What book(s) are you reading?

[Old Man Mike]

The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy is a "British" product of the imagination, which colors it in a certain way. It is intelligently written and creative, and many times borders on the slapstick ridiculous [therefore you have to be in that sort of mood to enjoy it.] Douglas Adams is a thinker, however, and broaches both scientific and existential conundrums in his seemingly light-hearted way --- a non-spoiler example: "Time is an Illusion; lunchtime doubly so." [there's a lot more in that than meets the ear.]

The British underpinning of this is: it's materialist and fatalistic. There is no shred of spirituality anywhere and therefore, in typical modern Brit fashion, no purpose to anything except getting on with the next day and trying to survive. Adams in the end is one of those moderns who is tremendously creative and intelligent but ultimately hopeless --- life is only trying to survive and have as good a time doing it as you can. His other popular book [Dirk Gently's ... something or another... Detective Agency ] has at least a small wedge in it allowing the reader to imagine other realities and possible wider hopes. Both are extremely clever.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Marcus Aurelius' Meditations are both an inspiration and a sadness when taken in total historical context --- a good teacher/father could use their whole story wisely with youngsters.

He shows that just because you are full of power you can still be a thinker with broader use of your mind/heart. [though it should be remembered that during his reign the legions were constantly at war along the northern borders trying to preserve the Pax Romana initiated by the great emperors Hadrian, Trajan, and Antoninus Pius before him.]

The sadness is that his own son didn't get it. He became a lazy bum as to administration, and a pursuer of personal debauchery, rather than give proper attention to his job. He had economic troubles, but most emperors did. He maintained popularity just like a modern politician would: handing out spectacular events and gladiatorial games to distract the "nobility" and the monied persons/citizens of Rome while "dancing" the country's way towards a cliff.

Unlike the previous five emperors who had a century of relatively civilized life at court, Commodus [the son] was strangled by court persons/ Praetorians who had it up to their eyeballs and got rid of him. Thus was initiated a couple of centuries of court intrigues, violence, and assassinations, which contributed to the destruction of the Empire. Commodus is "credited" with the beginnings of the failed state. ... quite the irony given who his father was.

 

[IrishLion]

Finished "House of Chains" and "Midnight Tides" in Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen.

These books keep getting better. I like how they are so different, almost stand-alone tales, and yet they all tie in to the big-picture storyline. It's one thing to read a successful series, but it's something else entirely to read tales that are such far cries from one another, yet work together so nicely.

I enjoyed the story line with Trull Sengar and his brothers immensely, but I think I enjoyed the "Tales of Tehol and Bugg" more than anything else in the whole series thus far. Tehol Beddict was a much-needed large dose of comic relief, as was Bugg. And that doesn't even account for the hilarious undead inhabitants of Letheras, such as the failed guard who wants nothing more than to be a cliche haunted house prop.

Tehol Beddict is definitely my favorite character thus far. After that, it is some jumble between Cotillion (thrilling mystery), Karsa Orlong (dry humor meets epic story), and Quick Ben (moar mystery).

I'm also growing pretty fond of Greyfrog the demon, now that I'm working through "The Bonehunters."

 

[ACamp1900]

Reading 'Ghost Story' by Straub right now, have "Pillars of the Earth' on deck...

for one reason or another I always go in the same cycle, this time of year i always want fiction.. by the new year I'll be all over non-fiction (sports or basic history) until next fall.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Wherever you go, there you are & The Intelligent Gardener

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Reading "13 Hours in Bengazi" right now. Really good read. Written in a narrative style, but was taken all from first hand accounts.

 

[RyCo1983]

Tom Clancy's "Red Storm Rising"

 

[GO IRISH!!!]

Tom Clancy's "Red Storm Rising"

Been a long time since I read that book, but I do remember it was really, really good. I might have to revisit that one sometime soon.

 

[Cackalacky]

I bought the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series yesterday. Anyone read it? I really have no idea what to expect.

One of my all time favorites. Fun and silly but very intelligent. Enjoy it and dont take it too seriously.

 

[IrishLion]

This is the definite non-hipster way to compile a reading list, but at the end of the year or at the beginning of January, I'll check the "Time Top 10 Everything of 20__." I usually jump right to the top 10 fiction/non-fiction lists to compile a reading list for the future.

One I'm really excited about from the non-fiction list, purely out of nerd joy, is What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. The cover has a t-rex being hoisted into a Sarlac pit. I'm sold.

I've still got a few books to read before I can get to the new stuff though.

For my Malazan bros, I'm still working through the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I've got about 100 pages to go in Reaper's Gale, and then 3 books after that. There was a particular passage near the end of RG that really hit me hard. Not even gonna lie, I cried like a 10-year-old girl when I read it.

Take my man card if you will, but that stuff was more emotional than anything I've read in fantasy before.

 

[jimmymac]

Reading Lincoln's Boys right now, about his secretaries and their relationship with the president. A little slower than I would have preferred... But nontheless interesting

 

[woolybug25]

Going after Cacciato by Tim O'Brien. Pretty good so far. Interesting plot and the chapters change POV to give it a different feel.

 

[#1rish]

Halfway through American Sniper. Can't wait for the movie next week.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

For my Malazan bros, I'm still working through the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. I've got about 100 pages to go in Reaper's Gale, and then 3 books after that. There was a particular passage near the end of RG that really hit me hard. Not even gonna lie, I cried like a 10-year-old girl when I read it.

Take my man card if you will, but that stuff was more emotional than anything I've read in fantasy before.

I assume you mean the scene with Trull and Rhulad in the arena. What'd you think of Tehol and Bug?

 

[IrishLion]

I assume you mean the scene with Trull and Rhulad in the arena. What'd you think of Tehol and Bug?

NOPE not there yet haha. I can only imagine what will happen with Icarium, Karsa, Trull, and Rhulad.

I was talking about Beak remembering what happened to his brother, and then protecting his friends, followed by the passage where he meets his brother once again.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

NOPE not there yet haha. I can only imagine what will happen with Icarium, Karsa, Trull, and Rhulad.

Oy. Prepare yourself for another emotional d!ck punch.

I was talking about Beak remembering what happened to his brother, and then protecting his friends, followed by the passage where he meets his brother once again.

Had completely forgotten about that scene, but makes sense. I was consistently impressed with Erikson's ability craft heart-breaking resolutions to his myriad of character story arcs. Not easy to make a reader care so much when the cast is so large.

 

[IrishLion]

Had completely forgotten about that scene, but makes sense. I was consistently impressed with Erikson's ability craft heart-breaking resolutions to his myriad of character story arcs. Not easy to make a reader care so much when the cast is so large.

That's what got me I think haha. Beak hadn't been introduced until this book, the 7th in the series, and because of his nature, his background, and his inner-monologues, you become sympathetic to him immediately. And then BOOM! Plotline resolution. It's amazing that a character with only 9 or 10 passages, and only in a single book, affected me so much.

I also think a lot of it had to do with his arrival after the ordeal, especially the "sensitization" of the character that greeted him before sending him along to his brother. And then, of course, his brother not recognizing him, but not in a bad way.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Is the Malazan Book of the Fallen series recommended by most here? I could use a new fantasy series to dive into at some point, not right now.

Reading:
Code
Sacred Economics: Money, Gift and Society in the Age of Transition

 

[NDhoosier]

Just finished Unlocking the Kingdom and starting Ranger's Apprentice Book 3.

Been enjoying both series!

 

[PLACforever]

 

[bkess8]

Started the first book in the John puller series, very excited! Anyone else read any of David Baldacci's books?

 

[IrishJayhawk]

The Night of the Gun by David Carr

He was a junkie for about 20 years while holding several decent writing jobs. Now that he's clean, he went back and did some investigative journalism on his life at the time (primarily because it's mostly a haze).

Really interesting stuff and some great writing. I'd recommend it.

The Night of the Gun by David Carr

 

[IrishLion]

Harper Lee and publisher are dropping the sequel to "To Kill a Mockingbird" in July.

I'm pretty jacked up. That's my favorite book of all time.

 

[Irish Knuckles]

star wars darth bane rule of two.

im taking a break from proper reading material.

 

[tko]

I'm about to start, The Matheny Manifesto. I'm on a crusade against the pitfalls of youth sports. I just started my own soccer club for my 11 year old daughter to get out of our current club's political bullsht. I pray to God we can build it the right way and teach kids about character and sportsmanship, while developing their skills. I realize winning is important, but we don't always win in life. I'll let you guys know about the book when i'm finished.

 

[ACamp1900]

Reading...

On deck...

 

[woolybug25]

Harper Lee and publisher are dropping the sequel to "To Kill a Mockingbird" in July.

I'm pretty jacked up. That's my favorite book of all time.

It's weird that this book isn't getting more pub. She wrote it during the same period of time that she wrote Mockingbird, but didn't publish it. Any piece of literature written by Lee during the time of one of the greatest pieces of literature ever is a must read. Especially a sequel to it.

 

[Old Man Mike]

James Blish's A Case of Conscience --- sort of an earlier version [1958] of what a member of an alien from an idealistic society might think of ours. Not the total punch in the guts of Heinlein's
Stranger in a Strange Land a decade later, but consciousness expanding still.

 

[NDBoiler]

Just finished "The Last Battle" by Cornelius Ryan. I've already read his "The Longest Day", so I'm going to complete the trilogy and read "A Bridge Too Far". I just love his style, his books are such a quick read. It is also really neat to read these books since it is all based on 1st hand accounts from the people involved, which is a very enjoyable style for military history.

 

[IrishLion]

It's weird that this book isn't getting more pub. She wrote it during the same period of time that she wrote Mockingbird, but didn't publish it. Any piece of literature written by Lee during the time of one of the greatest pieces of literature ever is a must read. Especially a sequel to it.

I just finished reading an article that kind of had a cynical take on the situation. Lee's sister, who was also her lawyer and helped keep her out of the spotlight (Lee equates herself to Boo Radley), passed away three months ago.

Now just three months after her defacto protector is gone, the publisher suddenly announces the existence/publishing of a book that has been a secret for 50 years. The author worries that Lee, who has been described as senile and often just signs whatever is put in front of her, may be being taken advantage of.

I'm not sure what to think. Either way, the new novel was actually written BEFORE Mockingbird, so I'm very hopeful that it holds up to the original.