Category: Television - Things We Read

Bill Murray

12/1/2014

Actor, Comedian, Philanthropist, Ghostbuster [via]

A Story Like the Wind
Laurens van der Post

My favorite book is a two-parter by Laurens Van Der Post.

The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain

Well, my favorite author is Mark Twain. He's smart, and funny. Huckleberry Finn, especially the chapter all the purists hate, in which Tom Sawyer stages an elaborate rescue of Jim, is a writer having as much fun as possible.

A Far Off Place
Laurens van der Post

My favorite book is a two-parter by Laurens Van Der Post.

The Plague
Albert Camus

This use to be my favorite book, but is still a classic.

Anderson Cooper

11/23/2014

Host of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360

Beautiful Ruins: A Novel
Jess Walter

I also just finished “Beautiful Ruins,” and that’s a really good book. It’s got a lot of different characters and it kind of goes back and forth in time, and it’s a really well done book.

Await Your Reply
Dan Chaon

I like the surprises and couldn’t put it down.

11/22/63
Stephan King

Couldn’t put it down… a perfect read for the summer.

Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad

It’s a classic. I first read it in high school and it sparked my interest in traveling to the far reaches of our planet. It’s about what can happen to people when everything we think we are is stripped away.

Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn

I’ve been reading a lot this summer, I finished “Gone Girl.” I really recommend it. It’s kind of a mystery thriller, with a lot of twists and turns.

Mark Cuban

10/26/2014

Owner of Dallas Mavericks
TV star on ABC show "Shark Tank"
Billionaire entrepreneur
Investor

Rework
Jason Fried

"If given a choice between investing in someone who has read Rework or has an MBA, I'm investing in Rework every time. This is a must read for every entrepreneur." - From Cuban's Amazon Review

The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need
Andrew Tobias

"This is the only investment book I have read that truly made sense." -US News, May 13, 2007

The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie: The Gospel of Wealth
Andrew Carnegie

"This was a reading assignment in an MBA entrepreneurship class that I snuck into at Indiana University. Bottom line is that among the many patriotic things you can do, one is get rich and pay your taxes." -US News, May 13, 2007

The Fountainhead
Ayn Rand

"[I read The Fountainhead] three complete times and an untold number of little snippets and segments." - C-SPAN, March 26, 2006.

"It [The Fountainhead] taught me it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks - it's how you see yourself and what your own dreams are. It was incredibly motivating to me. It encouraged me to think as an individual, take risks to reach my goals, and responsibility for my successes and failures." - Slate.com, November 15, 2005

Cold Calling Techniques
Stephan Schiffman

"This is a book that every CEO needs to read. If you can't sell, you can't survive. If you can sell- if you can figure out how to open doors and make your customers happy - you not only will always be able to eat and put a roof over your head but also thrive in any corporate or entrepreneurial environment." - US News, May 13, 2007

The Innovator's Dilemma
Clayton M. Christensen

"This helped me make sense of why things worked and didn't work in the technology industry." -US News, May 13, 2007

Gerald "Mac" McRaney

8/4/2014

Most recently known for his role as Raymond Tusk in "House of Cards"
Actor
Producer
Director

If you would be just as content winning a local Golden Gloves fight as you would making a pile of money as a professional, then fine, go become a boxer. But if the whole idea is for you to get rich, my God, stay in school and learn a profession.

Mila 18
Leon Uris

It illuminates the courage of ordinary people-backs to the wall- who, with whatever small weapons they could steal, held off the German army for a while and made them pay a price for this piece of genocide.

True at First Light
Ernest Hemingway

Captures beautifully the feel of Africa and the passion and ethos of the hunt.

For Whom the Bell Tolls
Ernest Hemingway

The story of people, some for whom the conflict is terribly personal, and some whose only stake is common humanity, find a simple sort of courage that pushes them to do the right thing even in the face of death.

Soldier's Pay
William Faulkner

A look at The Great War and the path it started leading to more and worse conflicts, while still championing man's ability ( quoting loosely) not only to endure but to prevail, because he has a soul.

Light in August
William Faulkner

A beautifully told story of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, complete with their weaknesses and strengths, cowardice and courage and their ability to survive life. The prose is poetry.

Mike Rowe

6/16/2014

Host of Dirty Jobs
Narrator, actor, voice over actor,opera singer, activist

All shared interests have a way of keeping us from each others throats, but a shared interest in literature goes right to the guts of what makes us civilized.

Any of The Travis McGee Mysteries
John D. MacDonald

"Travis McGee is my favorite continuing character of all time. He’s a boat bum, philosopher, veteran, and “salvage expert” who specializes in helping people who have been conned or ripped off in every way imaginable. McDonald proves better than anyone that pulp fiction can also be really great literature. They’re twenty-some titles in this series. Each references a color. Start with The Deep Blue Good by. Read them in order."

A Prayer for Owen Meany
John Irving

"Twenty years ago, I found a dogeared copy that someone had left behind at LAX. I picked it up and started to read it on a flight to Peru. It was the fastest sixteen hours I’ve ever spent on a plane. Great writing, great story, unforgettable character. A few months later, I put it back where I found it. I hope someone else picked it up and did the same."

Flashman!
George MacDonald Frasier

"The Flashman Chronicles are a series of adventures that involve a soldier who serves in the British Army during the Victorian era. With the exception of the titular character, the books are historically accurate, but outrageously fun because Flashman - who narrates all the adventures - is a shameless coward who somehow winds up getting promoted through the ranks because he’s constantly getting and taking the credit for things he didn’t actually do. There’s no more entertaining or politically incorrect way to learn history than through the eyes of Harry Flashman."

Me Talk Pretty One Day
David Sedaris

"The funniest essays by the funniest writer I know of."

Cryptonomicon
Neal Stephenson

"I normally avoid the whole techno-geek, sci-fi genre, especially when it comes in 900 pages, but this book absolutely blew me away. Nazis, code-breaking, computers, bit-coin, data-havens, U-Boats, war heroes, and some very dangerous dentists. It’s a big bite, but if you’re not afraid of a commitment, dig in. It’s a lot of fun."

Wes Moore

5/5/2014

U.S. Army Veteran
Author of New York Times bestseller, The Other Wes Moore
Host of TV Show "Beyond Belief" on the Oprah Winfrey Network

"The education you receive and the knowledge you receive in that education will always be with you." Wes Moore speaking on the importance of reading and education and how it saved him from a tragic life.

The Unforgiving Minute
Craig M. Mullaney

"I love The Unforgiving Minute because it shows the evolution, not just of soldier, but of a man. It’s a great coming of age story."

Thinking Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman

"I enjoyed this book because it shows how our thinking determines our actions, demonstrating how thoughtful great leaders must be."

A Long Walk to Freedom
Nelson Mandela

"If at any time you need a reminder of how amazing the human spirit is, read this book. We are greater than we think, as long as love is our baseline."

The Start Up of You
Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha

"This book shows how entrepreneurial thinking is important, not just in business, but in life. Reinvention is not just a business term, it’s a personal term."

Elvis is Titanic
Ian Klaus

"This book reminds me how one person can make a huge difference in the lives of others. It also shows us that sometimes getting out of your comfort zone is the most comfortable thing we can do."

Dan Wilbur

4/28/2014

Author
Comedian
Entertainer

Reading, ironically, is something you do in solitude that makes you feel less alone.

Skippy Dies
Paul Murray

"Skippy Dies Paul Murray Skippy, our main character, dies on page 6 of this novel, and the rest of the book spans the hilarious/tragic moments in a Catholic boarding school leading up to his death. In a plot that’s half Dead Poet’s Society half The Sandlot, a group of libido-driven, insult-spewing, catholic school boys experiment with drugs, girls, and time travel."

Red Harvest
Dashiell Hammett

"The inspiration for movies like Fist Full of Dollars and Yojimbo and Last Man Standing, this is a noir about a detective pinning all the gangs in one town against each other. This is a badass book, and it’s written in a perfect noir voice that has since been parodied/copied by everyone."

Why Does The World Exist?
Jim Holt

"This book seeks to answer the question posed in its title. The author decides by page 30 that the question is not a scientific nor purely religious one, but something that must be considered through the lens of philosophy. It sounds difficult (and, at times, it is) but Holt carries you through the complicated math and philosophy with a kind of nerdy excitement that’s contagious."

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
Cheryl Strayed

"Cheryl Strayed became famous for her book Wild, about a hike along the Pacific Crest Trail following a divorce and the death of her mother, but after all that living she spent time as an anonymous advice columnist for a website called The Rumpus. BEFORE you judge me: this is not a “gushy” book. Open it up, and see for yourself Strayed’s no-bullshit approach to helping people out."

The Watchmen
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

"Maybe you’re reading too many novels and think comic books aren’t “smart” literature. Or maybe you’ve read too many issues of Spiderman without picking this book up. In any case, this Graphic Novel about semi-retired superheroes is a near-perfect piece of art. Moral quandaries! Meta-comics within a comic! Lessons about grief and loss! Plus: murder and suspense."

Mayim Bialik

4/28/2014

"Amy Farrah Fowler" | Lead actress on NBC's hit show, The Big Bang Theory
Neuroscientist (yes, really)

The Big Bang Theory's book club.

I love to read in bed with my cat snuggled next to me.

As a Driven Leaf
Milton Steinberg

"I love historical fiction. This book takes place around the time Jesus lived and focuses on the politics of religion and secular society."

To Be Sung Underwater
Tom McNeal

"The plotline might sound like this is a book about a woman longing for a love affair but it’s actually a very male-heavy story about lost opportunities."

Geek Love: A Novel
Katherine Dunn

"This is an incredible novel about a group of circus performers and “sideshow freaks”. It is really bizarre but really fantastic."

The Secret History
Donna Tartt

"I love this book because it focuses on a group of college students who find themselves committing a horrendous crime. They all have to figure out how to cover it up and it’s a really interesting portrait of a really exceptional situation."

One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel Garcia Marquez

"This is a very long book about one family’s history, set over a hundred years. It’s written in the style of magical realism, which literally means anything can and does happen."

LeVar Burton

2/3/2014

Actor/Entertainer known for his roles in Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation and as the hose and executive producer of PBS children's series, Reading Rainbow

Reading for me is the best entertainment money can buy. It allows me to transport myself to worlds of experience far beyond my own in my imagination. -Levar Burton

To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee

"Through Atticus Finch and the telling of his story through his son’s eyes, I learned about the humanity of the Southern Gentleman, and the values of fairness and the duty of all to champion the disempowered."

The Prophet
Kahil Gibran

"Quintessential book of poetry, Gibran muses on life and love, devotion and God. A most eloquent meditation on the more esoteric aspects of life."

Sacred Journey of the Peaceful Warrior
Dan Millman

"The book had a huge impact on me in my late 20’s. A classic coming of age autobiography in the traditional of Joseph Campbell’s “A Hero’s Journey.”"

The Road Less Traveled
M. Scott Peck, M.D.

"The first book of psychobabble I ever enjoyed. If you are willing to listen, Dr. Peck tells you the truth about what keeps us from being real in every moment."

Parable of the Talents
Octavia Butler

"Octavia Butler is my favorite science fiction author of all time, period. God rest her soul."