What are you READING right now?

[TempusFugit]

I also just read McCullough's biography of the Wright brothers.  Very interesting.  It is fascinating to consider that these men invented the airplane, transforming the world, and while they certainly got rich from it, it was nothing compared to the wealth of truly rich people.  They only made the equivalent of about $10 million in today’s dollars.  Compare that to Elon Musk today, or Bill Gates, or Mark Freaking Zuckerberg, who have all made tens of billions of dollars from their inventions. 

[evme]

I'm just finishing up "Wool" by Hugh Howey. Someone in the TV thread recently mentioned it is being adapted for Apple TV+ next year, and after reading the description I decided I wanted to get the book right away. It's a very interesting sci-fi/post-apocalypse story by an author I hadn't heard of before. The story reminds me a bit of "Lost" (lots of mysteries and bizarre occurrences) and "The Martian" by Andy Weir (lots of the protagonist solving various technical problems with wit and determination). It unravels slowly and continually introduces new mysteries even as others are explained. The story was originally written as a novelette and posted online. It grew more and more popular and the author kept adding new sections until a complete novel was eventually finished (kind of like how Andy Weir originally posted The Martian online and was later published).

[chaskavitch]

I'm just finishing up "Wool" by Hugh Howey. Someone in the TV thread recently mentioned it is being adapted for Apple TV+ next year, and after reading the description I decided I wanted to get the book right away. It's a very interesting sci-fi/post-apocalypse story by an author I hadn't heard of before. The story reminds me a bit of "Lost" (lots of mysteries and bizarre occurrences) and "The Martian" by Andy Weir (lots of the protagonist solving various technical problems with wit and determination). It unravels slowly and continually introduces new mysteries even as others are explained. The story was originally written as a novelette and posted online. It grew more and more popular and the author kept adding new sections until a complete novel was eventually finished (kind of like how Andy Weir originally posted The Martian online and was later published).

@evme , there are two sequels, if you're interested.  There's more backstory information and a conclusion.  I found them interesting and worth the read, but Wool is definitely the best of the three.

[TempusFugit]

I'm just finishing up "Wool" by Hugh Howey. Someone in the TV thread recently mentioned it is being adapted for Apple TV+ next year, and after reading the description I decided I wanted to get the book right away. It's a very interesting sci-fi/post-apocalypse story by an author I hadn't heard of before. The story reminds me a bit of "Lost" (lots of mysteries and bizarre occurrences) and "The Martian" by Andy Weir (lots of the protagonist solving various technical problems with wit and determination). It unravels slowly and continually introduces new mysteries even as others are explained. The story was originally written as a novelette and posted online. It grew more and more popular and the author kept adding new sections until a complete novel was eventually finished (kind of like how Andy Weir originally posted The Martian online and was later published).

I enjoyed this trilogy very much.  You know there are two more, right?  I'll tell you that the ending is more satisfying that Lost, by a long shot!   

[evme]

I enjoyed this trilogy very much.  You know there are two more, right?  I'll tell you that the ending is more satisfying that Lost, by a long shot!   

Yep, I know. I just ordered "Shift" and should have it tomorrow.

[TempusFugit]

I read the first of Asimov’s Foundation trilogy but it wasn't very memorable.  I don’t even recall enough to know whether the TV series is at all like the novels. 

I’ve just finished the first of Cixin Liu’s trilogy The Three Body Problem and have begun the second. It took a little while to get into it but now it’s quite interesting.

I really liked The Three Body Problem but haven't read any further (a combination of feeling like the first one stood alone pretty well and worry that the subsequent books would not be as good).  I'd be interested to hear what you think.

I thought the first one was a little tough at the start without much background knowledge of the history of the CCP and the cultural revolution, but I did like it overall. I thought The Dark Forest was easily the best of the three. I remember liking the third one well enough, but honestly a ton of crazy shit happens in it and I don't really remember the specifics that much. Probably time for a re-read!

Just finished The Dark Forest and enjoyed it.   I found it more interesting than the first one, but thats because the heavy lifting of set up was already done.  I think the way it ended was pretty good so I’m not urgently starting the third one just yet. 

The Chinese names are challenging to keep up with, but thats true of any novel written with characters of other nationalities, I suppose.  It didn't really adversely affect my enjoyment of the story.

I must say that I was a bit surprised that this novel was allowed to be published and popularized in communist China, since there were some strong arguments presented within it in favor of free societies. 

[sui generis]

I have the Dark Forest on hold and should be getting it soon.  I hope I remember enough from the first one - it's just been 3 months, but already feels like forever.

Right now I'm reading (listening) to a novel called "Reconstructing Amelia" which is not bad, but the narrator keeps pronouncing words incorrectly.  Usually pretty obvious ones, like saying "casual" when the phrase was something about a "causal relationship" between two events.  It's so egregious that I've actually yelled out loud at her two times before I've even realized what I was doing (and I don't yell at the less egregious ones, so there are a lot more than that) as I'm cleaning the bathroom or hiking a trail or what-not.  It really takes you out of the story.  And it makes me think *I* should be an audiobook narrator in my post-FIRE life, because I would *love* to read books out loud for people and I would be sure to carefully review the text in advance and get things right.  OTOH, this narrator has done some good NY accents (one character more obvious and one more subtle, which I admired) and I definitely can't do that so...sadly...I may not actually have a future in audiobook narration.

[davisgang90]

I'm re-reading The Wheel of Time series. I'm almost done with book 13 of 14.

I've really enjoyed the series again and it's been particularly fun to pick up the hints in the early books that came to fruition in later books.

Really a well-done series IMHO.

Looking forward with some trepidation to the Amazon Prime series which premieres in 2 days.

[Luke Warm]

almost done with 'abraham lincoln, vampire hunter'. it's a fun read while i wait for 'the ministry for the future'.

[brandon1827]

I'm re-reading The Wheel of Time series. I'm almost done with book 13 of 14.

I've really enjoyed the series again and it's been particularly fun to pick up the hints in the early books that came to fruition in later books.

Really a well-done series IMHO.

Looking forward with some trepidation to the Amazon Prime series which premieres in 2 days.

Big WoT fan myself. I finished the series so long ago now that I probably can't recall a lot of the finer details that harder core enthusiasts may be upset about when the series premiers, lol

[SunnyDays]

Because I never miss a chance to plug Stuart McLean, I'm reading Home From the Vinyl Cafe.  He's a Canadian humour author, now sadly deceased, and writes about the adventures of a family of four, where the father owns a second hand record store (We're not big, but we're small).  The absurdities of everyday life become hilarious in his hands, and I laugh until my stomach hurts.  Also available as podcasts on CBC in the author's own voice.

[sui generis]

I'm reading Man's Search for Meaning now.  It includes a very frank account of what it was actually like to exist and live a day to day life in the concentration camps, which I hadn't seen before.  But it is also a great FIRE book - I'm guessing there might even be a thread on it in the Book Club section - on making your own meaning of life, which is so often discussed in these parts (and is of particular interest to this FIREd person).  Super short book and I am very much appreciating it.

[mm1970]

Working my way through the Kate Shugak mysteries (found them at a used book sale).  At least, I got a bunch of them anyway...

[lost_in_the_endless_aisle]

I'm reading Man's Search for Meaning now.  It includes a very frank account of what it was actually like to exist and live a day to day life in the concentration camps, which I hadn't seen before.  But it is also a great FIRE book - I'm guessing there might even be a thread on it in the Book Club section - on making your own meaning of life, which is so often discussed in these parts (and is of particular interest to this FIREd person).  Super short book and I am very much appreciating it.

If you enjoyed that (if "enjoy" is the right word), you might also try Primo Levi's Survival In Auschwitz. Levi was a chemist by training so his descriptions tend to be rather analytical in nature, which perhaps allowed to pick up on some of the instrumental reasons behind certain brutal policies at the camp.

[TempusFugit]

I'm reading Man's Search for Meaning now.  It includes a very frank account of what it was actually like to exist and live a day to day life in the concentration camps, which I hadn't seen before.  But it is also a great FIRE book - I'm guessing there might even be a thread on it in the Book Club section - on making your own meaning of life, which is so often discussed in these parts (and is of particular interest to this FIREd person).  Super short book and I am very much appreciating it.

If you enjoyed that (if "enjoy" is the right word), you might also try Primo Levi's Survival In Auschwitz. Levi was a chemist by training so his descriptions tend to be rather analytical in nature, which perhaps allowed to pick up on some of the instrumental reasons behind certain brutal policies at the camp.

I read Levi’s If This is a Man a few years ago.  It was powerful how he explained that one of the things that kept him alive through that ordeal was the pressing need to survive just to tell the story to the world.   

[TempusFugit]

Reading The Memoirs of Ulysses S Grant.  Its been on my shelf for decades and I’ve started it once before only to abandon it early.  I skipped ahead to the Civil War this time (he starts with the Mexico war).  I happened to pick it up again after reading a review of Chernow’s biography of Grant and i read the introduction of that book at the library.  It motivated me to revisit his memoir.  I plan to read Chernow after I finish this (though not immediately I'm sure)

[iris lily]

I always think I should dive into Civil War information, especially that centering on Grant. I live in Grant country, i.e. St. Louis. We were in Springfield Illinois where he hung out too, he and Lincoln.

[Luke Warm]

almost done with 'the ministry for the future' by kim stanley robinson. pretty cool sci fi about dealing with climate change.

[davisgang90]

Just started Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny. I really enjoyed some of his other books, especially Changeling and Jack of Shadows, so grabbed the 10 in 1 book from my library to see if I like it.

[TempusFugit]

almost done with 'the ministry for the future' by kim stanley robinson. pretty cool sci fi about dealing with climate change.

Have you read his Mars trilogy?  Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars - very good.

[Luke Warm]

almost done with 'the ministry for the future' by kim stanley robinson. pretty cool sci fi about dealing with climate change.

Have you read his Mars trilogy?  Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars - very good.

i read 'red mars' and i thought it was good. i started 'green mars' but i couldn't get into it. i might need to revisit it.

[turketron]

I also quite enjoyed the Mars trilogy, I just re-read it earlier this year. I haven't read a ton of his other works, but I liked both Aurora and 2312.

[Dogastrophe]

Because I never miss a chance to plug Stuart McLean, I'm reading Home From the Vinyl Cafe.  He's a Canadian humour author, now sadly deceased, and writes about the adventures of a family of four, where the father owns a second hand record store (We're not big, but we're small).  The absurdities of everyday life become hilarious in his hands, and I laugh until my stomach hurts.  Also available as podcasts on CBC in the author's own voice.

+1000 on Stuart McLean - his books and radio stories are very good. I had a chance to see him live and opted not to saying to myself "I'll catch him on his next cross country tour" - he passed away several months later.

[salt cured]

Can I ask for recommendations of novels from Canadian authors or for those set in Canada? I prefer literary fiction but genre is ok too (mostly enjoy whodunits or sci-fi). Looking for recs outside the usual high school reading lists. Would love to find more in the vein of Emily St John Mandel.

[grantmeaname]

It's not exactly literary fiction, but have you read Sean Russell's works? He's a fantastic fantasy author from the 1990s whose work has totally disappeared from the conversation but I've really liked his stuff. The Initiate Brother/Gatherer of Clouds duology and the Swans' War trilogy are both very strong fantasy.

[Frugal Lizard]

@salt cured : I enjoy Louise Penny (set in eastern Quebec), Thomas King (Indian's on Vacation was laugh out loud funny to both DH and I), Wayne Johnston (Colony of Unrequited Dreams),  Jane Urquhart (stone carvers sticks in my head from ages ago), Miriam Toews (just wept reading All my Puny Sorrows but I couldn't but it down), Richard Wagamese (just recently discovered him and was surprise at how beautiful his words are), Micheal Ondaatje (poet/novelist), Lisa Moore (I heard her read at a festival and now devour anything she writes)

[sui generis]

A Tale for the Time Being is one of my favorite books. It's by American-Canadian author Ruth Ozeki and is set partly in BC. I think some find it ponderous and there are definitely polarized views, but if you are looking for literary fiction above popular, this could be up your alley.

[salt cured]

Thanks @sui generis, frugal lizard, @grantmeaname, found several of these available at my library and added them to my queue.

[Dr Kidstache]

A Tale for the Time Being is one of my favorite books. It's by American-Canadian author Ruth Ozeki and is set partly in BC. I think some find it ponderous and there are definitely polarized views, but if you are looking for literary fiction above popular, this could be up your alley.

I adore A Tale for the Time Being too!

[FIRE Artist]

A Tale for the Time Being is one of my favorite books. It's by American-Canadian author Ruth Ozeki and is set partly in BC. I think some find it ponderous and there are definitely polarized views, but if you are looking for literary fiction above popular, this could be up your alley.

I adore A Tale for the Time Being too!

Me three!

Also I highly recommend Greenwood by Michael Christie (another Canadian author), a novel spanning the continent and generations from the depression into a near apocalyptic future.  One of the most engrossing  books I have read in the past few years and not one person in my bookclub found fault with it, something that is unusual for our little group. 

[FIRE Artist]

I'm just finishing up "Wool" by Hugh Howey. Someone in the TV thread recently mentioned it is being adapted for Apple TV+ next year, and after reading the description I decided I wanted to get the book right away. It's a very interesting sci-fi/post-apocalypse story by an author I hadn't heard of before. The story reminds me a bit of "Lost" (lots of mysteries and bizarre occurrences) and "The Martian" by Andy Weir (lots of the protagonist solving various technical problems with wit and determination). It unravels slowly and continually introduces new mysteries even as others are explained. The story was originally written as a novelette and posted online. It grew more and more popular and the author kept adding new sections until a complete novel was eventually finished (kind of like how Andy Weir originally posted The Martian online and was later published).

@evme , there are two sequels, if you're interested.  There's more backstory information and a conclusion.  I found them interesting and worth the read, but Wool is definitely the best of the three.

I am deep into Shift and am really enjoying this series, staying up too late on work nights to get through it.

[TempusFugit]

I'm just finishing up "Wool" by Hugh Howey. Someone in the TV thread recently mentioned it is being adapted for Apple TV+ next year, and after reading the description I decided I wanted to get the book right away. It's a very interesting sci-fi/post-apocalypse story by an author I hadn't heard of before. The story reminds me a bit of "Lost" (lots of mysteries and bizarre occurrences) and "The Martian" by Andy Weir (lots of the protagonist solving various technical problems with wit and determination). It unravels slowly and continually introduces new mysteries even as others are explained. The story was originally written as a novelette and posted online. It grew more and more popular and the author kept adding new sections until a complete novel was eventually finished (kind of like how Andy Weir originally posted The Martian online and was later published).

@evme , there are two sequels, if you're interested.  There's more backstory information and a conclusion.  I found them interesting and worth the read, but Wool is definitely the best of the three.

I am deep into Shift and am really enjoying this series, staying up too late on work nights to get through it.

That's a sign of a good book.  Sacrificing sleep for a good story. 

[Luke Warm]

started 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro. A slow start so far but it seems to be building.

[FIRE Artist]

started 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro. A slow start so far but it seems to be building.

The unplanned parallels to the pandemic experience of children was uncanny - the online teaching, and very few, in person, social events engineered to include only a very small, select group of individuals. 

[Luke Warm]

started 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro. A slow start so far but it seems to be building.

The unplanned parallels to the pandemic experience of children was uncanny - the online teaching, and very few, in person, social events engineered to include only a very small, select group of individuals.

i had to quit reading it. i couldn't stay awake. i read the wikipedia article about it and it seems like a good story but not what i need right now.

[Watchmaker]

started 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro. A slow start so far but it seems to be building.

This was one of my favorite reads this year.

[Frankies Girl]

Reading The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys, historical fiction based in Spain and concerning the Spanish Civil War, and follows the journey of an 18 year old American photographer and his rich family on "holiday."  Just started, so not sure how this will play out, but the author is supposed to be very good.

[sui generis]

I just finished All Systems Red, the first of the Murderbot Diaries, which I think I added to my to-read list from this thread.  I enjoyed it and put the next one on hold.  They seemed to be very bite-sized, which is nice, as I feel like earlier this year I was reading a lot of 500-700 page tomes.

[midweststache]

I just received a copy of Don Hertzfeld's The End of the World and I'm about a quarter of the way through it. It's a pretty interesting conceit, and I like the idea of individual, simple narratives working on their own and together, but the content is, as you might expect from the title, not particularly heartening. I sort of want to finish it, butI'm not sure I'll ever be in an emotional place TO finish it.

But you know, if soul-wrenching, disheartening, hopeless Post-Its with little drawings and one-liners put together in a larger narrative about the end of the world is your schtick, highly recommended?

[Warlord1986]

Barack Obama's "Promised Land."

I appreciate his hopefulness and obvious love of America.

[sui generis]

I'm currently almost halfway through a book (The Wife Upstairs) that I sort of hate.  All of the characters are cringey and terrible people.  I would consider giving up, but on goodreads I can see that two very, very different friends really liked it.  One that seems to read only trashy pulp (totally consistent with this book) and one that is a Library Info Science grad that reads a wide variety and loves literary fiction (i.e. more discerning). These two don't usually read the same things much less would I expect them to like the same thing, so I've gotta continue reading just to find out what they could find to agree on, and in a positive way!  So now it's sort of a game.  I'm still semi-interested in finding out what happens in the book, but more interested in this meta question about my friends.

[habanero]

Got "The Nordic Theory of Everything" by Anu Partanen for christmas and I'm roughly halway through it.

While I have never lived or worked in the US I cannot really judge how accurate the description of how stuff (doesn't) work in the US actually is and I guess parts of it varies from state to state as well, but it does ring a bell with some of the struggles / problems / challenges in everyday life I read about on this forum that feels utterly bizzarre to me. Like health insurance, saving for kid's college education, which school to send kids to, the cost of daycare and so on. I don't live in Finland myself but as the broader idea of how society is organized across the Nordic region is rather similar there aren't big differences between how the author descirbes Finland and what I'm used to myself.

The overall theory has however struck me before reading the book. The place in the western world where you are least likely to experience the american dream is porobably in the US. Social mobility is higher in Europe than in the US and by creating what is sometimes viewed as "communism" you end up with more indicidual liberty as you are less dependent on family or your job for some of the major issues in life - like getting a good education, being able to pay for health care if something should happen etc.

[Plina]

Got "The Nordic Theory of Everything" by Anu Partanen for christmas and I'm roughly halway through it.

While I have never lived or worked in the US I cannot really judge how accurate the description of how stuff (doesn't) work in the US actually is and I guess parts of it varies from state to state as well, but it does ring a bell with some of the struggles / problems / challenges in everyday life I read about on this forum that feels utterly bizzarre to me. Like health insurance, saving for kid's college education, which school to send kids to, the cost of daycare and so on. I don't live in Finland myself but as the broader idea of how society is organized across the Nordic region is rather similar there aren't big differences between how the author descirbes Finland and what I'm used to myself.

The overall theory has however struck me before reading the book. The place in the western world where you are least likely to experience the american dream is porobably in the US. Social mobility is higher in Europe than in the US and by creating what is sometimes viewed as "communism" you end up with more indicidual liberty as you are less dependent on family or your job for some of the major issues in life - like getting a good education, being able to pay for health care if something should happen etc.

I listened to the book some time ago and I pretty much came to the same conclusion. The land of free doesn’t seem that free.

[sui generis]

I'm reading The Dark Forest, the second in the Three-Body Problem trilogy.  I'm still early in the book, but it feels so different from the first book so far.  Not in a bad way, and I'm willing to wait and see where it goes, but between having so few carry-over characters, significant changes in settings and topic, there have literally only been a handful of pages so far that feel like they are of the same series as the first.  I'm intrigued . . . .

Also listening to Apples Never Fall, the latest Liane Moriarty.  I always read her books even though the last one or two have not been as good - they were still mindlessly engrossing, which is great for audiobooks, since I usually listen while doing errands and chores.  So far this one is interesting, but it's 18 hours and I'm only 3 hours in, so reserving judgment.

[Watchmaker]

This is a bit of a cheat because I actually finished the book two weeks ago, but I'd highly recommend The Chosen and the Beautiful, which is a fantastical retelling of The Great Gatsby (featuring actual deals with devils rather than metaphorical ones). Gatsby is a favorite of mine and I really loved the writer's fresh perspective and refocusing of the story.

[DadJokes]

I'm reading The Dark Forest, the second in the Three-Body Problem trilogy.  I'm still early in the book, but it feels so different from the first book so far.  Not in a bad way, and I'm willing to wait and see where it goes, but between having so few carry-over characters, significant changes in settings and topic, there have literally only been a handful of pages so far that feel like they are of the same series as the first.  I'm intrigued . . . .

Also listening to Apples Never Fall, the latest Liane Moriarty.  I always read her books even though the last one or two have not been as good - they were still mindlessly engrossing, which is great for audiobooks, since I usually listen while doing errands and chores.  So far this one is interesting, but it's 18 hours and I'm only 3 hours in, so reserving judgment.

How convenient! I just started The Dark Forest this past weekend. I have the same challenges with it as you, but I hate to leave a series unfinished. Hopefully it works itself out.

[TempusFugit]

I'm reading The Dark Forest, the second in the Three-Body Problem trilogy.  I'm still early in the book, but it feels so different from the first book so far.  Not in a bad way, and I'm willing to wait and see where it goes, but between having so few carry-over characters, significant changes in settings and topic, there have literally only been a handful of pages so far that feel like they are of the same series as the first.  I'm intrigued . . . .

Also listening to Apples Never Fall, the latest Liane Moriarty.  I always read her books even though the last one or two have not been as good - they were still mindlessly engrossing, which is great for audiobooks, since I usually listen while doing errands and chores.  So far this one is interesting, but it's 18 hours and I'm only 3 hours in, so reserving judgment.

How convenient! I just started The Dark Forest this past weekend. I have the same challenges with it as you, but I hate to leave a series unfinished. Hopefully it works itself out.

I read the first two of the series last year. The Dark Forest is quite good, IMO. If you enjoyed the first, I think you'll enjoy the second.  I haven't really got into the third yet. 

[chaskavitch]

I'm reading The Dark Forest, the second in the Three-Body Problem trilogy.  I'm still early in the book, but it feels so different from the first book so far.  Not in a bad way, and I'm willing to wait and see where it goes, but between having so few carry-over characters, significant changes in settings and topic, there have literally only been a handful of pages so far that feel like they are of the same series as the first.  I'm intrigued . . . .

Also listening to Apples Never Fall, the latest Liane Moriarty.  I always read her books even though the last one or two have not been as good - they were still mindlessly engrossing, which is great for audiobooks, since I usually listen while doing errands and chores.  So far this one is interesting, but it's 18 hours and I'm only 3 hours in, so reserving judgment.

How convenient! I just started The Dark Forest this past weekend. I have the same challenges with it as you, but I hate to leave a series unfinished. Hopefully it works itself out.

I read the first two of the series last year. The Dark Forest is quite good, IMO. If you enjoyed the first, I think you'll enjoy the second.  I haven't really got into the third yet.

They get even more different by the end of the third book, for sure.  I think I enjoyed the style of the first one most, but I still am glad I read all of them. 

I'm reading Leviathan Falls, the very last book of the Expanse series, FINALLY.  It's good so far, but I think I'm enjoying it most because I'll finally get a resolution to the overarching story (hopefully)

[turketron]

I'm reading Leviathan Falls, the very last book of the Expanse series, FINALLY.  It's good so far, but I think I'm enjoying it most because I'll finally get a resolution to the overarching story (hopefully)

I just finished Leviathan Falls last week! Curious to know what you think of it once you're done. Without spoiling anything, I'm just bummed that there's no more Expanse to read, although there's one final novella coming out in March. The authors are working on a new SciFi trilogy unrelated to the Expanse universe, so I'll definitely give that a try whenever it comes out.

[chaskavitch]

I'm reading Leviathan Falls, the very last book of the Expanse series, FINALLY.  It's good so far, but I think I'm enjoying it most because I'll finally get a resolution to the overarching story (hopefully)

I just finished Leviathan Falls last week! Curious to know what you think of it once you're done. Without spoiling anything, I'm just bummed that there's no more Expanse to read, although there's one final novella coming out in March. The authors are working on a new SciFi trilogy unrelated to the Expanse universe, so I'll definitely give that a try whenever it comes out.

Huh.  I did not expect that epilogue, but I think I really like it.  I might have to re-read the last few chapters a few times.  I'm definitely going to re-read the series a few times eventually :)

Now all I have is one last episode of the show.  Sad day.