Binge watching. Unless you are living off the grid, you’re probably familiar with the term thanks to hit television shows like Orange Is the New Black, Transparent and a host of others that compel us to gleefully eschew bathing and sunlight to sit for hours and watch from beginning to end.
Many of these shows have been nominated for Emmys this year, which means that, in most cases, it’s going to be months before your favorite shows start up again (if ever). Do not despair. I propose we start a new movement: binge reading! It’ll sate your appetites until Cersei Lannister, the Underwoods and others reign supreme on your TV screens again. Showering still not required — but highly recommended.
Here are some book recommendations for fans of this year’s Emmy nominees for Outstanding Drama Series…
This post is curated by one of Amazon’s editors, Erin Kodicek. See her profile on Amazon’s Omnivoracious blog, and check her out on LinkedIn.
‘Game of Thrones’
Game of Thrones fan? The HBO adaptation is so popular that it has outlasted the books on which it is based. But if you’re looking for a similarly complex series that rivals GOT’s ambitious imagination, then check out…
‘Wheel of Time’
Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time is our first pick for Game of Thrones fans. Word on the street is that the TV version is in development. Read it before you see it!
‘The Lord of the Rings’
In an online journal, George R.R. Martin himself recommended J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings for GOT fans.
‘A Song of Ice and Fire’
No one was better at world-building, and George R.R. Martin says A Song of Fire and Ice would not have been conceived without it.
‘The Americans’
Season 5 of The Americans will not premiere until 2017. Fortunately, there are many classic Cold War-era spy novels to whet your appetite in the interim.
‘The Hunt for Red October’
First, check out Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October.
‘From Russia, with Love’
Then pick up Ian Fleming’s From Russia, with Love.
‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’
Next? John le Carré’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
‘The Pigeon Tunnel’
Le Carré served in British Intelligence during the Cold War, something he reveals in his upcoming memoir, The Pigeon Tunnel (available Sept. 6). So, when it comes to the authenticity of his novels, the guy knows what he’s talking about.
‘Downton Abbey’
For those of you going through Downton Abbey withdrawals, we have a few suggestions for you.
‘Below Stairs’
First up: Below Stairs, Margaret Powell’s cheeky memoir that was the inspiration behind it. (See also Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle.)
‘Brideshead Revisited’
But you can’t beat Evelyn Waugh’s classic Brideshead Revisited, period fiction that perfectly captures the upper-crust struggling with their first-world problems — the kind of subject matter that seduced Downton Abbey watchers for six seasons.
‘House of Cards’
Who doesn’t want to delve into more diabolical political machinations, especially during election season!
‘All the King’s Men’
Until House of Cards returns, read Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, a novel about a man who knocks his moral compass off kilter to climb the political ladder.
‘Game of Thrones’
Game of Thrones fan? The HBO adaptation is so popular that it has outlasted the books on which it is based. But if you’re looking for a similarly complex series that rivals GOT’s ambitious imagination, then check out…
‘Mr. Robot’
Last but not least, it’s Sam Esmail’s runaway hit on USA Network, Mr. Robot.
‘Millennium’ series
There has been a spate of books, films and television shows featuring antisocial vigilante hackers since the release of Stieg Larsson’s very popular Millennium series. If you never miss an episode of Mr. Robot and haven’t yet read them, they are the perfect summer binge reads.
‘Ghost in the Wires’
There’s also a fascinating nonfiction book on the subject, Ghost in the Wires. This propulsive memoir reads like a techno-thriller and is written by real-life hacker, Kevin Mitnick.
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