What are you reading?

[Tour2ma]

Since this is the entertainment section of the forum... and I've a pretty fair library in town.

Just started on a Christmas present, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris. This, the first installment of his Teddy Trilogy, won Morris a Pulitzer. If the book is half as good as its Prologue - 1907, this will be a good read.

Recent Reads I'd recommend highly:
The Big Short - Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
Too Big to Fail - Andrew Ross Sorkin (soon to be an HBO movie)

They are two different perspectives on the financial crash. While you might expect an accounting lesson, both read more like "can't put it down" novels. Taken in combination you'll get a better understanding of the crash than you ever thought possible.

[Kenneth Swauger]

I recently finished "Libby Prison Breakout" by Joseph Wheelan. Unbelievable treatment of Union prisoners, just heartbreaking.

[RuSsMaN]

I just read the back of a shampoo bottle while on the throne.

[jflail2]

"A$$holes Finish First"- Tucker Max

I admittedly like some rather crude humor, so this book had me rolling.

"War"-Sebastian Junger

This was a phenomenal read; one of the best war books I've read in a LONG time. After you've read this (preferrably twice), check out the associated documentary, "Restrepo". It's currently available on Netflix instant queue.

[fatchowmein]

Current readings because I have the attention span of a 2 year old and can't stick with just one book.

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch, translated by Lee Chadeayne (Kindle, $3.99). A hangman investigates a boy's murder in a German town in 1660.

Decision Points by George W. Bush (Kindle, $9.99).

The Second Ship (The Rho Agenda: Book One) by Richard Phillips (Kindle $.99). Door to the Roswell spacecraft is open (that's as far as I got reading multiple books and going to parties all week ).

[Willow]

This thread.......

I am re-reading WatershipDown

[Polkersince85]

I'm about halfway through the second volume of The War Between the States published 1868 by Alexander H. Stephens. I went to school for the 1st-3rd grades right behind Liberty Hall.

If we don't know our history, we may repeat it.

[kefranklin]

Conrad- Heart of Darkness
Burroughs- The Adding Machine
Vonnegut- The Sirens of Titan
One for while I listen to classical, one for while I poop, and one for before bed.

[decal]

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancey

[cnh]

Something new for my classes: Coming of Age in Second life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human, Boellstorff, T.

A kind of Ethnography about the Virtual world of Second Life. Some of you probably know that world better than I, because I'm not a 30 something? And don't do Matrix Realities? But they are interesting, as are their PARTICIPANTS!

cnh

[Tour2ma]

Interesting collection so far...

You Civil War buffs owe yourselves some time with Shelby Foote's Trilogy.

[DAGLJAM6]

Interesting collection so far...

You Civil War buffs owe yourselves some time with Shelby Foote's Trilogy.

A fine set and he, Shelby Foote, was interviewed extensively for The PBS/Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War"

[newrival]

When I have time to truly read: The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David G. McCullough

On the train: Reinventing Gravity: A Physicist Goes Beyond Einstein by John W. Moffat

For fun: The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss

[BlueFox]

Programming in Python, and some papers on object oriented programming with XOTCL.

But it does pay the bills, and support the audio habit.

[Kenneth Swauger]

Hello Tour,
Yes, I agree Foote's Civil War volumes are a must, also his fiction writing is very good.
Ken

[Rivrrat]

I'll be starting "Moscow Rules" by Daniel Silva tonight.

[fbm211]

The wheel of time -book 13

[shack]

"Infinite Dreams" The First Collection Of Short Stories by Joe Haldeman (science fiction)

[punk-roc]

"Infinite Dreams" The First Collection Of Short Stories by Joe Haldeman (science fiction)

I like Haldeman.. he's the author of the Forever War series right? great books..

[shack]

I like Haldeman.. he's the author of the Forever War series right?

Yes...he is.

[Cosmic_American]

A People's History of the United States - Howard Zinn

[joeparaski]

I've been reading most of the books put out by James Redfield.

The Celestine Prophecy
The Tenth Insight
The Secret of the Shambhala

I'm currently on.... The Celestine Vision
And then... The Celestine Prophecy..An Experiential Guide


I wish I had more time to read.

Joe

[newrival]

A People's History of the United States - Howard Zinn

An interesting read. This was required reading for a course I took in college but never read it (still got an A ). I found it sitting in a box of text books and decided to finally give it chance. Very good, although with a heavier bias than i'd like, But still good.

[TroyD]

Right now I'm reading Decision Points.....now, up front, I'm a fan of George W. Bush and I take him at face value when he says what he says...but, I think I would have sprung for a ghost writer. Talk about pretty dry reading....whew.

Also read Afghanistan: A Military History from Alex. the Great to the War Against the Taliban by Stephen Tanner. Interesting read.

I also read Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett a few days before Christmas. Liked it, not one of his best. Could have been about 500 pages shorter.

BDT

[vc69]

Pema Chodron - Start Where You Are.

[Cosmic_American]

An interesting read. This was required reading for a course I took in college but never read it (still got an A ). I found it sitting in a box of text books and decided to finally give it chance. Very good, although with a heavier bias than i'd like, But still good.

You're right, it is biased - but like Zinn says it is a specific telling of history that has been left out of text books, the story from the point of view of the Native Americans, slaves, immigrants, women and working class peoples. It definitely makes you reconsider the history you were taught in school.

[Willow]

I've been reading most of the books put out by James Redfield.

The Celestine Prophecy
The Tenth Insight
The Secret of the Shambhala

I'm currently on.... The Celestine Vision
And then... The Celestine Prophecy..An Experiential Guide


I wish I had more time to read.

Joe

Stop buying projectors and BR dvdps....you might have some time

[newrival]

You're right, it is biased - but like Zinn says it is a specific telling of history that has been left out of text books, the story from the point of view of the Native Americans, slaves, immigrants, women and working class peoples. It definitely makes you reconsider the history you were taught in school.

Yeah, I really liked the perspective, as well as the the overall themes. I just felt it was a tad heavy-handed. For most of the text it was a compelling read. There were a few moments, however, where it just seemed like he had an axe to grind.

[Tour2ma]

A fine set and he, Shelby Foote, was interviewed extensively for The PBS/Ken Burns documentary "The Civil War"

Yes... and it took almost half of Volume 1 to get his slo-o-ow, southern country gentleman drawl out of my head so I could pick up the pace... 20 years of the man's life went into this work... RIP Mr. Foote...

Ken,
Knew he was a novelist and that his background dictated his style in the trilogy, but never sought out his novels. I'll do so.

For fun: The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss

LOL…. Finally, a practical listing… I look forward to your review…

[Jstas]

Decision Points by George W. Bush


It's more interesting and compelling than most people think or would give him credit for.