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Whatcha readin now? (book, books, reading, read) (5 Viewers)

Some recent books I've finished 

One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning (The Final War)  David Moody

One of Us Will Be Dead by Morning, David Moody returns to the world of his Hater trilogy with a new fast-paced, and wonderfully dark story about humanity’s fight for survival in the face of the impending apocalypse.
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Not nearly as good as the original stories.    Would not recommend 

How Music Got Free

How Music Got Free is a riveting story of obsession, music, crime, and money, featuring visionaries and criminals, moguls and tech-savvy teenagers. It’s about the greatest pirate in history, the most powerful executive in the music business, a revolutionary invention and an illegal website four times the size of the iTunes Music Store. 
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I really liked this. Not only was it a walk down memory lane it was also filled with stories that I was completely unaware of. 

Would highly recommend 

The Guardians John Grisham

Typical Grisham lawyer story. This one based around a small southern law firm that handles "Innocent Project" type cases. 

Would only recommend if ya like other Grisham novels.  Nothing new to be seen here. 

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson is the fictional account of a young biracial man, referred to only as the "Ex-Colored Man," living in post-Reconstruction era America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
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I can't even remember how I heard about this book. It's way outside of my wheelhouse. Even though it's fiction, written in 1912 from it was an interesting look back from a historical point of view. 

It dragged and seemed repetitive at times but I enjoyed the story and would recommend.

 
Lehigh98 said:
Fantasticland looks interesting, sounds like events are revealed interview style similar to World War Z which I enjoyed...

Since the 1970s, FantasticLand has been the theme park where "Fun is Guaranteed!" But when a hurricane ravages the Florida coast and isolates the park, the employees find it anything but fun. Five weeks later, the authorities who rescue the survivors encounter a scene of horror. Photos soon emerge online of heads on spikes outside of rides and viscera and human bones littering the gift shops, breaking records for hits, views, likes, clicks, and shares. How could a group of survivors, mostly teenagers, commit such terrible acts?

Presented as a fact-finding investigation and a series of first-person interviews, FantasticLand pieces together the grisly series of events. Park policy was that the mostly college-aged employees surrender their electronic devices to preserve the authenticity of the FantasticLand experience. Cut off from the world and left on their own, the teenagers soon form rival tribes who viciously compete for food, medicine, social dominance, and even human flesh. This new social network divides the ravaged dreamland into territories ruled by the Pirates, the ShopGirls, the Freaks, and the Mole People. If meticulously curated online personas can replace private identities, what takes over when those constructs are lost?

Stephen King's The Talisman is also in there and I think alot of people are fans?
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Sorry for digging up an old post, but I’m 1/3 way through FantasticLand and love it. Was hoping to get the ebook on loan from my library for a while, but saw a deal for $.99 a few months back and grabbed it. Forgot it was on my kindle until this weekend.

 
Just finished Rust in Peace: The Inside Story of the Megadeth Masterpiece. Loved the album, love all the differing perspectives of the struggle to make it that are presented in the book.

 
Currently reading Wanderers - Chuck Long

Kinda sorta post-apoc but not really.  The craziest thing is that it has to do with a pandemic and some of the parallels to covid are unsettling...and it was published in 2019.

Either way, strong characters and a story that moves quickly enough for such a long novel.  I think my only complaint halfway through is that the President and her challenger are a bit too far to the extremes of reality.  Otherwise, I dig it quite a bit.

 
MindCrime said:
Sorry for digging up an old post, but I’m 1/3 way through FantasticLand and love it. Was hoping to get the ebook on loan from my library for a while, but saw a deal for $.99 a few months back and grabbed it. Forgot it was on my kindle until this weekend.
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Put it on hold at the library...kinda nervous already.  :D  

 
SouthJersey said:
Currently reading the new Desus & Mero book God Level Knowledge Darts -- funny so far but similar to the show there are parts where they're trying hard to be funny and it's just corny.
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This book was corny.  I'm becoming an old guy.

Recently read:

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel -- Good, practical, personal finance book.  Not really a how-to, but just interesting stories circulating around the theme of saving and long investment horizons to compound growth.

David & Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell -- Typical Gladwell book. It was decent.

Currently reading Devil in the Grove -- it's a book about Thurgood Marshall.  Interesting so far.

 
Listening to "Wool" again in the car hoping to get my kids interested, they haven't been big into reading lately (or at all for my 12 yo).

May think about introducing the 14yo to "The Long Walk".

You guys had any luck finding books that get your tweens / teens interested in reading?

 
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Lehigh98 said:
Listening to "Wool" again in the car hoping to get my kids interested, they haven't been big into reading lately (or at all for my 12 yo).

May think about introducing the 14yo to "The Long Walk".

You guys had any luck finding books that get your tweens / teens interested in reading?
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:no:

 
Lehigh98 said:
May think about introducing the 14yo to "The Long Walk".
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Great choice.  If you think the length of the book could scare them away (partially because that one is often combined with three other 'Bachman' stories) I'd recommend one of Stephen King's more recent books - "Gwendy's Button Box".   It's an easy read and I could see a kid connecting with it much easier than almost any other King book, and act as a nice bridge into his writing (if they show interest).  Good luck!

 
Cold Dead Hands said:
My 14 yo son was enjoying the Stand until my wife found out and mixed that one. He is allowed to read it when he is 16. Apparently, her arbitrary nature equates the ability to appreciate the mature themes of the stand with the ability to operate a motor vehicle.
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That insurance premium spike can be kind of scary. 

 
Lehigh98 said:
Listening to "Wool" again in the car hoping to get my kids interested, they haven't been big into reading lately (or at all for my 12 yo).

May think about introducing the 14yo to "The Long Walk".

You guys had any luck finding books that get your tweens / teens interested in reading?
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It's been many years since I read them, but if you are open to King The Talisman and Black House (both cowritten with Peter Straub) are books I'd think would resonate with teens who are into fantasy/multi-worlds type stuff.

 
facook said:
It's been many years since I read them, but if you are open to King The Talisman and Black House (both cowritten with Peter Straub) are books I'd think would resonate with teens who are into fantasy/multi-worlds type stuff.
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I had heard good things about them but didn't enjoy The Talisman and then didn't bother with Black House.  I listened to it on CD in the pre-Audible days when I was driving 90 minutes each way to work.  Looked in up on Wikipedia to job my memory and it says they have plans for a third and final book.  Maybe I should give it another shot.

It's funny, my preferred category would probably be Sci-Fi but I've never enjoyed Fantasy and they're often combined into the same category.  For example, I heard great things about the Lord of the Rings movies and turned the first one off about 10 minutes in, just not my thing.  Maybe being an engineer I have some predisposition to at least some semblance of grounding in reality.

 
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Lehigh98 said:
Listening to "Wool" again in the car hoping to get my kids interested, they haven't been big into reading lately (or at all for my 12 yo).

May think about introducing the 14yo to "The Long Walk".

You guys had any luck finding books that get your tweens / teens interested in reading?
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My 10 year old daughter loves to read, she's on a Harry Potter kick right now.  

My 15 year old son's interest has waned a little due to phone addiction.  I gave him my copy of The Long Walk but he hasn't started it yet.  He seems to be sticking to books that are based on other interests, like Star Wars or Halo novels.  You might want to see if something like that would get your 14 year old interested.

 
Lehigh98 said:
You guys had any luck finding books that get your tweens / teens interested in reading?
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Percy Jackson did it for my oldest son when he was in 5/6th grade. So much that i just bought him the most recent book, even though he’s now a junior in hs. He also really got into some other series... Inheritance Cycle and Maze Runner.

my youngest son pretty much gave up after the Diary of a Wimpy kid books. 😞 

 
MindCrime said:
Sorry for digging up an old post, but I’m 1/3 way through FantasticLand and love it. Was hoping to get the ebook on loan from my library for a while, but saw a deal for $.99 a few months back and grabbed it. Forgot it was on my kindle until this weekend.
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Really enjoyed FantasticLand. 👍🏻

 
Lately, I've been reading quite a bit about the history of the Civil War. I've really enjoyed a number of books by James M. McPherson, but are there any other Civil War historians that you guys are fans of?

 
Don't Toews Me said:
Lately, I've been reading quite a bit about the history of the Civil War. I've really enjoyed a number of books by James M. McPherson, but are there any other Civil War historians that you guys are fans of?
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Assuming you’ve read McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom....

Shelby Foote’s trilogy is great for another comprehensive telling. 

Stephen Sears some good stuff on the battles. For biographies, there’s Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals, and Donald’s Lincoln. Lots of great stuff on Grant, like Ron Chernow’s biography and Grant’s own autobiography. I just recently finished Blight’s biography on Frederick Douglass that won the Pulitzer for history last year. (ETA: Fierce Patriot on Sherman another solid one.)

I enjoy the years around the Civil War too. Stuff like Potter’s The Impending Crisis on the years before, and Eric Foner’s Reconstruction on the aftermath.

I could come up with some more, but hopefully that is a start.

 
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The Sundown Motel has been a fun read. Mystery, ghost's, serial killer, oh my.

Just a fun mystery with some cool twists in it.

 
I'm on a big Harlan Coben kick. 

The problem with his books is that once I start them, I typically read all the way through to the end (because they're that good), ignoring the need for sleep. 

 
Just finished Bob Woodward's Rage. Up to Woodward's usual standards and recommend (although most of the juicy bits have been spoiled). I won't say much more as don't want to turn into PSF.

Next up is Susanna Clarke's Piranesi. It has been getting some pretty good buzz.

 
Don Quixote said:
Assuming you’ve read McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom....

Shelby Foote’s trilogy is great for another comprehensive telling. 

Stephen Sears some good stuff on the battles. For biographies, there’s Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals, and Donald’s Lincoln. Lots of great stuff on Grant, like Ron Chernow’s biography and Grant’s own autobiography. I just recently finished Blight’s biography on Frederick Douglass that won the Pulitzer for history last year. (ETA: Fierce Patriot on Sherman another solid one.)

I enjoy the years around the Civil War too. Stuff like Potter’s The Impending Crisis on the years before, and Eric Foner’s Reconstruction on the aftermath.

I could come up with some more, but hopefully that is a start.
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Thanks. Will add these to the list to get to.

 
Just started My First Summer in the Sierra by John Muir. So far it's an excellent account of him herding sheep through the mountains. Cool to be reading a first hand account from someone who obviously loves nature so.

I'm really liking this one, a nice change of pace for me. It's a great front porch/backyard read.

 
Don Quixote said:
Just finished Bob Woodward's Rage. Up to Woodward's usual standards and recommend (although most of the juicy bits have been spoiled). I won't say much more as don't want to turn into PSF.

Next up is Susanna Clarke's Piranesi. It has been getting some pretty good buzz.
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Thanks for the Clarke recommendation, I enjoyed the Jonathan Strange novel. I didn’t know she was struggling with illness https://www.npr.org/2020/09/14/911998413/home-sweet-labyrinth-susanna-clarkes-mysterious-piranesi-will-lock-you-in

if you like Clarke, you might like Mervyn Peake https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/gormenghast/novels/trilogy.html

Titus Groan is a long slow moving, slog I know that is not a ringing endorsement but at the end you look back and it feels strangely rewarding. I wouldn’t call it fantasy but it has magical qualities to it. Edgar Allen Poe and Neil Gaiman come to mind when reading Peak. If you like to read a broad range of fantasy styles this should be in your library.

 
TheFatKid said:
Thanks for the Clarke recommendation, I enjoyed the Jonathan Strange novel. I didn’t know she was struggling with illness https://www.npr.org/2020/09/14/911998413/home-sweet-labyrinth-susanna-clarkes-mysterious-piranesi-will-lock-you-in

if you like Clarke, you might like Mervyn Peake https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/gormenghast/novels/trilogy.html

Titus Groan is a long slow moving, slog I know that is not a ringing endorsement but at the end you look back and it feels strangely rewarding. I wouldn’t call it fantasy but it has magical qualities to it. Edgar Allen Poe and Neil Gaiman come to mind when reading Peak. If you like to read a broad range of fantasy styles this should be in your library.
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Thanks, I’ll check out Peake.

I’m about halfway through, and I’m really enjoying Piranesi so far. Madeline Miller has a blurb on the back of the book, which seems appropriate because if I could pick one book in the past few years to compare it to, it would be Circe.

I would not say that I read too much fantasy, and mix up my genres pretty frequently. But something refreshing about being transported to another place in 2020.

 
Read the first 3 Murderbot diaries by Martha Wells. These are novellas, quick easy reads, fairly simple plots, but not necessarily predictable. Science fiction, 1st person perspective  (1st Artificial Intelligence perspective, really).

Started We Are Legion (We are Bob) More AI science fiction. About half way through and really like it. Kind of reminds me of Asimov Foundation books, but more sarcastic and less serious mood.

 
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

I am about 1/3 through. It is keeping me interested but I am hoping it gets better. I feel like there is a lot of set up here and I want the payoff. I do like it taking place on an Indian reservation and the look at a different culture. So far it has me guessing as to what is going on.

 
prosopis said:
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

I am about 1/3 through. It is keeping me interested but I am hoping it gets better. I feel like there is a lot of set up here and I want the payoff. I do like it taking place on an Indian reservation and the look at a different culture. So far it has me guessing as to what is going on.
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You & I seem to have mirrored reading lists.

I read this about a month ago. I'll hold off on any comments for now.

 
SouthJersey said:
This book was corny.  I'm becoming an old guy.

Recently read:

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel -- Good, practical, personal finance book.  Not really a how-to, but just interesting stories circulating around the theme of saving and long investment horizons to compound growth.

David & Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell -- Typical Gladwell book. It was decent.

Currently reading Devil in the Grove -- it's a book about Thurgood Marshall.  Interesting so far.
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Devil in the Grove was really good.  Never really realized the immense impact of Thurgood Marshall on our county.  This also helped me better understand the Jim Crowe south.  The story of the Groveland boys, the corrupt sheriff, and how society and juries worked in the South was fascinating, but also infuriating and sad.

Now on The Count of Monte Cristo.  It was one of my favorites as a kid.  Finally reading the unabridged version.

 
prosopis said:
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

I am about 1/3 through. It is keeping me interested but I am hoping it gets better. I feel like there is a lot of set up here and I want the payoff. I do like it taking place on an Indian reservation and the look at a different culture. So far it has me guessing as to what is going on.
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I am not sure if I liked this or not. As I said above I did like the look into a different culture. I do live in an area with these reservations and they are interesting places. One of my favorite things about horror or any fiction for that matter is being pulled into a story hook, line, sinker and believing it. Despite how preposterous the premise is.I never really bought the premise of this story. 

This book did have some legitimate creeps in it though.

 
I'm looking for some books to read for fun (not necessarily looking to read anything educational).  I like fantasy like The Hobbit and I've read a couple of Dragonlance novels that I liked (a couple that I found boring too).  I also like spy novels and sci-fi. 

 
RC94 said:
I'm looking for some books to read for fun (not necessarily looking to read anything educational).  I like fantasy like The Hobbit and I've read a couple of Dragonlance novels that I liked (a couple that I found boring too).  I also like spy novels and sci-fi. 
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Have you read any Neil Gaiman?

 
RC94 said:
I'm looking for some books to read for fun (not necessarily looking to read anything educational).  I like fantasy like The Hobbit and I've read a couple of Dragonlance novels that I liked (a couple that I found boring too).  I also like spy novels and sci-fi. 
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I am re-reading World War Z.  Highly recommended.

The Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva is a very entertaining spy series.

 
Just finished On the Wings of Eagles by Follett.  True story about the rescue of kidnapped/arrested EDS employees by Ross Perot from Tehran during the fall of the Shah.  

Great book, audiobook is distinctly meh.  My opinion of Perot has gone way, way up and, conversely, my opinion of the Carter admin. as pertains to Iran couldn't get any worse.

 
RC94 said:
I'm looking for some books to read for fun (not necessarily looking to read anything educational).  I like fantasy like The Hobbit and I've read a couple of Dragonlance novels that I liked (a couple that I found boring too).  I also like spy novels and sci-fi. 
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I am just finishing up book 5 of the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. He is currently working on book 6. Good space fantasy series.

 
RC94 said:
I'm looking for some books to read for fun (not necessarily looking to read anything educational).  I like fantasy like The Hobbit and I've read a couple of Dragonlance novels that I liked (a couple that I found boring too).  I also like spy novels and sci-fi. 
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My love Song of Ice and Fire and tge King killer Chronicles, but both of those are on holding pattern.  

I also love The Expanse books, and I think I saw final book is due out next year.  

 
RC94 said:
I'm looking for some books to read for fun (not necessarily looking to read anything educational).  I like fantasy like The Hobbit and I've read a couple of Dragonlance novels that I liked (a couple that I found boring too).  I also like spy novels and sci-fi. 
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Huge, wide open space.  Suggestions:

Epic fantasy - Sanderson's Stormlight Archive

Dark/gritty fantasy - Joe Abercrombie First Law Trilogy

Light, fun fantasy - Will Wight Cradle Series

Epic SciFi - The Expanse

Light/Fun SciFi - The Bobiverse

Heck, if you haven't read them, do read the Harry Potter stuff.  Great set of books.

I envy you - all these books are so damn good I wish I could selectively forget and go back and read them again.  Among the books above are two of my favorite three literary characters - Logen Ninefingers (First Law) and Bob (yeah, that one is cheating, and no I won't explain; you have to read it to find out why).

 
I have the first book of the trilogy at home, haven't gotten it, but heard nothing but good things about the Broken Earth Trilogy.   Isn't she the first to win 3 Hugos in a row, and the first trilogy to do so?

 
Kao-Lin said:
2021.  Really want to see how it wraps, but will be a bit sad that it's over.  
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Nice!  I am asking for books 6-8 for Christmas.  

I also concur on your suggestion about the Harry Potter books.   I also have like the couple of books from the Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series.  

 
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