Updated 'What are you reading' thread

[wshelley]

Casebook after casebook after casebook

[Justinvs]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

I loved "The Killer Angels"... It is the best of those books and was done by the father, the others by the son. Its a different book than the others, taking a much more personal look at the characters. Its more of a serious novel from my perspective, though I enjoyed the subsequent books. Won the Pulitzer prize too as I recall.

It is an excellent novel, probably the best Civil War book I've ever read. My brother got to meet Michael Shaara when he was in the service and really liked him.

Justin

[shandraster]

My current books are:

The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn. It's about the author's search for six members of his family that were murdered in the Holocaust. He recounts the story of Genesis in parallel with his own story. Very interesting read so far.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. About a girl who made set of audiotapes before she committed suicide, that explain to 13 people the role they played in why she decided to end her life.

And next on my to-read list is What is the What by Dave Eggers. It's a novelized biography of Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese refugee now living in the United States, and his journey to get here.

[Jack S]

Currently I have been rereading some Sherlock Holmes because they were free on my Bookreader.

I can give a few suggestions on some great reading material in my opinion:

The best novel I have read in recent years was The Windup Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami. This is a very unique book and I don't think I have ever read another piece anything quite like it. It was written only in Japanese for a Japanese audience, but was later translated. Along with being a weird twisting story it includes some history references to the Japanese colonialization of Manchukuo and the eventual shameful evacuation of the Japanese officials leaving all their military and others to be slaughtered when the Communists finally overtook the area.

The BEST adventure book I ever read was The White Nile by Alan Moorehead which was a history of the 19th Century explorers searching for the source of the Nile River. A very historical and exciting read. His follow-up was The Blue Nile which was similarly about earlier explorers also in the region of the Nile River dating from about the mid-1600s up to about the period where The White Nile picks up chronologically. Not as good as the White Nile probably because he had less material for references than for the later period, but still a very good book.

Another favorite of mine was Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. I know a lot of people think it was too depressing, but I think it is a true modern classic piece of literature. It is not all depressing, it is ultimately about salvation and does has some very humorous parts.

[jjkrause84]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Hey! "The Crucible Of War" is a great book. Have you read Francis Parkman on the entirety of the french and Indian wars? The language might be a bit tough but he was the first to cover that ground and it is a huge work of several volumes.

No, I've not read it...but I REFUSE to call that war the "French and Indian War". It was a global conflict with every right to have been known as the "first" World War. "The Seven Years War" is, to me, the only aceptable term (especially considering the fact that ONLY Americans call it the French and Indian War!).

Still, when I'm done with WWI (perhaps as soon as 2016 when my Verdun book will hopefully come out) I think I might move on to the Seven Years War so Parkman will be on the list. Thanks for the heads up!

[Malikon]

Stephen Kings Firestarter
and Shogun and Tai-Pan by James Clavell

[middy]

Originally Posted by Jack S

Another favorite of mine was Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. I know a lot of people think it was too depressing, but I think it is a true modern classic piece of literature. It is not all depressing, it is ultimately about salvation and does has some very humorous parts.

A great book. A real eye-opener for your typical middle class American kid...

[Dan German]

The last thing I read was The Fourth Part of the World by Toby Lester. Non-fiction, it starts out to be the story of the 1507 Waldseemüller Map, but it ends up being about how Western Europeans changed their vision of the world at the end of the Middle Ages. Well written and fascinating.

[Mike H.]

Just finished "Juliet, Naked" by Nick Hornby and Keef's "Life"
Almost done with "Bearers of the Black Staff" by Terry Brooks.
Getting started on "What Technology Wants" by Kevin Kelly.

[rz350]

I'm reading the service manual for my 1999 Kawasaki ZRX1100....

New pistons going in....

[Brian blaut]

Today I just picked up Chuck Berry's autobiography, the unedited version published in 1987. So far it traces his great grandparents from slavery, talks about him pleasuring himself as a kid rubbing on the swing set (in so many words), getting caught on the roof trying to peep at naked ladies, and loving country music on the radio. I have very high hopes that this will be a very telling book. Chuck was never one to hold anything back.

[3 Chord Monte]

I like to read. In the past month or so I've read Keith's "Life", "The Moral Landscape" by neuroscience philosopher Sam Harris, “The Housing Boom and Bust” by economist Thomas Sowell, “Michael Bloomfield - If You Love these Blues an Oral History”, Peter Schweizer’s “Architects of Ruin” and “They Came By Ship – The Stories of the Calitrani Immigrants in America” by Mario Toglia. The reference that I’ve referred to most often is the Oxford Italian Dictionary.

The Sam Harris book was an interesting take on morality and the human condition, one of my favorite topics, albeit from a new perspective. The Bloomfield book was the least satisfying, particularly in the wake of reading Keef’s surprising effort. I’m finishing the Calitri book tonight. I really don’t know what to read tomorrow.

[3 Chord Monte]

Originally Posted by Suicideking

This Wheels On Fire... The autobiography of Levon Helm..

Is it a good read?

[Censport]

The Artist's Way, thanks to the recommendation of a couple of posters here.

Meanwhile, waiting for the last Spenser book to come out (RIP Robert B. Parker), and Cornwell's next book in his King Alfred line.

[3 Chord Monte]

Originally Posted by middy

A great book. A real eye-opener for your typical middle class American kid...

I read the three. Angela's Ashes, Teacher Man and another, if memory serves. I couldn't help but think that Frank may have embellished a bit. Knowing his brother Malachy, I always assumed that he did. He really did go from rags to riches though and experienced a tragic early childhood. Very compelling story.

[J-man]

I'm currently re-reading Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas and also Beyond Good And Evil.

[jondanger]

Originally Posted by Suicideking

This Wheels On Fire... The autobiography of Levon Helm..

What a GREAT read! I recommend this to everyone who digs rock bios (and who doesn't).

[mudshark]

Rereading Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.

[RCinMempho]

I am re-reading The Unincorporated Man by Dani Kollin & Eytan Kollin. The sequel is here, but I'm re-reading the first one before I start it.

If you like Robert Heinlein, you'll love this book. This is the best sci-fi book I've read in the last twenty years. I hope the sequel is half as good.

[Jeff_K]

I just finished the "Millenium" trilogy by Stieg Larsson and they were hard to put down. The movies are pretty faithful to the books, although they by necessity have to leave out a LOT of back stories that you'll find in the novels. The ending is phenomenal and I have yet to see how they finished off the third movie but if it's the same as the book, oh man. Definitely a worthy read--must be in order: tattoo, fire, hornet's nest. The movies in the original Swedish language are really good, with superb acting. They're on Netflix. But as usual, do NOT watch the movies first and spoil the great reading.

Seen some western references and have to throw out Elmer Kelton for your consideration. His "Texas Ranger Trilogy" is very good, not romanticized accounts of life as a Ranger. All Kelton's stuff is good. Similar to McMurtry. And I don't even really like westerns, but Kelton is a good read.