1946 edition of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
I just finished reading Ender's Game. I'll be going back to read the other Ender books at some point, but I've got either LOTR or this gem (http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Theory-Information-Content-Perspective/dp/0072296917) next.
I just finished reading Ender's Game. I'll be going back to read the other Ender books at some point, but I've got either LOTR or this gem (http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Theory-Information-Content-Perspective/dp/0072296917) next.
I just finished reading Ender's Game. I'll be going back to read the other Ender books at some point, but I've got either LOTR or this gem (http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Theory-Information-Content-Perspective/dp/0072296917) next.
Im just about to start Enders Game. It'll be my over christmas book, really looking forward to it. Anyone got any recommendations on post apocalyptic/zombie books?
The MMM forums.
On The Beach is really good.
I just finished reading Ender's Game. I'll be going back to read the other Ender books at some point, but I've got either LOTR or this gem (http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Theory-Information-Content-Perspective/dp/0072296917) next.
Im just about to start Enders Game. It'll be my over christmas book, really looking forward to it. Anyone got any recommendations on post apocalyptic/zombie books?
I'm reading World War Z by Max Brooks and it's pretty good.
I just finished reading Ender's Game. I'll be going back to read the other Ender books at some point, but I've got either LOTR or this gem (http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Theory-Information-Content-Perspective/dp/0072296917) next.
Im just about to start Enders Game. It'll be my over christmas book, really looking forward to it. Anyone got any recommendations on post apocalyptic/zombie books?
Adam Bradley & Andrew DuBois - the Anthology of Rap (http://www.amazon.com/The-Anthology-Rap-Adam-Bradley/dp/0300141912) (slowly but surely)
various small/tiny house and modular home websites... thinking real hard about buying a small plot of land and building one next summer. Not being able to build or change anything in this apartment is killing me, plus it would have hella ROI
Anyone got any recommendations on post apocalyptic/zombie books?
I also recently enjoyed Sarah Silverman's autobiography/memoir The Bedwetter. It was really funny.If you liked Sarah Silverman's book (as I did), you might enjoy Adam Carolla's In Fifty Years We'll All Be Chicks and Artie Lange's Crash and Burn. Both are memoirs (of sorts) and I liked both.
2014 I want to read a lot of memoir, bios, autobios. I got Anjelica Huston's for my birthday from a friend.
This past year I read a lot of Star Wars books. I had never read any and got kinda into it.
I'm really a fan of the Magic the Gathering books. If you're interested in some really solid fantasy, check out The Thran.This past year I read a lot of Star Wars books. I had never read any and got kinda into it.I read a ton of those as a kid! Which were your favorites?
Some of mine were the "Tales" ones - short stories of various previously minor characters (Tales of the Bounty Hunters, Tales from Jabba's Palace, Tales from the Empire, etc.)
Now I'm all nostalgic and want to go read some SW! :D
Freedom by Daniel Suarez
Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie
This past year I read a lot of Star Wars books. I had never read any and got kinda into it.
I read a ton of those as a kid! Which were your favorites?
Some of mine were the "Tales" ones - short stories of various previously minor characters (Tales of the Bounty Hunters, Tales from Jabba's Palace, Tales from the Empire, etc.)
Now I'm all nostalgic and want to go read some SW! :D
Currently re-reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (read up to book 11 as a teenager). Better than I remembered and very enjoyable, though still cringe-worthy in parts.
Little Women
I need to figure out what classic to do next.
So I gave up on the whole thing. Then I heard he died and someone else finished the series?
Since then I've tried not to start any long series until they are finished.
Since then I've tried not to start any long series until they are finished.
I used to do this as a kid with Star Wars books, wait until all three in the series came out.
Now I try to stick with that as well, as I kinda got away from it and got burned a few times (Koontz' Frankenstein Book 3 being WAY delayed because it was set in New Orleans and then Hurricane Katrina happened and he had to like redo it, and it got delayed by years and years, Eragon's author saying there was only 3, then adding a 4th at the last minute that I had to wait forever for, etc.).
Sometimes I get sucked in though. I'm currently waiting for book 5 of the Tapestry Series (one of the best kids' series I've read in a LONG time - the first straight rips off Harry Potter, but then the rest of the series goes away from that into originality), upon which time (November 2014) I'll reread the first 4, then read 5.
I do try and wait for the whole series though.
I do the same with Movies - haven't watched Hunger Games/Catching Fire (read the books, of course), until all 3 are out. Ditto The Hobbit and all 3 of those.
Really digging John Irving lately. Never been into him but read Last Night in Twisted River and loved it, so now I'm on The Hotel New Hampshire. Really well done.
The problem for George R R Martin is that he keeps adding new characters and plots at an alarming rate... too much project scope creep. He'll never finish at this rate, and all we can hope is that he's smart enough to write out the overall plots and assign the rights to someone else in his will to finish off the series after he dies, Robert Jordan style.
Speaking of which, are the Brandon Sanderson Wheel of Time books any good?
Really digging John Irving lately. Never been into him but read Last Night in Twisted River and loved it, so now I'm on The Hotel New Hampshire. Really well done.
He's one of my favorite writers. A Prayer for Owen Meany is in my top 25 books, and I've really enjoyed everything else he has written.
I'm currently re-reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon in anticipation of the new series coming out on Starz this summer and the release of the 7th (and final?) book in the series. I read them all about 10 years ago and I'm pleased to find I like them even more now that I'm a bit more grown up.
Really digging John Irving lately. Never been into him but read Last Night in Twisted River and loved it, so now I'm on The Hotel New Hampshire. Really well done.
He's one of my favorite writers. A Prayer for Owen Meany is in my top 25 books, and I've really enjoyed everything else he has written.
I'm currently re-reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon in anticipation of the new series coming out on Starz this summer and the release of the 7th (and final?) book in the series. I read them all about 10 years ago and I'm pleased to find I like them even more now that I'm a bit more grown up.
Not to hijack this thread but I would be interested in seeing some of your top 10 or 25 all-time faves?
I'll go first though I don't think I can get to 25...and in no particular order:
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
The Names and Underworld by Don DeLillo
The Brothers Karamazov by Dosteovski
Ulysses by James Joyce
Tess of the D'urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (what can I say I like the classics)
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
G. and the Into Their Labours trilogy by John Berger
short stories by Chekov, Sherman Alexie, Joyce Carol Oates, Alexander Maksik, and many others I can't think of at the moment...
Freedom by Daniel Suarez
Freedom and Daemon were my favorite books read in 2013, they're just awesome.
Kriegs, did you like Quicksilver? I loved the whole Baroque series and I don't usually like long series.I tried to pick that series up and it was just too freaking slow. I got like 400 pages in and nothing had happened yet, so I gave up.
Daemon (http://www.amazon.com/Daemon-Daniel-Suarez-ebook/dp/B003QP4NPE) by Daniel Suarez.
Daemon (http://www.amazon.com/Daemon-Daniel-Suarez-ebook/dp/B003QP4NPE) by Daniel Suarez.
That's a page turner!
Ahh, see I really liked Anathema and Cryptonomicon. My library doesn't have his other books, but they're on my list for when I have access to a better library.
Update: China to Me, the insouciant period diary, is now about the author getting pregnant with an illegitimate child in order to avoid the Japanese internment camps. It escalated quickly.
Hm….25 books? I'll include 25 books of essays, memoirs, and poetry I've enjoyed for various reasons.
All Quiet on the Western Front
Predictably Irrational (maybe not really my top 25, but I found it an interesting read)
Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen
The Secret History, Donna Tart (do not like her newest book)
Night, Elie Wiesel
Blue, Joan Didion
The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion
The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway
Lit, Mary Karr
Catherine the Great bio (can't recall author)
Travels with Charley, John Steinbeck
The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck
Giovanni's Room, James Baldwin
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Native Son, Richard Wright
A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest Gaines
poetry by Elizabeth Bishop
short stories, Flannery O'Connor
short stories, Raymond Carver
various things by David Sedaris (very funny stuff)
The Yellow Wallpaper
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Leaving Brooklyn, Lynn Sharon Schwartz
Le Divorce, Diane Johnson
Montaigne's essays
I also like reading Jane Austen and Kirk Vonnegut, but their novels and characters tend to blur together for me.
I'm not feeling well today....
Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. Full of interesting ideas.
Why's that? Did you read it and find that he stretched the truth?Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. Full of interesting ideas.Take it with a big grain of salt, IMO.
Why's that? Did you read it and find that he stretched the truth?Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. Full of interesting ideas.Take it with a big grain of salt, IMO.
I haven't picked up the book yet but I've heard all about it, but nothing bad yet.
He suggests, for instance, that administering mammograms to “women over 40 on an annual basis does not lead to an increase in life expectancy,” because a doctor, seeing a tumor, “cannot avoid doing something harmful, like surgery followed by radiation, chemotherapy, or both — that is more harmful than the tumor.”
I'm not feeling well today....
Sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better.
Why's that? Did you read it and find that he stretched the truth?Antifragile by Nassim Taleb. Full of interesting ideas.Take it with a big grain of salt, IMO.
I haven't picked up the book yet but I've heard all about it, but nothing bad yet.
I wouldn't say stretched the truth, but I find that his conclusions don't follow, lots of times.
Essentially he presents a situation, then asserts a conclusion without any evidence or data. It was a little frustrating.
This paragraph from this critique (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/books/antifragile-by-nassim-nicholas-taleb.html) gives a good example of what I mean:QuoteHe suggests, for instance, that administering mammograms to “women over 40 on an annual basis does not lead to an increase in life expectancy,” because a doctor, seeing a tumor, “cannot avoid doing something harmful, like surgery followed by radiation, chemotherapy, or both — that is more harmful than the tumor.”
(Ignore 90% of this article, as a lot of the criticisms are merely attacking the author, something I don't care about.)
What evidence do you have for that? Asserting that is dangerous, IMO.
The concept of Antifragile makes sense, in theory, and is very appealing on its face, but a lot of it is taken to hokum levels, IMO, to prove his point.
/shrug
My opinion. There are certainly lots of people that praise it. It's worth reading but, as I said, with a grain of salt.
Currently re-reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (read up to book 11 as a teenager). Better than I remembered and very enjoyable, though still cringe-worthy in parts.
Good to hear these are worth re-reading! I also read up to book 9 several years ago then waited very impatiently for the next book to come out and it took forever! When he finally wrote the next one (2 years later) I had forgotten so much I lost steam right away. So I gave up on the whole thing. Then I heard he died and someone else finished the series? Maybe I'll pick it up again! Since then I've tried not to start any long series until they are finished. I had the same problem with the Game of Thrones books - and those are really cringe-worthy! But guilty pleasure reading is always fun :)
I'm currently on the home-stretch with War & Peace and it's probably the best book I've ever read, and I've read a lot of classics.
I have a beef with Wolf Hall. Everyone and their mother recommended it to me, because I read a ton of historical fiction and I wrote my thesis on the Tudor Era. But...I hated it. So much. I hated her writing style. I didn't even finish the book. I just couldn't plow through it. I think I've not finished maybe 3 or 4 books in my entire life? So now I'm mad at the world about this book. Everytime someone mentions it I get angry, because everyone I know who read it has loved it. Even people who never read books loved it. WHY DIDN'T I LOVE IT, TOO?I sympathize with you. I love historical fiction too, but I put Wolf Hall away as well. Might give it another try in the future though.
Have you read The Sunne in Splendor? I haven't, but a friend who's into the Tudor era recommended it highly (although it's Richard III).
I have a beef with Wolf Hall. Everyone and their mother recommended it to me, because I read a ton of historical fiction and I wrote my thesis on the Tudor Era. But...I hated it. So much. I hated her writing style. I didn't even finish the book. I just couldn't plow through it. I think I've not finished maybe 3 or 4 books in my entire life? So now I'm mad at the world about this book. Everytime someone mentions it I get angry, because everyone I know who read it has loved it. Even people who never read books loved it. WHY DIDN'T I LOVE IT, TOO?I sympathize with you. I love historical fiction too, but I put Wolf Hall away as well. Might give it another try in the future though.
Absolutely loved Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, can you recommend anything similar in historical period, length, epicness etc.?
I'm familiar with Follett's Century Trilogy and really liked the first installment (haven't gotten round to reading the second one yet), but I prefer medieval or Tudor era fiction.
Thank goodness I am not the only one! I have thought about trying to read it again. Maybe in another year or so...Thank you! I've read Mists of Avalon once I think. Will read it again. Haven't read your other suggestions yet but this gives me plenty to work with for now. Well appreciated!
I also love long, epic historical fiction. Pillars of the Earth is a great one.
Above I recommended Sharon Kay Penman's books, starting with Here Be Dragons. Her books are set in a similar time and are very thorough and lengthy. And many of them link to each other, so you can get really immersed in the characters.
Another favorite is The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, which is an epic telling of the Arthurian legends. It's set earlier than the Medieval period, obviously, but it is really well done and beautifully written.
And my favorite historical fiction series of all time is the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. It is set in the 18th Century, but I recommend it to anyone who reads this genre because it is perfection. There are seven books now, and she's about to release the 8th. And each one is about 900 pages long, so they will keep you busy for a while!
I tend to read a few at once and switch around. Currently reading:
- Mindfire: Big Ideas for Curious Minds (Scott Berkun)
- Life, the Universe, and Everything (Douglas Adams)
- Toward Rational Exuberance: The Evolution of the Modern Stock Market (B. Mark Smith)
Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
Thought I'd try the Kindle Lending Library. Bleh. Meh. Couldn't find anything I was looking for--didn't realize until I did a little research that it is full of indie-published stuff…not really the top of the list titles…although they have Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Once you click and borrow a book, that's it for the month. If you hate it, too bad. I borrowed a Jane Austen spin-off called The Forgotten Sister: Mary Bennett's Pride and Prejudice, by Jennifer Paynter. I've read 10 percent so far, and will finish it. Too early to tell, but it has some unusual characters and so far the setting plunks me right into the middle of Jane Austen's England, with no jarring anachronisms. I never thought Mary got a fair shake, so like to read the spin-offs that paint her more charitably and give her a happy ending.
I'm going to read Snarl by Celina Grace today.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6177458.Celina_Grace
Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
Who was the translator?
Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
Who was the translator?
Maxwell Staniforth. I know there is one that is supposed to be better. Have you read the "better" one?
Meditations, Marcus Aurelius
Who was the translator?
Maxwell Staniforth. I know there is one that is supposed to be better. Have you read the "better" one?
I have read several translations. I'd have to look at that one to see if it was one I had read.
"Better," is, of course, subjective.
Yeah, I'm finally reading the Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide, with all 5 books in it. I am really enjoying his writing! Great laughs and I am amazed at how many crazy things he described that are basically today's technology. I added some Dirk Gently books to my "to-read" list - they sound great! Thanks for mentioning.
I just finished The Sixth Extinction. I recommend it.
Just finished reading Ranger's Apprentice (The Ruins of Gorlan) by John Flanagan. Picked it up dirt cheap at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Very good! I highly recommend it for those of you with school-age kids, especially if they're not particularly fond of reading. It's very engaging and moves along at a good pace.
It sucks going to St. James [private school]--not just because of the weekday Masses and the dress code, but because of the view out the window during the commute. Ruins line the highway, old rotting shells of places run by stupid people who thought their businesses could survive outside of a mall.
Teen funds are my right, he thinks, feeling his face redden with inexplicable anger. Everyone has the right to a little bit of spending money, even if sixty dollars doesn't buy a damn thing. Teen funds teach responsibility. They keep the mall up and running. Everyone benefits. Why would the mall do anything to hurt us?
The Fictional Woman, by Tara Moss. Well worth reading.
Also: finally up to the Brandon Sanderson Wheel of Time books. His style is okay so far. I'm enjoying the faster pace since about book ten where it picked up a lot. Can't wait to see how it all unfolds, finally, after starting the series as a teenager and never finishing it.
"Make the Bread, Buy the Butter" recommended on one of the forums here. Content is excellent, and love her hilarious writing style!
Just finished "Raising Steam" by Terry Pratchett which may, depending on his health, be the last Discworld novel (he was diagnosed w. early-onset Alzheimer's some years ago but apparently is doing much better than originally predicted.) Usually I read books in bits and pieces as I have time, but I actually spent a Sunday afternoon on the couch w. the book in honor of the many hours of pleasure Mr. Pratchett and his characters have provided over the years.
Apparently he is currently working on the fifth Tiffany Aching book (but his health is failing).
Lonesome Dove,
Thirded. Does anyone know whether McMurtry's other books with the same protagonists are just as good? I know Lonesome Dove is a classic (and I loved reading it) but would like to know whether his other books are worth loading onto my ereader for the summer holidays.
I'm currently reading 600 hours of Edward by Craig Lancaster. It is a quirky story about Edward, a 39 year old man who suffers from Asperger's and OCD. Details below, I am really enjoying the book in part because my middle son has Autism.
"A thirty-nine-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Edward Stanton lives alone on a rigid schedule in the Montana town where he grew up. His carefully constructed routine includes tracking his most common waking time (7:38 a.m.), refusing to start his therapy sessions even a minute before the appointed hour (10:00 a.m.), and watching one episode of the 1960s cop show Dragnet each night (10:00 p.m.).
But when a single mother and her nine-year-old son move in across the street, Edward’s timetable comes undone. Over the course of a momentous 600 hours, he opens up to his new neighbors and confronts old grievances with his estranged parents. Exposed to both the joys and heartaches of friendship, Edward must ultimately decide whether to embrace the world outside his door or retreat to his solitary ways.
Heartfelt and hilarious, this moving novel will appeal to fans of Daniel Keyes’s classic Flowers for Algernon and to any reader who loves an underdog."
(http://0.tqn.com/d/scifi/1/5/t/R/0/-/The-Mote-in-Gods-Eye.jpg)
Is this the first time you're reading it?
Thirded. Does anyone know whether McMurtry's other books with the same protagonists are just as good? I know Lonesome Dove is a classic (and I loved reading it) but would like to know whether his other books are worth loading onto my ereader for the summer holidays.
I'd like to hear the response to this too. I'm only 10% into Lonesome Dove but I love it so much and I never ever want it to end. That said, I don't want to read inferior sequels/prequels/whatever they are.
Thank you for that. I'll probably not read them then (I've read similar comments elsewhere). I'd rather keep the memories from Lonesome Dove (and reread it a couple times more).Thirded. Does anyone know whether McMurtry's other books with the same protagonists are just as good? I know Lonesome Dove is a classic (and I loved reading it) but would like to know whether his other books are worth loading onto my ereader for the summer holidays.
I'd like to hear the response to this too. I'm only 10% into Lonesome Dove but I love it so much and I never ever want it to end. That said, I don't want to read inferior sequels/prequels/whatever they are.
They are not as good. I was perfectly entertained by them, and they don't make Lonesome Dove any worse in retrospect (there's a pretty awful plot twist right at the beginning of Streets of Laredo, though) but I'm not sure they were needed. That's my opinion. I read them in the order they were written (so chronologically, story 4 then 1 then 2).
Currently, I am reading the Allan Quatermain adventure stories by H. Rider Haggard. The most famous of the Quatermain stories is “King Solomon’s Mines”. These stories can’t be beat for pure action with a touch of the supernatural sprinkled in here and there. I read these source (http://essayacademia.com/perfect-term-papers.php) of stories when I was in high school and figured it was time I revisited them.If you haven't read them yet, the Tarzan series by Edgar Rice Burroughs is fun adventure too.
A Memory of Light (final Wheel of Time book).
Almost there... can't wait to finally finish this series a decade and a half after starting it!
And I'm also reading Caroline Grahame's The Killings at Badgers Drift, the first of the books Midsomer Murders is based on. The writing is beautiful, although the views and technology are occasionally jarring (1987 just keeps feeling further and further away).1987's closer to JFK's assassination than to present day. Did that make you feel older?
sci-FI fans.
1987's closer to JFK's assassination than to present day. Did that make you feel older?
Goddamned Freaky Monsters by Rick Gualtieri. A fantasy series book about a nerd vampire. Not destined for literary greatness (so far) but a pleasant diversion and each book gets a little funnier. So no sparkling vampires or teen angst.
Goddamned Freaky Monsters by Rick Gualtieri. A fantasy series book about a nerd vampire. Not destined for literary greatness (so far) but a pleasant diversion and each book gets a little funnier. So no sparkling vampires or teen angst.
I read the first one of that series, and it was really funny. But I was bothered by all the casual sexism in the book, so despite how much I enjoyed the first one, I never picked up any of the rest of the series. Do the later books get less sexist?
Goddamned Freaky Monsters by Rick Gualtieri. A fantasy series book about a nerd vampire. Not destined for literary greatness (so far) but a pleasant diversion and each book gets a little funnier. So no sparkling vampires or teen angst.
I read the first one of that series, and it was really funny. But I was bothered by all the casual sexism in the book, so despite how much I enjoyed the first one, I never picked up any of the rest of the series. Do the later books get less sexist?
There is a lot of casual sexism because the main characters are all guys and they're all nerds. So they're not going to give thoughtful commentary on The Vagina Monologues. That said, Sally, the experienced vampire that helps the main character gets her own origins book Sunset Strip. It's totally her POV as a ruthless bad ass vampire with nary a nerd (and damn few sympathetic guys) in sight. If you like that I think you'll take a shine to the series which is getting better.
If not, I highly recommend the book on Countess Sforsa. She'd make a damn good vampire herself. (I forgot to mention she was also an alchemist) In my casual researches I found she's already incorporated into the video game Assassin's Creed as an NPC where they incorporate some of her historical exploits in the game plot.
Also, have you ever read The Dresden Files? It's a level above The Tome of Bill series and all the main characters (save a couple of the dimmer villains) are progressive. Humor doesn't play as much a part but when it emerges from the tall grass it's damn good.
A Memory of Light (final Wheel of Time book).
Almost there... can't wait to finally finish this series a decade and a half after starting it!
A Memory of Light (final Wheel of Time book).
Almost there... can't wait to finally finish this series a decade and a half after starting it!
I love the Wheel of Time series. I have restarted that series so many times, I ended up reading Eye of the World more times than I can count (but it gets better with each read). I want to give it another try from start to finish.
Still really enjoyed the series.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bryson. It's all sciency, pretty good.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bryson. It's all sciency, pretty good.
That's a good one. Get the special illustrated version if you can. It's amazing.
However, since I am not illiterate, I will finish the shit out of this book... then look at them picktures at a library.
I just read Wendell Berry's poem Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front. Powerful stuff.
Peak Everything (http://www.amazon.com/Peak-Everything-Waking-Century-Declines/dp/0865716455) by Richard Heinberg.
Dude is kind of apocalyptic about how fossil fuel shortages are going to radically alter all facets of western society. He tries very hard to make it all sound very reasonable, but I bet he secretly lives in an underground bunker.
I've been reading a lot of Octavia E. Butler lately -- an African American sci fi writer who put out a lot of great books starting in the 70s.
Just finished Kindred, in which a black woman from 1976 finds herself in Antebellum Maryland. It is so, so good.
I've been reading a lot of Octavia E. Butler lately -- an African American sci fi writer who put out a lot of great books starting in the 70s.
Just finished Kindred, in which a black woman from 1976 finds herself in Antebellum Maryland. It is so, so good.
I just started Kindred this week. I'm loving it so far. I don't normally like anything with a sci fi focus, but my husband forced me to try it anyway. I'm glad I relented and broadened my horizons.
The One Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
I'm not usually a fiction reader but so far, this book is excellent and very entertaining!
arebelspy,
You must be a very quick reader! I'm still plugging away at it! haha
I've been reading a lot of Octavia E. Butler lately -- an African American sci fi writer who put out a lot of great books starting in the 70s.
Just finished Kindred, in which a black woman from 1976 finds herself in Antebellum Maryland. It is so, so good.
I just started Kindred this week. I'm loving it so far. I don't normally like anything with a sci fi focus, but my husband forced me to try it anyway. I'm glad I relented and broadened my horizons.
It's so good, right? So much to ponder ... and it's really only tangentially sci-fi, which makes it easier to swallow if you are not a sci-fi fan usually.
I read a trilogy by her that was much more sci-fi-y and also BANANAS called the Xenogenesis Trilogy. Not sure if you would like it but it's really bizarre and thought-provoking ... after human armageddon, an alien species comes to save as much of humanity as it can, because its reason for existing is to collect and blend with other species. The trilogy describes what happens once the species start to mate and blend with each other.
Kind of amazing that all of this came out of one person's imagination!
Tried to get through "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" but the dialogue is killing me...its like a 7th grader wrote it. Hubby insists the message is powerful but I just cant get over the prose.
Really embarrassed that it has taken me so long to fess up, but I love anything Diana Gabaldon has written. Currently binge reading the first 7 so I can fully enjoy book #8 in the Outlander series.
Its got everything! Time travel, magic, genealogy, hot married sex, men in kilts, life in colonial US.
I just finished this book called: 7, An experimental mutiny against excess
By Jen Hatmaker
Rocked my face off
fallstoclimb,
Thanks for the book suggestion. I've been fascinated by the depression era lately and haven't heard of this book yet. Jumped on over to my library's website and requested a copy :-)
Finally finished the Jefferson monstrosity, moved on to A Walk In The Woods, by Bryson, it's super funny so far.
I'm on to my third Gene Logsdon book now: The Contrary Farmer, You Can Go Home Again, and All Flesh is Grass.
Little Women
I need to figure out what classic to do next.
I'm on to my third Gene Logsdon book now: The Contrary Farmer, You Can Go Home Again, and All Flesh is Grass.
I picked up A Sanctuary of Trees and enjoyed it, thanks for the rec!
Just started Zero to One by Peter Thiel, co-founder of Paypal. Really interesting so far.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
I've been reading "Early Retirement Extreme" after getting a copy from the library. So far, it has some interesting tidbits, but, wow, it is ever dry. I guess not everyone has the writing skills of MMM.Agree. Jacob's a superb analyst -- better than MMM in many ways -- but I can't argue with your writing-quality observation, which is spot-on. Sometimes the poor quality is so distracting that it takes something away from his points, whereas Pete appears much more accessible and friendly.
Right now I'm reading The Gunslinger, the first book of the Dark Tower series, and so far I'm really uncomfortable with the descriptions of women - they're either Madonnas or whores. I'd really like to lose myself in a fantasy series right now, but I guess this one isn't going to be it. I'll finish this book but am pretty sure I'm not going to stick with the series unless this turns around dramatically. Any other fantasy series suggestions?
Right now I'm reading The Gunslinger, the first book of the Dark Tower series, and so far I'm really uncomfortable with the descriptions of women - they're either Madonnas or whores. I'd really like to lose myself in a fantasy series right now, but I guess this one isn't going to be it. I'll finish this book but am pretty sure I'm not going to stick with the series unless this turns around dramatically. Any other fantasy series suggestions?
How To Win Friends and Influence People-Dale Carnegie.You can get it for one buck in a (used) book together with "how to stop worrying and start living".
A pretty interesting book, and very easy to pick up at any spot rather than read in order-good for my short attention span lately. A nice eye opener in that so much of the book halts one from the initial action or reaction to exmine what it is we really want and gives strategies to go about attaining that. It feels more like a book that should be titled "How to get what you want without looking like an a-hole," which I have zero problem with. The only problem I have with the book is a the fact that none of these strategies work on unreasonable people. I guess the only solution in those cases is to waste less time on them and focus on the interactions with probable success.
"I admire everyone who is reading "heavy" stuff, but I just want my fluff."
Over the weekend I read "Parable of the Sower" and "Parable of the Talents" and they are breathtaking in their depth, their brutality, and their clarity. Butler's teenage protagonist survives the slow-motion apocalypse of the early 2020s and creates a hard-ass religion that has exactly zero supernatural aspects, and you see how it all plays out in the chaos of the world around her.
I'm re (re-re-re) reading my copy of the Complete Tightwad Gazette
Adam Bradley & Andrew DuBois - the Anthology of Rap (http://www.amazon.com/The-Anthology-Rap-Adam-Bradley/dp/0300141912) (slowly but surely)
various small/tiny house and modular home websites... thinking real hard about buying a small plot of land and building one next summer. Not being able to build or change anything in this apartment is killing me, plus it would have hella ROI
Since it's bowl season I'm doing some football reading. I just finished Friday Night Lights, which is brilliant. Before that I was reading The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football (http://www.amazon.com/The-Thinking-Mans-Guide-Football/dp/0671453947/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0J9WTJB55PW4KN0538Q6), which is kinda like Economics Explained in that it's a couple decades old but still the best book on its topic. Next up: The Blind Side. Michael Lewis is the freaking best.
That's actually the next paper book I'm reading, I've got it right after the Blind Side!Since it's bowl season I'm doing some football reading. I just finished Friday Night Lights, which is brilliant. Before that I was reading The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football (http://www.amazon.com/The-Thinking-Mans-Guide-Football/dp/0671453947/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0J9WTJB55PW4KN0538Q6), which is kinda like Economics Explained in that it's a couple decades old but still the best book on its topic. Next up: The Blind Side. Michael Lewis is the freaking best.
Check out The Games that Changed the Game.
www.amazon.com/The-Games-That-Changed-Game/dp/0345517962
I have the ePub if you'd like to borrow it.
Over the weekend I read "Parable of the Sower" and "Parable of the Talents" and they are breathtaking in their depth, their brutality, and their clarity. Butler's teenage protagonist survives the slow-motion apocalypse of the early 2020s and creates a hard-ass religion that has exactly zero supernatural aspects, and you see how it all plays out in the chaos of the world around her.
Thanks for the rec. A friend who died this summer was a big Octavia Butler fan so I meant to read some but wasn't sure where to jump in. I agree, Parable of the Sower seems terrific so far.
"Yes Please" by Amy Poehler
I just asked for Return of the King from the library because I didn't get to it last year when I reread the first two volumes. And When Genius Failed (http://www.amazon.com/When-Genius-Failed-Long-Term-Management/dp/0375758259) because now that football season is over I figure I should switch over to business books.
There's one game left! ;)I mean, I'll watch it, but pro ball just isn't the same as college.
"Yes Please" by Amy Poehler
I really wanted to like that book and just couldn't! Will be interested to hear whether you enjoyed it.
I do like it (finished it last night), but it's not what I had expected. I was also really excited to read it (based on the AMAZING cover and the fact that I pretty much love everything Amy Poehler does).
I think I was expecting it to be more like Tina Fey's Bossypants or Mindy Kaling's Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me? (which is my fave of the three) - It's not really like those. Overall, once I realized that it wasn't what I had imagined, I opened myself up more to its style and appreciated it for what it is.... not so much a humourous essay, but more of a memoir / reflections on her past and life in general. I'm a big fan of memoirs / autobiographies in general so that worked well for me.
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami. Am halfway in and it's pretty good so far!
I just finished When Genius Failed (http://www.amazon.com/When-Genius-Failed-Long-Term-Management/dp/0375758259) and I have Fourth and Long (http://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Long-Fight-College-Football/dp/1476706433) on tap.
Lord of the Rings by Tolkien... I'm one of the fanatical Tolkien purists. Read the book several times a year usually.
various small/tiny house and modular home websites... thinking real hard about buying a small plot of land and building one next summer. Not being able to build or change anything in this apartment is killing me, plus it would have hella ROI
I am also looking at plots of land and modular/small builders.
Currently I am reading Dwell, Tiny House Blog, and there is this guy in upstate NY who builds new small energy-efficient homes that are designed to fit in wit the historic farm houses of the area. It is way too far for us to move there, but he does gorgeous work and I really like the concept of his micro-cabins: www.thecatskillfarms.com
I just finished When Genius Failed (http://www.amazon.com/When-Genius-Failed-Long-Term-Management/dp/0375758259) and I have Fourth and Long (http://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Long-Fight-College-Football/dp/1476706433) on tap.On to the next one! I'm shooting through pleasure reading lately which is pretty cool.
Travels in Alaska- John Muir. One of my favorite books. It's like Walden, without the author being an unauthentic asshole.
Travels in Alaska- John Muir. One of my favorite books. It's like Walden, without the author being an unauthentic asshole.
OMG thank you. I was wondering if I was the only person who felt that way about Walden. I started reading it a couple of weeks ago because I saw it free for the kindle.
Nearly sprained my eyes from all the eye-rolling it induced. It read like a smug 20-something's self-indulgent blog about how broken everyone else is, especially boring old people who obviously live small unimportant lives, and how he has amazingly unlocked the key to vibrant living (which seemed to mostly involve having the means and opportunity to do whatever the hell he wanted with his time, with no obligations to anyone else, except those he chose to accept in the moment). Then proceeds to patronise you with his generously shared knowledge.
I did not finish the book.
Reminded me of a PhD student I worked with once who 'knew what hard work was', because he'd spent one summer sanding and refinishing his Daddy's yacht.
Nearly sprained my eyes from all the eye-rolling it induced. It read like a smug 20-something's self-indulgent blog about how broken everyone else is, especially boring old people who obviously live small unimportant lives, and how he has amazingly unlocked the key to vibrant living (which seemed to mostly involve having the means and opportunity to do whatever the hell he wanted with his time, with no obligations to anyone else, except those he chose to accept in the moment). Then proceeds to patronise you with his generously shared knowledge.
Nearly sprained my eyes from all the eye-rolling it induced. It read like a smug 20-something's self-indulgent blog about how broken everyone else is, especially boring old people who obviously live small unimportant lives, and how he has amazingly unlocked the key to vibrant living (which seemed to mostly involve having the means and opportunity to do whatever the hell he wanted with his time, with no obligations to anyone else, except those he chose to accept in the moment). Then proceeds to patronise you with his generously shared knowledge.
Ha ha, captures many of my own feelings. Once I became aware of it (rather than just seeing it) I'm surprised how much our culture worships the lack of obligations to other people as the key to happiness.
I'm reading The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, terrific Kim Stanley Robinson-esque sf that starts in China during the Cultural Revolution. Wish I could find the review that prompted me to read it, it was something like Engadget or Wired but I don't want to google too much and get spoilers.
Nearly sprained my eyes from all the eye-rolling it induced. It read like a smug 20-something's self-indulgent blog about how broken everyone else is, especially boring old people who obviously live small unimportant lives, and how he has amazingly unlocked the key to vibrant living (which seemed to mostly involve having the means and opportunity to do whatever the hell he wanted with his time, with no obligations to anyone else, except those he chose to accept in the moment). Then proceeds to patronise you with his generously shared knowledge.
Ha ha, captures many of my own feelings. Once I became aware of it (rather than just seeing it) I'm surprised how much our culture worships the lack of obligations to other people as the key to happiness.
I'm reading The Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu, terrific Kim Stanley Robinson-esque sf that starts in China during the Cultural Revolution. Wish I could find the review that prompted me to read it, it was something like Engadget or Wired but I don't want to google too much and get spoilers.
Likely the exact review you're referring to: http://gizmodo.com/if-you-love-computers-this-novel-should-be-next-on-you-1686656889
After skimming that I added the link to my Evernote "Books to Read" file, so I had it already handy. :)
Then I read Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Shadow). I LOVED the Ender's Game movie and so I read the book shortly afterwards. I have some downtime right now so I was going to read Children of the Mind but the library didn't have it, so I got Shadow instead. Man, I'm glad I did - it's a brilliant book and I like it at least as much as I enjoyed Ender's Game. I think I'm going to read the rest of the Shadow quintet within a week or so!
I just got a gig writing about 1970s stuff for a new website, so I'm re-reading a bunch of 70s-era YA novels that blew my fragile little mind at the time. Just finished Farmer Boy and am in the middle of My Side of the Mountain, where a kid runs away and lives on his own in the forest. Next up is From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, where two kids run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a time.
As a child, I guess I really got into the kids-running-away-from-home-and-having-adventures genre.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/mustachian-book-club/the-martian/
Read it over the weekend. Enjoyed it a lot.
I just got a gig writing about 1970s stuff for a new website, so I'm re-reading a bunch of 70s-era YA novels that blew my fragile little mind at the time. Just finished Farmer Boy and am in the middle of My Side of the Mountain, where a kid runs away and lives on his own in the forest. Next up is From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, where two kids run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a time.
As a child, I guess I really got into the kids-running-away-from-home-and-having-adventures genre.
Oh man, me too! In some ways that's what my adult life feels like. I finally get to have adventures!
This came out in '66, not the 70s, but I read it several times as a kid. Not sure where I got the copy.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17451229-children-in-hiding?from_search=true&search_version=service
Oh here's another one I remember and it was published in '76 is The Toothpaste Millionaire. Not about run-aways but about children using the free market :) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3201426-the-toothpaste-millionaire
Except what I was trying to find was one from the same period where some kids had a treehouse that they got to fly. And then they kind of hold themselves hostage to get their demands met by their parents. By the end they ask for world peace.
Anyway, not relevant to the thread, or, probably, missmadge's work. As you were.
I've now read the first three of the Ender quintet, the first three of the Bean quintet, and the first two of the first Formic War trilogy. I agree, the Shadow quintet is the better one. I thought Speaker for the Dead was the worst book of the eight I've read - I have no idea how it deserved a Hugo and Nebula, and I say that as a HUGE card fan. But the Bean books, Ender's Exile, and Earth Unaware/Afire are all really nice science fiction.Then I read Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender%27s_Shadow). I LOVED the Ender's Game movie and so I read the book shortly afterwards. I have some downtime right now so I was going to read Children of the Mind but the library didn't have it, so I got Shadow instead. Man, I'm glad I did - it's a brilliant book and I like it at least as much as I enjoyed Ender's Game. I think I'm going to read the rest of the Shadow quintet within a week or so!
Maaaaan you haven't read that storyline? Personally, I think it's better than the Speaker/Xenocide/Children grouping.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.
Good book and puts the history of scientific understanding into perspective. Entertaining as well.
That's such a great book! I read it several years ago and still use many of his analogies for teaching! Very good at putting extremely complex ideas into lay mans terms.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.For a real mustachian thrill, check out the Audiobook from your library. Easier to enjoy in a car/bus/train than a bike, but it can be done. Cool to listen to the Author's own voice. I also really liked "At Home".
Good book and puts the history of scientific understanding into perspective. Entertaining as well.
+1 to the Bill Bryson "At Home" and "Short History..." recommendations.
Am going to have to check out Radical Homemakers
How is it?
I just got a gig writing about 1970s stuff for a new website, so I'm re-reading a bunch of 70s-era YA novels that blew my fragile little mind at the time. Just finished Farmer Boy and am in the middle of My Side of the Mountain, where a kid runs away and lives on his own in the forest. Next up is From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, where two kids run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a time.
As a child, I guess I really got into the kids-running-away-from-home-and-having-adventures genre.
I just got a gig writing about 1970s stuff for a new website, so I'm re-reading a bunch of 70s-era YA novels that blew my fragile little mind at the time. Just finished Farmer Boy and am in the middle of My Side of the Mountain, where a kid runs away and lives on his own in the forest. Next up is From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, where two kids run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a time.
As a child, I guess I really got into the kids-running-away-from-home-and-having-adventures genre.
Madeleine L'Engle- a Wrinkle in Time. Bridge to Terebithia. Watership Down. Can I have your job, please? I hope it's awesome for you!
Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert. Good stuff.
I just got a gig writing about 1970s stuff for a new website, so I'm re-reading a bunch of 70s-era YA novels that blew my fragile little mind at the time. Just finished Farmer Boy and am in the middle of My Side of the Mountain, where a kid runs away and lives on his own in the forest. Next up is From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, where two kids run away and live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a time.
As a child, I guess I really got into the kids-running-away-from-home-and-having-adventures genre.
Madeleine L'Engle- a Wrinkle in Time. Bridge to Terebithia. Watership Down. Can I have your job, please? I hope it's awesome for you!
Okay, so I'm not the only one who was introduced to Watership Down as a kid's book?
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Starting Affluenza by John de Graaf, David Wann and Thomas Naylor.
I'm halfway through Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. It's an interesting read. Cyberpunk is a new genre for me, and this is silly and entertaining.If you liked it you could try Diamond Age by him, I loved the idea of the (trying to not spoilering here) "revolutionary" book. Its a bit hard to digest, though, as often with Stephenson.
Just picked up the first trade paperback of Ms. Marvel from the library too - looking forward to it.
If you liked it you could try Diamond Age by him, I loved the idea of the (trying to not spoilering here) "revolutionary" book. Its a bit hard to digest, though, as often with Stephenson.
About halfway through Chronic City by Jonathan Lethem (
Just started Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. All about Chicago in the 1890s, the World's Fair there...and one of the first well-documented cases of a psychopathic serial killer in America. Very good so far!
Just picked up the first trade paperback of Ms. Marvel from the library too - looking forward to it.
Is that for the new teenage Ms. Marvel that replaced Captain Marvel Carol Danvers? I'm looking to pick up more trades and omnibuses from the library, I'll have to add that to my list if it's worth reading.
"Decisive", by Chip and Dan Heath. It was mentioned somewhere on the forum - I can't remember where. Sounded interesting, and it is.
Just started Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. All about Chicago in the 1890s, the World's Fair there...and one of the first well-documented cases of a psychopathic serial killer in America. Very good so far!
Just started Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson. All about Chicago in the 1890s, the World's Fair there...and one of the first well-documented cases of a psychopathic serial killer in America. Very good so far!
I loved that book, the one he wrote about Dr Crippen was great too.
Currently re-reading Lirael by Garth Nix. I read Sabriel-Lirael-Abhorsen at least once a year. Gotta love YA fantasy.
Checked out up "Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace" by Tamar Adler from my library. Gonna read this next. I've seen it recommended several times around the forums.
Currently re-reading Lirael by Garth Nix. I read Sabriel-Lirael-Abhorsen at least once a year. Gotta love YA fantasy.
I'm finishing up reading Martha Well's "The Wizard Hunters" series. I read it in highschool several time, and rereading it reminded me how much I love the series and the author.QuoteCurrently re-reading Lirael by Garth Nix. I read Sabriel-Lirael-Abhorsen at least once a year. Gotta love YA fantasy.
This is next in line.
Have you read them before? Because otherwise, I am going to be so excited if I catalyzed someone reading those books. They are just so dang good.
After that I'm on to Shadows in Flight, the only Enderverse book I haven't read yet. I love things about the Ender books but I feel like this might be the thing that finally turns me off Card if it's as bad as reviewers seem to think. Then again, I liked the unloved shadow quintet and Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, and Children of the Mind didn't do it for me.
The Maze Runner.
I saw a commercial on TV for the movie and thought "wow, that looks like it would be a really good book."
I was wrong. It really isn't...
At least it was cheap on Amazon. (Cost less to get a real book than a Kindle edition. And new was cheaper than used...)
Interesting, I enjoyed the books. Not great character writing, but I didn't find the developments and "reveals" in the series to be predictable, which was a nice change.
The Earth Awakens trilogy isn't bad. Have you read things from his other universes?
Been reading Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.Huh? You sure you read all? The first ones are a bit silly, but it gets a lot darker and more human later on.
They're quite silly.
Been reading Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.Huh? You sure you read all? The first ones are a bit silly, but it gets a lot darker and more human later on.
They're quite silly.
Been reading Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.Huh? You sure you read all? The first ones are a bit silly, but it gets a lot darker and more human later on.
They're quite silly.
I've been reading "Lucky Dog" by Dr Sarah Boston. She's a vet who treats animal for various cancers and... then finds a tumour in herself. I'm only halfway through the book but it's essentially contrasting how good the system is for animals vs for humans.
I've been reading "Lucky Dog" by Dr Sarah Boston. She's a vet who treats animal for various cancers and... then finds a tumour in herself. I'm only halfway through the book but it's essentially contrasting how good the system is for animals vs for humans.
How would you rate that in terms of suitability for being emotionally triggering re: cancer? Is it a pretty good "approach with humor and insight" or is it an "emotionally wrenching, totally draining to read" type of cancer book?
The premise sounds great, but I'm always so wary of this subject in media.
Just started Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson.
I loved that book, the one he wrote about Dr Crippen was great too.
The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute (http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Beanie-Baby-Bubble/dp/1591846021)
I'm 1/3 of the way through and it's very well-written, a real page-turner. Especially if you remember how crazy those days were. Ty Warner's eccentricities are really interesting.
The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute (http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Beanie-Baby-Bubble/dp/1591846021)
I'm 1/3 of the way through and it's very well-written, a real page-turner. Especially if you remember how crazy those days were. Ty Warner's eccentricities are really interesting.
ooh, thanks, just ordered from library. What a weird time that was. I got Beanie babies in lucite boxes, instructed to never open at my baby shower! We opened them all and gasp, when the kids were toddlers, let them play with them and I cut the tags off. I'd be retired had I not been so.............reasonable. I want to hear about people who actually made a killing with BBs.
The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute (http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Beanie-Baby-Bubble/dp/1591846021)
I'm 1/3 of the way through and it's very well-written, a real page-turner. Especially if you remember how crazy those days were. Ty Warner's eccentricities are really interesting.
ooh, thanks, just ordered from library.
Grant I'm bringing you Animal Vegetable Miracle if I don't forget. You'll like it more than you'll dislike it
Or insightful commentary on a friend's personality...? The world may never know ;-)Grant I'm bringing you Animal Vegetable Miracle if I don't forget. You'll like it more than you'll dislike it
A ringing endorsement.
^ The Ethical Slut, hmm, I might read that as I have met a few polyamorous people but don't really know much about the subject.I'd highly recommend it for everybody. Nearly every idea presented in the book applies to monogamous folks just as well.
^ The Ethical Slut, hmm, I might read that as I have met a few polyamorous people but don't really know much about the subject.I'd highly recommend it for everybody. Nearly every idea presented in the book applies to monogamous folks just as well.
Like I need a bigger reading list! So many interesting reviews on this thread.
^ The Ethical Slut, hmm, I might read that as I have met a few polyamorous people but don't really know much about the subject.I'd highly recommend it for everybody. Nearly every idea presented in the book applies to monogamous folks just as well.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3302768/The-TRAUMATIC-life-change-s-not-menopause-nest-lonely-agony-suddenly-finding-retired-women-reveal.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3302768/The-TRAUMATIC-life-change-s-not-menopause-nest-lonely-agony-suddenly-finding-retired-women-reveal.html
Darn it, I took the bait. So the lesson I get from this article is that many of these women don't seem to have any interests, hobbies, or passions outside of their work. I know many men with the same problem.
So its a cautionary tale to make sure I cultivate not only my 'stache, but my LIFE.
^ The Ethical Slut, hmm, I might read that as I have met a few polyamorous people but don't really know much about the subject.I'd highly recommend it for everybody. Nearly every idea presented in the book applies to monogamous folks just as well.
I'm reading Furies of Calderon at the moment. At the recommendation of the Goblin Chief and compadres I just flew through the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson.My fantasy kick is chugging along. Yesterday I finished the third book of the Codex Alera. I've also got Branderson's Warbreaker on loan but ugggh I can't keep up with three worlds at once so I won't even try.
Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin
Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin
I really would've picked a different username if I'd known it was the title of a book.
Shadow and Claw, by Gene Wolfe.Do try Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock if you have the time.
Hard work to read. Lots of misogyny. Not sure I'll finish the series.
I'm reading How to be Idle - Tom Hodgkinson.
I hope I'm not derailing but I need to ask you... Do you ever feel like you HAVE to finish a book you bought or someone gave you? I feel this about books but also video games and movies. Like not finishing these is a waste even if I don't like it. I'm trying to finish some books I haven't finished reading before asking for or buying something new. A book I gave up on some 4 years ago is now pretty amazing and I don't understand why I gave up on it.
I hope I'm not derailing but I need to ask you... Do you ever feel like you HAVE to finish a book you bought or someone gave you? I feel this about books but also video games and movies. Like not finishing these is a waste even if I don't like it. I'm trying to finish some books I haven't finished reading before asking for or buying something new. A book I gave up on some 4 years ago is now pretty amazing and I don't understand why I gave up on it.
I hope I'm not derailing but I need to ask you... Do you ever feel like you HAVE to finish a book you bought or someone gave you? I feel this about books but also video games and movies. Like not finishing these is a waste even if I don't like it. I'm trying to finish some books I haven't finished reading before asking for or buying something new. A book I gave up on some 4 years ago is now pretty amazing and I don't understand why I gave up on it.
I used to. I stopped that, because there are way too many books, so if I continue one I don't like, I'm missing out on one I would like, and for what purpose?
I hope I'm not derailing but I need to ask you... Do you ever feel like you HAVE to finish a book you bought or someone gave you? I feel this about books but also video games and movies. Like not finishing these is a waste even if I don't like it. I'm trying to finish some books I haven't finished reading before asking for or buying something new. A book I gave up on some 4 years ago is now pretty amazing and I don't understand why I gave up on it.
nope :) a book on the shelf is never wasted. even unread. the time is just not ripe.
The Joy of Unread Books (http://www.utne.com/arts/the-joy-of-unread-books.aspx)
Umberto Eco's Anti-Library (https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/03/24/umberto-eco-antilibrary/)
Shadow and Claw, by Gene Wolfe.Do try Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock if you have the time.
Hard work to read. Lots of misogyny. Not sure I'll finish the series.
I just finished A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. Realistic world building, with a feisty main character. Pretty good. Now I'm cruising this thread for my next book.I read that a few months ago!
I'm in the middle of reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (http://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-A-Brief-History-Humankind/dp/0062316095) by Yuval Noah Harari.
I'm in the middle of reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (http://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-A-Brief-History-Humankind/dp/0062316095) by Yuval Noah Harari.
Is it entertainingly written? This is on my guilt list, but I keep thinking it'll be a slog.
I just finished A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. Realistic world building, with a feisty main character. Pretty good. Now I'm cruising this thread for my next book.I read that a few months ago!
You know there's a sequel right? :) Title is, iirc, The Tropic of Serpents.
Another fun dragons read, if you're in the market, is the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. First book is called His Majesty's Dragon. Basically Master and Commander style Napoleonic war + dragons = awesomesauce.
Dude, I'm pretty sure most people would take the offer to be a dragonrider of Pern. ;)I just finished A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. Realistic world building, with a feisty main character. Pretty good. Now I'm cruising this thread for my next book.I read that a few months ago!
You know there's a sequel right? :) Title is, iirc, The Tropic of Serpents.
Another fun dragons read, if you're in the market, is the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. First book is called His Majesty's Dragon. Basically Master and Commander style Napoleonic war + dragons = awesomesauce.
I did NOT know there was a sequel. Thanks very much! Nor have I heard about the His Magesty's Dragon series. I'm behind the times, I guess. I used to read a lot of dragon stuff, and Anne McCaffery will always be my gold standard. I'm now 35, but if some god came out of the sky today, and offered to make me a dragonrider of Pern, I'd be gone in an instant. Bronze of course, though I'm humble enough to suffer a brown dragon.
You said somewhere that you read fanfic. I love the stuff, though my tolerance for pieces generated by lovelorn 14 year olds is really going down. If you follow Sherlock, I'd recommend The Least of All Possible Mistakes (http://archiveofourown.org/works/330685/chapters/533662) by Rage Prufrock on AO3. The authour is amazing.
I've settled on Fool's Quest, but Robin Hobb. Amazing.Try to write that to the author. Seriously. Some hate it. But most are happy to know they could help. A book is always a part of the soul of the writer after all.
Assassins Apprentice was first published when I was a socially outcast and miserable teenager. I lived on the edge of suicide for a long time, and the Fitz and Fool series was one of the few things that could give me respite from the misbalance in my brain. That book sang to me. And all the sequels have been the same.
I've been waitlisted for a library copy of this new volume since August. In those 3 months I've gone from place 999 to 203. I love my life now and I no longer need that escape to keep my sanity, but I sure want to revisit that world. What can I say - my restraint snapped.
Making my way through Tamora Pierce's "The Immortals" quartet, and really regretting I didn't find these as a voracious pre-teen reader; better late than never, I suppose.
Manifold : Time - Stephen Baxter
Best book I've read in recent memory. Excellent "hard" sci-fi. Lots of lessons in that book...
I just finished this one too, it was great. That ending was so creative! I got turned on to him by Evolution. Now I'm wondering if he has written a bad book. I am on Manifold: Space now.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid.- Bill Bryson
Probably the funniest thing I've ever read, and I read a lot. Embarrassingly funny because it makes me laugh out loud in public.
Making my way through Tamora Pierce's "The Immortals" quartet, and really regretting I didn't find these as a voracious pre-teen reader; better late than never, I suppose.
Some of my favorite all time books.
Have you read the Alana quartet? And know that they are followed by the Protector of the Small quartet? All of them are well worth the read, but I think the Immortals are my favorite.
Making my way through Tamora Pierce's "The Immortals" quartet, and really regretting I didn't find these as a voracious pre-teen reader; better late than never, I suppose.
Some of my favorite all time books.
Have you read the Alana quartet? And know that they are followed by the Protector of the Small quartet? All of them are well worth the read, but I think the Immortals are my favorite.
I started with the Immortals because it was what was immediately available from the library on my Kindle. I think it's out of order, but as soon as I finish the last two books I'm starting on the other series! For YA, it's pretty great.
"Uprooted" by Naomi Novik. I am in love with this book so far. It's a level of quality I don't find in a lot of fantasy writing. Highly recommend.
"Uprooted" by Naomi Novik. I am in love with this book so far. It's a level of quality I don't find in a lot of fantasy writing. Highly recommend.
Well, I read ~275 pages yesterday afternoon to finish out the book. Needless to say, it continued to be enjoyable. Again: recommended.
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid.- Bill Bryson
Probably the funniest thing I've ever read, and I read a lot. Embarrassingly funny because it makes me laugh out loud in public.
My new next book! Bill Bryson is great, and I could use some humor.
Thanks!
"Uprooted" by Naomi Novik. I am in love with this book so far. It's a level of quality I don't find in a lot of fantasy writing. Highly recommend.
"Uprooted" by Naomi Novik. I am in love with this book so far. It's a level of quality I don't find in a lot of fantasy writing. Highly recommend.
Just ordered the first 3 Temeraire novels for my kindle. Because $9.99 for 3, vs 11.99 for one. Yeah, yeah, should have come from the library, but the waitlist for any popular book at the Seattle Public Library is always in the hundreds. I was literally number 999 on the waitlist for the KonMarie book. And come to think of it, it's possible the system just capped out at 3 digits. Sheesh.
On the upside, can't wait to get home! I'm smirking around, imagining the underlings looks if the knew the LT wants to squirrel home early to read dragon books.
"Uprooted" by Naomi Novik. I am in love with this book so far. It's a level of quality I don't find in a lot of fantasy writing. Highly recommend.
Well, I read ~275 pages yesterday afternoon to finish out the book. Needless to say, it continued to be enjoyable. Again: recommended.
You sold me!
Finished Temerarie last night.. I still have 2 more books in the universe, but I like to space these things out. Fine things should not be rushed.Spoiler: show
Musashi- Eiji Yoshikawa
Tao te Ching- Lao Tzu
<snip>
I know it is silly to compare two people from the Sengoku Period of Japan to people in the modern day, but I can't help but find some willpower in Musashi to keep going with this Mustachian thing. I see many around me all the time with Matahachi's attitude. "If only this" "If only that". I can't fall into that line of thinking. I can't afford to make excuses for not bettering myself physically, mentally and financially.
And now I made a long post. Sorry.
I'm now on book 15 of the Aubreyad ("The Truelove" by Patrick O'Brian) and it's great! I'm shocked by how I'm maintaining momentum on this series, despite the (no seriously) epic length.
Highly recommend. Great writing and great adventures. And unexpected dry humor.
That series is one of my favourite to read and re-read. And the humour is fantastic, very subtle.
One of the most fascinating things is the change from the first to the second novel - the first was very heavy and a bit boring and then O'Brian suddenly found his footing in the second one and it became plain sailing from there.
I'm now on book 15 of the Aubreyad ("The Truelove" by Patrick O'Brian) and it's great! I'm shocked by how I'm maintaining momentum on this series, despite the (no seriously) epic length.
Highly recommend. Great writing and great adventures. And unexpected dry humor.
That series is one of my favourite to read and re-read. And the humour is fantastic, very subtle.
One of the most fascinating things is the change from the first to the second novel - the first was very heavy and a bit boring and then O'Brian suddenly found his footing in the second one and it became plain sailing from there.
I see what you did there!
I think we need a list or thread on nice books to be read that are out of copyright and up on e.g. project gutenberg.
Just thought about it and thought about mentioning it ;)
Thats why I said we need a thread for those books - because there are so manyI think we need a list or thread on nice books to be read that are out of copyright and up on e.g. project gutenberg.
Just thought about it and thought about mentioning it ;)
Over 50,000 on Project Gutenberg. But here, check this out: http://ebookfriendly.com/free-public-domain-books-sources/
Thats why I said we need a thread for those books - because there are so manyI think we need a list or thread on nice books to be read that are out of copyright and up on e.g. project gutenberg.
Just thought about it and thought about mentioning it ;)
Over 50,000 on Project Gutenberg. But here, check this out: http://ebookfriendly.com/free-public-domain-books-sources/
Just finished War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells. Not at all what I expected.I said the same when I finished it recently!
I have been freaking devouring free classics on kindle. I've learned a lot, like I really don't like Charles Dickens. Jules Verne is my man though, can't get enough. Right now I'm on Journey to the Center of the Earth. My favorite of his so far is The Mysterious Island. How had I never read him before?Thats why I said we need a thread for those books - because there are so manyI think we need a list or thread on nice books to be read that are out of copyright and up on e.g. project gutenberg.
Just thought about it and thought about mentioning it ;)
Over 50,000 on Project Gutenberg. But here, check this out: http://ebookfriendly.com/free-public-domain-books-sources/
I understand now. :) I started a thread called great books list in off topic for it. http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/great-books-list/
Just finished reading "Super Sad True Love Story" by Gary Shteyngart - was ok, but didnt love it.And that is still considered future and fiction? lol
Its set in the not to distant future, and the USA is on the brink of economic crash with a totalitarian government who promotes consumerism
This week I finished The Wine Dark Sea (Patrick O'Brian, book 16? I think.) as well as The Tropic of Serpents (2nd in the Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan)
Just started Leviathan Wakes by James S A Corey (I admit it, after watching the first ep of The Expanse. Sue me ;P )
This week I finished The Wine Dark Sea (Patrick O'Brian, book 16? I think.) as well as The Tropic of Serpents (2nd in the Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan)
Just started Leviathan Wakes by James S A Corey (I admit it, after watching the first ep of The Expanse. Sue me ;P )
Me too! I watched the first few episodes of The Expanse and loved it, so I checked Leviathan Wakes out from the library last week Monday, and read 350 pages the first day! I had finished it by Tuesday evening, but it helps that I was on PTO and didn't have to work those days. I have the next 2 on hold at the library, and should be available in the next day or two. I'm pumped! Haven't found a series that I've been this sucked into since I first read ASOIAF.
Ha! Apparently we're on the same wavelength as well as being practically neighbors!This week I finished The Wine Dark Sea (Patrick O'Brian, book 16? I think.) as well as The Tropic of Serpents (2nd in the Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan)
Just started Leviathan Wakes by James S A Corey (I admit it, after watching the first ep of The Expanse. Sue me ;P )
Me too! I watched the first few episodes of The Expanse and loved it, so I checked Leviathan Wakes out from the library last week Monday, and read 350 pages the first day! I had finished it by Tuesday evening, but it helps that I was on PTO and didn't have to work those days. I have the next 2 on hold at the library, and should be available in the next day or two. I'm pumped! Haven't found a series that I've been this sucked into since I first read ASOIAF.
I hope I'm not derailing but I need to ask you... Do you ever feel like you HAVE to finish a book you bought or someone gave you?
Third of the way through Pillars of Earth and already had 2 people stop to tell me it's a great book.
Cat Sense ("How the New Feline Sciene Can Make You a Better Friend To Your Pet") by John Bradshaw. I've only just started reading it and the first chapter at least is a history of feline domestication and what archeological evidence there is to support the various theories. I assume it will get into pet cat behaviour later on in the book.
You should try borrowing audiobooks from the library. it may be less taxing for you.I hope I'm not derailing but I need to ask you... Do you ever feel like you HAVE to finish a book you bought or someone gave you?
I never not finished a book until I got sick, I read 2-3 a week and it was just a thing, I always finished. Now memory and comprehension have slowed my roll to a few books a month even though I am on disability and have the time to read more, it takes me forever now. Anyway, after the neuro stuff made reading harder, I now freely allow myself to not finish something and find something better. But I don't buy books, I'm a library fiend so this costs me nothing.
I rarely if ever, don't complete a movie in a theater. But I walked out of Boyhood, a movie I should've loved (director, premise, actors) because I hated it. I may try that one again, though.
I just finished Black Out: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget. meh but the author wrote well and it left me glad I do not deal with addiction
You finish A History of Western Philosophy?lolno
You should try borrowing audiobooks from the library. it may be less taxing for you.
Working on American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I kept reading the title on the forums, and found it on overdrive.
I read "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir. Holy cow guys! I could not put it down. If you're a YA lit fan, and enjoy the dystopian world/brutality/competition of things like Hunger Games or Maze Runner, then you will adore this.
I will say though, maybe wait until August for the next book to come out before you read it. It will be an excruciating wait for me, I can just tell already.
I read "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir. Holy cow guys! I could not put it down. If you're a YA lit fan, and enjoy the dystopian world/brutality/competition of things like Hunger Games or Maze Runner, then you will adore this.
I will say though, maybe wait until August for the next book to come out before you read it. It will be an excruciating wait for me, I can just tell already.
Is it gonna be a trilogy, or just the two, or what?
I try to wait til they're all out before reading a series, but sometimes I fail. :)
Sounds awesome!
As per the recommendation of this thread, I just picked up 'The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Ruthfuss. It has hit just the right tone for these wintry nights!
As per the recommendation of this thread, I just picked up 'The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Ruthfuss. It has hit just the right tone for these wintry nights!
Loved it. I'm currently on the second book now. The Wise Man's Fear
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/The_Feminine_Mystique.jpg)
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
Is it applicable in any way for those dealing with grief from the suicide of a loved one?
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
Is it applicable in any way for those dealing with grief from the suicide of a loved one?
Cockie - I think it could help those who had a loved one pass away from suicide. It explains very well the thoughts that are going through ones head when considering suicide. It's very very practical and open and honest. I can recommend it. Read it within 2 evenings.
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
I would love to read it just to understand what goes on in the minds of such people. No crisis here though.
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
Is it applicable in any way for those dealing with grief from the suicide of a loved one?
Cockie - I think it could help those who had a loved one pass away from suicide. It explains very well the thoughts that are going through ones head when considering suicide. It's very very practical and open and honest. I can recommend it. Read it within 2 evenings.
I wonder how many pages that was. A 2 evenings read must be a short read.
American Blood by Ben Sanders. I had no idea it was being made into a movie starring Bradley Cooper (although I do like to "cast" the roles as I read to help visualize, and I can see Bradley in this role).
American Blood by Ben Sanders. I had no idea it was being made into a movie starring Bradley Cooper (although I do like to "cast" the roles as I read to help visualize, and I can see Bradley in this role).
Will, that sounds cool. I'm actually replying because I noticed one of the quotes in your signature -- "My other vehicle is an IRA." That reminds me of my gymnastics teacher from when I was growing up -- nicest, coolest guy, but died very young from cancer. Anyway, he drove a crappy little car that had a bumper sticker that said, "My other car is a Jaguar." As a kid, I didn't understand what it really meant, and I always wondered why he would joke that he owned a wild cat.
American Blood by Ben Sanders. I had no idea it was being made into a movie starring Bradley Cooper (although I do like to "cast" the roles as I read to help visualize, and I can see Bradley in this role).
Will, that sounds cool. I'm actually replying because I noticed one of the quotes in your signature -- "My other vehicle is an IRA." That reminds me of my gymnastics teacher from when I was growing up -- nicest, coolest guy, but died very young from cancer. Anyway, he drove a crappy little car that had a bumper sticker that said, "My other car is a Jaguar." As a kid, I didn't understand what it really meant, and I always wondered why he would joke that he owned a wild cat.
That would be pretty cool to own a wild cat, and the funny thing is: they were just showing the only known wild jaguar in the US on video on the news.
Oh man, Patrick Rothfuss is so gooooood. Good enough that I'm jealous of people who haven't read the series yet. Good enough that I would consider being part of a Stephen King Misery-esque kidnapping scheme. But I saw a New Years tweet from PR that book 3 will not be published in 2016. It made me sad.
The Slow Regard of Silent Things is good as a character study, but it doesn't move the plot along.
Currently reading: "Suicide - the forever decision"
"For those thinking about suicide, and for those who know, love, or counsel them, this book discusses the social aspects of suicide, the right to die, anger, loneliness, depression, stress, hopelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, the consequences of a suicide attempt, and how to get help."
It's a very compassionate and well written book IMO and can potentially be a life saver for someone in crisis.
I would love to read it just to understand what goes on in the minds of such people. No crisis here though.
I assume that many libraries have it. I bought it from amazon online for $2.99
The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau. So far, it is a really quick read.i liked the film even though many did not.
The City of Ember - Jeanne DuPrau. So far, it is a really quick read.i liked the film even though many did not.
Free Air by Sinclair Lewis - I have had this free kindle classic for a while, I really really liked it! It was a perfect read for work.
Have you read any of his other books? Babbitt and Main Street are both really good, and Elmer Gantry was incredible, although looong. Had to push through a couple seconds in the middle, but worth it.
I haven't read Free Air yet, so I'm going to download a copy!
Wait, there are rules?http://www.benvanvliet.net/Downloads/turtlerules.pdf
Where can I get a copy of that, please?
Wait, there are rules?http://www.benvanvliet.net/Downloads/turtlerules.pdf
Where can I get a copy of that, please?
Can someone please explain the turtles?
"A Tale of Two Cities", Dickens, via guttenberg.org download.Love gutenberg.org. Somebody mentioned it recently and reminded me about it. I just downloaded An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith from there.
Currently reading All the Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister. Finding it quite interesting.This looks good! I'm putting it on my list. Thank you!
Eat, Pray, Love - just what I needed
"A Tale of Two Cities", Dickens, via guttenberg.org download.Love gutenberg.org. Somebody mentioned it recently and reminded me about it. I just downloaded An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith from there.
City on Fire, it's great but my new brain is really struggling with this one, old me would've devoured this in 3 days.
I am reading a scrubby book! Rising: Strategies for the Broke, the At-Risk, and Those Who Love Them. It's free today and tomorrow: http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Strategies-Broke-At-Risk-Those/dp/151874043X
I am reading a scrubby book! Rising: Strategies for the Broke, the At-Risk, and Those Who Love Them. It's free today and tomorrow: http://www.amazon.com/Rising-Strategies-Broke-At-Risk-Those/dp/151874043X
Me too!
It came highly recommended from another thread. I even picked it up at Barnes and Noble. Boy I have missed that store. So much more satisfying than Amazon. No comparison really. I don't enjoy hanging out at Amazon
I'm one-third of the way into The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown. This is an incredible read. I'm totally enthralled by the story.
It came highly recommended from another thread. I even picked it up at Barnes and Noble. Boy I have missed that store. So much more satisfying than Amazon. No comparison really. I don't enjoy hanging out at Amazon
(http://i820.photobucket.com/albums/zz124/azwolf25/Mobile%20Uploads/643614DF-9AD4-48F9-A15E-8BDA2D194DE7.jpg) (http://s820.photobucket.com/user/azwolf25/media/Mobile%20Uploads/643614DF-9AD4-48F9-A15E-8BDA2D194DE7.jpg.html)
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett.I read that last month in Barcelona and enjoyed it enough to borrow the second one but not enough to finish that one when my holds for Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Abercrombie#Bibliography) came in. Will you be continuing on through the remaining forty books?
I strongly recommend that. And his other books.The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett.I read that last month in Barcelona and enjoyed it enough to borrow the second one but not enough to finish that one when my holds for Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Abercrombie#Bibliography) came in. Will you be continuing on through the remaining forty books?
Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. So, so good.
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
YA Fantasy. Loving it. Also excited that its a completed trilogy, so no waiting on sequels.
Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. So, so good.
I've heard so much praise for this for five or six years now... but he's only got two out of 5 out.
At that rate, he won't be done for another decade!
It's been on my Evernote Books To Read list for years and years. But I won't cave!
I made the mistake of reading Game of Thrones lately. All done with the series, now I have to wait for more. Ugh.
I shouldn't have broken my policy of reading from an incomplete series.
Thus why I just downloaded all of these:The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
YA Fantasy. Loving it. Also excited that its a completed trilogy, so no waiting on sequels.
Bracken Joy sold me with that last sentence! :)
I'm still in that post-book haze where reality doesn't fully kick inI am (again) currently starting the last book of the book girl series, one of the most reality-haze series I know of. Its often painfully and sometimes painfully cute and I just adore Tohko.
Next up is "Grit" by Angela Duckworth about new research on perseverance
Next up is "Grit" by Angela Duckworth about new research on perseverance
I heard about that book recently on a Freakonomics podcast.:) Sounded interesting.
Next up is "Grit" by Angela Duckworth about new research on perseverance
I heard about that book recently on a Freakonomics podcast.:) Sounded interesting.
I've read SO MANY articles about Grit, so many interviews with her, seen her TED talk, etc. etc., I'm curious if the book has anything new, or if it's just the same stuff she's been putting out the last 5 years or whatever.
I mean, I downloaded the book, but it's not super high on my "to read" list. :)
But if someone's unfamiliar with Grit and the research around it (especially if they are a parent or teacher), I'd say they should absolutely read it.
Next up is "Grit" by Angela Duckworth about new research on perseverance
I heard about that book recently on a Freakonomics podcast.:) Sounded interesting.
I've read SO MANY articles about Grit, so many interviews with her, seen her TED talk, etc. etc., I'm curious if the book has anything new, or if it's just the same stuff she's been putting out the last 5 years or whatever.
I mean, I downloaded the book, but it's not super high on my "to read" list. :)
But if someone's unfamiliar with Grit and the research around it (especially if they are a parent or teacher), I'd say they should absolutely read it.
Yes, I came across it browsing at the bookstore before a movie last week. Found it at my library and thought the research aspect would be good. My wife is a teacher and we've got six kids so we fit your criteria and I assume you are implying that the research is more about kids?
America started a grand experiment in the 1960s: deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill. The consequences were very destructive: homelessness; a degradation of urban life; increases in violent crime rates; increasing death rates for the mentally ill. My Brother Ron tells the story of deinstitutionalization from two points of view: what happened to the author's older brother, part of the first generation of those who became mentally ill after deinstitutionalization, and a detailed history of how and why America went down this path. My Brother Ron examines the multiple strands that came together to create the perfect storm that was deinstitutionalization: a well-meaning concern about the poor conditions of many state mental hospitals; a giddy optimism by the psychiatric profession in the ability of new drugs to cure the mentally ill; a rigid ideological approach to due process that ignored that the beneficiaries would end up starving to death or dying of exposure.
Prior to that, I was reading through Iain Banks' sci-fi. I'm going to start Transition tonight.Scratch the sci-fi. Reading John Gardner's Building Classic Small Craft (https://www.amazon.com/Building-Classic-Small-Craft-Instructions/dp/007142797X). Freaking AWESOME read.
I just read this and James Altucher sounds interesting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/fashion/james-altucher-self-help-guru.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=2
I will read his book Choose Yourself later today.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17977529-choose-yourself
I just read this and James Altucher sounds interesting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/07/fashion/james-altucher-self-help-guru.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=2
He's not.
I read his blog for several years, probably 2011-2014... then he got pretty big and with that came pretentiousness, and a desire for more growth--more outlandish clickbait titles, for example. I think he's a fairly fake individual, not authentic at all, unfortunately.
For example, he split with his second wife in late 2015, and that's what lead to him getting rid of all his stuff and bumming on friend's couches. But he spins it in that article as "practicing what he preaches" with regards to minimalism. How come he didn't practice it before the split then?
That's my short summary of him. Very overrated. :)QuoteI will read his book Choose Yourself later today.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17977529-choose-yourself
Interestingly enough, my review of it is the #1 rated review there on Goodreads. ;)
I'm now reading Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande. An MMM user recommended it in another thread, and I can't seem to re-find that thread to thank them! Gawande, a practicing surgeon, takes a fresh look at aging and end-of-life care. The modern system of medicine has a tendency to extend suffering and sacrifice the patient's autonomy in favor of safety. Gawande argues that what most elderly patients want is quality of life and respect for their dignity.Loved this book! Changed my outlook on my life, my parent's life, my wife's parent's life. Awesome! Can't get any of them to touch it, though. 'Tis a shame.
Update: Turns out there's an entire MMM thread devoted to this book. http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/mustachian-book-club/being-mortal-by-atul-gawande/
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
This is on my to read later list. How do you like it?
Um.. it was okay. Overhyped, IMO, so I was probably expecting too much.
It's like reading 1984 now, also, with how it's supposed to be set in the future, and futuristic, but is now in our past (it was written in '92, so before the first web browser, and set in a vague future time, but there are people who fought in Vietnam and stuff, so it seems set in the early 2000s-ish).
Some cute linguistic ideas, and the Snow Crash idea itself reminded me of the Nexus series of books. Which was just better, IMO, if you're looking for that type of scifi/fiction combo. :)
Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. So, so good.
I've heard so much praise for this for five or six years now... but he's only got two out of 5 out.
At that rate, he won't be done for another decade!
It's been on my Evernote Books To Read list for years and years. But I won't cave!
I made the mistake of reading Game of Thrones lately. All done with the series, now I have to wait for more. Ugh.
I shouldn't have broken my policy of reading from an incomplete series.
Thus why I just downloaded all of these:The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
YA Fantasy. Loving it. Also excited that its a completed trilogy, so no waiting on sequels.
Bracken Joy sold me with that last sentence! :)
Thus why I just downloaded all of these:The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N. K. Jemisin
YA Fantasy. Loving it. Also excited that its a completed trilogy, so no waiting on sequels.
Bracken Joy sold me with that last sentence! :)
Oh god, I just finished The Obelisk Gate, second book in The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin. So good. I read the first book in the trilogy a few months ago, and howled when I realized the series wasn't completed. I managed to miss the publication date for the second book, and found it by happenstance on Sunday. Completed it early today. I've basically put my life on hold to finish this book.
Now I have to wait for the third. So impatient.
I'm also impatient for Patrick Rothfuss to hurry the fuck up, and publish Kingkiller Chronicles book 3. And for Brandon Sanderson to publish The Stormlight Chronicles book 3. And I still have a thread of hope Melanie Rawn will publish the final book in the Exiles trilogy. I'm wavering on Rothfuss, but I trust Sanderson to produce. Basically, I'm in thrall to authors. They own my imagination, and much of my angst.
Oh god, I just finished The Obelisk Gate, second book in The Broken Earth series by N.K. Jemisin. So good. I read the first book in the trilogy a few months ago, and howled when I realized the series wasn't completed. I managed to miss the publication date for the second book, and found it by happenstance on Sunday. Completed it early today. I've basically put my life on hold to finish this book.
Now I have to wait for the third. So impatient.
Ha, this is why I hate starting unfinished series. I've vowed to never start an unfinished series ever again. Too many good books to leave myself in that agony, plus I never remember as much about the earlier books when I have to wait too long for the next one.
Ha, this is why I hate starting unfinished series. I've vowed to never start an unfinished series ever again. Too many good books to leave myself in that agony, plus I never remember as much about the earlier books when I have to wait too long for the next one.
I get your point, but also know that when people do this, the series will not get finished.
But Rothfuss!! Dammit! Taking forever and not having a deadline for that book makes my heart hurt!
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyYes, its funny.
About half way through--very quick, fun read.
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The Serpent of Venice by Christopher MooreI really enjoy Christopher Moore. My favorite is Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Friend.
I recently read, The Fool and wanted to follow up on the (sort of) sequel because of how enjoyable it was to read. The reason I say "sort of" sequel is because Pocket is the main character in both books.
The Fool was hysterically funny...I'm about 1/3 of the way through and this one isn't quite as funny, but it's still a good laugh.
The Fool is a parody of King Lear and The Serpent of Venice is a parody of both Othello and The Merchant of Venice.
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cavewoman-->Next Christopher Moore book I read will have to be that one! I will have to remember his audio books for road trips--that would be entertaining as hell.
My "to read" list has just grown exponentially after binge reading through this thread.
I am currently reading "Go Set a Watchman" by Harper Lee
I am disappointed with it. I feel it goes off in all different directions and I wasn't exactly sure what the point of the story was until about 3/4 of the way through. Also, I had read "To Kill a Mockingbird" right before (I hadn't read it since high school) and a few things in "Go Set a Watchman" were described in what I remembered as the exact same way as in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (I had already returned TKAM to the library so I couldn't fact check this). It bothered me for some reason. Talking to my sister she suggested maybe to tie the books together? I am not sure you would need to tie them together since the book is set in the same location with most of the same characters. Anyway, I have about 75 pages left and wouldn't recommend this book....although its possible something fantastic could happen in those last 75 pages that would change my mind--I find it highly unlikely.
I'm reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I think the movie was better.
My husband own this HUGE Dragonlance Chronicles book that he wants me to try out. I figure, sure why not. So starting tonight I will be starting the Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
My husband own this HUGE Dragonlance Chronicles book that he wants me to try out. I figure, sure why not. So starting tonight I will be starting the Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
Great series. At least the early ones, which is what I read way back when. Sturm Brightblade, Raistlin, etc..
My husband own this HUGE Dragonlance Chronicles book that he wants me to try out. I figure, sure why not. So starting tonight I will be starting the Dragons of Autumn Twilight.
Great series. At least the early ones, which is what I read way back when. Sturm Brightblade, Raistlin, etc..
Wow that takes me back. I loved those!
I'm currently reading Anathem by Neil Stephenson. It's absolutely amazing. It's a great sci-fi story, and the ideas on consciousness that he develops over the course of the book (I'm about 2/3 in) are really interesting. It's set on a world (very much like Earth) where scientist / philosopher types are cloistered away for 1, 10, 100 or 1000 years at a time to think deep thoughts.
yay, I loved these books too when I was in grade school.
I checked it from the library for my kid last week.
But she has TOO many books queued up and may not get around to it.
Apparently, it doesn't compare to Last Kids on Earth (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24611765-the-last-kids-on-earth)
I'm about halfway through Hidden Life of Trees (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28256439-the-hidden-life-of-trees).
A great book which may affect how I walk through forests the rest of my life.
Add to her pile. The Chronicles of Prydain (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Prydain) series is fantastic as well. It is based on Welsh mythology (the Mabinogion mostly).
The Snowball ... (best Buffett Biography imop).
Catcher is amazing if you're an angsty teen.
I could see being annoyed at it as an adult, but it will always hold a special place for me.
ENDER'S GAME
ENDER'S GAME
One of my favorites.
If you like military sci-fi, I would suggest these
- Starship Troopers : Heinlien (the movie was awful, book is awesome)
- Old Mans War : John Scalzi
- Startide Rising: David Brin (this one is complex, I am re-reading this about the 20th time. Each time, I find new stuff which I missed previously)
I'm in the middle of reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (http://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-A-Brief-History-Humankind/dp/0062316095) by Yuval Noah Harari.
It's a cross-disciplinary examination of who we (that is, the planet's single remaining human species) are and how we came to be. It's filled with fascinating insights and has a strong mustachian undercurrent. One recurring theme is that humankind's perpetual search for an easier (and better) life paradoxically often unwittingly resulted in a more difficult (and worse) life. The author argues that the same "luxury trap" that causes most members of our current generation to succumb to false promises of a better life by jumping on (and staying on) the consumerist treadmill also operated as a force of change that shaped the history of our species in dramatic ways (such as humankind's shift from foraging to agriculture, a Faustian bargain in which members of our species sacrificed health, leisure and security for perceived benefits that in fact never arrived).
Many of these ideas are not new, but the author, using a fresh perspective, ties them together in novel (and often provocative) ways.
This book traces the origins of our present-day conditioning in order to loosen its grip and enable us to think in far more imaginative ways about our future. Instead of narrowing our horizons by forecasting a single definitive scenario, the book aims to broaden our horizons and make us aware of a much wider spectrum of options.
One American Robin by e.a. mann
One American Robin by e.a. mann
Great book. I read it here when he posted about the free download.
Good so far - I'm about quarter through. And yes, I also got it from here when posted.
"Needs? I guess that is what bothers so many folks. They keep expanding their needs until they are dependent on too many things and too many other people. I don't understand economics, and I suppose the country would be in a real mess if people suddenly cut out a lot of things they don't need. I wonder how many things in the average American home could be eliminated if the question were asked, ""Must I really have this?"" I guess most of the extras are chalked up to comfort or saving time.
Funny thing about comfort- one man's comfort is another man's misery. Most people don't work hard enough physically anymore, and comfort is not easy to find. It is surprising how comfortable a hard bunk can be after you come down off a mountain."
I just finished reading One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey, a short story compiled by Sam Keith from the journals/photographs of Richard Proenneke. Even if you aren't into the outdoors (and if you aren't you should work on it (http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/04/06/get-rich-with-nature/)), you have to admit that Dick Proenneke understood the pillars of Mustachianism years before the internet, MMM, or the like (his cabin was built in ~1968):Quote"Needs? I guess that is what bothers so many folks. They keep expanding their needs until they are dependent on too many things and too many other people. I don't understand economics, and I suppose the country would be in a real mess if people suddenly cut out a lot of things they don't need. I wonder how many things in the average American home could be eliminated if the question were asked, ""Must I really have this?"" I guess most of the extras are chalked up to comfort or saving time.
Funny thing about comfort- one man's comfort is another man's misery. Most people don't work hard enough physically anymore, and comfort is not easy to find. It is surprising how comfortable a hard bunk can be after you come down off a mountain."
Additionally, the man was a virtuoso with woodworking, and to this day his hand-crafted wood cabin, furniture, and tools remain preserved as a testament to fine craftsmanship. Virtually tour his cabin at https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/historyculture/proenneke-cabin-virtual-tour.htm (https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/historyculture/proenneke-cabin-virtual-tour.htm)
^^^ Regarding previous posts.
There's a Spanish saying that goes, "Para dormir lo que hace falta es cansancio." Which loosely translated to English reads, "To sleep, all you need is to be tired."
My father always used this saying, remembering how as a young teen, he would work on the sugar cane fields and after 10hrs. of cutting down sugar canes, all he needed was a hot plate of food and a floor. No need for a comfortable bed or anything like that to go to sleep. He told me many times that if I ever had trouble going to sleep, it was a sign I hadn't worked enough that day.
Found this today
http://compellingsciencefiction.com/
There are five editions with five stories each (all free)
Just finished the last one, very very good. If you like sci-fi, cannot beat this price!!!
I'm on a roll, and just finished reading another book.
The Emporer's Soul by Brandon Sanderson.
I typically like to switch between fiction and non-fiction books when reading, and this was a quick fantasy novella that I very much enjoyed. I also liked that it was not part of a series, as I feel there are 100s of fantasy/Sci-fi book series out there and I just wanted one read.
"Genghis: Lord of the Bow" It's about the Khan of Khans. From the library.
"Genghis: Lord of the Bow" It's about the Khan of Khans. From the library.
Let me know how this one is- I'd love to read a good book on Genghis Khan
Currently on book 2 of "The Rivers of London" series - very fun and entertaining urban fantasy.
Just finished 'Dark Money' by Jane Meyer. Every American needs to read this.
Just finished 'Dark Money' by Jane Meyer. Every American needs to read this.
+1 Both gerrymandering and the flood of money from the Koch brothers and their cohorts is sinking our democracy.
Assassin's Apprentice: very engaging.This was a fun series.
Tales of the Alhambra, by Irving. I stole the book from my parents house. It's a souvenir edition they bought while they were visiting Granada.That's a very interesting bit of color commentary to add on how you acquired the book. Are you proud of yourself?
Tales of the Alhambra, by Irving. I stole the book from my parents house. It's a souvenir edition they bought while they were visiting Granada.That's a very interesting bit of color commentary to add on how you acquired the book. Are you proud of yourself?
The Year of Living Danishly (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23282062-the-year-of-living-danishly?ac=1&from_search=true) - surprisingly funny take on life in Denmark
"In Defense of Food" was in my library's summer reading section. Sure, why not?
Re-reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Haven't read from the beginning for several years. It's like chatting with an old friend.
Re-reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Haven't read from the beginning for several years. It's like chatting with an old friend.
A long chat LOL. It definitely is the right name. You feel like under a wheel from the time you need to read it.
Picked up "Julian Comstock." Interesting Western set in 22nd century US after a worldwide collapse post-peak-oil. Basically a no-nonsense narrative written by a middle-class kid about Julian Comstock as he rises in power (I guess).
Not quite summer reading. Definitely a bit boring for people, just because of the narrator's personality. It feels like an adventure, which is the best positive of the book, but the subject matter might make it feel more like "War and Peace" after awhile, and less "True Grit."
Re-reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Haven't read from the beginning for several years. It's like chatting with an old friend.
"Fatal Flight" by Bill Hammack
Free audiobook here: http://www.engineerguy.com/airship/ (http://www.engineerguy.com/airship/)
Bill is "engineerguy" on YouTube. He wrote this book about the ill-fated R.101 airship and was kind enough to make the audiobook available for free download on his website. Very interesting if you are into this sort of thing.
Vanity Fair by Thackeray. Snarky humor in an 18th century novel. I can see why Kubrick liked him so much (he adopted another Thackeray novel for his movie Barry Lyndon).
For a quick/fun read, I'm currently working my way through How to Build a Fire, and Other Handy Things Your Grandfather Knew (https://www.amazon.com/How-Build-Fire-Things-Grandfather/dp/0345525094) by Erin Bried.
One thing that caught my eye was a section on "How to Buy a Car". The Grandfather narrating this section says: "Your wheels should never cost you more than 10 percent of your annual take-home pay." While we mustachians may strive for an even lower cost for our cars (or make it work with no car at all), I think this is a decent guideline.
Currently reading Daring Greatly by Brene Brown... I would highly recommend ;)
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan. Was a fan of A Visit from the Goon Squad, although probably didn't deserve the Pulitzer. This is quite the follow-up. Set in WWII Brooklyn with a noirish feel to it.
The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future
by Gretchen Bakke
I am a huge science fiction fan, what would you guys reccomend?A lot ^^
I didn't know there was a Formic Wars series. I've probably read a dozen Enderverse books.
Mazer Rackham is baller. I hope they made him badass in the prequels.
I am a huge science fiction fan, what would you guys reccomend?A lot ^^
Well, you just read about enders game (and the following books). If you are on Cyberpunk und philosophy, then Diamond Age from Stephenson. Nancy Kress' Beggars trilogy.
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan. Was a fan of A Visit from the Goon Squad, although probably didn't deserve the Pulitzer. This is quite the follow-up. Set in WWII Brooklyn with a noirish feel to it.
I am a huge science fiction fan, what would you guys reccomend?
It is interesting and scary! A very detailed history of how our grid was developed and the challenges we face trying to integrate more renewables into the system.The Grid: The Fraying Wires Between Americans and Our Energy Future
by Gretchen Bakke
How did you like this one? Seems like something I would like to read.
I'm about 5 hours away from finishing A Memory of Light, the 14th (final) book of The Wheel of Time. After all these years, I'm going to finally finish it!I just finished rereading the entire series. I really enjoyed the journey. I had forgotten a great deal, but also enjoyed a lot of the foreshadowing in the early books that only made sense with the entire series in context. Really a well done effort.
And just in time for Brandon Sanderson's Oathbringer to be released on 11/14! For those not in the know, Oathbringer is book 3 of The Stormlight Archives, which is amazing. Also, in case you don't know, the reason these two books relate is that Brandon Sanderson wrote the last 3 books of The Wheel of Time after Robert Jordan's death.
Also have started "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons. About 80 pages in, seems interesting. It is a Hugo award winner, so I expect I will enjoy this book.The Hyperion series is amazing. It's one of those things that make me envy the person who is just getting into it, knowing what they have to look forward to.
I am a huge science fiction fan, what would you guys reccomend?
Have you read Leckie's _Ancillary_ series?
Re-reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Haven't read from the beginning for several years. It's like chatting with an old friend.I started doing the same last month. On The Great Hunt now, but diverting to read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson as my library hold came in.
Have you read "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman? Or the Foundation series by Asimov?
Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is also great.Loved the first book (Red Mars?), ok middle book and disliked the third book. I could not believe the science that the terraforming of Mars would be done in one persons lifetime. Also, I vaguely remember some political agenda which rubbed me the wrong way. Long time since I read the series, maybe 15 years ago, so may have to revisit to see if my opinion is still the same.
Thank you for the suggestions. I'm going to work thru the following list. Any more book suggestions are welcome
- Nancy Kress: Beggars trilogy
- Stephenson: Diamond Age
- David Feintuch: Seafort Saga
- Neal Stephenson: Seveneves
- Orson Scott Card :Children of the Fleet
- Ann Leckie : _Ancillary_ series
- Robert Jordan: The Wheel of Time
Have you read "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman? Or the Foundation series by Asimov?
I have read and liked Forever war. As far as Asimov goes, he is primarily responsible for my Sci-Fi Addiction :-) I have read all of his books multiple times.Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is also great.Loved the first book (Red Mars?), ok middle book and disliked the third book. I could not believe the science that the terraforming of Mars would be done in one persons lifetime. Also, I vaguely remember some political agenda which rubbed me the wrong way. Long time since I read the series, maybe 15 years ago, so may have to revisit to see if my opinion is still the same.
Here are some of my favorites (each of them was read at least 5 times)
- Heinlien: Starship Troopers
- Scalzi: Old Mans War
- Card: Enders Game
- David Brin: Startide Rising
- Asimov: Every book he wrote
- Niven: Integral Tree
Great (free) short story by C. Stuart Hardwick. A strong female protagonist and a secret mission by the Soviet Union and the US during the peak of the cold war.
https://cstuarthardwick.com/sample/
Re-reading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Haven't read from the beginning for several years. It's like chatting with an old friend.
I love this series. One of my brothers gave me the first book for my 14th birthday and I was hooked after that. Glad I took a break after the 11th book, however, and didn't read them all and finish up the series until it was actually all written. Until that point I'd been re-reading the whole series every time a new book came out.
Great (free) short story by C. Stuart Hardwick. A strong female protagonist and a secret mission by the Soviet Union and the US during the peak of the cold war.
https://cstuarthardwick.com/sample/
Sounds interesting!
My adblock didn't like their embedded viewer, so I dug for the PDF. (Plus being able to read it separately instead of in their viewer, having to keep the website open, is much better.)
Here's a link to save anyone else the trouble:
https://cstuarthardwick.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FAM-web.pdf (https://cstuarthardwick.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FAM-web.pdf)
I also read an excerpt of John Scalzi's new Collapsing Empire (it's the start of a new series, I think) and liked it a lot, although I haven't followed up by reading the whole thing.
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein.
...
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein.
...
I find some of the writing style to be... tacky, but I also really enjoyed this book.
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein.
...
I find some of the writing style to be... tacky, but I also really enjoyed this book.
Thank you for the suggestions. I'm going to work thru the following list. Any more book suggestions are welcome
- Nancy Kress: Beggars trilogy
- Stephenson: Diamond Age
- David Feintuch: Seafort Saga
- Neal Stephenson: Seveneves
- Orson Scott Card :Children of the Fleet
- Ann Leckie : _Ancillary_ series
- Robert Jordan: The Wheel of Time
I’m trying to go back and read some of the books from middle school and high school that we’re supposed to be great but I didn’t particularly enjoy at the time. I’m curious if my view of them is changed by the last 15-20 years of personality changes and general maturing.
Right now I’m finishing up Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I read it in 8th grade and just flat out didn’t get it. I wasn’t interested in big philosophical questions, I didn’t have much knowledge of the history or even the basics tenets of Buddhism, and I didn’t like writing essays about books. English class was drudgery. Now I get it. It’s a quick and highly enjoyable read. Not only do I see the parallels with the Buddha’s life, but I see the big concepts of Buddhist thought throughout the book in ways big and small.
I might try Catcher in the Rye next. That book annoyed me more than any other in school. Maybe I should give it another chance.
Finally getting around to reading The Simple Path to Wealth: Your road map to financial independence and a rich, free life (https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Path-Wealth-financial-independence/dp/1533667926) by JL Collins. I figure now that I'm in my 2nd-ish year of seriously saving for FI, I need to read through all the background material that many suggest.
So far this book has been great, although I'm only ~1/4th of the way through.
@arebelspy , you can find the PDF and let everyone know ;-)
Now reading Artemis by Andy Weir (of Martian fame). Very different story.
I'm reading about the Terra Cotta Army and China's first emperor.
I'm reading about the Terra Cotta Army and China's first emperor.
@Warlord1986 I was fortunate enough to see the Terra Cotta Army in person this past September. It was definitely an experience that I will not forget. What book are you reading?
I hadn't previously been overly interested in Nazi history but picked the right book to learn about it.
War and Peace. A translation of course as I can't read Russian. Started off terrible, 1 star out of 5, but now I'm about halfway through and I've improved my current rating to 4 out of 5 stars.
Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power by Robert D. Kaplan
Almost done with Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari - very interesting book!
It's a good read. As with most of his stuff, he covers some history and deep dives into each country around the Indian Ocean. I'm learning a lot as usual with his stuff.Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power by Robert D. Kaplan
DavisGang90, What is your review of it? I have it on my list to read....
It's a good read. As with most of his stuff, he covers some history and deep dives into each country around the Indian Ocean. I'm learning a lot as usual with his stuff.Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power by Robert D. Kaplan
DavisGang90, What is your review of it? I have it on my list to read....
Overall, he is much more hopeful on India than the other countries in the region. I'd love to hear your thoughts.It's a good read. As with most of his stuff, he covers some history and deep dives into each country around the Indian Ocean. I'm learning a lot as usual with his stuff.Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power by Robert D. Kaplan
DavisGang90, What is your review of it? I have it on my list to read....
Thanks. I should get it a week or so. I'll let you know about its accuracy about India ;-)
Heat by Bill Buford
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
Heat by Bill Buford
Blood Rites by Jim Butcher
Yasssss, Jim Butcher! I really enjoy his books. Don't forget the Codex Alera series, and he just started a new steampunk-ish series as well.
I'm reading Cryptonomicon, for the second time.
It's quite a marathon.
Reading "Searching for Sitala Mata: Eradicating smallpox in India" by Dr Connie Davis.
An American doctor goes to India and works with WHO during the end stages of India eradicating smallpox. Very well written.
I have only read the first 3 chapters, but I think it will be great.
Posting now instead of when I complete since it is free for the Kindle on Amazon right now
https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Sitala-Mata-Eradicating-Smallpox-ebook/dp/B077SHY2GP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1517001364&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=sitala+mata&psc=1
Cryptonomicon was my first Stephenson book and I really feel like I need to re-read it, but I know it'll be an undertaking so I haven't gotten around to it yet. I *loved* the premise of both The Diamond Age and Anathema, but for those two stories he seems to suffer from Stephen-King-itis where he writes great premises but the endings fall flat. I thought Seveneves was great, and I quite liked Reamde as well. I've been meaning to give The Baroque Cycle a read too- has anyone read the whole trilogy?
DH and I just started listening to The Windup Girl.
^I know I'm derailing the discussion a bit, but I find that concept very interesting. Did the author provide any potential possibilities to remedy this? E.g. are there any podcasts or more modern types of media that are similar in depth?
In the first place, not everyone believes a cure is needed, and in the second, there probably isn't any. But as a true-blue American who has imbibed the unshakable belief that where there is a problem, there must be a solution, I shall conclude with the following suggestions.
"only through a deep and unfailing awareness of the structure and effects of information, through a demystification of media, is there any hope of our gaining some measure of control over television, or the computer, or any other medium. How is such media consciousness to be achieved? There are only two answers that come to mind, one of which is nonsense ... the other is desperate:
I've just finished the first set of the Lost Fleet (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Fleet) books and now I'm on to the second. I'm normally not one for military science fiction but the writing is really good and it's nice to have a series to pull you along from book to book when you're busy. I love how I can visualize the battles in my head. Unfortunately the author is midway into a fourth series in the universe and I'll have to stop myself at the end of the third series until it's done for my own good.
Have you read any Jeff Shara? You're describing his writing too, at least from my perspective.
Don't use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do.
I read Annihilation a couple years ago and wasn't really sure what to thing of it, it was just really bizarre. I liked it overall, but I had a lot of questions that the book clearly had no intention of answering. I never got around to reading the sequels after that, but my brother just read all three of them and recommended that I re-read Annihilation and then the sequels- he said if I go into it knowing that not everything is going to be answered I won't be setting myself up for disappointment.
Also, he said the movie is really good, but does deviate from the book a bit, especially towards the end, though he didn't spoil anything for me. Apparently the screenplay was adapted from just the first book before the other two were written, so he didn't have the whole story to work from.
Just finished Homo Deus by Harari. Great read and thought provoking. I'd give and A.
Following it up with a Calvin and Hobbes book collection. Also excellent and thought provoking. Also gets an A rating.
At night I'm listening to the Count of Monte Cristo on audio, after having read it about 10 times. It's a good as ever. If I'm on the 11th go around of a thousand page book, I should probably give that an A too:)
Finally finished the Lewis & Clark book (Undaunted Courage - Ambrose). Man that drug on for a while.I liked Undaunted Courage. It was perfect bedtime reading. Interesting, but it drug on enough that a few pages would put me to sleep!
I have read quite a few biographies (Hamilton, Franklin, Churchill x3, Roosevelt x3, Adams) and other historical books (Battle Cry of Freedom, The Greater Journey, military histories) and my experience is almost always the same. I am very glad to have read them, and find them fascinating and encouraging to ruminate about after reading them, but the actual reading process itself can be a bit of a haul. I will consume them in small doses of 5-10 pages after lunch.
Fiction just motivates me to read so much more by virtue of the pure entertainment value. I have to always be reading a fiction book along with the heavier things. I'll get through 3,4,5, maybe even a dozen novels in the same time it takes me to finish a biography.
I've got the last Manchester bio of Churchill on my 'to read next stack' along with Primo Levi's Holocaust book If This is a Man. But I'm gonna have to read something way lighter for a bit before those.
Just finished Homo Deus by Harari. Great read and thought provoking. I'd give and A.
Following it up with a Calvin and Hobbes book collection. Also excellent and thought provoking. Also gets an A rating.
At night I'm listening to the Count of Monte Cristo on audio, after having read it about 10 times. It's a good as ever. If I'm on the 11th go around of a thousand page book, I should probably give that an A too:)
Props on the C&H. I have the multi-volume bound collection. Thought provoking and insightful to the human (& tiger) condition. Very anti-snowman, though, so might be not politically correct.
I've got Count of Monte Cristo on the shelf but confess I haven't read it. That might be a perfect bridge between historical/biographical books that I should read and fiction that I enjoy reading. It's a classic, so that counts as a should read selection.
I’ve picked Postwar (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29658) back up after reading the first half last summer and it’s the best book I’ve read in a long time. I can’t recall ever seeing a work with so much breadth and depth. It’s brilliantly written, just a touch ironic and whimsical, and profoundly thought-provoking.
But man is it discouraging to see at the bottom that I have an estimated 7h 55m left to finish the final 45% of the book...
Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
I'm in the same boat. It is a long read and weird, but I'm enjoying it.Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
I started that book thinking "oh, this is an interesting new premise, I can get down with this", and then everything just got SUPER weird. I still finished it, and I still think the premise is cool, but wow, it did not go where I expected AT ALL, despite the fact that I was warned.
I'm in the same boat. It is a long read and weird, but I'm enjoying it.Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert HeinleinI started that book thinking "oh, this is an interesting new premise, I can get down with this", and then everything just got SUPER weird. I still finished it, and I still think the premise is cool, but wow, it did not go where I expected AT ALL, despite the fact that I was warned.
I'm in the same boat. It is a long read and weird, but I'm enjoying it.Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
I started that book thinking "oh, this is an interesting new premise, I can get down with this", and then everything just got SUPER weird. I still finished it, and I still think the premise is cool, but wow, it did not go where I expected AT ALL, despite the fact that I was warned.
Just finished "The Lost Art of Reading" by David Ulin on how the Internet and e-books have changed the reading experience. It was OK, although already feeling dated eight years after publication--his issues include the technical limitations of e-book readers and limited books available in Kindle format, and neither of those are really true any more. Ironically, I read it on my iPad!
A new reading habit I am trying to adopt is to read a review or two of a book after I finish it and think about whether I agree with the author's take. I discovered in Googling that there was also an book with the same title published in 1903! Clearly, this is not a new concern for humanity...
Just finished "The Lost Art of Reading" by David Ulin on how the Internet and e-books have changed the reading experience. It was OK, although already feeling dated eight years after publication--his issues include the technical limitations of e-book readers and limited books available in Kindle format, and neither of those are really true any more. Ironically, I read it on my iPad!
A new reading habit I am trying to adopt is to read a review or two of a book after I finish it and think about whether I agree with the author's take. I discovered in Googling that there was also an book with the same title published in 1903! Clearly, this is not a new concern for humanity...
Lol that you read it on an iPad.
Also, are there any particular websites you use to find book reviews, or do you just Google and click on whatever comes up first? I think this is an interesting idea...
Just finished "The Lost Art of Reading" by David Ulin on how the Internet and e-books have changed the reading experience. It was OK, although already feeling dated eight years after publication--his issues include the technical limitations of e-book readers and limited books available in Kindle format, and neither of those are really true any more. Ironically, I read it on my iPad!
A new reading habit I am trying to adopt is to read a review or two of a book after I finish it and think about whether I agree with the author's take. I discovered in Googling that there was also an book with the same title published in 1903! Clearly, this is not a new concern for humanity...
Lol that you read it on an iPad.
Also, are there any particular websites you use to find book reviews, or do you just Google and click on whatever comes up first? I think this is an interesting idea...
Started on Primo Levi's Holocaust book If This is a Man the other day. About 70 pages in.
Pretty much what you would expect from a first person account of the death camps. It's hard to understand how people did these things.
So far the most insightful thing from the book is Levi's statement that it isn't the body that dies first, but the personality. The thing that makes you you.
It's a hard read in the sense that you know it isn't fiction, so there is this darkness that is put in front of you that you have to somehow reconcile with the idea of humanity and civilization that we have in our heads.
Even though it isn't a 'fun' book to read, I think it's a important book because we all - all of us - need to remember what happened. Not because some brutish Germans committed crimes against humanity 80 years ago, but because it shows us something deeper about human beings in general; how a society that had some of the most intelligent and cultured people on earth could turn into this. We need to remember not just because it honors the Jews who were treated this way but because we need to always be watchful in our own societies to be sure we don't allow it to happen again.
Levi has already said more than once that one of the motivations to survive was simply to make sure someone could tell others what had happened. That it would be known and not forgotten.
Always be mindful, fellow Americans, that our own society has its dark past as well. As a society, we also enslaved and abused and murdered a race of people. The idea that people of a past time were just not as smart as we are is a fallacy. We have more knowledge now, yes, but we aren't any smarter or better in our natures than were our forebears. We are just as susceptible to the forces of group psychology and manipulation as they were.
Reading 2 books right now:
$2 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America
https://www.amazon.com/2-00-Day-Living-Nothing-America/dp/054481195X
It's...really depressing. And eye-opening. And sad and scary. I grew up poor, but not that poor. And I am somewhat familiar with this whole thought - a fair number of people in my small rural hometown are on welfare. Where we live now, there are plenty of homeless children in our schools. It's the nitty-gritty details that get you, especially in the "post-welfare reform" age.
I'm a bit bummed that I didn't pick up "Evicted" the 3 times I saw it in the neighborhood little free library. But I thought it would depress me too much. The author was at our local university for a talk recently, I think.Reading 2 books right now:
$2 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America
https://www.amazon.com/2-00-Day-Living-Nothing-America/dp/054481195X
It's...really depressing. And eye-opening. And sad and scary. I grew up poor, but not that poor. And I am somewhat familiar with this whole thought - a fair number of people in my small rural hometown are on welfare. Where we live now, there are plenty of homeless children in our schools. It's the nitty-gritty details that get you, especially in the "post-welfare reform" age.
I made sure to read this during a spring break trip to Florida last week. We passed through some places where most people lived in similar circumstance described in this book. The discrepancy in wealth even in this country is truly incomprehensible. It really put into perspective how lucky my family and I truly have it.
The book "Evicted" is a more personal account of poverty where the author follows a landlord and tenants in Milwaukee. Like me, I think most of us here take for granted how our circumstances enabled us to use our skills and work ethic to get us to where we are and are a bit to harsh on those that can't seem to make sound financial decisions. As these books point out, most of those in poverty are dealing with other priorities that prevent them from optimizing their finances, even if they know that what they are doing is sub-optimal.
P2F so I can get some reading ideas. I finally figured out how to get library books on an app on my phone, so I'm reading a ton lately. But the ebook selection is pretty hit-or-miss, so I want to expand my horizons. I've been reading a lot of light stuff as my life has been a bit difficult lately and I need some escapism. I just finished the two "Warlock Holmes" books, which were pretty entertaining if you like that sort of thing. Sort of a satirical/humorous take on Sherlock Holmes with about 20% HP-Lovecraft-via-Terry-Pratchett thrown in.
I'm a bit bummed that I didn't pick up "Evicted" the 3 times I saw it in the neighborhood little free library. But I thought it would depress me too much. The author was at our local university for a talk recently, I think.Reading 2 books right now:
$2 A Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America
https://www.amazon.com/2-00-Day-Living-Nothing-America/dp/054481195X
It's...really depressing. And eye-opening. And sad and scary. I grew up poor, but not that poor. And I am somewhat familiar with this whole thought - a fair number of people in my small rural hometown are on welfare. Where we live now, there are plenty of homeless children in our schools. It's the nitty-gritty details that get you, especially in the "post-welfare reform" age.
I made sure to read this during a spring break trip to Florida last week. We passed through some places where most people lived in similar circumstance described in this book. The discrepancy in wealth even in this country is truly incomprehensible. It really put into perspective how lucky my family and I truly have it.
The book "Evicted" is a more personal account of poverty where the author follows a landlord and tenants in Milwaukee. Like me, I think most of us here take for granted how our circumstances enabled us to use our skills and work ethic to get us to where we are and are a bit to harsh on those that can't seem to make sound financial decisions. As these books point out, most of those in poverty are dealing with other priorities that prevent them from optimizing their finances, even if they know that what they are doing is sub-optimal.
Right now I'm reading Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. Maybe it will help me sleep?
The River of Doubt by Candice Millard, about Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 trip to South America that almost killed him.
Just finished the Brothers Karamazov after FOUR MONTHS. Geez, that book. I thought Crime and Punishment was delightful in its perambulations and even long diatribes. By the end, I actually really loved that book. But the BK - just too too much.
Starting Buddhist Boot Camp, and I'm already irritated with its 2.25 pages long chapters. Feels like a lot of filler with not enough depth. Hopefully there are a couple chapters that just speak to me, but so far it just seems super superficial. I've forgotten everything in the prior chapter before I even finish the subsequent one. And with them all being so short, that's pretty bad!
I'm reading Oliver Wiswell, published in 1940. It's one of Kenneth Roberts books about early America. This one shows the American Revolution from a Loyalist viewpoint. Very interesting.
Huh, I actually didn't know that about the different business models between Overdrive and Hoopla/Axis. I really didn't like Hoopla's UI/playback quality when I tried it. It's been a few years, so hard to remember now, but I distinctly remember switching to Overdrive and never looking back. So yes, I have definitely seen Axis and Hoopla versions available of various titles, although I always go for the Overdrive version, which does seem more widely available anyway when I search, IIRC. I don't think I've ever had to face a situation where it was Hoopla/Axis or nothing. But I'll have to look into those other platforms again and look more carefully for their availability.
the 4 hour work week by tim ferris
just finished a dance of dragons (5th game of thrones book) so looking for different motivational books while we all wait on the 6th
I'm reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I figured since I enjoy the board game so much I should try reading the novel that inspired it. Pretty good so far.Great book! I've actually read it a couple times.
@rab and @tyort1 - Harari is an excellent writer and great anthropologist/sociologist. I throughly enjoyed both books, very thought provoking ideas in both books.
@Malaysia41 - Present at the Creation by Dean Acheson is going on my reading list, thanks.
I like to alternate fiction and non-fiction, so after finishing Sapiens a while back, I've been slowly working my way through The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer.
I like to alternate fiction and non-fiction, so after finishing Sapiens a while back, I've been slowly working my way through The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer.
is Sapiens worth reading?
is Sapiens worth reading?
Yes, it was quite good. I personally felt that the author romanticized the whole hunter/gatherer existence too much. But other than that it was a great sweeping history of our species.
Now I am reading Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut for 2nd time
I love this book
Interesting..I could not get into the Broken Earth trilogy of hers, though I desperately wanted to love a female author of this genre. I read two of them and am not pursuing the third. I wonder if the Inheritance Trilogy is easier to get into?
Currently reading The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin, book one of a series. It was harder to get into than I thought, but it has really picked up about 30% in. I think I got the rec of Jemisin from this thread, and thoroughly enjoyed the Inheritance Trilogy.
Interesting..I could not get into the Broken Earth trilogy of hers, though I desperately wanted to love a female author of this genre. I read two of them and am not pursuing the third. I wonder if the Inheritance Trilogy is easier to get into?
Currently reading The Killing Moon by N.K. Jemisin, book one of a series. It was harder to get into than I thought, but it has really picked up about 30% in. I think I got the rec of Jemisin from this thread, and thoroughly enjoyed the Inheritance Trilogy.
Currently reading "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stephenson.Oh, that's by the EJI founder! They are one of my top monthly donation recipients. Just thinking about the memorial they built makes me choke up. I don't know if I have the strength of character to visit it in person. I didn't know there was a book by him, somehow, but it is now added to my list! Thanks!
Gosh this country depresses me.
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier since jlcollins likes it so much.
re: Dickens, I'm convinced that high school ruins classic literature for many of us because being forced to read something before you have the maturity to appreciate it is counterproductive. Not to mention the vocabulary, particularly the terms for things that do not exist in our modern world, can be frustrating. Being older and having been exposed to period movies and such, makes it much less of an obstacle.
Going back and reading (or re-reading) some of the classics can be a much more enjoyable experience.
But I still hate Grapes of Wrath with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns and will never open that book again.
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier since jlcollins likes it so much.
We just watched the movie again, and DH apparently completely forgot the ending? I don't know how that happens with a story like this. I also didn't know there was a book, now I'll have to read it :)re: Dickens, I'm convinced that high school ruins classic literature for many of us because being forced to read something before you have the maturity to appreciate it is counterproductive. Not to mention the vocabulary, particularly the terms for things that do not exist in our modern world, can be frustrating. Being older and having been exposed to period movies and such, makes it much less of an obstacle.
Going back and reading (or re-reading) some of the classics can be a much more enjoyable experience.
But I still hate Grapes of Wrath with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns and will never open that book again.
This sounds right. There are a lot of books that I read in HS and remember hating (for example, Wuthering Heights, Ethan Frome, and yes, Grapes of Wrath) that would probably make a lot more sense now. I should probably stop my YA streak and read a real novel again.
It is not oinly the age, it is also the difference of "must" and "want".
I - as a guy! - even read Pride and Prejudice. But it took me two or three month. It wasn't THAT bad a book because I could take breakes ;)
In school in two weeks instead? And then "talking about what your think" or even worse "what you feel", at age 16? :D
We just watched the movie again, and DH apparently completely forgot the ending? I don't know how that happens with a story like this. I also didn't know there was a book, now I'll have to read it :)re: Dickens, I'm convinced that high school ruins classic literature for many of us because being forced to read something before you have the maturity to appreciate it is counterproductive. Not to mention the vocabulary, particularly the terms for things that do not exist in our modern world, can be frustrating. Being older and having been exposed to period movies and such, makes it much less of an obstacle.
Going back and reading (or re-reading) some of the classics can be a much more enjoyable experience.
But I still hate Grapes of Wrath with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns and will never open that book again.
This sounds right. There are a lot of books that I read in HS and remember hating (for example, Wuthering Heights, Ethan Frome, and yes, Grapes of Wrath) that would probably make a lot more sense now. I should probably stop my YA streak and read a real novel again.
It is not oinly the age, it is also the difference of "must" and "want".
I - as a guy! - even read Pride and Prejudice. But it took me two or three month. It wasn't THAT bad a book because I could take breakes ;)
In school in two weeks instead? And then "talking about what your think" or even worse "what you feel", at age 16? :D
Unless the author has a companion book explaining all this, how do you know?Haha, yes!
her questions on the test would not be found in any Cliff's Notes or film adaptations. She asked things like "what color were Tom's shoes?" (yellow) and "What did the sign in the store window say?" (caveat emptor).
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier since jlcollins likes it so much.
We just watched the movie again, and DH apparently completely forgot the ending? I don't know how that happens with a story like this. I also didn't know there was a book, now I'll have to read it :)
Unless the author has a companion book explaining all this, how do you know?Haha, yes!
It is a real and true trope that authors are always surprised by what they were thinking when writing something - according to critics and such like readers who have never talked a word to the author.
...I suppose high school teachers are thinking that their classes may be the only chance for some students to develop cultural literacy in these works.
...I suppose high school teachers are thinking that their classes may be the only chance for some students to develop cultural literacy in these works.
I think one could argue that it would be best if they attempted to just get students to enjoy reading. Almost anything. Instead, I'm afraid we too often get kids who now hate reading because their exposure was to books that are not for them.
I heard Kevin Kelly interviewed once (author and founder of Wired magazine, a neat dude if you read up on him) where his final piece of advice to everyone listening was "If you don't already, read at least ten books each year. They can be about anything. It will change your life."
I can't imagine life without reading. We've all heard the quote about cowards dying a thousands deaths, where the brave man dies only once.
I think - and perhaps I've read this someplace, I don't know - that people who don't read live only one life, but readers live many.
...I suppose high school teachers are thinking that their classes may be the only chance for some students to develop cultural literacy in these works.
I think one could argue that it would be best if they attempted to just get students to enjoy reading. Almost anything. Instead, I'm afraid we too often get kids who now hate reading because their exposure was to books that are not for them.
I heard Kevin Kelly interviewed once (author and founder of Wired magazine, a neat dude if you read up on him) where his final piece of advice to everyone listening was "If you don't already, read at least ten books each year. They can be about anything. It will change your life."
I can't imagine life without reading. We've all heard the quote about cowards dying a thousands deaths, where the brave man dies only once.
I think - and perhaps I've read this someplace, I don't know - that people who don't read live only one life, but readers live many.
For some people it is true that reading is not for them. They might find engagement with cinema or music. Both cinema and music can produce art equal to anything produced in books.
Of course I love all 3, and I end up with not enough time to experience all of it. Never enough time....
...I suppose high school teachers are thinking that their classes may be the only chance for some students to develop cultural literacy in these works.
I think one could argue that it would be best if they attempted to just get students to enjoy reading. Almost anything. Instead, I'm afraid we too often get kids who now hate reading because their exposure was to books that are not for them.
I heard Kevin Kelly interviewed once (author and founder of Wired magazine, a neat dude if you read up on him) where his final piece of advice to everyone listening was "If you don't already, read at least ten books each year. They can be about anything. It will change your life."
I can't imagine life without reading. We've all heard the quote about cowards dying a thousands deaths, where the brave man dies only once.
I think - and perhaps I've read this someplace, I don't know - that people who don't read live only one life, but readers live many.
For some people it is true that reading is not for them. They might find engagement with cinema or music. Both cinema and music can produce art equal to anything produced in books.
Of course I love all 3, and I end up with not enough time to experience all of it. Never enough time....
As an opposing point, one of my FB acquaintances (who loves to read) posted a meme yesterday that said "Reading is just staring at a dead piece of wood for hours and hallucinating."
I can't imagine not reading. I have read 6(?) books in the last two weeks. Granted, they're all re-reads of a mystery series I love, plus the Golden Compass, so they're not exactly deep or "literary", but still. I'd rather read than watch a movie almost any day.
Just finished "Ilium" (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3973.Ilium) by Dan Simmons (most famous for the Hyperion Cantos series). *insert head exploding smiley here*
Just finished "Ilium" (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3973.Ilium) by Dan Simmons (most famous for the Hyperion Cantos series). *insert head exploding smiley here*
Man, Ilium/Olympos were weird, but I did end up liking them. I was pretty familiar with the Iliad going in, but having never read/seen The Tempest I'm not sure if familiarity with that would make it easier to understand. I think the Hyperion series is still his best work (that I've read, at least) although I really enjoyed The Terror as well.
We just watched the movie again, and DH apparently completely forgot the ending? I don't know how that happens with a story like this. I also didn't know there was a book, now I'll have to read it :)re: Dickens, I'm convinced that high school ruins classic literature for many of us because being forced to read something before you have the maturity to appreciate it is counterproductive. Not to mention the vocabulary, particularly the terms for things that do not exist in our modern world, can be frustrating. Being older and having been exposed to period movies and such, makes it much less of an obstacle.
Going back and reading (or re-reading) some of the classics can be a much more enjoyable experience.
But I still hate Grapes of Wrath with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns and will never open that book again.
This sounds right. There are a lot of books that I read in HS and remember hating (for example, Wuthering Heights, Ethan Frome, and yes, Grapes of Wrath) that would probably make a lot more sense now. I should probably stop my YA streak and read a real novel again.
It is not oinly the age, it is also the difference of "must" and "want".
I - as a guy! - even read Pride and Prejudice. But it took me two or three month. It wasn't THAT bad a book because I could take breakes ;)
In school in two weeks instead? And then "talking about what your think" or even worse "what you feel", at age 16? :D
It probably didn't help that I read Grapes of Wrath in basically one weekend. I procrastinated a lot on that one. And my teacher at the time specifically warned us that her questions on the test would not be found in any Cliff's Notes or film adaptations. She asked things like "what color were Tom's shoes?" (yellow) and "What did the sign in the store window say?" (caveat emptor).
As much as I hate GoW to this day, I will say this: I happened upon a slight little book by Steinbeck a few years ago called Travels with Charlie which is a non-fiction account of his cross country road trip in 1960 accompanied by his dog Charlie. At a breezy 200ish pages, I can recommend this one to others without hesitation.
A book about ancient Egypt. It starts right at the beginning of the archaeological record with some pots and jars.
A book about ancient Egypt. It starts right at the beginning of the archaeological record with some pots and jars.
Interesting. How did they got the pots into the book?
;)
Ever heard of Böbekli Tepe in Anatolia?
If not, change it. It is the oldest known permanent settlement, and they even brewed beer (which played a big role in Egypt, thats why I was thinking about it) there.
I'm not 62-70 or a couple, but I am reading:
The $214,000 Mistake: How to Double Your Social Security & Maximize Your IRAs, Proven Strategies for Couples Ages 62-70
by James Lange.
I'm curious how others are consuming their literature. Do you prefer a Kindle or other electronic format or physical books? Where do you like to read? Do you have a certain place or time of day that is your primary reading zone?
...
I'm curious how others are consuming their literature. Do you prefer a Kindle or other electronic format or physical books? Where do you like to read? Do you have a certain place or time of day that is your primary reading zone?
I'm curious how others are consuming their literature. Do you prefer a Kindle or other electronic format or physical books? Where do you like to read? Do you have a certain place or time of day that is your primary reading zone?
...
...
I have two copies of A Little Princess because I had one, but then found another with the same illustrations that I grew up with and had to have it, and my husband and I somehow ended up with three copies of Ender's Game when we got married and combined book collections.
My biggest problem now is that I recently broke my Kindle Keyboard that I've had since 2010 (threw something heavy on it on accident and borked the screen), and I don't love that the Kindle Paperwhite is touchscreen. Sometimes I turn the pages on accident, sometimes they don't want to turn at all, and sometimes I'm eating something a little messy and I feel like a Philistine getting smudgy fingerprints all over the screen.
...
I'm not 62-70 or a couple, but I am reading:
The $214,000 Mistake: How to Double Your Social Security & Maximize Your IRAs, Proven Strategies for Couples Ages 62-70
by James Lange.
Any good Will? I am thinking that I need to start working on Social Security strategies since I am nearing 60.
Please post your review.
I'm currently reading Beloved.
I use a kindle paper white and have pretty much fully transitioned. It's been years since I've used a dead tree book. However, even with cards at 2 large metropolitan library systems, I fear I'm getting close to running out of ebook options. Sure, I could browse and find more I might be interested in, but what about the 30 on my reading list that aren't available in audio or ebook? I can't just ignore those! Now that I'm retired, I expect to have time, and hopefully the wherewithal, to go pick up hard copies.
I find aging to be a real problem with reading. I used to read anywhere in any configuration. Hanging off my bed, sitting cross legged, on a park bench, and my favorite, just laying on my stomach basically in cobra pose. But now that I've passed 40, my back won't spend more than 20 minutes in cobra. And park benches are hard! And and and...I mean, I'm only 41... at this rate, I'm not sure what I'll still be able to do by 60, much less 80 or 90.
My other problem is that after spending so many years reading for pleasure only at bedtime (except on vacation), I have a very Pavlovian response to reading. It makes me so sleepy! With my new FIREd life, I am going to have to retrain myself so I can read at any time of day again, just like when I was a kid. Reading anytime and anywhere was honestly the only thing I loved about being a kid, and I'm glad it's something I can recapture.
Usually I read paper books. The past year or two I've enjoyed many audiobooks which was great for listening to while driving or doing chores or tactile hobbies. When I was away from my city the past year I downloaded a lot of digital books from the library, since I couldn't pick up paper copies. But I don't have a kindle so I'd read them on my laptop or my phone.Read Deep Work by Cal Newport. Your diagnosis rings true to me - you have to relearn to focus after years of living with a little device whose goal is to steal your attention away as many times per day as it is able.
What I find hard lately (by which I mean the past 4+ years) is concentration. Unless I'm stuck on the bus, and even then sometimes, I can only concentrate reading for a few pages at a time. I expect it has something to do with the internet/forums/social media rapid fire information input trend. My brain is now trained to expect little hits of superficial info and struggles with concentrating on longer term in depth info. I notice this especially in the first half of a book, and less so in the second half when I'm already captivated and involved in a story.
I'm not sure what to do about this other than less internet and more reading.
Usually I read paper books. The past year or two I've enjoyed many audiobooks which was great for listening to while driving or doing chores or tactile hobbies. When I was away from my city the past year I downloaded a lot of digital books from the library, since I couldn't pick up paper copies. But I don't have a kindle so I'd read them on my laptop or my phone.Read Deep Work by Cal Newport. Your diagnosis rings true to me - you have to relearn to focus after years of living with a little device whose goal is to steal your attention away as many times per day as it is able.
What I find hard lately (by which I mean the past 4+ years) is concentration. Unless I'm stuck on the bus, and even then sometimes, I can only concentrate reading for a few pages at a time. I expect it has something to do with the internet/forums/social media rapid fire information input trend. My brain is now trained to expect little hits of superficial info and struggles with concentrating on longer term in depth info. I notice this especially in the first half of a book, and less so in the second half when I'm already captivated and involved in a story.
I'm not sure what to do about this other than less internet and more reading.
Usually I read paper books. The past year or two I've enjoyed many audiobooks which was great for listening to while driving or doing chores or tactile hobbies. When I was away from my city the past year I downloaded a lot of digital books from the library, since I couldn't pick up paper copies. But I don't have a kindle so I'd read them on my laptop or my phone.Read Deep Work by Cal Newport. Your diagnosis rings true to me - you have to relearn to focus after years of living with a little device whose goal is to steal your attention away as many times per day as it is able.
What I find hard lately (by which I mean the past 4+ years) is concentration. Unless I'm stuck on the bus, and even then sometimes, I can only concentrate reading for a few pages at a time. I expect it has something to do with the internet/forums/social media rapid fire information input trend. My brain is now trained to expect little hits of superficial info and struggles with concentrating on longer term in depth info. I notice this especially in the first half of a book, and less so in the second half when I'm already captivated and involved in a story.
I'm not sure what to do about this other than less internet and more reading.
Requested from library. Thanks for the suggestion. :)
I'm curious how others are consuming their literature. Do you prefer a Kindle or other electronic format or physical books? Where do you like to read? Do you have a certain place or time of day that is your primary reading zone?
Infinite Jest - about 100 pages in. It might be a while before I finish, it's 1100 pages long! And dense prose, not even close to light reading.this led me to his "this is water" speech and the rest of his books. thanks!
Its very rare that I read a book and think "whoah, this dude is freaking smart". But yeah, this dude is crazy smart. And with a wicked sense of humor.
I'm reading two books. One is General Grant's memoirs. We didn't study him much in school, so I wasn't aware that he had such a sense of humor, but he makes a couple of jokes here and there!
The other is about the Alhambra. Now I want to visit the Alhambra!
It's okay, I got reincarnated and I'll make different mistakes the second time. No cigars, for one...
I picked up a book at the thrift store yesterday called In The Heart Of The Sea, about the whaleship Essex, which was a real ship that probably inspired Moby Dick.
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
But was it good?
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
But was it good?
Excellent. Although maybe less interesting to people who don’t have depressive or addictive issues. But for me it was like hearing my own thought patterns and modes of thinking. All from the perspective of someone waaaay smarter and more perceptive. It was pretty awesome.
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
But was it good?
Excellent. Although maybe less interesting to people who don’t have depressive or addictive issues. But for me it was like hearing my own thought patterns and modes of thinking. All from the perspective of someone waaaay smarter and more perceptive. It was pretty awesome.
This is one of those books that lots of people want to read, or want to have read, but gets abandoned pretty frequently. I may have to sample it and see how it goes.
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
But was it good?
Excellent. Although maybe less interesting to people who don’t have depressive or addictive issues. But for me it was like hearing my own thought patterns and modes of thinking. All from the perspective of someone waaaay smarter and more perceptive. It was pretty awesome.
This is one of those books that lots of people want to read, or want to have read, but gets abandoned pretty frequently. I may have to sample it and see how it goes.
I have abandoned Infinite Jest three times now.
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
But was it good?
Excellent. Although maybe less interesting to people who don’t have depressive or addictive issues. But for me it was like hearing my own thought patterns and modes of thinking. All from the perspective of someone waaaay smarter and more perceptive. It was pretty awesome.
This is one of those books that lots of people want to read, or want to have read, but gets abandoned pretty frequently. I may have to sample it and see how it goes.
I have abandoned Infinite Jest three times now.
I read it once and quite liked it, but... it is a very immersive read, and takes some effort/concentration to get into. I think you have to be in a frame of mind to read that kind of book.
Just finished "Infinite Jest". That was, uhm, intense.
But was it good?
Excellent. Although maybe less interesting to people who don’t have depressive or addictive issues. But for me it was like hearing my own thought patterns and modes of thinking. All from the perspective of someone waaaay smarter and more perceptive. It was pretty awesome.
This is one of those books that lots of people want to read, or want to have read, but gets abandoned pretty frequently. I may have to sample it and see how it goes.
I have abandoned Infinite Jest three times now.
I've finished the following books recently:-
1. Past Tense - the latest Jack Reacher novel. I love all of his novels and this was just as good as the others but it feels a little bit like I've read it before.
2. Skyward- Brandon Sanderson. It was good. I reckon Sanderson is one of the best science fiction/fantasy writers out there.
3. In a house of lies - Ian Rankin. The latest Rebus novel. One of the best crime writers and Rebus is one of the best characters out there.
4. Michael Connelly - Dark Sacred Night. It was good like all his books.
5. The Outsider - Stephen King. Quality book.
6. Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions - Johann Hari. This was really good.
7. Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs - Johann Hari. This was fascinating. It's about the war on drugs and how it hasn't worked.
I've finished the following books recently:-
1. Past Tense - the latest Jack Reacher novel. I love all of his novels and this was just as good as the others but it feels a little bit like I've read it before.
2. Skyward- Brandon Sanderson. It was good. I reckon Sanderson is one of the best science fiction/fantasy writers out there.
3. In a house of lies - Ian Rankin. The latest Rebus novel. One of the best crime writers and Rebus is one of the best characters out there.
4. Michael Connelly - Dark Sacred Night. It was good like all his books.
5. The Outsider - Stephen King. Quality book.
6. Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions - Johann Hari. This was really good.
7. Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs - Johann Hari. This was fascinating. It's about the war on drugs and how it hasn't worked.
I made a note of your Ian Rankin recommendation and just finished Knots and Crosses, which I believe was his first novel. Pretty good.
I've finished the following books recently:-
2. Skyward- Brandon Sanderson. It was good. I reckon Sanderson is one of the best science fiction/fantasy writers out there.
Currently on my 2nd time through the Aeneid. First time was reading the Fagles translation, which made Virgil sound too much like Homer, IMO. Now I'm reading the David Ferry translation and so far I'm liking it much better.
Next up are "Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing,"
I just had the weird experience of reading How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan (not done yet, but enjoying so far) about emerging research on valuable uses of psychedelics, while listening to Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty, which is about a psychedelic "experiment" at a wellness resort gone very far awry. I've loved Liane Moriarty for a long time - perfect potato chip novels - but she's getting a bit formulaic and I couldn't stop thinking about how much Michael Pollan and all the experts and researchers he talks to for the book would disapprove of the plot in Nine Perfect Strangers. As if psychedelics didn't already have a bad enough name after the 60s!
Currently working on I Heart My Little A-Holes. A book about being a parent...
I'm also reading All.Creatures Great and Small to DS.
Currently working on I Heart My Little A-Holes. A book about being a parent...
I'm also reading All.Creatures Great and Small to DS.
Very cool. I was raised on the Herriot books. When I was little I thought every veterinarian I met must be so cool... but mostly they just stuck their hands up our cows backsides....haha
Ron Chernow's 'Washington'
S.A. Chakrobaty's 'Kingdom of Copper'
Ron Chernow's 'Washington'
S.A. Chakrobaty's 'Kingdom of Copper'
I really enjoyed Chernow's Alexander Hamilton bio. How's the Washington one?
reading "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" by Alfred Lansing. So good so far!
I was reading "The Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver, and I've loved everything I've ever read of hers...but that book was terrible! I gave up about 5 chapters in.
I've just finished reading:-
1. Sapiens - this is fantastic. I loved it. It's non-fiction and it takes some time for me to read because I read a chapter or page here and there but it was great.
2. Suspect & Lost by Michael Robotham. These were both good. I finished these fairly quickly.
Just finished reading Out of Sight by Elmore Leonard whilst sitting on a beach in the Caribbean. Best way to read that or any other book, IMO : )
I've just finished reading:-
1. Sapiens - this is fantastic. I loved it. It's non-fiction and it takes some time for me to read because I read a chapter or page here and there but it was great.
2. Suspect & Lost by Michael Robotham. These were both good. I finished these fairly quickly.
Sapiens was awesome - it really told a great overarching story of our species. If you liked it, I'd recommend checking out Gleick's "The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood". It takes the same approach but focuses on how we ended up in "The Information Age".
Started reading ‘The Vanishing American Adult’ by Nebraska senator Ben Sasse. I wasn’t sure whether it would be an interesting look at American society or a political manifesto full of conservative propaganda. I started yesterday and I’m already half way through, and will probably finish it by tomorrow. I don’t agree with everything he has said, but have found it to be a good and enjoyable read, and generally I agree with much of what he says about the decay of self-reliance in modern America.
If you like MMM philosophy, there’s a lot to like in this book. So far it’s been a pleasant surprise.
Ripper by Isabel Allende. So awful. So formulaic and overwrought. It was an audiobook and I also didn't like the reader.
I thought I had heard Allende was a great novelist, and I was intrigued by her relationship to Salvador Allende. I saw her speak at a fundraising gala last year and was further intrigued, just now getting a chance to read something by her. I guess it was a poor choice, though it was so bad I'm not sure I can get up the gumption to try anything else by her.
I decided to use 2019 to finish some book series that I started, but never got around to completing. To that end, I read Northern Lights (Golden Compass) a couple weeks ago, finished The Subtle Knife yesterday, and am started on The Amber Spyglass. While reading I heard that BBC/HBO are coming out with a new mini-series remake of the entire trilogy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials_(TV_series) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Dark_Materials_(TV_series))), which could be good!
Centennial by James Michener
Oof...this is a pretty good story, but some of the chapters are SO detailed and drawn out. And I usually love detail oriented books! This is a whole new level. Also it's nearly 1000 pages so I'll be chipping away for a while.
Janet Lowe - Warren Buffett Speaks : Wit and Wisdom from the World Greatest Investor.I love Buffett. Another one I have heard him use, but no idea if in that book, is "Take the high road; it's far less crowded".
Best quote for me :
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world in terms of what I do for a living. No one can tell me to do things I don’t believe in or things I think are stupid.”
The wonders of financial independence :)
I'm reading "The Beekeepers Lament." Really interesting, and makes me want to cut down on my almond consumption. Ugh, such a complicated issue.
The book is written to be engaging, and seems to be well-informed. It focuses on a large bee operation that works between California, Idaho and the Dakotas.
David Deutsch - The Fabric of Reality. I actually had started with a different book of his, The Beginning of Infinity but I realized that Beginning of Infinity depended upon understanding a lot of the concepts that were laid down in Fabric of Reality.
So, about 2/3rd of the way through and I'm stuck on the "Time, the first Quantum concept" chapter. It goes so against common sense (and even newtonian and einsteinian views of time) that it's really hard to get my head around. I actually am having to read the damn chapter twice (which never happens to me). Wish me luck :P
David Deutsch - The Fabric of Reality. I actually had started with a different book of his, The Beginning of Infinity but I realized that Beginning of Infinity depended upon understanding a lot of the concepts that were laid down in Fabric of Reality.
So, about 2/3rd of the way through and I'm stuck on the "Time, the first Quantum concept" chapter. It goes so against common sense (and even newtonian and einsteinian views of time) that it's really hard to get my head around. I actually am having to read the damn chapter twice (which never happens to me). Wish me luck :P
Maybe if the many worlds theory is true, there is a version of you that has read and understood the whole thing.
Fiction related to the multiverse: The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland.
The slow read: Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky
The faster read: A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea by Masaji Ishikawa
(man, I never knew it was so bad in North Korea.)
David Deutsch - The Fabric of Reality. I actually had started with a different book of his, The Beginning of Infinity but I realized that Beginning of Infinity depended upon understanding a lot of the concepts that were laid down in Fabric of Reality.
So, about 2/3rd of the way through and I'm stuck on the "Time, the first Quantum concept" chapter. It goes so against common sense (and even newtonian and einsteinian views of time) that it's really hard to get my head around. I actually am having to read the damn chapter twice (which never happens to me). Wish me luck :P
I'm a ~3rd of the way through The Man in the High Castle, by Philip K. Dick. I had to travel a lot for work in May & June, and used some airplane/travel time to watch the entirety of this TV show on Amazon. I'm really enjoying the book, which has a lot of very different points than the TV show.
"Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders. Fiction based on a real incident of Abraham Lincoln visiting the crypt of his son Willie days after the boy's death. Saunders imagines the cemetery inhabitants observing this and also their other musings while they are in the "bardo" (a transitional state, like purgatory, according to Tibetan tradition.)
I found it wildly creative and inventive, but most in my book club disliked it.
Just finished Miraculous Abundance, about a bio-intensive market garden in France getting greater productivity per acre on a microfarm than petroleum-based agriculture does. It made me want to move to Normandy and become a farmer. :-)
Before that, I read Retro Tech by John Michael Greer. Interesting thinking about the post-petroleum era facing us, and how older technologies may inspire new approaches going forward. I think Mustachians would like this one a lot too.
Just finished Miraculous Abundance, about a bio-intensive market garden in France getting greater productivity per acre on a microfarm than petroleum-based agriculture does. It made me want to move to Normandy and become a farmer. :-)
Before that, I read Retro Tech by John Michael Greer. Interesting thinking about the post-petroleum era facing us, and how older technologies may inspire new approaches going forward. I think Mustachians would like this one a lot too.
The problem for most cultures isn't exactly getting more t per hectar, it is more about getting more ton per workhour. You can almost always find a way to produce the same or even more than extensive agriculture, but you are back to hand-work again. I guess it is the same here. If you want to pick weeds by hand...
Of course in low fertility areas it is different because of the fertilizers nature just can't provide right in place.
Just finished American Spy, which was pretty fun and probably the only book about the political history of Burkina Faso (or a historical fiction version of it) in the English language!
I'm drowning in books right now! Terrible vortex of library and book club deadlines.
Today I started listening to Blowout by Rachel Maddow and also on the docket today is to read a bit of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson pre-nap, finish Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness this afternoon, and start A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki tonight. If I can get through these quickly enough, I've got The Testaments by Margaret Atwood and The Broken Girls by Simone St. James to read by the end of the month. Oh, and there's a couple more books from the library that just became available from my hold list. Sheesh!
Just finished American Spy, which was pretty fun and probably the only book about the political history of Burkina Faso (or a historical fiction version of it) in the English language!
Just finished American Spy, which was pretty fun and probably the only book about the political history of Burkina Faso (or a historical fiction version of it) in the English language!
Oh, that sounds awesome! Have reserved at my city's library... 19th in line for 7 copies. Must be a popular book.
I picked up my new fun books: Let's Pretend This Never Happened, by Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess), and Alone Atop the Hill, the autobiography of Alice Dunnigan, the first African-American woman in the White House press corps.
I picked up my new fun books: Let's Pretend This Never Happened, by Jenny Lawson (The Bloggess), and Alone Atop the Hill, the autobiography of Alice Dunnigan, the first African-American woman in the White House press corps.
I love "Let's Pretend This Never Happened," to the point where I bought a keeper copy for my bookshelf. My favorite chapter is the one about her adventures in HR early in her career. My best friend adores the same author's "Furiously Happy." That book really delves into her mental health struggles, which my friend shares, so it really resonated with her. I enjoyed it too, although it didn't have the same meaning for me.
omg, a Tale for the Time Being is one of my favorites. I don't even know why, because it's such an odd book, but it just hit me in a very unique way and I was absolutely tickled and in love with it.
Just finished Affluence Without Abundance: What We Can Learn from the World's Most Successful Civilisation, about the Bushmen of southern Africa, and how an egalitarian hunter-gatherer society actually worked: a really interesting book. (Fun fact: if you hang out for long with Bushmen, apparently, and you're not a complete asshole, they give you a Bushman name. There are only a hundred and some names, and if you're given, say, "Kinta," you're considered to be the cousin of everyone else named "Kinta," so you have relatives all over the place.)
I've just finished Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell. Totally had low expectations because I'm getting a little burned out on his schtick (I'm a subscriber to his podcast, Revisionist History). But I did enjoy it! As usually, he makes some unusual or unique connections and provokes some thought. It didn't hang together in the end quite as much as I'd hoped it would, but it did somewhat. And I guess his schtick is still successful at sucking me in ;)
Anyone got any recommendations on post apocalyptic/zombie books?
No zombies (well, not the traditional sort, anyway), but the first half-dozen of S.M. Stirling's "Dies The Fire" series are pretty good. Even better, IMHO, is the connected inverse "Island in the Sea of Time". (Connected in that the premise of the latter is that an 'Event' throws the island of Nantucket back to the Bronze Age, while the side effects basically kill off most technology in the modern world. So you have one bunch trying to recreate enough tech to survive from a very small base, another bunch learning to survive without it,
Trying to get into Hyperion by Dan Simmons but it hasnt really grabbed me yet.
I’ll give it another 50pp before moving to something else.
I used to feel defeated when i couldn’t finish a book, but I’ve become much more willing to just abandon one if I’m not enjoying it.
Quitting Hyperion fifty pages in was the right call :-)
It was always maybe about to get really good, but then... it didn't.
Quitting Hyperion fifty pages in was the right call :-)
It was always maybe about to get really good, but then... it didn't.
I just finished On the Beach (https://www.amazon.com/Beach-nevil-shute/dp/1076045588/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=on+the+beach&qid=1572464348&s=books&sr=1-1), which is an interesting post-apocalyptic novel set in Australia. It also has been mentioned as an influence of the Mad Max films/series. It's slow moving, but I think that's intentional and adds to the suspense.
i just finished 'johnny got his gun'. horrifying.
I finally finished Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China. The earlier part, in the imperial period, is quite interesting, but most of the book is focused on the Communist period and within that, the Cultural Revolution. This really opened my eyes, as I've never learned a lot about it. I think I thought it was just like a lot of book burning and no music or films or anything, especially if any Western influence. But I had no idea it was so violent and also how severe the oppression of education was altogether. Where this family lived, at least, there was no schooling of any kind for the better part of a decade! Highly informative and written well overall.
“Playing With Fire”
I can’t believe my local library has it!
Ryan Holiday's new book, Stillness is the Key.
I've read his previous 2 books and also The Daily Stoic which he co-authored. Really good stuff, all on Stoicism.
Side note, looks like I just bought Stillness is the Key from our library....left it on our couch and found our puppy had gotten on the couch and decided to chew on it! Brand new book, I'm the first to check it out :-(
Yesterday I finished "Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love." I thought this was a great book that could be really useful potentially in the future and helped me recognize many reasons why my relationship is so successful. As I told my husband, it also helped me figure out a lot of what went wrong in my prior relationship, which was sort of interesting and instructive. We both sort of laughed about that, but I feel both simultaneously super grateful and just a little sad that I didn't have this book back then.
Next I think I'm going back to Jack London's complete works. Last I read The Sea Wolf and Martin Eden from that collection.
Just finished the new Margaret Atwood book, The Testaments, the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. I really enjoyed it, although it is very different from the first book, which is hyperfocused on the experience of the Handmaid Offred and told only from her point of view on her very restricted life. In the Handmaid's Tale, plot events that are a big deal to Offred are actually fairly minor events (which of course is the point.) The Testaments is told from the perspectives of three very different women and includes a lot more action. I really loved the more extensive world-building and learning more about life outside the Handmaids (who are fairly minor characters here...this book focuses on Wives and Aunts). For those who watch the television series, the book reflects events through the end of the second season (so beyond the end of the original book) but at that point the two narratives head off in independent directions; when the series and the first book differ, it follows the precedent set by the book. For instance, in the book wives of the non-elite have a very distinctive costume that was not used for the show, but it's referenced in The Testaments. I really liked what the novel did with the character of Aunt Lydia so I am curious to see if the television series borrows it at all--they may decide they are too far down their own path, although I think there has been some hinting in the past season that they might be going there.
Next I think I'm going back to Jack London's complete works. Last I read The Sea Wolf and Martin Eden from that collection.
Great choice.
Kindle had his books for free and I got the whole set. One of my favorites was the Valley of the Moon and the Call of the Wild.
Just finished Beyond Good and Evil and am now plowing through Thus Spoke Zarathustra.Spoiler: God is dead!
Just finished Beyond Good and Evil and am now plowing through Thus Spoke Zarathustra.Spoiler: God is dead!
Just finished Beyond Good and Evil and am now plowing through Thus Spoke Zarathustra.Spoiler: God is dead!
I'm finding that Nietzsche is best when he's being critical of other ideologies. But when it comes to his own ideas - man he has bad ideas. Mainly he comes off as a petulant adolescent going into a rage/rant.
I kind of want to do a deep dive into Kant next, but I'm finding that philosophy has less and less meaningful things to say in the wake of all the new science around human behavior. Particularly the work of people like Robert Sapolsky.
Just finished Beyond Good and Evil and am now plowing through Thus Spoke Zarathustra.Spoiler: God is dead!
I'm finding that Nietzsche is best when he's being critical of other ideologies. But when it comes to his own ideas - man he has bad ideas. Mainly he comes off as a petulant adolescent going into a rage/rant.
I kind of want to do a deep dive into Kant next, but I'm finding that philosophy has less and less meaningful things to say in the wake of all the new science around human behavior. Particularly the work of people like Robert Sapolsky.
Just finished Beyond Good and Evil and am now plowing through Thus Spoke Zarathustra.Spoiler: God is dead!
I'm finding that Nietzsche is best when he's being critical of other ideologies. But when it comes to his own ideas - man he has bad ideas. Mainly he comes off as a petulant adolescent going into a rage/rant.
I kind of want to do a deep dive into Kant next, but I'm finding that philosophy has less and less meaningful things to say in the wake of all the new science around human behavior. Particularly the work of people like Robert Sapolsky.
Nietsche is also in the bad tradition, like so many before him, to not always write what he means (or put it into a lyrical form like Zarathustra). That he got mentally sick does not help either.
On the other hand, he tends to have shorter sentences than e.g. Kant ;)
Too bad those guys didn't know the game Go. I wonder what they would have thought about it.
Tyson, just felt compelled to chime in on this one. As a believer it always pains me to see this type of attempt to "understand" the Bible. Likely what I will share will not do much, but will share/offer just the same.
Next up is the big one, the one I've been avoiding reading my whole adult life - The Bible. As I'm from the South, a bunch of it has seeped into me just through osmosis. But it'll be good to read the source, directly. So that way I can know with greater precision exactly what I am rejecting. Ha, but it won't be a short read - probably 6 months, or longer!
Tyson, just felt compelled to chime in on this one. As a believer it always pains me to see this type of attempt to "understand" the Bible. Likely what I will share will not do much, but will share/offer just the same.
Next up is the big one, the one I've been avoiding reading my whole adult life - The Bible. As I'm from the South, a bunch of it has seeped into me just through osmosis. But it'll be good to read the source, directly. So that way I can know with greater precision exactly what I am rejecting. Ha, but it won't be a short read - probably 6 months, or longer!
The Bible is not a book that will make a lot of sense by just reading it. It does therefore make it easy to proof text and look for where things seem to not align or seem to contradict other portions and build up that rejection, or to focus on passages that are offensive in today's culture. Whether you believe or not is something that is between you and the God it seems you reject, but if you did ever want to engage in a bit of discussion, I have had several conversation with several other atheists/non-believers/whatever your variation that I was told were appreciated for their reasoned approach and lack of bible thumping, including some on this forum. You can always PM me with questions if you'd like. Just offering in case you do want to explore or understand what the other side sees in a specific area.
As an additional point if you do get through the Bible in 6 months you will have gotten through much faster than most, so can feel accomplished for that, as a year long Bible reading plan is pretty brisk. Keep in mind there are over 1,000 chapters so even a year means a pace of around 3 chapters a day.
Just finished Postwar by Tony Judt. It was pretty incredible. It explained a huge swath of what happened to Europe, both east and west, to get us to our current point. At almost 900 pages it's not a short read, but I can say that the prose and writing was excellent and always engaging. Highly recommended.
Just started reading a book called Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson. It's the only real sci-fi book on many ofBill Gates' favorite books lists. So far so good.
Also, related, my goal for last year was to read 12 books. I'm proud to report that I read 14!
I'm a third of the way through Magic for Liars, by Sarah Gailey. No surprise as a former Harry Potter lover, I. Am. INTO IT.
I'm a third of the way through Magic for Liars, by Sarah Gailey. No surprise as a former Harry Potter lover, I. Am. INTO IT.
oooh, added to my list!
Speaking of list, do any of you use some app or just system generally to keep your to-read book list? I have like 3 or 4 going right now and need to consolidate, but none of them are ideal. I keep some on goodreads which is convenient, but I can't make notes there about how the book was recommended to me or other things. Also goodreads is generally ok on my phone but super buggy in a browser.
I also have a list on a simple google doc where I do keep notes, but it's a mess. And one of the 3 libraries that I get books on also has a list function that I've sometimes used. Where I should I consolidate my lists to?
I'm a third of the way through Magic for Liars, by Sarah Gailey. No surprise as a former Harry Potter lover, I. Am. INTO IT.
oooh, added to my list!
Speaking of list, do any of you use some app or just system generally to keep your to-read book list? I have like 3 or 4 going right now and need to consolidate, but none of them are ideal. I keep some on goodreads which is convenient, but I can't make notes there about how the book was recommended to me or other things. Also goodreads is generally ok on my phone but super buggy in a browser.
I also have a list on a simple google doc where I do keep notes, but it's a mess. And one of the 3 libraries that I get books on also has a list function that I've sometimes used. Where I should I consolidate my lists to?
The Illiad.
Paris was a little bitch.
The Illiad.
Paris was a little bitch.
The Illiad.
Paris was a little bitch.
I'll take Paris over Achilles or Agamemnon.
The Illiad.
Paris was a little bitch.
I'll take Paris over Achilles or Agamemnon.
At least Achilles and Agamemnon were competent warriors. Paris is all hat and no cattle.
Although, Agamemnon went to war because his brother's wife was kidnapped/ran off. Then he goes and steals another dude's girl. That's some hardcore dissonance right there.
The Illiad.
Paris was a little bitch.
I'll take Paris over Achilles or Agamemnon.
At least Achilles and Agamemnon were competent warriors. Paris is all hat and no cattle.
Although, Agamemnon went to war because his brother's wife was kidnapped/ran off. Then he goes and steals another dude's girl. That's some hardcore dissonance right there.
...Last week, I just finished reading SevenEves by Neal Stephenson. Can we talk about what a big, crazy book that is?
Contrast to my prior post: listening now to Here Come the Witches by Lindy West. Good clean fun (laugh/cry emoji) and love hearing her read it herself.
...
I may be wrong, but isn't that the standard for Neal Stephenson?
When I first read Diamond Age I was so AARRRGGG that we could not just drop a few billion of those AI books on the children of Earth...
At the behest of just about everyone I know, I just started reading A Gentleman in Moscow (https://www.amazon.com/Gentleman-Moscow-Novel-Amor-Towles/dp/0670026190) by Amor Towles. I'm only a couple of pages in, but really enjoying it.
...Last week, I just finished reading SevenEves by Neal Stephenson. Can we talk about what a big, crazy book that is? The first 2/3rds of the book read as excellent space-based science fiction with an apocalyptic edge, and the last 1/3rd completely transforms into a weird fantasy/Dungeons-&-Dragon-esque quest story. I almost wish that the book had just ended after the first section (around page 600- plenty long), and then the author could've written another novel if he wanted to bring in that later part.
I tend to agree with that sentiment. The first part was very engaging, the second part... meh. But still a great book overall due to the heavy lifting of the first part.
I just read J. Ryan Stradal's The Lager Queen of Minnesota...
I just read J. Ryan Stradal's The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Kitchens of the Great Midwest in one sitting total, back-to-back. Very readable, digestible books that are near food but not really about it. Really pleasant, escapist fare that gets me out of my apartment for a bit.
The Ickabog will be published for free on this website, in instalments, over the next seven weeks, a chapter (or two, or three), at a time. It isn’t Harry Potter and it doesn’t include magic. This is an entirely different story.
I just finished Hidden Valley Road, Inside the Mind of an American Family. This family had 12 children and 6 of them had schizophrenia. The book details the history of the family and overlays the history of schizophrenia research and treatments. Really interesting.
Reading Jim Butcher's latest installment of the Dresden Files novels - Peace Talks. He already has another one slated for publishing later this year per Amazon, so that's two additions to the series after a few years of writing his other series (which I've never really read, oddly, since I like his Dresden Files novels so much)
This thread needs a poke, so I'll go:
Reading Jim Butcher's latest installment of the Dresden Files novels - Peace Talks. He already has another one slated for publishing later this year per Amazon, so that's two additions to the series after a few years of writing his other series (which I've never really read, oddly, since I like his Dresden Files novels so much)
Also just started the Einstein bio from Walter Isaacson.
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life after Warming.Nothing about that topic is. If you are interested in this, "climate fiction" is already a genre.
Just a warn: It is not an uplifting read.
I've been rereading a book by John Ringo called "The Last Centurion". The thing about John Ringo is that he's a great storyteller, but he leans to the right politically.
In this story, Hilary Warwick won the election in 2016 and the world undergoes a pandemic in 2019. The fatality rate is much more serious than COVID, but it's still a global pandemic.
Mr Ringo gets up on his political hobby horse. Hilary bungles the pandemic, in many ways exactly like Donald has. I feel a bit badly for the man right now, he must be suffering from a lot of cognitive dissonance.
I also just finished Scalzi’s Interdependency trilogy.
I've been rereading a book by John Ringo called "The Last Centurion". The thing about John Ringo is that he's a great storyteller, but he leans to the right politically.
In this story, Hilary Warwick won the election in 2016 and the world undergoes a pandemic in 2019. The fatality rate is much more serious than COVID, but it's still a global pandemic.
Mr Ringo gets up on his political hobby horse. Hilary bungles the pandemic, in many ways exactly like Donald has. I feel a bit badly for the man right now, he must be suffering from a lot of cognitive dissonance.
Someone gave me that book years ago and I've never read it. No reason other than it just never made it to the top of the heap. Maybe I'll give it a shot.
My wife was recently cleaning out a closet at her parent's house, and found some books from her college days. One that I picked up is Mao Zedong by Jonathan Spence (https://www.amazon.com/Mao-Zedong-Life-Jonathan-Spence/dp/0143037722).After that get a book on Xi Jiping, the current leader.
Definitely interesting to learn about the early life and motivations of a man that literally changed the course of history and influenced current living conditions/culture for ~18% of the humans living on Earth. It definitely seems like he's a little crazy/extreme and he did some horrible things, but it's still interesting to learn. It's also a quick read. I'm like halfway through, so far I recommend.
...
After that get a book on Xi Jiping, the current leader.
It's an incredible story, nearly as baffling as Maos, and there are a lot... connections.
It will help you a lot understanding today's China.
I just read Eoin Colfer's Highfire in one sitting, and it had me cracking up basically continuously. Highly recommended. That sucker had better be a movie in 5 years (if movies are still a thing in 5 years).Sounds like it is not very different from that Artemis series then :D
I fucked up and bit off a piece of a whole bunch of books - The Art of Frugal Hedonism by Annie Raser-Rowland and Adam Grubb, Pretty Good Number One by Matthew Amster-Burton, The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell, and A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. Oops.Permaculture would make it more interesting for me. There are some very interesting videos on youtube, especially those about India and rain catching, what a tremendous difference a few ditches and lakes can make. Here is the first hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDMnbeW3F8A
The Art of Frugal Hedonism is terrific. It's my favorite FI book by far - actual frugality, I Don't Give A Fuck dumpster divin' attitude and excess capitalization a la MMM, a really good focus on what makes you happy rather than convention, and a great sense of humor. That book is WAY underappreciated in the community, maybe because it was written by an Australian and because they come from the permaculture world and not the personal finance world. But man is it good - everyone should check it out.
I fucked up and bit off a piece of a whole bunch of books - The Art of Frugal Hedonism by Annie Raser-Rowland and Adam Grubb, Pretty Good Number One by Matthew Amster-Burton, The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell, and A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold. Oops.Permaculture would make it more interesting for me. There are some very interesting videos on youtube, especially those about India and rain catching, what a tremendous difference a few ditches and lakes can make. Here is the first hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDMnbeW3F8A
The Art of Frugal Hedonism is terrific. It's my favorite FI book by far - actual frugality, I Don't Give A Fuck dumpster divin' attitude and excess capitalization a la MMM, a really good focus on what makes you happy rather than convention, and a great sense of humor. That book is WAY underappreciated in the community, maybe because it was written by an Australian and because they come from the permaculture world and not the personal finance world. But man is it good - everyone should check it out.
Did you read Fool by Christopher Moore first? Serpent is the second book of a series (currently a trilogy).
I'm currently reading The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789. Pretty good so far.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22889768-the-quartet
I'm currently reading The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789. Pretty good so far.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22889768-the-quartet
I enjoyed The Quartet so much that I read another of Ellis' books right after; Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. I'd recommend both to anyone interested in US history.
Today I wrapped up The Art of Frugal Hedonism. As others here have said, it was a fun read. It was nice to hear how much fun the authors seem to be having with life despite spending very little.
Now I'm making my way through 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H. Cline.
I'm currently reading The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789. Pretty good so far.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22889768-the-quartet
I enjoyed The Quartet so much that I read another of Ellis' books right after; Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. I'd recommend both to anyone interested in US history.
Today I wrapped up The Art of Frugal Hedonism. As others here have said, it was a fun read. It was nice to hear how much fun the authors seem to be having with life despite spending very little.
Now I'm making my way through 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H. Cline.
Those sound great.
I just started Steinbeck's East of Eden. I live quite close to the Salinas Valley (the "salad bowl of America"), where it is set, so this is already fascinating to me.
"Shrill" by Lindy West. Her memoir of growing up fat, with a love of music and comedy. Review describes it as "advancing feminist politics through humor."
Don't be misled, it's not a "har har everything's funny" story, it's more of an inside look at the comedy scene and social media from someone who is experienced with navigating being fat and opinionated in a culture that loves its females to petite and on the quiet side. Some descriptions of her experience with trolls on the internet are hair-raising.
We are now reading "State Secretaries of State" by Jocelyn Benson the Secretary of State from Michigan. Also very insightful, but it is basically a textbook so be aware of that if you decide to seek it out, but after the election we have just gone through, I wanted to know more about this obscure job and this book she wrote through her professorship at Wayne State is really well done.
My Dark Vanessa, a novel about a 15 year old girl who is sexually abused/has an affair (choose your phrase) by her middle aged teacher. It is fascinating to watch her understanding change about his role in the years after. Her feelings of power and control are intoxicating, and her acknowledgement of those feelings feed her guilt in participating in it. She crafts a “ love story” view of them together which he encourages to keep her silent and not report him.
It is interesting to see how she handles her thoughts and feelings juxtaposed with today’s culture of 0 tolerance for sexual abuse.
Nabokov’s Lolita figures prominently in this novel as a touchstone.
My Dark Vanessa, a novel about a 15 year old girl who is sexually abused/has an affair (choose your phrase) by her middle aged teacher. It is fascinating to watch her understanding change about his role in the years after. Her feelings of power and control are intoxicating, and her acknowledgement of those feelings feed her guilt in participating in it. She crafts a “ love story” view of them together which he encourages to keep her silent and not report him.
It is interesting to see how she handles her thoughts and feelings juxtaposed with today’s culture of 0 tolerance for sexual abuse.
Nabokov’s Lolita figures prominently in this novel as a touchstone.
This book is next up in my library holds. I will be interested to see if I like it.
Obama's book, "A Promised Land," which I only discovered after diving in is just volume 1 and an intended volume 2 is yet to be written. This one is 768 pages. Yikes.
Anyway, there are frequently interesting tidbits. But it's also been pretty depressing to relive it all. I was disappointed to learn that Obama apparently likes his steak medium well.
Obama's book, "A Promised Land," which I only discovered after diving in is just volume 1 and an intended volume 2 is yet to be written. This one is 768 pages. Yikes.
Anyway, there are frequently interesting tidbits. But it's also been pretty depressing to relive it all. I was disappointed to learn that Obama apparently likes his steak medium well.
I got this for Hanukkah but haven't started it yet. Have you read any of his other books?
I tend to have multiple books going at once. Right now I'm reading.
- The Daily Stoic (One page per day per year)
- Think Like a Monk
- A People's History of the United States
Malcolm Gladwell's Talking to Strangers on the Libby app.
Anyone who doesn't know about the Libby app should check it out (oooh, pun). Libby is a library app that allows you to use your own local library membership to get access to a larger national library. I've now read 4 books on it (you can also read on your Kindle).
Malcolm Gladwell's Talking to Strangers on the Libby app.
Anyone who doesn't know about the Libby app should check it out (oooh, pun). Libby is a library app that allows you to use your own local library membership to get access to a larger national library. I've now read 4 books on it (you can also read on your Kindle).
i got libby recently but i'm stuck with my local library. how do you access other libraries?
...
i just started 'white fang'. i'm sucked in.
A Wrinkle in Time. It seems that it can be a bad idea to re-read a beloved book from childhood. I'm going to finish it - I'm still curious about what happens, because I've forgotten a lot of it. But it's disappointing.Yeah I re-read it a year or two ago and was pretty underwhelmed as well. I had read it when I was like 8 or 9 and while I didn't love it as a kid it was definitely worse than I remembered. A simplistic plot, with bad characters that seemed to be just acting out their parts to fit the story. The cliche of "love" winning the day had me rolling my eyes.
That perfectly sums up 90% of Hollywood movies.A Wrinkle in Time. It seems that it can be a bad idea to re-read a beloved book from childhood. I'm going to finish it - I'm still curious about what happens, because I've forgotten a lot of it. But it's disappointing.Yeah I re-read it a year or two ago and was pretty underwhelmed as well. I had read it when I was like 8 or 9 and while I didn't love it as a kid it was definitely worse than I remembered. A simplistic plot, with bad characters that seemed to be just acting out their parts to fit the story. The cliche of "love" winning the day had me rolling my eyes.
Agree that Wrinkle in Time does not age well.That perfectly sums up 90% of Hollywood movies.A Wrinkle in Time. It seems that it can be a bad idea to re-read a beloved book from childhood. I'm going to finish it - I'm still curious about what happens, because I've forgotten a lot of it. But it's disappointing.Yeah I re-read it a year or two ago and was pretty underwhelmed as well. I had read it when I was like 8 or 9 and while I didn't love it as a kid it was definitely worse than I remembered. A simplistic plot, with bad characters that seemed to be just acting out their parts to fit the story. The cliche of "love" winning the day had me rolling my eyes.
Just starting re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia. Is it sad that I'm quite enjoying it?
Not for me! :)
I was fine with meritocracy as a kid and in college, but getting into the workplace and finding you actually belonged to your employer 24/7 and the constant pressure to sell yourself and be your own brand, etc. was just a real turn-off to me.Uh? That has nothing to do with merit or meritocracy, quite the opposite.
Maybe you should read the book? If two different authors did hundreds of hours of work on the question and concluded they are related, and you thought about it for a quarter of a second and concluded they are not, perhaps one of the two books would teach you something...I would prefer it if you could just give me a few lines of why the authors think those practically opposites are closely connected, before I order a book to be flown over the great water.
Here (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/09/meritocracys-miserable-winners/594760/) is a short statement of Meritocracy Trap's thesis
A person who extracts income and status from his own human capital places himself, quite literally, at the disposal of others—he uses himself up. Elite students desperately fear failure and crave the conventional markers of success, even as they see through and publicly deride mere “gold stars” and “shiny things.” Elite workers, for their part, find it harder and harder to pursue genuine passions or gain meaning through their work. Meritocracy traps entire generations inside demeaning fears and inauthentic ambitions: always hungry but never finding, or even knowing, the right food.
What the article really means is classicism.
I'm reading King Leopold's Ghost right now and although I'm less than 15% in, I'm fascinated. This was the book I was looking to read about 17-18 years ago, but didn't know existed. I've since traveled to Africa a handful of times and maybe it's better than I ended up waiting to find it.
I'm reading King Leopold's Ghost right now and although I'm less than 15% in, I'm fascinated. This was the book I was looking to read about 17-18 years ago, but didn't know existed. I've since traveled to Africa a handful of times and maybe it's better than I ended up waiting to find it.
Yeah, fascinating read. I have traveled often to DR Congo since the mid 1990s. It's a country I have never felt comfortable in.
If you enjoyed that, maybe give Tim Butcher's "Blood River" a try.
I just read Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik. I enjoyed her Temeraire series, but Uprooted and Spinning Silver are better, I think. I really like them.
Haha, right!What the article really means is classicism.
For future reference, the word "classicism" refers to ancient Greek and Roman art and literature. You're looking for "classism" in this context. Similar words with completely different meanings.
It strikes me that sometimes as a non-native speaker you take a narrow definition of a word that native speakers use more broadlyDefinition of words are problematic, especially across languages. That's why I try to get to the root. "Meritokratie" in German only refers to the governmental style. NOT to the trap mentioned, which, I think you will agree, is a strap-on to the original meaning (that may have happened in US English, but not in German).
One thing I am stumped by is the idea of trading with the same people, presumably, as you have previously raided (where the raiding was also always cyclical, each new raid just revenge for the prior). How does that relationship work?!
One thing I am stumped by is the idea of trading with the same people, presumably, as you have previously raided (where the raiding was also always cyclical, each new raid just revenge for the prior). How does that relationship work?!
You have me wondering that too.
Maybe if you come to trade, you make some signal that you come in peace? And maybe trading was important enough that people accepted the truce flag or whatever, taking their revenge on some other occasion?
I just finished reading Strong Towns. Good read for any mustachian. Anyone who watches the Not Just Bikes You-tubes will be familiar with Strong Towns ideas.
I just finished reading Strong Towns. Good read for any mustachian. Anyone who watches the Not Just Bikes You-tubes will be familiar with Strong Towns ideas.
This book looks really interesting, thanks for the suggestion!
I haven't opened it yet, but I just picked up Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity (https://www.amazon.com/Post-Corona-Opportunity-Scott-Galloway/dp/0593332210) by Scott Galloway from my local Library. I haven't read any of his books yet, but I definitely relate to some of the videos/tweets/excerpts I've seen from him, especially some of his criticisms of the Corporate-facing society we now live in. This TED talk (https://www.ted.com/talks/scott_galloway_how_amazon_apple_facebook_and_google_manipulate_our_emotions#t-202122) is a great example.
Man, people LOVE Frederik Backman (most famously, from what I can tell, A Man Called Ove) and I just can't stand him, I think. I did not like A Man Called Ove. It seemed so saccharine and predictable, but I'm trying Anxious People just because maybe Ove was a one-off?
But no, right away, I can tell the same tropes are being used. A horrible, awful downright tedious person. Someone I would probably murder if I knew in real life (and honestly, I do NOT make a habit of murdering people! Haven't even done it once so far, but would definitely give my first go if I met his characters) and then they turn out to be deeply hurt and damaged inside and you are supposed to forgive them, I guess, for being the worst assholes anyone's ever met?
I reject this entirely. Everyone is hurt and often deeply damaged inside the same way these asshole characters are in his books. But guess what? Like no one I've met in real life has managed to be such an asshole 100% of the time. 92%? Maybe! 75% certainly! But these people would definitely have been murdered by a fellow human for their horridness far before anyone got a chance to find out how hurt and damaged they were and that they are just lashing out and we should all just treat them even fucking better than all the characters already have been?
I'm sorry, I know this is will seem like a disproportionate rant but I honestly just don't know how his books are so universally loved. People really fucking love a goddamn redemption story I guess? I just want to see these people burn in hell, but I guess everyone else is happy that it is going to (so predictably!) end happily ever after with everyone learning more about their fellow humans and how we all just need to have a little more understanding of why these other people treat us like subhuman sludge and everything will work out super sweet.
Gross. me. out.
Tldr; 0/10 never recommend Frederik Backman.
Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct BehaviorSounds funny :D
Love the advice column.
Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct BehaviorSounds funny :D
Love the advice column.
Is it like "I will be so extremely friendly that everyone knows I would like to burn you on the stakes"?
She's also very against obvious gift grabs (people keep trying to convince her that registries can be a good thing, she's not buying it...get it? Not buying it...I'll see myself out).
Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavioris she still churning it out?
Love the advice column.
I'm reading the Gulag Archipelago, the authorised abridged version, which is still hella long.
Interesting topic for sure. I recently got a Garmin Instinct. Among the many features it has is a 'Sleep Tracker' function. It's been very interesting to see what type of sleep I've been getting. One big surprise for me was that over the past 10 days, I'm averaging something like 34 minutes of deep sleep per night to go along with an average of 3.5 hours of rem sleep.
Interesting topic for sure. I recently got a Garmin Instinct. Among the many features it has is a 'Sleep Tracker' function. It's been very interesting to see what type of sleep I've been getting. One big surprise for me was that over the past 10 days, I'm averaging something like 34 minutes of deep sleep per night to go along with an average of 3.5 hours of rem sleep. I was troubled by this as I felt more deep sleep was probably needed. I don't know much yet about the different types of sleep, but I gather that deep sleep is physical restoration whereas rem sleep is mental restoration....but sounds like I should probably read the book you're on @sui generis
Interesting topic for sure. I recently got a Garmin Instinct. Among the many features it has is a 'Sleep Tracker' function. It's been very interesting to see what type of sleep I've been getting. One big surprise for me was that over the past 10 days, I'm averaging something like 34 minutes of deep sleep per night to go along with an average of 3.5 hours of rem sleep. I was troubled by this as I felt more deep sleep was probably needed. I don't know much yet about the different types of sleep, but I gather that deep sleep is physical restoration whereas rem sleep is mental restoration....but sounds like I should probably read the book you're on @sui generis
Just finished "Soul of A Woman" by Isabelle Allende. It's her memoir, now that she's almost 80. An easy and engaging read of a life-long feminist.
Allende's adult daughter Paula died years ago and the profits from her book about it, "Paula" go to a foundation which helps women and girls in underdeveloped countries. Also interesting is that she just got remarried a few years ago - she really lives her live full blast.
Just finished
Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge
by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Wow wow wow. Anybody who has to deal with people who oppose Critical Race Theory, this is a great book to read. I had never heard this history of George Washington and sadly never thought about the perspective of the enslaved.
In general, it's great to be able to ask someone: "Are you familiar with the history of Ona Judge, George Washington's slave? No? It's documented with George Washington's own letters, accounting records, and testimony. Are you willing to let your kids learn history that is documented with facts even if it isn't the history that was taught when you were a child?"
Just finished
Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge
by Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Wow wow wow. Anybody who has to deal with people who oppose Critical Race Theory, this is a great book to read. I had never heard this history of George Washington and sadly never thought about the perspective of the enslaved.
In general, it's great to be able to ask someone: "Are you familiar with the history of Ona Judge, George Washington's slave? No? It's documented with George Washington's own letters, accounting records, and testimony. Are you willing to let your kids learn history that is documented with facts even if it isn't the history that was taught when you were a child?"
Wow, sounds interesting. Have you heard of How the Word is Passed? It's really excellent and has a number of well-told histories similar to this. You may find it worthwhile. In fact, I can't remember if it was this book, or another I read recently, which spent a little bit of time on Ona Judge.
1Q84. not sure if it's good or not. i'm not even really sure what it's about.
I liked the first half of 1Q84 but was put off by some of the creepy old man vibe coming across in the writing later in the book (won't mention cause spoilers). I abandoned the book 80% of the way through. I have a copy of Kafka on the Shore that I might try sometime since it is supposed to be much better.1Q84. not sure if it's good or not. i'm not even really sure what it's about.
I adore me some Murakami, but I perpetually feel like I have about a 30% grasp of the plot at any given point. I like the experience of being on shaky comprehension ground in the reading process, but it's certainly not for everyone.
After approximately nine million good reviews, I finally picked up Martha Wells' Murderbot Diaries series, which were excellent. One nice thing about them was that they are still really popular so I wasn't able to binge them...I had to take a pause between installments which made it very exciting as each one became available.
I liked the first half of 1Q84 but was put off by some of the creepy old man vibe coming across in the writing later in the book (won't mention cause spoilers). I abandoned the book 80% of the way through. I have a copy of Kafka on the Shore that I might try sometime since it is supposed to be much better.1Q84. not sure if it's good or not. i'm not even really sure what it's about.
I adore me some Murakami, but I perpetually feel like I have about a 30% grasp of the plot at any given point. I like the experience of being on shaky comprehension ground in the reading process, but it's certainly not for everyone.
The only thing I don't like is that the author overuses the word palimpsest. It's such a little-used word that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Like if someone very earnestly used the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious a few times....you can't not notice.
The only thing I don't like is that the author overuses the word palimpsest. It's such a little-used word that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Like if someone very earnestly used the word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious a few times....you can't not notice.
I can think of a couple of authors I've read who do that with a word or phrase; I always wonder why their editors don't point it out. It's especially jarring if they have multiple fictional characters using whatever the word is.
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 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'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'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!
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!
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.
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'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.
almost done with 'the ministry for the future' by kim stanley robinson. pretty cool sci fi about dealing with climate change.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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'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.
started 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro. A slow start so far but it seems to be building.
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.
started 'Klara and the Sun' by Kazuo Ishiguro. A slow start so far but it seems to be building.
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'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.
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'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.
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'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.
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.
Yeah, I'm super intrigued by the implications of the epilogue.Spoiler: show
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)
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)
Still in the middle of The Dark Forest right now, but something that (finally?) struck me is that apparently in this version of Earth there's no climate change? And based on our collective action (or lack thereof) on climate change so far, I don't know whether to be skeptical that humanity would actually pull together the vast resources and effort that they are in this book for a problem that is even more remote than climate change. . . or if it makes sense because humans are much more reactive to an active malevolent force than a passive one that we caused ourselves?
Definitely enjoying it, but just got a little sidetracked by that thought. Strategizing against an alien invasion is way sexier than climate change.
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)
Still in the middle of The Dark Forest right now, but something that (finally?) struck me is that apparently in this version of Earth there's no climate change? And based on our collective action (or lack thereof) on climate change so far, I don't know whether to be skeptical that humanity would actually pull together the vast resources and effort that they are in this book for a problem that is even more remote than climate change. . . or if it makes sense because humans are much more reactive to an active malevolent force than a passive one that we caused ourselves?
Definitely enjoying it, but just got a little sidetracked by that thought. Strategizing against an alien invasion is way sexier than climate change.
I just finished The Dark Forest and I was pretty sure there *was* climate change. Specifically desertification around Beijing. But it wasn't really dwelt on.
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)
Still in the middle of The Dark Forest right now, but something that (finally?) struck me is that apparently in this version of Earth there's no climate change? And based on our collective action (or lack thereof) on climate change so far, I don't know whether to be skeptical that humanity would actually pull together the vast resources and effort that they are in this book for a problem that is even more remote than climate change. . . or if it makes sense because humans are much more reactive to an active malevolent force than a passive one that we caused ourselves?
Definitely enjoying it, but just got a little sidetracked by that thought. Strategizing against an alien invasion is way sexier than climate change.
I just finished The Dark Forest and I was pretty sure there *was* climate change. Specifically desertification around Beijing. But it wasn't really dwelt on.
Unrelated to climate change, but there are other things I'm having difficulty wrapping my head around, the chief one being why off-planet arcs would be banned. If we're to believe that defeating the aliens is impossible (even though they have 400 years to come up with a solution), sending people off-world is a necessary way to extend the human race. Even if they can come up with a way to defeat the tri-solarans, sending some people off-world is a good hedge.
Their reason for outlawing it is that deciding who to put on the ships would create world-wide conflict, and I just don't see that. Deciding who to put on the ships should be painfully obvious. First, you need people who can operate the ships. Then, you need people who can do maintenance on the ships. Next, you need medical personnel, followed by people who can produce food/water (need experts who can do this on the arcs as well as those who can do it if the arc ever reaches another planet. You also need experts in every scientific field, and I'm sure there are others I've missed but would be identified by the people in charge.
Once you have established what you need, you can narrow down your list of qualified people 10 or so years prior to the actual launch and select via a lottery or some other unbiased method, with stipulations that those related to people involved in the selection process can't be selected.
Maybe I'm reading too deep into this, but I'm really struggling with why they outlawed escapism.
'this is how they tell me the world ends' by nichol perlroth. we are doomed.
Dirt by Bill Buford chronicles his years in Lyon FR training as a chef (as a middle aged husband and father). Quite interesting if you're into food and food history. A good follow up to his book Heat which was similar but took place in Italy a couple of years prior.
Dirt by Bill Buford chronicles his years in Lyon FR training as a chef (as a middle aged husband and father). Quite interesting if you're into food and food history. A good follow up to his book Heat which was similar but took place in Italy a couple of years prior.
My favorite quote about that book was from a friend who said "It's a book that helps you understand why people dislike the French and why people dislike Bill Buford".
Dirt by Bill Buford chronicles his years in Lyon FR training as a chef (as a middle aged husband and father). Quite interesting if you're into food and food history. A good follow up to his book Heat which was similar but took place in Italy a couple of years prior.
My favorite quote about that book was from a friend who said "It's a book that helps you understand why people dislike the French and why people dislike Bill Buford".
Interesting. It certainly depicts some rather unflattering aspects of a particular culture in France and Lyon doesn’t come off as a very friendly or particularly beautiful place. Professional kitchen subcultures are not generally considered “nice” places populated by “nice” people.
I’m not sure why anyone would dislike Buford based on the book. He overused the word apposite, which i found myself counting every time I encountered it, but otherwise I didn't form any unfavorable opinions about the man.
Dirt by Bill Buford chronicles his years in Lyon FR training as a chef (as a middle aged husband and father). Quite interesting if you're into food and food history. A good follow up to his book Heat which was similar but took place in Italy a couple of years prior.
My favorite quote about that book was from a friend who said "It's a book that helps you understand why people dislike the French and why people dislike Bill Buford".
Interesting. It certainly depicts some rather unflattering aspects of a particular culture in France and Lyon doesn’t come off as a very friendly or particularly beautiful place. Professional kitchen subcultures are not generally considered “nice” places populated by “nice” people.
I’m not sure why anyone would dislike Buford based on the book. He overused the word apposite, which i found myself counting every time I encountered it, but otherwise I didn't form any unfavorable opinions about the man.
Bill Buford has a bit of a reputation as sometimes being a pest and not realizing when he is putting other people out. I think that comes through in the book as well. For context, my friend who made the comment has worked with Buford in the past, and only made the comment half seriously.
@salt cured : I enjoy Louise Penny (set in eastern Quebec).
I'm reading Death's End, the last in The Three Body Problem series. Anyone else that was on this trilogy get to it yet? I'm relaxing into it, knowing how much I liked Dark Forest even though that one took some time to get used to. This one added yet another 100 pages onto the length of the last (which was itself about 100 pages longer than the first), so I guess I'll be reading it for a few weeks. I'm have no idea what to expect.
I am reading IQ84 by Haruki Murakami. It is set in 1984, in a parallel world. It is super long, like almost 1000 pages, but I have learned that it is because the original Japanese version is actually a trilogy. I am only about 15% of the way through, but so far it is interesting.
The reviews seem to be mixed, like most things in entertainment, you either love it or hate it, so it seems.
I'm reading Death's End, the last in The Three Body Problem series. Anyone else that was on this trilogy get to it yet? I'm relaxing into it, knowing how much I liked Dark Forest even though that one took some time to get used to. This one added yet another 100 pages onto the length of the last (which was itself about 100 pages longer than the first), so I guess I'll be reading it for a few weeks. I'm have no idea what to expect.
I preferred the first book. It felt like the next two were trying to cash in on the popularity of the first and did not match the first book.
Hi, I'd like to join in if I may?
I'm currently half way through the Ministry of the Future. I grabbed it off the shelf at the library without reading the blurb, because I usually like everything Kim Stanley Robinson writes. But I'd forgotten how realistic and depressing his recent stuff has been. I'm also finding it too similar to everything of his I've read in the last few years (plus, what is it with him calling all his male leads Frank? Was that his father's name or something? I should look that up) & I'm struggling a bit to get through it.
I have also, for some light relief started the rerelease of Magician by Raymond E Feist. This is the 'authors' preferred version' that was published a couple(?) of years ago. I can't remember the original well enough that I'll pick up on changes but I love his collab with Janny Wurts on the Empire trilogy, & I've been meaning to re-read Magician for a while now.
And finally, my book club book this month was the Secret Library. This was another one that started out very depressing, but it got better. During the pandemic I have been flirting with the idea of making major changes in my life, so it was quite inspiring, although maybe a little bit glib?
I'm reading Death's End, the last in The Three Body Problem series. Anyone else that was on this trilogy get to it yet? I'm relaxing into it, knowing how much I liked Dark Forest even though that one took some time to get used to. This one added yet another 100 pages onto the length of the last (which was itself about 100 pages longer than the first), so I guess I'll be reading it for a few weeks. I'm have no idea what to expect.
I preferred the first book. It felt like the next two were trying to cash in on the popularity of the first and did not match the first book.
I'm about 1/3 through Death's End and I like it so far.
I'm reading Death's End, the last in The Three Body Problem series. Anyone else that was on this trilogy get to it yet? I'm relaxing into it, knowing how much I liked Dark Forest even though that one took some time to get used to. This one added yet another 100 pages onto the length of the last (which was itself about 100 pages longer than the first), so I guess I'll be reading it for a few weeks. I'm have no idea what to expect.
I preferred the first book. It felt like the next two were trying to cash in on the popularity of the first and did not match the first book.
I'm about 1/3 through Death's End and I like it so far.
I've had it checked out for a couple weeks and am only 10% of the way through. Once I get into the meat of a book, I burn through it, but it definitely takes me a while to get to the meat.
I think Cixin Liu takes a long time to get to the point in a book, which makes them unnecessarily long. I still enjoyed the first two books in their own way, and I really love the premise behind the dark forest theory.
I've just finished Magician. It turns out I had never actually read it. It was... good? I guess? Much less subtle than more modern fantasy. I had planned to work through the whole series, I'll read them if I come across them, but I won't be going too far out of my way to find them, I don't think.Raymond Feist one?
Raymond Feist one?
There are several series in that universe. He also did a series with a Jenny Wurts I think? I liked that one for the reflections of the characters.
I'm reading Death's End, the last in The Three Body Problem series. Anyone else that was on this trilogy get to it yet? I'm relaxing into it, knowing how much I liked Dark Forest even though that one took some time to get used to. This one added yet another 100 pages onto the length of the last (which was itself about 100 pages longer than the first), so I guess I'll be reading it for a few weeks. I'm have no idea what to expect.
I preferred the first book. It felt like the next two were trying to cash in on the popularity of the first and did not match the first book.
I'm about 1/3 through Death's End and I like it so far.
I've had it checked out for a couple weeks and am only 10% of the way through. Once I get into the meat of a book, I burn through it, but it definitely takes me a while to get to the meat.
I think Cixin Liu takes a long time to get to the point in a book, which makes them unnecessarily long. I still enjoyed the first two books in their own way, and I really love the premise behind the dark forest theory.
Finished this yesterday and loved it. I'm quite forgiving of the length and the random wanderings as I think they added a lot overall to the series and enjoyed almost all the rabbit holes and tangents it went on. It wasn't perfect, but I am stunned by Cixin Liu's creativity as well as his and his translator's ability to convey complicated concepts in layman's terms.
Demian by Hermann Hesse
Blood Meridianheavy. i need to reread it.
Perhaps it's just me, but it's more hopeful every time I read it.Blood Meridianheavy. i need to reread it.
Just finished Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile which is a historical account of the first year of Winston Churchill’s prime ministership during the Blitz. Taken from personal diaries of family members and his personal aides who spent so much time with Churchill in that first year when the future of the West hung by a thread.
Ukrainian president Zelensky reminds me of Churchill in the way he has given his people a voice and has been able to rally other nations to help support his own in their time of dire need. Thankfully we have been faster to respond this time, though still we are guilty of holding back desperately needed support. It’s almost like we never really learn the lessons of the past.
"The Lost Family, How DNA Testing is Upending Who we Are" by Libby Copeland. Non-fiction look at the explosion in the use of genetic genealogy home test kits and the family mysteries that are now being uncovered.
The author outlines the history of genealogy searching pre-internet to present day, interspersed with stories of several "seekers" who originally wanted more info on their family tree. Predictably, the results can vary from disappointment and rejection all the way to newly discovered family members welcoming them with open arms.
Also includes the tricky issue of law enforcement using these databases to solve crimes, and the potential for insurance companies to discriminate based on genetic health issues.
Well written, very engrossing, lots to ponder in this brave new world.
World War Z I have always heard that the novel bore no resemblance to the movie and I can confirm that rumor.
I'm 2/3rds though and it is an entertaining read, though it isn't the sort of book you can't wait to pick back up or hesitate to put down so you can go to sleep. Because of its format as a collection of interviews there is no character to follow and to pull you forward. Each chapter is still quite entertaining and some are kind of chilling in fact.
Still working my way through the Grant bio.
I'm reading (audio book) Circe by Madeline Miller. I finished The Song of Achilles by the same author earlier this year and love them both so much.
These different takes on greek mythological figures are absolutely wonderful.
"The Evening and the Morning" by Ken Follett. It's a prequel to his classic, "The Pillars of the Earth". I love these kinds of historical epics.
"The Evening and the Morning" by Ken Follett. It's a prequel to his classic, "The Pillars of the Earth". I love these kinds of historical epics.
Oh man, I really liked Pillars of the Earth, but read it when it first came out and barely remember it anymore. Do I need to re-read it before reading this one to really enjoy? Maybe I could just read a recap of Pillars...
Currently working through How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur, creator of the show The Good Place.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/58484901-how-to-be-perfect
Very interesting, informative, and quite funny.
I am in the very early pages of two classics that I'm afraid I'm gonna hate. I'm super bad at giving up on books but I'm not sure I have the wherewithal to grit my teeth and hang in with both of them, which might be for the best. But, for anyone that knows....do these two books get better once you get into them further?
Walden by Henry David Thoreau. So far, the flowery language, extensive use of the passive voice and way too many interjections resulting in sentences a half a page long is dragging me down and also giving me flashbacks to law school and legal research. His writing is very similar to how our statutes across the country are written which is just not very engrossing! But I feel bad I've never read this when I was younger and am trying to make up for it now.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I read The Road and liked it pretty well, but this one feels so impersonal and vague so far. I haven't gotten attached at all to this kid that I guess is the protagonist? I don't even have the slightest picture of him in my head. I heard it was quite violent and I think I can hang with that, but I just hope it builds some more initimacy with or knowledge of the characters?
I am in the very early pages of two classics that I'm afraid I'm gonna hate. I'm super bad at giving up on books but I'm not sure I have the wherewithal to grit my teeth and hang in with both of them, which might be for the best. But, for anyone that knows....do these two books get better once you get into them further?
Walden by Henry David Thoreau. So far, the flowery language, extensive use of the passive voice and way too many interjections resulting in sentences a half a page long is dragging me down and also giving me flashbacks to law school and legal research. His writing is very similar to how our statutes across the country are written which is just not very engrossing! But I feel bad I've never read this when I was younger and am trying to make up for it now.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I read The Road and liked it pretty well, but this one feels so impersonal and vague so far. I haven't gotten attached at all to this kid that I guess is the protagonist? I don't even have the slightest picture of him in my head. I heard it was quite violent and I think I can hang with that, but I just hope it builds some more initimacy with or knowledge of the characters?
I started reading "The Complete Wheel of Time" ebook. 20 yeara go I read the first 3 parts but never got aroudn collecting it, and I don't like collecting series that are not finished (for a reason as this series proves).
But I got the ebook quite some time ago and finally I started it. Average reading time 254 hours. Let's see if I manage it in a year lol.
I am in the very early pages of two classics that I'm afraid I'm gonna hate. I'm super bad at giving up on books but I'm not sure I have the wherewithal to grit my teeth and hang in with both of them, which might be for the best. But, for anyone that knows....do these two books get better once you get into them further?
Walden by Henry David Thoreau. So far, the flowery language, extensive use of the passive voice and way too many interjections resulting in sentences a half a page long is dragging me down and also giving me flashbacks to law school and legal research. His writing is very similar to how our statutes across the country are written which is just not very engrossing! But I feel bad I've never read this when I was younger and am trying to make up for it now.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. I read The Road and liked it pretty well, but this one feels so impersonal and vague so far. I haven't gotten attached at all to this kid that I guess is the protagonist? I don't even have the slightest picture of him in my head. I heard it was quite violent and I think I can hang with that, but I just hope it builds some more initimacy with or knowledge of the characters?
If you're hoping for good nature writing out of Walden, you might really like Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey.
Reading Tom Wolfe’s “A Man in Full.”
Just started Project Hail Mary which seemed like it was on everyone's nightstands like a year or two ago. Reall enjoying the beginning!
Just started Project Hail Mary which seemed like it was on everyone's nightstands like a year or two ago. Reall enjoying the beginning!
Fantastic book. I read it again recently.
Andy Weir is my new favorite sci-fi author.
Just started Project Hail Mary which seemed like it was on everyone's nightstands like a year or two ago. Reall enjoying the beginning!
Fantastic book. I read it again recently.
Andy Weir is my new favorite sci-fi author.
It is great, isn’t it? His second book was also good but first and third are better. Artemis? I think the second. Definitely worth reading, just not as entertaining as The Martian and Project Hail Mary.
I started reading "The Complete Wheel of Time" ebook. 20 yeara go I read the first 3 parts but never got aroudn collecting it, and I don't like collecting series that are not finished (for a reason as this series proves).
But I got the ebook quite some time ago and finally I started it. Average reading time 254 hours. Let's see if I manage it in a year lol.
Worn: A People’s History of Clothing by Sofi Thanhauser —interesting historical perspective on clothing: linen, cotton, industrialization, slavery, development, colonialism etc. I’m only 1/3 of the way in and it’s not an easy read but well-written. I’m interested in how skills such as cloth-making and clothing construction used to be done in most households and how differently clothing is used (consumed often without any regard to material or waste) these days and how rarified these skills have become.Sounds interesting. At what historical age starts that? Antiquity?
Worn: A People’s History of Clothing by Sofi Thanhauser —interesting historical perspective on clothing: linen, cotton, industrialization, slavery, development, colonialism etc. I’m only 1/3 of the way in and it’s not an easy read but well-written. I’m interested in how skills such as cloth-making and clothing construction used to be done in most households and how differently clothing is used (consumed often without any regard to material or waste) these days and how rarified these skills have become.Sounds interesting. At what historical age starts that? Antiquity?
And how good would you think is that book as reference for a fantasy writer? ;)
The Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval EnglandDefinitely sounds interesting, give a report after you read. I am confused what this book might be even. A fictional handbook? A story collection? A satire of the modern world (Pratchett would have done that)?
QuoteThe Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval EnglandDefinitely sounds interesting, give a report after you read. I am confused what this book might be even. A fictional handbook? A story collection? A satire of the modern world (Pratchett would have done that)?
The Immortality Key by Brian Muraresku
Meditations (annotated) by Marcus Aurelius
Will do 1984 by Orwell on upcoming drive to CO (either audiobook or the non-driver reading aloud). Wife has never read it and we just finished Brave New World.
The Immortality Key by Brian Muraresku
"Read" via audiobook, Neil Gaiman's American Gods. I had read the book and watched the TV series, but audiobook is a completely different experience.
Now listening to Gaiman's American Gods, narrated by Lenny Henry (yes, that British stand-up comedian and sketch actor).
Been hooked on audiobooks of late, listening during workouts/runs and the occasional commute. Thanks Hoopla!
Die With Zero is also being read, albeit slowly. Mostly sits on the nightstand.
"Read" via audiobook, Neil Gaiman's American Gods. I had read the book and watched the TV series, but audiobook is a completely different experience.
Now listening to Gaiman's American Gods, narrated by Lenny Henry (yes, that British stand-up comedian and sketch actor).
Been hooked on audiobooks of late, listening during workouts/runs and the occasional commute. Thanks Hoopla!
Die With Zero is also being read, albeit slowly. Mostly sits on the nightstand.
I'm reading Die with Zero now due to a recommendation and a sort of counter perspective of old school MMM. Listening to Warbound by Larry Correia.
After reading through this thread, I'll probably listen to Dark Forest, as I enjoyed Three-Body Problem and read A Man Called Ove.
"Read" via audiobook, Neil Gaiman's American Gods. I had read the book and watched the TV series, but audiobook is a completely different experience.
Now listening to Gaiman's American Gods, narrated by Lenny Henry (yes, that British stand-up comedian and sketch actor).
Been hooked on audiobooks of late, listening during workouts/runs and the occasional commute. Thanks Hoopla!
Die With Zero is also being read, albeit slowly. Mostly sits on the nightstand.
I'm reading Die with Zero now due to a recommendation and a sort of counter perspective of old school MMM. Listening to Warbound by Larry Correia.
After reading through this thread, I'll probably listen to Dark Forest, as I enjoyed Three-Body Problem and read A Man Called Ove.
Haven't read it, but watched A Man Called Ove a couple of years back. They've remade it as A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks. I've yet to watch it. I hope it is as funny and satisfying as the original.
QuoteThe Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval EnglandDefinitely sounds interesting, give a report after you read. I am confused what this book might be even. A fictional handbook? A story collection? A satire of the modern world (Pratchett would have done that)?
Tell me if you find the name Rincewind anywhere inside there ;) As the author I would have tried that for sure.QuoteThe Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval EnglandDefinitely sounds interesting, give a report after you read. I am confused what this book might be even. A fictional handbook? A story collection? A satire of the modern world (Pratchett would have done that)?
Just got my copy of this one in the mail! Can't wait to get started. It's fiction/fantasy, but don't know much beyond that yet.
Tell me if you find the name Rincewind anywhere inside there ;) As the author I would have tried that for sure.QuoteThe Frugal Wizards Guide to Surviving Medieval EnglandDefinitely sounds interesting, give a report after you read. I am confused what this book might be even. A fictional handbook? A story collection? A satire of the modern world (Pratchett would have done that)?
Just got my copy of this one in the mail! Can't wait to get started. It's fiction/fantasy, but don't know much beyond that yet.
Finished River out of Eden by Dawkins and it was fine, but I think I would have appreciated more back in the 90's when I was still engaging with religious people about science.
Started reading The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.
'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles. Best book I've read in quite a while.
Finished River out of Eden by Dawkins and it was fine, but I think I would have appreciated more back in the 90's when I was still engaging with religious people about science.
Started reading The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.
The Pale King was a slog. I think it was about the IRS?
'A Gentleman in Moscow' by Amor Towles. Best book I've read in quite a while.
Agree. I'd rate it in the Top Ten of books I've ever read.
Finished River out of Eden by Dawkins and it was fine, but I think I would have appreciated more back in the 90's when I was still engaging with religious people about science.
Started reading The Pale King by David Foster Wallace.
The Pale King was a slog. I think it was about the IRS?
Pale King was good writing but clearly unfinished. It just sort of stopped, randomly. Which makes sense given it was cobbled together after his death by a friend.
Finished the Pale King and started on Paradise Lost by Milton. I'm glad I am reading it now (after having read previous epic poems like The Odyssey, the Illiad, The Aenied, The Divine Comedy and The Faerie Queen). I was raised as a Lutheran and I was younger thought other (older) religions were silly because they were 'obviously false and just a bunch of fairy tales). Reading Paradise Lost as an atheist adult, I can see the through-line from all these works. And it makes me realize, in a way not as clear before, that Christianity is just the middle eastern version of fairy tales. I remember I also thought this a bit back when I read the full Bible, but Paradise Lost really drives it home.
And I'm really enjoying the book because it's basically the origin story for Satan 8-)
Snuff by Terry Pratchett. (I don't know how I missed this one.)Knocked out by Thud!!! ?
The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson...this is Secret Project #4
Started and finished Faust Part 1. It was surprisingly breezy. Started Faust Part 2 and it's much more dense.Haha, yes. Part II is Goethe on drugs. Science thinks: literally.
I am reading A. Turf History of Equality by Thomas Piketty. It is a condensed version of his work and I vibe with it, but I need to read about half of the sentences twice and some of them three times to grasp what they are saying. I haven’t made it through a chapter in one sitting yet.
This book opened with a node to readings who said “I love your work, but can you make it shorter. “. After giving up on Capital in the Twenty First Century twice I am starting to suspect that the economics tomes are long AND complicated. Hopefully I make it through this one and continue to hone my reading comprehension and can try the bigger books again.
I am reading A. Turf History of Equality by Thomas Piketty. It is a condensed version of his work and I vibe with it, but I need to read about half of the sentences twice and some of them three times to grasp what they are saying. I haven’t made it through a chapter in one sitting yet.
This book opened with a node to readings who said “I love your work, but can you make it shorter. “. After giving up on Capital in the Twenty First Century twice I am starting to suspect that the economics tomes are long AND complicated. Hopefully I make it through this one and continue to hone my reading comprehension and can try the bigger books again.
I found the early chapters of Capital in the Twenty-First Century to be a rat's nest of inconsistencies and partially articulated logic chains that rested on assumptions that I suspect to be incorrect - except for the places I could not understand at all. End of experience.
By contrast, when I first learned econ, it seemed so easy and clear that it felt like cheating, even though a couple of spots seemed to be based on assumptions that were likely false. Turned out my econ prof wrote the book and clarity was one of his strengths. People who challenged the "assumptions that were likely false" went on to win Nobel Prizes. Don't give up on econ, skip Piketty.
One person's opinion. :)
George Takei's memoir, "They Called Us Enemy." Easy read, it's in graphic novel form.
He was 5 when his family was put in a Japanese internment camp, and he discusses that experience and his life to present day.
The remnants of the one in Arizona is about 50 miles away from my home.
I had two friends reach out in the last week who are both trying to become published authors. They both sent me the latest drafts of their works.
One is a children's book, that I think was a pretty warm story and has a lot of potential.
The other is a Sci-Fi Fantasy/Space Opera type piece, and I absolutely loved that as well. If either can get across the line into publishing I'll be sure to share the details here.
Just finished two short story collections by Ted Chiang. Very interesting.
John Scalzi has a new one out, “Starter Villain” which is a pretty short and fun read.
Now reading “All the Birds in the Sky” by Jane Anders. About halfway in and it’s gotten pretty good. Gotta finish this one by end of the year to get my numbers up!
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe about the Sackler family and OxyCotin.
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe about the Sackler family and OxyCotin.
This book sent me on a journey of reading every book and article and watching every documentary on Oxy and the Sacklers. I found it fascinating.
MASSIVE CHANCE!!
It seems there is a Discworld Humble Bundle on sale. I can't see it since it is US only, but if you are there (or use a VPN) and ever have wondered if you would like those fantastic books (yes you do), here is your chance.
https://www.humblebundle.com
I'm reading "A City On Mars" by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith. I recommend it as a sober balance to the exuberance for space exploration that I encounter and occasionally feel myself.
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle. Good so far.It was a pretty good first contact novel. There's a sequel but I don't think I'll read it for now.
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle. Good so far.It was a pretty good first contact novel. There's a sequel but I don't think I'll read it for now.
Just started Fairy Tale by Stephen King.
Just started Fairy Tale by Stephen King.
I read this years ago and just loved it. Easily my favourite Stephen King book.
Just started Fairy Tale by Stephen King.
I read this years ago and just loved it. Easily my favourite Stephen King book.
I'm actually reading Stephen King's Fairy Tale as well, it's great, but he just released it in late 2022. ERP, you may be thinking of SK's "Eyes of the Dragon" from the mid 1980s which also has a fairy tale-esque feel. If so, the newer book "Fairy Tale" is definitely worth checking out. King's still got the magic.
- Chops
I'm reading Death's End, the last in The Three Body Problem series. Anyone else that was on this trilogy get to it yet? I'm relaxing into it, knowing how much I liked Dark Forest even though that one took some time to get used to. This one added yet another 100 pages onto the length of the last (which was itself about 100 pages longer than the first), so I guess I'll be reading it for a few weeks. I'm have no idea what to expect.
I preferred the first book. It felt like the next two were trying to cash in on the popularity of the first and did not match the first book.
I'm about 1/3 through Death's End and I like it so far.
I've had it checked out for a couple weeks and am only 10% of the way through. Once I get into the meat of a book, I burn through it, but it definitely takes me a while to get to the meat.
I think Cixin Liu takes a long time to get to the point in a book, which makes them unnecessarily long. I still enjoyed the first two books in their own way, and I really love the premise behind the dark forest theory.
Finished this yesterday and loved it. I'm quite forgiving of the length and the random wanderings as I think they added a lot overall to the series and enjoyed almost all the rabbit holes and tangents it went on. It wasn't perfect, but I am stunned by Cixin Liu's creativity as well as his and his translator's ability to convey complicated concepts in layman's terms.
Ok just finished Death's End and verdict is I liked it. I think of the trilogy, I most liked the second installment, The Dark Forest. I found the first of the series to be the least enjoyable, actually. I started the book last year and kind of put it down for a few months because it didn't grab my attention and was a bit depressing. Some of that was due to struggling with the Chinese names. I confess I stopped worrying too much about keeping them straight.
Because this is a translation, and because the author is Chinese, I did find myself wondering on a couple of occasions whether the translators had taken any liberties for the sake of the Western reader in regard to cultural references such as the one to Gone With The Wind. Did a Chinese writer really make that reference or was it originally a reference that no American reader would have known, so another more familiar was substituted?
Anyway, good trilogy. Very imaginative.
It certainly hardened my belief (along with Elon Musk, et al) that we should not be trying to make contact with any alien civilizations. Bad idea.
Went on a wiki tangent reading about Haiti Independence Debt. Mind-blowingly unfair stuff in here. Learned the term "odious debt".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti_Independence_Debt
Haiti as a whole has a VERY compelling case vs. France in terms of reparations.
Not only did Haiti have to pay a first payment amount that was 6x their annual treasury revenue (30 million first payment out of 150 million total) for the right to be recognized, it was earmarked for slavers. Imagine being a freed slave - after decades of revolution (in addition to centuries of slavery) and fighting so hard only to have to cough up money you don't have to be paid to former masters so that other countries will trade with you and recognize you as a sovereign entity (they couldn't even get the UK to trade with them at reduced tariff rates and the UK hated France at this time). And that in doing so, your entire country's economic development will effectively be nil from 1825 to 1947. 1947 was the last payment made to Citibank - who had decided to take on the lucrative debt payments away from France.
Here are some choice excerpts:
"By the late-1800s, eighty percent of Haiti's wealth was being used to pay foreign debt"
"From 1880 to 1881, Haiti granted a currency issuance concession to create the National Bank of Haiti (BNH), headquartered in Paris by CIC which was simultaneously funding the construction of the Eiffel Tower.[4][13][7] BNH was described as an entity of "pure extraction" by Paris School of Economics economic historian Éric Monnet.[7] On the board of the BNH was Édouard Delessert, the great-grandson of French slave trader and owner Jean-Joseph de Laborde who established himself when France controlled Haiti.[7] Haitian Charles Laforestrie, who mainly lived in France and successfully pushed for Haiti to accept the 1875 loan with the CIC, later retired from his positions in Haiti amid corruption allegations, joining the BNH board in Paris after its founding.[7] CIC took $136 million in 2022 US dollars from Haiti and distributed those funds among shareholders, who made 15% annual returns on average, not returning any of the earnings to Haiti.[7] These funds distributed among shareholders ultimately deprived Haiti of at least $1.7 billion that could have been put towards infrastructural development.[7] Under the French-controlled BNH, Haitian funds were overseen by France and all transactions generated commissions, with CIC shareholders profits often being larger than the entire budget for Haiti's public works."
"from 1910 to 1911, the United States Department of State backed a consortium of American investors – headed by the National City Bank of New York – to acquire control of the National Bank of Haiti to create the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BNRH), with the new bank often holding payments from the Haitian government, leading to unrest"
National City Bank of New York = Citibank
"The history of Haiti's indemnity is not taught as part of education in France"
"In 2003, President of Haiti Jean-Bertrand Aristide demanded that France pay Haiti over 21 billion U.S. dollars, what he said was the equivalent in today's money of the 90 million gold francs Haiti was forced to pay Paris after winning its freedom from France.[31][32] French and Haitian officials later claimed to The New York Times that Aristide's calls for reparations led to French and Haitian officials collaborating with the United States on removing Aristide"
See the 2004 coup instigated by France and the US - Operation Uphold Democracy (really is crazy the Orwellian names that bureaucrats will dream up)
" Thomas Jefferson, United States President, feared a slave revolt would spread to the United States, ceased the aid that was initiated by his predecessor John Adams and sought the international isolation of Haiti."
Citizens are told that they have the best standard of living in the world and that everywhere else, especially America, is a quagmire of poverty and violence.While that might be true relativly for en European, I wonder if there are any North Koreans who believe that while their whole village starves to death.
Citizens are told that they have the best standard of living in the world and that everywhere else, especially America, is a quagmire of poverty and violence.While that might be true relativly for en European, I wonder if there are any North Koreans who believe that while their whole village starves to death.
Any recommendations for modern literary horror? The more allegorical and pretentious, the better.
Any recommendations for modern literary horror? The more allegorical and pretentious, the better.
I've read three that are maybe worth mentioning:
-Never Whisper at Night (an indigenous anthology, some are fantastic, some are okay - it's maybe more like malicious fiction than horror)
-Mexican Gothic and Silver Nitrate (both by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Mexican Gothic is probably the stronger of the two, but I loved both)
-No One Will Come Back For Us (another collection of short stories by Premee Mohamed; again, this is kind of horror adjacent rather than explicit horror. A few of the pieces were just delightful).
I'm super open to other recommendations - I appreciate horror a lot
I've read three that are maybe worth mentioning:
-Never Whisper at Night (an indigenous anthology, some are fantastic, some are okay - it's maybe more like malicious fiction than horror)
-Mexican Gothic and Silver Nitrate (both by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Mexican Gothic is probably the stronger of the two, but I loved both)
-No One Will Come Back For Us (another collection of short stories by Premee Mohamed; again, this is kind of horror adjacent rather than explicit horror. A few of the pieces were just delightful).
I'm super open to other recommendations - I appreciate horror a lot
Just picked up Harrow the Ninth for plane reading for an upcoming trip. KIDDO1 asked what the book what about, so I flipped to the back and read the first two sentences:
"The Necromancers are back. And they're gayer than ever."
Really looking forward to diving into this!
I've read three that are maybe worth mentioning:
-Never Whisper at Night (an indigenous anthology, some are fantastic, some are okay - it's maybe more like malicious fiction than horror)
-Mexican Gothic and Silver Nitrate (both by Silvia Moreno-Garcia; Mexican Gothic is probably the stronger of the two, but I loved both)
-No One Will Come Back For Us (another collection of short stories by Premee Mohamed; again, this is kind of horror adjacent rather than explicit horror. A few of the pieces were just delightful).
I'm super open to other recommendations - I appreciate horror a lot
I'd second those, especially Never Whistle at Night. Might add:
The Haar by David Sodergren
The Fisherman by John Langan
The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling
If you wanted to try manga, Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Just got "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes, and Why" by Amanda Ripley. It was recommended by someone and sounded interesting. So far I've read 2 pages, and so far is interesting.
Just got "The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes, and Why" by Amanda Ripley. It was recommended by someone and sounded interesting. So far I've read 2 pages, and so far is interesting.
It does sound interesting. I've added it to my list. Thanks!
Just finished Heart of Darkness - I was actually disappointed with the writing, this is a book supposedly famous for its ambiance and imagery, and it just didn't do it for me.
I'm starting Henry James' Portrait of a Lady next.
I just finally actually read Bowling Alone recently, and despite already knowing the general gist, it was illuminating to pick up some more of the details.
It was interesting to me that suburban sprawl as a cause of social decline wasn’t so much because of people moving from cities to suburbs, put people moving from small towns to suburbs. Small towns have higher social capital because all your different social circles overlap each other, whereas in a large metro area one’s social circles tend to be more bubbled off from each other, even living in a tight-knit, walkable neighborhood.
Just finished Heart of Darkness - I was actually disappointed with the writing, this is a book supposedly famous for its ambiance and imagery, and it just didn't do it for me.
I'm starting Henry James' Portrait of a Lady next.
I read this for the first time a few years ago. I agree it isn’t what it’s cracked up to be but it is kind of cool seeing how Apocalypse Now is the same story!
Finished Pride and Prejudice, and started on Mansfield Park.
Finished Pride and Prejudice, and started on Mansfield Park.
Finished Mansfield Park, and now I'm reading Emma.
Finished Pride and Prejudice, and started on Mansfield Park.
Finished Mansfield Park, and now I'm reading Emma.
I just started reading Emma the other night! Loving it so far!
Finished Pride and Prejudice, and started on Mansfield Park.
Finished Mansfield Park, and now I'm reading Emma.
I just started reading Emma the other night! Loving it so far!
Jane Austen is delightful. But also has an undercurrent of criticism for the upper class society that she writes about.
Finished Pride and Prejudice, and started on Mansfield Park.
Finished Mansfield Park, and now I'm reading Emma.
I just started reading Emma the other night! Loving it so far!
Jane Austen is delightful. But also has an undercurrent of criticism for the upper class society that she writes about.
Agree. The subtlety of her snarkiness is delicious.
Should I be reading Brandon Sanderson's books? I like epic fantasy but haven't read any in a long time. I see his books are very long. I often enjoy very long books but they need to be long for a reason (e.g. there is much story to tell, not a lot of padding).
Should I be reading Brandon Sanderson's books? I like epic fantasy but haven't read any in a long time. I see his books are very long. I often enjoy very long books but they need to be long for a reason (e.g. there is much story to tell, not a lot of padding).
Short answer - yes.
Long answer: he is my current favorite author. I haven't read a single book he's written that I didn't enjoy, and he's extremely prolific. Several of his books/series are some of my favorites.
Some of his books are very long - the storm light archive series books are a good example. I listened to them on audio books. Even listening to roughly two days consecutive time wise of audio per book, I ended them often wanting to immediately start the next one.
The characters are so well done. They are relatable and deal with real issues. He's the only epic fantasy author I've ever read that dealt with PTSD issues, for example. The story arcs are wonderful. The fact that virtually every story is within a larger framework that has actual ties to the other stories, not just as Easter eggs but in ways where they are actually converging is nothing short of amazing for the scale of the stories and for the amount of writing he's done.
I've read everything he's ever written minus a couple of short stories at this point. Even with that, I'm looking to re-read everything and culminate with his latest storm light archive book in the very near future.
Suffice it to say, I'm a fan.
Should I be reading Brandon Sanderson's books? I like epic fantasy but haven't read any in a long time. I see his books are very long. I often enjoy very long books but they need to be long for a reason (e.g. there is much story to tell, not a lot of padding).
Short answer - yes.
Long answer: he is my current favorite author. I haven't read a single book he's written that I didn't enjoy, and he's extremely prolific. Several of his books/series are some of my favorites.
Some of his books are very long - the storm light archive series books are a good example. I listened to them on audio books. Even listening to roughly two days consecutive time wise of audio per book, I ended them often wanting to immediately start the next one.
The characters are so well done. They are relatable and deal with real issues. He's the only epic fantasy author I've ever read that dealt with PTSD issues, for example. The story arcs are wonderful. The fact that virtually every story is within a larger framework that has actual ties to the other stories, not just as Easter eggs but in ways where they are actually converging is nothing short of amazing for the scale of the stories and for the amount of writing he's done.
I've read everything he's ever written minus a couple of short stories at this point. Even with that, I'm looking to re-read everything and culminate with his latest storm light archive book in the very near future.
Suffice it to say, I'm a fan.
Pretty good recommendation! What other authors/series do you like?
Should I be reading Brandon Sanderson's books? I like epic fantasy but haven't read any in a long time. I see his books are very long. I often enjoy very long books but they need to be long for a reason (e.g. there is much story to tell, not a lot of padding).
Guy Gavriel Kay (barely fantasy, very light elements only, almost more like historical fiction). The Lions of al-Rassan and The Last Light of the Sun are my two favorites. Honestly whichever I've read most recently is my favorite.
Letting Go by David Hawkings
Letting Go by David Hawkings
I tried to read that book but I kept dropping it.
Re-reading Alan Watts' The Wisdom of Insecurity right now. When I read it 5 years ago, I jotted a little review down saying something like, "There are parts of this that are definitely going over my head, and I'm pretty sure I'll just have to re-read this in a few years to properly understand how brilliant it is." I was right.
Oh yes, the snark! Love Jane.Finished Pride and Prejudice, and started on Mansfield Park.
Finished Mansfield Park, and now I'm reading Emma.
I just started reading Emma the other night! Loving it so far!
Jane Austen is delightful. But also has an undercurrent of criticism for the upper class society that she writes about.
Agree. The subtlety of her snarkiness is delicious.
The snark is what makes it so much fun. Without the snark it would just be a book about people going to other people's houses. The snark elevates.
Re-reading Alan Watts' The Wisdom of Insecurity right now. When I read it 5 years ago, I jotted a little review down saying something like, "There are parts of this that are definitely going over my head, and I'm pretty sure I'll just have to re-read this in a few years to properly understand how brilliant it is." I was right.
That's how I felt about Fooled By Randomness. I read it shortly after it came out. I had a positive view about the book, but not much to take away.
Now, after 2 years of reading extensively on Behavioral Economics, I highlighted the heck out of it. I can't wait to proceed to Taleb's other books.
Maybe I'm late to the party but I just discovered that Kareem Abdul Jabbar wrote a few Sherlock Holmes books (Mycroft Holmes to be precise). That has piqued my curiosity and I have added them to my reading list.
Completely off topic, but just a few hours ago I saw a "Asia Green Garden" (ALDI brand) Shogun Mix package.Maybe I'm late to the party but I just discovered that Kareem Abdul Jabbar wrote a few Sherlock Holmes books (Mycroft Holmes to be precise). That has piqued my curiosity and I have added them to my reading list.
That almost sounds like the beginning of a joke.
Reading Shogun. Very good. Slightly different than the new show on TV.
Also a Sanderson fan.
Other authors: Ian M. Banks; Dan Simmons; Lois McMaster Bujold; David Weber; Alastair Reynolds; Daniel Keys Moran; John Connolly; Barbara Hambly; Elizabeth Bonesteel; Nancy Kress; Patrick Rothfuss; Laini Taylor; Lilith Saintcrow; Holly Black; Sarah J. Maas; Ernest Cline; Patricia Briggs; Jim Butcher; Leigh Bardugo; Victoria Schwab; Arkady Martine; Charlie Huston.
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll. A fictionalized account of some of the Ted Bundy murders focusing on the victims instead of Bundy. I thought It was very good.
Currently working my way through American Prometheus
Finished Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both by Jane Austen. I’ve now read all her novels. Notrthanger Abbey was my favorite. Mostly because that was the one where she was the most directly engaged in satire. It actually reminded me of Vanity Fair a little bit.
Now I’ve started on Jayne Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.
Finished Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both by Jane Austen. I’ve now read all her novels. Notrthanger Abbey was my favorite. Mostly because that was the one where she was the most directly engaged in satire. It actually reminded me of Vanity Fair a little bit.
Now I’ve started on Jayne Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.
Jane Eyre is my all-time favorite novel. I first read it when I was like 13 and every time I re-read it I get something new out of it.
The thing is, for all that they're both 19th century fiction, Austen and Bronte are very different. Austen was upper-middle class, not quite as rich as her characters but familiar with that world. The Brontes were lower-middle class and super invested in the Christian morality of the time, including (or maybe especially) the abolition of slavery.
Austen is social commentary and a comedy of manners. Jane Eyre has basically no satire or comedy, everyone is entirely earnest even when the character is objectively silly (Blanche Ingram). It's about overcoming adversity and everyone getting their just deserts.
I am reading Robert Caro’s “The Power Broker”, an incredible account of Robert Moses. It’s a Shakespearean story - the guy began as an idealist trying to end corruption and build much-needed parks, and then amassed so much power and control outside of elected officials that he became probably the most evil and corrupt person in NYC history (which is saying a lot). He built so much of the city! And made such horrible choices!
Caro writes almost in a novelistic style, but his research is so minute and detailed - it’s truly breathtaking.
The best part is that one of my fave podcasts, 99% Invisible, which is about design, is doing a read-along with episodes featuring everyone from Pete Buttigieg to Mike Schur discussing sections of the book.
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I'm reading N.K. Jemison's The World We Make, which is the sequel to The City We Became. I loved the first one, but when I started the second it was clear that I didn't remember as much as I thought from when I read it in 2021, so I put down the sequel to reread the first book.I really liked the first one! The second is on my to-read list. Have you read her other fantasy series? The Broken Earth is one of my all-time favorite pieces of worldbuilding.
Highly recommend to any fans of urban fantasy, or anyone who really likes NYC.
I really liked the first one! The second is on my to-read list. Have you read her other fantasy series? The Broken Earth is one of my all-time favorite pieces of worldbuilding.
"Small Things Like These" by Claire Keegan.
It's a novella and the basis of a new movie starring Cillian Murphy. Set in 1985 in a small Irish town.
Just started Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
I bought it back in May 2020 but it was too heavy for all the things going on then. Giving it another go as I try to read more. I am trying a news diet so need to push/expand my brain to do a little more heavy work.
I'm currently reading through the Murderbot series by Martha Wells.I loved the Murderbot series - pure delight."Small Things Like These" by Claire Keegan.
It's a novella and the basis of a new movie starring Cillian Murphy. Set in 1985 in a small Irish town.
I read this a few years ago and loved it, but I didn't realize it was a movie. I should plan on reading it at Christmas!Just started Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
I bought it back in May 2020 but it was too heavy for all the things going on then. Giving it another go as I try to read more. I am trying a news diet so need to push/expand my brain to do a little more heavy work.
I read this in 2018 and it was the best book I read that year. I expected anthropology but it was so much more. I also loved his "Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow", but I fear that may have aged poorly since one of the taglines was "What will replace famine, plague, and war at the top of the human agenda?" If you like similarly wide-reaching non-fiction, you may also like Mary Beard's "How Do We Look" or David Graeber's "Debt: The First 5,000 Years".
Does anyone here use Storygraph, or is everyone on Goodreads/manual checklists? I just heard about it for the first time today but haven't joined yet.
"Small Things Like These" by Claire Keegan.
It's a novella and the basis of a new movie starring Cillian Murphy. Set in 1985 in a small Irish town.
Currently reading Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. I'm loving it so far.
Oh interesting - I just read a quick blurb and it sounds like an update to Thomas Mann’s novel Magic Mountain. I read Tokarczuk’s earlier novel The Books of Jacob, which was enthralling. Yes, I’m sure all the misogynists are about to get their due, based on what I know of her perspective.Currently reading Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. I'm loving it so far.
Adding this to my list, I just finished Normal People and really liked the character development.
Currently reading The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk. It's weird reading these characters make a bunch of misogynistic and anti-Polish comments when the author is a Polish woman (and Nobel Prize in Literature winner), but it's billed as horror so I can only hope they'll get their just deserts.
Currently reading Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. I'm loving it so far.
Adding this to my list, I just finished Normal People and really liked the character development.
Currently reading The Empusium by Olga Tokarczuk. It's weird reading these characters make a bunch of misogynistic and anti-Polish comments when the author is a Polish woman (and Nobel Prize in Literature winner), but it's billed as horror so I can only hope they'll get their just deserts.
Currently reading Intermezzo by Sally Rooney. I'm loving it so far.Finished it last night. It was very good.
The Empusium update: at the end there's an author's note that sources all the misogynistic comments as quotes from various historical figures like Socrates and Shakespeare. That's somehow a lot more depressing. I really liked the book overall, though.
The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown. A woman who works in a bookstore inherits a magical book that turns any door into a portal to anywhere in the world you want to go.
It's a little bit of a tonal mismatch: it's a cozy urban fantasy that's like a love letter to books and bookstores, but it also has a graphically sadistic and horrifying villain. Still, I'm enjoying it.
Finally finished American Prometheus, the Oppenheimer biography. It was a good read but quite long.
I'm reading The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy by Nicholas Lemann right now, and it is fascinating. It is all about the origins of the SAT, it follows a lot of influential characters from the Ivy League and University of California administrations over decades as this regime of admissions by testing was gradually rolled out. It's fascinating that a small handful of old money blue-blooded Ivy Leaguers voluntarily decided that their people's reign as the aristocracy needed to end and be replaced with a meritocracy of the highly intelligent.
So many people now see the meritocracy as broken and unfair because too much inequality persists, and because some highly intelligent but low-functioning people slip through the cracks, but it was a massive progressive win that we stopped selecting who ran the country on the basis of who who the headmaster said had "good character" (or who was a good football player) at a handful of elite boarding schools in the northeast, and we actually identified promising young people from different backgrounds all over the country to enter the elite social club (in the form of elite universities).
It's also remarkable the extent to which our society has been able to preserve this taboo around this system. The most elite colleges really are enormously influential in determining who enters the upper echelon of society, and admissions are largely based on what is functionally an IQ test. The SAT literally grew out of military IQ tests after World War 1. SAT and IQ results are largely correlated. The point of the SAT was and is to sort kids into schools on the basis of IQ. There's a quote in there from an old president of the UC system, who was a labor economist, saying something about how what percentage of workers needed what levels of education, so they should admit the top X% of test scorers to University of California and the next Y% to California State University.
To the guys who master-minded this system, it was all a very logical and orderly method for creating a fair and justified hierarchy to replace the old way. And wouldn't you know, people who aren't blessed with a high IQ don't find it very fair, and even the smart people who are rewarded by the meritocracy are still mad about generational wealth and big inheritances.
There's a quote in there from an old president of the UC system, who was a labor economist, saying something about how what percentage of workers needed what levels of education, so they should admit the top X% of test scorers to University of California and the next Y% to California State University.
Finally finished American Prometheus, the Oppenheimer biography. It was a good read but quite long.
I finished this recently too - it was long but interesting.
I was struck by how very difficult it was to come up with any sort of coherent 'story' of Oppie's life - possibly to the credit of the biographer. He was pretty philosophically committed to doing good, instrumental in dropping nukes on Japan, almost comically unfaithful to his wife, in what can only be described as a complicated marriage, (probably?) unfairly crucified by the country he spent his life trying to support, and maybe struggled with mental health (it's pretty ambiguous to me whether the instance with poisoning early in his life was a one off or whether it was just harder to see later?). Oh, and his first love was maybe assassinated by his country.
It's a very messy and conflicted life. What sorts of information do you draw from that? Or maybe the actual lesson is "human lives are messy and complicated, and you just kind of muddle through while trying to do the best good you can"?
Are you open to sharing your thoughts on the book?
I'm reading The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy by Nicholas Lemann right now, and it is fascinating. It is all about the origins of the SAT, it follows a lot of influential characters from the Ivy League and University of California administrations over decades as this regime of admissions by testing was gradually rolled out. It's fascinating that a small handful of old money blue-blooded Ivy Leaguers voluntarily decided that their people's reign as the aristocracy needed to end and be replaced with a meritocracy of the highly intelligent.
So many people now see the meritocracy as broken and unfair because too much inequality persists, and because some highly intelligent but low-functioning people slip through the cracks, but it was a massive progressive win that we stopped selecting who ran the country on the basis of who who the headmaster said had "good character" (or who was a good football player) at a handful of elite boarding schools in the northeast, and we actually identified promising young people from different backgrounds all over the country to enter the elite social club (in the form of elite universities).
It's also remarkable the extent to which our society has been able to preserve this taboo around this system. The most elite colleges really are enormously influential in determining who enters the upper echelon of society, and admissions are largely based on what is functionally an IQ test. The SAT literally grew out of military IQ tests after World War 1. SAT and IQ results are largely correlated. The point of the SAT was and is to sort kids into schools on the basis of IQ. There's a quote in there from an old president of the UC system, who was a labor economist, saying something about how what percentage of workers needed what levels of education, so they should admit the top X% of test scorers to University of California and the next Y% to California State University.
To the guys who master-minded this system, it was all a very logical and orderly method for creating a fair and justified hierarchy to replace the old way. And wouldn't you know, people who aren't blessed with a high IQ don't find it very fair, and even the smart people who are rewarded by the meritocracy are still mad about generational wealth and big inheritances.
This sounds a bit like an article I just finished in the Atlantic. I bet David Brooks used this book as research for it. If you are interested, here's a gift link to the article: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/12/meritocracy-college-admissions-social-economic-segregation/680392/?gift=BLuEUEztq-U0KH2MRLXmiV2uaoBBBZFnKr2sKZwqblk&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
Just finished Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These - really beautiful gem of a novella about an Irish coal merchant in the 1980s who faces a moral decision about the Magdalene laundry in his town. Achingly clear, sharp prose.
Just finished Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These - really beautiful gem of a novella about an Irish coal merchant in the 1980s who faces a moral decision about the Magdalene laundry in his town. Achingly clear, sharp prose.
great book
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo.
I just finished Chain-Gang All-Stars. It was good, but it was difficult to say "good" because it was so horrible. Not as in a horrible story, or that it was poorly written. I couldn't put it down. It was traumatic to read some of the scenes. Heart-wrenching even. I feel a bit deflated even trying to write a few sentences about it. So... go pick it up!
I'm reading Anne of Green Gables. Now that I'm retired, I'm catching up on the classics I didn't read the first time around.The most recent adaptation on Netflix is pretty great at capturing that tone - it’s called “Anne with an E”.
It's not bad. I was expecting saccharine prose, but it's more realistic and grounded than that. There's just enough tragedy and heartbreak to leaven the sentimental moments.
I’m in the middle of Fall, or Dodge in Hell, by Neal Stephenson. It’s near-future sci fi where upon death people’s brains are scanned and uploaded to a huge system of servers; the story is split between what happens to the real world when this kind of afterlife is a possibility and inside the digital world, where the dead instinctively/unconsciously reenact a kind of mishmosh of Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian origin myths. Totally fascinating.
I love Seven Eves - it’s probably my favorite sci fi novel of all time! Haven’t yet read Anathem but it’s on my list. I’m a big fan of how wide-ranging his intellectual interests are and his clearly extensive research.I’m in the middle of Fall, or Dodge in Hell, by Neal Stephenson. It’s near-future sci fi where upon death people’s brains are scanned and uploaded to a huge system of servers; the story is split between what happens to the real world when this kind of afterlife is a possibility and inside the digital world, where the dead instinctively/unconsciously reenact a kind of mishmosh of Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian origin myths. Totally fascinating.
I've read a couple of his books; Seven Eves and Anathem. Both are really thought-provoking. I should look into more of his stuff.
Your description reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror called "San Junipero", where people would upload their consciousness online to continue life beyond death. "Upload" on Amazon is another similar setting.
Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls.
Tracing the story of grandmother/mother/author from Communist China forward. Beautifully illustrated and rich with historical information.
Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls.
Tracing the story of grandmother/mother/author from Communist China forward. Beautifully illustrated and rich with historical information.
That sounds so interesting!
Let us know what you think of it.
I started N. K. Jemisin's Inheritance Trilogy.I loved these! Her Broken Earth trilogy has incredible world building also.
- The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
- The Broken Kingdoms
- The Kingdom of Gods.
Book One down, Book Two in progress.
I am loving the world-building in this; the characters are well done, and the dramatic arc is not predictable.
Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir by Tessa Hulls.
Tracing the story of grandmother/mother/author from Communist China forward. Beautifully illustrated and rich with historical information.
That sounds so interesting!
Let us know what you think of it.
I love a good graphic novel. I've just ordered a copy.
I’m in the middle of Fall, or Dodge in Hell, by Neal Stephenson. It’s near-future sci fi where upon death people’s brains are scanned and uploaded to a huge system of servers; the story is split between what happens to the real world when this kind of afterlife is a possibility and inside the digital world, where the dead instinctively/unconsciously reenact a kind of mishmosh of Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian origin myths. Totally fascinating.
I've read a couple of his books; Seven Eves and Anathem. Both are really thought-provoking. I should look into more of his stuff.
Your description reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror called "San Junipero", where people would upload their consciousness online to continue life beyond death. "Upload" on Amazon is another similar setting.
I loved the first two thirds of Dodge in Hell but now that I’ve finished it, I have no idea what to do with the bizarre last section. I was annoyed at how many fascinating plot/idea threads he just fully dropped. For my money, Seven Eves, Termination Shock, and The Diamond Age are way better, at least in terms of being novels.I’m in the middle of Fall, or Dodge in Hell, by Neal Stephenson. It’s near-future sci fi where upon death people’s brains are scanned and uploaded to a huge system of servers; the story is split between what happens to the real world when this kind of afterlife is a possibility and inside the digital world, where the dead instinctively/unconsciously reenact a kind of mishmosh of Greco-Roman and Judeo-Christian origin myths. Totally fascinating.
I've read a couple of his books; Seven Eves and Anathem. Both are really thought-provoking. I should look into more of his stuff.
Your description reminds me of an episode of Black Mirror called "San Junipero", where people would upload their consciousness online to continue life beyond death. "Upload" on Amazon is another similar setting.
Looking forward to reading Seven Eves sometime, though I picked it up once and didn't get rolling at the time. I really loved Dodge in Hell, and also Anathem.
Extinction by Douglas Preston. So far it's awful but easy mindless reading. I hope it gets better.
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. Some light reading.
"The Ministry of the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson. It's very good but also making me anxious because of how bleak things are in this (seemingly) realistic near future. I did read that it is overall optimistic about confronting climate change, so I plan to finish it.
"The Ministry of the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson. It's very good but also making me anxious because of how bleak things are in this (seemingly) realistic near future. I did read that it is overall optimistic about confronting climate change, so I plan to finish it.
I should read more of Robinson's work. I really loved his Mars trilogy. I don't know why I haven't read more of his stuff.
"The Ministry of the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson. It's very good but also making me anxious because of how bleak things are in this (seemingly) realistic near future. I did read that it is overall optimistic about confronting climate change, so I plan to finish it.
Just finished “A Supposedly Fun Thing that I will Never Do Again” a collection of essays by David Foster Wallace. I think there are 5 essays and I enjoyed 3 of them so I call that a win.
Now I’m reading “Airborne” by William F Buckley which is a retelling of a cross-Atlantic sailing trip he took with friends and family.
Also re-reading, for about the tenth time (probably more really) The Lord of The Rings. I first read these books starting with The Hobbit when I was maybe twelve and I was in the habit of re-reading them every couple of years. The last time I read them was in 2016, so not as frequently now to be sure. I like to write the date that I finish reading a book inside the cover so that I can see when I read something. Doesn’t work with E-books!
It pains me to consider that so many people will only ever know the story because of the films, and will never read the actual books, which are SO MUCH BETTER. The films are visually wonderful and I enjoyed watching them, but the characters were sacrificed for the visuals and the action of the movies.
I just finished "Cheap Land Colorado", that I bought in the little bookstore in Moab. About San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. The weather, the people, living off grid, etc.
It was very good, and you could tell that the author (who ended up buying land there) really liked and respected the people, despite the political differences.
I buy books there every time I go to Moab, and I only use the bookmark I got there now....I just finished "Cheap Land Colorado", that I bought in the little bookstore in Moab. About San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. The weather, the people, living off grid, etc.
It was very good, and you could tell that the author (who ended up buying land there) really liked and respected the people, despite the political differences.
That sounds interesting. And I love that "little bookstore in Moab", Back of Beyond Books!
That sounds intersting. I assume it's only US examples?
Just started reading this book.
First paragraph of the preface mentions Plato's dialogue Gorgias - that's precisely where a book like this should take off, so I'm going to read it.
I'll update once I'm done.Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective
by Marcel Danesi
Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective shows how language influences mechanisms of cognition, perception, and belief, and by extension its power to manipulate thoughts and beliefs.
This exciting and original work is the first to apply cognitive linguistics to the analysis of political lies and conspiracy theories, both of which have flourished in the internet age and which many argue are threatening democracy. It unravels the verbal mechanisms that make these "different truths" so effective and proliferative, dissecting the verbal structures (metaphor, irony, connotative implications, etc.) of a variety of real-life cases concerning politicians, conspiracy theorists, and influencers. Marcel Danesi goes on to demonstrate how these linguistic structures "switch on" or "switch off" alternative mind worlds.
This book is essential reading for students of cognitive linguistics and will enrich the studies of any student or researcher in language and linguistics more broadly, as well as discourse analysis, rhetoric, or political science.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4G1YJCM/?coliid=IS2444LEOIFK9&colid=V9K5VUKEJIHS&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
PeteD01,
Related to linguistics (but only in a casual sense), I've realized how important the name of major initiatives of our federal government can be.
E.g., apparently almost no Americans have ever heard of the Inflation Reduction Act even though it was a huge investment in the American economy and had almost immediate positive benefits across the country. Republican congresspeople who didn't even vote for it were touting its projects in their area.
Would the election outcome have been different if the Act were titled something more catchy that would have stuck with the voters when it came time to vote? As close as the election vote was, I really wonder.
I highly recommend this book.
Just started reading this book.
First paragraph of the preface mentions Plato's dialogue Gorgias - that's precisely where a book like this should take off, so I'm going to read it.
I'll update once I'm done.Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective
by Marcel Danesi
Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective shows how language influences mechanisms of cognition, perception, and belief, and by extension its power to manipulate thoughts and beliefs.
This exciting and original work is the first to apply cognitive linguistics to the analysis of political lies and conspiracy theories, both of which have flourished in the internet age and which many argue are threatening democracy. It unravels the verbal mechanisms that make these "different truths" so effective and proliferative, dissecting the verbal structures (metaphor, irony, connotative implications, etc.) of a variety of real-life cases concerning politicians, conspiracy theorists, and influencers. Marcel Danesi goes on to demonstrate how these linguistic structures "switch on" or "switch off" alternative mind worlds.
This book is essential reading for students of cognitive linguistics and will enrich the studies of any student or researcher in language and linguistics more broadly, as well as discourse analysis, rhetoric, or political science.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4G1YJCM/?coliid=IS2444LEOIFK9&colid=V9K5VUKEJIHS&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Just started reading this book.
First paragraph of the preface mentions Plato's dialogue Gorgias - that's precisely where a book like this should take off, so I'm going to read it.
I'll update once I'm done.Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective
by Marcel Danesi
Politics, Lies and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective shows how language influences mechanisms of cognition, perception, and belief, and by extension its power to manipulate thoughts and beliefs.
This exciting and original work is the first to apply cognitive linguistics to the analysis of political lies and conspiracy theories, both of which have flourished in the internet age and which many argue are threatening democracy. It unravels the verbal mechanisms that make these "different truths" so effective and proliferative, dissecting the verbal structures (metaphor, irony, connotative implications, etc.) of a variety of real-life cases concerning politicians, conspiracy theorists, and influencers. Marcel Danesi goes on to demonstrate how these linguistic structures "switch on" or "switch off" alternative mind worlds.
This book is essential reading for students of cognitive linguistics and will enrich the studies of any student or researcher in language and linguistics more broadly, as well as discourse analysis, rhetoric, or political science.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4G1YJCM/?coliid=IS2444LEOIFK9&colid=V9K5VUKEJIHS&psc=0&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
This sounds like Naomi Klein's book Doppelganger, which is a U.S.-centric exploration of this problem.
It has a personal relevance to the author. Naomi Klein, a progressive political journalist, wrote it because people keep confusing her with Naomi Wolf, who's a far-off-the-deep-end conspiracy theorist. The book is about this, but it's also about what makes conspiracy theories so attractive to people in the first place.
Some friends got me 'The Odyssey' by Homer, for Christmas. It's the new translation by Emily Wilson and I'm loving it. <3
Some friends got me 'The Odyssey' by Homer, for Christmas. It's the new translation by Emily Wilson and I'm loving it. <3
Funny, I was just thinking I should reread that book. And The Iliad.
Some friends got me 'The Odyssey' by Homer, for Christmas. It's the new translation by Emily Wilson and I'm loving it. <3
Funny, I was just thinking I should reread that book. And The Iliad.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.
This is a genre-blender that's hard to summarize. Here's my best attempt: A science fantasy murder mystery about necromancer warrior nuns in space.
If that sounds awesome to you, you'll probably like this book. I enjoyed it, but the author chronically underexplains things. I didn't understand some parts of the plot right up until the end, and maybe not even then.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.
This is a genre-blender that's hard to summarize. Here's my best attempt: A science fantasy murder mystery about necromancer warrior nuns in space.
If that sounds awesome to you, you'll probably like this book. I enjoyed it, but the author chronically underexplains things. I didn't understand some parts of the plot right up until the end, and maybe not even then.
Glad it's not just me. I DNF it because I couldn't figure out what was going on most of the time.
Definitely. If I sae that in a book store, I would probably unable to walk out without the book.Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.
This is a genre-blender that's hard to summarize. Here's my best attempt: A science fantasy murder mystery about necromancer warrior nuns in space.
If that sounds awesome to you, you'll probably like this book. I enjoyed it, but the author chronically underexplains things. I didn't understand some parts of the plot right up until the end, and maybe not even then.
Glad it's not just me. I DNF it because I couldn't figure out what was going on most of the time.
Necromancer Warrior Nuns in Space is a WAY better title for a book.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.I loved the lunacy of it and the fact that the sequel is completely different - written in second person no less. Yes, hard to fully know what’s going on at any one time, but such a fun bonkers genre mashup!
This is a genre-blender that's hard to summarize. Here's my best attempt: A science fantasy murder mystery about necromancer warrior nuns in space.
If that sounds awesome to you, you'll probably like this book. I enjoyed it, but the author chronically underexplains things. I didn't understand some parts of the plot right up until the end, and maybe not even then.
Wilson’s translation is the first time I could actually imagine the Odyssey as a sung story. Fagles is fine, but I find very compelling the argument that to the original audience, the Odyssey wouldn’t have sounded like a stately, removed narrative with archaic locutions. Plus I got the sense that a lot of the Wilson pushback was of the “eww a girl touched my classics” variety.Some friends got me 'The Odyssey' by Homer, for Christmas. It's the new translation by Emily Wilson and I'm loving it. <3
Funny, I was just thinking I should reread that book. And The Iliad.
There was a whole twitter storm recently about her translation. A real nerd fight. I guess the upshot is that her ‘translation’ isn’t true to the original work. As a purist, I’ll stick with the Fagles translations.
Wilson’s translation is the first time I could actually imagine the Odyssey as a sung story. Fagles is fine, but I find very compelling the argument that to the original audience, the Odyssey wouldn’t have sounded like a stately, removed narrative with archaic locutions. Plus I got the sense that a lot of the Wilson pushback was of the “eww a girl touched my classics” variety.Some friends got me 'The Odyssey' by Homer, for Christmas. It's the new translation by Emily Wilson and I'm loving it. <3
Funny, I was just thinking I should reread that book. And The Iliad.
There was a whole twitter storm recently about her translation. A real nerd fight. I guess the upshot is that her ‘translation’ isn’t true to the original work. As a purist, I’ll stick with the Fagles translations.
"The Ministry of the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson. It's very good but also making me anxious because of how bleak things are in this (seemingly) realistic near future. I did read that it is overall optimistic about confronting climate change, so I plan to finish it.
I read this book, and I was disappointed by it. I'll put my reason behind a spoiler tag.
The main character is a United Nations bureaucrat whose job is stopping climate change through finance, geoengineering and international diplomacy. There's lots of exposition and very little action, as is standard for a KSR novel. Near the end of the book, you find out...Spoiler: show
Another recently published book that's probably worth reading.
Just started reading and I'll give an update soon:Ricardo’s Dream: How Economists Forgot the Real World and Led Us Astray
December 1, 2024
by Nat Dyer
From the workings of financial markets to our response to the ecological crisis, economic theory shapes the world. But where do these ideas come from?
Ricardo’s Dream tells the fascinating story of David Ricardo, Adam Smith’s only real rival as the ‘founder of economics’. The wealthiest stock trader of his day, Ricardo introduced the study of abstract models to economics. He also developed the theory of trade that underpinned globalization and hides, behind its mathematical facade, a history of power, empire, and slavery.
Brimming with fresh ideas and stories, Ricardo’s Dream shows how too many economists, from Ricardo’s day to our own, have turned away from observing the real world and led us astray.
https://www.amazon.com/Ricardos-Dream-Economists-Forgot-Astray/dp/1529225507
"The Ministry of the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson. It's very good but also making me anxious because of how bleak things are in this (seemingly) realistic near future. I did read that it is overall optimistic about confronting climate change, so I plan to finish it.
I read this book, and I was disappointed by it. I'll put my reason behind a spoiler tag.
The main character is a United Nations bureaucrat whose job is stopping climate change through finance, geoengineering and international diplomacy. There's lots of exposition and very little action, as is standard for a KSR novel. Near the end of the book, you find out...Spoiler: show
I agree with your assessment in the spoiler. The other character's perspective would have been much more interesting. Perhaps a sequel could be written from that character's POV.
I'm trying to get into The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. It's supposed to be great but I'm not sucked in yet.
I'm trying to get into The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. It's supposed to be great but I'm not sucked in yet.
I couldn’t get into it, either. Which was a shame, because it is beautifully written. I didn’t finish it and returned it to the library.
Just finished Christopher de Bellaigue’s “The Lion House” - absolutely incredible history book about the relationship between the Ottoman Empire, Venice, France, and the Holy Roman Empire in the first half of the 16th century (so, Suleiman II vs Charles V vs Francis vs the Doge). Describing it like that maybe sounds boring, but he writes in the present tense with a very dry kind of humor and in the tone of a novel, giving it a gripping Wolf Hall meets a DnD campaign flavor - it’s one my fave books of the recent past for sure. I even bought a copy, which I don’t often do. I’m going to check out his other books!
I started watching the Foundation series on Apple+ and I really like it's theme of "the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, in space". So I decided to read the books by Asimov. Wow, the books have almost nothing in common with the series! I mean they both have a guy named Hari Seldon predicting the end of the Empire but otherwise they might as well be completely different stories.
I do like the books, they skip around several hundred years at a time to track Hari's predictions and the various things that might get in the way of humanity becoming prosperous after 1000 years vs, the 30,000 years of chaos without Seldon.
I started watching the Foundation series on Apple+ and I really like it's theme of "the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, in space". So I decided to read the books by Asimov. Wow, the books have almost nothing in common with the series! I mean they both have a guy named Hari Seldon predicting the end of the Empire but otherwise they might as well be completely different stories.
I do like the books, they skip around several hundred years at a time to track Hari's predictions and the various things that might get in the way of humanity becoming prosperous after 1000 years vs, the 30,000 years of chaos without Seldon.
I read the first book and started the second. Great stories but dry storytelling. I had hoped the tv series would make the story come alive but like you said they really don't have much to do with each other.
I started watching the Foundation series on Apple+ and I really like it's theme of "the decline and fall of the Roman Empire, in space". So I decided to read the books by Asimov. Wow, the books have almost nothing in common with the series! I mean they both have a guy named Hari Seldon predicting the end of the Empire but otherwise they might as well be completely different stories.
I do like the books, they skip around several hundred years at a time to track Hari's predictions and the various things that might get in the way of humanity becoming prosperous after 1000 years vs, the 30,000 years of chaos without Seldon.
I read the first book and started the second. Great stories but dry storytelling. I had hoped the tv series would make the story come alive but like you said they really don't have much to do with each other.
After Savage, I plan to read "The Civil War Trilogy" by Jeff Shaara. I heard Conan O'Brien say on his podcast that the 2nd book of this trilogy is his favorite book of all time. I like Conan, so I'll probably like it as well. Good Reads has it tagged as historical fiction, and historical, so I'm not sure how accurate it is, but it's got good ratings.
I read the new Neko Case autobiography The Harder I Fight the More I Love You. It was good. She's had a rough life growing up. She's a good writer.
"The Sneetches and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss
@Laura33 sometimes writes about us all being Sneetches. Decided to read what they were. What an excellent story for people concerned about consumerism and personal finance.
I'm about half way through Conclave by Robert Harris. I guess it's a movie now? Good so far and educational.
"The Sneetches and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss
@Laura33 sometimes writes about us all being Sneetches. Decided to read what they were. What an excellent story for people concerned about consumerism and personal finance.
My work here is done. ;-)
"The Sneetches and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss
@Laura33 sometimes writes about us all being Sneetches. Decided to read what they were. What an excellent story for people concerned about consumerism and personal finance.
My work here is done. ;-)
I watched the show for the first time in decades. There's a lot to unpack in that story. Why didn't the Sneetches without stars get a life and quit worrying about the Star Bellied Sneetches? They could've had weenie roasts or did the Star Bellied Sneetches hoard all the firewood and weenies? Did the Star Bellied Sneetches have more money as it cost them $10 to remove the stars or were they spending more money to keep their status?
"The Sneetches and Other Stories" by Dr. Seuss
@Laura33 sometimes writes about us all being Sneetches. Decided to read what they were. What an excellent story for people concerned about consumerism and personal finance.
My work here is done. ;-)
I watched the show for the first time in decades. There's a lot to unpack in that story. Why didn't the Sneetches without stars get a life and quit worrying about the Star Bellied Sneetches? They could've had weenie roasts or did the Star Bellied Sneetches hoard all the firewood and weenies? Did the Star Bellied Sneetches have more money as it cost them $10 to remove the stars or were they spending more money to keep their status?
Now I wish my library had this book because I'm full of questions :)
The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin. Not fully into it yet, but I've liked some of her other stuff...One of my favorite fantasy series!
Just finished Gideon the Ninth (lesbian necromancers in space) and Atlas Six (magical librarian secret society) as beach reads for my recent vacation. Both are the beginning books in trilogies (or, in the case of Gideon, a pending tetralogy).
Gideon was the better book, but Atlas was the more intense cliffhanger, so I'll probably dive into the Atlas Paradox before starting Harrow the Ninth.
I enjoyed both, but Gideon was way more substantive. Atlas Six was very character driven with time jumps that were too big and not enough substantive plot, while Gideon kept me rapt at every page turn.
@midweststache If you think "Harrow the Ninth" was confusing, "Nona the Ninth" is going to come as a shock. Takes about two-thirds of the book to figure out what's going on. And even then, only barely. But worth it!
If "what the F" is your jam, also consider "Piranesi," which was a recent joy for me.
@Sandi_k I envy you reading the Fifth Season for the first time! That book punched me in the gut over and over. In a good way? Jemisin at the peak of her powers, and many powers she has.
Absolutely loving this discussion because all those books have been highlights for me! Plus now I am reminded to move on to “Nona the Ninth.” If you do end up reading “Piranesi” by Susana Clarke, I also strongly recommend her “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” (there’s an argument that they take place in the same world?!).@midweststache If you think "Harrow the Ninth" was confusing, "Nona the Ninth" is going to come as a shock. Takes about two-thirds of the book to figure out what's going on. And even then, only barely. But worth it!
If "what the F" is your jam, also consider "Piranesi," which was a recent joy for me.
@Sandi_k I envy you reading the Fifth Season for the first time! That book punched me in the gut over and over. In a good way? Jemisin at the peak of her powers, and many powers she has.
For "Harrow" in particular, I needed the time to do a deep, intense read and really grapple with the WTF elements of the book. Since I'm back from vacation and Back to Reality (pour one out for Wake, crazy person that she was) I'm not sure that I'm going to have the deep dive for "Nona" anytime in the near future, but it's on the list.
And I'll add "Piranesi" to that - I didn't love Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, but I'm always up for genre-fiction recs.
Continuing my read-through of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld - currently on The Hogfather, which is 20 out of 41. So far not my absolute favorite of them, but Pratchett’s humor and happy world-weariness are always a delight anyway.
Just re-read The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger.
More interesting and enjoyable to read some of these ‘classics’ when 1) I’m not being forced to do it and 2) I’m a little older and more able to appreciate the content.
Anyone found that a book you had to read in school and hated is now a pleasure to read as an adult?
Do not say Grapes of Wrath. Don’t. That book sucks no matter when you read it! If you want to read Steinbeck, read Travels with Charlie. There’s a dog in it.
Just re-read The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger.
More interesting and enjoyable to read some of these ‘classics’ when 1) I’m not being forced to do it and 2) I’m a little older and more able to appreciate the content.
Anyone found that a book you had to read in school and hated is now a pleasure to read as an adult?
Do not say Grapes of Wrath. Don’t. That book sucks no matter when you read it! If you want to read Steinbeck, read Travels with Charlie. There’s a dog in it.
Not quite the same, but I found helping our engineering students at lunch to do their physics homework quite enjoyable. I also concluded that the enjoyment has been (mostly) blocked out by the concern for a grade. And I never had a lot of grade anxiety.
Catcher in the Rye for me as a young person: “HC is punk rock!” For me as an older person: “HC is probably going through manic episode and I hope he gets the help he needs.” Younger me was more fun. . .
Separately, currently wrapping up ‘Adams’ by McCollough (cuz I liked ‘Truman’ by the same author), and book two of the ‘Sun Eater’ heptalogy by Ruocchio (popcorn sci-fi derivative of Dune and the Name of the Wind). Recently finished up ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ which was sweet and gutting. Am starting ‘The Tomb of Dragons’ by Addison, book three of the Cemeteries of Amalo series.
‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m not big on epistolary novels, but I loved that one so much I read it twice. A great experience both times.
I have a fantasy that we will go back to writing letters as a small rebellion against technological alienation. But they’ll never be letters like those in ‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m glad there are others on this forum who read it.
‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m not big on epistolary novels, but I loved that one so much I read it twice. A great experience both times.
I have a fantasy that we will go back to writing letters as a small rebellion against technological alienation. But they’ll never be letters like those in ‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m glad there are others on this forum who read it.
Re-reading Ancillary Justice.
I also couldn’t get into it, even though it seemingly has all things I like - epistolary novel, sci fi, etc.‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m not big on epistolary novels, but I loved that one so much I read it twice. A great experience both times.
I have a fantasy that we will go back to writing letters as a small rebellion against technological alienation. But they’ll never be letters like those in ‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m glad there are others on this forum who read it.
I never finished it. I think I got about 70% and I just abandoned it. I dunno, it just never pulled me in. I know others enjoy it immensely.
Agreed! The whole series is amazing.Re-reading Ancillary Justice.
Oh, that was fantastic! Two thumbs up!
I also couldn’t get into it, even though it seemingly has all things I like - epistolary novel, sci fi, etc.‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m not big on epistolary novels, but I loved that one so much I read it twice. A great experience both times.
I have a fantasy that we will go back to writing letters as a small rebellion against technological alienation. But they’ll never be letters like those in ‘This is How You Lose the Time War.’ I’m glad there are others on this forum who read it.
I never finished it. I think I got about 70% and I just abandoned it. I dunno, it just never pulled me in. I know others enjoy it immensely.
DNF: This Is How You Lose the Time War. I was just not in the headspace to handle the symbolism and double meanings in this book. Maybe later I will try again.
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine ArdenI feel like that is a whole subgenre! I loved Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik and Deathless by Cathrynne Valente - both mix historical fiction/allegory with Russian folklore. Will add Bear and Nightingale to my list.
-- a strange combo of Russian literature with fantasy but also compelling story-telling and would be a great read for deep winter if you like those two genre
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine ArdenI feel like that is a whole subgenre! I loved Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik and Deathless by Cathrynne Valente - both mix historical fiction/allegory with Russian folklore. Will add Bear and Nightingale to my list.
-- a strange combo of Russian literature with fantasy but also compelling story-telling and would be a great read for deep winter if you like those two genre
The risk is that if you read Douglas Adams at the wrong time, you might become so distracted that you miss the ground. And then you’ll have a lot of explaining to do . . .
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Native American vampire? Interesting so far.
I'm reading "The City of Girls" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's fun so far.
Just finished "Sharpe's Honor" by Bernard Cornwell.
I really like the Sharpe's books. I found a bunch of them (like, 10-15) at a used book sale here, and have been working my way through them. There are gaps in my shelf, but I don't care so much.I'm reading "The City of Girls" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's fun so far.
Just finished "Sharpe's Honor" by Bernard Cornwell.
I've never read the Sharpe books, but enjoyed a couple seasons of the show through the internet. What did you think of the book?
That's very interesting, JJ. I had no idea this issue existed so many decades ago.
I'm currently reading a City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought this Through?.
It's why settling Mars is a bad idea. They come out from the beginning and say all of the things say we should are published by space advocates, kind of like when breweries talk about how much alcohol is OK to drink. I'm only partly into the book.
Finished Tunnel in the Sky by Heinlein last week. I picked it up after reading in the authors notes at the end of The Martian (which I also read again) that Andy Weir sort of got the inspiration from the Heinlein novel. Not sure how that maps, but it was a fun read nonetheless.
Now I’m bouncing back and forth with The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales (Tolkien). I’ve never been able to get through the Silmarillion before, so maybe 3rd time is the charm! Actually what I’m doing now is just approaching these as reference books and reading bits and pieces.
Finished Tunnel in the Sky by Heinlein last week. I picked it up after reading in the authors notes at the end of The Martian (which I also read again) that Andy Weir sort of got the inspiration from the Heinlein novel. Not sure how that maps, but it was a fun read nonetheless.
Now I’m bouncing back and forth with The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales (Tolkien). I’ve never been able to get through the Silmarillion before, so maybe 3rd time is the charm! Actually what I’m doing now is just approaching these as reference books and reading bits and pieces.
The Silmarillion is a very hard book to read.
Finished Tunnel in the Sky by Heinlein last week. I picked it up after reading in the authors notes at the end of The Martian (which I also read again) that Andy Weir sort of got the inspiration from the Heinlein novel. Not sure how that maps, but it was a fun read nonetheless.
Now I’m bouncing back and forth with The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales (Tolkien). I’ve never been able to get through the Silmarillion before, so maybe 3rd time is the charm! Actually what I’m doing now is just approaching these as reference books and reading bits and pieces.
The Silmarillion is a very hard book to read.
You ain’t kidding. What makes it (I think, we’ll see!) a little more approachable is that I know a lot more now of the Tolkien “lengendarium” through watching lots of YouTube videos that go through all these stories and characters that he created. It really is fascinating and just incredibly impressive the depth and breadth of the world he imagined, so much more than just the stuff we know from LOTR.
For me, the secret to ‘The Silmarillion’ was to listen to it instead of read it. The narrator (at least on the version from about 20 years ago) was top notch. I was on a long road trip and it made all the difference. Maybe that’s too Kobayashi Maru, but it worked.
Separately, thumbs up for ‘The Devil in the White City.’ It interweaves the story of the Chicago World’s Fair and a serial killer and keeps interest with both threads. Currently enjoying ‘Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life,’ which won the Pulitzer Price in 2016. I’m not into surfing, but it’s a solid coming of age story.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Native American vampire? Interesting so far.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Native American vampire? Interesting so far.
I didn't finish it. I ran out of time on it and it was getting tedious so I turned it back in to the library.
I am now reading The Only Good Indians. So far so good. SGJ is a good writer.
Taking a recommendation from @merula, I’m going to get started on ‘The Elements of Marie Curie.’ There’d better not be any surfing.
In the fantasy space I read ‘A Shadow in Summer,’ the first book of the ‘Long Price Quartet.’ Really reminded me of ‘Windup Girl’ for setting and the lack of action and focus on intrigue. I’m going to give the series a shot.
Adding to list!In the fantasy space I read ‘A Shadow in Summer,’ the first book of the ‘Long Price Quartet.’ Really reminded me of ‘Windup Girl’ for setting and the lack of action and focus on intrigue. I’m going to give the series a shot.
I loved this series, very deliberately paced, character and intrigue driven, and very interesting world building. Abraham deserves more credit for his solo works, with the way Expanse took off I'm surprised more people aren't reading these.
In the Expanse (being oblique) it arose for me with how formidable the Free Navy was, and its arming by the collapsing Mars. It felt ‘unrealistic.’ Even with the Soviet collapse, arms disappeared, but not capital ships, and certainly nothing that could challenge the hegemon.
In the fantasy space I read ‘A Shadow in Summer,’ the first book of the ‘Long Price Quartet.’ Really reminded me of ‘Windup Girl’ for setting and the lack of action and focus on intrigue. I’m going to give the series a shot.
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones. Native American vampire? Interesting so far.
I didn't finish it. I ran out of time on it and it was getting tedious so I turned it back in to the library.
I am now reading The Only Good Indians. So far so good. SGJ is a good writer.
@Raenia Just to dig into this a bit more. I had a frustration with ‘Shadow’ that I also experienced in the Expanse series.
... Similarly in ‘Shadow,’ the free reign afforded the poet by the state fell flat for me. If the continued survival of your entire state relied upon a single person, already demonstrated to be vulnerable to treachery, the idea that they would wander freely and without security rang false. I mean, I’m cool with dragons and magic and hyperspace – love it, in fact. But I struggle when authors assume the realism mantle and then insert plot points that seem contrived or inadequately explained away. Just a nit, as I’m still going on to ‘Betrayal in Winter’ next week.