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Whatcha readin now? (book, books, reading, read) (1 Viewer)

shuke said:
Sand said:
Hyperion on sale for $2.  Great book.
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Purchased.  Have seen this mentioned a lot in here.  
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OK, so I got through the prologue.  From what I gather, the Hegemony Consul learns he has to be part of the Shrike pilgrimage, by traveling on some type of tree ship (?) to Hyperion to save the Time Tombs from the Ousters?  Or something.

WTMF did you get me into here.

 
shuke said:
OK, so I got through the prologue.  From what I gather, the Hegemony Consul learns he has to be part of the Shrike pilgrimage, by traveling on some type of tree ship (?) to Hyperion to save the Time Tombs from the Ousters?  Or something.

WTMF did you get me into here.
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Awesomeness, pure unadulterated awesomeness.

 
shuke said:
OK, so I got through the prologue.  From what I gather, the Hegemony Consul learns he has to be part of the Shrike pilgrimage, by traveling on some type of tree ship (?) to Hyperion to save the Time Tombs from the Ousters?  Or something.

WTMF did you get me into here.
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Think of it as the Shuke pilgrimage and you'll be fine. 

 
Just read -

Al Michaels
You Can't Make This Up

If you have followed sports for 35-40+ years you should know of all or most players he mentions and has had interaction with. Good stuff about The Big Red Machine and it's players, John Madden,  announcing partners, The Olympics and much more.
Even if you haven't followed that long and know who Michaels is, it should be a treat. 

 
Hyperion was way over my head.  Not sure I lasted 50-60 pages.  I remember liking Summer of Night, but other than that I don't think I have connected with a Simmons book. 

 
Started a re-read of Wheel of Time when I was out of town the end of July. Just finished book 2 and started book 3.  On pace to finish the series again, end of summer 2018.  :thumbup:

 
GregR said:
Started a re-read of Wheel of Time when I was out of town the end of July. Just finished book 2 and started book 3.  On pace to finish the series again, end of summer 2018.  :thumbup:
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Still have book 1 sitting on the shelf b/c I have heard so many mixed reviews.  Probably should give this a try at some point. 

 
KarmaPolice said:
Still have book 1 sitting on the shelf b/c I have heard so many mixed reviews.  Probably should give this a try at some point. 
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You should give it a try. Overall it's very good. It has its own quirks and drags a bit in the middle, but then finishes really strong again after the Robert Jordan's diagnosis of a fatal condition. Brandon Sanderson finished the series from the extensive notes Jordan made for that eventuality, and did an awesome job with it.

 
Spike said:
If you have recommendations, based on this type of writing, I'd be glad if you could toss some out there.  I like this genre.
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Check out the The Faithful and the Fallen series by John Gwynne. It's excellent. I've read the first two books "Malice" and "Valor".

 
Don Quixote said:
I was debating skipping Lincoln since I've already read a lot on him individually and also the Civil War in general, but I've never read David Herbert Donald's biography, which is considered the best one on him out there (and I could use a good one after Fillmore/Pierce/Buchanan before getting into A.Johnson). So, reading that one.
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The Donald bio on Lincoln was great.  Despite all of the books that I have read on Lincoln, it still felt fresh.  I think most of what I've read has focused on his Presidency and the Civil War; so, I most enjoyed the details and stories from his young lawyers days (I've read that in bits and pieces, but not quite that thorough of an account).

For Andrew Johnson, reading David O. Stewart's Impeached: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy.  It is a bit narrower in focus than the full-life bio's that I have been going for.  But I was interested in the impeachment specifically, and there's not much in the way of good full-life biographies on A. Johnson.  So, I decided it will work.

Going to have to make a decision on Grant after I finish this one.  I've already read Jean Edward Smith's bio and Grant's autobiography, which are two of the leading books.  But Ron Chernow has a new biography on Grant coming out next month, and I'd read just about anything by Chernow.  So, may be time for a fiction break before continuing the Presidential bio run.

 
Don Quixote said:
I was debating skipping Lincoln since I've already read a lot on him individually and also the Civil War in general, but I've never read David Herbert Donald's biography, which is considered the best one on him out there (and I could use a good one after Fillmore/Pierce/Buchanan before getting into A.Johnson). So, reading that one.
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The Donald bio on Lincoln was great.  Despite all of the books that I have read on Lincoln, it still felt fresh.  I think most of what I've read has focused on his Presidency and the Civil War; so, I most enjoyed the details and stories from his young lawyers days (I've read that in bits and pieces, but not quite that thorough of an account).

For Andrew Johnson, reading David O. Stewart's Impeached: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln's Legacy.  It is a bit narrower in focus than the full-life bio's that I have been going for.  But I was interested in the impeachment specifically, and there's not much in the way of good full-life biographies on A. Johnson.  So, I decided it will work.

Going to have to make a decision on Grant after I finish this one.  I've already read Jean Edward Smith's bio and Grant's autobiography, which are two of the leading books.  But Ron Chernow has a new biography on Grant coming out next month, and I'd read just about anything by Chernow.  So, may be time for a fiction break before continuing the Presidential bio run.

 
Has anyone read Pandemic by A.G. Riddle?  Grabbed it recently and it is a fun read.  Part of a series with 2 books out to this point I guess.  Action thriller based on a global conspiracy theory, but has been very enjoyable.  Would be a great movie.

 
Just started reading Let the Right One In.  I have seen the movie, but it's been awhile, and this book is more messed up than I expected.  Looks like the book takes the characters in a little bit darker place than the movie could. 

 
KarmaPolice said:
Just started reading Let the Right One In.  I have seen the movie, but it's been awhile, and this book is more messed up than I expected.  Looks like the book takes the characters in a little bit darker place than the movie could. 
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I read the book before seeing the movies (both the original and the US version are good), but - yeah, there's some ####ed up stuff in that book that the films stay away from (thank God).

His other books are good, too, if you like this one.

 
Uruk-Hai said:
I read the book before seeing the movies (both the original and the US version are good), but - yeah, there's some ####ed up stuff in that book that the films stay away from (thank God).

His other books are good, too, if you like this one.
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:thumbup:

I think I have 2 other books of his in my pile downstairs.

 
Poke_4_Life said:
Maybe its been mentioned here before...  but I'm reading The Book Thief...  its really good.
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Someone started a book club at work and this is the next book after the current one up, which is the Kite Runner.

Read They Have Always Lived in the Castle (Shirley Jackson), The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, The Stranger (Camus), and A Man Called Ove.

A Man Called Ove was really excellent.  Castle and Stranger good depending on your interest and mood.  Hawley I thought was average.

 
Just a chapter or two in to Ready Player One

It looks like it will be a good story with shoddy writing (although in fairness I'm coming off Pynchon and DFW so maybe it just seems that way)

 
I made the plunge and got an Audible subscription. As someone who has dyslexia, this makes reading much more enjoyable.

 
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bosoxs45 said:
I made the plunge and got an Audible subscription. As someone who has dyslexia, this makes reading much more enjoyable.
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Between travelling for work, mowing the lawn, etc I use Audible all the time.  Probably up to around 300 hours "read" this year.

 
bosoxs45 said:
What books have you listened to lately? 
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I went through a bunch of Stephen King stuff again leading up to the release of Dark Tower and It, but haven't gotten to see either yet:

All 8 DT books, It, The Stand, Mr. Mercedes Trilogy, 11-22-63, and also Justin Cronin's The Passage Trilogy. The Martian was in there somewhere too.

Looking for my next one for a trip this week, may finally try Ready Player One, or maybe I'll go back and "read" the Wool series over again.

 
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Just finished listening to The Wolf of the North (TWOTN) by Duncan Hamilton and have started on the sequel, Jorundyr's Path (JP). I thought TWOTN was fantastic, and so far JP is just as good. Hamilton is a good writer, and I'm a huge fan of Simon Vance (the narrator). If you like fantasy books, you'll enjoy these. 

 
Poke_4_Life said:
Agreed.  Although I've read all four Puller books.  They seem like a knock-off of Reacher books, but I like Baldacci.
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I've only gotten thru the first two Reacher books so far. Too many books, not enough time. And watching TV is easier. Reading at night makes me sleepy.

 
joker said:
Just finished listening to The Wolf of the North (TWOTN) by Duncan Hamilton and have started on the sequel, Jorundyr's Path (JP). I thought TWOTN was fantastic, and so far JP is just as good. Hamilton is a good writer, and I'm a huge fan of Simon Vance (the narrator). If you like fantasy books, you'll enjoy these. 
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I couldn't finish that one - gave up about halfway in.  Maybe the audio would hold up better.

 
Sorry if I missed it, but has anyone read "Meddling Kids" yet? I have it on hold through my local library, looked like an interesting and fun take on some old characters.

 
I just finished "Ready Player One" and really enjoyed it. Its a bit derivative of the teenage dystopia that has been really popular (Hunger Games, Divergent, etc.). I think the 80's nostalgia was done really well. I can understand why some people might not like it so much, but I didn't take it too seriously. Its a fun read and seemed to go pretty fast.

 
Ellis Island Interviews stories from staff and immigrants.

Interesting read so far. About how it was the immigrat way station from 1890's to 1930's and become a mental institution from the 30's to 1954 when it closed

 
trogg78 said:
I just finished "Ready Player One" and really enjoyed it. Its a bit derivative of the teenage dystopia that has been really popular (Hunger Games, Divergent, etc.). I think the 80's nostalgia was done really well. I can understand why some people might not like it so much, but I didn't take it too seriously. Its a fun read and seemed to go pretty fast.
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I'm also enjoying it so far.  Bonus points for the Thundarr and Star Blazers (see avatar) references.

 
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Born to Wander

Peter Rivera autobiography.  Been a Rare Earth fan and like his voice specifically. It feels like he's just sharing stories with the reader, but some of the stories are probably pretty similar to those of other rock stars. Easy, quick read.

 
With North Korea in the news, I'm reading The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson.  I searched this thread and there were a number of positive comments from a couple of years back.  It kind of reminds me of The Tin Drum, another picaresque tale of a semi-reliable protagonist in an insane world.

 
Eephus said:
With North Korea in the news, I'm reading The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson.  I searched this thread and there were a number of positive comments from a couple of years back.  It kind of reminds me of The Tin Drum, another picaresque tale of a semi-reliable protagonist in an insane world.
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'Escape From Camp 14' may interest you as well then.  The plight described in the book has been slightly amended by the man since it was published, but the specifics certainly didn't change the story, and his ordeal, on the whole.  Harrowing what is done in North Korea to some of its people.

 
Just finished Jonathan Gould's Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life

I saw a blurb touting this book a while ago and it occurred to me that, out of all of my generation's musical titans, less may be known about Redding's life than any of the others. Add in the fact that Otis is my favorite singer, and I was all-in.

It's good. Really good, though I guess you could say I was preconditioned to like this book and am biased. There is a LOT of background - especially early on - but Gould does a good job of tying it back to Redding's own story. It's really well-researched, though I don't think Gould had much access to any current perspectives by Otis' close-folks (understandable, since most are dead now and those still alive don't come across as the nicest of people). 

It's been 50 years - 50! - since that plane went down in Wisconsin. 

I'd rank this book just a tad below Peter Guralnik's Elvis duology from a few years ago, but absolutely essential for anyone interested in Redding, social conditions in Georgia during Jim Crow, or rock fans in general.

I have this in hard back and would be happy to send it to anyone interested.

 
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