Friday OT #1 - Reading Too Much

[Angie]

What's the last book you read/are reading? Was it good? Premise?

I received The Beastie Boys' autobiography Book for Christmas, and picked it up to read last weekend while on planes. It's great.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Currently reading "This Kind of War" by T.R. Fehrenbach, covering the Korean War.

I don't know that I'd call it good, as it's definitely written from the "we should have kept a standing army" perspective (which I disagree with), but it's decent in giving an overview of what happened in a war that I've read far less about than the other wars we've been involved in.

 

[cycloneG]

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

If you're a Sanderson fan, I think you'd like it.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

If you're a Sanderson fan, I think you'd like it.

Just finished the Mistborn trilogy, which I thought was outstanding. Anxiously awaiting the next book of the Stormlight Archive. He's easily my favorite fantasy writer after Tolkien.

 

[cycloneG]

Just finished the Mistborn trilogy, which I thought was outstanding. Anxiously awaiting the next book of the Stormlight Archive. He's easily my favorite fantasy writer after Tolkien.

The volume of writing he produces is amazing. I also like that all of his separate lines of writing actually take place in the same reality. I mean a character from Warbreaker showing up in Oathbringer is pretty damn cool.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

The Fifth Beginning.
It's an anthropological view of how mankind's past can give us insight into our future.

 

[Cyclonepride]

The volume of writing he produces is amazing. I also like that all of his separate lines of writing actually take place in the same reality. I mean a character from Warbreaker showing up in Oathbringer is pretty damn cool.

What makes him a favorite of mine is his world creation. Allomancy and shardblades, both very cool and creative in their own right, and then he adds the political background to it that gives interesting commentary on real world matters.

 

[SCyclone]

Just read "The Couple Next Door", a mystery by Shari Lapena, on the flight home from Seattle. Pretty good book, lots of twists and turns. Thinking about re-reading Steve King's "It" after seeing the move recently.

 

[amishclone]

Deep South, Paul Theroux. Hard bitten liberal from Massachusetts tours south, has (mostly) good times. Is surprised that the Clinton Foundation doesn't help any of the needy people he meets.

The book seemed overly pessimistic I thought.

 

[jcyclonee]

Bering Straight by some anonymous author. It's about a mythical Russian invasion of Alaska. It was free using the Prime lending library. The price was right. I enjoy the spy/war genre. However, I have one question. Why does Russia always think they can get away with this stuff? It never works.

 

[NWICY]

Project Columbine it was about the use of carrier pigeons in WW 2. It was pretty interesting I thought all spying was one by radios, but nope not so much. The hardest part was getting the pigeons to the spies. Both the British and Germans had Falconry units for hunting the others pigeons.

Fiction a Clive Cussler book with a cowriter. They are a formulatic quick easy mindless read.

 

[cycloner29]

Playboy

 

[coolerifyoudid]

I just finished Douglas Preston's "The Lost City of the Monkey God" about an archaeological expedition into previously uncharted jungles in Honduras. He's a fictional writer whose style I enjoy, but this was a real-life account of his journey.

The first 3/4 of the book was fantastic, covering the politics of the area, the dangers they encountered, the red tape they had to navigate, the team, previous failed attempts, the technology used, etc. Archaeology is an interest of mine and a field I wished I'd pursued, so I found it really compelling.

The last 1/4 went a little too in depth about the disease that the crew contracted (leishmaniasis) during the expedition. However, it made me aware of an ancient disease I'd never heard of before that could be making a bit of a comeback.

 

[Entropy]

I usually have several books going at a time, depending on mood.
1. Radium Girls
All about the young women who painted clocks in the 20s and 30s. Fascinating read on corporate power, medial diagnosis, and social stigmas.
2 Undaunted Courage
Historical book on Louis and Clark. Interesting read, but it's taking me some time to get into. Interesting to get some of the back story since my knowledge isn't much than what gets in high school or from documentaries.
3. Guns, Germs, and Steel
I read this about 10 years ago, but I'm rereading to see how the ideas hold now that I'm a touch older and have a little more knowledge. Discusses development of human societies and why some have achieved such technological innovations.
4. Rosalind Franklin The Dark Lady of DNA
I've briefly started this one and am excited to get into it. I discuss Rosalind essentially every term (I teach a short course on biochemistry) so some more color to the discussion will definitely be welcome.

 

[MeanDean]

The Roof, I Was There - Ken Mansfield.

I got it for Christmas. Thin/light reading. Ken Mansfield was a Capitol Records employee who ended up being sort of the liaison between the Apple organization and the US Capitol label who were contracted to press and distribute the Apple Records products in the USA. He was on the Apple Rooftop for the short live concert on 30 Jan 1969 that ended up in the Let It Be movie.

 

[oldman]

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King. It's a compilation of a couple novellas and several short stories that chronologically tie together. I think the first novella "Low Men in Yellow Coats" has some tie-in to the Dark Tower series (which I never read). It's been entertaining so far.

 

[VeloClone]

The Code: Football's Unwritten Rules and Its Ignore-At-Your-Own-Risk Code of Honor by Ross Bernstein

I received an autographed copy from the author years ago when I heard him speak and never finished reading it so I started reading it again.

If someone gives you a free autographed copy of a book you should probably read it.

Reading some of the quotes from some of the most notorious dirty players in the history of the NFL just reinforced for me what asshats they pretty much all were. Some seemed to think they weren't dirty even though their own words reinforce that they were. Some talk about never having to engage in retribution, which is a big part of the code - the players policing themselves. What it really came down to, was if you never had to engage in retribution, you were probably the player on the field that was always playing dirty and would prompt retribution from others. Your regular play was like the retribution that was occasionally handed out by the other guys.

 

[cyclones500]

Recently got "The Rolling Stone Interviews." Collection of the magazine's Q&As from 1968 thru 2005. I had read some of them throughout the years, when they were collected in separate volumes (early years, '70s and 80s). Plenty I haven't seen and some I'd like to re-read.

I have about a dozen sample books on my tablet, too, trying to make decisions for what to buy next.

 

[cowgirl836]

Bright From the Start by Jill Stamm. Book about baby/toddler development. Was really informative with lots of activities and games to play. Gave the science behind why things parents naturally do (parentese, talking right in baby's face, playing "gotcha" games) are so important.
Also made me turn off the tv. We hadn't been using it much but I noticed it fascinated the baby so I'd leave it on when I needed a few minutes. No more, she explained the science on why it's so bad for kids under 2. And Mr. Rogers is apparently an excellent program for when he gets a bit older.

 

[jcyclonee]

The Fifth Beginning.
It's an anthropological view of how mankind's past can give us insight into our future.

Throw in some aliens and I think you have the plot of that bad Indiana Jones movie.