What Are You Reading? vX.x

[terpkristin]

I could've sworn we had a "what are you reading" thread but I couldn't find it, so I decided to start one. Right now, I'm reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo on my Kindle. I also have bought Rage of a Demon King for it and grabbed Assassin's Apprentice (free book), but I may not get to those for a little bit.

On Audible, I'm "reading" New Spring, the prequel to the Wheel of Time series. The Eye of the World was the last book in my online reading club, and I listened to that, then decided to go backwards and start the series over from the very beginning, in anticipation of the 12th book's release in the fall. I have also grabbed Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, but I haven't started listening to it yet.

/tk

[Philliesfan980]

I'm reading How to Tame a Cougar, by Barney Stintson.

Just kidding. I'm reading A False Spring by Pat Jordan. Supposedly it's a pretty popular book, but I only found out about it lately.

[LoneStarGirl]

I just got done reading The Shack and Nineteen Minutes both recommended by fellow teachers, both have changed my life in some way

[ISiddiqui]

"Watchmen" by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons. Just finished "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

[Raiders Army]

Patient Zero.

[jeff061]

Neuromancer.

[Scoobz0202]

Finished up within the past couple of weeks:

The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss

hxxp://www.amazon.com/Whiskey-Rebels-Novel-David-Liss/dp/1400064201/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237598960&sr=1-1

The Black Flower by Howard Bahr

hxxp://www.amazon.com/Black-Flower-Novel-Civil-War/dp/0312265077/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237598972&sr=1-1

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

hxxp://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Confidential-Updated-Adventures-Underbelly/dp/0060899220/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237599156&sr=8-1

All were outstanding.



Currently Reading:

L.A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker

hxxp://www.amazon.com/L-Outlaws-T-Jefferson-Parker/dp/0451226119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237599205&sr=1-1


Only about fifty pages in with this one right now but it really has me hooked. Didn't want to put it down last night but it was 3 A.M. and I knew I had to.

I want to start reading The Gunslinger by Stephan King but I don't know if I want to start reading that long of a series right now.

[PurdueBrad]

I am currently reading a non-fiction book (pretty rare for me), The Lost City of Z. It details Percy Fawcett's attempts to basically find El Dorado, his ultimate disappearance, and the author's attempt to uncover the circumstances of Fawcett's disappearance. It's pretty solid, follows Capote's idea of the non-fiction novel as it reads quite well.

[Uncle Briggs]

Silver: My Own Tale as Written by Me with a Goodly Amount of Murder, by Edward Chupack

Fictional autobiography of Long John Silver (Arrrr!) Saw it in a similar thread on another board. Currently about 1/2 done and it's pretty good.

[rowech]

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea.

[sabotai]

The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith
1984 by George Orwell
A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin
War Letters by Andrew Carroll

[timmynausea]

I've read more than usual lately. Finished in the past 2-3 weeks or so, ratings out of 5 stars:

Plainsong by Kent Haruf - ****1/2 - This shifts between 6 or 7 points of view to tell the story of a rural town in Colorado. It reminded me of a less sentimental Steinbeck and was somehow really understated and dramatic at the same time.

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - ***1/2 - One of the early South American magic realism books. Madame Nausea has been trying to get me to read this since 2002, and I finally did. She also made me read House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende a couple of years ago, which is really similar, and I liked that one better.

Goldilocks by Ed McBain - ***1/2 - McBain is basically the father of the police procedural. My ladyfriend is always reading mysteries, and sometimes I grab something she picked up at the library. This is the 2nd McBain I've gone for. I wouldn't say there was anything spectacular about either one, but somehow McBain is so easy to read that I ended up plowing through each of them within a day or a day and a half, and I'll probably go back for more some day.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy - ****1/2 - I've always really liked post apocalyptic stuff, so really sparse yet literary PA was pretty sweet. I was required to read All the Pretty Horses in high school, so I pretty much thought McCarthy was a pretentious blowhard, but now I'll definitely check out other stuff of his.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman - *** - A fairy tale about a fallen start that was way too sappy for my taste.

Preacher Vol. 4: Ancient History by Garth Ennis - ***1/2 - I was getting a little tired of the series already, so at first I actually liked the idea of a book of all flashbacks with different artists as a change of pace. The later stories weren't as strong, though.

[SackAttack]

Picked up Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" off the bargain table at B&N last night. Be starting that soon.

Also checked out 'Forever Blue' about Walter O'Malley and the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Probably read that one first, as I have to return it in two weeks.

[Solecismic]

I've been on a huge Anita Shreve and Larry McMurtry kick lately. I think they should be married to each other.

Also read Richard Russo's "Bridge of Sighs" this week.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

I'm taking a Shakespeare class now. Just finished The Merchant of Venice and cracked open Henry V.

A friend said she may have to pull an intervention, as the olde english is beginning to creep into my writing without my realizing it.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Picked up Neal Stephenson's "Anathem" off the bargain table at B&N last night. Be starting that soon.

Also checked out 'Forever Blue' about Walter O'Malley and the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Probably read that one first, as I have to return it in two weeks.

Good Luck with Anathem. One of the most difficult books I've ever read.

[Peregrine]

Just finished reading 'A Few Seconds of Panic' - Stefan Fatsis' book about trying out for the NFL as a 43 year old sportswriter. Really interesting book and highly recommended for those who want a glimpse into how the NFL really works.

[Draft Dodger]

I'm reading Russia House, my first attempt at a John Le Carre book. Also reading The Boys of Winter, a look at the Miracle on Ice Olympic Team

[Autumn]

I just read the first book in the series Tales of the Otori, Across the Nightingale Floor

It's a fantasy series set in a medieval pseud-Japan. That gives it a nice twist, and if you like ninja stuff you may enjoy it. A quick fantasy read that I've found enjoyable so far.

[tarcone]

the Worthing Saga by Orson Scott Card

Another great book by Card.

[PackerFanatic]

Only a few years too late, I finally finished the His Dark Materials series. Fantastic series - really wish the movie could have done it more justice.

Now I am onto the War of the Souls trilogy in the Dragonlance series.

[Ryche]

Reading Dune right now, one of those books I probably should have read 15 years ago.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by Ryche

Reading Dune right now, one of those books I probably should have read 15 years ago.

Dune will be the next book in my online book club, and will be the next book I get to. I've never read it before. I finished up New Spring this morning (on audio) and am re-doing The Eye of the World.

To SackAttack (I think it was you reading Anathem), let me echo whoever said "good luck." First Neal Stephenson book I have not "loved." I was actually fairly let down by it, and reading it felt like a slog or a marthon rather than an enjoyable experience.

/tk

[larrymcg421]

I'm reading Nimitz, by EB Potter. It's a biography on Admiral Chester Nimitz and it's very interesting so far. I've always had a great interest in the Pacific Theater of WW2.

[Jas_lov]

I have been reading Stephen King's Dark Tower series and have just started Book 3: The Wastelands. I thought Book 1 was decent and Book 2 was excellent. The books seem to get thicker and thicker so it might take me awhile to get through the series. Hopefully they keep up with the quality of the 2nd book, but I have a feeling that it'll tail off at some point.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

I have been reading Stephen King's Dark Tower series and have just started Book 3: The Wastelands. I thought Book 1 was decent and Book 2 was excellent. The books seem to get thicker and thicker so it might take me awhile to get through the series. Hopefully they keep up with the quality of the 2nd book, but I have a feeling that it'll tail off at some point.

Being a King fan, I know that series is something I should read but I've never been able to take the plunge on it.

[CamEdwards]

Finished Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer not too long ago. Great history book that almost reads like a novel.

Almost through with Hayek's The Road to Serfdom now, and I think I'm going to pick up The Whiskey Rebels next. Thanks Scoobz!

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

I have been reading Stephen King's Dark Tower series and have just started Book 3: The Wastelands. I thought Book 1 was decent and Book 2 was excellent. The books seem to get thicker and thicker so it might take me awhile to get through the series. Hopefully they keep up with the quality of the 2nd book, but I have a feeling that it'll tail off at some point.

I don't know that the quality tails off so much as the fact that something like 10-15 years passed between the publication of book 4 and book 5 - so when King writes in Wolves of the Calla, he's kind of in a different place mentally and artistically. Only way I know of to describe how I felt about 'em.

I still liked them.

[SportsDino]

I'm currently rereading the entire Wheel of Time (hopefully to cap it off with the last book or two in the series that is still in progress).

Next up will be the Watchmen to see what all the hype is about with graphic novels (never tried one before).

I've read my entire small library of books and need to invest in another trip to the bookstore (being a readaholic sucks when its thirty minutes to the nearest bookstore with a selection).

[cuervo72]

My daughter was selling Girl Scout cookies this afternoon outside a local coffee shop. Inside I picked up a copy of Slaughterhouse-Five off their shelf and started into it (ironically, this is an establishment with Christian overtones and the book shared the shelf with at least one bible and other spiritual books). I would like to think I'll try to grab another copy in order to finish it.

[timmynausea]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

I don't know that the quality tails off so much as the fact that something like 10-15 years passed between the publication of book 4 and book 5 - so when King writes in Wolves of the Calla, he's kind of in a different place mentally and artistically. Only way I know of to describe how I felt about 'em.

I still liked them.

I actually agree with your premise, but your timeline is off. Book 4 was published in 1997 and 5 in 2003. However, Wolves of the Calla was one of the first things he worked on after getting hit by a van and recovering, and I've seen him refer to it as "relearning how to write." I got really bogged down on that one and haven't finished the series.

[bbor]

Droode by Dan Simmons

Terminal Freeze Lincoln Child.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by timmynausea

I actually agree with your premise, but your timeline is off. Book 4 was published in 1997 and 5 in 2003. However, Wolves of the Calla was one of the first things he worked on after getting hit by a van and recovering, and I've seen him refer to it as "relearning how to write." I got really bogged down on that one and haven't finished the series.

My timeline might well be off. My last few years are kinda scrambled. I would've sworn the copy of Dad's book 4 that I read was published in more like '93. Huh.

[WVUFAN]

I'm reading World War Z, by Max Brooks. He's the son of Mel Brooks, and the book is surprising good so far.

[OldGiants]

Reading the Swedish mystery writer Hakan Nesser: Mind's Eye, Borkmann's Point and The Return. Only these three have been translated into English so far.

Apparently there are a lot of ax murderers in Sweden.

Quite funny and clever, given all the mysteries out there. I was able to able to guess the guilty party in the first two, but not why, so he kept me hooked.

Before that was Born on a Blue Day, the biography of Autistic language savant Daniel Tammet. His explanation of how he 'sees' numbers as colors and patterns is fascinating. As well as explaining how he decided to make his first job (and leaving home for the first time) teaching English in Lithuania.

[MJ4H]

I just started The Long Walk by Stephen King (as Richard Bachman). Picked it up on a recommendation and have been riveted so far. 100 teenage boys are selected from applications to participate in a year long walk in which the last remaining participant gets whatever he wants for the rest of his life. Walkers are eliminated if they fall below a minimum walking speed and get 3 warnings and then are "ticketed" after their next transgression.

It is intentionally left vague what exactly it means to be ticketed until the first boy in the walk gets ticketed.

[Cringer]

Three books in rotation right now:

Africa In History
Europe: A History
After Sunset (or something like that), Stephen King's latest short stories book.

Africa In History is getting the push to be finished first, as I find it very interesting since most of this is brand new info to me. After Africa is done I have a huge history book on China ready to take its place.

[DataKing]

For the past year or so, I've been rotating between six different series/collections that I've always wanted to read. Some are more ambitious than others.

1. Dune Series: Currently reading House Atreides, the first of the books written by Frank Herbert's son, Brian. While I enjoyed the six Dune books by Frank, his narrative style can get a big bogged down in stream-of-consciousness at times. His son is a much easier read.
2. The Dark Tower: I've finished The Wasteland, and Wizard and Glass is next up in my queue. I've never been a big fan of King's horror stuff, but I'm a big fan of his other work (loved The Stand).
3. Star Wars Canon: Probably the most ambitious of the six, just due to sheer volume. I'm trying to read them in story-chronological order, so I'm currently in the Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan phase of the story. Needless to say, there's a long way to go here.
4. The Vampire Chronicles: Next up here is Memnoch the Devil. While I very much enjoy Rice's writing style and descriptive talents, there are times I wish I could reach through the pages and strangle Lestat for being an idiot.
5. Tom Clancy (Jack Ryan Series): My "spy novel" fix. I read The Hunt for Red October many moons ago, and found it much better than the movie (which I enjoyed). The Cardinal of the Kremlin is next up.
6. Harry Potter: Really entertaining, relatively light reading. I've always liked the movies, and so far have enjoyed the books a great deal as well. The Order of the Phoenix is next up here.

[Marc Vaughan]

just finished the following graphic novels:

* Angel : After the fall series ('tis "ok" - didn't set the world alight, but readable enough)
* Fray : Another 'Buffy' sequel - really enjoyed this one, slayer set in the future, bit darker than the usual stuff.
* Runaways Series (1-7) : Kinda novel twist on the usual Superhero stuff, the hero's are kids children of super villians who've runaway from their parents.
* Wanted : Dark and sinister, all kinds of intruiging in ways which the uber PC film version isn't.

On the book front:
Angel Fire East (last book in the word and the void series) - readable enough, but not 'amazing'.
Neversfall (forgotten realms) - very good fantasy novel
Beyond the Shadows (Brent Weeks) - very good fantasy novel part of a trilogy.
Slam (Nick Hornby) - I normally read fantasy and sci-fi, Nick Hornby is one of the few 'traditional' authors I read - I recommend nearly all of his stuff, Slam is good but "Long way down" and "About a boy" are even better imho (oh and for some reason his books have a habit of mentioning places I've lived in England which is doubly cool ).

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

I just started The Long Walk by Stephen King (as Richard Bachman). Picked it up on a recommendation and have been riveted so far. 100 teenage boys are selected from applications to participate in a year long walk in which the last remaining participant gets whatever he wants for the rest of his life. Walkers are eliminated if they fall below a minimum walking speed and get 3 warnings and then are "ticketed" after their next transgression.

It is intentionally left vague what exactly it means to be ticketed until the first boy in the walk gets ticketed.

So has anyone read this? zi just finished yesterday and was completely baffled by the last page. WTF?

[Jas_lov]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

So has anyone read this? zi just finished yesterday and was completely baffled by the last page. WTF?

I've read it and I think in another book thread on here I commented how weird the ending was. I thought it was a great book and I couldn't put it down, but the ending was so abrupt and I wasn't sure what to make of the last page either. I searched on some other sites and found some possibilities:

Spoiler

Garraty goes completely psycho and he keeps walking/running because he thinks the dark figure is another walker. A popular view is that the dark figure represents death and that he does in fact die. Or maybe he's so happy just to be alive after witnessing so much death and that's his prize, so he feels like running.

I personally think he's gone bonkers and the dark figure represents death, but Garraty thinks it's another walker, so he keeps going even though the race is over, but I guess it's supposed to be left open for your own interpretation. As I think about it more, I think the way King chose to end the book was better than a cliche ending of Garraty either winning and riding off into the sunset, or Garraty sacrificing himself for one of the other boys.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Currently Reading:

L.A. Outlaws by T. Jefferson Parker

hxxp://www.amazon.com/L-Outlaws-T-Jefferson-Parker/dp/0451226119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237599205&sr=1-1


Only about fifty pages in with this one right now but it really has me hooked. Didn't want to put it down last night but it was 3 A.M. and I knew I had to.

I want to start reading The Gunslinger by Stephan King but I don't know if I want to start reading that long of a series right now.

Finished L.A. Outlaws a few days back and was satisfied. The first 2/3 of the book was excellent, but the quality of writing towards the end wasn't near as good as the first 2/3's of the book. Felt like the ending was rushed. *** 1/2


Currently/Intend To Read:

Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy

hxxp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679641041/ref=cm_rdp_product

So far only about 50 pages in. I have gone from being in awe of Cormac McCarthy's writing to being pissed at what I deem to be superfluous bullshit. Interesting.

And I haven't started these two yet:

City of Thieves by David Benioff

hxxp://www.amazon.com/City-Thieves-Novel-David-Benioff/dp/0452295297/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238115342&sr=8-1

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

hxxp://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023483/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238115358&sr=8-1

[RendeR]

I'm working the Reading/Listening Quad-fecta right now.

Tales of the Old World: A Warhammer novel of short stories and fables of warriors past and present. Good for background fluff for the game Warhammer Fantasy Battles.

Dread Empire's Fall: This one has all the earmarks of a fantastic space-opera but by god its a slow drag right now (maybe 200 pages in)

Fall of Hyperion: Second book in the Hyperion trilogy/series/story. Its a Futuristic Canturbury tales with an unkillable critter thrown in taking out the storytellers as they go.

And lastly I'm listening to the Eye of the World on CD while I work on my models and painting.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Fall of Hyperion: Second book in the Hyperion trilogy/series/story. Its a Futuristic Canturbury tales with an unkillable critter thrown in taking out the storytellers as they go.

I'd be interested in your opinions when you're done this one/this series. I read Hyperion and was sort of let down by it, but I've been told that I have to read all 3 books to really appreciate it..

/tk

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Fall of Hyperion: Second book in the Hyperion trilogy/series/story. Its a Futuristic Canturbury tales with an unkillable critter thrown in taking out the storytellers as they go.

Huh. I never put this series together with the Canterbury Tales. Along with TK, this series left me feeling like there should have been something more to it.

Books I've read in the last year and enjoyed:
Two books by Michael Chabon -- The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and lay and The Yiddish Policeman's Union. This guy can really, really, really write.
Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge
Spook Country by William Gibson

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

City of Thieves by David Benioff

hxxp://www.amazon.com/City-Thieves-Novel-David-Benioff/dp/0452295297/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238115342&sr=8-1

A good read if you like this sort of thing. A compelling narrative that shows just how awful/desperate things were for the common man during the siege of Leningrad.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by DataKing

A good read if you like this sort of thing. A compelling narrative that shows just how awful/desperate things were for the common man during the siege of Leningrad.

What do you mean "this sort of thing." Are you just referring to the dark subject matter?

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

What do you mean "this sort of thing." Are you just referring to the dark subject matter?

Dark subject matter and gritty realism.

[Scoobz0202]

Yea. It can't be much worse then the Cormac McCarthy book im reading.

"They followed the trampled ground left by the warparty and in the afternoon they came upon a mule that had failed and been lanced and left dead and then they came upon another. The way narrowed through rocks and by and by they came to a bush hung with dead babies.

They stopped side by side, reeling in the heat. These small victims, seven, eight of them, had holes punched in their under-jaws and were hung so by their throats from the broken stobs of a mesquite to stare eyeless at the naked sky. Bald and pale and bloated, larval to some unreckonable being... "


Yea. That was just two pages ago.

[path12]

Originally Posted by bbor

Droode by Dan Simmons

.

How is this? I loved The Terror.