# What Books are ehMacers Reading Right Now?



## IronMac

There was an interesting thread a few months back about what books were on people's shelves so I've decided to ask what are people reading at the moment?

I've just finished one of David Weber's latest space operas..."Shadow of Saganami". 

Working on "History of the Modern Middle East" by William Cleveland and wondering whether or not to restart "Ghost Wars" this week or next.


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## Dr.G.

Just finished reading Jared Diamonds "Guns, Germs and Steel". An excellent read.


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## MacDoc

Okay Dr. G - get the next one next - Collapse.
I finished *Collapse* last night and just about 2/3rds through Guns.....started Guns first - got side tracked and then ended up finishing Collapse first. 
Diamond is brilliant....pardon the pun.

Beyond that in Cuba I was wallowing in romance novels as there wasn't a decent book to be had  I did get an insight into the pop writers in Ireland for women.
Finished the *"Princes of Ireland"* way too early in the trip. Jacket claimed "like Mitchner" but while it was interesting and informative and engaging......never as good a the master story teller JM. Still I learned much about Ireland's history and the interplay with the Northmen and Britain.

Good timing for a thread as I'm on the look out for another book. Likely stay in the Eco zone for a bit.


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## Dr.G.

Macdoc, what is the main thesis of "Collapse"?


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## PosterBoy

I am in the middle of Nick Hornby's "About A Boy." You may recall it was adapted into a movie starring Hugh Grant few years back. That adaptation is pretty faithful to the book, so if you've seen it then you pretty much know everything that happens in the book.

That's not to say it's not a brilliant read, though.


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## MacDoc

Dr. G best to read the NT Times commentary , it IS a companion to Guns but relevant to the decisions we have to make now.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E1DA1038F933A05752C0A9639C8B63


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## MsMittens

Hrmm.. let's see:

Trace by Patricia Cromwell
Google Hacking for Penetration Testers by Johnny Long
Certified Ethical Hacking by EC-Council
Start Late, Finish Rich by David Bach
Zen Computer by Philip Toshio Sudo
Slow Coast Home by Josie Dew

I have way too many books started!!!


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## Dr.G.

Macdoc, that was an excellent review. I shall try to pick up this book once grading is over.


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## Mrs. Furley

I'm just finishing the latest Anne Tyler book which was okay but not the greatest. As soon as that's over with, I think I'm finally going to read Pilgrim by Timothy Findley - I'm looking forward to that.


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## sinjin

Just finished "A short history of progress" by Ronald Wright and "Cradle to cradle" by McDonough & Braungart. You can listen to the first one online, it was a lecture series covered by CBC. Absolutely fantastic, RW has an amazing grasp of history and I think his thesis is spot on.

In the middle of "The world according to Pimm" by Stuart Pimm and "The future of life" by E. O. Wilson. Both are great authors.

Also have a copy "Collapse" on my shelf, waiting its turn along with "Where on Earth are we going?" by Maurice Strong.

I'm on a non-fiction binge.


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## Carex

In the middle (towards the front) of re-reading Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck. To paraphrase, I ain't meanmad, I'm not touched but I feel like gettin' me a whole bucket full o' them grapes and settin' in 'em and gettin' juice all down my pants!!


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## Fink-Nottle

'The Grapes of Wrath'... possible the best book I've ever read. I'm about to start a historical mystery called 'My Name is Red' by Orhan Pamuk.

Check out my Book Club page... I'm the only member to have finished every book so I'll give you my erudite opinions on any of them I can still remember. Avoid 'Tuesdays with Morrie'...

http://www.digitaljive.com/digitaljive/pages/bookclub.html

Cheers!


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## Dr.G.

"'The Grapes of Wrath'... possible the best book I've ever read."

FN, I strongly agree. Free coffee or tea for you at the Cafe Chez Marc for the rest of your life. Paix, mon ami.


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## MacDoc

If you are NOT angry at the establishment after reading Grapes...........you got missed when they handed out the humanity genes. 

Steinbeck has an amazing way with prose - he approaches poetry at times in the power to evoke emotion. Fonda was wonderful in the lead role in the movie.

Wonder what he would think of darling Jane's sell out to the establishment 
I hear she recanted her Vietnam stance........good brain washers the RRs.

••

Anyone in the GTA want to borrow the complete Master and Commander set for the summer.??? Fabulous. :clap:


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## Ena

Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald. One of those reads that gave me insomnia after I had finished it as it got me thinking about the question of identity and historical events in the plot. 
I recommend it if one isn't looking for a light read.
As an aside. Any other fans of Writers and Company? I am introduced to some writers I might never hear about thanks to this show. (No TV household)


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## gwillikers

Just finishing The Da Vinci Codes.
Doesn't quite live up to all the hype and controversy IMHO, but a really good page turner all the same. Definitely a recommended read.


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## Gerbill

Recently...

A biography of Patrick O'Brian by his stepson Nikolai Tolstoy. (setting the record straight)

_Going Postal_ by Terry Pratchett. (humorous SF)

_Broken Angels_ by Richard Morgan. (Cyber-punk school of SF)

_The Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver, The Confusion, The System of the World)_ by Neal Stephenson (3 MASSIVE linked novels - historical fiction with a decidedly SF mood, although not actually SF)


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## MacDoc

Neal Stephenson is decidely strange. Unique.

I thought Snow Crash and Diamond age were brilliant then Cryptonmicon a failure tho pendantically interesting.

Has the the trilogy regained the glitter of Diamond Age ( yeah yeah...groan)??


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## enaj

Recently finished a great book by a Canadian author:

Black Bird - by Michel Basilieres.

If you grew up in Montreal, you should read this book!!


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## Ingenu

I'm finishing « Les faux-monnayeur » by André Gide.

I'm also reading a book on the history of the Kriegsmarine.


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## Eukaryotic

Glad to see people are reading Jared Diamond. GG&S is a great book - I was given Collapse for my b-day but haven't started it yet. 

I just read Villa Incognito by Tom Robbins (not so good) and am half-way through Short History of Nearly Everything by Bryson which I borrowed from Loafer.


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## AlephNull

Justr mentioned by the Eukaryote, A Short history of nearly everything is a great read. Its easy to get stuck in one of the very long rambles, but once you're through it, you know a lot of cool stuff that you've never wanted to know before, but is interesting all the same.

Also good is the Coalescence series by Stephan Baxter, kinda quasi-SF/Historical Fiction, good read as well.

I'm sure someone has mentioned Michael Crichton's Prey. And I'm re-reading a bunch of Jack McDevitt's novels, superb Scifi.


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## Pylonman

My father-in-law recommended I read some oldes yet goldie: 
-The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett. Just finished it. Good WW II spy novel

-A Piece of Cake by Derek Robinson. Very good, but had some British reference I wasn't familiar with.


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## MacDoc

I'd love to see a Collapse discussion once a few people have finished it. What a well researched and relevant work. GGS was a very informative but "distant"......Collapse is NOW.

I was left motivated and hopeful but scared for my kids.
I wonder what Australians think of it.


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## MacDaddy

I have just started
"The Art Of Deception" by Kevin Mitnick
It's all about protecting yourself/company against social engineers and information security.
Great read so far!


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## SkyHook

.


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## Eukaryotic

MacDoc said:


> I'd love to see a Collapse discussion once a few people have finished it. What a well researched and relevant work. GGS was a very informative but "distant"......Collapse is NOW.
> 
> I was left motivated and hopeful but scared for my kids.
> I wonder what Australians think of it.


Macdoc and others who like JD's books: I was just checking listings for PBS and saw that on NOVA for May 17th the show is called "America's Stone Age Explorers (Repeat) Who were the first Americans, and where did they come from?"

It's repeat but will be good no doubt. Can't go wrong with NOVA. Tuesday, May 17th, 8:00PM.


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## IronMac

Just finished "The Enemies of Rome: From Hannibal to Attila the Hun". Not that good.  

Just finished "All About Braising"...interesting recipes...ingredients too expensive for my current employment (lack thereof) situation.


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## PosterBoy

MacDaddy said:


> I have just started
> "The Art Of Deception" by Kevin Mitnick
> It's all about protecting yourself/company against social engineers and information security.
> Great read so far!


It's a fantastic book. Lots of insight into all kinds of ways to get info out of people. Or rather, how to ask them for info and actually have them give it to you.

I finished "About a Boy" last night. It's one of few cases I can think of where the movie is actually better than the book.


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## autopilot

i was on a john grisham bender on my vacation. paperbacks make good plane/beach/lazy morning reading.

my favourites of the bunch were the runaway jury (decent flick also), and the king of torts.

as far as nick hornby goes, i thought high fidelity was great. i liked it better than about a boy.


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## InsomniMac

*The Man In The High Castle*

Re-reading the Phillip K. Dick classic The Man In The High Castle.
The Axis won WWII and divided America (some might argue that it's not far off from todays reality  ).

Dick, most known for BladeRunner (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep) has amassed an incredible body of work is one of the most important fiction writers in the last 50 years. If I sound biased, I am  . I had searched out all of his work whilst in University and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am slowly re-reading some of my favorites. His short story collections are well worth the reads (Minority Report, Total Recall...)

Next up: Homicide; A Year On The Killing Streets -David Simon (one of my fave TV series)


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## IronMac

Star Wars: Labyrinth of Evil


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## Dr.G.

Shall I start to read "The DaVinci Code"? Any suggestions shall be welcomed.


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## MacDoc

Don't waste your time. Get Collapse instead. Da Vinci was marginal at best and that's being generous.


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## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I have heard mixed reviews, and I don't like to start a book that I shall not want to finish. Thanks for the comment.


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## ehMax

Nothing special of a book, but one I'm really enjoying, (Which say a lot for someone with severe dyslexia) is **Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live*. I've been watching SNL almost every Saturday night for the last 17 years or so. It's a really entertaining book about what happened backstage with the cast, the many guests and Lorne Michaels and other NBC execs. 

The book is 99% direct quotes from the likes of Chevy Chase, Dan Akroyd, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock, Mike Meyers etc.. etc... There are so many comedians who got their start at SNL, and an eerily number of comedians who had their last days on SNL. 

Hate to use the cliche, but the interview style and short little quotes makes it a real page turner.  

They don't talk about any of the many, many big name musical guests though, which is a bit of a bummer.


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## autopilot

Dr.G. said:


> Shall I start to read "The DaVinci Code"? Any suggestions shall be welcomed.



i thoroughly enjoyed it, Dr. G. it's a good page-turner and there are little puzzles to try to solve. if you disregard all the controversy surrounding it and just treat it as a story, it's very entertaining.


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## Dr.G.

Thanks for the suggestions, autopilot. I am not sure of the controversy surrounding the book.


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## autopilot

Dr.G. said:


> Thanks for the suggestions, autopilot. I am not sure of the controversy surrounding the book.


check out the reviews on amazon.com, for starters 

or then again, don't until you've read it, if you still intend to.


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## Dr.G.

I know that there is a dispute over some of the religious assertions of the author re Christ being human or divine. Is this the controversy?


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## autopilot

that's it in a nutshell. die-hard catholics the world over take the book as a personal insult and denounce it everywhere it's possible to write a review.

i think it's very interesting. and even if not 100% accurate, it opens the door to other possibilities. i did quite a bit of research online after finishing the book. i found it fascinating.

although dan brown's writing style (short, "cliffhanger" chapters) can become irritating.


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## Dr.G.

Autopilot, I was brought up on the Hardy Boys novels, and read my son Goosebumps when he was younger, so this sort of genre is fine with me. Merci.


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## MACSPECTRUM

just finished Davinci Code and Angels and Demons
if this is what passes for "bestseller" take me back to my sci-fi and Frank Herbert
such dreck, one dimensional, pee pee ka ka, no substance


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## autopilot

meh, different strokes for different folks.

i enjoyed them.


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## Clockwork

I am currently reading a book called Simple Tibetan Buddhism. I am also reading and studying many different books in a reader regarding European history. Both are fantastic.


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## MacDoc

AP - Dr. G needs to make sure a book he attempts is rewarding - it's a tough task for him to read and accurate assessment is more important for him.
I cruised through Da Vinci in a day.......it's marginal fluff aimed for Hollywood sprinkled with a bit of interesting trivia.

There are far more intriguing and interesting tomes including the cliff hanger Collapse where we're the villian and maybe and the hero and the ending as yet unknown.


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## autopilot

MacDoc said:


> AP - Dr. G needs to make sure a book he attempts is rewarding - it's a tough task for him to read and accurate assessment is more important for him.
> I cruised through Da Vinci in a day.......it's marginal fluff aimed for Hollywood sprinkled with a bit of interesting trivia.


i simply stated my opinion about the book. does my enjoyment of the davinci code indicate a lesser intelligence?

must smart people always read "intelligent" books to feel whole? personally, i mostly read books to escape. it's a nice vacation from the daily grind.

i find your post insulting.


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## MacDoc

Fine you're insulted and you liked the Da Vinci code...two facts.
What conclusion you drew about your own intelligence is indeed...... YOUR conclusion.

I have reasonable grounds to think that my taste and assessment of books parallels Dr. Gs to some degree tho I suspect he's a closet mystery novel reader .

I can afford to cruise marginal books as it's not an effort - much tougher for him..... is that hard to grasp??
Macspectrum simply confirmed the assessment.


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## autopilot

and i'm sure Dr. G appreciates having someone who takes it upon himself to pre-scan books for him for content and readability. i was asked for my opinion and gave it. others feel the need to assert their superiority by shooting down others all the time, whatever.

as we all know on this board, there is only one right opinion. you're right, i'm wrong. boring.

goodnight.


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## Dr.G.

David, lighten up, SVP. I asked for opinions from anyone and autopilot was kind enough to provide her views, as were you. I am old enough to make up my own mind, but I just was open to a bit of free opinions. So, everyone should calm down and realize that there are enough hard feelings exchanged on this forum to last a lifetime. Let's not add to these negative feelings. I shall let you know my decision tomorrow. Paix.


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## Carex

For what it's worth, I haven't read this book but if it compares to another religion based (albeit New Age) book, the Celestine Prophecy, then I would avoid it like the plague. I had the Celestine Prophecy recommended to me by a few people at the time it was popular. I stuck to it and read it through but, to me, it was a shallow, poorly written piece of drivel. 

Is the DaVinci Code similiar to this book? If so, I'll give it a miss.


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## MacDoc

Dr. G I was annoyed with myself for spending money on the Da Vinci code and it shows.....hard copy no less. 

I read for escapism as well - you should have seen the books I HAD to deal with in Cuba - poolside leftovers of the fluffiest sort and a couple were amusing - my daughter was reduced to the same choices and it DID lead to a surprisingly frank "about life" conversation so not all was lost.
I was simply strengthening my adverse opinion of the Da Vinci code and Autopilot drew conclusions. 

Tom Swift was an early favourite - Hardy Boys later.

Still finishing off GGS - too short staffed to dig in as it deserves.


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## Dr.G.

Macdoc, this copy of DaV Code is being borrowed and I have a two week break between semesters before I have to read academic online postings until mid-August. I shall begin the book and see if it holds my attention for the first night or so. I am writing an academic paper during the day, so I don't need to fill my mind with any more non-fiction at night. We shall see.


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## MacDoc

Free is good - and if it's the hard copy the print is big. :clap:


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## MannyP Design

DaVinci Code, IMHO is a basic murder mystery laced with historcial/theological tidbits that makes for an interesting read. If you stripped the story itself of the sidebars and tidbits it's kind of boring. My father gave me the hard-cover "Illustrated" version for Christmas which makes it sound like a graphic novel, but it's far from it -- it shows photographs of various landmarks, biblical illustrations and paintings of key factoids to present the reader with. I found myself examining the DaVinci paintings very closely and had never realized the various "errors" that Mona Lisa contains (in spite of my familiarity of it) as well as the details that most people miss in the Last Supper.

I hope Ron Howard adds a little spit and polish to the story and gives it a little more substance with the movie adaptation.


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## Dr.G.

Macdoc, yes, it is the hardcovered version.

MannyP, if this is an accurate description of the plotline, then I shall enjoy it from the onset. We shall see.


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## PosterBoy

FYI, last time I checked The DaVinci Code was not yet out in paperback. It's been selling pretty steadily in hardcover.


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## MacNutt

The author of "The Da Vinci Code" based his premise for the novel on the non-fiction book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail".

I haven't read "The Da Vinci Code" but I couldn't put "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" down. I read it over two nights, about ten year ago. It was full of truly cool little factoids and fascinating conclusions. It held me spellbound.

Then I went out and bought the sequel (not nearly as interesting).

I don't have any intention of reading the Da Vinci Code (too busy for fiction). But I will look forward to the movie. Especially since Ron Howard is directing. Should be a good ride.


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## Dr.G.

Started reading "The DaVinci Code" last night, and, so far, it is, as MannyP and autopilot suggested "...a basic murder mystery laced with historcial/theological tidbits that makes for an interesting read." So far so good. We shall see.


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## MacDoc

Good assessment Manny. It's sort of like reading a continuous assortment of the small fillers in Discovery magazine with a who-dun-it hanging it together. I guess I would have preferred the non-fiction version. At least yours was free Dr. G


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## Dr.G.

Free is good for most things in Life. I don't normally buy a hard covered book unless it is one I want to keep for a lifetime.


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## SINC

I am currently reading Capital Crimes by Lawrence Sanders. I found the hard cover edition at the local Ladies Hospital Auxiliary used book store for $2.00. I buy all my books there and then donate them back to the same store.

It provides me with reasonable reading costs and helps out a great charity. Dr. G., if you ever need a specific hard cover edition, let me know and I will check to see if they have it. You can't go wrong as all their hard covers sell for between $2.00 and $5.00. I am always amazed by the wide choice and variety of subjects available.


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## Dr.G.

Sinc, we have the same deal with our local children's hospital. I bring in a load of books and they let me take a few in return. Then, I return these few books along with a load of other books, and the process begins anew. I have to consider the font size of any book I read, which is a drag.


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## miguelsanchez

getting back to the topic, since the beginning of the year, i have read:

*no logo* by naomi klein
_*hegemony or survival*_ by noam chomsky
*the da vinci code* by dan brown
*the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy trilogy* (all five books) by douglas adams
*the curious incident of the dog in the night-time* by mark haddon (just finished it this weekend)

currently reading (on again, off again):

_*mind hacks*_ by tom stafford and matt webb

coming up:

_*state of fear*_ by michael crichton
_*the teeth of the tiger*_ by tom clancy


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## PosterBoy

If you guys want to check out an interesting read, pick up a copy of "Everything is Illuminated" by Jonathan Safran Foer. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but it's some good stuff.

Also, "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris. One of the only books I've ever read that literally had me laughing out loud. So funny.


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## gwillikers

miguelsanchez said:


> getting back to the topic, since the beginning of the year, i have read:
> *the da vinci code* by dan brown
> SNIP, SNIP


But what did you think of it?
I enjoy seeing the various opinions of The Da Vinci Codes.
I thought it was over-hyped, but a fun ride, and well worth the effort. Good fiction, in other words. People that read more into it than was intended are just silly. I look forward to the movie, it could be a big hit.


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## Dr.G.

So far, I am finding The Da Vinci Code an interesting book. I find I don't want to stop reading once I get to the end of a chapter. I enjoy the historical fiction of real settings included in a work of fiction. So far, so good.


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## autopilot

gwillikers and Dr. G: both impressions are pretty much what i experienced when reading that book. i was sorry when i finished it, as i had been so involved in the story


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## Dr.G.

autopilot, involvement in a novel is a way to help the reader become actively involved in the reading process. This is the mark of an effective writer, albeit one writing for a particular audience. "The Hardy Boys" and "Goosebumps" come to mind re this form of involvement. Both genres got students reading even though the quality of the text was not what one might describe as well-written. Still, this leads a student to read more and more of a wider genre and quality of book, which is one of the goals of a literacy educator.


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## miguelsanchez

gwillikers, let's put it this way: it was so good, i finished it in three days. it was "unputdownable". i always wanted to know what was going to happen next. i enjoyed the puzzle-solving aspect of it as well. regarding the accuracy of the subject matter, i took everything with large grain of salt. it's great fiction, but that's all. 

the way i look at it is if the roman catholic church is the basis for various conspiracy theories, then why isn't the eastern orthodox church, considered by many to be the "original" church, and which has been around longer, mentioned in any of those conspiracies?

i think the truth is that we'll never know exactly what really happened 2000 years ago, and that's where faith comes in. just what do you believe in? do you have faith that your soul will be saved and that you will end up in eternal paradise? that for me is the basis of any religion, more than the daily religious rituals that we all go through. going to church every sunday is one thing, believing is something else all togehter.

cheers,

miguel

p.s. keep in mind also that the rc church has appointed a cardinal whose job is to refute this book during press appearances and interviews, and to tell people not to read it, lest they be swayed. makes you wonder what the big deal is.


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## Dr.G.

So far, I see this book as a novel. Not being Catholic (or Christian) I have knowledge of the historical events and the setting, but not the inclination one way or the other to view this book in a particular manner. I just wanted something interesting to read, and so far, I have not been disappointed.


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## miguelsanchez

dr g: i have heard that dan brown's first book, *angels and demons*, is even better than this one. there are some parts in *da vinci  * where he mentions things that happened in _*angels*_.


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## Dr.G.

Gracias, mi amigo. Que lastima. Still, I am into this book now, so it's onward and upward. Excelsior.


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## Heart

My current read is 'Selling the Dream' by Guy Kawasaki

How I got the book is here.


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## IronMac

Justice Leage of America: Exterminators

Nero's Killing Machine: Story of the 14th Legion


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## Carex

Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. I don't recall reading them as a kid, but there are some passages that are tweaking old memories.


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## kevs~just kevs

"Mankind's search for God"

Pretty cool if you like to read about Religion's there's a little bit of every Major Religion in this one...


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## Dr.G.

I shall be honest and say that I am quite enjoying the DaV Code.


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## Rubber Ducky

Still working on the "Beginners Guide to Learning Japanese"


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## jlcinc

I want to read the Da Vinci Code I have been waiting until I have the time, I have heard that I should read angels and demons first so who knows. Recently I have been reading a light but highly entertaining series "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency". Warm, wonderful read about a women in Botswana who starts a detective agency. 

John


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## Dr.G.

jlcinc, time is what you shall need for the Da Vinci Code. I find I cannot put it down, but have to due to eye strain. I am about 40% through the book and find it fascinating.


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## Gerbill

Dr.G. said:


> jlcinc, time is what you shall need for the Da Vinci Code. I find I cannot put it down, but have to due to eye strain. I am about 40% through the book and find it fascinating.


Good book, but it's _fiction._ Some people take it much too seriously.


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## da_jonesy

I'm reading Wicked, The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West


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## poisonmonkey

I'm reading 1984 by George Orwell. 

I didn't read it in high school so I am now picking it up.
There are so many books I avoided reading in high school so now it is time to play catch up.


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## MannyP Design

Gerbill... I'd wager it's the historical facts that are laced throughout the book are what people are talking about with great enthusiasm. In fact, one of the first things the book mentions prior to the first Chapter is:



> FACT: The priory of the Sion -- a European secret society founded in 1099 -- is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliothèque Nationale discovered parchments known as _Les Dossiers Secrets_, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Leonardo DaVinci.
> 
> The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brainwashing, coercion, and a dangerous practice known as "corporal mortification." Opus Dei has just just completed construction of a $47 million National Headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City.
> 
> All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.


The subjects that really caught my attention were the ones regarding the divine proportion, as well as DaVinci's Madonna of the Rocks/Virgin of the Rocks, and the last supper (as many times as I have looked at it, god help me, I never noticed the woman right in the center.)


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## Dr.G.

MannyP, it is the historical aspects interwoven with the plot that I find interesting. Sat outside this afternoon for an hour with the doxies running about and I did not even notice them. I find this book quite engrosing.


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## Dr.G.

Just finished "The DaVinci Code". I have heard some of the hype and the complaints, and here is my honest opinion -- It gets a strong "Dr.G. thumbs up" rating. I have actually hinted at getting my own copy as a Father's Day gift. I would like to reread it and underline certain parts of the book. I was able to figure our some of the clues at the end, but for those who have not read the book, I shall not reveal how I figured it out or what these clues are in actuality.


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## MacDoc

Confounding contrarian.......a little relish with the sauce.


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## talonracer

Currently reading the latest issue of "UMM" magazine.

Just finished reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and The Wild Wood by Charles de Lint. I have The Essential Bordertown - a collection of short stories that I have heard much good things about - sitting on the table beside my desk waiting for me to turn the first page.


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## Dr.G.

Sorry, Macdoc, I like what I like re certain books. I shall not be classified. I like certain genres, I like certain authors, and I like books that keep me reading. This was one of them.


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## Clockwork

I am currently reading "The Stranger Beside Me" by Ann Rule. This book is about Ted Bundy and how Ann was a friend of his and found out he was a serial killer. I have spent many years studying serial killers. This book is fantastic. Anyone else read this book?


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## MacDoc

Oh he's a page turner alright Dr. G - I finished it as well but expecting a satisfying meal I got a movie snack for my $30. Hence the irritation.

I'm still stuck on GGS - just can't get the time loose to finish it meanwhile devouring newspapers and magazines. The back office beckons ( my hammock is a fav reading spot ) but short staffing and a active Mac environs dictates less free time.


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## autopilot

clockwork: i also find true crime to be fascinating. my local bookstore closed a few months back and during the sale i got a book about crime photography. some grisly historic photographs in there. disturbing and fascinating all at the same time.

i read up on ted bundy when we began discussing karla homolka a few months back. he was a truly creepy guy.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I guess it was the historical aspects of the book that made it interesting for me. I enjoy books and movies that blend actual settings and historical events into the tapestry of the storyline.


----------



## Clockwork

What is the name and author of the book? It sounds interesting. I also like photography and true crime. I have been contemplating in the last several days about going to law school sometime in the future. 
Ted Bundy makes the school girl killers look like amateurs. Not to say they wouldn't of killed as many people as Ted because they most likely would of if they had not got caught. Ted Bundy was much smarter then both of them and the technology back then sucked. No DNA etc. Statistics say that ant-social personality disorder or psychopaths rarely change. I would have to say they both are psychopaths. They should both got life with no parole ever, in my opinion. Or perhaps a needle in the arm? I am not sure what I believe regarding the death penalty though. It changes too often.


----------



## autopilot

"shots in the dark" by gail buckland










here's the amazon link:
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/AS...68509/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_0_1/702-5167396-1517613


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, my wife just finished the DaVinci Code, and seems to agree more with your view than with mine. C'est la vie.


----------



## MacDoc

As I said I suspect your contrarian streak had a bit to do with it or you were in need of R&R after Jared Diamond's tome which I'm STILL bogged on.

My biggest beef with DV was spending almost $40 on the hardcover 

Now *SeaBiscuit* was also a light fast read but worth every penny. :clap:

I think you'd be fascinated by the Master and Commander 20 book series - the amount of learning is incredible yet the books are fast paced, action oriented and just wonderfully written.


----------



## Gerbill

Re-reading _The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul_ by Douglas Adams. It's the sequel to _Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency_. Both highly recommended to those of a surrealistic bent.


----------



## Sonal

Gerbill, I loved the Hitchhikers' series, but for some reason, Dirk Gently does not stick in my brain. I've read it twice, and cannot remember what on earth I read. And for some reason, I can never make it through Teatime.

Currently in the middle of "The way the crow flies" by Ann Marie MacDonald. Her first book (Fall on your knees) was vivid and dark and a little disturbing--fantastic read. This one had the dark and disturbing, but not so vivid. Not sure if it's the book or me, but it's hard to focus. Perhaps because there are two story-lines, and one of the is kind of annoying.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, yes "SeaBiscuit" was also a "light fast read", but I looked at it also from an historical perspective.


----------



## Gerbill

Sonal said:


> Gerbill, I loved the Hitchhikers' series, but for some reason, Dirk Gently does not stick in my brain. I've read it twice, and cannot remember what on earth I read. And for some reason, I can never make it through Teatime.
> 
> Currently in the middle of "The way the crow flies" by Ann Marie MacDonald. Her first book (Fall on your knees) was vivid and dark and a little disturbing--fantastic read. This one had the dark and disturbing, but not so vivid. Not sure if it's the book or me, but it's hard to focus. Perhaps because there are two story-lines, and one of the is kind of annoying.


Maybe you need to work harder on your surrealism :->

Actually, these two books aren't as good as the Hitchhiker series, but they're different - a departure.

Cheers :-> Bill


----------



## Got Mac?

Long Har Road Out of Hell -- Marilyn Manson Biography


----------



## IronMac

Workspaces (from Pottery Barn)

The Crisis: The President, The Prophet and the Shah...1979 and the Coming of Militant Islam.


----------



## gwillikers

Just finished "Travels With My Amp" by Greg Godovitz (some pages were like an autobiography)  

Now reading "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Talk about two completely different books. Heh heh.


----------



## IronMac

Rules of Engagement: A Sir John Fielding Mystery by Bruce Alexander.

End of a Very Good series due to the death of the author. RIP, Bruce.


----------



## Dr.G.

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Producers of the upcoming movie based on the blockbuster novel "The Da Vinci Code" were not allowed to film in Britain's Westminster Abbey after church officials denounced the book as "theologically unsound."

The 940-year-old London abbey, where British monarchs are crowned, features in the international murder mystery by U.S. author Dan Brown which has been condemned by the Vatican and Anglican Church leaders for distorting the Christian message.

The novel alleges Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children, whereas Christians are taught that Christ never married and was childless when he was crucified.

"Although a real page turner, 'The Da Vinci Code' is theologically unsound and we cannot commend or endorse the contentious and wayward religious and historic suggestions made in the book -- nor its views of Christianity and the New Testament," the abbey said in a statement.

"It would therefore be inappropriate to film scenes from the book here."


----------



## MacDoc

.....seems your wife had it one Dr. G 

••••

Just blew through Clancy's *Acts of War* - he is remarkable in being prescient.
At least it got me reading again. STILL bogged in GGS ;(

Started











> Annotation
> Traces the story of the physicists and their families who lived in the then-secret city of Los Alamos during the invention of the atomic bomb, years during which they lied to outsiders about their daily existences and endured harsh living conditions with minimal privacy. By the author of Tuxedo Park.


BTW if you've never read *The Story of the Atomic Bomb* it's an excellent read about world changing few months in New Mexico and elsewhere in the US - even Vice President Truman new NOTHING about the project.

The back office is definitely my fav reading spot given this glorious spring weather. :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, what does she know??? She is enthralled with "The World According to Macnutt". However, she did buy me the illustrated version of The DaV Code for father's day, so I shall be pleased and surprised.


----------



## MacDoc

Maybe she's trying to tell you something about your choice of metaphysical beliefs. 
Next - an illustration kit compete with REAL gold leaf. How's your Spencerian script these days? A hand copied copy.....


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, along with being learning disabled in spelling, I was switched as a 4 year old from writing with my left hand to my right hand. Sadly, no one told my brain about this switch and my abilities to master the Amercan Cursive Handwriting, let alone the Spencerian Script Penmanship, is woefully lacking. Still, as I tell my students, I may be learning disabled, but I have four university degrees to show that it need not keep someone down if they want to succeed. As J.Diamond writes in his chapter on "Blueprints and Borrowed Letters", "Knowledge brings power. Hence writing brings power to modern society by making it possible to transmit knowledge with far greater accuracy and in far greater quantity and detail...."


----------



## Gerbill

Hey, I have atrocious handwriting, too! Maybe it's an indicator of intelligence, although I personally have only a meagre two University degrees.

On to what I'm reading, though - I've just finished re-reading Roddy Doyle's "Barrytown Trilogy" (The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van.) 

I draw on my own library when I need something good to read and am too lazy to go out to the library.


----------



## MacDoc

Leftie from birth eh - told you it was in the genes 

Let's see - gold leaf applique on a signed copy??? 

I was always jealous of calligraphers.


----------



## gwillikers

Well, it was supposed to be what I was reading right now, until Amazon Canada sent me this...

"Kitty Hart-Moxon (Author) "Return to Auschwitz" [Paperback]
Item delayed 4-6 weeks."  

I'm not at all angry with Amazon, they've been really good so far. But if anyone has read that book let me know what you thought of it.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, maybe this is why "The Grapes of Wrath" is one of my favorite books???


----------



## ct77

Just finished reading:

"1972 : a novel of Ireland's unfinished revolution"

by Morgan Llywelyn


----------



## CarbonJohn

*Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas* 










IMO, one of the greatest men of our time.  Some people can't get past that he's a "rock star" and activist.. (Oh no, a celebrity with a cause), but for those who know the real story.  

Also reading to my kids, *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe*. Kids are loving it and can't wait to see the movie.


----------



## IronMac

Mastering the Basics of Photography by Susan McCartney and

Al-Jazeera: How Arab TV News Challenged the World by Hugh Miles


----------



## PosterBoy

IronMac said:


> Mastering the Basics of Photography by Susan McCartney and


How is this one?


----------



## IronMac

PosterBoy said:


> How is this one?


Just a step above basic and is a very quick read. Good if you're a rank beginner.


----------



## Hangman

You:The Owners Manual.
It's called an insider's guide to the body that will make you healthier and younger.
Almost done, and I've learned quite a bit.


----------



## Gerbill

"Les Misérables" by Victor Hugo. Great stuff! 1400+ pages, I'm halfway through. We had a tiny little excerpt of this called "Jean Valjean" in Grade 8, and a bit in French in high school.


----------



## Carex

After seeing the preview for The Chronicles of Narnia, I decided to buy, for my daughter of course, the 7 book set. They are easy reading as they are written for children so it didn't take long. My only problem, the ending of the 7th book.


----------



## mazirion

*Eats, Shoots & Leaves*

I laughed when I read the joke on the back of this book. I had to buy it - just started reading it.


----------



## autopilot

I'm reading "Toxin" by Robin Cook. I like the guy's stories, but not his writing, if that makes sense. Some of the "thoughts" and "conversations" his characters have are beyond ludicrous. But the stories themselves are great. (The guy wrote "Outbreak" for example.) I can struggle through the writing because the storylines are so engrossing and entertaining.

Same for Dan Brown, I suppose, although I feel he is a beter writer than Robin Cook.

I dig Michael Crichton also. Medical and scientific thrillers are my preferred genres.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Carex said:


> After seeing the preview for The Chronicles of Narnia, I decided to buy, for my daughter of course, the 7 book set. They are easy reading as they are written for children so it didn't take long. My only problem, the ending of the 7th book.


What is the problem with the ending? I've read the series a few times and just recently listened to the audio recordings (not readings per se, more dramatizations).



Right now I'm reading the first book in "The Neanderthal Parallax" which is entitled "Hominids" by Robert J. Sawyer. Sawyer is a GTA based SF writer. A good one at that.

The series explores a parallel universe in which neanderthals became the dominant species on Earth (a premise I must take with a whole shaker of salt, being a creationist). The author uses the unique premise to perform a fantastic sociological thought experiment, however. The neanderthal society is a remarkable one, with a different history, technological gamut and a very different set of social standards and habits.

I recommend these books, even though I've only read 2/3 into the first one (it kept me up till 3am two nights ago).


----------



## Carex

> What is the problem with the ending?


 The problem with the ending is that it is a cop out. It is also overtly/transparently religious. "You all died in a train crash and now you are in paradise along with all of your heroes and make beleive friends."


----------



## Loafer

Squisherton Squirk said:


> The series explores a parallel universe in which neanderthals became the dominant species on Earth (a premise I must take with a whole shaker of salt, being a creationist). .


I think most people would agree the thought of Parallel Universes would have to be taken with a shaker of salt to be honest.....I don't think you need to be a Creationist. It is based on theory not faith.


----------



## MacDoc

Carez C.S Lewsi is an early version of a born againer so it's in keeping.



> In addition to his teaching duties at the University, Lewis began to publish books. His first major work, The Pilgrim's Regress (1933), was about *his own spiritual journey to Christian faith.* Other works followed that won him acclaim not only as a writer of books on religious subjects, but also as a writer of academic works and popular novels. The Allegory of Love (1936), which is still considered a masterpiece today, was a history of love literature from the early Middle Ages to Shakespeare's time; Out of the Silent Planet (1938) was the first of a trilogy of science fiction novels, the hero of which is loosely modeled on Lewis's friend J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the children's classic The Hobbit.


I MUCH prefer Tolkien. Are you looking for good scifi or good fantasy???

The *Fionavar Tapestry* by Canada's own Guy Gavriel Kaye is a fabulous work easily in Tolkien's league if not better in my opinion.

http://www.brightweavings.com/books/fionavar.htm









It might be an interesting offset for you after Narnia.....I suspect you will NOT be disappointed....except that it ends.


----------



## PosterBoy

Actually, all of Kay's books are good.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Loafer said:


> I think most people would agree the thought of Parallel Universes would have to be taken with a shaker of salt to be honest.....I don't think you need to be a Creationist. It is based on theory not faith.


It's the evolution aspect that i take with a shaker of salt. Sorry if I didn't make that clear by calling myself a CREATIONIST.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

MacDoc said:


> Carez C.S Lewsi is an early version of a born againer so it's in keeping.


What do you mean early version? There are no versions. The 12 disciples were the earliest born again Christians.


----------



## Carex

Thanks for the recommendations PB and macdoc. I am a big Tolkien fan so will check out Kaye. I remember references to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a kid so thought I would check them out. Written for the level that Harry Potter was written for which is fine. Good for the kids to read. 

SS, let's stick to books here. The flamethrowers that will come out after your last statement will leave you crispy and black.


----------



## MacDoc

..y'know picture, thousand words 'n all


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Carex said:


> SS, let's stick to books here. The flamethrowers that will come out after you last statement will leave you crispy and black.


Oh I'm sorry. I thought this was an open-minded forum. I was merely riffing on a subject someone else brought up. A statement was made that wasn't factual, and I corrected it. That happens all the time on this site. Please don't tell me I can't follow suit when it comes to a "taboo" subject like faith.


----------



## Fink-Nottle

Hey... no taboos here!

Interestingly Tolkien was a good friend of Lewis and apparently instrumental in bringing him back into the Christian fold from his declared atheism. Tolkien was a Catholic.

During WWII Lewis did a series of radio programmes which were later published in the book 'Mere Christianity'. In it he attempts to build an purely intellectual case for Christianity from first principles... something which you don't often see. It's highly readable and worth a look if you are interested.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Fink-Nottle said:


> Hey... no taboos here!


Thank you Fink, I'm glad there's someone here without double standards.

As for "Mere Christianity". Own it. Read it. Am reading it againg aloud to my girlfriend. Thoroughly enjoy it. The man was clever and his arguments sound.


----------



## Fink-Nottle

No problem SS, although I think what Macdoc meant was that Lewis begun as a Christian, became an atheist and then returned to Christianity... which is obviously different from the disciples who began as Jews and converted only once.

Cheers!


----------



## MacDoc

He does troll doesn't he.........wonder how he would fare elsewhere?? 

••

Tolkein would certainly appear to a have taken a strong dose of Irish Celtic Catholic in building LOTR. I had also understood there was a shadow of the cold war in the East/West conflict.


----------



## IronMac

Dragging this thread back onto the rails... 

Empire of Ancient Egypt ... very much a quick read primer.

Last Dinner on the Titanic ... recipes and menus


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

I'm now on to the second book in the Sawyer's Neanderthal Parallax: "Humans".


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

MacDoc said:


> He does troll doesn't he.........wonder how he would fare elsewhere??


I presume you are referring to me. Allow me to respond in a calm, un-incendiary manner.

I think it's a little unfair to call me a troll. Like I said, there was misinformation presented in the thread, concerning a topic I have a tremendous amount of interest in. I was merely standing up for my right as a member of this forum to discuss the topics at hand. I resent the fact that people automatically quell a tiny tangent into the truth about Christianity. That's all. 

I apologize for my sarcastic tone, but I think we all need to remember that there should be freedom on this site (especially in this particualr forum) to discuss anything and everything. Everybody is offended by something. In fact I'm sure that every opinion expressed on the Internet as a whole would offend somebody, somewhere, were that somebody to read it. You are all offended from time to time, and so am I. That is what happens when there is freedom of expression. As a Canadian site, we should remember that dealing with that minor offensiveness from time to time is a part of life, a hit we must take for the team, so to speak; a small sacrifice for a greater quality of life as a corporate body of human beings.


----------



## MannyP Design

Something I'm reading at home (a little light-hearted, but otherwise interesting):


----------



## Sonal

SS: Of course we're all free to speak here. But this is a book thread... yes, threads wander from time to time, but as a courtesy to fellow book lovers--and as a writer, I know you must be a book lover--can we keep this a book thread? 

You are more than welcome to start a new thread about any topic.

Faith is definitely a subject that generates a lot of discussion, and MacDoc is well known around here for having PLENTY to day about it.  I think knowing MacDoc, and seeing your own fervour for your beliefs--plus all the other personalities around here--it's pretty easy to see a thread derailment coming. 

And on that note:
Narnia--good stuff. But I didn't like the ending either. 

Another favourite along those lines--Madeline L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Sonal said:


> SS: Of course we're all free to speak here. But this is a book thread... yes, threads wander from time to time, but as a courtesy to fellow book lovers--and as a writer, I know you must be a book lover--can we keep this a book thread?


Of course we can keep it a book thread. It was never my intention to distract. I was merely correcting a bit of misinformation -- one post was all that was intended. The reaction to that one post was what incited this tangent. Consider the tangent closed.


----------



## CN

Just finished "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" by Mark Haddon. Just some light reading, but a great book!


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmmmmmm "tangent closed"........seems your geometry and metaphysics share some unfortunate similarities. 









......sorry could NOT resist. 

•••

I'm still mired in the muck of *Conspiracy of Fools*.....oh my what a tangled web Enron wove. 

Well written and like many true stories if you put it out as fiction no one would buy into it. Too unlikely. Wow did a few people literally RAPE California consumers over electricity.
'Course Ontario...........


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Nice diagram. Made me smile.

I notice a lot of folks posting about non-fiction. My reading world is very much a fiction based world and I'm finding it interesting that so many here are not like me in that regard. I suppose you could say that this thread has opened my eyes to the fact that people who read don't necessarily read novels.


----------



## MacDoc

The neat thing about non fiction is you could never write fiction with as many weird twists and turns and be believed.

* The Man who Talked to Horses*
* SeaBiscuit*
*Into Thin Air *
* Alive *

all come to mind that if written as fiction would be rejected yet are unbelievable as the stories are........are true.

The movie *Ghost and the Darkness* falls into the same "unbelievable but true" category......anyone happen to know the book it's based on???

That's one reason I prefer non-fiction movies and books in general as real life is at it's wildest, stranger than anyone CAN imagine.

Mind you Storm Constantine and China Mielville DO come close.


----------



## Sonal

Mostly a fiction reader myself. 

Personally, though, I have yet to see truth stranger that Borges, but that's not so much fiction as it is meta-fiction. (Read his Labyrinths.)

And I've found few true stories stranger than One Hundred Years of Solitude. Excellent read, btw. Magic realism. By Gabriel Garcia Marquez.


----------



## eatr

Working my way through War and Peace... a great read.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Has anyone read _Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell_? I read the first half at Christmas and the second half right after classes ended. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.


----------



## CN

I got maybe halfway through Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel a few months ago, but got bogged down with my courses and couldn't get back into it. I will definately make it through during the summer holidays  Its definately a very neat book SS, can't wait to read it ALL!

What did you think of all the footnotes? I thought it was really neat...


----------



## theonly_bandever_

I'm reading From The Corner Of His Eye by Dean Koontz, my girlfriend lent it to me a while ago, but I'm just starting to read it now, its really good, in my opinion.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

CN said:


> What did you think of all the footnotes? I thought it was really neat...


Footnoted fiction = awesome.

But that's probably the English B.A. talking. I thought it added a lot of depth to a story that ran the risk of coming off as an adultified Harry P. knockoff.

(And yes, it does pander to the same crowd as Potter, but Strange and Norrell stand alone).


----------



## Glipt

I'm reading a biography of Peter Jackson. I'm interested in finding out how a 300 million dollar project got handed to him and have virtually none of it spent in America for production costs. It's very good so far. I'm at the stage he was in the 80s, running around his hometown filming with whatever a budget of $0 would allow. Who knows, in 10-15 tears maybe I'll be handed $500 million to film the Foundation trilogy entirely in Canada with just my buddies to start with as a production team.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

Glipt said:


> Who knows, in 10-15 tears maybe I'll be handed $500 million to film the Foundation trilogy entirely in Canada with just my buddies to start with as a production team.


Can I sign up for that in advance?


----------



## MacDoc

Atheists only.....Howard sez


----------



## MacDoc

Just finished *Conspiracy of Fools* about the Enron debacle. Learned much.....dismayed more about how far from "producing" wealth much of the US "establishment" has strayed.
All gaming - what a bloody mess and still not over. 

Figuring it's a natural segue I'm reading Bob Woodwards * Plan of Attack* about the lead up to Iraq an anyone thinks it was not in gear before 9/11 is just plain wrong.
Bush's inspiration........he read a book ( or in Woodwards comment "likely skimmed it" - about Teddy Roosevelt and "muscular" American foreign policy.

It certainly gives insight to the key figures and the roots of the concept and planning. Colin Powell comes off as the only sane one so far.....and Tommy Franks.

But one thing that has struck me is never is there is a discussion as to WHY they were attacked ( 9/11 ) and root causes.


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> But one thing that has struck me is never is there is a discussion as to WHY they were attacked ( 9/11 ) and root causes.


I've noticed that too as I am reading the same book (on and off). There is absolutely no indication as to why Bush and Co. decided to attack Iraq. I don't know if I will be able to finish the book...it's not particularly interesting at the moment...not when I'm reading Armageddon (The Battle for Germany, 1944-1945), Revenge of the Sith, The Blue Planet and others at the same time.


----------



## MacDoc

I think you misread my observation - or I miswrote it 

There was no discussion about the underlying causes of the attack on 9/11 ON the US by Al Quaeda as a result of US foreign policies and meddling. You would think 9/11 came out a vacuum for all the discussion of first causes. 

I think it's pretty clear there was an agenda that included toppling Saddam " unfinished business" for Rumsfeld and others prior to 9/11. They just were looking for an excuse and timing.

I also suspect the rather quick success in Afghanistan boosted the "we can do this quickly" headspace.


----------



## Gerbill

The Hot Kid, by Elmore Leonard.


----------



## winwintoo

MacDoc said:


> It certainly gives insight to the key figures and the roots of the concept and planning. Colin Powell comes off as the only sane one so far.....and Tommy Franks.
> 
> But one thing that has struck me is never is there is a discussion as to WHY they were attacked ( 9/11 ) and root causes.


I like my conspiracy theory in the form of fiction - or the kind of fiction that you can barely distinguish from fact or fact that sounds like fiction or something like that. Anyway, I've been iPodding audiobooks lately and really enjoyed "Night Fall" by Nelson DeMille - makes you wonder about 9/11.

I just finished listening to "The Third Secret" by Steve Berry - it might make Catholics squirm - but in light of the recent talk about same sex marriage and so on, it is also interesting. Not much more than a beach book in terms of depth, but I enjoyed it more than Dan Brown's offerings.

Take care, Margaret


----------



## IronMac

*Death at the Crossroads* by Dale Furutani, a mystery set in early 17th-century Japan at the beginning of the Tokugawa Shogunate.


----------



## Wolfshead

Elmore Leonard? I love Elmore Leonard. Haven't read The Hot Kid yet though.


----------



## winwintoo

I've been audiobooking several of P.G. Wodehouse's books. I enjoy British humour and Douglas Adams was a great fan of Wodehouse, so I decided to investigate. Wodehouse has a way with words that is unmatched by any other author that I've come across.

Margaret


----------



## MacDoc

Just completed *Shake Hands with the Devil* ....Canada's own Gen Romeo Dallaire wrote AND LIVED this incredible book.

I can't quite offer a description that is adequate... 

Here's others who have tried



> When Lt-Gen. Roméo Dallaire received the call to serve as force commander of the UN intervention in Rwanda in 1993, he thought he was heading off on a modest and straightforward peacekeeping mission. Thirteen months later he flew home from Africa, broken, disillusioned and suicidal, having witnessed the slaughter of 800,000 Rwandans in only a hundred days. In Shake Hands with the Devil, he takes the reader with him on a return voyage into the hell of Rwanda, vividly recreating the events the international community turned its back on. This book is an unsparing eyewitness account of the failure by humanity to stop the genocide, despite timely warnings.
> 
> Woven through the story of this disastrous mission is Dallaire’s own journey from confident Cold Warrior, to devastated UN commander, to retired general engaged in a painful struggle to find a measure of peace, reconciliation and hope. This book is General Dallaire’s personal account of his conversion from a man certain of his worth and secure in his assumptions to a man conscious of his own weaknesses and failures and critical of the institutions he’d relied on. It might not sit easily with standard ideas of military leadership, but understanding what happened to General Dallaire and his mission to Rwanda is crucial to understanding the moral minefields our peacekeepers are forced to negotiate when we ask them to step into the world’s dirty wars.
> 
> *Excerpt from Shake Hands with the Devil*
> _My story is not a strictly military account nor a clinical, academic study of the breakdown of Rwanda. It is not a simplistic indictment of the many failures of the UN as a force for peace in the world. It is not a story of heroes and villains, although such a work could easily be written. This book is a cri de coeur for the slaughtered thousands, a tribute to the souls hacked apart by machetes because of their supposed difference from those who sought to hang on to power. . . . This book is the account of a few humans who were entrusted with the role of helping others taste the fruits of peace. Instead, we watched as the devil took control of paradise on earth and fed on the blood of the people we were supposed to protect. _
> 
> REVIEW QUOTES
> 
> “Lt. General Roméo Dallaire is revered by Canadians everywhere. When I finished the book, I could understand why. Here was a man who screamed into the void. No one listened, no one cared, no one heard. But he never stopped screaming. He valued every human life. He wept for every human loss. He never gave up.”
> —Stephen Lewis in The Walrus
> 
> “Using the detailed daily notes that were taken by his assistant in the field, Gen. Dallaire painstakingly recreated the events leading up to the genocide and provides a minute-by-minute account of the eruption of bloodshed in April, 1994, as his pleas for reinforcements to UN headquarters in New York were ignored.”
> —Stephanie Nolen, The Globe and Mail
> 
> “Almost certainly the most important book published in Canada this year.”
> —The Globe and Mail
> 
> “Shake Hands with the Devil is both an exorcism and a scathing indictment. With all the powerful immediacy of an open wound, Shake Hands with the Devil is the most important non-fiction book of the year.”
> —The Vancouver Sun
> 
> “It [is] a story of international indifference and political failure, but it [is] also one of the most profoundly disturbing tales of the century.”
> —The Ottawa Citizen
> 
> “With considerable effort, pain and sacrifice, retired Lieutenant-General Romeo Dallaire has provided us with an insider’s account of how he struggled with one of the most horrific events in the 20th century while an indifferent world and an incompetent United Nations looked on. Hopefully, this well written and comprehensive book represents the last chapter in Dallaire’s painful Rwandan journey.”
> —The National Post
> 
> “Shake Hands with the Devil [is] one of the year’s, if not the decade’s, most important events in Canadian publishing.... Dallaire gives us something to believe in. That he has done so with his eyes and heart wide open to the worst our species has to offer is a monumental achievement. Shake Hands with the Devil delivers this remarkable man and his story to us.”
> —Vancouver Sun; Times-Colonist (Victoria)
> 
> “[O]n the enormously important issue of Third World development and the moral obligation of the Western world to assist the dispossessed, [Shake Hands With The Devil] is a powerful cri de coeur for the powerless, and a gut-wrenching description of what really happened during those awful months 10 years ago.”
> —The Toronto Star
> 
> “Dallaire, the proud, dedicated Canadian in charge of that mission, a man of deep humanitarian conviction.”
> —The Ottawa Citizen
> 
> “The very spareness of the prose reflects a supreme effort at self-mastery and heightens the anguish described....He manages to convey the full horror of the genocide in relatively few passages of extraordinary, wrenching lyric power....This is a book to read — to understand what genocide means, to relect on the failure of “humanity,” and to be inspired by the courage of the few in the face of genocidal horror and international indifference.”
> —The Gazette
> 
> “With the best intentions in the world, we asked Romeo Dallaire to inhabit an unspeakable world for us, to witness horrors beyond imagining, to carry a moral burden that no one person should ever have had to shoulder. He has now done us the immeasurable service of setting out in print what price that burden exacted on his mind and his soul…. ”
> —The Gazette
> 
> “Anyone wondering whether the United Nations still has a role to play ought to be reading Romeo Dallaire’s long-awaited account of the Rwandan massacre. Shake Hands with the Devil is a harsh, uncompromising account of a great catastrophe — one the great powers saw coming and chose not to prevent. This is an important book….”
> —Edmonton Sun
> 
> “As painful as Shake Hands with the Devil is to read, it is impossible to imagine the agony it author had to go through to write it…. What he witnessed, what he was incapable of stopping, would have broken anyone. Dallaire’s condemnation of the free world is stark and uncompromising…. It is impossible to read this memoir — written in meticulous detail — without feeling sick and without feeling rage…. ”
> —Calgary Herald
> 
> “[A] powerful story of leadership and sacrifice, of moral and physical courage, and a deep love of humanity. In short, a story of a fine soldier and a hero.”
> —The Edmonton Journal
> 
> “This is an important book because it is a factual record of the genocide of recent times…. So we encounter with him the misery and chaos and the sheer unadulterated terror of living through an unnecessary and avoidable atrocity…. Read this book and rediscover if you have lost it, your capacity for moral outrage.”
> —Winnipeg Free Press
> 
> “Shake Hands with the Devil, Dallaire’s powerfully eloquent reconstruction of genocide, [is] a haunting story of evil….That he has survived and found a way to write about those events is a triumph. Not a book for the faint of heart, perhaps. But Shake Hands with the Devil should be mandatory reading for Western leaders and citizens of every country that pays lip service to the peacekeeping ideals and the sanctity of human life.”
> —The Chronicle-Herald (Halifax)
> 
> “[A]n almost day-by-day chronology of the horror…. Dallaire has written an emotional, often bitter book…. moving and tragic.”
> —The Telegram (St. John’s)
> 
> “[Dallaire’s] passionate, disturbing memoir of those awful days is harrowing reading…. It is a savage book…. But his humanity shines through, unlike so many others tainted by the blood of innocents.”
> —The Calgary Sun


••

Just starting *Memoirs of a Geisha*.....I'm sooooooo jealous.
What an incredible debut novel, forget debut - incredible period. 










Most enjoyable - highly recommended ( both btw ).


----------



## poisonmonkey

Sun Tzu - The Art of War.

I was talking to some of my co-workers and this book suddenly was brought up. So I thought it would be good to read it.

While I have no intent on the "art of war" it has been used a lot to parallel business... so I guess I can find a connection to what I'm doing as well.


----------



## MBD

Macdoc
Just completed [b said:


> Shake Hands with the Devil[/b] ....Canada's own Gen Romeo Dallaire wrote AND LIVED this incredible book.


This is probably going to be my next read! My friends got it for me for my birthday in March (I'm a slow reader - I'm still on my current book _The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason_ by Sam Harris, a book that will probably offend theists the world over but I am also listening and enjoying immensly the audio book _Reason for Hope_ by one of my heros, Jane Goodall, who speaks quite openly about her spirtual beliefs. My next read after the Romeo Dallaire book will be _The Ancestor's Tale_ by Richard Dawkins that explains the history of earth in a Chaucer framework, going back in time and meeting diffierent "characters" - another birthday gift from my friends...I have good friends!


----------



## talonracer

*The Essential Bordertown* - edited by Terri Windling & Delia Sherman.

A very cool collection of short stories by various authors, all set in the same fictional place, "Bordertown", (duh) - a world halfway between reality and faerie, where both co-exist.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

I just started _Atlas Shrugged_ by Ayn Rand. HEAVY.


----------



## MacDoc

Oooooooh dancing with the devil. 
I'll be impressed if you finish it for a variety of reasons. Even more impressed you tackled it in the first place.

You'll see "Who is John Galt" scattered here and there....now you'll know. 

















*The Fountainhead* is the more accessible of Rand's two seminal works. Basely loosely on Frank Lloyd Wright.


----------



## james_squared

Hello,

I'm currently reading <i>The Plague</i> by Albert Camus and <i>Managerial Economics</i> 11/e by Mark Hirschey.

James


----------



## MacDoc

That's suicide material that combo.


----------



## IronMac

james_squared said:


> <i>Managerial Economics</i> 11/e by Mark Hirschey.


I take it that this was not a voluntary choice?


----------



## CN

I just finished A Clockwork Orange. Wow. Very cool book. Now I'm looking for the movie. I love reading books and then watching the movie. Some people hate adaptations, but I love to see how another person envisioned the novel, and it can sometimes add a whole new dimension to your understanding. I've heard its excellent (Stanley Kubrick).

Anyways, now I'm reading The Catcher in the Rye. I'm trying to read some "classics" during the summer, to edjuhkate myself. And schools out, so I might as well do something a bit constructive. Good conversation starters too . I have plans to read at least a few more classics before the end of the summer ("The Essential Steinbeck" is sitting on my desk, right beside "A Farewell to Arms").

Any suggestions would be great too, PM me or whatever!


----------



## IronMac

CN said:


> Anyways, now I'm reading The Catcher in the Rye.


Read it...didn't like it.


----------



## MacDoc

C in the R - the one book wonder. He made sooo much off school royalties 
I didn't think much of it either.

Far better choice would have been Faulkner's.










Funny, engaging and worth reading for the horse racing description alone.


----------



## james_squared

IronMac said:


> I take it that this was not a voluntary choice?


Hello IronMac,

Actually, it is...and...it isn't. It's for work, but it's for a course that I have chosen to develop. I was not told to develop a course, but I feel that it would be a better course for the students to take and for myself to teach.

James


----------



## CN

Thanks for the suggestion, MacDoc.

I don't regret reading Catcher in the Rye (or any book really ). Not my favourite book, or anything, but still somewhat interesting, and it never hurts to be exposed to different books et, if only to discuss them with others.


----------



## MacDoc

CN I meant a better choice for schools. At least Catcher is short 

The Reivers both movie and book is a treat.

Grapes of Wrath is terrific.
The Fountainhead.
Try a Mitchener - Caravans maybe - he's such a great story teller.

You want short or long??


----------



## CN

Yup, I'm headed for the Grapes of Wrath soon (its in "The Essential Steinbeck") and I think I'll re-read Of Mice and Men while I'm at it (good movie too).

Length doesn't matter too much, under 1000 pages is preferable, but if its spectacular, I'm sure I'll get through it 

There are way too many good books out there for one person!


----------



## MacDoc

> There are way too many good books out there for one person!


50 years+ of reading and I could not agree more. :clap:

I'm encouraged that there are more and more books circulating and arriving.

BTW if you want a bench mark writer Canada's Guy Gavriel Kay is astounding.

If you want a big intriguing "one off" from a writer who is normally a bit of a formula kight weight - Ken Follet's * Pillars of the Earth * is truly an enduring classic from an unlikely source.

I read it 20 years between readings and enjoyed BOTH times thoroughly. It's hard to believe you can get into a 1200 pager that has you eager to turn the next page and very very unhappy that it's over.


----------



## CN

Liked the ending of Catcher in the Rye. I'm not really sure why. Although I found the whole book kind of unsatisfactory, the ending seemed to make it better. I think I was taken in by the symbolism/imagery. Still not sure of what I really think of Catcher in the Rye, it wasn't as spectacular as I thought, but a somewhat "fun" read I suppose.

Just started reading "A Farewell to Arms" by Ernest Hemingway. Seems like more my type of book. The historical stuff (not a whole lot in there, but some) is neat too.


----------



## MacDoc

Searing....... but this book could only I think come from a Japanese writer. I won't tell you much beyond it deserves the accolades it has received. A classic small novel with echoes of something frightening far beyond Orwell hidden in the apparently innocent prose.

Sterling writing. Much left to your imagination making it all the more impacting..........one of those books that may well stick in your mind for a long while.  

I'd be VERY interested in other views on this.


----------



## iKV

Being in Australia, have been reading a few authors from here. Just finished reading Colleen McCullough's Morgan's Run, it's an historical fiction account of the first convicts sent to Australia and Norfolk Island from the personal tragedy of one of those convicts, Richard Morgan.

Just started reading Tomorrow, When The War Began, the first in a series of seven novels on a group of 15-17 year old teens written by John Marsden. Think a slightly more aware Harry Potter living in the bush without magic, with comical banter about growing up, written as if someone was actually speaking the story.


----------



## IronMac

Go away for a bit and it seems that no one reads!  


A Plague on Both Your Houses by Susanna Gregory
Reading Financial Statements for Dummies
50 Weapons that Changed Warfare (ugh)
Off the Cuff by Carson Kressley

That was just for the past week.....


----------



## Pylonman

Con Game, the truth about Canada's Prisons. By Michael Harris


----------



## MissGulch

gwillikers said:


> Just finishing The Da Vinci Codes.
> Doesn't quite live up to all the hype and controversy IMHO, but a really good page turner all the same. Definitely a recommended read.


I agree it was a good read that didn't live up to the hype. I thought the ending was kind of a passive sellout.

At the moment I am reading "The Year 1000: What Life Was Like At the Turn of the Millenenium" by Robert Lacey and Danny Danziger. They cover life in Enga-lond only. Great read.

One book I keep off the shelf is "The Luck Factor, How to Increase Luck in Your Life" by Dr. Richard Wiseman. So much in there is amazingly true, and I try to live up to the four principles. 

I read about the book on a flight home from Vegas. I won the trip in a contest, so I may have been doubly lucky upon discovering this author.

I forgot to add that I also recently read "How to Make Love Like a Porn Star" by porn actress Jenna Jamison. It's not a book of porn, but an autobiography about her life in porn. An interesting read for those outside looking in, and a necessity if you plan to drop your drawers for a living.


----------



## Carex

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

I'm reading it so I can explain it to my daughter in the future. Honest.


----------



## Ena

Dark Age Ahead by Jane Jacobs. It's about why civilizations fail. 
Jacobs has a great writing style, easy to read despite the serious nature of her topic.
Amazing woman, thinker and planner. Still going strong at 88.


----------



## Dr.G.

Ena, this book sounds far less dense than "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond. MacDoc reccommended this book and my wife gave it to me for Hanukkah.


----------



## MacDoc

I was SOOOOOOOOOO jealous of Arthur Golden.  How can somebody write a FIRST NOVEL this good!!!!!!!??????

Very enjoyable - one critic said sumptuous and it surely was. A classic tale and well researched.

NOW I find one of my fav actresses Zhang Ziyi 








of Hidden Dragon etc fame will star in the movie version filmed by *Steven Speilberg.*!!

Yikes that's quite a home run for a newbie novelist.
Highly recommended reading.

••••

BTW Dr. G I have yet to finish GGG so I'm in awe of you getting through it. The second book *Collapse* was a breeze by comparison. I see they have made a GGG 2 part special for National Geo. :clap: 
Jared is even more convincing in person.

I'll be interested in Dark Ages feedback - I heard mixed reviews.


----------



## Dr.G.

"BTW Dr. G I have yet to finish GGG so I'm in awe of you getting through it." Well, I am still glad that it received an MacDoc "thumbs-up", since I found it difficult to read, but interesting.


----------



## MacDoc

Since you got through the hard one treat yourself to Collapse. Just fascinating and far less dense. An adventure tale of the human species.....ending.....unknown.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, "Collapse" shall have to wait. I am currently reading Stel Pavlou's "Decipher"

"The world balances on the brink of diaster. Fueled by solar fires, cataclismic natural disasters are erupting across the earth and deavoring huge chunks of the population. America and China are poised to go to war. The clock is ticking down and humanity has mere weeks to solve a 12,000–year old riddle or perish from the face of the earth.

A team of crackerjack scientists race to find the connection between crystalline structures linking ancient Amazonian ruins, the Sphinx, and a strange subsurface formation below the Antarctic ice. Their quest take them leap-frogging around the globe and finally to the Antarctic in the company of an elite Special Forces team. Will the team decode the mystery in time to save the humanity?

Decipher combines a bit of everything — chaos theory, metaphysics, archeological studies, and Biblical profesy — in its quest to decode the mysterious crystalline structures at the heart of this thriller."


----------



## Fink-Nottle

MacDoc,

I'm a big fan of Kazuo Ishiguro although I haven't read that latest book yet. 'The Remains of the Day' was a gem which ironically struck me as unfilmable after I read it. I also hugely enjoyed 'The Unconsoled'... a very surreal book about art and artists and much else. I was a little disappointed by 'When We Were Orphans' but I have heard nothing but good things about this latest work.



> Searing....... but this book could only I think come from a Japanese writer.


I saw him speak to Eleanor Wachtel at the Trinity Church when he was touring after 'When We Were Orphans'. He mentioned that many reviewers have commented on his Asian minimalist style but it was not something he consciously developed... he writes in English and has lived in London since he was 16. I do know what you mean though; his writing is so taut and unpretentious as if to suggest he is a foreigner seeing only superficialities, and yet it subtly conveys so much underneath. If anyone hasn't read him, 'The Remains of the Day' is a great start... don't be put off by the film.

Moving from Kazuo, I am enjoying Bill Bryson's light hearted but very interesting 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' and will be attempting 'The Gormenghast Trilogy' when I hit the cottage next week. After that, perhaps I'll pick up Kazuo's book so I can put in my 2 cents.


----------



## MacDoc

Bryson is amazing. Lots of laugh out loud in his books.

••••

Thanks for the background on Ishiguro tho I'd still maintain the "unquestioning compliance" could only come from a Japanese.

I'll try some of the others now I know. If he paints with broad strokes leaving the imagination to flesh out the rest I'll be thrilled.

I used to get accused of elliptical writing in university - could not tolerate making all the connections "obvious". So I enjoy that style in reading - a top notch piece of art demands a creative exchange between originator and viewer/reader in my mind.

I'm just finishing this little gem.

*The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time* by Mark Haddon










Again a blow away first novel. You'll laugh and cry - a quick and engaging summer read.
Some 360 readers on Amazon took the time to rate this and 4 1/2 stars of 5 are well deserved. A remarkably well executed book and highly original viewpoint .


----------



## Wolfshead

Any chance we could start some kind of book club through ehMac? Maybe under a separate section?


----------



## Carex

Macdoc, you have recommended 2 books on my "I'm curious about that book but haven't heard anything about it" list. Thank you. I will pick these up straight away. 

What is the Curious Incident about?


----------



## Mrs. Furley

Wolfshead said:


> Any chance we could start some kind of book club through ehMac? Maybe under a separate section?


I love that idea, although I'm more of a lover of novels than Bryson/Diamond-type books. Could be hard to agree on one! We could try though...


----------



## Wolfshead

I suppose we could take turns imposing, I mean suggesting, books to read. Or maybe the mayor could make the choice? After all, we could all complain vehemently if he made bad choices.


----------



## MacDoc

Carex I don't want to "ruin the surprise" - Curious is fun and insightful and a very short read.

••

Book Club?? - use this thread. Just keep it rolling.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, but you would have to finish "Guns, Germs and Steel" for us to discuss this book, n'est pas?????????????

Just playing with your mind on this hot and humid St.John's afternoon. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah yeah......gee yur mudder give ya the guilt trip schtick to pass along.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, my mother was never really into laying "guilt trips" on me. However, my grandmother was a maven with the laying of Jewish guilt upon the heads of many. Luckily, I was the first male grandchild, so I could do no wrong. Go figure.


----------



## MacDoc

So it skipped a generation.  You know where of I speak.


----------



## Dr.G.

Yes, the guilt of the Jewish mother is legendary in literature and in stand up comedy.............and based on reality. Read Philip Roth's "Goodbye Columbus". 

Or, one of my friend's mother called him one day to see if he was alive because he had not called in a week or so.


----------



## gastonbuffet

re-reading "a confederacy of dunces" for the second time, in english now. imho, a really great read, and funny as hell.

two thumbs up!!!

..............and i would rate it: .................nahhh , i'll let you rate it.


----------



## PosterBoy

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.

s'good, too.


----------



## Makr

The tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. Don't laugh, it's for my Children's Literature Class.


----------



## Dr.G.

Makr, when I taught a children's lit course here at Memorial, I had my students try to write a children's story intended for a primary age student. It was a unique and fun activity.


----------



## Clockwork

I am just starting to read Human Growth and Behaviour. I read it in 1998. I have to prepare myself for Distance courses this fall. I have been taking courses fall/winter and summer for the past three years. I needed a break this summer because I was getting extremely burnt out. I figure it is a good book to read again since my wife and I are having our first child in January  The baby is due January 6th.  Dr G, how many classes do you teach through Distance education each year? Do you also teach in a class room as well?


----------



## Trin86

I'm trying to work my way through the third Lord of the Rings book but I haven't been very dedicated in reading it. I still want to finish it though because I want to know what happens!! lol.


----------



## Dr.G.

Clockwork, I am now Memorial University's first full-time regular faculty teleprofessor, in that my entire workload is now online. I teach 6 courses as my regular workload, and then teach about 10-12 extra web courses each year for extra pay. Right now, I am teaching 123 students in four web courses, with only 23 being here in St.John's, 40 being in Corner Brook on the west coast of NL, 46 being at the Univ. of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, and the rest scattered around the beautiful province of NL.

I have not taught on-campus since the Fall semester, 2004, and don't know when/if I shall be on-campus again.


----------



## Vinnie Cappuccino

Yann Martel - Life of Pi, Wonderful Book!


----------



## lpkmckenna

Feeling Good, by Dr David Burns
The Lesser Evil, by Micheal Ignatieff
Warrior Queen, by Alan Gold


----------



## Makr

That's nifty Dr. G. I think i need to give it a try.


----------



## IronMac

Bone of Contention by Roberta Gellis

Les Halles Cookbook by Anthony Bourdain. *yum!*


----------



## Mrs. Furley

I'm reading The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve. It's a very good novel.


----------



## Dr.G.

Makr, I have had about a dozen students from BC who used my undergrad or grad web course credits for their UBC, UVic, etc, university credits. It is a unique way of teaching and learning.


----------



## MannyP Design

Just started reading _The Baby Whisperer_ as suggested by Bhil... off to a good start.


----------



## CN

Finished The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat (yep, I had a book with a bunch of John Steinbeck novels in it ). The Grapes of Wrath was a bit of a downer, but pretty interesting...Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat were very colourful and fun to read.

Right now I'm reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it...not really my sort of book (very dry so far...I just can't get into it). I even tried to break it up by reading Harry Potter (the new one) in between chapters...but then I just ended up reading the whole Harry Potter book in about 2 days...evil JK Rowling


----------



## ajaxline

Currently halfway through _Deadhouse Gates_ by Steven Erikson; the second in a great series of fantasy books.


----------



## MacDoc

Erikson is a terrific descriptive writer - I can almost taste the dust. 
But man what a downer in terms of leaving you depressed at the world he creates.

ONE day I'll read the entire set again. Engaging, very long and very vivid.


----------



## MaxPower

Manny,

May I suggest you read Do I Look Like a Daddy to You? Excellent read with some humour thrown in. It chronicles a couple who finds out they are going to have a baby. It takes the reader from when they find out until the end of the first year. I read it and enjoyed it.

Currently, I am waiting for an order from Amazon. Star Wars Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command by Thimothy Zahn. Has anyone read these? What was your take on these? This is the first time I've bought books based on a movie and am a little skeptical on reading them.


----------



## Dr.G.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The best-selling thriller "The Da Vinci Code" does not infringe on the copyrights of a book published in 2000 by another author, a judge ruled.

U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels said Dan Brown's book exploring codes hidden in Leonardo Da Vinci's artwork is not substantially similar to "Daughter of God," by Lewis Perdue.

Brown's book "is simply a different story," Daniels said.

"Although both novels at issue are mystery thrillers, 'Daughter of God' is more action-packed, with several gunfights and violent deaths," Daniels said in a ruling dated Thursday. "'The Da Vinci Code,' on the other hand, is an intellectual, complex treasure hunt, focusing more on the codes, number sequences, cryptexes and hidden messages left behind as clues than on any physical adventure."

He also ruled out any copyright violations of Perdue's 1983 novel "The Da Vinci Legacy."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

However, it now seems that there shall be new lawsuits against CBC's DaVinci's Inquest, the Vancouver-based series about a Vancouver coroner. Seems as if there are clues imbedded in the Lion's Gate Bridge, that leads to underlying truth about the Sponsorship scandal, which was to be Dan Brown's next novel. Very interesting.................


----------



## IronMac

Foxtrotius Maximus


----------



## MacDoc

*Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001*

Mind bending. .....reap the whirlwind indeed..........


----------



## ajaxline

And, in a not-so-subtle bit of self-promotion...

http://www.lulu.com/content/150260

 

A.J. Axline
www.closetuniverse.com


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> *Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001*
> 
> Mind bending. .....reap the whirlwind indeed..........


It's an excellent read...started it when it first came out but stopped around pg. 213...will have to start all over again in order to keep everything straight.


----------



## rneale

*Brideshead Revisited*

I seem to like stories that involve a lot of drinking. After reading one of Ian Rankin's Rebus novels, I went out and had an Indian meal, drank lots of McEwans and smoked a pack of ****.

I'm easily led.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Digital Fortress" by Dan Brown. It's about a group of Mac-addicts who barricade themselves in the main Apple compound and refuse to let anyone in until Apple breaks off its deal with Intel.....................I think that is what it is about, since I have yet to find a free moment to start reading page 1. We shall see.


----------



## lotus

For the rest of the summer I will be on a biography kick:
Adlai Stevenson - Bill Severn
Close Encounters - Mike Wallace
The Camera Never Blinks - Dan Rather
Hail to the Chiefs - Ruth Montgomery


----------



## MacDoc

lotus said:


> For the rest of the summer I will be on a biography kick:
> Adlai Stevenson - Bill Severn
> Close Encounters - Mike Wallace
> The Camera Never Blinks - Dan Rather
> Hail to the Chiefs - Ruth Montgomery


 :clap:

If you haven't read it add David McCullough Pultizer prize winning ( deservedly too )










as a matter of fact I'd START with Truman as it lays the foundation for the others.


----------



## Bolor

I'm a Tom Clancy/Robert Ludlum kind of guy. I like Dan Brown, W.E.B. Griffin, John Grisham and so on. Just finished White Shark by Peter Benchley. It was OK.


----------



## thejst

White Noise by Don DeLillo


----------



## thejst

Dr.G. said:


> "Digital Fortress" by Dan Brown. It's about a group of Mac-addicts who barricade themselves in the main Apple compound and refuse to let anyone in until Apple breaks off its deal with Intel.....................I think that is what it is about, since I have yet to find a free moment to start reading page 1. We shall see.


It ends with all those barricaded aquiescing to SJ's charisma....best 50 page novella ever!


----------



## trump

just started "The Collapse of Globalism" by John Raulston Saul


----------



## Sonal

Re-reading Gone with the Wind. 

Love the book, love the movie. Despite her many terrible character traits, sometimes it's hard not to like Scarlett.


----------



## IronMac

Wasteland of Flint by Thomas Harlan
Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss


----------



## IronMac

House of Reeds by Thomas Harlan


----------



## Dr.G.

"Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown


----------



## Urban Lover

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
Time Travelers Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
Two Solitudes - Hugh Maclennan


----------



## Dr.G.

Almost done with "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown. Next shall be his "Deception Point".


----------



## Max

_Blue Highways,_ by William Least Heat Moon. Quite simply one of the best travelogues I've read in many, many years. A journey through the forgotten parts of America. As much a poignant eulogy as it is a spiritual trip through one man's quest to find an authentic America hidden amidst the fast-food joints and seldom-travelled back-roads of the early 80s. I have my uncle to thank for recommending this fine novel and laying his personal copy on me with the instructions to read it like my life depended on it. If you want some intelligent and soulful observations on the cultural minutae of America, this book is bound to satisfy.


----------



## Chipper

Just finishing off Absolute Friends by John le Carré. It's billed as a national bestseller, but I haven't found it to be a stimulating read that I just can't put down. In fact, I've had to force myself to pick it up and continue at times. I rarely give up on a book once I've started it.

Waiting in the wings is a borrowed copy of Dan Brown's Deception Point. I've read his other 3 novels. Angels & Demons is my favourite so far. I am looking forward to any future novels he may write. 

Harry Potter & the Halfblood Prince and The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes are also waiting to be read.

On the techie side, I've been referring to The Macintosh iLife 04 for the Classroom by Jim Heid since I've decided to learn how to move my family reunion slideshow collections from iPhoto to iMovie and/or ultimately to iDVD. I'll be burning my first DVD of 2004-2005 slideshows later tonight.


----------



## Gerbill

Re-reading _Reaper Man_ by Terry Pratchett.


----------



## MacDoc

Finished *Ghost Wars* ..highly recommended - well written overview of the events leading up to 9/11 without axe grinding.

and now for something completely different....
Mave Binchys's *Firefly Summer*/










Totally well written escapism, a perfect summer read - one of my fav Irish authors. Funny touching and wise. :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, let us know when you finally finish "Guns, Germs and Steel".


----------



## MacDoc

Nasty nasty - laying on a guilt trip ...what would your mother say?


----------



## Guest

Sword of Truth series - Terry Goodkind
Wheel of Time series - Robert Jordan
and funny enough, just finished latest Harry Potter novel (fun light reading).

yes, I like Fantasy, I read enough real life/tech stuff at work every day, for recreation I like to get away from reality


----------



## MacDoc

Man..... Wheel of Time just goes on and on and on and on..........did he EVER finish the damn thing???


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, Jared Diamond finished "Guns, Germs and Steel".............did you???? Just teasing you, mon ami. 

Here's the ending -- "In short, the these of GGS seem to me to be not only a driving force in the acient world but also a rip area for study in the modern world."


----------



## Guest

MacDoc said:


> Man..... Wheel of Time just goes on and on and on and on..........did he EVER finish the damn thing???


heheh nope, not yet. I started reading it years ago, and stopped when I realized it was a running on thing ... then I started reading again last year (I reread it from beginning) because I thought it was done ... the next book is due in October they are saying and they are not saying if it's last book (I doubt it given how much is left wide open in the story line).

Sadly the Sword of Truth (which has been accused of ripping off robert jordan) is going same direction, 10 books and counting. Next book of that one is also due in Oct or so ... so waiting for book 11 of both series! DOH!


----------



## cheshire_cat

I am re-reading Harry and the Half Blood Prince.

I've read Grapes of Wrath...great book BTW...but could someone tell me what the meaning about those chapters at the car dealership?


----------



## Dr.G.

CC, "The Grapes of Wrath" is my favorite book. Re the car dealerships, this part critiques another aspect of the American business system. The owners of the car dealerships mean solely to exploit impoverished buyers. They do not profit from selling cars that will last, but rather from finding the most ill-used vehicle, giving it the appearance of reliability, and pawning it off on desperate farmers wishing to get to California. There is no compassion in the car sales, but rather a perpetual cycle of exploitation. This indicates what the Joad family must certainly have experienced this sort of dealings to get their car to go west. It places the whole concept of exploitation into a larger context.


----------



## cheshire_cat

oh i c...thanks for the explanation Dr.G!


----------



## Dr.G.

No problem, CC.


----------



## Wolfshead

Just finished reading "My Traitor's Heart" by Rian Malan. It's about Malan's struggle to come to terms with living in South Africa or "how to live in this strange place". The honesty of the author makes uncomfortable but compelling reading.


----------



## Carex

I re-read the "Grapes of Wrath" recently and had forgotten how bleak it really was. How could they have survived the winter!! 

On a more positive note I just finished reading "Memoirs of a Geisha" (as recommended by MacDoc). A very good first novel by the author (Golden?). I must admit that before reading the book I was under a false impression that a geisha was simply a Japanese prostitute. 

Just picked up "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller and "Who Has Seen the Wind" by W.O. Mitchell. I let you know how it goes.


----------



## IronMac

Financial Statement Analyst: A Practitioner's Guide, 3rd Ed. by Fridson and Alvarez.


----------



## MacDoc

Whhhooooooo Tropic of Cancer........hot stuff there Carex.....Banned in Brooklyn 

•••

Iron Mac - Aren't YOU just a real party animal.


----------



## Carex

Now now MacDoc, it's an American classic after all. 

I think I will switch from fiction to the kind of stuff that IronMac reads after this. Break out of the shell so to speak.


----------



## Chipper

Picked up The Constant Gardener by John Le Carré last night and am finding this book a more engaging read than his more recent book, Absolute Friends, which I just finished. I am planning to see the movie once I've read the book.


----------



## MacDoc

Carex you want real - try The Man Who Talks to Horses......just a wonderful book - as is Sea Biscuit...also a true story.


----------



## Carex

I don't really want real, just tongue-in-cheek commenting about the differences between IronMac's choices and mine right now.


----------



## Dr.G.

Good for you, Carex. Be an iconoclast and go against the grain. I care not that "Tropic of Cancer" was banned in Brooklyn............because I grew up in Queens, NY. We were far more progressive in Forest Hills, NY.


----------



## MacDoc

Banned there too


----------



## Dr.G.

Sorry, MacDoc, but I was able to check out "The Tropic of Cancer" when I was in high school from the Forest Hills Public Library. I was a rebel even then.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah but that was much later



> Forty years have passed since Grove Press first published Henry Miller's landmark masterpiece — an act that would forever change the face of American literature. Initially banned in America as obscene, Tropic of Cancer was first published in Paris in 1934. Only a historic court ruling that changed American censorship standards permitted its publication


It took 30 years to get by censorship in the US....so you got an early copy Dr. G


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> Iron Mac - Aren't YOU just a real party animal.


Who's spreading those lies?!


----------



## Dr.G.

I went to high school from 1963-66.


----------



## MacDoc

Did you get a raised eye brow from the matron at the desk?


----------



## IronMac

The Devil's Broker: Seeking Gold, God and Glory in Fourteenth-Century Italy by Frances Stonor Saunders.


----------



## IronMac

*Speak Like a CEO:* Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results by Suzanne Bates.


----------



## MacDoc

Anyone recall the thriller series with a lead named Petra. There were 4 books in the series.
Something like La Femme Nikita in plot.


----------



## IronMac

*Wind Rider's Oath* by David Weber


----------



## MacDoc

Is that in response to my question or a separate recommendation??


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> Is that in response to my question or a separate recommendation??


Oops..sorry, that was just what I had finished reading.


----------



## IronMac

*The Bone-Pedlar* by Sylvian Hamilton.


----------



## KreenysMac

*Stiff* by Mary Roach
*Blink* by Malcolm Gladwell

_Other good books I've read recently ..._ 
*Family Matters* by Rohinton Mistry
*The Tipping Point* by Malcolm Gladwell
*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* by J.K. Rowling
*The Velocity of Honey* by Jay Ingram


----------



## IronMac

*Thrashed: Zits Sketchbook No. 9* by Scott & Borgman

*The Cabinet of Curiosities* by Preston & Child


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Dark Nest, Book 1, The Joiner King* by Troy Denning.


----------



## IronMac

*The Last Kashmiri Rose* by Barbara Cleverly


----------



## Carex

IronMac, I am about to commission an award for the most well-read person here on ehMac. You may be the hands down winner.


----------



## IronMac

Thanks Carex...one of the very few benefits of being unemployed.  

Been considering setting up a Filemaker database for books that I have read along the lines of a product called Electronic Bookography:

http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=17-722|PageID=4034|Level=2-3


----------



## Carex

IronMac, why not give Delicious Library a whirl. I have it for books, CD's and movies and I am quite happy with it. It does cost money however.


----------



## Carex

Just finished "The Pearl" by Steinbeck. 

Am about to start "Who Has Seen the Wind".


----------



## IronMac

Carex said:


> IronMac, why not give Delicious Library a whirl. I have it for books, CD's and movies and I am quite happy with it. It does cost money however.


Great suggestion Carex! Thanks! It looks like a pretty cool application. Costwise, not too bad since FM Pro 8 will cost over $200 for me as an upgrade.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Just finished 'The Pearl'by Steinbeck." Let's hear it for Keno.............Give me a K......

Steinbeck is my favorite author.


----------



## MacDoc

Mining the classics I see Carex :clap: - been a long time since I read The Pearl. Might be worth a visit.

Are you a James Michener fan?? I re-read a few last year and enjoyed them again. Could be a nice complement to your current fare.

I'm FINALLY deep into *Memories of Ice* part 3 of Steven Erikson's Malazan series.

The Bridgeburners have to go down as one of fantasy's more interesting bunch of adventurers.
But damn what an immense and complex world he creates. 

Hey I didn't know he was a transplanted Canuck :clap:

Born in Toronto, grew up in Winnipeg 

Time to go back and start from the beginning - I suspect some of the trouble "getting into" the novels each time is reading them out of order. Maybe I'll wait until the series is complete

Malazan Book of the Fallen
1. Gardens of the Moon (1999)
2. Deadhouse Gates (2000)
3. Memories of Ice (2001)
4. House of Chains (2002)
5. Midnight Tides (2004)
6. The Bonehunters (2005)
7. Reaper's Gale (2006)
8. Toll of Hounds (2006)

The cover should give you idea if it's your cuppa.










Sweeping scale and memorable characters the initial novel Gardens of the Moon was nominated for the World Fantasy award Best Novel.
Much to enjoy if you want a like a long complex created world with memorable players on a vast landscape in both time and landscape.


----------



## IronMac

*Dissolution* by C.J. Samson


----------



## IronMac

*Dark Fire* by C.J. Samson

Slowing down a bit here but got a lot on my plate.


----------



## MacDoc

I have the complete Master and Commander set if you want to tackle the 20 novels......a truly enriching experience..

.or then the Erikson set would slow you up....


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> I have the complete Master and Commander set if you want to tackle the 20 novels......a truly enriching experience..
> 
> .or then the Erikson set would slow you up....


Thanks but I read the first M&C and didn't like it. A lot of people said to give it another shot but looking at the stacks around here I may hold off for a couple of years.


----------



## IronMac

*How Would You Move Mt. Fuji?* by William Poundstone

*The Excursion Train* by Edward Marston


----------



## IronMac

*The Pendragon Banner* by Sylvian Hamilton


----------



## Bilbo

*Deep Black*

Deep Black by Stephen Coonts


----------



## MacDoc

Space opera at it's best and biggest...funny man.


----------



## IronMac

*Space Opera*

If you want space opera go with David Weber and his Honor Harrison series.


----------



## CubaMark

<img src="http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:sXAhrGY8TTkJ:www.hha.com.au/NonFiction_300dpi/bone%2520woman.jpg" width="97" height="150" align="right" alt="[Bone Woman]">I've just picked up - but have no time to read until post-conference, which is to say, after the 28th, the debut bestseller by <i>Clea Koff</i> entitled <b>The Bone Woman</b>

(Link to book via Chapters)

M.In the spring of 1994, Rwanda was the scene of the first acts since World War II to be legally defined as genocide.

Two years later, Clea Koff,a twenty-three-year-old forensic anthropologist analyzing prehistoric skeletons in Berkeley, California, was one of sixteen scientists chosen by the UN International Criminal Tribunal to go to Rwanda to unearth the physical evidence of genocide and crimes against humanity.

The Bone Woman is Koff's riveting, intimate account of that mission and six subsequent missions she undertook to Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo on behalf of the UN. It is, ultimately, a story filled with hope, humanity, and justice.
<BR><BR>
“It is a highly personal account written in an engaging I-was-there-style ... she gives a sense of the survivors and the guilt and grief they live with ... an accomplished writer ...”
—Jane Perlez, The New York Times ''Saturday Profile''​


----------



## MacDoc

Cruised the Weber bibliography - couple titles ring a bell. I like Banks....English dry humour. :clap: and he takes some great liberties with language.


----------



## IronMac

*Sweaty Palms: The Neglected Art of Being Interviewed* by H. Anthony Medley


----------



## IronMac

*A Day at the Beach* by Jim Toomey


----------



## Kazak

*A Man without a Country* by Kurt Vonnegut


----------



## Dr.G.

Kazak, have you read any of Kurt Vonnegut's earlier books?


----------



## Chipper

The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes. Personally, I'm not fnding this novel as engaging as some of her earlier books.


----------



## CanadaRAM

Hmmm. 

*Almost Human* - Shirley Strum - anthropologist studies social structure of one baboon troop for 10 years in Kenya. Good, didn't want to put it down. ('Course I had some yard work to do and it was p!$$!^& down rain, so that may have factored into it.)

*Alexander at the World's End* - Tom Holt - historical fiction, well researched, engaging and an infectious dry humour. Excellent. Note to self: get anything written by this author.

*Foreign Devils on the Silk Road* - history of archaeology and theft of oriental antiquities by western museums from the buried towns in the desert of central Asia - OK, somewhat pedantic.

*Einstein, the Life and Times* - Clark - biography, snooze material - take 3 pages before bedtime, cures insomnia instantly. Actually useful for this purpose alone, should last me about 4 months more.

*A Supposed Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again* - David Foster Wallace - humourous, acerbic essayist - somewhat nerdy, with copious footnotes and asides. The first few essays were annoying, but the last two including a long essay about one week on a cruise ship were good. Tear the book in half and read just the last part, and it rates a Good.

There would be a lot more English detective fiction and historical novels on the list, excepting that we seem to have run through the public library's entire stock and are waiting for the authors to hurry up and finish more.


----------



## CanadaRAM

> The Bone Woman.... genocide in Rwanda


Oh boy... I got halfway through Shake Hands with the Devil by Romeo Dallaire about Rwanda and had to put it down, just too depressing what humans can do to each other.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah I hear you on that - Shake Hands was a life altering read


----------



## Kazak

Dr. G,

I have basically read all of his work, most of it more than once.


----------



## IronMac

CanadaRAM said:


> There would be a lot more English detective fiction and historical novels on the list, excepting that we seem to have run through the public library's entire stock and are waiting for the authors to hurry up and finish more.


You're joking right? Check out a website called Crime Through Time or something like that...they've got tons of listings!


----------



## gwillikers

A Bright Shining Lie : John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam, by Neil Sheehan.

Well written, and honest.

I'm actually reading it for the second time, simply because I'm too lazy to visit the library and find some fresh material to read.


----------



## IronMac

Speaking of Vietnam:

*Under Fire: Great Writers and Photographers in Vietnam* by Catherine Leroy.


----------



## gwillikers

IronMac said:


> Speaking of Vietnam:
> 
> *Under Fire: Great Writers and Photographers in Vietnam* by Catherine Leroy.


Thanks IronMac, I'm going to check that one out.


----------



## IronMac

You're welcome. The book is basically a montage of photos and short writings. What may interest you much more is that each writer has a short list of what they've wrote and you can then explore further. For example, I was re-acquainted with Joe Galloway's writings which included "We Were Solders Once...and Young" (which is a take-off of an even older saying from before the Roman Empire).


----------



## gwillikers

It sounds very interesting to me, I'm going to order it from Amazon Canada.
"We Were Solders Once...and Young" is one of my Viet Nam faves, along with "Dispatches" by Michael Herr, and a few select others.


----------



## yo_paully

MacDoc said:


> Yeah I hear you on that - Shake Hands was a life altering read


I didn't read the book, but watched the documentary - very unsettling... 

I just started Across The Red River, so far it's a very good read.

From the Publisher:
In the summer of 1994, Christian Jennings arrived in Rwanda with an almost impossible mission: he had five days to track down the army officers and government officials responsible for the slaughter of 850,000 people and persuade them to participate in a television documentary about their crimes. Nothing in his past prepared him for the three and a half years that followed. A devastating examination of politics and genocide.


----------



## IronMac

*Soldiers and Ghosts: a History of Battle in Classical Antiquity* by J.E. Lendon


----------



## wonderings

just finished Everything is Illuminated, but Jonathan Safran Foer


----------



## IronMac

*The Tale of Hill Top Farm - The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter* by Susan Wittig Albert

New mystery series...not bad.


----------



## Guest

Just finished the 11th book of the Wheel of Time Series A Knife of Dreams -- and yes there is yet ANOTHER book to go in that series, sigh, and just started on the Song of Ice and Fire series from George RR Martin, reading the first book, A Game of Thrones.


----------



## IronMac

mguertin said:


> Song of Ice and Fire series from George RR Martin, reading the first book, A Game of Thrones.


Be prepared for an unceasing succession of bloody mayhem.


----------



## MacDoc

Thrones??......good series - one I look forward to re-reading - has it been completed yet??. 

••••

I'm still deep into volume 4 of the Malazan Empire Quintet.......each one in the 700 page + range 

I think MIGHT actually have some limited understanding of world he creates by the END of the series .......

Makes Tolkienland look like a simple sandbox.


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> Thrones??......good series - one I look forward to re-reading - has it been completed yet??.


No, I met the little troll of an author before I started reading the series and I should have asked him if he intended to leave anyone standing at the end. There's at least two or three more books left to go in the series. I've sort of gave up in the middle of the third or fourth one. Maybe I will go back to it...or maybe not.


----------



## MacDoc

I gave up entirely on Wheel of Time 8 or 9 books in.
At least Guy Gaveriel Kay knows how to wind up a book or trilogy properly. :clap:

I DO like the characters in the big Mazalan epic - the Bridgeburners are a classic crew and there is enough dry humour to keep me amuzed.


----------



## Hangman

I sometimes feel like I'd like to give up on the Wheel of Time series, but Jordan manages to keep me _just_ interested enough to keep plodding along.
Love George Martin's Ice and Fire series, though. Just finished the fourth book. Though I suppose you should call it book 3.5 since it only covered half the characters and his next book will cover the rest of the characters over the same time period. (Yes, it sounds confusing, but I think it will work out in the end). Apparently, if he had included everyone, the book would have been too big to publish.
I have to admit that this book wasn't quite up to his usual standards, but I'll take a mediocre job by Martin over anyone else's best any day.


----------



## CubaMark

<img src="http://images.chapters.indigo.ca/covers/books/733/0887847331_b.jpg" align="right"><b>Stephen Lewis</b>:<br>
<font color="brown"><b>Race Against Time</b></font>
<br>
Chapters Link
<br>
Lewis offers a cutting critique and issues a moral call for action - this is a book that will make you grit your teeth in anger one moment, and shake your head in stupifyed amazement the next. A hard read, but a great one.
<br>
About the Book
"I would like to throttle . . . those who've waited so unendurably long to act, those who can find infinite resources for war but never sufficient resources to ameliorate the human condition." - Stephen Lewis

Allow Lewis, the 2005 Massey Lecturer, to introduce you to the Millennium Development Goals, the most ambitious targets for human betterment ever laid out by the international community. Among the relevant issues is the universal and fundamental concern for human rights, from primary school education to the reduction of infant and maternal mortality. The goals, to be achieved by 2015, address the problems of egregious poverty and hunger, and come equipped with a road map for overcoming them. 

About the Author
Stephen Lewis is the United Nations' Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. He has extensive experience as a politician, diplomat, and humanitarian, and in particular is a passionate advocate for the rights and needs of children.

Stephen Lewis has been awarded the Pearson Peace Medal and was named by Maclean's in 2003 as inaugural Canadian of the Year and by Time in 2005 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.


----------



## IronMac

*The Turks in World History* by Carter Vaughn Findley


----------



## Rob

I was browsing around Biblioasis in Windsor and picked up a copy of The Maltese Falcon. I've enjoyed the movie a few times but haven't read any of Hammett's books before.
I'm pleased to report that both the book and the movie are great. The characters are wonderfully developed and they're all teetering on that post where you don't know which way they're going to fall. It well deserves it's classic status.


----------



## Wolfshead

*Chronicles of Narnia*

During a recent illness I found it impossible to concentrate enough to read a book. However, I've now started reading the Chronicles of Narnia, thinking a kid's book would be a bit easier on the brain. It's one of those books I've always meant to read but never got around to. I can't say I'm enjoying it much but don't know whether it's my illness, the medication I'm on or just that I'm not a kid anymore! Any comments from others who might have read it?


----------



## IronMac

*Chronicles of Narnia*



Wolfshead said:


> Any comments from others who might have read it?


I read it when I was a kid but even back then I wasn't very comfortable with its pseudo-Christian message/motif/symbolism. The series also went a bit downhill over time so it became less interesting. I did like the part where they emerged from a dark deep tunnel/cavern in one book and had a big sausage feast.


----------



## Guest

MacDoc said:


> I gave up entirely on Wheel of Time 8 or 9 books in.


I did this as well first run though. I read it to book 7 or 8 first time through and gave up. Recently picked it up again and started from the beginning (I know I'm a sucker for punishment). I've put so much time into this series I almost feel like if I don't finish it I'll have to pay it alimony  



Hangman said:


> I sometimes feel like I'd like to give up on the Wheel of Time series, but Jordan manages to keep me just interested enough to keep plodding along.
> Love George Martin's Ice and Fire series, though. Just finished the fourth book. Though I suppose you should call it book 3.5 since it only covered half the characters and his next book will cover the rest of the characters over the same time period. (Yes, it sounds confusing, but I think it will work out in the end). Apparently, if he had included everyone, the book would have been too big to publish.


Yep that's all the kept me coming back for the wheel of time series. I really dig the characters and the plot in general but man it's long winded. Vivid, great detailing .. but LONG.

The only thing with Martin that's a bit odd for me is the way that it's not chapters, but just jumps from one character to the next. Kind of a neat approach but it reminds me a lot of a tennis match. Good writing, not sure if I'm a big fan yet or not, will let you know once I finish this book


----------



## MacDoc

I'm waiting for the end THEN I might go back at it.
••

I'm into the 5th monster of Malazan quintet - each one is about 50% bigger than the average W of T so it's a trek as well but he ALWAYS hooks me just as I'm thinking it's too complex.

Start with the award winning Gardens of the Moon see if it's your cuppa.

This guy MUST have a huge organizational chart and map to keep track of the species and warrens ( no I'm not going to explain "warrens" because I'm not sure even 4 1/2 boks in I could )

There are some really classic memorable characters that thread through the books despite the enormous time spans ( hundreds of thousands of years ) that are part of the story/world.

Tho that pales against the* Algebraist* with it's "slow" races whose individuals live for 2 billion years plus in gas giants but at a very slow and gets slower as they age rate..so that "quick" races have to slow themselves down to communicate.

Phenomenal imagination and some very dry and funny wit.


----------



## Guest

I mistakenly thought it was done when I restarted it as I was of the same mind, DOH. Oh well, I did enjoy reading it all again. Hopefully within the next 2 years it will be finished. It's just not right to have readers in suspense for a decade :/

I'll add that book to my queue and see if I like or not, thanks MacDoc.


----------



## MannyP Design

Just finished Dan Brown's Angels & Demons -- interesting. Lots of twists and turns... but is it me, or does Dan Brown seem to have the same formula with how he introduces his stories? A character is killed in a twisted way (usually with some sort of meaning behind it) who has a daughter (or daughter figure) who helps our hero figure out a series of clues that eventually lead to a dramatic, plot-twisted, conclusion?

I found the topic of ambigrams very interesting... something I've long forgotten about since Junior High School Art. Also the history of the Illuminati and it's designation as a 'Satanic' cult by the Vatican, etc.










I found this story a little more dramatic and frenetic than DaVinci Code, but the last half of the book read like a typical American movie... I knew who 'Janus' was about 1/3 of the way through the book, although the revelation between the Carmelengo and the Pope was actually a pretty interesting twist.


----------



## IronMac

*Orphanage* by Robert Buettner


----------



## Myrddin Emrys

At the moment? None. What series am I reading? Well... Star Trek: Titan, Star Trek: Vulcan's Soul, Star Wars: Dark Nest, and the Hiram series.


----------



## IronMac

*Petiquette: Solving Behavior Problems in Your Multi-Pet Household* by Amy D. Shojai


----------



## draz

People still read physical books? man where have i been.

I just finished reading The Art of War.


----------



## IronMac

*Men's Style* by Russell Smith


----------



## MacDoc

Still.......trudging....very slooowly..... 
Damn... quintets by wordy authors CAN be such a drag. 
Time to do the two books at a time thingy....rummage rummage.


----------



## IronMac

*Talk to Your Cat* by Susie Green


----------



## Pelao

The Second World War, by Winston Churchill. I am on volume 6, Triumph and Tragedy.


----------



## Mac Yak

I've almost finished a biography of Fats Waller called The Cheerful Little Earful. Next up is Positively Fifth Street by James McManus, about the 2000 World Series of Poker -- and the sordid life and murder of Vegas bad boy Teddy Binion.


----------



## MacDoc

> The Second World War, by Winston Churchill. I am on volume 6, Triumph and Tragedy.


Be sure to pick up the companion piece *Bodyguard of Lies* written after the secret archives were opened in the 1980s.

You'll be able to see where Churchill "rewrote history" in his memoirs to cover up the Enigma and Magic technology that they were still keeping secret into the cold war.

It's what Orwell alludes to in 1984 ( I think I just realized WHY he picked 1984 as the title  ) about the rewriting of histories and getting people to believe them.

Fascinating and very revealing reading. Churchill coined the phrase all leading to the book's title.

It should be very interesting having Churchill's revisionist story fresh in mind and seeing what really occurred.

I remember being blown away when I first read Bodyguard as it overturned so much of what I THOUGHT I knew about WWII.
Great follow up to Memoirs.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

The last book I finished was Fred Saberhagen's "Berserker Prime", which, like every other Berserker book he has written (and I believe that I may have read them all) I more or less enjoyed (This one more than most).

My current reading is Michael J. Everhart's "Oceans of Kansis", which for the type of book it is has been keeping me entertained (Palaeo history of Kansas).

Cheers and happy reading

Caveman at Large


----------



## cavemanatlarge

I read three well known books this past summer.

"Shake Hands With the Devel" by Romeo d'Allaire which I highly recomend, though it did give me nightmares for a fortnight or so but also partly absolved me for my lack of action (ie phoning an MP and telling them to send troops, which I thought about doing, but was too lazy or prejudiced to care enough to actually do)

"The Shipping News" by Anne Proux was excellent but would have been more effective if I had not seen the movie which was also excellent.

"Catch 22" by Joseph Hellier ?sp. which just annoyed me because I was not in the mood for a humerous book this past summer. The movie also gives a lot of the booj away but I like the movie much better than the book.


----------



## Bosco

"Q", an autobiography by Quincy Jones. His writing of words is not up to his writing of music but the stories and people are fascinating. I'm thoroughly enjoying this one. 

And I found it at the local library.


----------



## Lawrence

Finally finished reading Harry Potter - The Half Blood Prince,
Now I'm thirsting for more, Anyone know when the next book is slated to be published?


----------



## PosterBoy

Summer after next.


----------



## Hangman

Recently finished "A Feast for Crows" by George R. R. Martin, the fourth in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. Excellent.
Am about a third way through "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton. An interesting look at how global warming is a lot of hype.


----------



## IT 101

Almost completed the Hardy Boys Tower Treasure. It is a classic if you are into mystery for sure!


----------



## Pelao

> Be sure to pick up the companion piece Bodyguard of Lies written after the secret archives were opened in the 1980s.


I have read it - I agree, very interesting. This is my second reading of Churchill's book. The breadth and depth of Allied deception ran very deep. 

Already in his memoir Churchill opens up some things kept secret during the war and openly mentions that many secret activities were taking place in terms of intelligence and technology. It is fascinating to have some of the details revealed.

What really strikes me most about Churchill's book, and the memoirs of others who were key players, was the very different approach to the German onslaught by, for example, the French and the British.

It's also notable how much we lose sight of the tight corner Britain was in from June 1940 to June 1941.


----------



## Wolfshead

*Chronicles of Narnia*

Hi IronMac: I've just finished (finally) the Chronicles of Narnia and have to agree with your comments. I found much of the religious theme quite sickening, although this is obviously my own bias. I'm sure a Christian would probably read it differently. I also found the anthropomorphism a bit hard to take. I mean, they quite happily scoffed down all kinds of animals that couldn't talk, but felt bad about eating one that could. All in all, quite a big disappointment. 
I'm now starting Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by John Lee Anderson but who knows when I'll finish it. Still having a hard time concentrating for more than a nano second. What was I saying...?


----------



## IronMac

Wolfshead said:


> Still having a hard time concentrating for more than a nano second. What was I saying...?


Saying? More like rambling. hehehe

No worries...I've got a three foot high stack of books...half of which I'm "working" on. On my bed I've got three books waiting...


----------



## IronMac

*Dread Empire's Fall: The Praxis* by Walter Jon Williams


----------



## Lawrence

Circuit-Bending by Reed Ghazala published by ExTREMETECH.
Great book, Easy reading with lots of trade secrets.

I bought it at:
www.amazon.ca


----------



## winwintoo

Wolfshead said:


> Hi IronMac: I've just finished (finally) the Chronicles of Narnia and have to agree with your comments. I found much of the religious theme quite sickening, although this is obviously my own bias. I'm sure a Christian would probably read it differently. I also found the anthropomorphism a bit hard to take. I mean, they quite happily scoffed down all kinds of animals that couldn't talk, but felt bad about eating one that could. All in all, quite a big disappointment.
> I'm now starting Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by John Lee Anderson but who knows when I'll finish it. Still having a hard time concentrating for more than a nano second. What was I saying...?


Have you tried audiobooks from Audible.com?

I can't concentrate long enough to actually read a book any more (for different reasons I'm sure  ) but I can listen to a book while I'm doing other things and if I've missed parts, I can always go back and listen again.

Also, listening to books was a good reason to get an iPod and then when the Nano came out, it was a good reason to get one of those because the first one was too big to carry around :lmao: 

Take care, Margaret


----------



## Dr.G.

Grisham's "The Broker" just to keep my streak alive of reading everything he has written. So far, this is not one of his best books.


----------



## IronMac

*The New Concise History of the Crusades* by Thomas F. Madden


----------



## Guest

IronMac said:


> Be prepared for an unceasing succession of bloody mayhem.


No kidding. On the third book for the Ice and Fire series from George RR Martin now. No one/nothing is sacred I tell you. Bloody mayhem is about right!

Have a good queue lined up for the xmas break, hopefully I get through some of them!


----------



## Wolfshead

Thanks Margaret. I'll follow your advice, although I don't know whether my concentration will be any better while listening. Combination of the medication and the illness. Thanks again, I'll let you know how I get on.


----------



## Carex

The Secret Life of Bee, Sue Monk Kidd


----------



## Max

_Skinny Dip,_ by Carl Hiassen. One of my favourite American writers once again pens an entertaining novel about corruption and rank stupidity unfolding in Florida... makes for a great read without venturing into any kind of onerous morality play territory... no, just wry tales of mere humans and their penchant for foibles. Plus, Hiassen employs a certain arid, caustic sort of humour that I find irresistible. His characters are real archetypes, lending them a kind of familiarity; we've all met these people before in our own lives.

Even if his best works still tend to have a certain inevitable paperback predictability to them, it's always a fun read and a nice diversion from life's less lighthearted concerns.


----------



## NBiBooker

Rescuing Canada's Right: A blueprint for a conservative revolution. By Tasha Kheiriddin and Adam Daifallah. 

An excellent book that I'm sure about five people on Ehmac would consider a must read (Sinc, MacNutt, myself and a few others). 

It would likely send tens of others screaming for the hills.


----------



## Max

I saw that book at a Chapters in Winnipeg the other day. Looked kinda slim and the authors were quite young. Writing on behalf of the young conservative element? My buddy was looking for books for his kids and nephew so I had a chance to peruse the book in question. From the little I skimmed, it looked like a fairly practical, no-nonsense analysis - perhaps even drily so. It didn't send me to the hills but what I saw I did not find compelling. To be fair, I don't often read straight-up political books. I like historical books but it's rare that I read current stuff about Canadian politics (seems forum-life offers all the entertainment and provocation I need in my diet).

(;->))


----------



## iGeeK

*Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation* by Lynne Truss.

Who knew a book about punctuation could actually be fun?

iGee/<

http://eatsshootsandleaves.com/ESLquiz.html


----------



## IronMac

iGeeK said:


> *Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation* by Lynne Truss.
> 
> Who knew a book about punctuation could actually be fun?
> 
> iGee/<
> /QUOTE]
> 
> She has a new one out about today's rude society.


----------



## MacDoc

> She has a new one out about today's rude society.


What a ditz!!  

••••

I'm finally freed for a bit from my slog though a quntet - a staff gifted me with *Blink*







and







:clap:


----------



## yatko

Finished:
A Short History of Progress - Ronald Wright
The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera (Re-read)

Still reading:
The In-Between World of Vikram Lall - MG Vassanji


----------



## K_OS

I let it slip to my wife that I had lost track of my copy of Neuromancer earlier this year and now I have a new copy that Santa left under the tree, so Neuromancer will be the 1st book that I will be reading in 2006 as I still have to finish reading Isaac Asimov: The Complete Stories.

Laterz


----------



## MacDoc

Terrific book - fresh every time I read it. Kos have you tried Guy Gavriel Kaye??


----------



## IronMac

*Dread Empire's Fall: The Sundering* by Walter Jon Williams


----------



## cavemanatlarge

I just finished Stephen Ambrose's ' Band of Brothers" which was well written and a great read. Very interesting to see what a single company went through in WWII. Also interesting to compare it to the series of the same name. The airborne troops were very effective and I wish Canada had a rapid response airborne battalion again.

I enjoyed it more than hin "D-Day" book which i found a little too american centric, though it was meant to give a history from an american perspective.

I will have to read "Pegasus Bridge" next.

Caveman


----------



## IronMac

*Building Financial Models* by John S. Tjia


----------



## MacDoc




----------



## IronMac

*Dread Empire's Fall: Conventions of War* by Walter Jon Williams


----------



## moonsocket

MacDoc said:


>


How is that book MacDoc? I want to read it.

Right now I am finishing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell a novel by Susanna Clarke. Excellent book.


----------



## Dr.G.

"The Truth", by Al Franken. I liked his "Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them", but this is even better.


----------



## MacDoc

Freako??.....very very interesting........and one can see why so controversial.


----------



## Bolor

Reading "Talk to the Hand" by Lynne Truss and also Da Vinci Code


----------



## Dr.G.

Bolor, do you have the illustrated DaVinci Code? I read this book twice, the second time with the illustrations and pictures, which I found very helpful.


----------



## IronMac

*Google Power: Unleash the Full Potential of Google* by Chris Sherman


----------



## Bolor

No, I opted for the text only version of the Da Vinci Code.


----------



## PosterBoy

I got a copy of the new Michael Crichton book, State of Fear, for Christmas. I am reading it now.


----------



## cheshire_cat

Finished reading The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan...great book. Now am reading its sequel, The Feast of Roses.


----------



## Canuckmakem

Just finishing Harry Potter book 6 (Half Blood Prince)


----------



## ComputerIdiot

Canuckmakem said:


> Just finishing Harry Potter book 6 (Half Blood Prince)


Moi aussi! A great book, but they certainly have gotten darker since _Philosopher's Stone_!

Also broke down and bought Terry Pratchett's latest, _Thud!_, in hardcover as I decided I didn't want to wait another three *bleeping* years for it to go softcover.... Am trying to wait for George R.R. Martin's latest, _A Feast for Crows_, to go softcover but ....


----------



## IronMac

*Tyrannosaur Canyon* by Douglas Preston

I first encountered Preston with "The Relic" which was a very good, very taut and fast read. Tyrannosaur Canyon, while not as good as The Relic or even Cabinet of Curiousities, does provide a very fast and enoyable read that doesn't strain your brain cells. Unfortunately, that also means that you don't have to exercise them so I will lump this in as light sci-fi/mystery.


----------



## Canuckmakem

ComputerIdiot said:


> Moi aussi! A great book, but they certainly have gotten darker since _Philosopher's Stone_!
> 
> Also broke down and bought Terry Pratchett's latest, _Thud!_, in hardcover as I decided I didn't want to wait another three *bleeping* years for it to go softcover.... Am trying to wait for George R.R. Martin's latest, _A Feast for Crows_, to go softcover but ....


Ah... Thud is my next read... its on my bedside table waiting for me to finish with Harry


----------



## Kazak

Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King. I've read a couple of other books since I last posted to this thread, including Wild Ducks Flying Backward, Tom Robbins' collection of short pieces. One of his essays mourns the scarcity of playfulness in today's fiction, and I'm inclined to agree. Many people are writing well about dark topics, but few seem to be really enjoying the language. One exception might be Atwood's Penelopiad.


----------



## Sonal

Just started "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac, who I think has the best-sounding author's name ever. 

Some girls I know are trying to start a book club, and this is the first one. I've been meaning to read it for a long time.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

And I don't know how I came to forget it, but I've just wrapped up the Narnia series. It was very good, if you can grit your teeth to get past some of the obvious bigotry....

Now starting on David Starkey's _Six Wives_.


----------



## IronMac

ComputerIdiot said:


> Now starting on David Starkey's _Six Wives_.


That should be pretty interesting if you go by the BBC TV series.


----------



## IronMac

*Ragtime in Simla* by Barbara Cleverly

This is the second of Ms. Cleverly's "Joe Sandiland" mystery series. The setting is the early 1920s British Raj and Sandiland is a London detective seconded out to the Indian police force. While not familiar with the "flavour" of the times (my preferred historical mysteries tend to be a few hundred years further in the past), this does seem to be a well-researched series and strikes a "true" chord.

Don't let the first book fool you as it did me because if u give it a chance it does tend to grow on you.


----------



## MacDoc

*Blink* The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking 
by Malcolm Gladwell

:clap: Very enjoyable and fits very much with my own experiences and world view.
I drive staff crazy with quick diagnoses of a problem they've laboured on as I've learned to trust my first reactions and insight. ( 20 years of Mac helps )

Some of the tales are scary as to how quickly people are able to assess situations. Highly recommended. Certainly carries weight in the political arena ...good read for this weekend. 

I want to get *The Tipping Point* as well by the same author.

•••••

Retrospective on *Freakonomics.* 
Left me a bit dissatisfied as it was really an agglomeration of previous articles and not really a unique and integrated work but then maybe that's what was intended.....sat down to a meal...got a snack. Still and INTERESTING snack.


----------



## mazirion

I just finished 'The Da Vinci Code'... finally.

Now I am about to start 'Sunstorm - A Time Odyssey: 2' by Artie Clarke & Stephen Baxter. It is the sequel to 'Time's Eye', which was pretty good.



Pete


----------



## PosterBoy

I have to read Hard Times (Dickens) and The Heart of Darkness (Conrad) for school starting in about a week.


----------



## MacDoc

Ironmac :clap: I ragged on him a bit in a PM about "beefing up" his rather sparse descriptions - I'm jealous he gets to read so much the lucky sod 

He understood completely and so I'm encouraged to ask all of you to put a little more 'beef" into the descriptions so people can know a bit about the book and perhaps be tempted to read it.
Genre, etc all helps and perhaps a bit of personal reaction.....you know 
"If you like mysteries this will ....""

THIS is exactly what I'm talking about



> Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston
> 
> I first encountered Preston with "The Relic" which was a very good, very taut and fast read. Tyrannosaur Canyon, while not as good as The Relic or even Cabinet of Curiousities, does provide a very fast and enoyable read that doesn't strain your brain cells. Unfortunately, that also means that you don't have to exercise them so I will lump this in as light sci-fi/mystery.
> __________________


----------



## cavemanatlarge

*"Krakatoa"*

My current read is "Krakatoa" by Simon Winchester, author of "the map that changed the world". So far (page 20) it seams very entertaining. I am mostly going to try and save it for when I am playing geologist at Big Trout Lake, Ontario (read as far north of Pickle Lake), so I may say if I enjoyed it when I get back in late March or Early April (Assuming I don't freeze to death ).

Cheers

Caveman


----------



## dona83

*Fidelity by Michael Redhill*

I'm reading a book called Fidelity, it's just basically a series of short stories by Michael Redhill which reflects on how humans interact with one another, how they feel on an individual basis, it's pretty open-ended and allows for a lot of reader thought and opinion into it, not just his biased opinion. I'll post a review on it on my iWeb page when I'm finished.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm part way through *Blink* and it is both scaring the hell out of me and depressing me as well.

There are things in there I really didn't want to know tho I always suspected and it fits far too well with things I've observed and some techniques for tapping the subconscious I use regularly.

Highly recommended and in many respects a "bombshell".

This from a review



> Indeed, stepping back from Blink, Brooks points out something even more important:
> 
> *'Blink'' is part of a wave of books on brain function that are sweeping over us as we learn more about the action inside our own heads. This literature is going to have a powerful effect on our culture, maybe as powerful as the effect Freudianism had on our grandparents' time (the last time somebody tried to explain the brain's backstage process).*
> We should be a little wary of surrendering this field to the scientists. Philosophers ranging from Vico to Michael Oakeshott to Isaiah Berlin were writing about thin-slicing (which they called ''wisdom'') long before the scientists started picking apart our neurons, and long before psychologists started showing people snippets of videotape. And much of what they observe is more profound than anything you can capture with some ginned-up control group test in a psychology lab.


http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/001993.html

What's nasty about this book ( in a good way ) is it leads you along in a revealing and rose strewn path explaining things we've known from our own experience and shows the positive side.


It then gets "'twas a dark and stormy night" all too quickly as the studies testing the implications are revealed about the impact....and uncontrollable impact...it has on our most pernicious social issues such as racism and misogynism. 

Not pretty.... a million years of evolution leave much skeletal and reeking in the human closet.......

Yes Virginia there ARE monsters in the closet.....

This is a really important book in my mind both in a positive manner of what we CAN do to trust and harness the subconscious but also in a cautionary one about what we can't.

•••



> Nilanjana S Roy | May 03, 2005
> 
> Most of us prefer to believe we aren't biased.
> 
> That some of our best friends are gay feminist women scientists of mixed black, Arab and Muslim ethnicity.
> 
> Except for the very few who are card-carrying bigots and proud of it, the educated and liberal prefer to believe that they see the world without blinkers of prejudice.
> 
> My belief in my own lack of bias lasts for an hour, which is as long as it takes me to perform five simple tests at the Project Implicit web site.


http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2005/may/03bias.htm

Want to see the reality.......take this test. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/


----------



## elmer

Totally with you on Erikson, Macdoc. I'm reading a fantasy, 950 pages, second in the series: Steven Erikson, "Deadhouse Gates". He's an anthropologist, and it shows. Many cultures, gods and ascendants. Interesting military and imperial tactics. Absorbing characters you can relate to. Like Tolkien in imagination and scope, but gritty and fast paced. And he's Canadian. No surprise that I like him, being a die-hard Donaldson fan.
Just finished The Fellowship of the Ring deluxe hardcover illustrated edition, and my first sampling of Terry Pratchett. Guess I'm on a fantasy kick for the moment.



Macdoc said:


> I suspect some of the trouble "getting into" the novels each time is reading them out of order.


Some, but not all. They start fast and it reminds me of C.J.Cherryh the way you have to learn as you go. Besides they are pretty self-contained. But I guess a lot of things introduced in the first book are assumed knowledge in the second as well, eg. warrens, Apsalar, the Bridgeburner characters, etc.


----------



## MacDoc

You are right on Cherryh and I've heard that before - I just can't get into Cherryh.
I should have followed my instincts and start Erikson from the first one and reread them entirely.

Donaldson is also an "acquired taste" talk about the contra super hero ( a leper figures large in his earlier novels.... a depressed, navel gazing leper.  )

Perfect antidote is anything by Robin Hobbs, fast, fun and imaginative - very much in the Anne McCaffery style but the texture is incredible......you suspend disbelief very quickly ........an insane sailing ship......conscious thinking being...and she hooks you right in to it's terrible angst. ( Mad Ship series and others )

Clever girl :clap:

If you like fantasy and Canadian Elmer, Guy Gavriel Kaye is OUR Tolkien and he writes at that level, maybe better.

Fionavar Trilogy deserves to be the next Peter Jackson mega project.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

IronMac said:


> That should be pretty interesting if you go by the BBC TV series.


Regrettably, I've never been able to my TV and/or cable to work properly -- TV is a second-hand one and somebody suggested I need a universal remote to get into its programming, as it may have been programmed for an antenna rather than cable. Been six years and I still haven't gotten around to it. Being an inveterate Tudor fan, though, I'll probably just take the shortcut and buy the series on DVD.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

MacDoc said:


> If you like fantasy and Canadian Elmer, Guy Gavriel Kaye is OUR Tolkien and he writes at that level, maybe better.


I came across his _Last Light of the Sun_ by sheer chance at the local Chapters and picked it up. I wouldn't call it lightweight -- it's not something you can flip through with your mind on half a dozen other things -- but it's more than worth the effort. It's a historical fantasy involving the Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Celts. I haven't read any of his fantasy (yet).


----------



## MacDoc

I liked that work, not his top picks in my mind and it was bit off his normal turf which is an almost Europe - you think you recognize.
I like the ability to create memorable characters to identify with.
Glad you got an introduction......Finovara is far more reaching, Tolkien scale.


----------



## elmer

Thanks for the recommendation. When I want lightweight I might burn through another Terry Pratchett, who makes me laugh almost as much as Douglas Adams. Hopefully I'll get to GGK in a few months. But first I have two Eriksons to read, plus I want to finish LOTR before I go see it on stage in May. I was skeptical about the stage play at first, but I hear it is innovative as a stage production regardless of being LOTR, so I decided that it's worth going to. I think on this reading, it's the first time I've really paid attention to all the Elvish history and songs. Which is probably going to motivate me to finally read The Silmarillion. I guess this fantasy kick is going to go on for a year or two!


----------



## designchick69

I'm in the midst of reading Bloody Bones, one of the Anita Blake; Vampire Hunter Novels by Laurell K Hamilton. AMAZING books if your into the supernatural, with adventure and romance mixed in!


----------



## IronMac

*The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians * by Peter Heather.

An excellent book by Mr. Heather detailing the last century or so of the Western Roman Empire. It's a bit long-winded with commentary that you either appreciate or wish that he would get on with the argument that barbarian supergroups, pushed on by Hunnic expansionism and Roman imperial policy, grew to become powerful enough to seize vital revenue-generating areas of the Empire itself. This made the barbarians more powerful and, naturally, further weakened the Empire.

War has always been an expensive business and this book shows that the poorer you are the more likely your head will end up on a pike. XX)


----------



## SINC

I like to poke through the shelves of our local charity used book store. I pick up hardcovers for only $2, read them and donate them back to the store and buy more.

Oner of my favourite authors is Elmore Leonard, author of Get Shorty among others. His writing style and wit are light and entertaining even though most of his books are murder mysteries.

I haven't been to the store in three or four months as I bought a dozen books last time I was there including one by Elmore Leonard called "Bandits" written in 1987 and in pristine condition.

Last night I opened it to begin reading and much to my surprise, I discovered I have an autographed copy. There, about three page in was the following:

"For Kim with best wishes. Elmore Leonard 6-30-87."

This is one book that will not be making the return trip to the store.


----------



## winwintoo

SINC said:


> One of my favourite authors is Elmore Leonard, author of Fletch and Get Shorty among others. His writing style and wit are light and entertaining even though most of his books are murder mysteries.


Fletch was written by Gregory McDonald. I loved that series and all McDonald's books.

Never got into Leonard's books though.

Margaret


----------



## SINC

Geez Margaret, you're right. Don't know what I was thinking but I corrected it.


----------



## winwintoo

Easy mistake.

I love the opening lines of Fletch.


> "What's your name?"
> "Fletch."
> "What's your full name?"
> "Fletcher."


Ranks right up there with:


> Call me Ishmael.


Margaret


----------



## rhythms

I'm reading "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka.

I think the reason is fairly self-explanatory... 

Very helpful, very positive, and has given us both hope and strategies for survival!


----------



## moonsocket

Just started "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs : A Low Culture Manifesto" by Chuck Klosterman. Excellent so far. This is by the same author who wrote "Fargo Rock City : A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota" which was an excellent read also.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

*Krakatoa*

Just finished reading Simon Winchester's book "Krakatoa" which I thought was a very good analysis on the effects of the huge phreatomagmatic eruption of August 27th, 1883. I was the worlds first instantly transmitted tragedy (by telegraph). It killed more people than any other volcano in recorded history. It indirectly lead to the loss of the dutch colonies in what was now Indonesia, and it precipitated one of the first instances of islamic fundamentalist response to the western world's influence

And it is well written and interesting to all

Next read is "Tyrannosaurus Sue" by Steve Fiffer

Caveman


----------



## IronMac

*The Damascened Blade: A Detective Joe Sandilands Mystery* by Barbara Cleverly

This is the third in the series of historical detective novels set in the days of the British Raj after the First World War. The author is really hitting her stride in this one with a relatively fast-paced storyline that does manage to throw some unexpected curves. The supporting characters are believable to some extent despite seeming to be a bit (there's a word but I can't recall it at the moment) "forumulaic".


----------



## MacDoc

IM - did you ever tackle Master and Commander set now you've got time. Superb....if you have time.


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc, I've tried the first in the series and didn't like it very much...certainly not to the extent of reading the entire series! :lmao: I may give the second one a shot since authors may not hit their stride until the second or third book in a series.


----------



## MacDoc

Worth it to persist IMO. The language can be tricky at first as the guy is a serious scholar in terms of accuracy but once you are comftable with the political scope and the players it's a treat.

I maybe got lucky as I read the one the movie was based on first then went back to the beginning. The feedback between movie and novel made for a better entry point.
Anyway if you love historical fiction he's considered the master and with good cause.


----------



## IronMac

Hrmm...interesting...I thought that the movie was based on at least a couple of the books in the series? The movie's voyage to the South Pacific off the coast of Chile was based on a later book while the first book deals with British efforts to hunt down and deal with Napoleon's foray towards Egypt. The two lead characters' introduction and interaction was obviously dealt with in the latter. 

I'll see...my stack of unread library books is slowly approaching three feet.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah it's a combination of two books. Anytime you want - the set is not likely going anywhere.


----------



## MaxPower

I'm currently re-reading "The Celestine Prophecy". It's been a while since I read it. Interesting read. The movie should be the same.


----------



## GREENAPPLE

i,m coming family father now my wife give me this book lol she say i need to read book name is parent talk ;-)) you can learn here 50 quick,effective solutions to the most common parenting challenges ;-) not easy parenting this is my first kid


----------



## IronMac

*Greenpeace: How a Group of Ecologists, Journalists and Visionaries Changed the World* by Rex Weyler

This is one book that lives up to its title! It is a moving and fascinating chronicle of the participants, times, places and events that birthed an organization that has had and, continues to have, an immense impact on people and their perspective of their impact on the world around them. I never knew that Greenpeace started out as a protest group against nuclear weapons testing and, then, added on an anti-whaling platform that grew to encompass not only whales but also other forms of marine life.

The undertaking of new causes and subsequent growth was not an easy process and the political infighting is well-chronicled by Weyler who had a ringside seat to almost every major event in the organization's first decade of existence. This does little to distract from his accounts of high-seas derring-do, conniving politicians (sad to say, Canadians among them), and an alarmingly long list of environmental disasters. It's easy enough, with hindsight, to see why Greenpeace almost had to have come into existence and I, for one, am glad that it did.


----------



## Guest

Finally finished all the Thrones stuff from George RR Martin (that last book is a cliffhanger DOH -- waiting for next to be released).

MacDoc: I grabbed the first book in that Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erickson. I haven't been able to sink my teeth into it yet really though. Read a tiny bit so far -- but it seems like it's going to take some big brain bandwidth for me to really dive into it!

Just started into some David Eddings, the Belgariad series (on book 2, they are small enough that I chew through them pretty quickly hehe).


----------



## MacDoc

I had the same reaction - still do but especially with Gardens hang in - it won those awards for good reason but yes 'Tis a big mouthful of a book.

••

I enjoyed Thrones.....how many did it end up with.??


----------



## Guest

Alas thrones is not done yet. Waiting for the next one sigh. I can honestly forsee this one going on for quite a while, the story really seems to still be gearing up. I think A Feast For Crows was number 4 ... and it looks like many more to come. Hope it doesn't turn into another wheel of time or sword of truth DOH... waiting on both of those ones now too.

I'll come back around to Gardens, I needed some lighter reading for a break on the HUGE volume/series setups.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

The book I just finished is "Tyrannosaurus Sue" by Steve Fiffer. This is an account told mostly from the Larson point of view about his unearthing of the greatest T rex ever found and it's subsequent seizure by the government, his trial and the eventual sale of the fossil at auction.

A cautionary tale about not pissing off the US government. 

I enjoyed it but it was not the best read of the year so far.

Caveman


----------



## cavemanatlarge

My next reading will be Robert J. Sawyer's "Hominids" and Larry Niven's "Scatterbrain".

A report will come when I return from the Great White North

Caveman


----------



## audiodan

Reading; iCon! See thread


----------



## IronMac

*Turning the Tables: Restaurants from the Inside Out* by Steven Shaw.

Not a very good book. It started out promisingly enough with tips on how to secure a table at your more exclusive restaurants but it quickly devolved into a name-dropping, see-who-I-am-with-now schmoozefest. Mr. Shaw seems to have let his ego and sense of self-importance get away with him. If you want to know more about the motivations of a chef I suggest "Burgundy Stars" that talked about Bernard Loiseau (RIP) or, for a more entertaining read about the restaurant business, Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential".


----------



## IronMac

*How to Win Friends and Influence People* by Dale Carnegie

A classic read and, for those who need to deal with people (and who doesn't?), highly recommended. I feel that going through this every couple of years to remind oneself of certain principles can prove to be very helpful.


----------



## MacDoc

You might want to read Blink after that - make for interesting insights.


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> You might want to read Blink after that - make for interesting insights.


Thanks, I'll consider it...the stack is not getting any smaller right now.


----------



## Max

"A complicated kindness" by Miriam Toews. I've found herwork to be a true breath of fresh air after finding myself in a surprisingly grim slog getting through "Perdido Station" (mentioned elsewhere in this thread) with its dreary gothic claustrophobia and nightmarish beasts struggling against freaky poetry-spewing four dimensional spiders and other surreal creations. However lyrical it was in its textures and sharp depictions, it was also a dank, grimy downer. I enjoyed "The Scar" more, perhaps because the locale shifted about a good deal more and there wasn't a sort of omnipresent _filth_ - the author has a fine command of English, so there were numerous permutations describing the lurid hovels and darkest corners of perpetually decaying New Crobuzon - and there's a helluvalot of filth in that town.

But that said, there's more than enough substance there that I will in time tackle more Miéville's work. Perhaps I wasn't ready for it. He's been described as being a big fan of Mervyn Peake, and I can sure see why: his New Crobuzon is a spiritual descendant of Peake's Gormenghast, the castle itself - an endless, ancient clutch of daunting edifices topped by battlements and crenellated towers, home to myriad darkened chambers harbouring eldritch secrets, waiting, entombed in time.

I guess that's why reading a 'Menno' (as they say) author whose protanonist is a teenaged girl marooned on the prairies in an orthodox hell is so welcome a change - it's complex but not outrageously so. It presents utterly credible characters and situations, so it's about as down to earth as you can get after indulging in a rather rich broth of fantasty/SF. Reading this novel reminds me of a certain prairie spartan quality echoed in the works of W.O. Mitchell. I'm nearing the end of the book now and it's been like a knife cutting though butter. There's a thematic purity and sense of quietly distilled purposfulness that's very compelling. The book has a wicked sense of humour as it presents the clash of cultures between a rigidly orthodox Christian dogmatism and the relentless intrusion of the modern world, with all of its lurid temptations and promises.

Next up: "The Time In Between," by David Bergen. The latter recently won the Giller for this, his most recent book, and it's been described as one of the finest Vietnam-related stories ever written. I'll have to see for myself. I've only read a collection of short stories of his, long ago, but apparently he's come a long way. I've met both of these Winnipeg authors through friendship with thier own friends and extended family. It's a bit of a running joke but it's also obvious to me now why Winnipeg is such a literary and musical town - when the winter socks in, the options tend to be rather severely narrowed down. Music and writing are both good past-times for when you're stuck inside.


----------



## MacDoc

> Totally with you on Erikson, Macdoc. I'm reading a fantasy, 950 pages, second in the series: Steven Erikson, "Deadhouse Gates


Well I gave up on the last one and am starting the whole damn series over again 
What's interesting is that reading the later ones makes the earlier ones much more accessible - it's like reading an entire new novel and I notice some of the quotes he uses at chapter heads come from later occurrences..... crafty fellow.

Instead of having to "guess" at some of the references in both time and historical significance they stand our and I get a very different sense of the subtle aspects of the novels. Characters who appear minor in the early novels and often Iwould gloss over now are known for their future roles with much better understanding.

If this sounds weird you have understand these 900+ page novels span 100,000s of years, several races, are set in widely in differing eras and have both physical and metaphysical spaces in which the action occurs. So it's a LOT to absorb and envision in first reading and is much richer second time around.
Rare that. ( Alexandria Quartet comes to mind and some Fowles work ).

Despite the disparate settings and times there are threads that bind the set together - sometimes you can't see where until very late in the individual works.
Quite a piece of writing.
Glad you noted his scholarly background - his ability to evoke time and place even if very alien is marvelous.

Tlan iMass are marvelous creations as are Moonspawn and Anomander Rake.
But this set is NOT undertaken lightly.










1. Gardens of the Moon
2. Deadhouse Gates
3. Memories of Ice
4. House of Chains
5. Midnight Tides
6. The Bonehunters
7. Reaper's Gale
8. Toll the Hounds
9. Dust of Dreams
10. The Crippled God

There is a Tolkein level of interest growing in this series - well deserved.

http://www.malazanempire.com/site/index.shtml

If you're a "big scope" fantasy reader you just love this.


----------



## Carex

Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood

Also recently: Dance Me Outside, WP Kinsella
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Old whatshisname
Elanor Rigby, Douglas Coupland


----------



## Dr.G.

Carex, let me know what you think of "Oryx and Crake" by Margaret Atwood.
Re "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", I find it hard that you call Mark Twain "Old whatshisname".


----------



## Carex

Strictly tongue in cheek. I always get mixed up between the Clemens and the Twain characters. 

"When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not; but my faculties are decaying now and soon I shall be so I cannot remember any but the things that never happened."


----------



## Dr.G.

Carex, after the knees, the mind is the next thing to go. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## IronMac

*Five Decades of the X-Men* edited by Stan Lee.

A bit of a light read for all of you X-Men fans (I'm not but only took this out of curiousity). The book showcases five stories focusing on, you guessed it, five decades of X-Men history by today's authors. It's interesting to see how the movies have basically mixed in characters and history from the past five decades that the X-Men characters have been around.


----------



## IronMac

*The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895: Perceptions, Power, and Primacy* by S.C.M. Paine

An excellent read on the conflict that set Japan on its course to World War II and ended any illusions that the Chinese still had about their place in the world. Gives strong support to the hypothesis that China will eventually move to regain its superpower primacy in the modern world.


----------



## MacDoc

* Gardens of the Moon *.......redux 

Never were the words " to return from whence you came and know it for the very first time" more appropriate to a novel. 
Second reading is very very revealing and most enjoyable after wading through subsequent books in the series.

I did not realize Erikson was born in Canada. Between he and Guy Gavriel Kay we're producing some seriously good fantasy writers.

It's strange that after always having to take a deep breath to tackle an unread Erikson tome ( usually 900 pages + ) I'm instead now eager to get into the second monster in the series EVEN THO I'VE READ IT BEFORE.

Very seductive writing trick.



> Steven Erikson (born October 7, 1959) is a pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, *Canadian archaeologist, anthropologist and author.*
> Steven Erikson was born in Toronto, grew up in Winnipeg, lived in the UK with his wife and son and has returned to Canada. He is an anthropologist and archaeologist by training, as well as being a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
> His first fantasy novel Gardens of the Moon (1999) also constitutes the first book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen. This is projected to be a ten volume work. His style of writing is original, with many personages and a complex, sullen plot. The Malazan world was devised by Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont, initially as a setting for a role-playing game.
> The books to date are of high quality in language and tone, being both able to stand alone as separate novels, as well as being intricately linked to other volumes. *Erikson has stated explicitly that he attempts to avoid the standard conventions of fantasy, and deliberately began the Malazan Book of the Fallen series in the midst of an ongoing story rather than beginning with a more conventional opening. He has been criticized for failing to provide sufficient back-story and explanations of ongoing events, but these are gradually revealed as each new book is published.*


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Erikson

What a diabolical tho talented fellow.!!.......now you know if you chose to enter the Malazan epic.........HERE BE DRAGONS .......to test your mind and imagination.


----------



## yatko

Snow by Orhan Pamuk.


----------



## RevMatt

I don't post in this thread, really, since I mostly only read professional books which are unlikely to be of any interest to anyone, but I wanted to say that I appreciate you all posting. Helps me build my summer reading list


----------



## IronMac

Thanks RevMatt...I've gotten a couple of ideas from here myself but I'm busy enough as it is.


----------



## 9mmCensor

The Gun Seller - by Hugh Laurie


----------



## Bolor

The Lazerus vendetta by Patric Larkin (series created by Robert Ludlum) a covert one novel


----------



## Bolor

Just finished The Broker by John Grisham


----------



## Dr.G.

"Just finished The Broker by John Grisham". Bolor, this was not one of his best books, but I kept reading each night to find out what might happen to Joel Backman. I shall not give away the ending for those who have yet to read this book.


----------



## winwintoo

9mmCensor said:


> The Gun Seller - by Hugh Laurie


Are you enjoying it?

I would really like Hugh Laurie to come here and read it to me in person, but I don't think House makes house calls    

Take care, Margaret


----------



## pcronin

Currently, MS Press: Active Directory Infrastructure and Design. 
It pays the Apple bill for now


----------



## overkill

Star Wars: New Jedi Order - Enemy Lines 1 Rebel Dream


----------



## IronMac

*Falconer's Crusade* by Ian Morson

As part of my own seeming crusade to read every medieval whodunit out there I came across this small series. It's pretty much formulaic but the lead character is a bit of a mystery since the author seems to have left out much of his life details. No big deal since it does throw you for a bit of a loop. I've got the second one in the series on order and will see how this series shapes up.


----------



## IronMac

*The Malevolent Comedy: an Elizabethan theater mystery featuring Nicholas Bracewell* by Edward Marston

A worthy addition to this series and an improvement over the last couple.


----------



## overkill

overkill said:


> Star Wars: New Jedi Order - Enemy Lines 1 Rebel Dream


on to the next one: Star Wars: New Jedi Order - Enemy Lines 2 Rebel Stand


----------



## rogueToe

I just finished the science fiction novel Eden by Stanislaw Lem. The eerie coincidence is that he died when I was about halfway through it. As if his books aren't strange enough already ...


----------



## iNeedhelp

I ordered Tom Green's autobiography at Chapter's today, "Hollywood Causes Cancer". I know he has a bad reputation, but he's sobered up now, and it's an interesting read.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Dark Lord - The Rise of Darth Vader* by James Luceno.


----------



## MacDaddy

Recently finished *The Da Vinci Code* which I thought was fantastic, and I am currently reading (Although some of you may relate this to one of my other current threads, I assure you it is not related, it was recommended by the boss as a hilarious read, and I so far agree) *The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists* by Neil Strauss


----------



## lotus

Carex, if you like Douglas Coupland watch for his first original screenplay "Everything's Gone Green". It has been produced by Truewestfilms in SSI and should be out this late summer.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

IronMac said:


> *The Malevolent Comedy: an Elizabethan theater mystery featuring Nicholas Bracewell* by Edward Marston
> 
> A worthy addition to this series and an improvement over the last couple.


I've got his book The Roaring Boy ... somewhere ...  It was pretty good.

I very rarely give up on books, but for the first Shopaholic book, I decided to make an exception. tptptptp 

Just started Deepak Chopra's The Return of Merlin. So far I like it.


----------



## IronMac

*Broadsides: The Age of Fighting Sail, 1775-1815* by Nathan Miller

A lacklustre effort with what I consider a relatively unhealthy emphasis on American "naval power" of that time. Not surprising considering that virtually all of his prior books are on American naval power but it detracts from what should have been a study on the pre-eminent navies of the time period (the French and British). In fact, the book itself may have been more interesting if he had not arbitrarily confined (understandable) his timeline to a forty-year period and had gone further back by a good 50-100 years to include the Spanish and Dutch navies.


----------



## IronMac

*Shopgirl* by Steve Martin

Yes, that Steve Martin!


----------



## MacDoc

Age of Fighting Sail - I think I read that after Master and Commander and had the same reaction. ( needed a fix after 20 straight excellent novels ).
Maybe a good time to tackle the Master and C monster????? Revive your faith in age of sail writers??? 

It is humorous how "master of the seas" rivalry between US and Britain carries on some hundreds of years later.

If we keep up the oil gluttony we may end up back there next century.

•••••

I'm now into the third volume of Mazalan and thoroughly enjoying it the seond time around. Wish I had a week off. Hammock time soon. :clap:


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> Maybe a good time to tackle the Master and C monster????? Revive your faith in age of sail writers???


Yeah, well, there's a two-foot stack in front of that!!!


----------



## Macified

Daughter's of Cain - A Detective Morse Mystery
The Aquitain Progression - Robert Ludlum (well not really by Ludlum but the concept is his)
House Corrino

Listening to The Wish List by Eoin Colfer (I like to keep in line with the kids reading too).


----------



## VVA88IT

Rereading Umberto Eco's Faucoult's Pendulum


----------



## IronMac

*Falconer's Judgement: A Medieval Oxford Mystery* by Ian Morson


----------



## IronMac

*Bicycling Magazine's 1,000 All-Time Best Tips* edited by Ben Hewitt

Recommended!


----------



## Rob

Most of this winter I've been reading the series of Inspector Rebes mysteries by Ian Rankin. I'm definitely addicted, but there are only a couple left that I haven't read yet.

I also finished the latest mystery from Stephen Saylor featuring Gordianus "The Finder". This series is set in the Roman empire. They're a great insight into the history of the times, and a darned good read too. The whole series is enjoyable.


----------



## Macfury

>> Rereading Umberto Eco's Faucoult's Pendulum

That is one cool book.

I just read "SECONDS" the novel on which the movie was based. Excellent book, somewhat different from the film interpretation.


----------



## Beej

I recently finished Longitudes and Attitudes and am reading Hegemony or Survial and How the Scots Invented the Modern World.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

IronMac said:


> *Falconer's Judgement: A Medieval Oxford Mystery* by Ian Morson


Hope you're enjoying it. I read his first, _Falconer's Crusade_, and it was excellent.


----------



## IronMac

ComputerIdiot said:


> Hope you're enjoying it. I read his first, _Falconer's Crusade_, and it was excellent.


Actually, _Falconer's Judgement_ will be the last book from him that I will read. I wasn't too impressed so he's off the list.


----------



## rodneyjb

Hi Alll...long time lurker...first time poster....(always wamted to say that) LOL

Anyway...I am rereading The Lord of The Rings,,,great fun read...also reading Red Rabbit by Tom Clancy...last of the Jack Ryan books

As far as reading The Davinci Code...it is a fun book to read..ignore teh controversy...a definate page turner..it kept me so engrossed that I read it in a weekend.

Night all


----------



## Ena

On the Eve of the Millennium- CBC Massey Lectures 1994-Conor Cruise O'Brien

Re-reading after doing so when it first came out to see how correct he was in his predictions. Lectures were given by the Irish man of letters about the threats to society. As far back as 1972 he predicted that by the turn of the century "the advanced world may well be like, and feel like, a closed and guarded place, in a city gripped by the plague."


----------



## IronMac

*The Ten Thousand: A Novel of Ancient Greece* by Michael Curtis Ford

A fictional account based upon the Anabasis by Xenophon. Good but not great.


----------



## IronMac

*A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam* by Lewis Sorley

This book, along with *Learning to Eat Soup with a Knife: Counterinsurgency Lessons from Malaya and Vietnam*, has become relatively popular with American officers as they try to deal with the Iraqi insurgency. I certainly hope that those same officers will not try to use Vietnam as a template for Iraq since the situations are similiar in some aspects but very different in others.


----------



## rampart519

*I just read*

Dan Brown's-The Davinci Code. fascinating. Although thre story is fiction, the author presents certain facts that I found very interesting.


----------



## MacDoc

IronMac ur making me sooooooo jealous


----------



## LaurieR

I'm reading A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews. Very interesting and well-written. A light, easy read for sure.

Up next: Eats(,) Shoots and Leaves


----------



## IronMac

LaurieR said:


> Up next: Eats(,) Shoots and Leaves


You're definitely going to enjoy it and it's a relatively fast read too. 


MacDoc...well, all you have to do is be unemployed.


----------



## IronMac

*The Business of Memory* by Frank Felberbaum

Never hurts to try and improve your brain's ability to remember information.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

*"Space Viking" by H. Beam Piper*

I was in Ottawa's byward market and slipped into a used book store. Their I found two books by H. Beam Piper that I had not read. I inhaled "Space Viking". It is dated but very well thought out and it is written with his usual social insight and tightly mapped/woven together future history. I always get a kick out of how casually he uses nuclear weapons in his stories.

Mostly though I get sad and frustrated because he was developing so well as a novelist of vision. I case the readers do not know, he ate a shot gun in a fit of depression thinking that his career was over when in fact it was just starting to take off. I would highly recomend "Little Fuzzy" and it's sequal "Fuzzy Sapians" to anyone who has not read them. These are both suitable for teenagers, but adults will like them also. I would rate them in the top ten of books that I have ever read (taken collectively).

Had he lived, he would have been one of the most famous speculative fiction authors of all time.

I am going to try and save his "Empire" for when I am working in the James Bay Lowlands this summer trying to find gold for a mineral exploration company.

My current read is "The Rocket Team" by Ordway and Sharpe about the german team led by Wernher von Braun that developed the V2 rocket through to the Saturn five. So far it has been an entertaining read on the history of the practicle rockets birth.


----------



## MacDaddy

I just finished reading 'Tuesdays with Morrie'. I cried a bit at the end.
While reading the book, I found that I had a lot in common with Morrie and his philosophies on life. Of course there were some that I did not know or think about, but he has got me thinking about those now as well (Having not gone through anything like he was, I don't see how I could have come up with them on my own either).
If you have not read this book, I highly recommend.


----------



## IronMac

*Marley & Me* by John Grogan

I literally devoured this book in less than three days. It's a hugely entertaining read about a man's (family's) relationship with his irrepressible dog. Destined to go down as one of those classic animal books in the same league as the All Creatures Great and Small series by James Herriott, The Cat and the Curmudgeon by Cleveland Amory, Rascal by Sterling North, and the wildlife books by Gerald Durrell. :clap:


----------



## MissGulch

I'm reading The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan, about an enterprising housewife who fed her family of 12 by winning poetry and jingle contests in the 1950s. It was a so-so movie with Julianne Moore.


----------



## gwillikers

Schindler's List

Disturbing yet mesmerizing.
I've not yet seen the movie. Soon though.


----------



## LaurieR

Wonderful book. It made me think, too. Everyone should read this one.



MacDaddy said:


> I just finished reading 'Tuesdays with Morrie'. I cried a bit at the end.
> While reading the book, I found that I had a lot in common with Morrie and his philosophies on life. Of course there were some that I did not know or think about, but he has got me thinking about those now as well (Having not gone through anything like he was, I don't see how I could have come up with them on my own either).
> If you have not read this book, I highly recommend.


----------



## Paul O'Keefe

*Y the Last Man*
This is a series of collected volumes of the comic book of the same name. It's a story set in 2002 when every male mammal on the planet dies simultaneously except for one young man and his male helper monkey. Even all the male unborn fetuses die. Only women are left. I guess it's part of the virus-wiping-out-humaningy, apocalyptic type of story. I'm loving it.


----------



## MannyP Design

Paul O'Keefe said:


> *Y the Last Man*
> This is a series of collected volumes of the comic book of the same name. It's a story set in 2002 when every male mammal on the planet dies simultaneously except for one young man and his male helper monkey. Even all the male unborn fetuses die. Only women are left. I guess it's part of the virus-wiping-out-humaningy, apocalyptic type of story. I'm loving it.


Sounds like a Misandrist's wet dream. 

I've heard good things about it--planning on picking it up on my next run to the comic shop.


----------



## SkyHook

.


----------



## Hangman

Platinum Pohl: The collected best stories.

A collection of Frederick Pohl's short stories. Not bad, but only worth a borrow, not a buy.

Previous to that I read Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin. Very good vampire story set in the 19th century souther U.S.


----------



## IronMac

*Faith at War: A Journey on the Frontlines of Islam, from Baghdad to Timbuktu* by Yaroslav Trofimov.

A timely account of the feelings that the Muslim world has about the West. I'm not sure how much faith (no pun intended) to put in his recounting of the vitriol that the Muslims have against the West, though.


----------



## IronMac

What? Everyone stopped reading? :yikes: 

*The Merchant's Partner: A Medieval West Country Mystery* by Michael Jecks

I read the first book in this series entitled "The Last Templar" a few years back and was not too impressed. But, I continued to hear good things about this series so I decided to give it another shot and am glad that I did.

It's your typical round-robin clutch of suspects set in a countryside setting and I consider it "popcorn" reading. Good enough to while away a couple of days.


----------



## IronMac

*The Island of Seven Cities* by Paul Chiasson

An interesting but implausible tale to say the least. The author writes about the existence of stone "platforms" on Cape Breton Island (CBI) that he stumbled across a few years back. Curious, he tries to track down the builders of said platforms with the usual suspects being the French and the English. Going through the existing historical record reveals nothing about who the builders could be.

He then makes the jump to the idea that it must have been Chinese explorers/settlers who did the work during the heyday of Ming China's voyages of discovery. (I suspect that those voyages were more about tribute gathering and trade than about discovery.) Anyone familiar with Menzies' book 1421 will know his theory of how the Chinese sent expeditions circling around the globe yet mysteriously somehow missing Europe(!).

I'm extremely skeptical about Chiasson's theory that it was the Chinese who built the platforms for a couple of reasons. First of all, there is very little reason that I could see as to why anyone would want to build a settlement on Cape Breton Island unless there was something very valuable there. As Chiasson says, there is coal and there is gold. Unfortunately for the theory, China has lots of coal so it would not be economically viable to transport it all the way back to China from CBI and the gold deposits were not enough to sustain later European ventures. Again, China has closer sources of gold at hand and, even if they were to send out fleets of gold miners, there are closer sources along the way to CBI such as South Africa, West Africa, and Central America.

Second, Chiasson's talk of the Chinese using the Gulf Stream to mosey on up the Eastern Seaboard sounds plausible but he also fails to mention that this same current will eventually land you in Ireland and Scotland too!

There are also a couple of other bothersome points I'd like to bring up. First, Breton does not refer to the English but to the region of Brittany in France. And, second, the pictures of the Minority Peoples of China that he uses to posit a possible link between China and the local Micmac (sp) tribe is laughable. It's implausible to suppose that such people would be on board important Han Chinese voyages in sufficient numbers to make a cultural difference in a tribe thousands of miles away!

Like I said, interesting but implausible. I suspect that only actual archaeological digs will dispel the mystery of the platforms, if any.


----------



## CubaMark

Just picked up.... <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805077677/102-9936447-0868143?v=glance&n=283155">Voices of Time</a> - Eduardo Galeano

<img src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0805077677.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg" align="right">

<b>Amazon's Description:</b>
A striking mosaic of memories, observations, and legends that together reveal the author’s own story and a grand, compassionate vision of life itself

In this kaleidoscope of reflections, renowned South American author Eduardo Galeano ranges widely, from childhood to love, music, plants, fear, indignity, and indignation. In the signal style of his bestselling and much-admired Memory of Fire trilogy—brief fragments that build steadily into an organic whole—Galeano offers a rich, wry history of his life and times that is both calmly philosophical and fiercely political.

Beginning with blue algae, the earliest of life forms, these 333 vignettes alight on the Galeano family’s immigration to Uruguay in the early twentieth century, the fate of love letters intercepted by a military dictatorship, abuses by the rich and powerful, the latest military outrages, and the author’s own encounters with all manner of living matter, including generals, bums, dissidents, soccer stars, ducks, and trees. Out of these meditations emerges neither anger nor bitterness, but a celebration of a blessed life in a harsh world.

Poetic and passionate, scathing and lyrical, delivered with Galeano’s inimitable mix of gentle comedy and fierce moral judgment, Voices of Time is a deeply personal statement from a great and beloved writer.

<b>About the Author</b>
Eduardo Galeano is one of Latin America’s most admired writers, as well as a distinguished journalist and historian. Winner of the first Lannan Foundation
Cultural Freedom Prize in 1998, he is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312420315/qid=1151429087/sr=1-8/ref=sr_1_8/102-9936447-0868143?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">Upside Down</a> (0-312-42031-5), the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393317730/102-9936447-0868143?v=glance&n=283155">Memory of Fire trilogy</a> (for which he won the 1989 American Book Award), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0853459916/ref=cm_r8n_gvthanks_cont/102-9936447-0868143?2115%7CR1AF7SGXKSTLEUhelpfulreviews6.s=SUCCESS&2115%7CR1AF7SGXKSTLEUhelpfulreviews6.v=-1&n=283155&s=books&v=glance">Open Veins of Latin America</a>, and many other works. He lives in Montevideo, Uruguay.


----------



## BerlinerCa

*Déjà Dead* by Kathy Reich.

Excellent crime fiction about a forensic anthropologist working for the city of Montreal. Very detailed about the forensics and so interesting for those who enjoy such information. A wee bit grusome at times...


----------



## winwintoo

I just listened to/read "Superman Returns" - entertaining!

Now I'm listening to/reading "Robinson Crusoe" - also very entertaining.

Margaret


----------



## IronMac

*The Long Distance Cyclists' Handbook* by Simon Doughty

Excellent book! :clap:


----------



## IronMac

*Cycling for Fitness* by Chris Sidwells

Not bad, very good for beginners.


----------



## MacDoc

Well I finally outran the Mazalan Book of the Fallen series.........whew - what a huge read but well worth it even second time around.
6 down - 2 more in the pot being written - 10 in total - hey 1010 looks like to finish the series - then I'll have to re-read them all from the start again. 

••••••

BTW scary reading for all......*Empire of Debt: The Rise of an Epic Financial Crisis* ...now about those housing prices 










Good historical coverage, funny, self deprecating in many ways and the blackest horizon you'll come across in any horror book.....'cept this one is real.
You'll learn a lot, you may disagree with some of the approaches.
You may end up under the bed.



> In no-nonsense prose, Empire of Debt confronts head-on critical concerns about the position of the United States as the world’s leading economy and its great military might. For many years, the United States has been the country from which others sought advice, money, and a high return on investment. At the same time, Uncle Sam has descended from being the world's largest creditor to its greatest debtor. Why the paradox?
> 
> Empire of Debt reunites the team that conceived the international bestseller Financial Reckoning Day, and is the first in-depth look at how Americans abandoned their sound traditions of economic freedom, personal liberty, and fiscal restraint, favoring instead government control of the economy, unfettered deficit spending, gluttonous consumption, and fearless military adventurism, all of which have ravaged the business environment, devastated personal balance sheets, and led the global economy to the brink of its greatest financial crisis ever. Empire of Debt argues there will be a dramatic change in the economic power of the United States in the coming years that will inevitably impact every American.
> 
> Understanding these trends is critical for a wide range of readers, from lawmakers and corporate leaders to individual investors seeking the safest places to invest their retirement funds. Despite all this, the authors' irreverent style is entertaining as they manage to find humor in an otherwise precarious financial situation.
> 
> About Bill Bonner and Addison Wiggin
> Bill Bonner (Paris, France) is President and CEO of Agora, Inc., one of the world's largest financial newsletter companies. Agora is headquartered in Baltimore and has offices overseas in London, Paris, Ireland, Bonn, Madrid, Sydney, and Johannesburg. Mr. Bonner is the creator of The Daily Reckoning, a contrarian financial newsletter sent via e-mail (www.dailyreckoning.com). Bonner and Wiggin are the authors of the international bestseller, Financial Reckoning Day.
> 
> Addison Wiggin (Baltimore, MD) is the Editorial Director and Publisher of The Daily Reckoning. The newsletter now has more than 500,000 readers in the United States and Great Britain and is translated daily into French, German, and Spanish. It has received praise from mainstream publications, including Money. Bonner and Wiggin are the authors of the international bestseller Financial Reckoning Day.


TANSTAAFL..to one and all


----------



## elmer

MacDoc said:


> Well I finally outran the Mazalan Book of the Fallen series.........whew - what a huge read but well worth it even second time around.
> 6 down - 2 more in the pot being written - 10 in total - hey 1010 looks like to finish the series - then I'll have to re-read them all from the start again.


 I'm on Midnight Tides (first time). And I've got two friends to start the series as well


----------



## MacDoc

He's building quite a rep on this series. Still a book a year is a long wait tho they are certainly satisfying. The imagery is so engaging I actually found myself dreaming some of the scenes after a day long reading session.

If you ever need a fill in while waiting - the *Fionvar Tapestry* by another Canadian Guy Gavriel Kay is simply superb.
I think I may re-read that now it's been satisfying to take a second go around on Mazalan.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Trek: Vanguard: Harbinger* by David Mack

Not bad...very contemporary feel to this one.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen* by Troy Denning

Slightly confusing if you leave too much time between this and the first one but it's not bad. Have to wonder about a galaxy that's torn by war so much...where do they find the time to build those elaborately beautiful cities you see in the films?!?!


----------



## Beej

I've got a few on the run and don't expect to finish them anytime soon. 

Wealth of Nations (Adam Smith) -- 200+ years old, not an easy read. The insights, so far, are still interesting. In context, they are even better.

Understanding Media (Marshall McLuhan) -- fascinating and more readable than I expected. Right or wrong, his thinking was way ahead.

Hegemony or Survival (Noam Chomsky) -- poorly written and somewhat shrill. Could be ok if either trait were improved.

Cryptonomicon (Neal Stephenson) -- disappointing and I may not bother finishing it.

The Player of Games (Iain Banks) -- just started. I liked the previous 'Culture' novel.

The Jeeves Omnibus I (PG Wodenhouse) -- quite disappointing, I may just finish the first story.

On the pile:

Widdershins (Charles DeLint) -- I'm a longtime fan, but have not been impressed with a couple of his novels. I can't wait to start this one but am trying to finish at least one or two on my current list.

Bastard King (Dan Chernenko) -- No idea, it looked interesting. 

On the old pile, meaning to get back to:

Walden (Henry David Thoreau) -- A difficult but worthwhile read. Still, it requires the right mood. Reading textbooks is easier but there's still something fulfilling about grinding through this. One of those "Happy I read it, but not while reading it" books.

Satanic Verses (Salman Rushdie) -- Started years ago, but never got back into it. I remember it being difficult at first but, when you get used to the almost lyrical cadence, it flows better. I'll probably have to start from scratch. D'oh!

Saw in the bookstore:

Some Philosophy book based around Monty Python. It looked interesting. Any comments?


----------



## MacDoc

Beej - don;t let Crypto put you off - his other books are much better - that's an aberration - it's just "okay" and quite a struggle.

That's quite an eclectic mix 

I like Banks as well....unique voice and humour.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, did you ever finish "Guns, Germs and Steel"?


----------



## MacDoc

You know Dr. G I can't recall - I've seen the series on V and finished Collapse and in between those I'm not sure. I'll re-read it from beginning to end one of these days.


----------



## Dr.G.

David, as they say, "The mind is the first thing to go."


----------



## MacDoc

what..what!!??....


----------



## sammy

I just read Mindscan by Robert Sawyer. I nice page turner. I haven't read much sci fi since I was a teenager, but our local library has a "one book, one community" program and one of his books was the selection at the time. That one was called Hominids. I enjoyed that one immensely so I thought I'd try something else. I forgot how much I enjoyed sci fi.


----------



## IronMac

*The Crediton Killings: A Medieval West Country Mystery* by Michael Jecks

Yet another "popcorn"-type medieval mystery. This is the fourth in the series and it's really hitting its stride.


----------



## MacDaddy

I am reading The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. Just ordered the DVD too. 
The book is amazing, very raw.


----------



## IronMac

*SHIFT Inside Nissan's Historic Revival* by Carlos Ghosn and Philippe Ries

Particularly timely given the current discussions over whether or not GM should join an alliance with Renault and Nissan.


----------



## MacDoc

:clap: :clap:

A brilliant work. It has won numerous international awards and deservedly so.
Anyone thinking the likes of Melville or Dickens or Hardy as a story teller for an age are in the past.......you're in for a present day treat.

Both intensely personal and iconic. I am proud Mistry calls Canada home. He's a writer for humanity.
I'm sure this work will be in every serious literary program for decades to come.


----------



## IronMac

*Cycling for Health and Fitness* by Ed Pavelka

A good intro book for beginners.


----------



## IronMac

*Century Training Program* by Marla Streb

Redundant since I've already done century rides and it's a bit too "talkative". Excellent for those who are considering a long-distance ride and need a schedule to work from.


----------



## da_jonesy

*jPod* by Douglas Coupland
http://www.jpod.info/

I just finished this... I'm not sure, but I have to say that I think Coupland has long ago reached his Zenith and we are witnessing him on his downward spiral. Typically I can predict this when an author writes themselves into the narrative as a character. I've seen this before with Clive Cussler (whom I used to read when I was much much younger). About the point that Cussler started showing up in his books his writing was more comic book plot lines (I'm talking 60's and 70's comic books) than suspense.

As for jPod... I actually liked the narrative, when there was narrative. Coupland is witty and intelligent, however in jPod I think he also comes across as lazy given the amount of the text which is nothing more than page after page of repetitive prime numbers (I'm not kidding, literally pages of numbers).

I really liked Microserfs and Miss Wyoming, I was expecting more from Coupland.


----------



## modsuperstar

da_jonesy said:


> I really liked Microserfs and Miss Wyoming, I was expecting more from Coupland.


I've just got back into reading Coupland. I just finished Hey Nostradamus and found that one to be good. After reading Miss Wyoming I started notice the same-yness to his story arcs(Microserfs, Shampoo Planet, Girlfriend In A Coma). It just seemed he picked a new locale and crazier premise to tell similar stories. I just started Elenor Rigby, so I'll see if I get sick of him again before I get to jPod.


----------



## MacDoc

Another "scare yourself silly" novel this time about the US economic situation. Writer has the economic chops to back up the scenario - much of the tale is happening now - he claims to be compressing 10-15 years into a 3-4 year period.










Enjoyable fast read. You may rethink your current investment situation which in my mind is no bad thing.



> THE GREATEST FINANCIAL CRISIS IN HISTORY!
> One man maneuvers through the financial holocaust. As most investors are wiped out he parlays his small stake into a vast multi-billion dollar fortune.
> CREDIT COLLAPSE AND PANIC!
> Retirement plans, bond funds, and real estate are decimated. Massive derivatives defaults capsize major banks and hedge funds.
> 
> THE WORST OF ALL WORLDS!
> GOVERNMENT DEFAULT!
> A slumping economy radically reduces tax revenues, while trillions of government debt must be refinanced at impossibly high interest rates that threaten the government's ability to service its debt.
> 
> A CRISIS LIKE NO OTHER!
> The President meets with the Secretary of Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve to make the most important economic decision in U.S. history.
> 
> FULL FAITH & CREDIT
> James R. Cook
> A Novel
> Published and Distributed by
> Blue Book Publications, Inc.


http://www.investmentrarities.com/book.html

......gold anyone.......


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Dark Nest III: The Swarm War* by Troy Denning

Not bad...a bit simplistic.


----------



## JAGflyer

I'm reading "Night" by Elie Wiesel.


----------



## Hangman

*Eat Fat, Lose Fat* by Dr. Mary Enig

I'm learning a lot about why low fat diets never worked for me.


Next I'll be reading *The Marketing of Evil*


----------



## MacDoc

For all the brilliance and accessibility of Fine Balance by Mistry - this novel challenges - ellyptical writing that assumes much from the reader. Rewarding so far.
If Fine Balance made late 20th Century India accessible to the Western reader Body reminds us how deep the past and powerful the cultures.....and different. I must admit for once my minor in Eastern Philosophy has come in handy.

Winner of the Commonwealth Prize in 2000 for best Book in Canada and the Caribbean. Stick with it......it's worth it. I bounced off a couple of times but Fine Balance made a good companion piece to get me engaged. :clap:

••

IronMac - Ghosn seems the Steve Jobs of the car industry.  - He sure has made the news lately but with GM??....perhaps a Bridge Too Far in the making???


----------



## IronMac

Hangman said:


> *Eat Fat, Lose Fat* by Dr. Mary Enig
> 
> I'm learning a lot about why low fat diets never worked for me.


Let me tell you how I managed to lose a waist size in one month while eating like a pig...*LOTS* of exercise...June I cycled 1,403 km. You don't have to do that but, then, you don't have to eat like a pig either. 

Any volunteers for hard rides from Toronto to the Niagara region and back in one day to eat fruit?


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> IronMac - Ghosn seems the Steve Jobs of the car industry.  - He sure has made the news lately but with GM??....perhaps a Bridge Too Far in the making???


From my review of SHIFT on my blog:



> I don’t know if an alliance is going to benefit GM very much. With Nissan, the situation was dire due to being financially overextended, little corporate focus, internal bickering, poor dealer network, etc. In GM’s case, it’s a case of having a reputation for building vehicles with poor reliability and bland looks. Yes, there are exceptions but I think that Ghosn is going to have a much tougher time turning around the public’s perception built up through almost three decades of GM being compared unfavourably to their Japanese counterparts.


If Ghosn can do it, then, he's going to be the top executive for this decade!


----------



## IronMac

*How Buffett Does It* by James Pardoe

Fluff, little or no value.


----------



## yo_paully

MacDaddy said:


> I just finished reading 'Tuesdays with Morrie'. I cried a bit at the end.
> While reading the book, I found that I had a lot in common with Morrie and his philosophies on life. Of course there were some that I did not know or think about, but he has got me thinking about those now as well (Having not gone through anything like he was, I don't see how I could have come up with them on my own either).
> If you have not read this book, I highly recommend.


If you liked "Tuesdays with Morrie" you should check out "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" also by Mitch Albom.


----------



## Gilles

Right now I'm reading Madeleine Albright, _The Mighty & the Almighty_. She makes surprising and often inconvenient (and politically incorrect) observations on world affairs.


----------



## Paul O'Keefe

Fierce Invalids Back From Hot Climates


----------



## IronMac

*OVERTHROW: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq* by Stephen Kinzer

An illuminating list of "actions" that the US has been involved in over the past century. This is a book that I wish a lot of Americans had read before their invasion of Iraq. The more things change the more they stay the same.


----------



## yo_paully

Here are some of the books I've read of late:

*So You're Going to Be a Dad*
by Peter Downey
A light-hearted look at pregnancy from a father’s point of view. Easy read.

*How to Be Dad*
by Nick Kelsh 
Not much reading, but some great photography and some really nice short stories. Another very easy read. This is more of a coffee table style of book.

*How to Photograph Your Baby*
by Nick Kelsh 
This is a great instructional book. It has some really nice examples.

** Do you see a theme here? **

*The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for Dads-To-Be*
by Armin A. Brott 
This book goes through pregnancy in stages and has lots of information, which is good, but I'm not sure I liked it. The information covers standard practices, with no mention of alternatives. Overall, it makes too many assumptions and has a condescending tone.


----------



## yo_paully

Up next, if I have time...

*Our Common Interest, An Argument*
by The Commission for Africa


----------



## Gilles

yo_paully said:


> Do you see a theme here?


Congratulations... to the mother !


----------



## yo_paully

Gilles said:


> Congratulations... to the mother !


Thanks! I'll pass that on to her


----------



## Gilles

yo_paully said:


> Thanks! I'll pass that on to her.


I think your child will be like everybody else... unique.


----------



## Deep Blue

I got started on Robert Fisk's new book: The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. I got started on it before the Vancouver Public Library yanked it from me. 70+ requests still wanting it. I will wrest it back soon.

Fisk writes easily about world history which he shares as his own personal past. Forget the right wing diatribes about Fisk being a pinko lefty. It's ill informed.

I tried TE Lawrence's Seven Pillars recently, the memoirs of "Lawrence of Arabia" but found the writing style a litle too antiquated and the references obscure.


----------



## IronMac

Deep Blue said:


> I got started on Robert Fisk's new book: The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East. I got started on it before the Vancouver Public Library yanked it from me. 70+ requests still wanting it. I will wrest it back soon.
> 
> Fisk writes easily about world history which he shares as his own personal past. Forget the right wing diatribes about Fisk being a pinko lefty. It's ill informed.
> 
> I tried TE Lawrence's Seven Pillars recently, the memoirs of "Lawrence of Arabia" but found the writing style a litle too antiquated and the references obscure.


I've got Fisk's book waiting for me at the library this week. #25 out of 157 holds!

I've also tried reading Seven Pillars but, like you, found it a bit too dense at the time. (About 15 years ago.)


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars Legacy of the Force: Betrayal* by Aaron Allston

Pretty decent effort.


----------



## Deep Blue

Get ready for some speed reading on the Fisk front then, IronMac because, if your library is like ours in vancouver, you'll get a max of three weeks to read all 1200+ pages.


----------



## IronMac

*Stalin's Folly: The Tragic First Ten Days of WWII on the Eastern Front* by Constantine Pleshakov

Pretty good if a bit folksy.


----------



## MacDoc

Just finished *What the Body Remembers*

A brilliant effort :clap: :clap:
It was tough sledding initially as I've rarely seen a novel since The Alexandria Quartet weave other languages and phrases into the work so vitally.

Dr. G I'd highly, highly recommend it. This Canadian novel set in India/Pakistan just before and just after partition is a masterpiece. The sweep of time and enormous geo-political changes viewed from within the secret hearts and intimacy of a family and viewed from a young women caught up in immense change.

Stick with it - it's worth it.


----------



## camla

recently finished will ferguson's _hitching rides with buddha_, a humourous and touching look at japanese life and culture, and _slaughterhouse five_ by kurt vonnegut - a little strange but very inventive and um, vonnegut.

on to _looking for lovedu: days and nights in africa_ by ann jones and eduardo galeano's _upside down: a primer for the looking-glass world_


----------



## IronMac

*Death in Dark Walk: A John Rawlings Mystery* by Deryn Lake

The first in a series of Georgian mysteries by this author. Not bad...a bit too "feminine" but I think I can work around that.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, thanks for the tip. When I finally finishing grading sometime next week, I might have some time for some non-academic reading.


----------



## Guest

Just started Terry Goodkind's 10th book of the Sword of Truth series today, Phantom. No comments yet, but I don't think it will take me long to chew through this one.

Why oh why do I keep reading these HUGE series that aren't done yet. hate waiting 1-2 years in between books.

Now if Robert Jordan could just get out the last books in the Wheel of Time series I'd be happy. It's been well over a decade now and 11 books and we're still waiting ... of course with the stories about his poor health I hope it doesn't end up like Dune did !


----------



## MacDoc

I need escape - started the Harry Potter series. :clap:

••

M. Guertin I hear you loud and clear. I dropped Wheel of Time - just too frustrating with the waits.

The Mazalan Book of the Fallen - 10 of those planned - 6 out and read through twice - now I'm looking at 3-4 more years to complete


----------



## IronMac

*The Little Red Book of Selling* by Jeffrey Gitomer

Excellent book for those interested in sales. :clap:


----------



## Beej

I finished The Player of Games by Iain Banks. It is an entertaining read and you don't need to read the previous "Culture" novel to enjoy it. 'Great' does not come to mind, though. 

The interesting idea behind the story does not lend itself to easy writing, and the author didn't rise to the occasion; he took the direct route of entertainment value, making this a good airplane or daily commute read.


----------



## Beej

MacDoc said:


> M. Guertin I hear you loud and clear. I dropped Wheel of Time - just too frustrating with the waits.


I checked out the lastest Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire in a book store and decided, "Why Bother?". 

WOT seemed to be written as a cash cow/retirement plan/indulgence from many books back and Song, while I consider it to be much better written, seems to be veering off into the same zone. So now I'll just wait until they're done before spending any more money or time on them.

It would be nice to have a good fantasy/sci-fi epic (THAT ENDS) to become emersed in. Hyperion/Endymion was quite grand and ended appropriately for the story, but I'm not going to re-read it (yet).

It seems like a slow day at work today...maybe a little googlin' is in order. beejacon


----------



## MacDoc

Well if you tackle Mazalan now you'll likely take a while to catch up.

The best "long read" in my mind is the Master and Commander series. All available - brilliant writing and so engaging you never want it to end .....and damn if you don;t learn a LOT of world history. 20 novels by a scholar and writer billed as the best historical fiction writer on the planet. I'd likely concur.

Got the complete set - just let me know and I'll send them to Ottawa with my daughter - you can give them back when done.
One of the most enjoyable reading adventures I've ever had.

••

BTW Hyperion was terrific - deserved the awards. Have you tackled the Final Encyclopaedia cycle.


----------



## Beej

MacDoc said:


> Well if you tackle Mazalan now you'll likely take a while to catch up.
> 
> The best "long read" in my mind is the Master and Commander series. All available - brilliant writing and so engaging you never want it to end .....and damn if you don;t learn a LOT of world history. 20 novels by a scholar and writer billed as the best historical fiction writer on the planet. I'd likely concur.
> 
> Got the complete set - just let me know and I'll send them to Ottawa with my daughter - you can give them back when done.
> One of the most enjoyable reading adventures I've ever had.
> 
> ••
> 
> BTW Hyperion was terrific - deserved the awards. Have you tackled the Final Encyclopaedia cycle.


I'll look into that series; probably dip my toe in with the first book. 
...........
Is FE finished? From past experience (as mentioned above) I think I'll just get into completed series.

Thanks for the recommendations. Things haven't been the same since I finished Robin Hobb's books. Just some pleasurable one-offs and non-fiction. :-(


----------



## Chris

I'm about 100 pages into _A History of the English Speaking Peoples_ by Winston Churchill. Man, that guy could write! Obviously I have heard many sound bites he made during WWII, but he is really making the early dark ages in Britain come alive. It is not a scholarly work, but he did do his research, and has the citations to prove it.

I recently re-read several of Terry Pratchett's _Discworld_ books; another fellow who knows how to string a phrase together!


----------



## Guest

MacDoc said:


> I need escape - started the Harry Potter series. :clap:
> 
> ••
> 
> M. Guertin I hear you loud and clear. I dropped Wheel of Time - just too frustrating with the waits.
> 
> The Mazalan Book of the Fallen - 10 of those planned - 6 out and read through twice - now I'm looking at 3-4 more years to complete


Love the Harry Potter stuff, have read the whole series about 3 times now 

I tried the Book of the Fallen stuff, still struggling to get through the first one... have tried several times now but man, it's pretty involved!

Also waiting on the Fire and Ice stuff ... George RR Martin seems to have a release schedule like Robert Jordan :/

So far so good on Phantom though, about 1/4 of the way through and it's up to par with the rest of the series!


----------



## MacDoc

MG - stick with Fallen - I had to read the whole monster series twice and I struggled with nearly every one the first time around.
It's partly because you are dumped into this immense tale in the middle - he purposely wrote it with info reflecting both forward and past events - the small snippets at the beginning of each chapter are immensely important.
The time span is unreal and the scope of civilizations, races and "realms" unlike anything I've come across.
Once you get rolling some of the characters weave in and out of all of the novels and some of those are brilliantly conceived.

He's a bloody literature prof and it shows.


----------



## Guest

hehe, yep for sure. It just hurts my head. I have restarted 3 times and don't get more than 1/3 of the way in before my brain runs away screaming cause it's trying to put everything into place.


----------



## MacDoc

Beej Did you do both Hobb's trilogies - Mad Ship and ..hmm can't recall the other.
Terrific.

Also incredible and on my reread list is the Canadian Trilogy - *Fionavar Tapestry* by Guy Gavriel Kaye.










http://www.brightweavings.com/books/fionavar.htm

Kaye is good enough to make me cry while reading a couple of his works.

This one in particular - what a master of character, description and emotion. He evokes places you THINK you know.










•••

Yep - head hurt for sure - complex - what I'd recommend now having done them twice and Gardens ( where you are ) THRICE - is to just trudge on and let yourself fall into it. It DID deserve the awards it won.


----------



## Beej

MacDoc said:


> Beej Did you do both Hobb's trilogies - Mad Ship and ..hmm can't recall the other.
> Terrific.
> 
> Also incredible and on my reread list is the Canadian Trilogy - *Fionavar Tapestry* by Guy Gavriel Kaye.
> 
> Kaye is good enough to make me cry while reading a couple of his works.
> 
> This one in particular - what a master of character, description and emotion. He evokes places you THINK you know.


All three trilogies.  All great. She is one of the best at writing personal epics. And she is working on a new trilogy. :clap: 

I've read most or all of Kay's stuff. I found the books he did after Fionavar to be much better, although Fionavar was a good start. He seems to pull off what are sometimes over-the-top melodrama moments with skill; bring tissues. Tigana! :-( Reminds me of Hobb. 

Another excellent fantasy epic (one book) is Rhinegold. Grundy's following two books were each weaker than the preceding one, to the point where Gilgamesh really wasn't that good. Too bad.

Nine Princes in Amber is another great series. The books are quite small and read quickly, but there's still a lot of meat to them.


----------



## IronMac

*Blogging for Dummies* by Brad Hill

Excellent book. It was recently published so the information is still timely. Give it a year and it will all be out-of-date.


----------



## MacDoc

Thanks for the reminder Beej - I had forgotten the Assassin series by Robin Hobb. Started today and I have all three in hand. :clap:
Wow she just grabs you right away.


----------



## Beej

MacDoc said:


> Thanks for the reminder Beej - I had forgotten the Assassin series by Robin Hobb. Started today and I have all three in hand. :clap:
> Wow she just grabs you right away.


You didn't read the Tawny Man series before the Farseer one did you? I imagine it would still be great, but...

Damn, I miss being that absorbed in a book.

Wuthering Heights comes to mind. One sitting, straight through it. Couldn't put it down. Proof that concise writing is not just some new 'style'; it has been an option for some time now, whether or not authors have the discipline.


----------



## Sonal

Beej said:


> Proof that concise writing is not just some new 'style'; it has been an option for some time now, whether or not authors have the discipline.


Ah, but the economics come into play here.

Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights in its entirity first, and published it later to lukewarm reviews and sales. Her primary means of supporting herself financially was by working as a governess at a school.

Dickens wrote serialized novels, meaning each week or month he'd publish the next chapter in the newspaper. He had a variety of jobs, but due to his popularity, he was able to primarily support himself (and his wife and 10 kids) through novel writing. He was paid by the word. This meant the longer he could draw out the serial, the more slowly he could spin out the story while still keeping the reader interested, the more guaranteed his income was.

Writing consisely would have been a poor financial decision for Dickens. Emily, however, could write however she pleased.


----------



## RevMatt

MacDoc - I love Guy Gavriel Kay growing up, and I still love that series. I know it so well now that I have to leave a full year between re-readings, but it is truly wonderful. I actually wore out my first set, so I now have the ones with the new fancy covers, as in your picture.

I'm on vacation, and trying to do some reading for fun. Currently, I am reading Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw by Will Ferguson. Why I Hate Canadians, also by him, is also excellent. Better than Beauty Tips, I would have said.

I have some Pierre Berton lying around somewhere waiting to be read. Ah yes, Prisoners of the North. Anyone read it?


----------



## Beej

Sonal said:


> Ah, but the economics come into play here.
> 
> Emily Bronte wrote Wuthering Heights in its entirity first, and published it later to lukewarm reviews and sales. Her primary means of supporting herself financially was by working as a governess at a school.
> 
> Dickens wrote serialized novels, meaning each week or month he'd publish the next chapter in the newspaper. He had a variety of jobs, but due to his popularity, he was able to primarily support himself (and his wife and 10 kids) through novel writing. He was paid by the word. This meant the longer he could draw out the serial, the more slowly he could spin out the story while still keeping the reader interested, the more guaranteed his income was.
> 
> Writing consisely would have been a poor financial decision for Dickens. Emily, however, could write however she pleased.


Exactly, yet you occasionally hear wistful descriptions of Dickens-era style as less dumbed down versus a more "modern" and tighter style (not full Dan Brown, that's a little mechanical but still fun...just not fulfilling). The key would be, "Emily, however, could write however she pleased."


----------



## ComputerIdiot

*Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister* by Gregory Maguire.


----------



## We'reGonnaWin

The Kite Runner


----------



## Sonal

Beej said:


> Exactly, yet you occasionally hear wistful descriptions of Dickens-era style as less dumbed down versus a more "modern" and tighter style (not full Dan Brown, that's a little mechanical but still fun...just not fulfilling). The key would be, "Emily, however, could write however she pleased."


Blah. I hate Dickens. Boring, boring, boring writer. Can't stand most Victorian writers, but I have a particular hatred for Dickens.

I had a professor in university who found very strong similarities between Stephen King (meaning his 'branded' work, not the more literary stuff he wrote under pseudonym) and Charles Dickens, in terms of the type of writer they are for their times. I love crushing people's wistful descriptions of Dickens-era writing with that comparison--he wasn't a literary writer, he was a popular writer. 

Nothing wrong with writing for the masses, but let's not elevate way beyond what it was intended to be in its context.

Off my soapbox.

However, on a related note, I'm in the midst of M.G. Vassanji's *Book of Secrets* and am similarly bored waiting for a central conflict or a plot to appear. I normally love this type of book, but this on is all kinds of description, and I'm in chapter 6 somewhere waiting for to find out where this is all going.


----------



## Beej

Sonal said:


> Blah. I hate Dickens. Boring, boring, boring writer. Can't stand most Victorian writers, but I have a particular hatred for Dickens.
> 
> I had a professor in university who found very strong similarities between Stephen King (meaning his 'branded' work, not the more literary stuff he wrote under pseudonym) and Charles Dickens, in terms of the type of writer they are for their times. I love crushing people's wistful descriptions of Dickens-era writing with that comparison--he wasn't a literary writer, he was a popular writer.
> 
> Nothing wrong with writing for the masses, but let's not elevate way beyond what it was intended to be in its context.
> 
> Off my soapbox.


Shout it from the rooftops! :clap: 

I find King's 'good' stuff (related to Dark Tower, with some exceptions) to be quite good, but I get your point. Either way, writing appreciation is highly subjective. It is the act of someone getting into your mind and, while it can come close to objective impressions, never quite is objective. Still, some stuff just sucks.


----------



## Deep Blue

To say that Dickens "sucks" is foolish. Dickens is a wordy but entertaining writer. (John Irving, as a modern example, could be described in a similar way however his writing, while inventive and extremely verbose, does not reach the heights of Dickens (or Darles Chickens, as Monty Python called him). Sometimes, to appreciate writers from another era, you have to work a little harder to find the enjoyment you seek. Stephen King is popular...but Dickens he is not.


----------



## Beej

Deep Blue said:


> To say that Dickens "sucks" is foolish. Dickens is a wordy but entertaining writer. (John Irving, as a modern example, could be described in a similar way however his writing, while inventive and extremely verbose, does not reach the heights of Dickens (or Darles Chickens, as Monty Python called him). Sometimes, to appreciate writers from another era, you have to work a little harder to find the enjoyment you seek. Stephen King is popular...but Dickens he is not.


Dickens concepts and representation of an era are quite important. His actual writing is not that great, in my subjective opinion. However, I've only tackled a couple of his books (due to their sloppiness) and perhaps others are better. It does seem like he gets more kudos due to historical appreciation than acutal quality of writing. I'd put him on par with King (who gets the raw end of pretention relative to Dickens): popular writers that are good examples of their times; all nostalgia aside.

On this topic of presumed sacred cows, I've been meaning to try Marlow. Was Shakespeare so much advanced for his times, or has his work been historically exalted in a more representative way?


----------



## Rob

I really enjoyed Dickens' The Pickwick Papers. It was his first major sucess and is full of humour. 

It's a great book if you're looking for some lighter fare that isn't overloaded with all the sappy sentimentality and insufferable moral preachiness of his later work.


----------



## MacDoc

I think it's Shakespeares incredible layer use of the language that puts him the fame category.
The sophistication coupled with the cadence and humour is just superb.
Durrell in the Alexandria Quartet perhaps rivals the sophistication but no one does so in rhyme and humour that is both broad and needle sharp at the same time.

The Bard IS timeless. Shakespeare writes to be heard - not read. And in that he has no rival given the body of work.


----------



## Beej

MacDoc said:


> The Bard IS timeless. Shakespeare writes to be heard - not read. And in that he has no rival given the body of work.


I believe that to be true, MD, but I can't say I've compared him to his comtemporaries. Shakespeare's work is remarkable to me but, if I tried a couple others, would they do the same? It will be fun to learn, but I think reading will be the only likely option. Still, even read, Shakespeare is quite powerful. Someone who seemed to have mastered the language.

There is The Bard and The Philosopher (Aristotle). Foundations of modern life. Oh yeah, and all the modern scientists too.


----------



## Sonal

I like Stephen King far more than Dickens, but you know, if I have been alive 100 years ago, I'd probably like Dickens like everyone else. 

I love John Irving, though I find his later books are getting kind of stale. They no longer read as funny and jarring--they just read as "John Irving" novels. You know there's going to be some combination condoms, Vienna, prostitutes, New England, bears, the circus, wrestling and a very odd experience of losing one's virginity.

I've pushed myself to read Dickens. I just can't like him. I am not entertained. I haven't given Pickwick a try in a long time though--I think I was a teenager when I last tried it.

As for Shakespeare, does anyone want to hear my rant on why Hamlet is NOT his greatest play, it's merely considered that because it's his longest play? And how playing Hamlet not such a coup because it's such a complex role, but because there's lot of lines in the part, and then it just became a thing? And how it's so incredibly overdone, as I think there are something like 80 movie versions of Hamlet alone? No? Well, you get the gist. 

I like his comedies far more than his tragedies overall, but of the tragedies, give me MacBeth over Hamlet anyday.


----------



## Beej

Ever since Strange Brew, Hamlet interpretations have been quite bland. 

But that's for the movie thread.

Plus, "You have never experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon."

But that's just geeky and for another thread. XX)


----------



## IronMac

*The Leper's Return: A Medieval West Country Mystery* by Michael Jecks

A lot more involved and, therefore better, than previous efforts.


----------



## Guest

Well finished the 10th Terry Goodkind (Phanton), it was GREAT. Can't wait for the next book, which he assures everyone will close out the story.

Also just finished reading Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. Very dark, interesting story, but the ending SUCKED. I won't give any spoilers, but if you don't like books that don't resolve in the end this one is not for you!


----------



## IronMac

*The Traitor of St. Giles: A West Country Mystery* by Michael Jecks

Excellent addition to a very good series.


----------



## theblackstink

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

Pygmalion - George Bernard Shaw


----------



## Kazak

Halfway through "Sabbatical" by John Barth. I'm about 3/4 of the way through his fiction, and I realize that, when I'm done, I'll have to go back and reread him chronologically. I am consistently impressed that someone could base his entire clever and imaginative written output in stories almost all of which involve sailing on Chesapeake Bay, especially since I'm not a sailor, and have never been any closer to Chesapeake Bay than DC.

I found him by accident, too, but that's another story.


----------



## Deep Blue

Teacher man...Frank Mc Court.

And TOPAZ by Leon Uris, an old Cold war thriller from 1967.


----------



## zoziw

Unquiet Diplomacy by Paul Cellucci.


----------



## MacDoc

Re-read Robin Hobbs Farseer Assassin series........excellent trilogy - the girl can write :clap:


----------



## macpablo

Just finished 
The sun also rises-Ernest Hemingway

Just starting
Les Miserables-Victor Hugo


----------



## IronMac

*Death at the Beggar's Opera: A John Rawlings Mystery* by Deryn Lake


----------



## Guest

Just finished re-reading the Harry Potter series again. Somehow I never get tired of those books.

Cmon Robert Jordan uggggg LOL.

I think next up might be some Stephen Baxter.


----------



## ErnstNL

I found this book in our basement. My daughter had to read it in University and I found it during a clean-up session. Just started it this week. 

The Rape of Nanking, by Iris Chang

Japanese soldiers slaughtered, in _six weeks_ of brutality, 250,000 - 300,000 civilians, (raped, tortured and murdered women and children) in the city of Nanking, China, in 1937. 
Describes a few heroes: a German man, George Rabe, a Nazi who asked Hitler to intervene while saving countless residents and the aftermath of the war trials and refusal of Japanese history texts to acknowledge the massacre.


----------



## IronMac

*The Abbot's Gibbet: A Medieval West Country Mystery* by Michael Jecks


----------



## IronMac

*Hitler's Commander* by Steven H. Newton

A biography of Field Marshal Walther Model - Hitler's Favorite General.


----------



## Candidate

I just ordered three books from Amazon:

Politicking: How to Get Elected, Take Action, and Make an Impact in Your Community

How to Run for Local Office : A Complete, Step-By-Step Guide that Will Take You Through the Entire Process of Running and Winning a Local Election

25 Fundraising Secrets


----------



## MaxPower

I'm reading "The Tenth Insight" by James Redfield.

Next on the list is The DaVinci Code.


----------



## MacDoc

Lucky timing for me. Just finished the Assassin trilogy and the continuation The Tawny Man trilogy was all in stock at Chapters  - it literally just arrived - was not on their shelves - getting all three was a stroke of luck.
Sets my reading for the next while - Hobbe is sooo engaging.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF TRUMPETS

A good book by Lloyd Biggle Jr, nothing too great but a fun read to have started while I was still in the bush. Will be finished tonight and will start BUILDING HARLEQUIN'S MOON by Brenda Cooper and Larry Niven.

I miss reading while in the bush as I am to busy to really get into any. Can't afford the distraction and I need the money, cause I do not want any mor winters on shelves or in tents

Caveman


----------



## IronMac

*Overnight Career Choice* by Michael Farr


----------



## IronMac

*Nighthogs A Pearls Before Swine Collection* by Stephan Pastis

Very much echoes _Dilbert_ in style which is no surprise since Pastis says that he studied Adams' work intensely before starting his career. While I greatly appreciate morbid/dark humour, constant repetition of the same theme over and over again can become grating.


----------



## Sonal

I have been on a Maeve Binchy kick lately.

Warm, friendly, fun reading. It's like literary comfort food.


----------



## MacDoc

I like Maeve Binchy - done a couple of runs myself.. Excellent writer.


----------



## IronMac

*Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy* by Matthew R. Simmons

Simmons may be incorrect in his assumptions but, hopefully, this will prod everyone to think about what will happen in the future when the oil does start to run out.


----------



## elmer

I am reading The Bonehunters ... :-o I'm starting to wish there was more than ten planned, lol


----------



## Carex

Fly Fishing Through the Midlife Crisis.

Very apropos.


----------



## MacDoc

Elmer = try tackling The Mazalan Book of the Dead series ( reviewed elsewhere )- you'll wish there was LESS than 10 planned 

ohh they are extremely good BTW and deserved the awards BUT you might find them daunting on the first go around.


----------



## IronMac

*Mao: The Unknown Story* by Jung Chang & Jon Halliday

Normally, I don't read biographies but I've got a small bit of interest in Chinese history and since Mao is probably the most influential Chinese leader of the past century I'd thought that I would give this a go.

This book is very well-researched with an exhaustive cataloguing of Mao's crimes. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes an unremitting grind where every one of his actions is presented in the worst possible light. The text is not helped very much by some poor editing where you very much get the idea that the author's first language is not English. You would think, though, that the co-author/editor, Jon Halliday would have some sort of moderating influence.

All in all, I think that this book will stand as one of the must-reads for those who have an interest in Mao.


----------



## IronMac

*The Chocolate Connoisseur* by Chloe Doutre-Roussel

MMmmmmmm...


----------



## sheamusj

Just finished "Noble House" by James Clavell (for the 3rd time). Enjoy all of his novels, in particular, those dealing with Asia (King Rat, Tai Pan, Shogun, Gaijin). Whirlwind is an excellent novel dealing with Iran at the time immediately subsequent to the Shah's being deposed.

Unfortunately (or possibly not) a lot of my reading relates to business issues. For fun, reading History is a joy. As a bonus, my darling wife is a full-time worker-bee and a student (working on her MA via the UK, with a specialization in Antiques), her passion is furniture, the associated academic classification is the "Decorative Arts", In any case, her studies include history, geopolitics and international trade, especially during the 17th-19th centuries, so I have a ton of fun reading the historical bits relating to her studies.


----------



## Beej

Finished Widdershins by Charles DeLint. For fans of his Newford characters, it is a must read that tells an important and interesting story. As usual, the reader is quickly drawn into DeLint's world where our reality and world's of magic overlap, which is quite different from conventional fantasy.

Unfortunately a weakness in his previous writing seems to have significantly worsened. Quite frequently, and sometimes at great length, you hear the author's voice and it is quite intrusive on the dialogue and narrative. If you're thinking of trying out DeLint for the first time, Little Country is a better read.


----------



## MacDoc

Just finished the *Tawny Man* trilogy by Robin Hobb....wow the girl can write. It's actually a continuation of the Assassin trilogy - what a wonderful read.
Fitz is an incredible character - just a hint of Thomas Covenant darkness and The Fool is a brilliant invention. Highly recommended.

I'm a ways into Hobb's *Shaman's Crossing* - not so thrilled with this but willing to wait it out as she continues to surprise me.


----------



## Bolor

Just finished Cussler's Black Wind. Quite a disappointment. Just started Cold Harbour by Jack Higgins. Is starting out well.


----------



## Mike Y

Just started "blink" by Malcolm Gladwell... only read the intro and I am hooked already.
I guess it only took me two seconds ()


----------



## MacDoc

*Blink* is a mind bender - altered my perception of myself and humans. Seminal book.


----------



## IronMac

Bolor said:


> Just finished Cussler's Black Wind. Quite a disappointment.


I never understood the appeal of Cussler. Formulaic, simplistic and unrealistic.


----------



## KreenysMac

*My books - pure fluff and lovin' it!*

Since I have to read a lot of standards, proceedings, articles and other generally-heavy-technical material, the stuff I read at home is usually pretty easy, light-hearted, and usually a lot of fluff -- one of the same reasons why I watched soap operas in university, it wasn't math and I didn't have to think while watching it!

My current reads:

"The Twins of TriBeCa" by Rachel Pine *(SO AWESOME!)*
"Trading Up" by Candace Bushnell (Author of Sex in the City) *(Just getting into it)*
"Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond

Okay, the last one isn't a "fluff" read, but I loved the PBS special, and the book is slowly getting read - it's one I pick up every now and then.

-- Kristine


----------



## KreenysMac

If you liked "Blink" you *definitely* want to read "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell - his first book and equally as mind bending.


----------



## 20DDan

*Learning the OS to become an Apple Certified Technician*

-Mac OS X Tiger Edition Bible by Samuel A. Litt
-Every Man's Battle by Stephen arterburn

1. Technical training book 
2. Self improvement/spiritual guide book


----------



## Bolor

IronMac said:


> I never understood the appeal of Cussler. Formulaic, simplistic and unrealistic.


And this latest one is really so. His son co-wrote this and it appears as though he considers himself a dramatic writer. ... Boring

I used to like a Cussler book because it was an easy way to while away a Sunday afternoon. I probably have read my last one.


----------



## gnickers

*mac books*

check out the library thing website - it lists people's book collections - (of course this assumes people read the books they own)


----------



## MacDoc

GG&S is definitely a bit of chore - thos fascinating - the PBS three part special was excellent.
*Collapse* by Diamond is a much easier read and brilliantly worked out. Scary book.

I've been meaning to pick up *Tipping Point* - went off non fiction for a while....too much stress in moving so I'm totally on an escapist kick.

Just finished *Shaman's Crossing* by Robin Hobb - not wild about it - reminds me of a exercise by a good writer who wants to try something outside their norm.
She should leave the "westerns" to McMurtry.
I'll tackle the second in the series tho....loyal to a fault


----------



## sheamusj

*Jack Higgins*

Jack's books are a fun read, have read some of them many times.



Bolor said:


> Just started Cold Harbour by Jack Higgins. Is starting out well.


----------



## Bolor

Just finished Cold Harbour. I enjoyed it very much. Fast paced reading.


----------



## IronMac

*The Little Book That Beats the Market* by Joel Greenblatt

An interesting read for those of you who are into investments.


----------



## Sonal

I couldn't get through Blink. I felt like I got his basic point after a few pages, and then it just all felt repetitive. But I am not much of a non-fiction reader; I need narratives.

I am nearly done with The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle. Really, really wonderful book.

Just finished "The Remains of the Day." I liked it overall, but it didn't grab me. Not one of those books you just can't put down.


----------



## Kazak

Just finished Mark Haddon's "A Spot of Bother." A very (darkly) funny book that, by comparison, will make your own family seem a lot less dysfunctional.


----------



## MacDoc

Having run out of Robin Hobbs for the moment ( the second of the Soldier's Son trilogy *Forest Mage* is better ) I'm into a new author for me Anne Bishop.

Very dark, sensual and erotic - has a Storm Constantine feel to it. Very interesting and powerful characterizations ......lots of echoing myth ala Guy Gavriel Kaye but on a much darker plane.
Enjoyable so far. :clap:


----------



## IronMac

*The Boy-Bishop's Glovemaker* by Michael Jecks

Series just get keeps getting better and this member is a real learning experience.


----------



## Beej

I've started two books recently:

Genghis Khan and the making of the modern world
-So far so good. Due to limited sources, so far its more weaving a story than history, but we'll see how it goes once the book gets to areas of history with more documentation.

Anansi Boys
-As usual with Gaiman (not counting his work with Pratchett) an immediately compelling story and characters. The writing quality is a little lower than I expected from him but still a good read so far.


----------



## MacDoc

Wow :clap: :clap:.....what a refreshing addition to the sci fi universe!!

Just a few chapters in and blown away.

Nominated for both the Hugo and Arthur Clarke awards and won the Best Novel by the British Scifi Association.....deservedly so in all cases.

This one is going into the "enduring classics" category from the get go. Just phenomenal writing and imagination - break through concepts in several areas and done at a pace that is astounding.

In one chapter he treads that impossible tight rope between the visual power of poetry and detail of prose bringing the scene absolutely alive. Remarkable writing.

Highly, highly recommended.

••

The Anne Bishop triology was a treat - Bros Grimm for the 21st century sensibility.


----------



## 10macs

Just finished reading Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion." He confirms what I have believed all along. Even those of you who are religious will find his points hard to argue against.


----------



## IronMac

*A War Like No Other: How the Athenians and Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War* by Victor Davis Hanson


----------



## MacDoc

Well in keeping with my trilogy bent this was an unlikely triumvirate but first one is a winner right out of the blocks. Just a few chapters in and this is very different.










Immediately gripping. Received high praise from the writer of Ghost Wars which won the Pultizer Prize and I enjoyed immensely.
This takes off just about where Ghost Wars ended.
*Punishment* is very up close and personal with the major players in Afghanistan including Karzai
Terrific, insightful reading for those trying to evaluate Canada's role.
http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781594200960,00.html#

second up










from the NYT review


> From Planning to Warfare to Occupation, How Iraq Went Wrong
> 
> By MICHIKO KAKUTANI
> Published: July 25, 2006
> The title of this devastating new book about the American war in Iraq says it all: “Fiasco.” That is the judgment that Thomas E. Ricks, senior Pentagon correspondent for The Washington Post, passes on the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq and its management of the war and the occupation. And he serves up his portrait of that war as a misguided exercise in hubris, incompetence and folly with a wealth of detail and evidence that is both staggeringly vivid and persuasive.
> 
> By virtue of the author’s wealth of sources within the American military and the book’s comprehensive timeline (beginning with the administration’s inflammatory statements about Saddam Hussein in the wake of 9/11, through the invasion and occupation, to the escalating religious and ethnic strife that afflicts the country today), “Fiasco” is absolutely essential reading for anyone interested in understanding how the United States came to go to war in Iraq, how a bungled occupation fed a ballooning insurgency and how these events will affect the future of the American military


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/25/b...583c38a608b09b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Last in this series for me and also the third book Woodward has written on the subject of Bush and Iraq - this the most damning by far- 










Times review

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E5DC1730F933A0575AC0A9609C8B63

Back to the real world tho that may not last these three ......

Do I think the release of these so close to US election time is coincidence???...not a damn bit.


----------



## IronMac

*Sharpe's Fury* by Bernard Cornwell

This is one author who is able to be relatively consistent in terms of the quality of his output. 21st title in the series! :clap:


----------



## gwillikers

Call me silly, but I just ordered "Anti Diva" by Carole Pope. Some of you may remember her as the vocalist for the eastern Canada based "Rough Trade", way back when.

I read the Greg Goddovitz book "Travels With My Amp", so what the heck, may as well see what good ol' Carole has to say about rockin' in Canada too.


----------



## IronMac

*All About Derivatives* by Michael Durbin

Good intro book.


----------



## IronMac

*Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground* by Robert D. Kaplan

This is a fascinating book about how widespread and pervasive the American military is around the world securing the “empire”. Kaplan makes no bones that there is an American empire and he illustrates how individuals and small groups of men are working to implement policy and secure their nation’s interests in some of the world’s hotspots.

He is a strong advocate of the use of Special Forces and believes that these men can make a difference when they are inserted/embedded within a host country’s armed forces and institutions. Consequently, he eschews Big Infantry armies/actions such as what is happening in Iraq which he also visits.

There are some interesting insights such as the fact that Afghanistan’s President Karzai is actually from the Pashtun tribe and how the Phillippines were conquered/subdued at the turn of the century. Many lessons from the latter and other insurgent actions of the past were forgotten by the U.S. military in the aftermath of the world wars and are now being re-learned.

At times, I felt that Kaplan was a bit of a right-winger but he seems to have kept those leanings under control so the book does feel balanced to a great degree. I’d be very interested in reading the second volume of this series when it finally comes out. Assuming, of course, that the author survives his travels through America’s Empire.


----------



## macpablo

Herbert Read - Modern Sculpture
I haven't read a book so fast in my life, a must for artists.


----------



## Rob

Just finished a book by Clive Cussler called "Lost City".  It's you're basic comic book adventure story that just goes way over the top too many times and becomes just silly/stupid. It's the first (and last) book I've read from this guy. He's a poor man's Tom Clancey, or a very poor man's Dan Brown. Tom and Dan provide a much better read for your money/time.

I also got addicted to the "Rebus" detective mysteries by Ian Rankin over the summer. I think I've read them all now. They're heartily recommended.


----------



## IronMac

Rob said:


> Just finished a book by Clive Cussler called "Lost City". It's you're basic comic book adventure story that just goes way over the top too many times and becomes just silly/stupid. It's the first (and last) book I've read from this guy. He's a poor man's Tom Clancey, or a very poor man's Dan Brown. Tom and Dan provide a much better read for your money/time.


The poor quality of Cussler's work has been mentioned here before. Simply awful stuff. XX)

Clancy's stuff has been going downhill for the last decade. His heyday was when the Cold War was still hot!


----------



## IronMac

*Aliens - Original Sin* by Michael jan Friedman

*ugh* Simply awful dreck.


----------



## MacDoc

I'll agree - Cussler is awful ...yuck. Correct on 
Clancy as well. Red Rabbit was perhaps
a) accurate
b) boring which likely means it was closer to the truth than the derringdo of other works.

I wonder how much the "too close to home" events that came to life affected him?

Deep into Fiasco about the Iraq venture. Depressing - disheartening - maddening - shocking - there are not enough words. 

Some very good things COULD have come out even with the misbegotten and horridly ill -planned escapade but then Bremner came along and unravelled any hope with three horrible decisions.

Many many smart and well intentioned people in the US military and other departments were steam rollered by sheer idiocy at the top. There are no other words. 

Worth the read if you can tolerate it.


----------



## IronMac

*Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant* by Kim and Mauborgne

Good, easy read for anyone interested in strategic management.


----------



## sheamusj

Mac OS X Tiger Edition, The Missing Manual Series, David Pogue, Pogue Press, O'Reilly, August 2006 Printing, ISBN 0-596-00941-0.

Currently on sale at Indigo if you have an iRewards card for $30 plus tax (saves you about $11 plus tax).

MacDoc recommended the book and really glad I got it as the info is fab!


----------



## gnatsum

Children of Dune, Frank Herbert


----------



## IronMac

*Sea of Faith: Islam and Christianity in the Medieval Mediterranean World* by Stephen O'Shea

The author's command of the English language is quite formidable! :clap:


----------



## Darien Red Sox

Hear are some of the good books I have read outside of school latley:
Airfram
21st Centery Jet
Airport


----------



## IronMac

*The Rough Guide to Blogging* by Jonathan Yang

Very "in-the-moment".


----------



## IronMac

*Getting Started in Fundamental Analysis* by Michael C. Thomsett

Good, general beginner's guide.


----------



## IronMac

*His Majesty's Dragon* by Naomi Novik

Not bad but not as deserving of the effusive praise within its jacket.


----------



## IronMac

*The Five Temptations of a CEO* by Patrick Lencioni

Makes you stop and think a bit.


----------



## Kazak

*The Plot Against America* by Philip Roth

Possibly the scariest book I've ever read.

Not scary "boo" but scary "there but for the grace of God go we."


----------



## jmlachance

*2 books*

Christiane F.

The End of Food

Very good both of them.


----------



## IronMac

*The Last Secret of the Temple* by Paul Sussman

I don't think that this is the "intelligent reader's answer to The Da Vinci Code" as one reviewer states but it's a real page-turner.


----------



## MacDoc

In keepiing with an upcoming African adventure........an Afrikaan David Copperfield apparently based on the author's own childhood..

Genuinely written from a first person's viewpoint....a tough job when starting at age 6.
Enjoying it and the detail and atmosphere is meticulously created.
SA circa 1940 a hard place for an orphaned boy.


----------



## IronMac

*Throne of Jade* by Naomi Novik

The second in the Temeraire series and it's an improvement. Not the greatest of reads, though.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction* by Drew Karpyshyn

Banal.


----------



## SINC

"Always Fresh" by Robert Thompson, the story of Tim Horton's co-founder Ron Joyce.


----------



## IronMac

*Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq* by Michael R. Gordon and Genereal Bernard E. Trainor

This is an excellent, well-written, concise and comprehensive book. Kudos to the authors! :clap:


----------



## wonderings

I am currently reading 2 books. First is Anarchy, State and Utopia by Robert Nozick proffessor of Philospy at Harvard (not sure if he is still alive). A very interesting read about libertatiasm, though can be a bit slow. The other book I am reading is fiction and its called The Children of Men. A very interesting story. Women can no longer give birth, so the last generation of mankind is on earth. There is a movie coming out in the next few weeks, and the story seemed very interesting to me.


----------



## IronMac

*Black Powder War* by Naomi Novik

Much better than the second one and it turns out that the trilogy will continue with at least a fourth addition!


----------



## IronMac

*The Cylons' Secret* by Craig Shaw Gardner

Success of the series is now spawning the usual "halo" industry of books and whatnot. Not too interesting but if you're hard-core go for it.


----------



## IronMac

*Sagittarius is Bleeding* by Peter David

Yet another in the new BSG series of books. Peter David quality. :clap:


----------



## IronMac

*The Ratvolution Will Not Be Televised: A Pearls Before Swine Collection* by Stephen Pastis

A bit lighter in tone than the first one that I had read so it's a bit funnier.


----------



## Dr.G.

Cell by Stephen King.


----------



## cheshire_cat

*The Pact* by Jodi Picoult

Couldn't put this book down.


----------



## IronMac

*The Immortal Game: A History of Chess* by David Shenk

Decent if a bit rambling.


----------



## IronMac

*The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization* by Thomas Homer-Dixon

He makes an excellent case for catastrophe but not much of a case for renewal.


----------



## mrjimmy

I'm about to start "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson. I love his dry wit.


----------



## Gilles

_The Historian_ is the narration, by the 16-year-old daughter of a diplomat based in Amsterdam, of a quest to find the exact location of Vlad Tepes's (a.k.a as Dracula) grave. It's a long novel (650 pages), intelligent, erudite, and the action takes place in libraries, archives, wonderfully described villages in France, Italy, Turkey and Romania. Much more interesting and well written than Dan Brown's Da Vinci code or Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. No car chases, sorry, and a minimal knowledge of french and latin is useful if you want to understand everything.









Elizabeth Kostova. _The Historian_
(Little, Brown & Co.)


----------



## bryanc

10macs said:


> Just finished reading Richard Dawkins "The God Delusion." He confirms what I have believed all along. Even those of you who are religious will find his points hard to argue against.


I just started this. So far I'm very impressed with the quality of the writing, the coherency of the arguments being made, and, perhaps most surprisingly, the number of ideas I haven't previously encountered.

Looks like a winner.

Cheers


----------



## MaxPower

I just picked up three new books none of which I have started yet:

Angels & Demons : Special Illustrated Collector's Edition
Deception Point
Bloodline of the Holy Grail: The Hidden Lineage of Jesus Revealed


----------



## Bolor

Just finished "The Street Lawyer" by John Grisham and starting "Ordinary Heros" by Scott Turlow


----------



## Paul O'Keefe

*Alligator*
by Lisa Moore

What draw me to the book was its strong cover design and colour scheme. Then I happily found out it was written by a Newfoundlander and set in St. John's. It's also her first novel. This cover definitely stands out among the shelves of Newfoundland books featuring ship wrecks and fishing images.

I think the image sets the tone that this is not your typical Newfoundland fiction.


----------



## Gilles

Paul O'Keefe said:


> *Alligator* by Lisa Moore.


I hope she gets the Giller Prize !


----------



## IronMac

*Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder* by Joanne Fluke

Yummy!


----------



## IronMac

*Blueberry Muffin Murder* by Joanne Fluke

Scrumptious!


----------



## audiodan

iWoz! It is a great book and I am learning a lot from it.


----------



## Macified

Just finished "Hannibal Rising". Not entirely predictable and an interesting read but it isn't the holy-crap thriller that the others in the series were.

That "Alligator" cover is incredible. How was the book? I'd hate to read it just because the cover was so striking.


----------



## IronMac

*Strawberry Shortcake Murder* by Joanne Fluke

Delish!


----------



## MacDoc

Just finished *The Sunburnt Queen* about a 7 year old English girl shipwrecked off Africa's "Wild Coast" in 1760. Amazing tale both the research and the insight into that time in Africa and forward to her desendants who can still trace their heritage backto her.
Hard to describe, a delight to read. 

Also finished the Nobel prize winning *Snow*.
Odd work, be interested in other's opinion. 
Turkey's "Catcher in the Rye" perhaps??

Just getting into Dawkin's *The Ancestor's Tale*, brilliant magnum opus tracing our journey back through time to life's beginning, accessible high science.
No one does it better. Learn and wonder. :clap:


----------



## Gilles

I'm reading _The View from Castle Rock_ by Alice Munro. The subtitle is _Stories_ and in fact the book is a reconstruction of what Munro's ancestors in Scotland might have thought about the meaning of their own lives.









McClelland & Stewart


----------



## Sonal

Read a lot of books on vacation that one that stands out for me is *Never let me go* by Kazuo Ishiguro.

I won't reveal the content, (it is revealed slowly as you read the book, though I correctly guessed most of it early on) but it was one of the most anguish-inducing (in a good way) books I have read in years. 

Technically, this is sci-fi, but sort of in the same way that Brave New World is sci-fi.


----------



## MacDoc

Just dipping in Mandela's wonderful biography *Long Walk to Freedom*
Lovely book, incredible man. :clap:

Oddly the bookstore owner said that was the number one book......for theft. 

Also finished a heartfelt and disheartening auto-biography *MUKIWA...A White Boy in Africa* by Peter Godwin.
His growing up in Southern Rhodesia from idyllic childhood to truly horrid war. ( now Zimbabwe ).
My host here grew up in Northern Rhodesia now Zambia - her parents left for Canada when GM pulled out due to the growing tension and violence.

Godwin was at the centre of so many critical events due to his parents position and later his own. His sister and finance killed by the very army he served in. Many friends on both sides of the conflict destroyed both physically and their entire livelhoods disrupted by this multifactioned conflict.- I had no idea of the role the it played in the Cold War conflict.
No easy answers and the book leaves you saddened with little light on the horizon ;( Much irony( intended ) in the book as he sits chatting with his opponents who fought him in the bush and now are senior ministers in the government. He draws no conclusions, grinds no axes - just leaves a desolate and frustrated feeling about the changes both positive and too often negative.

Oddly we had dinner with a 30 year old who grew up in nearby Namibia and she recalls driving to school 50k each way in a Crocodile - an armoured vehicle and listening to the guns and artillery at night ( her father was an electrician in the army ).
Unsettled lives indeed.
Seemed so strange to be sitting in this first world restaurant listening to the story.


----------



## cheshire_cat

*One for the Money* by Janet Evanovich.

Very funny story. I recommend you read alone cos you'll get weird looks from people from laughing outloud.


----------



## cheshire_cat

*Two for the Dough* by Janet Evanovich.

Even funnier.


----------



## Gilles

I think everyone should read this book !


----------



## IronMac

*Ride the Rising Wind: One Woman's Journey Across Canada* by Barbara Kingscote

Lyrical is one of the words that comes to mind when I was reading this book. It’s the story of a young woman’s journey by horseback across Canada from Mascouche, QC to Vancouver, BC in 1949-1950. She was helping to bring a mare owned by friends who had moved out to BC and in doing so was on a voyage of discovery.

This book is less about the physical journey itself but does, at times, reads like what many young (and old) people have been doing for millenia and that is to find their own place in society. I don’t think that Ms. Kingscote found her place during this journey but it was a start.

The best parts of this book has to do with her interactions with people across Canada, both good and bad, with the good overwhelming the bad. I loved hearing how people invited her in and sheltered her and almost passed her along to the next set of friends. In that I hear the resonance of long-ago bike tours and it makes me wish for the open road.


----------



## MacDoc

One of the strangest books I've ever come across.
For those cognoscenti of great imaginative fiction this one is a mind bender and totally, totally different than anything you've ever read.
Closest might be the Long Sun series but it goes beyond 

*After the Eclipse*

A modern day Swift with a vicious satirical bent - it will keep you guessing.
Brilliant.


----------



## IronMac

*War of the Worlds: New Millenium* by Douglas Niles


----------



## Beej

The Bastard King by Dan Chernenko.

Good fun. Not deeply involving but good and worth the price. I'm getting the sequels.


----------



## IronMac

*Sovereign* by C.J. Sansom

Third in the series and pretty decent!


----------



## IronMac

*Lemon Meringue Pie Murder* by Joanne Fluke

Delish!


----------



## IronMac

*Aliens: DNA War* by Diane Carey


----------



## Beej

"Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal"
A funny look at the Jesus growing up and learning to become a messiah.


"Flashman"
Just starting it. It is good so far. The lead is not a nice person but is also not some two-dimensional "bad" person. An interesting character.


----------



## IronMac

*The Sticklepath Stranger* by Michael Jecks


----------



## SilverMaple

*The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century *by Thomas L. Friedman.


----------



## Beej

The Way it Works, by Eddie Goldenberg

Heroin for the political junkie. I'm about 1/3 through and it clearly has its political favouring but is interesting in that it tells the story of how decisions were made, from choosing cabinet ministers, to much bigger items. The nuts and bolts from one person's point of view.


----------



## HowEver

...


----------



## IronMac

*The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East* by Robert Fisk

It’s hard to define this book. I really had no true sense of what this book was about until I started reading it and quickly realised that instead of it being a book on the military history of the Middle East it was more about one man’s experience of the region and why it is so wracked by what could weakly be termed, “troubles”.

Fisk takes the title, ‘The Great War for Civilisation’, from the legend of his father’s 1914-1918 campaign medal which is from where he believes is the start of the modern Middle East’s troubles beginning with the Balfour Declaration and the Sykes-Picot Agreement. It’s not all as tidy as all that but Fisk squarely lays the blame on the West’s interference then and now for helping to perpetuate the cycle of violence, misery, betrayal and poverty in the region.

Fisk is exhaustive in chronicling the suffering of the Middle East from the Sinai to Afghanistan through his three decades in the region and he freely reaches back in time if need be to look at the reasons why something has happened. He’s more than willing to point fingers and his journalistic objectivity is overwhelmed by his compassion for the people that grace and die throughout his pages. Some of his reasonings and arguments are a bit convulated but there is no denying his passion and outrage.

This is a book by a great correspondent and humanitarian that deserves superlatives.


----------



## IronMac

*Eyewitness Vietnam: First hand Accounts from Operation Rolling Thunder to the Fall of Saigon* by Gilmore and Giangreco

Introductory.


----------



## gwillikers

IronMac said:


> *Eyewitness Vietnam: First hand Accounts from Operation Rolling Thunder to the Fall of Saigon* by Gilmore and Giangreco
> 
> Introductory.


Let me know how you like that one, it's right up my alley. I can't believe I haven't come across it yet. 
My Viet Nam book collection has begun to bother my wife. Condo space is dwindling.


----------



## gwillikers

I believe I've mentioned, author, *Carsten Stroud*, in this thread. His book, *Close Pursuit*, is a fave of mine. I'm usually not much for novels, but I'm reading one of his, named, *CobraVille*. I'm about 3/4 through, and I can't put it down. It's right up there with the better Tom Clancy novels. It's also very in tune with our current post 9-11 experience.


----------



## IronMac

gwillikers said:


> Let me know how you like that one, it's right up my alley. I can't believe I haven't come across it yet.
> My Viet Nam book collection has begun to bother my wife. Condo space is dwindling.


If you've already got a collection then don't bother with this one.


----------



## gwillikers

IronMac said:


> If you've already got a collection then don't bother with this one.


I don't actually have that many, but my wife thanks you none the less.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Allegiance* by Timothy Zahn

One of the better ones in the Star Wars' universe.


----------



## Beej

The Peloponnesian War (Kagan)
I've read about one-quarter of this book, and it is a good linear history of the civil war, describing possible political motivations for many decisions along the way. Accessible and easy to read, but it is a history so it is naturally a little drier than pseudo-histories.


----------



## gwillikers

*Hill 488*

Yet another Viet Nam true story, but this one about the most highly decorated small unit in U.S. military history.

Just started it, but it's looking very good. I bought it because of the many positive reviews (particularly on Amazon), and I am finding that those reviews are spot on.


----------



## IronMac

*Genghis Khan's Greatest General: Subotai the Valiant* by Richard A. Gabriel

A good primer for those intersted in Mongol military history.


----------



## CanadaRAM

The Bretheren - Bob Woodward's biography/expose of the Burger US Supreme Court during the Nixon era

Knights in Black and White - Jack Whyte's first volume of historical fiction on the Knights Templar. I really don't know if I will get into this, it's the first of a trilogy, and dear Jack really doesn't seem to know how to quit ^#[email protected]&^ writing and wrap a plotline up. I don't know if I want to sign on for 1800+ pages... 

Cold Pursuit, The Burglar in the Kitchen, etc, etc. Disposable mystery fiction.


----------



## IronMac

*Starting an Online Business for Dummies, 4th Ed.* by Greg Holden

Woefully out-of-date. Avoid.


----------



## Dr.G.

CanadaRAM, I just finished reading "The Last Templar" by Raymond Khoury, and "The Templar Legacy" by Steve Berry. Found both to be interesting and educational reads with the Knights Templar being an integral aspect of each book.


----------



## MacDoc

Dr. G 
You might like this as well just started and enjoying it. Needed a break from the science diet I've been on.












> Vikram Chandra himself must house a prodigious aesthetic python to judge by the amount of the world he has swallowed to write his second novel. This book has everything, perhaps a little too much of everything.
> 
> Sacred Games is an epic thriller which doubles as an anatomy of modern India, concentrating on Bombay but making confident sweeps into various hinterlands: 'We met farmers who carried cellphones and murdered their daughters and sons for marrying out of caste; we bought bottles of mineral water from scabby, bare-footed chokras whose arms were covered with ringworm.'


Observer review: Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, actually, I just received an advance copy of your unauthorized biography, "The Life and Times of MacDoc (aka David Elmer MacDougalburnfelderstein) -- The Quest for Balance", by Jason Jinglestars. I read the New York Times review in the Sunday Book Review, written by George Will.

This will be a best seller from the glowing review you got from Will.
NY Times Advertisement


----------



## MacDoc

Now now - April 1st was yesterday....even across the dateline


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I hear that Chapters has sold more advance copies of your biography than they expect to pre-sell of the last Harry Potter book. 

I am up to chapter 4, entitled "My Mac Vision". Very spiritual and enlightening.


----------



## IronMac

*Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason* by Helen Fielding

Penultimate chick lit.


----------



## MacDoc

That looks IM.
You want to trade some books??? 

Wasn't that the general that got tossed back in S Afghanistan??


----------



## IronMac

*Beginning Ubuntu Linux: From Novice to Professional* by Keir Thomas

I cannot *recommend* this book enough to anyone who is interested in Ubuntu Linux! It is a _tour de force_ in instructional computer books! :clap: :clap: :clap:


----------



## IronMac

*The Pale Horseman* by Bernard Cornwell

Another excellent tale by the master of historical fiction. :clap:


----------



## gwillikers

Just a (very late) follow up... 
*Hill 488* gets a spot in my top ten best Viet Nam War reads. A very moving, and well written piece of military history. :clap: 

And you thought you had a bad day...

Amazon.com: Hill 488: Books: Ray Hildreth,Charles W. Sasser


----------



## IronMac

*The Lords of the North* by Bernard Cornwell

Third instalment in a very promising series. :clap:


----------



## IronMac

*In the Line of Fire* by Jerry Weissman

A must-have for those who do presentations. :clap:


----------



## IronMac

*The Foreigner's Gift* by Fouad Ajami

Not sure where this book was going so I ditched it.


----------



## IronMac

*Fudge Cupcake Murder* by Joanne Fluke

Nice and fluffy addition to the series.


----------



## IronMac

*Heat: How to Stop the Planet from Burning* by George Monbiot

Excellent book! :clap: :clap: :clap:


----------



## kps

I'm reading The lexus and the Olive Tree

and The World is Flat.

Both by Thomas Friedman.

Great analysis of what is going on in the world today. A very good read.


----------



## MacDoc

Monbiot sure doesn't pull punches. :clap: - he may well be correct too 
How'd you like the Canadian content introduction IM? 

•••

Still working my way through *Sacred Games*...getting pretty immersed in Mumbai street slang and Indian geo-politics.
Big scale novel - think Tom Clancy from a Mumbai viewpoin.

Oddly watching a Nat Geo special on the DAY Mumbai got 931 cm of rain.......yeah -do the math. 
Puts some visuals to the book.
Perhaps one of the best "blended language" novels I've read. End in sight and no idea exactly where it's going...interesting adventure.


----------



## IronMac

MacDoc said:


> Monbiot sure doesn't pull punches. :clap: - he may well be correct too
> How'd you like the Canadian content introduction IM?


At the rate we're going, any Canadian traveling overseas will have to put someone else's flag on their backpack.


----------



## MacDoc

Flag??.........:clap: very good....and getting to be true.


----------



## Beej

Ysabel by Kay: Another good fantasy tale by Kay, with the usual melodrama that seems to work when he does it.

The Gladiators by Meijer: Easy to read history; interesting and gruesome.


----------



## MacDoc

Just part way through *Ysabel*.....very enjoyable as always with Kay tho far more contemporary in many ways.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh my such a switch from Kay's gentle earth.










Horror and beautiful evocative writing.
Dr. G - you may love it.


----------



## cheshire_cat

*Little Earthquakes* by Jennifer Weiner.

Good light reading.


----------



## Dr.G.

Merci for the citation, MacDoc.


----------



## MacDoc

Difficult topic...brilliant prose in my view. Be interested in your take if you get time.


----------



## Dr.G.

Time to undertake leisure reading is hard to come by these days. I am teaching four courses online during the six-week intersession, and 4 courses online during the summer session.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm MAKING time for this gem. :clap: Back office going to get a serious work out. Enjoyable so far tho I've just barely begun.










http://www.princeton.edu/~paw/archive_new/PAW06-07/13-0509/books.html

He's following this up with a Eisenhower bio that will also be a treat.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I wish I had the time for this book. FDR is my most respected president. Maybe comes mid-August when I have a couple of weeks vacation? We shall see.


----------



## IronMac

*Imperial Life in the Emerald City* by Rajiv Chandrasekaran

Not what I had expected but still decent.


----------



## IronMac

*Work the Pond!* by Darcy Rezac

Decent book on social networking.


----------



## IronMac

*On the Edge: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore* by Brian Bagnall

Excellent book for those of you who were interested in Commodore computers.


----------



## MacDoc

FDR was very well done...I learned a lot and my heart ached a lot.

Figured since I've gotten one view point of the world at war Stalin and Chruchill Bios made sense.

Gonna kick off with Stalin by Robert Service as Churchill's is the more familiar story and the latest bio of Stalin includes released archive material.

The hardest part of the FDR and for that matter the Truman bios is to see how far the US has strayed today. 

next up












> Stalin
> A Biography
> Robert Service
> Listed among \"Best Books of the Year\" by the Washington Post Book World for 2005
> Winner 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards, Biography Category
> Overthrowing the conventional image of Stalin as an uneducated political administrator inexplicably transformed into a pathological killer, Robert Service reveals a more complex and fascinating story behind this notorious twentieth-century figure. Drawing on unexplored archives and personal testimonies gathered from across Russia and Georgia, this is the first full-scale biography of the Soviet dictator in twenty years.
> 
> Service describes in unprecedented detail the first half of Stalin's life--his childhood in Georgia as the son of a violent, drunkard father and a devoted mother; his education and religious training; and his political activity as a young revolutionary. No mere messenger for Lenin, Stalin was a prominent activist long before the Russian Revolution. Equally compelling is the depiction of Stalin as Soviet leader. Service recasts the image of Stalin as unimpeded despot; his control was not limitless. And his conviction that enemies surrounded him was not entirely unfounded.


http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/SERSTA.html


----------



## Nina Danne Marshall

i'm currently working through a second read of the "wheel of time" series by robert jordan. A new one is coming out next january, and they're pretty excellent. I enjoy the blend of politics, magic, and religion.


----------



## IronMac

*The Princess of Denmark* by Edward Marston

Good mystery fluff.


----------



## IronMac

*Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq* by Thomas E. Ricks

Excellent book. :clap:


----------



## gwillikers

IronMac said:


> *Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq* by Thomas E. Ricks
> 
> Excellent book. :clap:


Added to list, right up my alley, thanks IronMac!


----------



## gwillikers

Nina Danne Marshall said:


> i'm currently working through a second read of the "wheel of time" series by robert jordan. A new one is coming out next january, and they're pretty excellent. I enjoy the blend of politics, magic, and religion.


Call me impatient, but I fell off around book 5, or 6. Though I must admit, I did derive much enjoyment from those.


----------



## MacDoc

Fiasco..I just gave up in disgust..it is an excellent book but I could not bear to finish it 

••••

Wheel of ENDLESS Time..or endless episodes - I also
a) enjoyed it
b) gave up Book 8 or 9 somewhere in there..


••••

Doing a simultaneous read of recent Churchill and Stalin Bios to fill in around the excellent FR Bio.
The Stalin Bio is hard going - the reason I've leavened it with the more familiar.
Learned much about the men and the events that surrounded and informed their careers.
Hard to believe how much Churchill felt himself a man of destiny.....and acted so.

Stalin....an enigma.....likely to remain so - biographers are blind men examining the elephant ......a rogue elephant in this case.


----------



## IronMac

gwillikers said:


> Added to list, right up my alley, thanks IronMac!


You're welcome! Be sure to take notes through the book on other potential books such as Nagl's counterinsurgency classic - _How to Eat Soup with a Fork_ which is a lot more technical than what I had expected. 

The Office of the Secretary of Defense has also just released a new report (freely avaiable on the web) on China's military - "Military Power of the People's Republic of China" which should make for interesting reading. The religious fundamentalists down south have really dropped the ball on the international stage and this will come to bite them when it comes to Asia.


----------



## Glipt

Macdoc. The 'Wheel of Endless Time' stopped spinning (weaving) for me at book 5, but I'm still reading. Halfway through book 11 I've sttopped to take a break and read 'Shogun'.


----------



## MacDoc

Have you tried Mazalan Book of the Fallen series - monstrous task but worth the effort. - I think he's on book 6 of 10 planned. ( each in the 900 page range)
Wheel on a whole different scale.

I'll re-read Wheel when he's done.


----------



## IronMac

*The Looming Tower: al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11* by Lawrence Wright

Very good book! :clap: 

Review here.


----------



## IronMac

*God's Warriors: Crusaders, Saracens, and the Battle for Jerusalem* by Drs Helen Nicholson and David Nicolle

General history and a bit bland.


----------



## SilverMaple

*The God Delusion* by Richard Dawkins.


----------



## Greenlion

"The Darling" a novel by Russell Banks. One of my favourite American novelists. He also wrote "The Sweet Hereafter" and "Affliction", both of which were made into films. 

I'm also reading the Neil Young bio "Neal and Me" written by his father Scott Young.


----------



## PosterBoy

Darkly Dreaming Dexter and Dearly Devoted Dexter both by Jeff Lindsay.

Following the life of Dexter Morgan, Dade county forensic blood spatter analyst and homicidal maniac. They're quite well written, the dialogue and narration is sharply witty and dark.

Not graphic like American Psycho (which is a good book too, though), so don't let that stop you.


----------



## gwillikers

*I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon*, by Crystal Zevon. (his wife)

I bought the above book after watching the DVD- *VH1 (Inside) Out - Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart*, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Too early to give an opinion on the book, but the DVD is highly recommended.


----------



## KreenysMac

*Need more time to read!*

*God is Not Great* by Christopher Hitchens.
*Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed* by Jared Diamond.

Both excellent books ... I'm on a NF (non-fiction) kick right now. However I have 3 fiction books waiting patiently for me, including the latest *Vinyl Café* book, which I'm anxious to read.

-- Kristine


----------



## macpablo

CompTIA A+ Complete Certification Kit..... Yaaaaawwwwwwwnnnnnnn.


----------



## IronMac

*Don't Make Me Think!* by Steve Krug

An excellent book on web usability recommended by someone here on ehMac. :clap:


----------



## Marsh

Faking It - The Quest for Authenticity in Popular Music

good read so far. makes me want to re-evaluate my entire music collection.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines* by Karen Traviss

Not bad!


----------



## Dr.G.

I am rereading "Fun with Dick and Jane" basal reading series to find the various occupations there are for men and women. Women have teacher, nurse and homemaker so far. I have a feeling that men will have far more occupations. We shall see.

Imageick and Jane.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## ArtistSeries

IronMac said:


> *Don't Make Me Think!* by Steve Krug
> 
> An excellent book on web usability recommended by someone here on ehMac. :clap:


Yes - it's quite good. I like that he goes to explain the different stakeholders that try and influence the end design.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary* by Reynolds and Luceno

For the hard-core Star Wars' fan only.


----------



## Guest

Just plowing through an older series someone suggested to me ... Orson Scott Card - Ender's Game

Also I got through some of the Malazaan Book of the Fallen stuff MacDoc .. I hit a road block in book 4 and lost interest in it. The others were great, but the story just seems to be going in circles and I got bored hehe. I'll come back to it eventually I'm sure


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Tempest* by Troy Denning

Not bad!


----------



## IronMac

*No True Glory: A Frontline Account of the Battle for Fallujah* by Bing West

Messy in every way.


----------



## gwillikers

*Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq*

Just started it, but it is a mind numbing read thus far. Disturbing, to say the least.


----------



## MacDoc

mg wrote


> Also I got through some of the Malazaan Book of the Fallen stuff MacDoc .. I hit a road block in book 4 and lost interest in it. The others were great, but the story just seems to be going in circles and I got bored hehe. I'll come back to it eventually I'm sure


Enders Game is very good tho Card has gotten seriously Ron L of later. 

Your experience with Malazan mirrors mine - I had to quit several times on individual volumes and reload but when you see the whole cycle it's marvelous.
Each book you get to makes earlier books make more sense...he wrote it that way on purpose ( bloody English Prof ).

The re-read of the whole series left me wanting more...some of the persistent characters are towering mythical creations :clap: ..and the time scale is breath taking.

•••••

Finished *Churchill* - very moving and enlightening - coming from a person whose tenure in British gov crossed the end of Churchill's and was a senior figure as well - the inside knowledge and understanding brings a whole new light to the great...and flawed..Churchill.

I feel far less eccentric now 

Slogging through *Stalin* a little bit at a time....sigh ..Russian names are a challenge to keep track of.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Exile* by Aaron Allston

Not bad but it seems to be marking time.


----------



## IronMac

*Start Late, Finish Rich* by David Bach

A little simplistic but not bad.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

Rereading Terry Pratchett's fantastic 'Going Postal.' :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

> Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq
> 
> Just started it, but it is a mind numbing read thus far. Disturbing, to say the least.


I simply could not finish it ....it was too disheartening. I use it to prop the window open.
The title says it all and the details are just too awful.

•••

Just part way into










A first novel and period piece - a thriller revolving around the early stock market in 18th Century Britain. Complex and a tough write for a first effort.


----------



## MacDoc

New author for me 










Fast paced space opera with lots of twists based on the latest physics theories. :clap:

Much fun. Several novels in the stack to read including


----------



## RunTheWorldOnMac

just finished "The Children of Hurin".

It's the latest Tolkien book. I usually don't read and finished it in 4 days. It was a good read, the names are confusing at first of course, it's Tolkien.

I liked the book, not sure I fully agree with the way the relationship between Morgoth and Hurin ended; doesn't seem realistic. (Don't want to give anything away.) 

Cheers,

Scott


----------



## Paddy

Just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (read it over the weekend) - greatly enjoyed it and sad to finish the series.

Before that: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. Told from the viewpoint of an autistic 15-year-old boy. Very interesting.

And before that, Body and Soul by Frank Conroy which I also enjoyed - Conroy does a masterful job at evoking a musician's passion for his work.


----------



## IronMac

*Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice* by Karen Traviss

Pretty decent escapism


----------



## Beej

Lieutenant Hornblower. I'm less than one-hundred pages in, but it's good. Pacing, characters etc.


----------



## IronMac

*Bitter Chocolate: Investigating the Dark Side of the World's Most Seductive Sweet* by Carol Off

Makes you look a bit askance at what you're eating.


----------



## MacDoc

*Lieutenant Hornblower.* - good series. Even the TV version was okay.

O'Briens Master and Commander series will blow you away - every book of the 20 is a gem. You'll enjoy them.
Friend of mine has just started and loving them.


----------



## Beej

I started M&C and was not impressed. I will give it a second try at some point, given the high praise, but am more likely to go for another Hornblower or Flashman book should I feel like reading that type of fiction.

By the way, I think we both randomly picked up the same new sci-fi author to try out (Stross). I'm still reading more history books, but will probably use his books when I just feel like some entertainment. Accelerando is going well so far.


----------



## IronMac

Beej said:


> I started M&C and was not impressed. I will give it a second try at some point, given the high praise, but am more likely to go for another Hornblower or Flashman book should I feel like reading that type of fiction.


Glad to hear that I am not the only one who was not impressed with M&C. I only finished the first book and, like you, may go back to it. Hornblower and Flashman are two different types of fiction...


----------



## Beej

IronMac said:


> Hornblower and Flashman are two different types of fiction...


They are of the same broad genre in contrast to my other reading such as history books, sci-fi, wizards-type fantasy etc.

I'm just referring to the general time-period and inserting fictional characters into a real historical story and/or specific events but, yes, Hornblower and Flashman are quite different reads.


----------



## MacDoc

You have to stick with O'Brien as he is a stickler for historical detail and language and it can seem difficult to penetrate initially.
Once the characters and milieu blossom tho it's worth the effort. Loved the insight into politics in Catalonia and Ireland a well as between France and England.
The series is world in scope and worth it for the history alone.

Yes the Hornblower is a different sort...fast easy read. O'Brien takes a bit of work and is worth the effort.

••

Stross is uneven in my view - brilliant vision - sometimes too much space opera - Podykane of Mars approach but funny and uninhibited.
Bit of Snow Crash on a galactic scale.


----------



## Beej

MacDoc said:


> You have to stick with O'Brien as he is a stickler for historical detail and language and it can seem difficult to penetrate initially.


That's not really why I did not find the book interesting; maybe IM's experience was different. Remember, it's just a book and opinions can vary.


----------



## IronMac

Beej said:


> That's not really why I did not find the book interesting; maybe IM's experience was different. Remember, it's just a book and opinions can vary.


Yep, it's not the historical details or language but, rather, the style/flavour of writing.


----------



## MacDoc

Your loss...there's good reason for the praise. Might actually take some effort. 

Forester is excellent - O'Brien better IMNSHO.


----------



## Beej

IronMac said:


> Yep, it's not the historical details or language but, rather, the style/flavour of writing.


I found it uninteresting and I would say it is more than just a stylistic thing (dig beneath the historical details and chattering...and you find?) but I'll give it a second try given the breadth of positive opinions provided on the net. You never know and, considering that it's a long series, it would be nice to have an easy and ample read like M&C ready for trips, doctor's offices and lazy Sundays.

Oh and MD, the "IMNSHO" is a familiar problem in your thinking that has been pointed out to you before. No matter how LOUD it is or how much you BELIEVE it to be a TRUTH, it is just your humble opinion. Unless, of course, you strongly lean towards some sort of delusional objectivism. 

I remember hanging out with film geeks and it was much the same. If they loved something and someone else dared (dared!) not to love the same thing, then something was wrong with the someone else. Either by effort or the always useful, "not getting it" or other pat responses. Seriously MD, the deficiency was in the uber-geek approach -- that I was and am now to a lesser extent a part of -- not in those that had different opinions. That is, by the way, your loss. 

Good luck in learning how to discuss things without the "uber-geek" approach!


----------



## MacDoc




----------



## Beej

Look back a few more moves, MD. Enjoying your biscuit? 

Cheer up, every MD has its day. 

Also, remotely on topic, I found, "To Say Nothing of the Dog" to be overrated but amusing.


----------



## IronMac

Beej said:


> it would be nice to have an easy and ample read like M&C ready for trips, doctor's offices and lazy Sundays.


I'd stick with the Lord of the Rings for that sort of thing. 

Oh yeah, I almost took offense too at the "effort" comment but, really, I've already been accused of being an "Ed Anger". hahaha


----------



## JRMurray

Cool thread.

I find that as I get older, I read much less fiction and much more history--not that I don't enjoy fiction, especially science fiction. Anyway, I've almost finished The Third Reich in Power, by Richard Evans, an excellent history of the Nazis in power from 1936 to 1939.


----------



## SilverMaple

Misogyny: The World's Oldest Prejudice by Jack Holland. 

An excellent history of misogyny. I couldn't put the book down.


----------



## MacDoc

Remarkable book. My Dad was born in 1912 just after the beginning of this remarkable book.
The changes over time - both here and in particular in China are breathtaking.
THIS gives a view of those changes within a hidden world like no other....and it's true.
Jaw dropping at times.....so very very alien at times. Quite a read.


----------



## zenith

"The Flight of the Romanovs" by John Curtis Perry and Constantine Pleshakov


----------



## MacDoc

I wrote this a while ago.



> If you want a big intriguing "one off" from a writer who is normally a bit of a formula light weight - Ken Follet's *Pillars of the Earth* is truly an enduring classic from an unlikely source.
> 
> I read it 20 years between readings and enjoyed BOTH times thoroughly. It's hard to believe you can get into a 1200 pager that has you eager to turn the next page and very very unhappy that it's over


Well he finally at long last has written a sequel and while it starts off slow he retains much of the intrigue and page turner power of the first.
















If you've not read the first.....enjoy them both.

*Pillars of the Earth* still holds #10 on Publishers Weekly list...ageless indeed.


----------



## Max

_Lullabies for Little Criminals_ by Heather O'Neill. Harrowing coming of age tale set in down and out Montreal. Pretty taut tale. Depressing and fascinating all at once. The author sounds like she's writing about her own experiences of forced prostitution, heroin addiction, and dysfunctional juvie homes run by an exhausted state bureacracy.


----------



## EvanPitts

_Renegade In Power - The Diefenbaker Years_ by Peter C Newman. An oldie but a goodie by a man who still has the inside track on things political in Canada.


----------



## MacDoc

Just at the end of the first volume of the Golden Compass Triology. :clap:

Most enjoyable - deserving of its many awards - looking forward to the movie.



> *Golden Compass named best children's book in 70 years*
> 
> Last Updated: Thursday, June 21, 2007 | 5:10 PM ET
> CBC Arts
> 
> Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, called Northern Lights in the British edition, has been named the best children's book of the past 70 years.
> 
> A public vote, by readers from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, selected the book from a list of past winners of the Carnegie Medal for children's literature.


Dr. G - a library for you










Flickr Photo Download: Sgwennodd y Cymry erioed unrhywbeth?


----------



## Gerbill

_Born Standing Up_ by Steve Martin. A very honest, insightful and funny autobiography covering his early career. Highly recommended.


----------



## titans88

_FAT: The Anthropology of an Obsession by Don Kulick et al._

I guess you could describe this as an ethnography of modern participants of popular culture. It is a collection of short essays dealing with people, their obsession with weight, how the media influences body image, and the notion of a healthy body size in various cultures.

I'm also in the process of re-reading my _Kurt Vonnegut_ collection. What a brilliant author!


----------



## MacDoc

On a fantasy kick and lost my copy of of this. Been a while since I read it and it is realllllly good....nice holiday gift for any age. I love the purposed disconnect as the settings switch from Toronto to a Tolkien scale tapestry and well crafted to do so.

The *Fionavar Tapestry* by Canada's own Guy Gavriel Kaye is a fabulous work easily in Tolkien's league if not better in my opinion.

Bright Weavings: The Worlds of Guy Gavriel Kay - The Fionavar Tapestry









Peter Jackson.....your next movie???? :clap:


----------



## Guest

Terry Goodkind - Confessor (Book 11 of the Sword of Truth series)-- been waiting a while on this one. Just getting rolling on this one, about 1/4 way through but it's up to par with the rest of the series so far


----------



## Guest

mguertin said:


> Terry Goodkind - Confessor (Book 11 of the Sword of Truth series)-- been waiting a while on this one. Just getting rolling on this one, about 1/4 way through but it's up to par with the rest of the series so far


Well I finished it and it was great. The series does conclude and it holds its own with the other books in the series.

Now if Robert Jordan could have finished Wheel of TIme I would have been happy! I wonder if the family is going to pursue finishing it, he supposedly spent a lot of time telling them the whole story and I read at least one place where they said they were committed to finishing the series ...


----------



## MacDoc

Quite remarkable...book and movie :clap:

This reviewer nailed it...



> Review:
> *"The stories George Crile tells in Charlie Wilson's War must be true — nobody could make them up.* This is a rousing tale of jihad on the frontiers of the Cold War, infighting at the CIA and horse-trading in Congress, spiced by sex, booze, ambition and larger-than-life personalities. " Thomas Lippman, The Washington Post


----------



## MacDaddy

The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star

Great book, recommend it for a good read and look into the life of fame and fortune.


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

Just finished "Split Ends" by Kristin Billerbeck (Christian chick lit).

Working on a Veterinary Assisting textbook and Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul.

Took some books into the used bookstore, but didn't find any I wanted to bring home with me.


----------



## MacDaddy

Now reading:

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

Just started, but very interesting (But not surprising) so far.


----------



## PosterBoy

I just finished reading The Golden Compass and am now reading The Subtle Knife. They're a touch simplistic (they are written for kids) they are still quite enjoyable.

When i am done the trilogy, I am going to pick up the 3rd Dexter book, Dexter in the Dark.


----------



## Fox

At the moment I'm reading The Last Imaginary Place, about the human history of the Arctic. The writer, Robert McGhee (Canadian Museum of Civilization) gave an interesting talk at the Wilderness Canoe Symposium in Toronto and I bought it there. Very interesting book, that provides a different, but well documented perspective on native occupation of the arctic and historical exploration of arctic Canada, Greenland and Iceland and Europe.


----------



## Black

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins


----------



## Dr.G.

"Science & Sanity" written by Alfred Korzybski.


----------



## eMacMan

Just finished re-reading Louis Lamours "Last of the Breed". Great thing about getting older is that it was almost like reading it for the first time. Lamour was insistent about knowing his locals intimately. Since this was written near the end of the cold war I wonder how he managed to get that sort of access to a large chunk of Siberia.

Anyways if you like adventure novels and are tired of car chases and collapsing buildings you'll probably enjoy this one. For whatever reason I found it in the western section of the library, even though the story revolves around an Air Force pilot captured by the Soviets and imprisoned in Siberia. 

Certainly several grades above some of his horse operas although "Comstock Lode" is also worth the read.


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

"Free the Animals" by Ingrid Newkirk


----------



## MacDoc

_The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest Nation Created Our World and Everything in It_

Very enjoyable and a well written tour through history and intellect.
Thumbnail reviews offer well deserved high praise
Writers' Representatives, LLC: How the Scots Invented the Modern World :clap:

Does he makes his case??...very well indeed



> The subtitle of Herman's book says it all. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But a skeptic could easily be converted by Herman's deft presentation of simple historical facts. Scots have made massive contributions to education, science, history, and political thought. . . . This work sets high academic standards yet is carefully leavened with colorful anecdotes. The rendition of blowsy George IV's visit to Edinburgh, 'hosted' by Sir Walter Scott, is hilarious. Herman is both lively and informative. . . . Recommended for all academic and larger public libraries." — Library Journal (starred review)


----------



## cap10subtext

Bachelard's Poetics of Space, McLuhan's Gutenberg Galaxy, Hornby's A Long Way Down, and "how to fossilize your hamster": a kids science book i got as a gift.


----------



## MacDoc

Just reading









Fascinating and very informative....I had no idea of the deeper history of American involvement in the "Orient".



> *The history of America’s political, military, and intellectual involvement in the Middle East from George Washington to George W. Bush.*
> 
> From the first cannonballs fired by American warships at North African pirates to the conquest of Falluja by the Marines—from the early American explorers who probed the sources of the Nile to the diplomats who strove for Arab-Israeli peace—the United States has been dramatically involved in the Middle East. For well over two centuries, American statesmen, merchants, and missionaries, both men and women, have had a profound impact on the shaping of this crucial region. Yet their story has never been told until now. Drawing on thousands of government documents and personal letters, featuring original maps and over sixty photographs, this book reconstructs the diverse and remarkable ways in which Americans have interacted with this alluring yet often hostile land stretching from Morocco to Iran, from the Persian Gulf to the Bosporus. Covering over 230 years of history, Power, Faith, and Fantasy is an indispensable work for anyone interested in understanding the roots of America’s Middle East involvement today.


good review here
Power, Faith, and Fantasy by Michael B. Oren

exerpt


> It is no doubt only a coincidence, but one is struck by Oren’s mention of the fact that, among 19th-century American Protestants calling for the return of the Jews to Palestine, there was a “distinguished professor of Hebrew at New York University” who published, in 1844, a book entitled The Valley of Vision; or, The Dry Bones of Israel Revived. In it, Oren writes, after denouncing “the thralldom and oppression which has so long ground them to the dust,” [the author] called for “elevating” the Jews “to a rank of honorable repute among the nations of the earth” by re-creating their state in Palestine. Such restitution would benefit not only the Jews, but all of mankind, forming a “link of communication” between humanity and God. “It will blaze in notoriety,” [the author] foretold. “It will flash a splendid demonstration upon all kindreds and tongues of the truth.”
> 
> This author’s name, in case you are wondering, was George Bush, and he was a distant ancestor of the current President of the United States.


----------



## MaxPower

Digital Fortress by Dan Brown

His writing is the equivalent to a popcorn movie. Just good fun.


----------



## MacDoc

Remarkable vision by multiple Hugo and Nebula winnner Octavia Butler.

Bounced off it the first time...loving it this time. The only thing close might be Brin's Uplift series but never so finely sketched as this. :clap:
Won't be the last of her books I'll add to my library.


----------



## cap10subtext

MaxPower said:


> Digital Fortress by Dan Brown
> 
> His writing is the equivalent to a popcorn movie. Just good fun.


Couldn't handle his earlier works. Something about his writing style (yes, I know it's pop schlock) that didn't gel until Angels and Demons (which I was surprised how much loved). Deception Point I found to be just terrible.


----------



## MacDoc

.....or ...









Brilliant and hooks you into the tale - much to learn and a great read. :clap: 



> Someone Knows My Name / The Book of *******
> 
> Lawrence Hill's new novel is published as *Someone Knows My Name in the USA*, and *appears in Canada as The Book of *******.*
> 
> An Excerpt
> 
> _Let me begin with a caveat to any and all who find these pages. Do not trust large bodies of water, and do not cross them. If you, Dear Reader, have an African hue and find yourself led toward water with vanishing shores, seize your freedom by any means necessary. And cultivate distrust of the colour pink. Pink is taken as the colour of innocence, the colour of childhood, but as it spills across the water in the light of the dying sun, do not fall into its pretty path. There, right underneath, lies a bottomless graveyard of children, mothers and men. I shudder to imagine all the Africans rocking in the deep. Every time I have sailed the seas, I have had the sense of gliding over the unburied. Some people call the sunset a creation of extraordinary beauty, and proof of God's existence. But what benevolent force would bewitch the human spirit by choosing pink to light the path of a slave vessel?_
> 
> Reviews
> 
> "Lawrence Hill's hugely impressive historical work is completely engrossing and deserves a wide, international readership."
> Washington Post, February 26, 2008
> 
> "[A] wonderfully written fictional slave narrative…populated by vivid characters and rendered in fascinating detail."
> The New York Times, January 20, 2008
> 
> "Astonishing in scope, humanity and beauty, this is one of those very rare novels in which the deep joy of reading transcends its time and place...Someone Knows My Name lets readers experience a life, one footstep at a time, beside an unforgettable protagonist."
> Editors' Choice, Historical Novels Review, February 2008
> 
> "Hill's elegant voice will leave you ... spellbound."
> Essence (November Book Club pick)
> 
> "Stunning, wrenching and inspiring...Hill's book is a harrowing, breathtaking tour de force."
> Publisher's Weekly (starred review)


----------



## Sonal

MacDoc said:


> .....or ...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Brilliant and hooks you into the tale - much to learn and a great read. :clap:


Read this a couple of months ago.... actually, it may have been close to a year ago. fantastic read. I quite literally couldn't put it down.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah me too - started it just a few days ago. Oddly, part of is set in Freetown Sierra Leon. Learned a lot and brought back memories of Freetown for me.

Mesmerizing. I like the structure of the book as well.


----------



## Gerbill

_Quarterdeck_ by Julian Stockwin. 

For anyone who has finished the Patrick O'Brian sea novels and is jonesing for more. These are not quite as well written as O'Brian's books, but they're pretty good in their own right - better than the Hornblower novels of C.S. Forester, for instance (IMHO). 

One advantage - Stockwin is actually a sailor, who entered the British Navy as a boy and served in the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy for years, retiring as a Commander.

Julian Stockwin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## MaxPower

cap10subtext said:


> Couldn't handle his earlier works. Something about his writing style (yes, I know it's pop schlock) that didn't gel until Angels and Demons (which I was surprised how much loved). Deception Point I found to be just terrible.


Deception Point wasn't quite as good as Angels and Demons or The DaVinci Code, but a fun light read anyway. Digital Fortress is shaping up like the kind of read Deception Point was.

After all not everyone can be best sellers.


----------



## MacDoc

> Quarterdeck by Julian Stockwin.


Thanks - I could use a fix. LOVED the O'Brien series.
Now here's a case where I'd love to download the whole series to a good eReader and be set for a month of reading.


----------



## Gerbill

MacDoc said:


> Thanks - I could use a fix. LOVED the O'Brien series.
> Now here's a case where I'd love to download the whole series to a good eReader and be set for a month of reading.


Lotsa hits from googling "stockwin ebook" so I guess the books are available that way - not on iTunes audio books, unfortunately.


----------



## Macfury

_We Have Always Lived in the Castle_, by Shirley Jackson.


----------



## MacDoc

I am now firmly of the opinion as well that it it should be henceforth *WallDwin's Theory of Evolution* to give tribute to Wallace's strong contribution.  

A brilliant engaging read. I am far better informed of the world we inhabit..and the dangers extant and upcoming to the biosphere

This is about right.....


> Synopsis
> David Quammen's book,* The Song of the Dodo, is a brilliant, stirring work, breathtaking in its scope, far-reaching in its message -- a crucial book in precarious times, which radically alters the way in which we understand the natural world and our place in that world. I*t's also a book full of entertainment and wonders.
> In The Song of the Dodo, we follow Quammen's keen intellect through the ideas, theories, and experiments of prominent naturalists of the last two centuries.
> We trail after him as he travels the world, tracking the subject of island biogeography, which encompasses nothing less than the study of the origin and extinction of all species. Why is this island idea so important? Because islands are where species most commonly go extinct -- and because, as Quammen points out, we live in an age when all of Earth's landscapes are being chopped into island-like fragments by human activity.
> 
> Through his eyes, we glimpse the nature of evolution and extinction, and in so doing come to understand the monumental diversity of our planet, and the importance of preserving its wild landscapes, animals, and plants. We also meet some fascinating human characters. By the book's end we are wiser, and more deeply concerned, but Quammen leaves us with a message of excitement and hope.
> 
> Annotation
> Interweaving personal observation, scientific theory, and history, this beautifully written book takes the reader on a globe-spanning tour of wild places and ideas.* "An epic adventure of the mind and spirit."*--Robert Kanigel, The New York Times Book Review


----------



## skinnyboy

*The Mutt: How to Skateboard and not Kill Yourself*

Bio of Rodney Mullen, one of the most influential skateboarders of all-time. Not much for reading bios, but I seen this book on the shelf at the library when I was there with my kids and for some unknown reason decided to give it a glance. I happened to open it to a passage that described a rather intense moment involving Mullen and his father and suddenly found myself drawn in - his dad reminds me of my own! So now I'm reading a bio


----------



## nice&easy mac&cheesey

*current read...*

Spy Wars : Moles, Mysteries and Deadly Games
by Tennent H. Bagley


----------



## MazterCBlazter

.


----------



## penguin456

Well, I just finished The Working Life "The Promise and Betrayal of Modern Work", by Joanne Ciulla.

I'm currently reading Avoid Retirement and Stay Alive "The New Retirement Revolution", by David Brogan and Keith Davies. This one begins by suggesting banishing the word retirement from your vocabulary, because there is too much to do to want to stop!


----------



## Dr.G.

I am currently reading "Our Lady Of The Lost And Found" by Diane Schoemperlen. A unique book and very well written.


----------



## spudmac

I just finished reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I enjoyed it very much as it makes one think about success and how it happens to individuals. Anyone else here read it and want to discuss?

spudmac


----------



## chas_m

I'm still on a "Classics" kick at the moment, re-reading The Hound of the Baskervilles for the 80th time or so.

My wife has stocked up on Phillip Pullman, having just finished "The Ruby and the Smoke." She's still a teen at heart.


----------



## eMacMan

chas_m said:


> I'm still on a "Classics" kick at the moment, re-reading The Hound of the Baskervilles for the 80th time or so.
> 
> My wife has stocked up on Phillip Pullman, having just finished "The Ruby and the Smoke." She's still a teen at heart.


Have a fairly complete collection. Always surprised how well AC holds up to re-reads. 

For you prairie types almost anything by Grant MacEwan is likely to be a good read. He proves that Western Canada does have an interesting history. Wish he had written even one of the history books I had to endure back in my grade 7-12 era.


----------



## Niteshooter

From 1996 The Road Ahead by Bill Gates. Quite an interesting read.


----------



## chasMac

"Hitler" by Ian Kershaw, in the new one edition format. What can one write about the man that hasn't already be written? Apparently a lot. Above all, what I have learnt, is that a nobody, uneducated, somewhat lazy, and completely lacking in any organizational skills (his achilles heel), can rise to leader of a his country based only on the ability to persuade. A little frightening.

As the occassional break from this, I am reading "The world without us." It details what the world would be like if all of a sudden, every single human being disappeared. Suprisingly, what would survive most intact through the eons are dishwasher parts and Mount Rushmore. I recommend this book to all ehmacers.


----------



## KC4

*I LOVE this ehMac site!*

I just "discovered" this interesting thread...another topic of insane interest to me. I am a voracious reader. 

Just reading through the past posts, I have gathered at least a dozen new reading targets. Thanks all!

I recently finished "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
From the Three Cups of Tea Home website:
"In Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time , Greg Mortenson, and journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the journey that led Mortenson from a failed 1993 attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully establish schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to promote peace with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote communities in central Asia. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time." 

I highly recommend it.

http://dynamic.images.indigo.ca/Pro...cat=books&header=GM_bestseller.gif&quality=85

On the reading runway for me:
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini and
"the host" by Stephanie Meyer (yes, The author of teen Vampire Series)

OK OK OK, I admit it - I HAVE actually read the entire Stephanie Meyer Twilight Series...I read most of what the resident teen reads. 

I partly enjoyed it and partly simply endured it. I think I know why (unfortunately) this series is soooo popular with the teen set. OTHER than the obvious allure of young romance, this series unfalteringly focuses on ONE main character, the teen girl, Bella. Everthing is about Bella. Everything is FOR Bella. Even the Vampires and the Werewolves are really all about Bella. That''s all those characters think and talk about directly or indirectly - Bella, Bella, Bella, ad nauseam. 

Sad to say, most teens these days are ALL about THEMSELVES (the resident teen here included sometimes).... Despite the occasional parental (or otherwise) attitude adjustment, many teens secretly harbor the wish that the world REALLY DID revolve around them. This book validates that secret desire..(See Mom! It happened to Bella and Bella's a GOOD person! ) 

Stephanie Meyer is a marketing genius. She brilliantly designed this book to target and appeal to today's teen psyche. I think she hit the nail on the head, and that's why her next book is on the runway.


----------



## Macfury

Ghoulardi: Cleveland's Wildest Ride by Tom Feran--story of anarchic TV movie host Ernie Anderson who invented a bizarre beat character who dominated Cleveland's airwaves for about three years in the early 1960s.


----------



## imactheknife

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy....soon to be followed by The Younger Gods by David Eddings.


----------



## Adrian.

I am currently reading "The Nanking Atrocity 1937-38: Complicating the Picture" Edited by Bob Tadashi Wakabayashi.

I am a huge history nerd.

Very interesting history of the Asian holocaust of sorts.


----------



## Sonal

KC4 said:


> I just "discovered" this interesting thread...another topic of insane interest to me. I am a voracious reader.
> 
> Just reading through the past posts, I have gathered at least a dozen new reading targets. Thanks all!
> 
> I recently finished "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin.
> From the Three Cups of Tea Home website:
> "In Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time , Greg Mortenson, and journalist David Oliver Relin, recount the journey that led Mortenson from a failed 1993 attempt to climb Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain, to successfully establish schools in some of the most remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. By replacing guns with pencils, rhetoric with reading, Mortenson combines his unique background with his intimate knowledge of the third-world to promote peace with books, not bombs, and successfully bring education and hope to remote communities in central Asia. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time."
> 
> I highly recommend it.


So strange... I'm just finishing off this book as well, and I was just coming to this thread to tell people about it.

The writing is only so-so, but the story itself is incredible... I normally don't read non-fiction, nor can I read mediocre writing, so the fact that I have trouble putting this book down marks just how strong this story is.

I recently finished One Thousand Splendid Suns as well. Pretty good. It's no Kite Runner, but a good read nonetheless. Found the switching between character voices a bit disconcerting at first--I wish I had a better idea how Leila and Mariam tied together earlier in the book.


----------



## MacDoc

Not my usual genre but recommend by a friend - had a day to kill so it was an okay read with some twists and turns. Likely set up to be a gruesome movie.
Probably a fair review...do pay attention to details .....there is a twist that will leave you ....hmmmmmm. 
Review - Pig Island by Mo Hayder


----------



## Gerbill

"Life on the Mississippi" by Mark Twain. Very interesting view of the U.S. in the 19th Century, especially the parts about his apprenticeship as a Mississippi steamboat pilot.


----------



## MacDoc

Thought I would revive this as I'm in need of a summer reading list having blown ( enjoyably ) through the Harry Potter series over the last weeks.

Just finishing *The Reader* - actually I enjoyed the movie better tho the movie stays close to the book.

Prefer a series or a large scale book. Not into crime. mysteries or horror....most else is welcome in particular top notch non- fiction, any new sci-fi or fantasy series that standout, big epics - historical - fiction or otherwise. 
Science in narrative form welcome as well. ( *Song of the Dodo* for instance ranks in my top books ever )

Recommendations?










Bring em on - nice day for a ride to Chapters.


----------



## ScanMan

I don't read novels. However, when I do come across a musty old pocketbook, I admit cracking it open and sticking my nose in it briefly, just for the smell.

Currently falling asleep to "Image J": Java Image analysis and processing. I print and bind, then mark them all up.

Features


(edit) This may be a bit misleading, as I do read published books. An example from my night table - my summer supply...

The Guiness Who's Who of Seventies Music
Jazz America's Classical Music, Grover Sales
Alcohol and Drug Problems (a practical guide for counselors), Harrison/Carver 2nd Ed 
Ronnie, Ronnie Wood
Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond
Alfred Hitchcock, a Life In Darkness, Patrick McGilligan
Collapse, Jared Diamond
Room Full of Mirrors, Jimi Hendrix Bio, Charles Cross
Gene Wilder, My search for Love and Art, Gene Wilder


----------



## KC4

Recently finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I really enjoyed it and think I now have a decent idea of what life in Afghanistan must be like for some. 

I would highly recommend it.


----------



## sharonmac09

I'm just starting to read "Roots" by Alex Haley. I read this book about 20 years ago and decided to read it again. Did you read Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel? That is an awesome epic historical series IMHO.


----------



## KC4

sharonmac09 said:


> I'm just starting to read "Roots" by Alex Haley. I read this book about 20 years ago and decided to read it again. Did you read Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel? That is an awesome epic historical series IMHO.


Yes, I did read that series and I loved it (that was about 20 years ago too) ...maybe it's time for a re-read there too.


----------



## sharonmac09

How about Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and his other books.


----------



## KC4

sharonmac09 said:


> How about Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and his other books.


Da Vinci Code - Done - and I enjoyed it.

Angels & Demons - Done - enjoyed it and now looking forward to the movie.


----------



## sharonmac09

KC4 said:


> Da Vinci Code - Done - and I enjoyed it.
> 
> Angels & Demons - Done - enjoyed it and now looking forward to the movie.


I was disappointed with the Da Vinci Code movie-hope the A & D movie is a vast improvement.


----------



## Sonal

sharonmac09 said:


> I'm just starting to read "Roots" by Alex Haley. I read this book about 20 years ago and decided to read it again. Did you read Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel? That is an awesome epic historical series IMHO.


Ah, I liked Roots a lot. There were some moments that felt a bit slow, but overall, a terrific story. 

I liked the Clan of the Cave Bear series, though the 5th book (which I waited 11 years for) really needed a good editor. There was a lot of repetition in there that could be cut.

Still, I am awaiting the 6th and 7th books... assuming Jean Auel lives long enough to complete them.


----------



## ScanMan

Here's a bit of a curve, MacDoc:

I'm not a sports guy, but read bios to satisfy my craving for useless minutiae. How about a theme pack? 

Three good ones I've read on Ali are "Facing Ali" by Stephen Brunt, who interviews opponents of the champ as they are today...a kind of whatever happened to...Next, "King of the World", a heavyweight tome by Pulitzer winner David Remnick. Lastly, a wonderful collection of past articles by the likes of Wolfe, Mailer, Hunter Thompson, et al, called simply "the Muhammad Ali Reader".

If three on Ali is too much or a ring thing, consider...

Any of the above punch ups, with a good BB book, like "Joe DiMaggio the Hero's Life, by Richard B. Cramer. Next, a wonderful treatment of Maurice Richard as remembered by Roch Carrier in his über charming "Our Life with the Rocket". Then add to these, "It's not about the bike" by 7-time Tour de Jour winner, Lance Armstrong.

That's a nice summer reading package!


----------



## KC4

I second Sharonmac's "It's not about the Bike" the Lance Armstrong story/bio recommendation.

I just scooped a copy of Dean Koontz's Intensity for a buck at a community book sale. Anybody read it? 

I really enjoyed his "Odd Thomas" series, so I picked up this book on the strength of (most) of those.


----------



## sharonmac09

KC4 said:


> I second Sharonmac's "It's not about the Bike" the Lance Armstrong story/bio recommendation.
> 
> I just scooped a copy of Dean Koontz's Intensity for a buck at a community book sale. Anybody read it?
> 
> I really enjoyed his "Odd Thomas" series, so I picked up this book on the strength of (most) of those.


I would only give Intensity an average rating. The following books Twilight Eyes, From the Corner of His Eye, Watchers, and The Face are definitely excellent reads.

What is the "Odd Thomas" series? What kind of genre is it?


----------



## KC4

sharonmac09 said:


> I would only give Intensity an average rating. The following books Twilight Eyes, From the Corner of His Eye, Watchers, and The Face are definitely excellent reads.
> 
> What is the "Odd Thomas" series? What kind of genre is it?


Odd Thomas is a supernatural thriller/comedy series (he sees dead people type of thing). Some of the lines just cause me to burst out laughing - not a good thing when you are trying to discreetly read beside your slumbering spouse. 

Addendum: Well, I guess for a buck, I'll be happy with average.


----------



## bsenka

Anyone else have the dreaded pile of books beside the bed? For no reason that I can think of, I always seem to buy books rather than go to the library. Problem is, I also tend to buy them faster than I read them.

My current pile in waiting:

"Harper's Team" - Tom Flanagan

"The Meaning of Puck" - Bruce Dowbiggen

"Beyond the Crease" - Brodeur/Cox

"150 Most effective ways to boost your Energy" - Jonny Bowden

"Saving Face" - Hynes/Smith


----------



## ScanMan

"Anyone else have the dreaded pile of books beside the bed?" 

Post #852


----------



## ComputerIdiot

MacDoc said:


> Thought I would revive this as I'm in need of a summer reading list having blown ( enjoyably ) through the Harry Potter series over the last weeks.
> 
> Just finishing *The Reader* - actually I enjoyed the movie better tho the movie stays close to the book.
> 
> Prefer a series or a large scale book. Not into crime. mysteries or horror....most else is welcome in particular top notch non- fiction, any new sci-fi or fantasy series that standout, big epics - historical - fiction or otherwise.
> Science in narrative form welcome as well. ( *Song of the Dodo* for instance ranks in my top books ever )
> 
> Recommendations?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Bring em on - nice day for a ride to Chapters.


Have you read George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series? There are four books out at present, with the fifth (long overdue) expected to be released in September. Don't know how big it will be but the four that are out are doorstoppers. Martin has a cast of thousands, or so it seems if you check the character index at the back of the first book or two. However, of those, there is a reasonable number of main characters and each chapter is titled with the name of the main player in that chapter, so it's actually quite easy to keep track of who is who. (Or it was ... up until late in book #3, I believe, and throughout book #4, when at least one of the characters is on the run for her life and changes her name ... that did give me pause for a bit until I remember who she used to be.) The books are: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows. The one due out in September is titled A Dance with Dragons.

There is also the 'Watch' series by Sergei Lukyanenko: The Night Watch, The Day Watch, The Twilight Watch and The Last Watch. I've only read the first two so far and have the third on hold at the local library. The Light Watch and the Dark Watch patrol Moscow (the Light Watch during the hours of darkness and the Dark Watch during the hours of daylight -- confused yet?) and not coincidentally keeping an eye on each other in a very familiar-sounding detente situation. There are few absolute good or bad guys ... the uppermost ranks of both the Light and Dark Watches have no problem throwing their own people under a bus (metaphorically speaking) if they think it necessary. 

Just my 2 Knuts, for your future consideration. 

I've nearly finished a book titled Mean Streets, which offers four novellas about private detectives who are definitely not your usual private detectives, and their stomping grounds are just a bit different also. There's Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher), a wizard who lives in Chicago; John Taylor (Simon R. Green), a dweller in London's Nightside; Harper Blaine (Kat Richardson), a woman who returned from a near-death experience to find she now has powers she didn't used to have and would usually prefer not to have; and fallen-angel-turned-21st-century-detective Remy Chandler (Thomas E. Sniegoski), who must solve Noah's murder (yep, _that_ Noah).


----------



## ComputerIdiot

ScanMan said:


> "Anyone else have the dreaded pile of books beside the bed?"
> 
> Post #852



Oh yeah! And on the chairs, on the sofa, on the floor ... and that doesn't include the books currently packed in storage as I prepare to move ...


----------



## PosterBoy

_American Gods_ and then _Anansi Boys_, both by Neil Gaiman. The former is a better book, but they're both well worth the read.


----------



## KC4

PosterBoy said:


> _American Gods_ and then _Anansi Boys_, both by Neil Gaiman. The former is a better book, but they're both well worth the read.


:clap:Oh yeah - Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and I loved American Gods....I hear that a movie for AG is in the works. If handled true to the book - the movie should be awesome.


----------



## MacDoc

Wow this was overdue  - Glad I popped it back up. I'll have to cruise it in detail.

Refilled the bed side stack - a third in one of Robin Hobbs Forest Mage series and a new one *Red Seas under Red Skies* - looks like a real swashbuckler - need an escape novel.

Have to sort out Hobbs tho - she is soooooooo good. Her Fool has to be one of THE most interesting and enigmatic in all of fantasy writing. 9 novels later and you're still not sure quite what the Fool is and you don't want the series to stop ........engaging writer.....

My bed side stack is really annoying as there are number I want to read Doris Lessing *The Golden Notebook* but keep bouncing off and few middle east political books Bush era I can't bear to finish 

*Power Faith and Fantasy* is a remarkably informative history of the US involvement in the Middle East right from the get go as a nation. I really should finish it but the level of religion in the US ( and the middle east ) gets a bit wearying a few hundred pages in......too depressing.....

Gave up on *The Historian* - vampires just not my thing in this case tho the novel had promise and some interesting looks at Turkey and cold war eastern Europe. Needed tighter editing - it was a good medium novel stretched to a long marginal novel. 

*Underworld* is one I do want to read - it was tucked away.

Idol results call. Thanks for the responses. Keep this thread ALIVE!!!


----------



## KC4

Recently finished:
"A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini - Excellent! - Very enlightening viewpoint of Afghanistan from inside.
"the host" by Stephanie Meyer - Surprisingly good. Very original premise. I recommend it.
"Intensity" by Dean Koontz - OK - kept me moderately entertained, but nowhere near his good stuff. 

On the reading runway for me:
"Book of *******" by Lawrence Hill - already off to a good start on this one..WOOT!
"Crazy in Love" by Luanne Rice - arrgh - not much for romance novels, but was given this one with the admonition that I MUST read it. OK OK OK..


----------



## Sonal

The Book of ******* is fantastic. Couldn't put it down.

I read Girlfriend in a Coma recently by Douglas Coupland. First half was interesting, the second half took a bizarre turn... it was an interesting approach to presenting a particular point, but it was kind of a heavy-handed way of doing it.

Also read The Other Side of the Bridge by Mary Lawson. Liked it very much, though I could kind of predict where it was going.


----------



## Guest

Just finishing up the third book of the Brandon Sanderson Mistborn Trilogy ... for the curious he's the writer that's finishing the Wheel of Time series, first book due later this year (the "final" book is being split into multiple books, ugg!)

Brandon Sanderson: The official site


----------



## fjnmusic

I'm reading the ehMac forums.

But I'm also starting to read Post-Singularity by Rudy Rucker. This guy rocks. He's my favorite Sci-fi writer and almost nobody has heard of him. Cult favorite in the cyberpunk movement of the 80's.


----------



## ScanMan

"Ronnie". Ron Wood's autobiography.


----------



## gwillikers

I just finished...
*Inside the Gas Chambers: Eight Months in the Sonderkommando of Auschwitz,* by Shlomo Venezia.
Hard to recommend (for obvious reasons), but I thought it was powerful, enlightening, and well worth reading.

I'm now reading...
*A Lucky Child: A Memoir of Surviving Auschwitz as a Young Boy,* by Elie Wiesel.
Too early to say much, but it seems well written as well.

My next read will be...
*Berlin Diary: The Journal of a Foreign Correspondent 1934-1941,* by William L. Shirer.


----------



## gwillikers

Sonal said:


> The Book of ******* is fantastic. Couldn't put it down.


My daughter is reading that right now.


----------



## MacDoc

New Fantasy author on the block - recommended by a guy at Chapters familiar with the genre - good read.

Patrick Rothfuss









Very impressive debut..

Remarkable reviews



> The debut novel from Patrick Rothfuss -- the first installment of an epic fantasy trilogy entitled the 'Kingkiller Chronicle' -- not only lives up to its extraordinary pre-press hype (DAW president Elizabeth Wollheim called it "the most brilliant first fantasy novel I have read in over 30 years as an editor"), it surpasses it.
> When fantasy fans begin reading THE NAME OF THE WIND, they should be fully prepared to lose all contact with the outside world while immersed in this highly original and mesmerizing tale of magic, love, and adventure."


many more
Patrick Rothfuss - The Reviews


----------



## MacDoc

Sci-Fi and Fantasy treasure map......

One of my fav sites Dark roasted Blend yielded up this marvel 



> Making sense out of the current boom in fantastic literature
> 
> It is no secret that we live in the Golden Age of Fantastic Literature. With more books published in the genre than ever, plus an ever-increasing availability of obscure titles on the internet, a dedicated fan of science fiction and fantasy literature might think he died and went to heaven.
> 
> Not only are the pulp masterpieces of the 30's and 40's easily acquired (for the most part), but the whole history of the genre can be sampled and read in any order, and enjoyed as thoroughly as one likes - and on top of that more than 3,000 new books are published every year, with at least a hundred of utmost quality by new and promising writers. So, speaking of new writers...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (art courtesy Christophe Vacher)
> 
> Do you ever feel lost and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of noteworthy authors bursting onto the scene in the past decade? Top names are better known, of course, but the beauty of science fiction and fantasy is in the variety and full spectrum of the sub-genres, topics, and styles offered.
> 
> It was much easier to follow the development of the field in the 1980s: fewer books were published and one could follow the writers he chooses - and actually read them all. Starting in the 1991, as Locus magazine puts it, "more books were published that year than anybody could possibly read unless he makes a full-time job out of it." Since then, even if you read books all day, you still can not catch up on more than 10 books issued each day. One needs to have a guide, a directory, and recommendations to complement the offerings of your typical bookstore (just like in music, most good stuff is not even displayed and needs to be discovered by other means)
> 
> During last couple of years, Avi Abrams from Dark Roasted Blend has been compiling information about new and promising writers in science fiction, fantasy, horror and slipstream (magic realism). We decided to make this wealth of information available online as the
> 
> "Ultimate Guide to Modern Writers of Fantastic Literature: 1990-2009" ->
> The Ultimate Guide to Modern Writers of Fantastic Literature: 1990-2009


Dark Roasted Blend: The Ultimate Guide to Modern Writers of Science Fiction and Fantasy

:clap: ...... just when I ran out of books to read......


----------



## G-Mo

I'm reading Michael Connelly's latest offering, The Scarecrow, at the moment (on Kindle for iPhone if anyone is interested?!)... I've read almost everything else by the author, and, so far this isn't his best. It's slow to start and IMHO the actual progess of the story is "bogged" down with too much detail about the inner goings on of the newspaper industry and has yet to really grab my interest.

That said, one of Harlan Coben's recent offerings (Hold Tight) - yah! I love mysteries! - which I read in tradtional papaerback recently was excellent!!


----------



## eMacMan

Hiroshima Diary, _Michihiko Hachiya_

Read it about 45 years ago and it still sticks in my mind. Should be a mandatory read.

An introduction to it here:
Surviving the Atomic Attack on Hiroshima, 1945


----------



## Dr.G.

Brad Meltzer's "The Book of Lies".


----------



## Dr.G.

Finished Brad Meltzer's "The Book of Lies". A very interesting and unique book.


----------



## Gerbill

_Infinite Jest_ by David Foster Wallace. Just well into a very long book, so no comments yet.


----------



## ct77

Just finished The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist.

I liked it -- an Interesting near-future "what if?" scenario exploring the value of human life.

Synopsis:

_The Unit is a[n] exploration of a society in the throes of an experiment, in which the "dispensable" people--those in their 60s, childless, or unemployed--are convinced of the importance of sacrificing for the "necessary" ones. _

-- quoted from Powell's Books - The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist


----------



## MacDoc

Just into number 8 of 10.... last two still unwritten of this incredible series by Canadian Steven Erikson

Epic does not do it justice...










Steven Erikson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



> Erikson has stated explicitly that he enjoys playing with and overturning the conventions of fantasy, presenting characters that violate the stereotypes associated with their roles.[6] Erikson deliberately began the Malazan Book of the Fallen series mid-plot rather than beginning with a more conventional narrative.[6][8] Erikson's style of writing includes complex plots with masses of characters. He has been praised for his willingness to kill central characters when it enhances the plot.[citation needed]


you've been warned.... 

900 pages each and you'll likely need a twice around to make sense as he really did start the series midplot ,,,,


----------



## SINC

A fascinating inside look at the everyday life of the plains Indians of the western US and Canada in the late 19th century. While the book covers the Battle of the Little Bighorn itself, it largely focuses on the native way of life and their customs. It is a translation of a tale as told by Wooden Leg, the warrior himself and the language is simplistic, but spellbinding as you travel with him from the time he is a small boy until he is in his late 40s.

I picked it up in Montana at the site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn National Monument and thoroughly enjoyed the account.



> Wooden Leg (Cheyenne Kâhamâxéveóhtáhe)[1][2] (1858–1940) was a Northern Cheyenne warrior who fought against Custer at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
> 
> Wooden Leg was born, in 1858, in the region of the Black Hills, near the Cheyenne river. He was son of Many Bullet Wounds (also called White Buffalo Shaking off the Dust) and Eagle Feather on the Forehead. He had three brothers (the two elder ones being Strong Wind Blowing and Yellow Hair, the younger one Twin) and two sisters (the elder one being Crooked Nose, the younger one Fingers Woman).
> 
> During his childhood he was known as Eats from His Hand. Later, he inherited the name Wooden Leg from his uncle, a Crow adopted by the family of Eagle Feather on the Forehead. This young Crow proved to be a tireless walker, outlasting all the young Cheyenne and earning the name Wooden Leg, since his tireless legs seemed to be made of wood. Only his nephew was able to follow him during his endless walks and so the friends of Eats from His Hand began calling him by his uncle's name in sport. Eventually, Eats from His Hand took his uncle's name as his own.
> 
> In his childhood and youth, he lived among his tribe, wandering in the land between the Black Hills and the Litlle Bighorn river. During this period, he lived like any other Indian of the Plains, spending his time, hunting the game and fighting against the enemy tribes, in particular Crow and Shoshone.
> 
> The first remarkable battle with the white men he saw was the battle of Fort Kearny in 1866. Wooden Leg was too young to take part in the battle, but during the fight his eldest brother Strong Wind Blowing died. So, in spite of the final victory of the Cheyenne, that was a mourning day for all his family. At fourteen, he was invited by Left Hand Shooter to become part of the warrior society of the Elkhorn Scrapers, one of the three warrior societies (the other being the group of the Crazy Dog and the group of the Fox) in which the men of the tribe were divided. At seventeen, he went on retreat to thank the Great Spirit. He spent four days closed in a tepee, meditating and contemplating, visited only once a day. After the trial, his face was painted with a black circle enclosing his forehead, chin and cheeks; the internal area of the circle was yellow. This facial picture, together with his best suit, his shield and his flute made from the wing of an eagle, became part of his war equipment for the rest of his life.


----------



## Rps

I have a few on the go. Someone, here, recommended Under The Frog....I got it and it is well worth the read.

I'm currently reading a number of Paulo Freire's works


----------



## Dr.G.

Sinc, that sounds like a great book. It is tragic what the US Army et al did to the various tribes that lived in the Plain States in the US west. They had a culture all their own which was wiped out in a few decades.


----------



## MacDoc

I don't use tour de force lightly but deservedly here - perhaps a Canticle for Leibowitz for the 21st Century..or the 2100st Century....brilliant.

Caution....don't bounce off it.....you are entering a fascinating fully developed world and it takes a bit of getting used tol

Stephenson has a remarkable imagination as well as a polymath mind. :clap:

This novel won the Locus award for 2009 and nominated for the Hugo and Arthur C Clarke awards.
Well deserved all around.


----------



## chasMac

Picked up the the new King short story collection "Just After Sunset". Pretty weak overall, except for "N.", about a case of OCD that turns out to be justified. That one's real good.


----------



## mc3251

It is weak which is a bit disappointing. At his best he is brilliant.


----------



## chasMac

Do not read read Stephen King's latest "Under the Dome", unless you look to him for political allegories; in this case covering the Bush/Cheney years (King reallllly hates Republicans). Very weak; I kept reading though waiting for the pay-off: there was none (NY Times calls it a Star Trek, original series ending). Besides, some of the promotion surrounding the book constitutes blatantly false advertising - it is billed as an 'apocalyptic' tale: it's story about the extreme misfortunes of a single town. It is locally apocalyptic I guess, but that's just silly. The Stand it ain't.


----------



## Guest

Just started on the Wheel of Time series ... again. Now that Brandon Sanderson is finishing the series I decided to start all over again at the beginning and work my way up one more time. Hopefully there will be quick turnaround on the last 2 books. He seems to churn out stuff pretty quickly so I think we'll finally see this fully concluded within the next couple/few years. It's really the "little trilogy that grew" -- but it's a great series if you're into that sort of stuff. The reviews on the first book he's written in the series are great and it's topped the NY Times bestsellers list already. 2 more books to go and we can finally call it done . . . RIP Robert Jordan. I'm very glad that he made all the notes and recordings that finish the story line so that someone could complete this HUGE body of work.


----------



## Adrian.

Defend the Realm by Christopher Andrews,

MI-5 allowed him access to a portion of their previously classified files to write a centennial history.

Amazing book.

On sale at amazon right now.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

Interesting reviews here about the new Stephen King collection; I started reading 'N' (in the grocery store ) but haven't finished it yet. Sounds as if I'd be better off waiting for it to come to the library.

I'm rereading any of the Terry Pratchett novels that managed to hide during my recent move (and thus are not tucked away in my storage unit) and I picked up a few books from the local library's book sale. Just finished reading A Friend of Kafka by Isaac Bashevis Singer.

I'm just about finished Why Your World is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller, by Jeff Rubin. He's an economist who predicts the end of cheap oil will bring about a return to more localized production and manufacturing. He maintains that even China's low, low wages will eventually not be enough to offset the costs of shipping the stuff from China to North America. Would be nice if he was right ...


----------



## mc3251

Just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Really good, intelligent thriller, translated from Swedish. Well worth it-it's a light but satisfying read.


----------



## MacDoc

I read that as well....good synopsis and I must admit I'm enjoying some of these "different nation/culture" thrillers for the daily life insights.
There are a couple out of Iceland that are very good and then *Smilla's Sense of Snow i*s superb.










I thought the movie good as well.


----------



## MacDoc

Dr, G you will adore this book...

absolutely stunning

Official Site of Li Cunxin - Mao's Last Dancer





















> Everybody has a story to tell. But Li Cunxin's Mao's Last Dancer is definitely among the ones that are worth reading.


continues
Mao's Last Dancer

Terrific followup to *Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China*
Wild Swans, Three Daughters of China - Jung Chang - ISBN 9780743246989










both highly recommended....:clap::clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

Thanks for the citations, MacDoc. It shall have to wait until the semester is over. Merci, mon ami.


----------



## titans88

Just started The Average American Male by Chad Kultgen. A few of my friends have recommended it, so I thought i'd give it a shot. I'm spoiled and always get tons of Chapters gift cards for Christmas, so this seemed like the right opportunity to give it a shot.


----------



## MacDoc

*Lure of the Quest *- read it cover to cover today....well crafted engaging story of the 1,000 mile Yukon - Alaska dog sled race that is a cut above the iditarod in challenge.










Remarkable people - wild country


----------



## Stojko

I'm reading George Orwell's 1984 - the accuracy and relevancy is really scary me...


----------



## jwootton

Shameless Plug: I'm reading my Mum's book, "Innocent Murderer" Published by Dundurn Press in Toronto. Support Canadian authors. This is the second book in the series, but does not require you read the first: "Forever Dead" although it is also a great read.










For you Toronto folk, there is a book launch happening soon 

Where: Sleuth of Baker Street. A Mystery Bookstore. 1600 Bayview Avenue. Toronto. 
Parking on street, some side streets and public lot. 
When: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
If you can't make it books are available online at Chapters.ca, Amazon.ca 
and from your local bookstore


----------



## Dr.G.

"What the Dog Saw" by Malcolm Gladwell.


----------



## Sonal

Dr.G. said:


> "What the Dog Saw" by Malcolm Gladwell.


I read part of that--very interesting. I like it better than his other books, since this one is a collection of different thoughts, and as opposed to this other books which read more like the same thought being presented over and over again through different examples.


----------



## Max

Once in awhile I like to delve into military history, particularly the first and second world wars. Right now I'm speeding through Cornelius Ryan's _A Bridge Too Far,_ about the Allied attempt to ram through Holland and puncture German defenses at the Germany-Holland border. Gripping, heart-breaking stuff, all the more so because it actually happened and the casualty tallies on either side are simply staggering. It was of course made into a major motion picture with a slew of stars back in the day, but the book itself is far from glamourous - it's grim and relentless and serves to remind me how fortunate we are in this part of the world, in our current era.


----------



## Dr.G.

Sonal said:


> I read part of that--very interesting. I like it better than his other books, since this one is a collection of different thoughts, and as opposed to this other books which read more like the same thought being presented over and over again through different examples.


Very good points, Sonal. I am reading parts in no particular order. Paix, mon amie.


----------



## MacDoc

In it's own right as powerful as the movie...



> Out of Africa is Isak Dinesen's memoir of her years in Africa, from 1914 to 1931, on a four-thousand-acre coffee plantation in the hills near Nairobi. She had come to Kenya from Denmark with her husband, and when they separated she stayed on to manage the farm by herself, visited frequently by her lover, the big-game hunter Denys Finch-Hatton, for whom she would make up stories "like Scheherazade."
> 
> In Africa, "I learned how to tell tales," she recalled many years later. "The natives have an ear still. I told stories constantly to them, all kinds." her account of her African adventures, written after she had lost her beloved farm and returned to Denmark, is that of a master storyteller,* a woman whom John Updike called "one of the most picturesque and flamboyant literary personalities of the century*


She had the majority vote for the Nobel in 1959 but recently declassified docs show why she was passed over.... 
'Reverse provincialism' denied Karen Blixen Nobel prize | Books | guardian.co.uk

Try and get the illustrated version as the photos and illustrations are superb. Very enjoyable read..a time travel....

top notch illustrations by the likes of David Shepard


----------



## CubaMark

*On my list for when I wrap up the thesis and have time to read for leisure... *

CultureLab: The universe is a quantum computer





> WHAT is the universe made of? Matter or energy? Particles or strings? According to physicist Vlatko Vedral's appealing new book, it is made, at bottom, of information.
> 
> In other words, if you break the universe into smaller and smaller pieces, the smallest pieces are, in fact, bits.
> 
> With this theme in mind, Vedral embarks on an exuberant romp through physics, biology, philosophy, religion and even personal finance. By turns irreverent, erudite and funny, Decoding Reality is - by the standard of books that require their readers to know what a logarithm is - a ripping good read.


(New Scientist)


----------



## fellfromtree

Nikolski, by Nicolas Dickner (translated by Lazer Lederhendler)

Nikolski is the 2010 winner of the CBC Radio Canada Reads.
A few days after listening to the Canada Reads debates podcasts, while in the cattle line at Chapters, Nikolski was featured three shelves high and wide for the captive audience, only 10 bucks.

1/3 in, I think I am reminded of one the complaints about this book in the debates- too many characters to keep track of, I don't know who is who or where I am. 
Well it all seems to be sorting itself out now. Definitely Canadiana in terms of locales. 
I can't help thinking that I want it to be No Great Mischief (Alistair MacLeod), but it isn't quite there.


----------



## MacDoc

*The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo* triology - I'm just about 1/2 way through and quite enjoying it...sad the untimely demise of the author given 

_he was the second bestselling author in the world 2008._ 













> Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) was a Swedish writer and journalist.
> Prior to his sudden death of a heart attack in November 2004 he finished three detective novels in his trilogy "The Millenium-series" which were published posthumously; "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest". Altogether, his trilogy has sold more than 12 million copies worldwide (summer of 2009), and he was the second bestselling author in the world 2008.
> 
> STIEG LARSSON, 1954-2004
> Before his career as a writer, Stieg Larsson was mostly known for his struggle against racism and right-wing extremism. Starting in the late 1970's, he combined his work as a graphic designer with holding lectures on right-wing extremism for the Scotland Yard. During the following years he became an expert on the subject and has held many lectures as well as written many novels on the subject. In 1995, when 8 persons were killed by neo-Nazis I Sweden, he was the main force behind the founding of the Expo-foundation, a group intended on exposing neo-Nazi activity in Sweden. From 1999 and on, he was appointed chief editor of the magazine Expo.
> During the last 15 years of his life, he and his life companion Eva Gabrielsson lived under constant threat from right-wing violence.


----------



## mc3251

I read this some time ago and found it quite enthralling. Very richly drawn characters and a subtlety that is not often found in crime novels.


----------



## MacDoc

*Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane* [Kindle Edition]

much fun especially for pilots but good reading for all.

*Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest*

Blew threw this on the laptop - very enjoyable after watching the HBO series. Fleshed out some of the events and characters - especially Winters.

: *Dragon Keeper: Volume One of the Rain Wilds Chronicles* [Kindle Edition]

If you are a sci-fi fantasy fan and have NOT read Robin Hobbs....you are missing a treat. The world she envisions fleshes out with each novel.
The Fool who figures in the first 9 interwoven novels is one of THE most memorable characters in fantasy.

Hobb is breaking very interesting ground in sexuality in sci-fi/fantasy....and being egnimatic about it.
Hell she's even exploring trans-species and morphism.. :what: :clap: :cheers: 

You will not likely be disappointed but do start at the beginning with the Farseer Trilogy.


----------



## MacDoc

Just into Eugene Sledge's auti-biography of his WW II experiences.* With the Old Breed,*










His was one of the stories covered in HBO/Tom Hanks/Speilberg's *The Pacific* a mini series like band of Brothers tho perhaps in my view not quite as good.
That said the section on Sledge is gripping and the book is well written by him.
He was an unusual combination of upper class background in the cannon fodder brigade by choice. Few other war bios bring that mix...most are written by officers.
Sledge went on to get a PHd once he'd completed the horror in the Pacific. So quite unique and he made notes all the way through his two+ years so accurate and "as he experienced it" vignettes.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Just into Eugene Sledge's auti-biography of his WW II experiences.* With the Old Breed,*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> His was one of the stories covered in HBO/Tom Hanks/Speilberg's *The Pacific* a mini series like band of Brothers tho perhaps in my view not quite as good.
> That said the section on Sledge is gripping and the book is well written by him.
> He was an unusual combination of upper class background in the cannon fodder brigade by choice. Few other war bios bring that mix...most are written by officers.
> Sledge went on to get a PHd once he'd completed the horror in the Pacific. So quite unique and he made notes all the way through his two+ years so accurate and "as he experienced it" vignettes.


Great minds think alike, MacDoc. I just ordered this book and Leckie's "Helmet for My Pillow". Hoping it would come on Friday, but now I have to wait until Tuesday.


----------



## dona83

True Patriot Love by Michael Ignatieff










He explains through his eyes the strength of Canadians, who we are and why we are the way we are, and the present day challenges of truly uniting Canadians and then goes to the past with his great grandfather, grandfather, and uncle, to dive into this history of Canada and the notion of nationalism and imperialism. What surprised me was that although the Conservatives and Liberals were very much right and left wing parties back in the days, there were some stark differences on what each side stood for compared to the present day Conservatives and Liberals. It's very much a politically charged book, perhaps a response to the Conservative attack ads against him, but his thoughts are very insightful into a topic that I believe is in the back of the minds of many Canadians.

So now that my non partisan synopsis is out of the way, I must add in a few biased tidbits. Michael Ignatieff seems to have the voice of a strong leader, something the Liberals have been absent of since the departure of Jean Chretien. I truly believe that next election will go down to the last vote.


----------



## MacDoc

> Great minds think alike, MacDoc. I just ordered this book and Leckie's "Helmet for My Pillow". Hoping it would come on Friday, but now I have to wait until Tuesday.


You should cancel the book order and buy the Kobo or Kindle version - easy on the eyes as you can change the font size, often cheaper and no waiting.

Helmet For My Pillow: From Parris Island To The Pacific By Robert Leckie - eBook - Kobo

a little cheaper at Kindle
Amazon.com: Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific eBook: Robert Leckie: Kindle Store

Might buy that as a followup to this.


----------



## dona83

Is the Kindle price in US Dollars? And is the download fee included with it?

I'll have to read the excerpt from Helmet in my Pillow. Don't know if I can handle the hardcore war stuff.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> You should cancel the book order and buy the Kobo or Kindle version - easy on the eyes as you can change the font size, often cheaper and no waiting.
> 
> Helmet For My Pillow: From Parris Island To The Pacific By Robert Leckie - eBook - Kobo
> 
> a little cheaper at Kindle
> Amazon.com: Helmet for My Pillow: From Parris Island to the Pacific eBook: Robert Leckie: Kindle Store
> 
> Might buy that as a followup to this.


Too late. It arrives on Tuesday.


----------



## SINC

dona83 said:


> Michael Ignatieff seems to have the voice of a strong leader, something the Liberals have been absent of since the departure of Jean Chretien. I truly believe that next election will go down to the last vote.


Iggy would be the very worst possible leader for Canada. He returned home to grab glory. I await the book that contains the truth.


----------



## dona83

SINC said:


> Iggy would be the very worst possible leader for Canada. He returned home to grab glory. I await the book that contains the truth.


How is he less Canadian than any of us?

60% of Canada is not a fan of Stephen Harper remember. He's doing nothing for the country.


----------



## MacDoc

Very enjoyable vignettes - learn a ton of background on historical figures that make them very vivid. :clap:

Edward Rutherfurd || New York


----------



## titans88

*Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell*










Just started this one while spending the afternoon relaxing in the backyard today. I find Malcolm Gladwell to be an easy read, yet always one that keeps me interested. My only complaint so far would be that he seems to oversimplify some arguments.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, that book sounds like a grand book for me to read, in that I love history and was born and raised in NYC. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

I am enjoying it thoroughly - he's been dubbed the modern Michener but not quite tho still very good.
Michener managed to keep the family threads somehow more passionate and engaging - here it's "interesting" tho the history takes centre stage.

Would be more fun for you having grown up there.....give me your mailing address on a PM and I'll post it out.

Not likely any here will read it and you'll enjoy it as a summer read.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> I am enjoying it thoroughly - he's been dubbed the modern Michener but not quite tho still very good.
> Michener managed to keep the family threads somehow more passionate and engaging - here it's "interesting" tho the history takes centre stage.
> 
> Would be more fun for you having grown up there.....give me your mailing address on a PM and I'll post it out.
> 
> Not likely any here will read it and you'll enjoy it as a summer read.


I like Michener and his style, MacDoc.

You will post me the book?????????? Merci, mon ami. How about just loaning it to me if you like the book that much.

I am currently reading a book by Hugh Ambrose entitled "The Pacific", having just finished reading "Helmet for my Pillow". "With the Old Breed" is next.


----------



## MacDoc

However you wish to view or pass it along - be a long while before I reread that ....took me 2 decades to get back around to Pillars of the Earth...

Not sure my eyesight will hold out for a hard cover that long...


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> However you wish to view or pass it along - be a long while before I reread that ....took me 2 decades to get back around to Pillars of the Earth...
> 
> Not sure my eyesight will hold out for a hard cover that long...


That's fine with me, MacDoc. I like to pass on books. "Share the wealth", so to speak. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## IronMac

For those fans of space opera, I am now finishing up the six-book series of The Lost Fleet by Jack Campbell. Quite good and has a very nice ramp up in suspense for the last book.


----------



## IronMac

*Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan*

This is one of those fantasy books that's both light in the hand and in the mind. A story of two super-thieves being mixed up with royal intrigue in a Tolkien setting.

I kept thinking that this should be part of a series or the beginning of a series because there's quite a lot of potential for that to happen. We'll see what happens because this is recently published book.


----------



## boukman2

*jo nesbo*

for all of you stieg larson fans, here is an option. this is a norwegian writer dealing with many of the same themes. the books aren't quite the roller coaster ride of the girl with the dragon tattoo, but they are very good. 
they have received less attention largely due to a marketing mistake i think. he wrote a trilogy, redbreast, nemesis and the devil's star. but they released vol 3, the devil's star, first! so no buildup, no sustained excitement and everyone is a bit confused. if you want to check the dates, look at wikipedia, which gives the original publishing dates as well as the translation. highly recommended. 
but read them in the right order, Redbreast, Nemesis, then Devil's Star...


----------



## JAMG

*The "Good Book?"*

I am currently reading "The Gospel according to Saint Luke" as part of my journey through the King James Bible. Not being religious, but when my father-in-law began to suffer the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, and went into long term care, I found his copy of the bible. It is a lovely leather bound, zippered book that will be put away for the grandchildren. 

I thought that it has been hypocritical of me to hold (some) strong religious opinions without having ever read the text, cover-to-cover. So...goodness, it must have been 4 years ago, I started reading a bit every night. Almost. Some of the old testament gets a bit dry and some parts are tough to follow.


----------



## tilt

titans88 said:


> Just started this one while spending the afternoon relaxing in the backyard today. I find Malcolm Gladwell to be an easy read, yet always one that keeps me interested. My only complaint so far would be that he seems to oversimplify some arguments.


I read his earlier books, especially Blink, and I, for some reason, was not too impressed. My impression did not align with the hype. As you mentioned, it seemed (even to my layman mind) a bit over-simplified.



MacDoc said:


> I am enjoying it thoroughly - he's been dubbed the modern Michener but not quite tho still very good.
> Michener managed to keep the family threads somehow more passionate and engaging - here it's "interesting" tho the history takes centre stage.


I enjoyed Michener and I also liked Wilbur Smith. I think I shall try and out a hold on tis in my library if I can.



IronMac said:


> This is one of those fantasy books that's both light in the hand and in the mind. A story of two super-thieves being mixed up with royal intrigue in a Tolkien setting.
> 
> I kept thinking that this should be part of a series or the beginning of a series because there's quite a lot of potential for that to happen. We'll see what happens because this is recently published book.


I like books, TV shows Movies about cons, hustles, heists etc. I absolutely love them. However, I have an aversion towards sequels and series and franchises and most importantly, Tolkien (I am presuming you are talking about Lord of the Rings and I absolutely abhor that thing). I would rather read War and Peace than read Lord of the Rings. I even tried to watch the movie and I could not even tolerate the trailer.

Anyway, I am currently reading (on my iPhone nonetheless) - "The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival" by John Vaillant. It is non-fiction, but reads like fiction. Just started it (takes a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnng time to read a book on the iPhone ). Talks about Siberian tigers and how tigers actually have a sense of vengeance!

Cheers


----------



## Dr T

*Read my books*



IronMac said:


> There was an interesting thread a few months back about what books were on people's shelves so I've decided to ask what are people reading at the moment?...


I hate to answer this one... I only seem to get around to consulting books that have my own name on the cover...

But they are damn good books!


----------



## IronMac

tilt said:


> Anyway, I am currently reading (on my iPhone nonetheless) - "The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival" by John Vaillant. It is non-fiction, but reads like fiction. Just started it (takes a lonnnnnnnnnnnnnng time to read a book on the iPhone ). Talks about Siberian tigers and how tigers actually have a sense of vengeance!


Excellent book according to a review that I've read.

But, books go fast on my iPhone 4.


----------



## egremont

Re: Jo NesBo trilogy that was mentioned by Boukman2 - I just had a look and 9.99 for the trilogy on Amazon/Kindle.


----------



## fellfromtree

Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro.

I enjoyed the film, but some questions drove me to read the book and see if there were other answers. So far, I am a little surprised by the book, it is not the kind of writing I imagined it would be- makes me think the film is much better than I first thought, the film visually transcribes a lot of dialogue and narrative from the book. I really like The Remains Of The Day (the film, adapted from the Ishiguro novel) too, so I thought Never Let Me Go would be an exceptional read. Both books are Man Booker Prize winners.
I'm about 20% in, so maybe I'll settle into the writing now. I keep wondering if I would still be reading if I hadn't seen the film.

Recently read Tinkers, by Paul Harding. Very enjoyable writing, I got mixed up as to which character I was reading here and there but it didn't matter, I enjoyed the description, characters are not terribly important to me.


----------



## chas_m

For me, it is news that I am currently reading an actual book!










This is a FANTASTIC reference book on classic horror movies. So many connections! So many cross-pollinations! So much trivia! Blacking ... out!!

I've seen at least 2/3rds if not 3/4ths of the films mentioned in this first volume but it's a joy to read about films in the genre I haven't seen AND the author's take on films I have. We are very VERY much on the same page it would seem.

Haven't enjoyed a reference book this much in years.


----------



## eMacMan

*Tales of India*

Tales of India. Some of Kiplings early newspaper fillers collected into a book.

An unusual book in that you can, and even want to, put it down. Each chapter is complete and filling enough, to allow one to take a rest then pick the book up a couple of days later for another nibble.

Been nearly fifty years and I had completely forgotten the chapter on the White Hussars which had me laughing the rest of the evening.

Everyone is familiar with the opening lines of "East is East" but the rest of the poem is well worth the few minutes it takes to read.


----------



## Sonal

fellfromtree said:


> Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro.


I read this not long ago, and subsequently saw the movie. The movie is a good adaptation of the book for the reasons you describe, but since so much of the plot of this novel happens on a subtle, more emotional level, it's hard to get a lot out of the movie... the book does that better.

I really did like the book.


----------



## MacDoc

Splitting time between a real book *London* and the Ramage Napoleonic British Navy series.


----------



## bizarro

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. So sad, but also one of my favourites.


----------



## MacDoc

Loved the movie - well deserved Oscar for the lead.
Thanks for the tip - maybe grab it on Kindle.

Just about done the Ramage series. Time for a shift to Sci-Fi for a while and finish Rutherfurd's *London*


Also slipped in *The Windup Girl* in the mix. Stunning novel. 

Hugo AND Nebula award winner :yikes:


----------



## Dr T

IronMac said:


> There was an interesting thread a few months back about what books were on people's shelves so I've decided to ask what are people reading at the moment?....


Yowza, another old thread resurrected.

It has not changed for me in the past 10 years or so - I just seem to getting around to looking at books that have my name on the cover. Is that mere sloth, or the infamous early retirement setting in?


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoying this series.










Heinlien incarnate and deliberately so and successfully so .....two Hugo nomination in the set..

Books by John Scalzi « Whatever


----------



## MacDoc

My fav kind of book.... a story too good to be true but is...










Dr. G I suspect you 

a) remember this
b) will adore the book.....it is really well crafted and about far more than man and horse.....

Highly highly recommended.....a fast and fascinating read. Kudo's to the author.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> My fav kind of book.... a story too good to be true but is...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Dr. G I suspect you
> 
> a) remember this
> b) will adore the book.....it is really well crafted and about far more than man and horse.....
> 
> Highly highly recommended.....a fast and fascinating read. Kudo's to the author.


MacDoc, asked my wife and she knows the amazing story of Snowman. She was into riding in Alberta, so it might be an interesting book for her. Merci, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

You don't need to be into riding to adore this story and it's so much the time you and I grew up in - we had a poor Dutch war refugee family living right across the railway tracks from us in a railway construction shed - what that family turned that plot of poor sandy land into was a marvel.

It's a huge feel good book but it's also a microsm of the changes that went on in America .......top notch historical insight disguised as a story about man and a horse.

I am VERY sure you will enjoy it and your wife perhaps more with her background.

The dissonance between ths plodding riding school "teddy bear" giving young girls confidence and the horse that soars in the high wire stakes of the national/international riding scene is just delicious...and the author does a wonderful job of sketching vividly the contrasting environs.


----------



## okcomputer

Just picked up the 10th anniversary edition of Have Not Been the Same, which chronicles the Canadian rock/alt/etc music renaissance of 85-95. Incredible book.


----------



## MacDoc

Back to slogging through Steven Erikson - finally the last two volumes - about 1800 pages which is one extended novel that resolves the epic. I suspect I will cave once more - gather all ten together and read them in a single run.... :yikes:












> _*The Malazan Book of the Fallen*_ is an epic fantasy series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson, published in ten volumes beginning with the novel _Gardens of the Moon_, published in 1999. The series was completed with the publication of _The Crippled God_ in February 2011. Erikson's series is complex with a wide scope, and presents the narratives of a large cast of characters.[1][2][2][3][4][5] Erikson's plotting presents a complicated series of events in the world upon which the Malazan Empire is located. Each volume is relatively self-contained for the first five novels, in that the primary conflict of each novel is resolved within that novel. However, many underlying characters and events are interwoven throughout the works of the series, binding it together.
> The Malazan world was co-created by Steven Erikson and Ian Cameron Esslemont in the early 1980s as a backdrop to their GURPS roleplaying campaign.[6] In 2005, Esslemont began publishing his own series of five novels set in the same world, beginning with _Night of Knives_. Although Esslemont's books are published under a different series title - _Novels of the Malazan Empire_ - Esslemont and Erikson collaborated on the storyline for the entire fifteen-book project and Esslemont's novels are considered as canonical and integral to the series as Erikson's own.


Malazan Book of the Fallen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Epic indeed and not for the slow reader.....

The first - *Gardens of the Moon* garnered high praise, is reasonable size and can stand alone.









If you get through that intrigued - you should enjoy the remainder. If it frustrates you. Move on to something else as the others are far more complex.
They are available on Kindle so collecting the complete set is not that difficult.



> Steven Erikson
> September 2007 Born October 7, 1959 (1959-10-07) (age 51)
> Toronto, Canada Occupation Author Nationality Canadian Period 1991–Present[1] Genres Fantasy, Science Fiction Influences[show]​
> 
> Stephen R. Donaldson, Glen Cook, Robert Ervin Howard, E.R. Burroughs, Homer, Arthur C. Clarke, Roger Zelazny, John Gardner, Gustav Hasford, Mark Helprin, Robin Hobb, G. K. Chesterton
> List taken from Erikson biography[1]
> 
> Influenced[show]​
> 
> R. Scott Bakker, David Keck
> 
> *Steven Erikson* (born October 7, 1959) is the pseudonym of *Steve Rune Lundin*, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist.[1]
> His best-known work is the ten-volume fantasy series _Malazan Book of the Fallen_, which by 2006 had sold over 250,000 copies.[2][3] _SF Site_ has called the series "the most significant work of epic fantasy since Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant,"[4] and _Fantasy Book Review_ described it as "the best fantasy series of recent times."[5


Steven Erikson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

and he's Canadian eh


----------



## mrjimmy

I'm about half way through Keith Richard's 'Life'.

Good fun indeed.


----------



## cap10subtext

8:55 to Baghdad. I'm a sucker for travelogues.


----------



## Guest

I couldn't get through the Malazan Book of the Gods series, it was just too verbose for what it is. I don't mind long epic stuff (I'm on my 5th re-read of the Wheel of Time series) but I just don't find that he has the prose to pull off something that long ... or at least it didn't work for me. I'm the same with Stephen King ... gets too verbose, I put it down and never come back. I did that in about the 3rd or 4th Malazan book.


----------



## imactheknife

Song of Suzanna, book 4 of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. 

I never would have thought I would read these, or any of Stephen king's books 5 years ago. The wife has every book he has and convinced me to try the Stand, the running man, and then the Gunslinger. I have to say he is a great writer with great characters.

I usually read biographies, and stuff like David Eddings (Fantasy stuff)


----------



## MacDoc

> I couldn't get through the Malazan Book of the Gods series, it was just too verbose for what it is.


Good for you for at least hanging in for a while.
You might try a re-read at some point now you have the framework but as the comment section shows it's generally polarized on the series. 
There are other things to spend your time on ......this one is a bit of masochism.


----------



## Guest

imactheknife said:


> I usually read biographies, and stuff like David Eddings (Fantasy stuff)


I like a lot of that stuff too. Have read The Belgariad and The Mallorean as well as the couple of one off books related to them.


----------



## Guest

MacDoc said:


> Good for you for at least hanging in for a while.
> You might try a re-read at some point now you have the framework but as the comment section shows it's generally polarized on the series.
> There are other things to spend your time on ......this one is a bit of masochism.


Ya that's the feeling I got at about that point in the series, it just kept going and going and things weren't resolving, just getting more complex. I might revisit at one point but first I want to finish the Wheel of Time Series ... the final book will be out soon (long before I get back to that point in the re-read).


----------



## MacDoc

I gave up on the *Wheel of Time* as I felt he was just on Ground Hog day mode towards on the last several.

I like Robin Hobbs style - trilogies that are self contained but then related to other trilogies. The Fool series - 12 books I think.

The 2nd last Mazalan book is truly a chore and the author knew it would be as it starts to bring the vastly disparate threads together yet still maintains his vignette style which really you just have to go with.
That's the headache as the series actually starts in the middle with Gardens and many vignettes make no sense until far later in the series.

It has actually spawned some interesting art as a google search will reveal.
_K'Chain_ Che'Malle 










His professional background shows in some of aspects of this species that are hive based with various purposed but intelligent drones such as the Hunter shown.


and this map gives an idea of span. Makes Tolkien world look small by comparison.


----------



## MacDoc

If you want a fast and enjoyable laugh out loud read Allison is your ticket.

It's on special on Kindle for $3.99 ( you don't need a Kindle to download it - the Kindle Cloud reader is brilliant )....and THAT is money well spent. I agree with these reviews.



> *Editorial Reviews*
> 
> *Review*
> 
> Praise for _Whatever You Do, Don't Run_:
> 
> "Allison's infectious enthusiasm for both the African bush and his job showing its wonders to tourists is readily apparent." --_Booklist_
> 
> "His misadventures make _Whatever You Do, Don't Run_ an absorbing read. . . . The material is rich, and Allison is a gifted storyteller. And the only thing stranger than African fiction is African truth." --_National Geographic Adventure_
> 
> "After reading this entrancing memoir, an African safari may move to No. 1 on your travel wish list. The only catch is you'll want the author as your guide." --_Chicago Sun-Times_
> 
> Praise for _Don't Look Behind You:_
> 
> "The best compliment you can pay a travel writer is to read his work and feel like you're right there with him. For more than two hundred pages, I felt like I was in Africa, up to my neck in danger. I don't even know this guy, but more than once I lay awake at night, worrying for his safety. Enough adventure, action, life lessons, and laughs to fill a movie and four sequels. The fact that Allison survived to write any of this down is a miracle in itself." --Cash Peters, author of _Naked in Dangerous Places_ and _Gullible's Travels_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Product Description*
> 
> Join Peter Allison for a riveting, rollicking, behind-the-scenes dose of everyone’s dream experience—going on safari—and coming through amazed but, thankfully, without a scratch. In _Don’t Look Behind You_, Allison recounts adventures few would live to tell.


Even the opening paragraph of INTRO to the book got a good laugh from me....
great treat on a chilly fall weekend for many.


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## MacDoc

very engaging and well written and researched account of the lead up and passing of the Declaration of Independence.
One is left wondering what the founders might think of the current situation.

Highly recommended to those interested in history.


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## Max

_The Complete Enderby_, which is a compendium of Anthony Burgess' quartet of Enderby books. I'd read A Clockwork Orange as a teen but this discovery has been a delight. Wickedly funny stuff. A sharp wit and a loving look at misanthropy. I feel a certain kinship with the author's endearingly imperfect Enderby.

Next up: China Miéville's _Kraken._ Strange writer whose works I often find bewildering and stilted, yet he has a wonderful imagination and can concoct some wildly vivid tableaux.


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## johnp

"what we think of as life and death, consciousness and nonconsciousness , is not exactly clear, and how this problem has been firther complicated by the business of organ harvesting."

One that my lady is currently reading ... and for her, some "real food for thought" ...


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## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> very engaging and well written and researched account of the lead up and passing of the Declaration of Independence.
> One is left wondering what the founders might think of the current situation.
> 
> Highly recommended to those interested in history.


Looks like an interesting and informative book, MacDoc. Thanks for the citation.

Paix, mon ami.


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## MacDoc

wow - Hugo and Nebula and a fast read.....just buy it


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## MACenstein'sMonster

I highly recommend this book:

The Book of Barely Imagined Beings 
by Caspar Henderson

Loaded with so many fascinating thoughts about the past, present and future that I find it impossible to describe.


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## i<3myiBookg4

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I never caught onto the Harry Potter craze when it was popular... I do petsitting for people and started reading them.


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## JAMG

*Exploring iBooks*

Currently reading "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" - Finishing/rereading some classics on the iPad.

Rereading "The Mallorean" by David Eddings in paperback.

Trying to finish "The King James version of the Holy Bible" - (when inspired to)

Started "Jobs" last Christmas , should finish it one day...


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## MacDoc

Dr. G this may fascinate you....incredible tale.









*My Spendid Concubine*...

one of those stories that if conceived entirely as fiction would not fly but because it is fact based and well researched.....defies belief in an entirely positive way.
A window into a very very different world.

Based on this



> The Diaries of Sir Robert Hart
> *Sir Robert Hart (1935-1911, 2nd IG 1864-1911) wrote in his diary during his long career in imperial China on a daily basis.* The 77-volume diaries start from 27 August 1854 and end on 19 April 1908. During this period, he was deeply invovled in every single project of China’s modernisation and witnessed the restoration and decline of the Qing empire. Although he would usually claim to be an outsider, Hart’s role in the imperial government was incontrovertibly that of an insider. He was highly trusted by the Throne, the Manchu royals, and Chinese officials. Not only was Hart the most powerful foreigner in nineteenth-century China but also one of the most powerful officials in the imperial court.
> 
> As Qing officials’ diaries are usually plain and lack explicit descriptions, Hart’s diaries provide us with a complete account of Qing China’s paces in catching up with the world in the nineteenth century and with pen protraits of his Chinese colleagues. His diaries disclose the true thoughts of the Empress Dowadger, Prince Gong, Wenxiang, etc, towards China’s modernisation. His diaries, in other words, can be considered as a piece of modern Chinese history.
> 
> The 77-volume diaries are preserved at the Library of the Queen’s University of Belfast (The Sir Robert Hart Collection at the Queen’s University of Belfast, click here). In 1970, Harvard modern Chinese historian John King Fairbank and his research team started to decipher Hart’s handwritings in the diaries. With the assistance of Richard Smith, they successfully transcribed, edited, and annotated volumes I-VIII and published: Entering China’s Service: Robert Hart’s Journals, 1854-1863 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1986), and Robert Hart and China’s Early Modernization: His Journals 1863-1866(Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1991). In 2005 the Library of Queen’s University of Belfast finished the draft of the transcriptions of Volume XXXI (for the transcriptions, click here).


really incredible to consider he was in his twenties when he began along with the Imperial Court the transformation 



> *he was deeply invovled in every single project of China’s modernisation*


astounding - I reallllllllly enjoyed this after a slow start. Highly recommended.


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## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Dr. G this may fascinate you....incredible tale.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *My Spendid Concubine*...
> 
> one of those stories that if conceived entirely as fiction would not fly but because it is fact based and well researched.....defies belief in an entirely positive way.
> A window into a very very different world.
> 
> Based on this
> 
> 
> 
> really incredible to consider he was in his twenties when he began along with the Imperial Court the transformation
> 
> 
> astounding - I reallllllllly enjoyed this after a slow start. Highly recommended.


Looks interesting, MacDoc. Merci, mon ami.


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## MacDoc

The Scots apparently DID invent the modern world


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## MacDoc

THIS is blowing my mind....pardon the pun










http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-ebook/dp/B000QCTNIW&tag=rationskepti-20

watch the clip 

eqhd - The Brain That Changes Itself

try some of the exercises
Brain Training Software, Brain Fitness, Brain Games, BrainHQ - Posit Science | Your Brain Health Headquarters


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## chas_m

Since I recently met the man himself, I'm reading "Red Green"'s latest book BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO WOMEN (FOR MEN WHO DON'T READ INSTRUCTIONS)


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## SINC

Just started to re-read The Friends Of Eddie Coyle. It has been years since I last read it. It is one of the literary gems of writing of the 1970s and should be on everyone's must read list.










I have been waiting for the movie price to come down, but it still hangs on at $19.95 on iTunes to buy the movie which stars Robert Mitchum and has become almost a cult movie.


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## Rps

I'm reading two, Game of Thrones, which I find not a bad read ... I think I like it better than Divergent.... But it is quite a looooooooooooong read. The second book is War by Gwynne Dyer, also an excellent read.


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## screature

People still read words printed on paper? Who would have thought it in this day and age?!

Just kidding... kind of. 

But I hardly read anything at all in a printed, bound and book format at all these days. But then again I don't read for pleasure that much at all anymore, even though I have many unread books in my personal library.

Funny how times, interests and priorities change over the years, whether they be wilful or thrust upon you.


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## Rps

screature said:


> I don't read for pleasure that much at all anymore, even though I have many unread books in my personal.


Screature been down that road. For years I spent all my time either reading course material or government legislation .... Nice that I can now have some me time.

One of my joys is my Kobo ... Many of the classic works are free ... It is nice to read them again ... Their use of language is still a thing of beauty ... And I can carry all 200 of them around very easily.


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## screature

Rps said:


> Screature been down that road. For years I spent all my time either reading course material or government legislation .... Nice that I can now have some me time.
> 
> One of my joys is my Kobo ... Many of the classic works are free ... It is nice to read them again ... Their use of language is still a thing of beauty ... And I can carry all 200 of them around very easily.


So what are some of your favourite genres/forms of literature/writing Rps and why?


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## Rps

screature said:


> So what are some of your favourite genres/forms of literature/writing Rps and why?


I'm all over the map. I usually like writers and I binge on them. My favs are Wilbur Smith, Paulo Friere, Rutherford,


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## SINC

Rps said:


> I usually like writers and I binge on them.


Elmore Leonard


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## skippythebushkangaroo

The national bestselling Party of One.


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## screature

Milan Kundera

I think I have read almost everything he has written in English translation, with my favourites being ,"The Unbearable Lightness of Being" and "Life is Elsewhere".

Those are books that I have not read recently but still resonate with me now.


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## screature

skippythebushkangaroo said:


> The national bestselling Party of One.


Gosh that is a surprise!

I think you and Michael Harris are one in the same person....

I really do.


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## CubaMark

_With the announcement of his passing this morning at the age of 74, may I recommend the newly-released book by Eduardo Galeano, "Children of the Days".

His voice will be missed immensely._

*Eduardo Galeano Dead, Prolific Writer Was 74*










Award-winning Uruguayan writer Eduardo Galeano and leading leftwing intellectual has died, El Pais reported.

He was 74.

Galeano was best known for his 1971 anti-imperialist work, "Open Veins of Latin America," which details Latin America's exploitation at the hands of foreign powers, beginning with Spanish colonization five centuries ago and continuing to the present with the United States.

The book was banned for years by military dictatorships in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. Galeano himself was arrested and exiled after a military coup lead by Juan Maria Bordaberry took over Uruguay in 1973.

“Open Veins” received renewed attention in 2009, when Venezuela's leftwing former President Hugo Chávez gave a copy to President Barack Obama at the Summit of the Americas and urged him to read it. Within hours of the event, the book soared to number 11 on Amazon.com’s best sellers list.

The book has been widely praised and has been translated into at least 20 languages. In 2009, the Guardian called Galeano "one of the most well-known and celebrated writers in Latin America."

"We have a memory cut in pieces," he once told "Democracy Now. "And I write trying to recover our real memory, the memory of humankind, what I call the human rainbow, which is much more colorful and beautiful than the other one, the other rainbow. But the human rainbow had been mutilated by machismo, racism, militarism and a lot of other isms, who have been terribly killing our greatness, our possible greatness, our possible beauty."​
(HuffPo)










_"In 1492, the natives discovered that they were Indians, they discovered that they lived in America, they discovered that they were nude, they discovered the existence of sin, they discovered that they owed obedience to a king and queen from another world and to a god from another heaven, and that this god had created guilt and clothing, and had ordered that those who loved the sun and the moon and the earth and the rains that soaked them, should be burned alive."_​


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## Macfury

CubaMark said:


> _"In 1492, the natives discovered that they were Indians, they discovered that they lived in America, they discovered that they were nude, they discovered the existence of sin, they discovered that they owed obedience to a king and queen from another world and to a god from another heaven, and that this god had created guilt and clothing, and had ordered that those who loved the sun and the moon and the earth and the rains that soaked them, should be burned alive."_​


With all due respect to the deceased, the Aztecs were burning each other to death in ritual human sacrifice before the arrival of the Spanish.


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## CubaMark

Macfury said:


> With all due respect to the deceased, the Aztecs were burning each other to death in ritual human sacrifice before the arrival of the Spanish.


Oh, yes, certainly. The 90% of indigenous americans who died as a result of the Spanish colonization and its accompanying influenza, smallpox, buebonic plague, etc., certainly is better than the handful of sacrifices to gods made by the various native cultures every harvest season.

Do you even think before you start to type?


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## Macfury

Always. That's why my comments are so incisive.



CubaMark said:


> Do you even think before you start to type?


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## IronMac

CubaMark said:


> Oh, yes, certainly. The 90% of indigenous americans who died as a result of the Spanish colonization and its accompanying influenza, smallpox, buebonic plague, etc., certainly is better than the handful of sacrifices to gods made by the various native cultures every harvest season.


Let's right the historical record, shall we?

The Aztecs wrought religious murder on an industrial scale with tens of thousands being killed every year. That's right...not just a handful. They killed people through ripping their hearts out (while still alive), fights to the death, death games, etc. No one was spared - men, women, children, slaves and nobility alike.

It's also often forgotten or ignored that the Spanish themselves were greatly assisted by the other Latin American tribes in their destruction of the Aztecs. In fact, without the other Amerindians the Spanish would have been thrown back into the sea.

Sadly, there is probably nothing that the Spanish and other colonialists have done that the Amerindians themselves weren't doing for millennia. Slavery, yep. Wars of conquest, yep. Torture, yep.


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## IronMac

Currently reading The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson, second of the Liberation Trilogy of books.

Also, The Floating Girl: A Rei Shumara mystery by Sujata Massey. Series was primarily done in the 1990s and I remember those times and even know people who lived in Japan then. Interesting...


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## IronMac

Still on The Day of Battle.

The Collaborator of Bethlehem by Rees...quite good...gritty.

True Soldier Gentlemen by Adrian Goldsworthy an author familiar to those of us who have a slight acquaintance with Roman history. True Soldier Gentlemen puts you into the Peninsular War..another view for those of us familiar with Cornwell's extremely popular Sharpe series.


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## Macfury

Do you like Haruki Murakami novels, IronMac?


----------



## IronMac

Macfury said:


> Do you like Haruki Murakami novels, IronMac?


Never heard of him and after looking him up I doubt that I would read any of his works.

Long Way Down by Michael Sears...third of an excellent series involving a flawed hero and his attempts to get on with life. Cannot recommend this highly enough.


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## Macfury

IronMac said:


> Never heard of him and after looking him up I doubt that I would read any of his works.


Just a shot in the dark, seeing many take place in 1990s Japan.


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## chasMac

Lot of Jack Ketchum. Positively unreal that Girl Next Door is based on actual events. In the latest printing Ketchum mentions his retelling is actually tamer than what transpired in reality. Some sick sob's out there I guess.


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## Rps

Maybe it's confirmation bias, but I really enjoyed Margaret MacMillan's wonderful essay "The Rhyme Of History". It isn't often I recommend an item as mandatory reading, but this is close. Whether you agree with her or not, it is the thinking that matter.


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## IronMac

Rps said:


> Maybe it's confirmation bias, but I really enjoyed Margaret MacMillan's wonderful essay "The Rhyme Of History". It isn't often I recommend an item as mandatory reading, but this is close. Whether you agree with her or not, it is the thinking that matter.


The day that we have massive militaries locked into train schedules is the day that I will start to even think about a worldwide conflict beginning in Europe.


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## IronMac

Beat the Drums Slowly by Adrian Goldsworthy, not as strong as the first in the series but not that bad.


----------

