What book(s) are you reading?

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Great story about when Tomlin was Cincinnati Bearcats DB coach. Bob Davie calls to offer him a job at ND to replace Urban Meyer who left for Bowling Green. Tomlin gets another call from Monte Kiffin to coach DBs with Tampa Bay. Tomlin goes to the NFL.

 

[IrishLion]

Finally finished the last book in the Wheel of Time series… I’m really glad I powered through. Wonderful ending that felt just right for the series. I’ve got that empty feeling now that accompanies finishing a book series that you’ve been invested in for a long time.

Book one started a bit slow in terms of following genre tropes. The series picks up after that, with some warts here and there, but some really good stuff, too. There was definitely a slog from books 7-10.

But holy cow, the last three books… pretty good stuff. The last book, in particular, makes me wish Logain and the Black Tower storyline had gotten more page time somehow. It’s a tragedy that a character like Androl isn’t introduced until book 14.

In a similar vein, kind of curious the way some characters and storylines fizzled. Probably for the best, with how well handled that massive, book-long climax was.

I haven’t read any Sanderson yet, but I will now.

 

[nsisk157]

Harry Potter with my daughter for her first journey through the series. Doing some editing on the fly as some of the words are a little mature for her (5 y/o). She is enamored. One chapter a night.

 

[GATTACA!]

Finally finished the last book in the Wheel of Time series… I’m really glad I powered through. Wonderful ending that felt just right for the series. I’ve got that empty feeling now that accompanies finishing a book series that you’ve been invested in for a long time.

Give ASOIAF a shot. You'll never have that empty feeling! 😭😩

 

[IrishLion]

Give ASOIAF a shot. You'll never have that empty feeling! 😭😩

GRRM has already said he’s not gonna let someone finish his books if he kicks the bucket, since the show did it for him, didn’t he?

No way GRRM makes it to book 7/8 lol

 

[GATTACA!]

GRRM has already said he’s not gonna let someone finish his books if he kicks the bucket, since the show did it for him, didn’t he?

No way GRRM makes it to book 7/8 lol

He did say that but publishers are greedy and at some point the rights will pass to someone who doesn't care about George's wishes. There are enough drafts that I'm sure you could compile a pretty coherent novel just from stuff GRRM has added/cut/rewritten already from tWoW. He thought he was a few weeks away from being done with it in 2015! Now we're in 2024 and he's 75% done.

I do believe we'll get Winds from George at least. ADoS is just that hoverer IMO. A dream. I don't think George has it in him and even if he did with each book that he publishes it also seems less and less likely that 8 books will be enough to finish the story anyways. Someone did a manuscript breakdown of all the stuff we know for a fact that has to be written and it just seems like there's no way it works in 8.

 

[Ophiocordyceps]

The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate

 

[Rasputin]

Rasputin's new year's resolution was to knock off 1 classic per month.

January: Great Expectations - done
February: David Copperfield - done
March: Anna Karenina - on pace
April: not selected yet. Open to suggestions.

 

[IrishLion]

He did say that but publishers are greedy and at some point the rights will pass to someone who doesn't care about George's wishes. There are enough drafts that I'm sure you could compile a pretty coherent novel just from stuff GRRM has added/cut/rewritten already from tWoW. He thought he was a few weeks away from being done with it in 2015! Now we're in 2024 and he's 75% done.

I do believe we'll get Winds from George at least. ADoS is just that hoverer IMO. A dream. I don't think George has it in him and even if he did with each book that he publishes it also seems less and less likely that 8 books will be enough to finish the story anyways. Someone did a manuscript breakdown of all the stuff we know for a fact that has to be written and it just seems like there's no way it works in 8.

It would take a massive change in his writing style to get Dany across the ocean, rallying banners to her cause, dealing with Fake Aegon, and then battling the Night's King AND THEN going for King's Landing. No way he could make even just her storyline work in another two books, imo, not to mention all the shit he's slowly building with the hidden Stark kid, Sansa, Arya, etc. etc.

Maybe he IS changing his writing style, and that's why it's taken so long for him to get through tWoW? The show made him realize that he's gotta compress in a major way, or else he really has no chance at even finishing book 6. Not enough time for him to do a "Feast for Crows" style split.

Really, though... I just don't think he cares at this point, because even with a style change, it's still unlikely he'd be satisfied with his own conclusion in 7 books based on all the seeds he's planted.

 

[Redbar]

Rasputin's new year's resolution was to knock off 1 classic per month.

January: Great Expectations - done
February: David Copperfield - done
March: Anna Karenina - on pace
April: not selected yet. Open to suggestions.

Picture of Dorian Gray, 1984, or maybe Rasputin like Crime and Punishment.

 

[Bishop2b5]

Rasputin's new year's resolution was to knock off 1 classic per month.

January: Great Expectations - done
February: David Copperfield - done
March: Anna Karenina - on pace
April: not selected yet. Open to suggestions.

Picture of Dorian Gray, 1984, or maybe Rasputin like Crime and Punishment.

Yeah, some Dosta... Dosoys... Dostoves... the Russian guy who wrote Crime & Punishment and The Idiot. His stuff's always good. Can't go wrong with Dickens either.

 

[GATTACA!]

Rasputin's new year's resolution was to knock off 1 classic per month.

January: Great Expectations - done
February: David Copperfield - done
March: Anna Karenina - on pace
April: not selected yet. Open to suggestions.

The Count of Monte Cristo is excellent.

 

[greyhammer90]

Rasputin's new year's resolution was to knock off 1 classic per month.

January: Great Expectations - done
February: David Copperfield - done
March: Anna Karenina - on pace
April: not selected yet. Open to suggestions.

If you want something lighter but still canonical literature, I read "A Confederancy of Dunces" earlier this year and really enjoyed it.

 

[IrishLion]

The Count of Monte Cristo is excellent.

Edmond Dantes the GOAT

 

[zelezo vlk]

Just finished The Stranger by Camus, about to start The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder, which was written by the guy who did Killers of the Flower Moon

The Wager is awesome btw, it'll make a great movie. In a very similar vein, I just finished In the Heart of the Sea, which is another non-fiction retelling of the real inspiration behind Moby Dick. Very similar vibes to The Wager but with even more sinister undertones.

Right now I'm starting Empire of the Summer Moon which is all about the Comancheria. I got an itch to read it a couple months back when I was reading one of the Lonesome Dove prequels.

 

[Valpodoc85]

The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I by Douglas Brunt

“No inventor was more disruptive to the established order than Rudolf Diesel,” writes historian and novelist Brunt (Trophy Son) ...

www.publishersweekly.com

 

[Giddyup]

Any recommendations for general self help books you’ve read??

 

[allenm5333]

Any recommendations for general self help books you’ve read??

Anything by Ryan Holiday

 

[Giddyup]

Anything by Ryan Holiday

Shit I thought that was the book title until I just figured out you meant any book by him. Bought “The Obstacle is the Way” on audiobook. I’ll try it out thanks!

 

[T-Boone]

Any recommendations for general self help books you’ve read??

The Bible

 

[allenm5333]

Shit I thought that was the book title until I just figured out you meant any book by him. Bought “The Obstacle is the Way” on audiobook. I’ll try it out thanks!

My favorite it. Read it twice. The second time after being screwed over at my old job. Even got it tatted on me

 

[BobbyMac]

2034: A Novel of the Next World War
By James Stavridis

If Retired Admiral Stavridis' written words is as good as his spoken words, this and the follow up, 2054 should be excellent.

 

[NDFAN420]

Re-reading parts of a great book "The Kingdom" by Robert Lacey, starting "Inside the Kingdom" by Lacey, and "Blood and Oil: MBS' Ruthless Quest..." I have to go to S.A. in May.

 

[Bluto]

Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe.

Great history of events in Northern Ireland both during and after the Troubles.

Keene is a fantastic story teller and this book focuses mostly on the lives of key members of the Provisional IRA and the events surrounding them that range from the funny to the banal and brutal without glorifying or deifying any of them. It kinda reads like a great spy novel/murder mystery.

One interesting scene describes the time Brendan Hughes (a Provo leader at the time) came to the US to raise money from Irish Americans. Anyhow, Hughes was so put off by one potential donors right wing bullshit he told him “I don’t want your fuckin money!” and stormed out of the room. Hughes like many Irish Republicans was also a big fan of Che Guevara.

Also, I didn’t realize the extent to which Boston College had gotten mixed up in the situation in Northern Ireland after the Good Friday agreement had been signed due to an archive of recorded oral histories of various paramilitary members from both sides of the conflict housed at the college and that Gerry Adams really likes Teddy Bears apparently.

Anyhow, great book.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Lonesome Dove

 

[EvilleIrish]

I basically only read historical non fiction. All American history since that's what I teach. Really like to focus on early American history. Currently listening on Audible to The Burr Conspiracy by James E. Lewis.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I basically only read historical non fiction. All American history since that's what I teach. Really like to focus on early American history. Currently listening on Audible to The Burr Conspiracy by James E. Lewis.

I recently read In the Heart of the Sea about the real life incident that influenced Moby Dick. Not sure if that’s early enough but it might be worth a listen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Recently finished "The Answer Is" by Alex Trebek. It was honestly fantastic, and I highly recommend it, even if you're not necessarily a fan of Jeopardy. He had a beautiful outlook on life, and it certainly appears that it was a life well-lived. Very readable, I got through it less than a week.



He mentioned in the book that his personal favorite book is "The Razor's Edge" by W. Somerset Maugham. It's been on my shelf for a while, so I figured it's a sign that it's time to read it. So far so good. This is the first novel I've read by Maugham.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Rasputin's new year's resolution was to knock off 1 classic per month.

January: Great Expectations - done
February: David Copperfield - done
March: Anna Karenina - on pace
April: not selected yet. Open to suggestions.

Really good list for 2024 and a lot of good suggestions above. I missed the April request but here's a recommendation of an 'under the radar' good book: Kristin Lavransdatter

It's a good complement to Anna Karenina. Not similar in story, per se, both gave me a visceral gut punch. KL had a profound emotional impact on me, a number of memorable characters. It's been a few years since I finished it and I'm itching for a re-read. Certainly in my top 50 books.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Really good list for 2024 and a lot of good suggestions above. I missed the April request but here's a recommendation of an 'under the radar' good book: Kristin Lavransdatter

It's a good complement to Anna Karenina. Not similar in story, per se, both gave me a visceral gut punch. KL had a profound emotional impact on me, a number of memorable characters. It's been a few years since I finished it and I'm itching for a re-read. Certainly in my top 50 books.

Kristin Lavransdatter is fantastic, I second this endorsement!!