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Whatcha readin now? (book, books, reading, read) (7 Viewers)

On The Road by Jack Kerouac

On deck, I have A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole.

(I'm pumped. I've heard both are great. Both are books pimped here.)

 
Maurile Tremblay said:
I am reading The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel.
Click to expand...
Just finished this the other day. Interesting book. Definitely see how it is very affirming for believers, but the objectivity leaves a little to be desired, IMO. Not quite enough counterpoints or counter-opinions are given for my likes, but that wasn't the point of the book.
 
Maelstrom said:
Maurile Tremblay said:
I am reading The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel.
Click to expand...
Just finished this the other day. Interesting book. Definitely see how it is very affirming for believers, but the objectivity leaves a little to be desired, IMO. Not quite enough counterpoints or counter-opinions are given for my likes, but that wasn't the point of the book.
Click to expand...
Those were my exact thoughts. When I first read it several years back I found it extremely compelling. Then I read it again a year or so ago and saw how one-sided it was. Not to say that it isn't a good book.
 
Just finished Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen.

One of his better ones. He brings back Mick Stranahan in this one, who was my favorite lead character from his earlier books. Also, Skink makes a brief appearance.

If you're a fan of Hiaasen's kind of writing, you'll really like this one.

 
Currently reading The Third Chimpanzee by Jared Diamond. On deck: Germs, Guns, and Steel by the same author.

 
Just received The Principles of Beatiful Web Design by Jason Beaird (sitepoint.com). Looks interesting, entirely full color so all the screenshots accurately represent the websites portrayed. If nothing else, I expect it to give inspiration as I design websites.

And yes, I know - :X

 
Letters to the Oval Office:

"Dear Mr. President"

I was in Borders tonight and picked up this book. Pretty entertaining.

One letter is from a Seventh Grader to Reagan.

Paraphrasing:

Dear Mr. President,

My mom says that my room is federal disaster area. Would you please provide the federal fund neccessary to clean my room?

Reagan sent the kid a full page hand written note. Good stories....including a introduction by Brian Williams and letter he wrote to LBJ when he was 6.

 
Maelstrom said:
Just received The Principles of Beatiful Web Design by Jason Beaird (sitepoint.com). Looks interesting, entirely full color so all the screenshots accurately represent the websites portrayed. If nothing else, I expect it to give inspiration as I design websites.

And yes, I know - :blackdot:
Click to expand...
Finished that book - fairly standard stuff, but a good book to get back to the basics of design. Would be a good book for someone just getting started in web design.Now reading transcending CSS - the fine art of web design by Andy Clarke. Pretty good also, but a kinda hard to follow, I think.

 
TimeWellWasted said:
The Innocent Man. by John Grisham It's excellent so far.
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I thought his early work was pretty rough but I've come to enjoy much of his more recent stuff.
Jayrod said:
I just finished "Three Nights in August" by Buzz Bissinger. If you really like all of the inside games within the game of baseball, this is a must read.
Click to expand...
Because the movie was on TV over the weekend, I decided to re-read Friday Night Lights. Bissinger does really good work.
Maelstrom said:
Just finished Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter - being made into a movie called Shooter. Good fiction book, slightly unbelievable that the character(s) can survive what they do, but if you suspend disbelief you'll be alright.

If you like conspiracy stuff and/or sniper stuff, you'll probably like this book, but it does get fairly technical with some of the sniper stuff. Also has a undertone about gun control politics, but doesn't get too pushy on that aspect.
Click to expand...
I have enjoyed all of the Bob Lee Swagger books and I can't believe that they cast Marky Mark in the role for Shooter.
 
roadkill1292 said:
TimeWellWasted said:
The Innocent Man. by John Grisham It's excellent so far.
Click to expand...
I thought his early work was pretty rough but I've come to enjoy much of his more recent stuff.
Jayrod said:
I just finished "Three Nights in August" by Buzz Bissinger. If you really like all of the inside games within the game of baseball, this is a must read.
Click to expand...
Because the movie was on TV over the weekend, I decided to re-read Friday Night Lights. Bissinger does really good work.
Maelstrom said:
Just finished Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter - being made into a movie called Shooter. Good fiction book, slightly unbelievable that the character(s) can survive what they do, but if you suspend disbelief you'll be alright.

If you like conspiracy stuff and/or sniper stuff, you'll probably like this book, but it does get fairly technical with some of the sniper stuff. Also has a undertone about gun control politics, but doesn't get too pushy on that aspect.
Click to expand...
I have enjoyed all of the Bob Lee Swagger books and I can't believe that they cast Marky Mark in the role for Shooter.
Click to expand...
Have you read the Earl Swagger books (Bob Lee's dad) that Hunter wrote more recently? I think they're even better. There's nothing deep going on in Hunter's writing - just testosterone laden fun.
 
Uruk-Hai said:
roadkill1292 said:
TimeWellWasted said:
The Innocent Man. by John Grisham It's excellent so far.
Click to expand...
I thought his early work was pretty rough but I've come to enjoy much of his more recent stuff.
Jayrod said:
I just finished "Three Nights in August" by Buzz Bissinger. If you really like all of the inside games within the game of baseball, this is a must read.
Click to expand...
Because the movie was on TV over the weekend, I decided to re-read Friday Night Lights. Bissinger does really good work.
Maelstrom said:
Just finished Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter - being made into a movie called Shooter. Good fiction book, slightly unbelievable that the character(s) can survive what they do, but if you suspend disbelief you'll be alright.

If you like conspiracy stuff and/or sniper stuff, you'll probably like this book, but it does get fairly technical with some of the sniper stuff. Also has a undertone about gun control politics, but doesn't get too pushy on that aspect.
Click to expand...
I have enjoyed all of the Bob Lee Swagger books and I can't believe that they cast Marky Mark in the role for Shooter.
Click to expand...
Have you read the Earl Swagger books (Bob Lee's dad) that Hunter wrote more recently? I think they're even better. There's nothing deep going on in Hunter's writing - just testosterone laden fun.
Click to expand...
One of 'em, I didn't know there was more than one out. But, yeah, it was pretty good. IIRC, young Earl had to infiltrate a heavily defended hideout in the Louisiana swamps and shoot up the bad guys. :rolleyes:
 
roadkill1292 said:
Uruk-Hai said:
roadkill1292 said:
TimeWellWasted said:
The Innocent Man. by John Grisham It's excellent so far.
Click to expand...
I thought his early work was pretty rough but I've come to enjoy much of his more recent stuff.
Jayrod said:
I just finished "Three Nights in August" by Buzz Bissinger. If you really like all of the inside games within the game of baseball, this is a must read.
Click to expand...
Because the movie was on TV over the weekend, I decided to re-read Friday Night Lights. Bissinger does really good work.
Maelstrom said:
Just finished Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter - being made into a movie called Shooter. Good fiction book, slightly unbelievable that the character(s) can survive what they do, but if you suspend disbelief you'll be alright.

If you like conspiracy stuff and/or sniper stuff, you'll probably like this book, but it does get fairly technical with some of the sniper stuff. Also has a undertone about gun control politics, but doesn't get too pushy on that aspect.
Click to expand...
I have enjoyed all of the Bob Lee Swagger books and I can't believe that they cast Marky Mark in the role for Shooter.
Click to expand...
Have you read the Earl Swagger books (Bob Lee's dad) that Hunter wrote more recently? I think they're even better. There's nothing deep going on in Hunter's writing - just testosterone laden fun.
Click to expand...
One of 'em, I didn't know there was more than one out. But, yeah, it was pretty good. IIRC, young Earl had to infiltrate a heavily defended hideout in the Louisiana swamps and shoot up the bad guys. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I think there are 3 Earl books (in order IIRC): "Hot Springs", "Pale Horse Coming" (the one you read), & "Havana". Hunter himself says he's rewritten "history" with his Earl books; "Black Light", which goes back & forth between Earl & Bob Lee, came before the Earl books but doesn't exactly jibe with them.
 
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Uruk-Hai said:
roadkill1292 said:
Uruk-Hai said:
roadkill1292 said:
TimeWellWasted said:
The Innocent Man. by John Grisham It's excellent so far.
Click to expand...
I thought his early work was pretty rough but I've come to enjoy much of his more recent stuff.
Jayrod said:
I just finished "Three Nights in August" by Buzz Bissinger. If you really like all of the inside games within the game of baseball, this is a must read.
Click to expand...
Because the movie was on TV over the weekend, I decided to re-read Friday Night Lights. Bissinger does really good work.
Maelstrom said:
Just finished Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter - being made into a movie called Shooter. Good fiction book, slightly unbelievable that the character(s) can survive what they do, but if you suspend disbelief you'll be alright.

If you like conspiracy stuff and/or sniper stuff, you'll probably like this book, but it does get fairly technical with some of the sniper stuff. Also has a undertone about gun control politics, but doesn't get too pushy on that aspect.
Click to expand...
I have enjoyed all of the Bob Lee Swagger books and I can't believe that they cast Marky Mark in the role for Shooter.
Click to expand...
Have you read the Earl Swagger books (Bob Lee's dad) that Hunter wrote more recently? I think they're even better. There's nothing deep going on in Hunter's writing - just testosterone laden fun.
Click to expand...
One of 'em, I didn't know there was more than one out. But, yeah, it was pretty good. IIRC, young Earl had to infiltrate a heavily defended hideout in the Louisiana swamps and shoot up the bad guys. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I think there are 3 Earl books (in order IIRC): "Hot Springs", "Pale Horse Coming" (the one you read), & "Havana". Hunter himself says he's rewritten "history" with his Earl books; "Black Light", which goes back & forth between Earl & Bob Lee, came before the Earl books but doesn't exactly jibe with them.
Click to expand...
Thanks, there's two more for my reading list.
 
Just finished A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. If you like his stuff, you'll enjoy this one. It's very funny and contains Moore's usual bizarre characters that make you wonder, "How the **** did he come up with that?"

Now reading Great Expectations - had it on my bookshelf and haven't read it for a long time, so thought I would get reacquainted with it.

 
snitwitch said:
American Gods Neil Gaiman - halfway through and :lmao: so far
Click to expand...
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)
Click to expand...
That Roth book sounds great, I am going to get that today.
 
Finished V by Thomas Pynchon. Not bad, but certainly not his best work.

Re-reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. If you haven't read this, Amazon has the 10th anniversary edition large size paperback for $8. Can't go wrong with that.

 
Just finished White Noise by Don Delillo. I never read anything be him before, he's a great author. I'm probalby going to have to read it again sometime in a couple months to get a full grasp of what I just read. I think I'll be able to appreciate the ideas the second time around. In general it's about a man living with a pervasive fear of death. If somebody feels like they have a real good understanding of what happened send it to me in a PM. Parts I got, parts I was like :hophead:

 
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Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons

The second novel by World Fantasy Award-winner Simmons ( The Song of Kali ) is a 636-page epic that draws on a variety of genres--horror, science fiction, political thriller, Hollywood roman a clef. It centers around a small number of "mind vampires" who can subjugate other people to their wills, read their minds, experience through their senses. The immensely powerful vampires use others, often bloodily, and often in frivolous "games" (hunting human prey, chess games with human pieces, and so on). Opposing them are Saul Laski, a psychologist and concentration-camp survivor, who is devoted to tracking down the Nazi vampire von Borchert; Natalie Preston, whose father inadvertently and fatally crossed the path of a pawn of the ancient, dotty vampire Melanie Fuller; Sheriff Bobby Joe Gentry, dragged in while investigating the multiple murders that marked the departure of Melanie Fuller from Charleston; and a host of other normals and vampires whose lives impinge on those of the principals. While he could profitably have trimmed the novel by a third, Simmons has produced, overall, a compelling thriller.

Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Click to expand...
 
Regular Crust Pizza said:
Just finished White Noise by Don Delillo. I never read anything be him before, he's a great author. I'm probalby going to have to read it again sometime in a couple months to get a full grasp of what I just read. I think I'll be able to appreciate the ideas the second time around. In general it's about a man living with a pervasive fear of death. If somebody feels like they have a real good understanding of what happened send it to me in a PM. Parts I got, parts I was like :scared:
Click to expand...
Is Delillo's style similar to Pynchon?
 
Regular Crust Pizza said:
Just finished White Noise by Don Delillo. I never read anything be him before, he's a great author. I'm probalby going to have to read it again sometime in a couple months to get a full grasp of what I just read. I think I'll be able to appreciate the ideas the second time around. In general it's about a man living with a pervasive fear of death. If somebody feels like they have a real good understanding of what happened send it to me in a PM. Parts I got, parts I was like :scared:
Click to expand...
I liked White Noise, but thought Underworld was better.
 
shuke said:
Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons

The second novel by World Fantasy Award-winner Simmons ( The Song of Kali ) is a 636-page epic that draws on a variety of genres--horror, science fiction, political thriller, Hollywood roman a clef. It centers around a small number of "mind vampires" who can subjugate other people to their wills, read their minds, experience through their senses. The immensely powerful vampires use others, often bloodily, and often in frivolous "games" (hunting human prey, chess games with human pieces, and so on). Opposing them are Saul Laski, a psychologist and concentration-camp survivor, who is devoted to tracking down the Nazi vampire von Borchert; Natalie Preston, whose father inadvertently and fatally crossed the path of a pawn of the ancient, dotty vampire Melanie Fuller; Sheriff Bobby Joe Gentry, dragged in while investigating the multiple murders that marked the departure of Melanie Fuller from Charleston; and a host of other normals and vampires whose lives impinge on those of the principals. While he could profitably have trimmed the novel by a third, Simmons has produced, overall, a compelling thriller.

Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I haven't read this in years, but enjoyed it immensely when I did. Also liked just about all of Simmons subsequent stuff (except the Hyperion series; couldn't get into it). Crook Factory (about Hemingway leading a band of spies in WWII) was a bunch of fun, and all of his straight horror books are good.
 
Maelstrom said:
Maurile Tremblay said:
I am reading The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel.
Click to expand...
Just finished this the other day. Interesting book. Definitely see how it is very affirming for believers, but the objectivity leaves a little to be desired, IMO. Not quite enough counterpoints or counter-opinions are given for my likes, but that wasn't the point of the book.
Click to expand...
You and MT should read "Letters from a Skeptic" by Greg Boyd. It's a dialogue between the author and his father that touch on a variety of common questions people have about God etc. Some of the very questions he bicker about here in the FFA like "Why does God let bad things happen to good people?" etc. It's written as the author's opinion on the subject and doesn't try to base everything on scripture, rather it's presented as the beliefs he has formed after years of thinking about the topic. Boyd is a very critical thinker so those who think that way will like the book a great deal. I am in the middle of it right now...so far so good :scared:
 
roadkill1292 said:
Uruk-Hai said:
roadkill1292 said:
Uruk-Hai said:
roadkill1292 said:
TimeWellWasted said:
The Innocent Man. by John Grisham It's excellent so far.
Click to expand...
I thought his early work was pretty rough but I've come to enjoy much of his more recent stuff.
Jayrod said:
I just finished "Three Nights in August" by Buzz Bissinger. If you really like all of the inside games within the game of baseball, this is a must read.
Click to expand...
Because the movie was on TV over the weekend, I decided to re-read Friday Night Lights. Bissinger does really good work.
Maelstrom said:
Just finished Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter - being made into a movie called Shooter. Good fiction book, slightly unbelievable that the character(s) can survive what they do, but if you suspend disbelief you'll be alright.

If you like conspiracy stuff and/or sniper stuff, you'll probably like this book, but it does get fairly technical with some of the sniper stuff. Also has a undertone about gun control politics, but doesn't get too pushy on that aspect.
Click to expand...
I have enjoyed all of the Bob Lee Swagger books and I can't believe that they cast Marky Mark in the role for Shooter.
Click to expand...
Have you read the Earl Swagger books (Bob Lee's dad) that Hunter wrote more recently? I think they're even better. There's nothing deep going on in Hunter's writing - just testosterone laden fun.
Click to expand...
One of 'em, I didn't know there was more than one out. But, yeah, it was pretty good. IIRC, young Earl had to infiltrate a heavily defended hideout in the Louisiana swamps and shoot up the bad guys. :hophead:
Click to expand...
I think there are 3 Earl books (in order IIRC): "Hot Springs", "Pale Horse Coming" (the one you read), & "Havana". Hunter himself says he's rewritten "history" with his Earl books; "Black Light", which goes back & forth between Earl & Bob Lee, came before the Earl books but doesn't exactly jibe with them.
Click to expand...
Thanks, there's two more for my reading list.
Click to expand...
Just another :thumbup: for Stephen Hunter and the Earl Swagger books. For those who listen to books on CD, Pale Horse Coming is the best out there. A great book, and the reader Jay O Sullivan does an INCREDIBLE job. Literally has a different voice for every character.
 
Just finished Echo Burning by Lee Child. Probably the 3rd of the Jack Reacher books I've read. I'm reading them out of order for some reason but it doesnt really matter. Child has a good style, every book has been enjoyable. My only complaint is that Reacher seems to be TOO inutitive at times, to the point of disbelief. But it's not keeping me from reading.

Just started the 1st of Child's Reacher series, Killing Floor. Can't put it down.

 
shuke said:
Regular Crust Pizza said:
Just finished White Noise by Don Delillo. I never read anything be him before, he's a great author. I'm probalby going to have to read it again sometime in a couple months to get a full grasp of what I just read. I think I'll be able to appreciate the ideas the second time around. In general it's about a man living with a pervasive fear of death. If somebody feels like they have a real good understanding of what happened send it to me in a PM. Parts I got, parts I was like :whoosh:
Click to expand...
Is Delillo's style similar to Pynchon?
Click to expand...
I don't think so. He's very precise and more grounded (imho).
 
shuke said:
Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons

The second novel by World Fantasy Award-winner Simmons ( The Song of Kali ) is a 636-page epic that draws on a variety of genres--horror, science fiction, political thriller, Hollywood roman a clef. It centers around a small number of "mind vampires" who can subjugate other people to their wills, read their minds, experience through their senses. The immensely powerful vampires use others, often bloodily, and often in frivolous "games" (hunting human prey, chess games with human pieces, and so on). Opposing them are Saul Laski, a psychologist and concentration-camp survivor, who is devoted to tracking down the Nazi vampire von Borchert; Natalie Preston, whose father inadvertently and fatally crossed the path of a pawn of the ancient, dotty vampire Melanie Fuller; Sheriff Bobby Joe Gentry, dragged in while investigating the multiple murders that marked the departure of Melanie Fuller from Charleston; and a host of other normals and vampires whose lives impinge on those of the principals. While he could profitably have trimmed the novel by a third, Simmons has produced, overall, a compelling thriller.

Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Hmmm, when I read this description, I thought Simmons was ripping off the Necroscope series by Lumley. Which would have been quite the trick since it came out 2 years beforehand. Maybe Lumley got his idea from Simmons (perhaps there's a distinction to be made between Simmons' mind vampires and Lumley's actual vampires).I did enjoy the Necroscope series, though. I'll have to check this one out.

 
shuke said:
Regular Crust Pizza said:
Just finished White Noise by Don Delillo. I never read anything be him before, he's a great author. I'm probalby going to have to read it again sometime in a couple months to get a full grasp of what I just read. I think I'll be able to appreciate the ideas the second time around. In general it's about a man living with a pervasive fear of death. If somebody feels like they have a real good understanding of what happened send it to me in a PM. Parts I got, parts I was like :mellow:
Click to expand...
Is Delillo's style similar to Pynchon?
Click to expand...
I don't know I 've never read any Pynchon. I've seen his name in here a couple times, what would be your suggestion to start off with if I were to read a book or two by him.
 
I just finished reading Gary Shteyngart's Absurdistan. The New York Times named it one of the novels of the year, so thought I'd give it a whirl. The protagonist, a bit reminiscent of Ignatius J. Reilly, gets caught up in a civil war in the backwards country of Absurdistan. The first half of the book starts out kind of slow, with some good moments, but nothing really memorable. It starts to pick up in the second half and the characters and the satire presents itself a bit more clearly. I'm not sure I'd have named it one of the Top 10 books of the year, but still a pretty good read (if a fan of Confederacy of Dunces or Vonnegut, might be worth a read).

 
Regular Crust Pizza said:
shuke said:
Regular Crust Pizza said:
Just finished White Noise by Don Delillo. I never read anything be him before, he's a great author. I'm probalby going to have to read it again sometime in a couple months to get a full grasp of what I just read. I think I'll be able to appreciate the ideas the second time around. In general it's about a man living with a pervasive fear of death. If somebody feels like they have a real good understanding of what happened send it to me in a PM. Parts I got, parts I was like :goodposting:
Click to expand...
Is Delillo's style similar to Pynchon?
Click to expand...
I don't know I 've never read any Pynchon. I've seen his name in here a couple times, what would be your suggestion to start off with if I were to read a book or two by him.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't. Talk to kupcho.
 
Reading the unabridged Count of Monte Cristo, Dantes is probably the most bad ### protagonist ever. Really good book so far. I'm determined to finish my first 1000 page book ever.

 
igbomb said:
igbomb said:
Finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on Friday. Best one yet.

Now it's on to Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. A buddy at work has been bugging me for about two years to read this. Says it's the best book he's ever read. 75 pages in and bored.
Click to expand...
Screw it. 100 pages into Gone With the Wind and I'm done.
Click to expand...
I've never read GWTW, but those I know that have have told me it's basically just a long Harlequin romance and that the film's popularity props it up. Is that the impression you got?
 
Uruk-Hai said:
igbomb said:
igbomb said:
Finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on Friday. Best one yet.

Now it's on to Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. A buddy at work has been bugging me for about two years to read this. Says it's the best book he's ever read. 75 pages in and bored.
Click to expand...
Screw it. 100 pages into Gone With the Wind and I'm done.
Click to expand...
I've never read GWTW, but those I know that have have told me it's basically just a long Harlequin romance and that the film's popularity props it up. Is that the impression you got?
Click to expand...
Pretty much. The first 100 pages encompasses one day in Scarlett's spoiled, boring life. The entire day consisted of her dad going to buy a slave, her mother tending a pregnant lady (of which they give no details), and Scarlett pining over some dude named Ashley who is getting engaged to another lady. That's it. 100 pages. Like I said, boring. Scarlett is entirely unlikable, and I can't stomach any more about dull Southern life.

 
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