. For the other request maybe Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

A Fine Balance - this is a novel about the class system in India in the 70s. It was really well written, but really depressing, especially at the end.

I would suggest The Lies of Locke Lamora Meets all of your criteria.

Jack Campbell's The Lost Fleet

John Steakley Armor

John Scalzi Old Man's War

Joe Haldeman The Forever War

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. Do not be put off by the fact that it's an Oprah's Book Club book. It is one of the singularly most devastating things I've ever read.

Try the Gentlemen Bastard series. Start out with The lies of Locke Lamora

Here is a mash of books off the top of my head.

• World War Z
  
• Blindness
  
• A Fire Upon The Deep
  
• I Am Legend
  
• Frankenstein
  
• The Quantum Thief
  
• The Windup Girl