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

the rape of nan king by iris chang. it deals with japanese brutality while they occupied china during the 1930s. citizens as well as soldiers were victims. the author recently commited suicide at age 36.
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:goodposting: :goodposting: :goodposting: seriously.

great book.

don't read if you're depressed or don't want to be on a downer though.

very very very depressing read.

excellent book.. and very important.. but very sad.

 
Slugging through:"Something Happened" by Joseph HellerI love Catch-22 and many considered this book to be better written. I don't know. Catch-22 was a lot more entertaining. I'm having trouble keeping interested in this one.

 
:rant:

My wife purged some books from our burgeoning bookshelves over the weekend, including a couple of Lansdale hardcovers I had been saving for summer reading.
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:o divorce her.
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:unsure: I'll let it slide.

:turnthepage:
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:wall: my gf has been complaining about my book collection beginning to sprawl around the house.. she's threatened to throw some out.

if she did i'd post about it here and then you'd never hear from me again because i'd be in prison.

maybe not.

 
Just finished King's Tommyknockers. 

Just starting Joe R. Lansdale's A Fine Dark Line.
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Joe Lansdale :thumbup:
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wheres a good place to start?
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The Drive-In "There is a certain glee in my work," says Joe R. Lansdale. "But for me, it heightens the horror." The Drive-In: A B-Movie with Blood and Popcorn and its sequel (The Drive-In 2)--both well known to Lansdale fans--are back in this welcome omnibus edition. The story is about a bunch of affectionately described characters in small-town Texas who go to a horror-movie marathon at the local drive-in. While they're watching The Toolbox Murders, a bright red meteor with a toothy smile swoops down and traps them in the drive-in for all time. Then the fun begins: endless re-runs of the same movies and fights over concession food, followed by anarchy, religion, cannibalism, bodily transformation, crucifixion, mad bikers, and a supernatural Popcorn King. It's not just silly, though; it's social commentary. The lesser (but equally surreal) sequel further explores the end-of-the-world scenario. As Lansdale himself says, "The Drive-In is quirky as hell. It's kind of a cult book, and it's not for everybody." The Drive-In was nominated for a 1989 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.

 
Slugging through:

"Something Happened" by Joseph Heller

I love Catch-22 and many considered this book to be better written. I don't know. Catch-22 was a lot more entertaining. I'm having trouble keeping interested in this one.
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I read this book nearly 30 years ago (1978?) and really liked it...but it's very depressing. Won't spoil it for you with any further comments regarding the plot (other than to say that Something did, indeed, Happen), but I enjoyed the way Heller layered his stream-of-consciousness writing with parentheses (and parentheses within parentheses) to indicate his own muddled mindset and his questioning of everything around him (including his own sanity).
 
Just finished: Utopia by Lincoln Child (co-author of The Relic). Decent book about a terrorist plot against a high-tech Arizona theme park.Now reading: Foul Moon by Jim Butcher (2nd book of the Dresden Files). The series is about a modern day wizard for hire in Chicago- like Harry Potter in his 30s.

 
Just finished: Utopia by Lincoln Child (co-author of The Relic).  Decent book about a terrorist plot against a high-tech Arizona theme park.

Now reading: Foul Moon by Jim Butcher (2nd book of the Dresden Files).  The series is about a modern day wizard for hire in Chicago- like Harry Potter in his 30s.
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:thumbup: I've got Butcher's Dead Beat on my shelf and on my list for later this year. Is that part of the same series?

 
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Currently reading: The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova's finely detailed vampire novel.
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The Historian = DaVinci Code + Large Cash Advance + Romance Novel Writing + Lack of Willing Suspension of Disbelief.I read the whole 700+ pages, and while the history & geography of Eastern Europe was plenty interesting, the writing itself was way too effeminate and affectuous...and the storyline didn't come close to matching other historical novels in credibility.

For what it's worth, my girlfriend read it after I did and found the writer's use of language even more sappy than I did.

 
An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears.
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i'm about halfway through this, and highly recommend it. I think the FFA readers would really like it. It's a murder mystery set in England (Oxford, mostly) in the 1660s. The tale is told from 4 viewpoints, in their distinct voices. But who is telling the truth?

This is historical fiction at its finest.
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I'll make it a third for this book. Honestly one of the most enjoyable reads I have had that I can remember, that's saying a lot. I am pretty amazed at the character development in this - it's really unlike anything I've read before. It's an interesting situation when you read a narrator's words and you are reading into them, as if you were listening to a friend. Highly recommended. :thumbup:
 
The Prize: The epic quest for oil, money, and power -- by Daniel Yergin.For the 2nd time. A must read if you wish to converse intelligently about oil, the Middle East, and all things related.

 
Just finished "A Feast for Crows" and haven't decided what to read next. I have a few worthy candidates in my on deck list that I need to decide between.American Gods - GaimanJitterbug Perfume - RobbinsA Mote in God's Eye - NivenI have a couple of others that I've considered but these are the current leading candidates.

 
Latest editiion of Skiiing Magazine.Haven't read a new book in at least a half year - have never gone a full year w/o reading a new book, but this might be it.

 
"Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt. Interesting stuff but dry as a bone.. I'm going to stop by the library and check out "The Count of Monte Cristo" next. I need some excitement after this.Before that I read "Off the Road", "My years with Cassady, Kerouac, and Ginsberg" by Neal Cassady's ex-wife Carolyn Cassady. This book gives you a look at The Beats from a different perspective than what you normally read.

 
Been reading E.L. Doctorow's The March

I'm about 2/3 of the way through and I can't decide if I like it or not. Right now it's just a bunch of scattered characters that occasionally have something to do with each other. Waiting for something big to happen. He certainly has a unique writing style, not using quotation marks at all.

 
Just Finished:

Mind Game: How the Boston Red Sox Got Smart, Won a World Series, and Created a New Blueprint for Winning
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:lmao: What, "spend like the Yankees, but on slightly better players" ?
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more or less, but the book's really just a platform to talk about baseball myths and sabermetrics.Trust me, I have no interest in reading a biographical book about the Red Sox.

 
The Prize: The epic quest for oil, money, and power -- by Daniel Yergin.

For the 2nd time. A must read if you wish to converse intelligently about oil, the Middle East, and all things related.
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:thumbup: Absolutely. Great book.Halfway through Damascus Gate by Robert Stone. That feller sure writes purty.

 
Just finished The Know-it-all: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World.
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I have that on my Amazon wish list but haven't pulled the trigger on ityet. How was it?I'm Halfway through The Confusion, second book in the Baroque cycle. Neal Stephenson has quickly vaulted to the upper echelon of my favorite fiction authors. This series is ridiculously good.

I have No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy on my bedstand up next, before I finish the Baroque cycle with The System of the World.

The last book I finished was Michael Crichton's Airframe. It was ok. Quick read, nothing special. Plenty of better books to read before recommending this one.

Also working my way through Justo Gonzalez's The Story of Christianity I & II.

I keep reading on these boards and other places about Ender's Game. What's the book about? Worth the read? I'd hate to get sucked into another multi-book series, but if it's that good...

 
Finished since December:

Dharma Bums - Jack Kerouac

The Christmas Train (gift) - David Baldacci

The Broker - John Grisham

The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

American Psycho (reread) - Brett Easton Ellis

I will be starting The Davinci Code this weekend. Several good leads on other books of interest in this old thread. :thumbup:

EDIT: Need to add that I read every free Maxim and Stuff magazine that is delivered as well!

 
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Currently reading: The Historian, Elizabeth Kostova's finely detailed vampire novel.
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The Historian = DaVinci Code + Large Cash Advance + Romance Novel Writing + Lack of Willing Suspension of Disbelief.I read the whole 700+ pages, and while the history & geography of Eastern Europe was plenty interesting, the writing itself was way too effeminate and affectuous...and the storyline didn't come close to matching other historical novels in credibility.

For what it's worth, my girlfriend read it after I did and found the writer's use of language even more sappy than I did.
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I hear ya. I keep waiting for it to get good. I'm not a traveler, and the vivid depictions of European vistas are doing nothing for me. :mellow:

:bloodless:

 
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American Gods Neil Gaiman - halfway through and :thumbup: so far
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This book was very good.My recent reads:

The Plot Against America -- Philip Roth (fiction -- alternate history where Lindbergh wins the presidency instead of FDR and sides with the Nazis)

The Making of the Atomic Bomb -- Richard Rhodes (nonfiction history book detailing the men who devised the bomb. Good layman's description of the science behind it all, and the marshalling and organization of manpower needed to pull it off)

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim -- David Sedaris (not his best)

 
The Prize: The epic quest for oil, money, and power -- by Daniel Yergin.

For the 2nd time. A must read if you wish to converse intelligently about oil, the Middle East, and all things related.
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You know, I've picked this up twice but haven't been able to get past the WWI era when Chamberlin decides to switch to oil for the navy.One interesting thing, at least about the first part, is that it seems people have always said "we're running out of oil" dating back to when we started using it for industrialization.

 
Recently finished Teacher Man by Frank McCourt - I did not enjoy it as much as Angela's Ashes or Tis but it is still a funny and interesting read

Last night I finished Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind - my wife has been bugging me to read the series so that is book one. It was pretty good too.

Last night I started Dice Man by Luke Rinehart - interesting idea in that a man lets his daily life be controlled by the roll of a die. Looking forward to it.

Other favorites from last year - Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs, Kick Me by Paul Feig, Michaelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling by Ross King and The Modern Drunkard (A Handbook for Drinking in the 21st Century) by Frank Kelly Rich :clap: .

 
Since November:Stephen King - Dark Tower VIIThe Life, Death, & Resurrection of Genghis Khan - John ManThe Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Isle Witch - Terry BrooksRubicon - Tom HollandState of Fear - Michael ChrictonCurrently halfway throughThe Constant Gardener - John La CarreI can't recommend "Genghis Khan" and "Rubicon" enough if you're into "real" books. Man & Holland are excellent narrative history writers.Terry Brooks :X Dark Tower VII - I will never read Stephen King againState of Fear - informative but biased; great if you like to make tree huggers look stupid ;)

 
Been reading E.L. Doctorow's The March

I'm about 2/3 of the way through and I can't decide if I like it or not. Right now it's just a bunch of scattered characters that occasionally have something to do with each other. Waiting for something big to happen. He certainly has a unique writing style, not using quotation marks at all.
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you're a heartier reader than i, then. Didn't pass the 100-page test for me, even though i'm a big fan of Civil War novels. Most over-rated novel of 2005, imo.
 
I keep reading on these boards and other places about Ender's Game. What's the book about? Worth the read? I'd hate to get sucked into another multi-book series, but if it's that good...
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The Ender series kind of goes off on a different, more philosophical path after Speaker for the Dead (the 2nd book), so you can probably feel like you've not missed out on anything if you only read the first two books. I've enjoyed reading the later books (The "Shadow" stuff), but the first two really kind of stand alone. If you're a SciFi fan, I don't see how you can go through life without reading them.As for The Know-it-all....it was an enjoyable, reflective read. Lots of funny, "I can relate" moments. And if you like trivia, well, this is a book for you.

 
just finished "BlackHawk Down"

just started "Killing Pablo"

anxiously awaiting delivery of:

"Not a Good Day to Die : The Untold Story of Operation Anaconda"

and

"Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942-1943"

kind of a war buff guy. :nerd:
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A very good book. A good view of how political, macho and unwilling to communicate within itself the Military still is.I'm halfway through C.S. Forester's "The Gun". Takes place a long time ago, but it's still a very insightful read into what an insurgency/guerilla war will do to an Army.

Just finished before it the fisrt two Koontz versions of "Frankenstein". Kinda has an X-Files feel to it.

 
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Just finished: Utopia by Lincoln Child (co-author of The Relic). Decent book about a terrorist plot against a high-tech Arizona theme park.

Now reading: Foul Moon by Jim Butcher (2nd book of the Dresden Files). The series is about a modern day wizard for hire in Chicago- like Harry Potter in his 30s.
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:thumbup: I've got Butcher's Dead Beat on my shelf and on my list for later this year. Is that part of the same series?
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Yup- book 7 in the series (the latest one I think). The series is being turned into a show on Sci-Fi this summer.
 
I am reading The Sacred Romance by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge. A follow up to Wild At Heart by Eldredge and so far a pretty good read. Just started it last night.

 
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