Book Suggestions: memoirs

theBruiser500 · #1 02-14-2007, 11:37 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Maos-Last-Dancer-L...TF8&s=books

Mao's Last Dancer, it's about a poor peasant boy who danced ballet. His writing is average but his story is so amazing it's a good read, it gets better and better too as the book goes on. He was so poor, might help put some things in perspective. Not sure if this is an OOT thread, Diablo can take care of it if that is the case, do ya'll have some autobiographies to recommend?

ED: Slight edit to subject so everyone knows it's a thread to recommend memoirs, not a book called Memoir.

cbloom · #2 02-15-2007, 12:32 AM

"Papillon" - like the greatest adventure/escape story ever. So inspiring, the guy has disaster after disaster and just keeps finding a way out. Fact or fiction, it's a great read.

cbloom · #3 02-15-2007, 12:32 AM

also any of Feynman's books about himself. Amazing man and just an inspiring energetic spirit.

theBruiser500 · #4 02-15-2007, 12:44 AM

wow thanks cbloom i saw the movie always thought it was fiction. read feynman's book and will second the suggestion

adsman · #5 02-15-2007, 03:18 AM

Bruiser,

Thanks for that, added to my shopping cart.

I've got a recommendation that perhaps is a little different from the norm. Autobiography of a Yogi, by Yogananda. This isn't all spiritual mumbo-jumbo, it is an incredible account of the life of a great holy man in early 20th century India.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobiography_of_a_Yogi

theBruiser500 · #6 02-15-2007, 05:02 AM

after finishing the book i upgrade this from a recomendation to a strong recomendation. adsman i've picked that book up a couple times at Barnes and Noble, seemed like writing was academic or just uninteresting but on your rec. will check it out again.

NajdorfDefense · #7 02-15-2007, 01:04 PM

[ QUOTE ]
also any of Feynman's books about himself. Amazing man and just an inspiring energetic spirit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Feynman FTW.

fluffpop62 · #8 02-15-2007, 02:38 PM

About Alice

MagicNinja · #9 02-16-2007, 03:46 AM

Scar Tissue: Autobiography of Anthony Keidis, lead singer of RHCP. Very interesting.

If you've read this can you recommend any other autobiographies? Especially about crazy musicians or extreme personalities?

RiDiK · #10 02-16-2007, 07:10 AM

"Blue Rage, Black Redemption: A Memoir" by Stanley "Tookie" Williams

The founder of the crips tells his story

"A Vietcong Memoir: An Inside Account of the Vietnam War and Its Aftermath" by Truong Nhu Tang

A member of the National Liberation Front tells his story

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death" by Jean-Dominique Bauby

The chief editor of a top fashion magazine in france has a stroke and suffers "locked-in syndrome" which left his mind functioning but not his body besides one of his eyelids tells his story.