The Briefing Room

General Category => Sports/Entertainment/MSM/Social Media => Books and Authors => Topic started by: Cyber Liberty on December 17, 2020, 12:58:13 pm

Title: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on December 17, 2020, 12:58:13 pm
Kicking off the new Category.  Please tell us about what you're reading today!  I'm reading Greg Gutfeld's Gutfeld's Monologues.  I am not a fast reader, so I'll probably take a week to get through it on my Kindle.

(Most of the stuff I read is right here!)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 17, 2020, 01:54:38 pm
I am reading Exodus Ark. J.N. Chaney. Young adult sci-fi. Easy reading and no thinking. Like watching a cheesy sci-fi tv show. Some small entertainment since I don't watch tv. I read a lot of these new authors. De-stresses me. And helps me sleep. I've read 74 books this year.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 17, 2020, 02:03:20 pm
I am reading Exodus Ark. J.N. Chaney. Young adult sci-fi. Easy reading and no thinking. Like watching a cheesy sci-fi tv show. Some small entertainment since I don't watch tv. I read a lot of these new authors. De-stresses me. And helps me sleep. I've read 74 books this year.

I am not familiar with that one, but I love reading speculative fiction and have more than a couple YA titles on my (real-world and digital) bookshelves.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 17, 2020, 02:05:49 pm
74 books is a lot @bigheadfred

It’s been difficult with libraries closed, so I’d be quite happy with it.

Most of what I’ve read this year are re reads of books I have in my personal library. Or books from Audible.

I really enjoy audio books, because you can do things you don’t like to do at the same time while you listen. Like cleaning house. Or you can take them on a nice long walk and you don’t realize how long you’ve walked.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 17, 2020, 06:24:30 pm
Right now I am too stupid to read anything. Chemo brain + fevers and chills does NOT make you bright. I read one page,and forget everything on it before I can finish the next page.

Hope to participate soon.

Will mention two authors before closing.

Louis L'Amour   western author,anything he ever wrote is as good as it gets.

W.E.B Griffin  military history from a fictional point of view,but actually writing about real people and real events. I even knew or hear about some of the people in his books from people who did know them.

Absolutely first class,each and every book in the Brotherhood of War series.

Do yourself a favor and start with Book 1,The Lieutenants,and work your way foreward as the books follow the careers of some of these soldiers from right before WW-2,right through the wars in the Muddle East.

Historical fiction (?) just doesn't get any better.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 17, 2020, 07:05:50 pm
I love to read when I get a chance -- usually around bedtime to help me sleep, but sometimes I get too enthralled with the book and wind up reading into the wee hours of mid morning.

Right now I have two books out from the library (and they don't give you enough time if their newer):

"The Water Dancer" - Ta-Nehisi Caoates

"The Giver of Stars" - Jojo Moyes

One of the best books that I have read this year and has been on the best sellers list for quite awhile is "Where the Crowdad's Sing" by Delia Owens.

I recently finished " Ordinary Grace", by William Kent Krueger and I really enjoyed it and thought I had found a new favorite author but read two other books by him and was very disappointed.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 17, 2020, 07:07:26 pm
Right now I am too stupid to read anything. Chemo brain + fevers and chills does NOT make you bright. I read one page,and forget everything on it before I can finish the next page.

Hope to participate soon.

Will mention two authors before closing.

Louis L'Amour   western author,anything he ever wrote is as good as it gets.

W.E.B Griffin  military history from a fictional point of view,but actually writing about real people and real events. I even knew or hear about some of the people in his books from people who did know them.

Absolutely first class,each and every book in the Brotherhood of War series.

Do yourself a favor and start with Book 1,The Lieutenants,and work your way foreward as the books follow the careers of some of these soldiers from right before WW-2,right through the wars in the Muddle East.

Historical fiction (?) just doesn't get any better.

I too love historical fiction.

Hope you get to feeling better soon ... One day at a time @sneakypete
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 17, 2020, 07:12:00 pm
I am reading Exodus Ark. J.N. Chaney. Young adult sci-fi. Easy reading and no thinking. Like watching a cheesy sci-fi tv show. Some small entertainment since I don't watch tv. I read a lot of these new authors. De-stresses me. And helps me sleep. I've read 74 books this year.

I have read every book by Danielle Steel -- easy reads...some are really good plots, some a little cheesy.  I call them "escape books".  I don't watch tv either.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 17, 2020, 07:26:50 pm
I have read every book by Danielle Steel -- easy reads...some are really good plots, some a little cheesy.  I call them "escape books".  I don't watch tv either.

I'm sensing a pattern here.  I don't watch TV, either, except during baseball season.  :)
And "escape books" are great - I have read the entire J. D Robb "In Death" series multiple times. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 17, 2020, 07:30:31 pm
I'm sensing a pattern here.  I don't watch TV, either, except during baseball season.  :)
And "escape books" are great - I have read the entire J. D Robb "In Death" series multiple times.

Murder mysteries??
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 17, 2020, 07:45:29 pm
I have read every book by Danielle Steel -- easy reads...some are really good plots, some a little cheesy.  I call them "escape books".  I don't watch tv either.

There’s a brand new one that just came out by Danielle Steel. “Moral Compass”
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 17, 2020, 07:46:36 pm
Does anyone read Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s book of the month?

My favorite historical fiction writer would be Sharon Kay Penman. Love her stuff, and it is accurate
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 17, 2020, 08:02:48 pm
There’s a brand new one that just came out by Danielle Steel. “Moral Compass”

"Moral Compas" well, it was the only one of her books that I started to read and I didn't finish it -- I didn't like the subject matter; assaults and rapes.

Another new one of hers that I felt was much much better is "The Wedding Dress"...good easy, pleasant read. 

I really enjoyed "Royal" and my favorite book of hers for 2020 is "Daddy's Girls" -- both great I thought.

My all time favorite book of hers continues to be "A Good Woman". (2008)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 17, 2020, 08:04:12 pm
Does anyone read Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s book of the month?

My favorite historical fiction writer would be Sharon Kay Penman. Love her stuff, and it is accurate

Yes, I've looked at the list a couple of times.  That's how I came to read "Where the Crawdads Sing".

Thanks for the tip on Sharon Kay Penman ... love historical fiction.  I'll give her a try. happy77
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 17, 2020, 11:18:24 pm
I have read every book by Danielle Steel -- easy reads...some are really good plots, some a little cheesy.  I call them "escape books".  I don't watch tv either.

@libertybele @bigheadfred

Y'all are cheating yourselves by not watching tv. Tv shows ain't the mindless pablum they used to be. Get a ROKU player or a sat dish so you can stream series like "The Wire", "Breaking Bad",""","MI-5","Shameless","The "Vikings","Poldark","Ray Donovan","The Americans","Lonesome Dove",and last but not least by any means,"Shameless".

There is also a lot of good tv series now. Broadcast tv pretty much had to up their game or go out of business.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 17, 2020, 11:27:29 pm
I'm reading this:
https://www.rulit.me/books/amerika-the-triumph-of-the-american-spirit-read-349142-1.html (https://www.rulit.me/books/amerika-the-triumph-of-the-american-spirit-read-349142-1.html)

It's a short novelization of the 1987 tv miniseries about a communist takeover of the United States.

The tv series was pretty good (and not overly optimistic about the future).
All one has to do is "look around" to realize that it might have been a bit too predictive of the future...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 18, 2020, 12:11:10 am
Murder mysteries??
@libertybele
Mostly.  Near-futuristic, police procedural, murder cop solves the cases.  Really good!!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 18, 2020, 12:16:02 am
@libertybele @bigheadfred

Y'all are cheating yourselves by not watching tv. Tv shows ain't the mindless pablum they used to be. Get a ROKU player or a sat dish so you can stream series like "The Wire", "Breaking Bad",""","MI-5","Shameless","The "Vikings","Poldark","Ray Donovan","The Americans","Lonesome Dove",and last but not least by any means,"Shameless".

There is also a lot of good tv series now. Broadcast tv pretty much had to up their game or go out of business.

I don't have anything against it, per se.  I just have a genetic hearing-loss condition and it's easier to read than to try to watch/understand a show on TV when I miss half the dialogue.  I did binge-watch Downton Abbey a couple of years ago on Netflix (or maybe it was Amazon Prime?) where I could turn on the closed captions without driving anyone else crazy, though.  That was fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 18, 2020, 12:21:28 am
I have read tons of books and used to have the entire Hardy boys collection.

I do watch tv. Docs mostly. Prime or YT.

Dick Francis was one that I have read most of his books.

All the Classics. Took class lit in college. And a poetry course. I love Robert Frost.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on December 18, 2020, 12:38:58 am
Once I find an author I like, I tend to try to read everything that person has written, as the local library probably could attest. The preferred genre is suspense/mystery fiction. My favorites - at least, at the moment - are Ruth Rendell and Dean Koontz, but I've gone on streaks of trying to find everything available from Jonathan Kellerman, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Dick Francis, P.D. James, Georges Simenon, Agatha Christie and Patricia Cornwell. The last two I read (this week) were John Le Carre's "Our Kind of Traitor" and Koontz's "False Memory."

 Alas, the libary is temporarily closed, although I think I can order books online and pick them up at the curb.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: PeteS in CA on December 18, 2020, 12:55:43 am
I'm currently reading A History of China by J. A. G. Roberts and The Weight of Glory, a collection of essays by C. S. Lewis.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 18, 2020, 12:58:55 am
I do not read horror. Like King or Koontz and nothing too paranormal. Ptsd much.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 18, 2020, 01:23:09 am
@libertybele @bigheadfred

Y'all are cheating yourselves by not watching tv. Tv shows ain't the mindless pablum they used to be. Get a ROKU player or a sat dish so you can stream series like "The Wire", "Breaking Bad",""","MI-5","Shameless","The "Vikings","Poldark","Ray Donovan","The Americans","Lonesome Dove",and last but not least by any means,"Shameless".

There is also a lot of good tv series now. Broadcast tv pretty much had to up their game or go out of business.

Well, I would love to be able to sit and watch TV, but I can sit for any length of time -- it becomes painful to sit.  Also, I have a hearing problem, so no I don't watch much TV these days.  Hopefully one day I'll be able to actually sit and watch TV again ... but that's probably a long ways off.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 18, 2020, 01:24:13 am
I do not read horror. Like King or Koontz and nothing too paranormal. Ptsd much.

I'm with ya on that ... no paranormal stuff for me either.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: EasyAce on December 18, 2020, 02:04:01 am
This author wrote a splendid history of classic old-time network radio, but I also found this and just finished it:

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51M36AdAY6L.jpg)

(Codicil: The late Mr. Nachman wrote the book long before Bill Cosby's unfunny sex life came home to roost.)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 18, 2020, 02:28:28 am
I don't have anything against it, per se.  I just have a genetic hearing-loss condition and it's easier to read than to try to watch/understand a show on TV when I miss half the dialogue. 

@Polly Ticks

HUH??

SAY WHAT??

They have this new thing now called "closed captioning". I am in my 70's,was an avid hunter and shooter as a child (got my first shotgun when I was 8!),was a Special Forces weapons man for almost 6 years in the army,and served a tour and a half in VN before getting medi-evaced.

After I got out of the army,I went to gunsmith school,and became a professional gunsmith,even building custom rifles and pistols/revolvers and developing custom loads for customers weapons.


I serisouly doubt your hearing is worse than mine.

One other good thing about closed-captioning with a ROKU (and I assume other streaming devices) is you can adjust the size of the font,the background color (if you want one),and even the style if you find one that "works" better for you than the others.

Great stuff. If I didn't have it,I'd have to throw my teebee out in the yard.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 18, 2020, 02:31:51 am
Once I find an author I like, I tend to try to read everything that person has written, as the local library probably could attest. The preferred genre is suspense/mystery fiction. My favorites - at least, at the moment - are Ruth Rendell and Dean Koontz, but I've gone on streaks of trying to find everything available from Jonathan Kellerman, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Dick Francis, P.D. James, Georges Simenon, Agatha Christie and Patricia Cornwell. The last two I read (this week) were John Le Carre's "Our Kind of Traitor" and Koontz's "False Memory."

 Alas, the libary is temporarily closed, although I think I can order books online and pick them up at the curb.

@mountaineer

Love ALL of them,and am slightly ashamed to say I only recently started reading Patricia Cromwell. GREAT stuff!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 18, 2020, 02:33:41 am
I'm with ya on that ... no paranormal stuff for me either.

@bigheadfred @libertybele

I just tell people I don't like it.

After all,nothing scares me but Dims and Rinos.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 18, 2020, 02:44:18 am
I am not familiar with that one, but I love reading speculative fiction and have more than a couple YA titles on my (real-world and digital) bookshelves.

75 now. These books don't take me long.

This is a new series with book two now available.

Several other authors that I read their book series.

Alan Dean Foster and Orson Scott Card are other faves.

I read on a fire tablet with Kindle Unlimited. Our little local library is fairly LDS. Not many books  there worth reading or I have read them.

The last time I went to the library I shoveled snow. Seriously. They thought that was great.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 18, 2020, 02:53:23 am


Louis L'Amour   western author,anything he ever wrote is as good as it gets.
The only book of his that I read was "Last of the Breed". about a Native American pilot that gets shot down in the Soviet Union. He is captured and manages to escape. He is hunted by  oned of the captors and has to use all of his training from the military and a relative to evade capture. Loved it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 18, 2020, 03:01:21 am
I have been buying used copies of the Patrick McManus books and reading them piece meal. IO am also reading/ rereading some of the classics on my Kindle. Just finished "Around the world in 80 days" and am about 1/4 of the way through "20,000 Leagues under the sea." I love the way Verne applies Scientific principles and details to his stories. I am also brushing up on my chess by rereading some bookson that. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 18, 2020, 03:05:32 am
@bigheadfred @libertybele

I just tell people I don't like it.

After all,nothing scares me but Dims and Rinos.

I have terrible nightmares. No use feeding the beast.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 18, 2020, 03:16:09 am
The only book of his that I read was "Last of the Breed". about a Native American pilot that gets shot down in the Soviet Union. He is captured and manages to escape. He is hunted by  oned of the captors and has to use all of his training from the military and a relative to evade capture. Loved it.

Oh man! I grew up on Louis L'Amour. BEST_THING_EVER. His westerns are easy reading and usually about 150 pages.... And I can't put them down... Burn through a whole book in three hours or so... Over 100 of them, and I will personally endorse every single one. Especially the Sackett books.

I am currently looking for a complete commemorative set in leather . I mean it. They're great!!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 18, 2020, 08:55:53 am
I have read tons of books and used to have the entire Hardy boys collection.

I do watch tv. Docs mostly. Prime or YT.

Dick Francis was one that I have read most of his books.

All the Classics. Took class lit in college. And a poetry course. I love Robert Frost.
I was a huge Hardy Boys fan...Never had them all, but most. I had some Horatio Alger then, too, and a lot of Twain and Conan Doyle. Just reading technical stuff lately, mostly.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 18, 2020, 02:51:12 pm
The only “horror” author I can stomach is Poe.

Stephen King’s little book “On Writing” is excellent but it’s obviously not scary.

For some reason I do enjoy true crime if I’m in the mood. Give me something by Ann Rule, on a rainy day and I’m happy.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on December 18, 2020, 04:30:28 pm
Ann Rule is good, too, @Gefn ! Probably the best in the true crime genre.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 18, 2020, 04:39:19 pm
I was a huge Hardy Boys fan...Never had them all, but most. I had some Horatio Alger then, too, and a lot of Twain and Conan Doyle. Just reading technical stuff lately, mostly.

I was a huge Nancy Drew fan and I when I finished all of those books I began reading the Hardy Boys.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 18, 2020, 04:42:21 pm
I was a huge Nancy Drew fan and I when I finished all of those books I began reading the Hardy Boys.
When I ran out of Hardy Boys, I read some Nancy Drew books, too.  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on December 18, 2020, 04:45:35 pm
It was a natural progression, Bobbsey Twins to Nancy Drew to Hardy Boys.  :laugh:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 19, 2020, 12:14:53 am
When I ran out of Hardy Boys, I read some Nancy Drew books, too.  :beer:

Me too.

I like history novels. Gulag Archipelago is a must.

I even took a stab at Plutarch's Lives. Et tu...teehee
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on December 19, 2020, 12:18:33 am
Me too.

I like history novels. Gulag Archipelago is a must.

I even took a stab at Plutarch's Lives. Et tu...teehee

I liked The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Poe, said to be among the very first stories in the
Detective Genre.  Mrs. Liberty has the collected set of Agatha Christie.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 19, 2020, 12:23:42 am
I liked The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Poe, said to be among the very first stories in the
Detective Genre.  Mrs. Liberty has the collected set of Agatha Christie.

The wife has a ton of V C Andrews.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 19, 2020, 01:00:38 am
My grandson wants the new Harry Potter, but he looked and they are all sold out. Bummer. If he had grandparents who cared they would have bought a copy weeks before the surge....

He is going to be stoked.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 19, 2020, 01:03:45 am
My grandson wants the new Harry Potter, but he looked and they are all sold out. Bummer. If he had grandparents who cared they would have bought a copy weeks before the surge....

He is going to be stoked.

Awesomeness!!  The look on his face I'm sure will be priceless.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 19, 2020, 01:13:30 am
Awesomeness!!  The look on his face I'm sure will be priceless.

He is such a good kid. 11 years old. His other g-pop is working to get the rest of the ones my grandson doesn't own. But the kid has read them all. What kind of kid just wants a book for Christmas?

My mom is suffering from onset dementia. Her birthday is the 21st. I Always sent her a book for her b day. Religion type books--commentaries, etc. or history. She was never a stick in the mud and the last book I gave her was Gary Wayne's--'Genesis Six'.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 19, 2020, 03:14:54 am
The only book of his that I read was "Last of the Breed". about a Native American pilot that gets shot down in the Soviet Union. He is captured and manages to escape. He is hunted by  oned of the captors and has to use all of his training from the military and a relative to evade capture. Loved it.

@verga

They are ALL writen with that same care and attention to details. Trust me.

Wait until you "meet" the Sackett's.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 19, 2020, 04:36:46 am
Wow....looks like this has taken off like a rocket.  I find it very interesting that everyone here enjoys reading.  Usually, when I meet someone new that I click with we get on the subject of books, and I often ask who are your 2,3, 4 favorite writers?

Like sneakpete, I am a big W.E.B. Griffin fan.  Years ago, I met a salesman for one of the tech companies trying to sell me something, and he was a West Point grad, and we got on the subject of books.  He asked me if I was familiar with Griffin, I said no, he said you have to read him, he is great.

He suggested I read The Corps, a series of books by Griffin.  I loved them.  And I have read everything he has written to date, and I am sorry to say, he has not published anything in 2019 and 2020 is a blank so far too.  He was publishing two books a year.  And like Clancy, he had another working with him, in his case his son.  I do not know why they haven't come out with anything over the last two years.  I am afraid W.E.B. perhaps has health issues.

I love the characters he builds.  My favorite series is a more recent one, By Order of the President, I believe is the first book in the series.  Loved it.  For me, perhaps more than any other writer, he is great at developing characters in his books, and he infuses humor in his books that has me laughing here and there through the book.  His latest series is my least favorite, which covers the timeframe right after the end of the war in Europe, WWII.

Several folks mentioned they love historical fiction.  Griffin is great, and I am so happy to see so many interested in the same here.  Since this is a site dedicated to politics, it only makes sense we all would have an interest in historical fiction. 

I would like to make another suggestion too.  Since so many are interested in historical fiction, maybe we can also launch a book reading effort on historical fiction, where those interested, we all pick a historical fiction book and read it together and discuss it online.  Let me know if any of you want to consider that as an idea!

Back to the list on this thread so far, there are a number of writers I loved mentioned.  Griffin I mentioned.  I also love Clancy, Baldacci, Child, Koontz, and others.  One interesting note on Clancy.  I loved Clancy, but as most of you may know, he died in October, 2013, and some of his best work, has been since he died.  His ghost writers have taken over, and there are three I believe so far cranking out two books per year.  I enjoyed almost all of them, but Command Authority sticks in my head from about five years ago or so.  Great book.

I take on a new writer, I tend to read their books chronologically if I can.  Several of you have mentioned Louis L'Amour, and I think he will be my next writer.  He was prolific if I recall from looking in the past at his list of books.  So a lot to read there.  Plus, I am curious about Sharon Kay Penman.  Never heard of her, so I will check her out too, and perhaps read her and L'Amour, alternating books as I go.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 19, 2020, 04:40:31 pm

Several of you have mentioned Louis L'Amour, and I think he will be my next writer.  He was prolific if I recall from looking in the past at his list of books.  So a lot to read there.   

@jafo2010
 
You just can't go wrong with L'Amour if you like reading books about history that are so captivating it's hard to put one down once you start reading it.

Do yourself a favor and try to read each series in order. If you don't,you will miss a lot of the references in later books of that series. This is maybe especially true of "The Sacketts" books. For example,it is even split into "regular" Sacketts,and "Clinch Mountain Sacketts",who are an entirely different breed and prone to violence at the drop of a hat. Still painfully honest and faithful,but nobody to screw with.

Quote
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sackett
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 19, 2020, 04:53:54 pm
My grandson wants the new Harry Potter, but he looked and they are all sold out. Bummer. If he had grandparents who cared they would have bought a copy weeks before the surge....

He is going to be stoked.

For Sci Fi Fan... My favorite series is Donaldson - The Thomas Covenant Unbeliever series... Probably pretty heavy for a kid... Late teen or more... But I would put it right up there close to Tolkien. Complicated... very good.

Dragon riders of Pern - Anne McCaffery Mid Teen and up... Excellent story, easy reading.

the Pelbar Cycle - Paul O. Williams. Mid Teen and up... More of an after-armeggedon thing, and the reiscovery of old (our) technology... not reallly fantasy, but the story line and characters are serious. He builds an awesome world from the dregs of our own...

Great series...  All of them.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 19, 2020, 05:05:26 pm
Several folks mentioned they love historical fiction.  Griffin is great, and I am so happy to see so many interested in the same here.  Since this is a site dedicated to politics, it only makes sense we all would have an interest in historical fiction.

Not really 'historical fiction' But I was a very big fan of Clive Cussler wrt his first books... Of 'Raise the Titanic' fame... And a later movie, 'Sahara'... The unstoppable Dirk Pitt and his sidekick Al Giordino always lead you down a rollicking tale, and no matter how implausible, there is always an historical element, and classic cars.  I lost interest in the later ones... but the first six novels or so are excellent.

Quote
I take on a new writer, I tend to read their books chronologically if I can.  Several of you have mentioned Louis L'Amour, and I think he will be my next writer.  He was prolific if I recall from looking in the past at his list of books.

120 or so all told... Very easy to read short stories, about 150 pages... And within the first 5 pages you will have escaped this realm to the sights and smells of the old west... Excellent stories best read in order, but they all stand alone... If you want to escape for an afternoon, there is no better way.

Zane Gray comes close in the same genre. Not quite as good to me, but that is largely because the character interchange in the L'amour books... They are loosely interlaced where Zane's are not.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: ironhorsedriver on December 19, 2020, 09:01:11 pm
Mostly Fiction, lately been reading a lot of Science Fiction. Escapism I guess.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 19, 2020, 09:43:20 pm
Not really 'historical fiction' But I was a very big fan of Clive Cussler wrt his first books... Of 'Raise the Titanic' fame... And a later movie, 'Sahara'... The unstoppable Dirk Pitt and his sidekick Al Giordino always lead you down a rollicking tale, and no matter how implausible, there is always an historical element, and classic cars.  I lost interest in the later ones... but the first six novels or so are excellent.

120 or so all told... Very easy to read short stories, about 150 pages... And within the first 5 pages you will have escaped this realm to the sights and smells of the old west... Excellent stories best read in order, but they all stand alone... If you want to escape for an afternoon, there is no better way.

Zane Gray comes close in the same genre. Not quite as good to me, but that is largely because the character interchange in the L'amour books... They are loosely interlaced where Zane's are not.
I agree about Donaldson, The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are a worthy read. I also read many of the backstory volumes to Dune (Frank Herbert), and those were good.

L'Amour is good escapist reading, Zane Gray is, too, but more involved, and his dialects might be a problem for some, but still good stuff (Max Brand comes to mind as well).

I liked the early Cussler best, as well, although some of the later books are pretty good, too.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 19, 2020, 10:25:47 pm
The Thomas Covenant series I had and loved. His later ones I didn't like so much. I do have a hardback of his Last Chronicles.

Dirk Pitt stories are a fave.

I used to have a lot of books. Too many moves and some essentially nonessentials got left behind. I used to do the exchange at the used book store. Get 8 or 12 books and then exchange them for a small phenomenal fee.

I got a signed book that is worth ten times what I paid. Which amounts to a whopping two dollars!

Alan Dean Foster Spellsinger Scherzo.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 20, 2020, 12:08:50 am
Max Brand comes to mind as well

How could I have forgotten Max Brand?  :beer:

Quote
I liked the early Cussler best, as well, although some of the later books are pretty good, too.

I nearly picked him up again last year. I may still, considering your recommendation.  happy77
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 20, 2020, 12:19:44 am
For whatever reason I saw Sean Connery as playing Dirk Pitt. Like .007
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 20, 2020, 08:47:55 am
I have read about a dozen books by Cussler.  They were fun, engaging.

Last couple days have been enlightening about authors.  I have been reading about different authors, and searching for their books.  A number of you recommended L'Amour, and I am leaning his direction if I can find the books.  I figure with the long list of his books, it might well help me escape the next four years with Biden as POTUS. 

I spent a large sum for training on doing stock options, which I hope to be able to do and no longer work, making nice money in the process.  When not spending my time doing that each day, reading and finally getting focused on writing will be my priorities.

As an aside, has anyone here ever adopted a child?  If so, I would be curious to talk to you.  You can PM me if you want to keep it confidential.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 20, 2020, 09:01:05 am
Also, on the subject of historical fiction, Herman Wouk is one of my favorites.  The Winds of War and War and Remembrance were the best for me.  Perhaps more than any other character, I fell into the shoes of Victor Henry and could see me being him. 

And when they made it into a TV mini series, I enjoyed it, but not as much as the books.  However, as is true for me, I have come to embrace the mini series with great joy each time I watch it. 

The WWII era was a deadly and tragic time, but the time period was special in the history of mankind.  W.E.B. Griffin wrote many of his books in that time period, and perhaps that is why I love his work so, for he does make it quite the adventure.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 20, 2020, 04:16:09 pm
@verga

They are ALL writen with that same care and attention to details. Trust me.

Wait until you "meet" the Sackett's.
@sneakypete What is a good one to start with?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 20, 2020, 04:19:13 pm
For Sci Fi Fan... My favorite series is Donaldson - The Thomas Covenant Unbeliever series... Probably pretty heavy for a kid... Late teen or more... But I would put it right up there close to Tolkien. Complicated... very good.

Dragon riders of Pern - Anne McCaffery Mid Teen and up... Excellent story, easy reading.

the Pelbar Cycle - Paul O. Williams. Mid Teen and up... More of an after-armeggedon thing, and the reiscovery of old (our) technology... not reallly fantasy, but the story line and characters are serious. He builds an awesome world from the dregs of our own...

Great series...  All of them.
l
Just finished the last series of Covenant. I Liked them, but he really could have combined the middle two books into one. I really felt like I was just reading extended travelogue.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 20, 2020, 04:22:37 pm

I liked the early Cussler best, as well, although some of the later books are pretty good, too.
I have al of his Dirk Pitt. He later stuf has become very formulaic. I has gotten to the point where you can predict where the car chase occurs that destroys his latest acquisition.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: EasyAce on December 20, 2020, 04:32:27 pm
Also, on the subject of historical fiction, Herman Wouk is one of my favorites.  The Winds of War and War and Remembrance were the best for me.  Perhaps more than any other character, I fell into the shoes of Victor Henry and could see me being him. 

And when they made it into a TV mini series, I enjoyed it, but not as much as the books.  However, as is true for me, I have come to embrace the mini series with great joy each time I watch it. 

The WWII era was a deadly and tragic time, but the time period was special in the history of mankind.  W.E.B. Griffin wrote many of his books in that time period, and perhaps that is why I love his work so, for he does make it quite the adventure.
@jafo2010

Did you know---Before his own World War II service and career as a novelist, Herman Wouk was a comedy writer . . . for radio legend Fred Allen. (Allen was actually his own writer, one of the very few comedians of the old-time radio era who did so, but he engaged writers like Wouk to provide him gags as well; my knowledge of his work is that Allen and his one or two writers would work on a script and then Allen would edit the final product to be used on the air.)

Wouk, of course, never returned to comedy writing, but he and Allen remained friends for the rest of Allen's life. Several of their letters to each other were republished in fred allen's letters in 1965 (the lower case title was deliberate; Allen himself often wrote that way in his correspondence); in fact, Wouk wrote the brief foreword at the behest of Allen's wife, Portland Hoffa.

When Allen suffered his fatal heart attack in 1956, Wouk wrote this which was published in The New York Times (and republished as the final entry in fred allen's letters):

The death of Fred Allen, America's greatest satiric wit in our time, brings to mind Hazlitt's elegaic paragraph on the Restoration actors:

Authors after their deaths live in their works; players only in their epitaphs and the breath of common traditions. They die and leave the world no copy . . . In a few years nothing is known of them but that
they were.

Fred Allen was an eminent comic actor. But without a doubt his great contribution to life in America came in the marvelous eighteen year run of weekly satiric invention which was the Fred Allen show on radio. His was the glory of being an original personality, creating new forms of intelligent entertainment. He was without a peer and without a successful imitator.

His knife-life coment on the passing show of the thirties and the forties came from sources no other comedian had access to. He was a self-educated man of wide reading; he was a tremendously talented writer; and he had the deep reticent love of life and of people which is the source of every true satirist's energy. Fred's wit lashed and stung. He could not suffer fools. In this he was like Swift and Twain. But his generosity to the needy, his extraordinary loyalty to his associates (in a field not noted for long loyalties) showed the warmth of heart that made his satire sound and important.

Because his work was a unique kind of comic journalism the written residue might have suffered the usual fate of journalism. Fred fortunately preserved a fraction of it in that fine volume of Americana, his recent book
Treadmill to Oblivion. When he died, he was working on his autobiography; the portion he completed will be published.

But the few writings he left will give future generations a dim notion at best of what sort of man he was. In Fred Allen, the voice of sanity spoke out for all Americans to hear, during a trying period of our history, in the classic and penetrating tones of comic satire. Because he lived and wrote and acted here, this land will always be a saner place to live in. That fact is his true monument.

Wouk worked for Allen from 1936 until Pearl Harbour, when Allen's show was known as Town Hall Tonight (https://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/F%20Series/Fred%20Allen%20-%20Town%20Hall%20Tonight/) (1935-39), The Fred Allen Show (https://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/F%20Series/Fred%20Allen%20-%20Fred%20Allen%20Show%20(39-40)/) (1939-40), and Texaco Star Theater with Fred Allen (https://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/F%20Series/Fred%20Allen%20-%20Texaco%20Star%20Theater/) (1940-44). (Yes, those are links to the surviving show broadcasts; 163 total shows. Considering the valedictory which provided Treadmill to Oblivion's title, Allen would have been stunned to discover that his shows are collected and heard today!)

I have copies of Treadmill to Oblivion and the memoir to which Wouk referred, Much Ado About Me, in addition to fred allen's letters. (Eight letters from Allen to Wouk close fred allen's letters, before Wouk's elegy, beginning with one in which Allen praised The Caine Mutiny in 1951.) They remain marvelous reading.

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51s7mbziAeL._SX335_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) (https://pictures.abebooks.com/MWBOOKS1/md/md1271312320.jpg) (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51qWvkho7cL.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 20, 2020, 09:45:06 pm
Just finished the last series of Covenant. I Liked them, but he really could have combined the middle two books into one. I really felt like I was just reading extended travelogue.

I would accept that criticism... Though I would argue the very same in Tolkien.... Or any other that scratch-builds a world.... The tendency toward over-descriptive narratives between action scenes seems to be an almost universal necessary evil.  :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 20, 2020, 10:01:22 pm
I have al of his Dirk Pitt. He later stuf has become very formulaic. I has gotten to the point where you can predict where the car chase occurs that destroys his latest acquisition.

That can either be a bane or a joy, And I have no idea why the difference... There is no one who would deny the rather formulaic layout of L'Amour, for instance... or westerns in general - But that almost translates into a sort of nostalgia...

But in another place, that just doesn't work...

David Eddings' 'Belgariad' is like that in the fantasy genre for me... And exactly the opposite of your criticism of Donaldson.... It (The Garion/Belgariad series) is a great little tale, and very easy reading... But so very formulaic and predictable that it loses quite a bit of value for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on December 20, 2020, 10:32:06 pm
I see lots of past enjoyed reads mentioned here.

Most of my current reading is calming distractions before bed.  I am going through Robert B. Parker's Spenser series now.  Before that I had enjoyed discovering Donald E. Westlake's, under the pseudonym Richard Stark, Parker series in the same genre.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: EasyAce on December 20, 2020, 11:29:27 pm
Read and re-read this one. It should be required reading for anyone wishing to exercise his or her right to vote.  wink777

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41XqryLy9rL._SX298_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 20, 2020, 11:33:36 pm
I see lots of past enjoyed reads mentioned here.

Most of my current reading is calming distractions before bed.  I am going through Robert B. Parker's Spenser series now.  Before that I had enjoyed discovering Donald E. Westlake's, under the pseudonym Richard Stark, Parker series in the same genre.

Robert B Parker is top flight!  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: EasyAce on December 21, 2020, 12:51:20 am
My nightstand has humourous books, I like to read light in bed.

The current selection:

(https://philoonbooks.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/the-thurber-carnival.jpg) (https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51cvKCBLLqL.jpg)

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51g1prxdXjL._AC_SY400_.jpg) (https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTUwMFg5OTY=/z/f9oAAOSwra9fdQ-y/$_1.JPG)

(https://www.madcoversite.com/the_mad_bathroom_companion-the_mother_load-id.jpg) (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41PcGCfTrHL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg) (https://www.madmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/comics320x485/public/book-covers/2014/11/Spy%20vs%20Spy_Casebook%20of%20Craziness_5462a03b7f2c60.69253654.jpg?itok=ptfq-CzU)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 21, 2020, 12:59:23 am
@sneakypete What is a good one to start with?

Sackett Land is probably the chronological beginning... But all of them more-or-less stand alone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sackett

I suppose it would be no surprise, my favorite Sackett would be William Tell Sackett...  happy77
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on December 21, 2020, 01:05:43 am
I always enjoyed Thurber, @EasyAce Good choice!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: EasyAce on December 21, 2020, 01:11:43 am
I always enjoyed Thurber, @EasyAce Good choice!
@mountaineer

I also have these by Thurber: The Beast in Me, Thurber Country, My World, and Welcome To It (given as a gift, it recycles a lot of material from his earlier books), and Thurber on Crime.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on December 21, 2020, 01:35:13 am
I always enjoyed Thurber, @EasyAce Good choice!

I liked Thurber too.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 21, 2020, 02:14:33 pm
@sneakypete What is a good one to start with?

@verga

Well,his first book was titled "Hondo",in 1953. You may have heard of the movie.

Quote
http://louislamour.com/chronology.htm
In fact,you can look at this list of his books and be hard pressed to find one you CAN'T remember being made into one of your favorite western/cowboy movies.

The Sackett's even became a tv mini-series. A very good one,I might add.

I have read everything he ever wrote that was put into print,and I honestly can't say any one of them was better than any other one. Flat out,he was my favorite writer of all time,and I felt like I lost a family member when he died.

I do love the "Sackette's" series,though. Mostly because it starts with the loners that came here,mostly from Ireland,that only wanted to be left the bleep alone to live their lives in peace so they could farm,trap,and raise their families in peace.

In case you haven't guessed,most of these early Irish settlers got the hell out of NY as soon as possible,and headed to the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina. This was in Colonial Times.

As with any series,it is best to start with book 1. The problem is I can't remember what the order was,but follow this link and find the buy of the decade in good used books by him.

Quote
https://www.ebay.com/i/383839697224?rt=nc&_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D225073%26meid%3D9d51b2ef7aed4e34a7958209f0de68c2%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D15%26rkt%3D30%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D143795834731%26itm%3D383839697224%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2386202%26algv%3DDefaultOrganic
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 21, 2020, 02:32:29 pm
Sackett Land is probably the chronological beginning... But all of them more-or-less stand alone.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sackett

I suppose it would be no surprise, my favorite Sackett would be William Tell Sackett...  happy77

@roamer_1

Hard for me to pick a favorite,but if I did,it would be either Logan or Emily Sackett. Anybody that underestimates the toughness and determination of women is a fool. ESPECIALLY a woman with no backup in her and a whole damn pack of blood relatives just like her,willing to come to her aid at the drop of a hat.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 21, 2020, 02:59:36 pm
@roamer_1

Hard for me to pick a favorite,but if I did,it would be either Logan or Emily Sackett. Anybody that underestimates the toughness and determination of women is a fool. ESPECIALLY a woman with no backup in her and a whole damn pack of blood relatives just like her,willing to come to her aid at the drop of a hat.

Logan would be my second choice @sneakypete ... I likely would fit better with that Clinch Mountain bunch... But I'd like to think I was a bit more genteel, and siding more or less on the side of the law... And Tell is about as far as I could imagine.  :laugh:  :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 23, 2020, 05:18:01 pm
I am reading "Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes.  Well, so much for reading to relax before bed.  happy77  I was up till past midnight last night reading this book.  I have about 4 chapters to go and found myself trying to speed read to find out what happens, but the book is somewhat descriptive and detailed so I couldn't really do that.  I recommend this book; it is historical fiction and I give it 4 out of 5 stars; plot is captivating but I'd prefer a little more history.

The book is based on a true story during the years of Franklin Roosevelt's administration and takes place in a coal mining town in Kentucky involving four ladies and their traveling library under a program initiated by Eleanor Roosevelt.  In brief, each of the characters struggles with being female in a coal mining town and exercising some independence because of their traveling library. Each of them refusing to bow to the owner of the coal mine and the rigid "rules" set by their families and the town folks during that era.

I have another book on reserve at the library by this author and hope I have found a new author to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: PeteS in CA on December 23, 2020, 06:42:34 pm
...
I like history novels. Gulag Archipelago is a must.
...

Gulag Archipelago isn't a historical novel (and at some 2700 pages in paperback, not a quick read). One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is, though.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 23, 2020, 07:08:17 pm
I just started "The Lies of Locke Lamora".
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 23, 2020, 11:48:58 pm
Gulag Archipelago isn't a historical novel (and at some 2700 pages in paperback, not a quick read). One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is, though.

uh huh

tomato... Gulag Archipelago traces the history of the system of forced labor camps that existed in the Soviet Union from 1918 to 1956...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 24, 2020, 07:16:10 am
Looks like this has worked out nicely with folks talking about what they are reading. 

Sneakypete...I have been looking over L'Amour books for sale.  Looks like about 122 of them roughly.  I wanted to ask if you knew places to buy used books at good prices, better perhaps than Ebay?  Prices for L'Amour on Ebay for the brown leatherette books is about $5-6+ a book.  There are two folks that have almost all the books for around $1,000+.  I have a hard time dropping that much coin at one time on books.  So, it would be nice if I could find a better priced site.

That question would apply to anyone that knows better sources for books priced reasonably.



Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 24, 2020, 07:28:27 am
Looks like this has worked out nicely with folks talking about what they are reading. 

Sneakypete...I have been looking over L'Amour books for sale.  Looks like about 122 of them roughly.  I wanted to ask if you knew places to buy used books at good prices, better perhaps than Ebay?  Prices for L'Amour on Ebay for the brown leatherette books is about $5-6+ a book.  There are two folks that have almost all the books for around $1,000+.  I have a hard time dropping that much coin at one time on books.  So, it would be nice if I could find a better priced site.

That question would apply to anyone that knows better sources for books priced reasonably.

If I might - Just buy the paperbacks for now and see if you like  them... I bought over 50 of them for a buck a piece at a local used book shop here. I AM looking for the hardbacks and will find them before I am done, to replace those I had before... But the paperbacks will do for now, and at a pittance.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 24, 2020, 07:40:42 am
Looks like this has worked out nicely with folks talking about what they are reading. 

Sneakypete...I have been looking over L'Amour books for sale.  Looks like about 122 of them roughly.  I wanted to ask if you knew places to buy used books at good prices, better perhaps than Ebay?  Prices for L'Amour on Ebay for the brown leatherette books is about $5-6+ a book.  There are two folks that have almost all the books for around $1,000+.  I have a hard time dropping that much coin at one time on books.  So, it would be nice if I could find a better priced site.

That question would apply to anyone that knows better sources for books priced reasonably.

@jafo2010g

This one is going to be tough to beat:

Quote
https://www.amazon.com/Louis-Lamour-Paperback-NovelsShort-StoriesSackett/dp/B00DQCL0US

This is a collection of all of the Sacketts paperpacks that are new:

Quote
https://www.amazon.com/Sacketts-Six-Box-Set-Daybreakers/dp/B0031NW6BE/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_1/134-0064900-3752072?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0031NW6BE&pd_rd_r=2d21e27f-061e-4c33-93d7-e6e5feb63777&pd_rd_w=MMdL5&pd_rd_wg=JGJoO&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=FTXFKXTXW05JYNHY9YAQ&psc=1&refRID=FTXFKXTXW05JYNHY9YAQ

Quote
https://www.ebay.com/b/Louis-LAmour-Books-Western/171228/bn_56928876?norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-153677-346401-4&mkcid=2&keyword=&crlp=307364301297_&MT_ID=&geo_id=&rlsatarget=dsa-19959388920&adpos=&device=c&mktype=&loc=9009866&poi=&abcId=&cmpgn=1615587334&sitelnk=&adgroupid=66643712052&network=g&matchtype=b&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlY7KkY7m7QIVC4eGCh0w0Q_dEAAYAiAAEgI5-fD_BwE

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 24, 2020, 09:34:32 am
Looks like this has worked out nicely with folks talking about what they are reading. 

Sneakypete...I have been looking over L'Amour books for sale.  Looks like about 122 of them roughly.  I wanted to ask if you knew places to buy used books at good prices, better perhaps than Ebay?  Prices for L'Amour on Ebay for the brown leatherette books is about $5-6+ a book.  There are two folks that have almost all the books for around $1,000+.  I have a hard time dropping that much coin at one time on books.  So, it would be nice if I could find a better priced site.

That question would apply to anyone that knows better sources for books priced reasonably.
https://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Louis-L%27Amour (https://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Louis-L%27Amour)

https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/louis-l'amour?cm_mmc=ggl-_-COM_DSAETA_SRPs-_-naa-_-naa&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlZH_BRCgARIsAAZHSBklmBvylriLKYt8bR3sH9auQj4KSJsNsAWO-iKfLXQt-eDSIVwrMDAaAvtSEALw_wcB (https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/author/louis-l'amour?cm_mmc=ggl-_-COM_DSAETA_SRPs-_-naa-_-naa&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlZH_BRCgARIsAAZHSBklmBvylriLKYt8bR3sH9auQj4KSJsNsAWO-iKfLXQt-eDSIVwrMDAaAvtSEALw_wcB)

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 24, 2020, 01:22:33 pm
Looks like this has worked out nicely with folks talking about what they are reading. 

Sneakypete...I have been looking over L'Amour books for sale.  Looks like about 122 of them roughly.  I wanted to ask if you knew places to buy used books at good prices, better perhaps than Ebay?  Prices for L'Amour on Ebay for the brown leatherette books is about $5-6+ a book.  There are two folks that have almost all the books for around $1,000+.  I have a hard time dropping that much coin at one time on books.  So, it would be nice if I could find a better priced site.

That question would apply to anyone that knows better sources for books priced reasonably.

Unless you want to purchase and hold on to the books, you can read them for free at the library.  I looked on my local library site and they are available. Just sayin'.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on December 24, 2020, 04:16:07 pm
Unless you want to purchase and hold on to the books, you can read them for free at the library.  I looked on my local library site and they are available. Just sayin'.

Only IF they happen to be on the approved stacks list at your local library! Just sayin!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on December 24, 2020, 04:18:32 pm
I'm reading exactly nothing as my precious republic is now DEAD, I soon will be, and there no longer is a thing I can do about either.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 24, 2020, 09:38:03 pm
I'm reading exactly nothing as my precious republic is now DEAD, I soon will be, and there no longer is a thing I can do about either.

No it isn't. Read. Something. I know how you feel. But I ain't as strong as you. I fight in the same war. You fought at a different level. But still, same as me. Better dead than red.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 24, 2020, 09:42:40 pm
I just finished book 78. the ruins of earth

Alien invasion where they come to enslave us. But a group of patriots are fighting back. Book 1. Start book 2 tonite.

My goal was 100 books this year. If I hit 80 I'll be good with that.

Beats watching teebee. Something I've lost the habit for.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 24, 2020, 11:59:29 pm
Only IF they happen to be on the approved stacks list at your local library! Just sayin!

@Bigun

I seriously doubt there is such a thing as a library in America that doesn't approve his books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 25, 2020, 05:55:52 am
I'm reading exactly nothing as my precious republic is now DEAD, I soon will be, and there no longer is a thing I can do about either.
Mao's Little Red Book...Sun Tsu, a few technical bits here and there I had archived long ago...PM8--94
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 25, 2020, 10:15:19 pm
Thank you all for the guidance.  Regarding paperbacks, I prefer hardbacks usually because the print is a hair larger, and I like the feel of a hardback more so than a paperback.  But it is largely the ease of reading.

And because all of you sing L'Amour's praises so highly, I am jumping in with both feet.  I prefer to read chronologically.  I have a bid on 79 of the books right now for a reasonable price.  I will buy another lot to get the books I do not get from the first lot, and sell off the duplicates.  And begin reading, starting with Hondo.

Merry Christmas to all!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 25, 2020, 11:24:19 pm
For Louis L'Amour fans:

73 L'Amour works here (in epub):
https://www.torrentdownloads.me/torrent/1660781221/Louis-L%27Amour (https://www.torrentdownloads.me/torrent/1660781221/Louis-L%27Amour)

L'Amour lost treasures (unpublished works, unfinished manuscripts, lost notes, etc.):
https://kat-cr.co/t0-Louis_L_Amour-Lost_Treasures_Vol.2-tt35034354.html (https://kat-cr.co/t0-Louis_L_Amour-Lost_Treasures_Vol.2-tt35034354.html)

L'Amour 127 ebooks in epub format:
https://kikass.to/louis-l-amour-127-e-books-t2759300.html (https://kikass.to/louis-l-amour-127-e-books-t2759300.html)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 25, 2020, 11:56:36 pm

Quote
And because all of you sing L'Amour's praises so highly, I am jumping in with both feet.  I prefer to read chronologically.  I have a bid on 79 of the books right now for a reasonable price.  I will buy another lot to get the books I do not get from the first lot, and sell off the duplicates.  And begin reading, starting with Hondo.



@jafo2010

You ain't just "awoofing",are you?

The good news is you will be happy you did by the end of book two.

L'Amour was a rare genius when it comes to being a writer. The closest author that comes to mind as a comparison is James Fenimore Cooper.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on December 26, 2020, 04:09:01 pm
Thank you all for the guidance.  Regarding paperbacks, I prefer hardbacks usually because the print is a hair larger, and I like the feel of a hardback more so than a paperback.  But it is largely the ease of reading.

I must admit, this is the primary reason I moved to using the Kindle.  I can set the print large enough to read without my glasses.  Also, I can reverse it so I get white print on black background for reading in bed at night.  I turn the brightness WAY down, turn off most of the blue light for an amber print with the room dark. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 26, 2020, 07:53:34 pm
I must admit, this is the primary reason I moved to using the Kindle.  I can set the print large enough to read without my glasses.  Also, I can reverse it so I get white print on black background for reading in bed at night.  I turn the brightness WAY down, turn off most of the blue light for an amber print with the room dark.

@thackney

 :yowsa: :yowsa:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 27, 2020, 06:57:44 am
I didn't know you can invert the background and words.  I will have to tell my wife.  She uses Kindle.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on December 27, 2020, 04:05:56 pm
I didn't know you can invert the background and words.  I will have to tell my wife.  She uses Kindle.

I have a lot of sleep problems.  When I give up in the night, I like to read.  This projects far less light than even a single reading lamp on the pages of a real book.

This lets me stay in bed rather than go to another room to prevent waking my wife.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 27, 2020, 04:50:02 pm
I have a lot of sleep problems.  When I give up in the night, I like to read.  This projects far less light than even a single reading lamp on the pages of a real book.

This lets me stay in bed rather than go to another room to prevent waking my wife.

@thackney

I originally bought my first Kindle as a backup in case of a power outage during storms. Back them I was doing a lot of reading.

Now I don't read at all except message boards. Due to the flue,and I AM going to blame it on that,thank you very much,I can no longer hold a thought long enough to read books. Hell,if it weren't for being able to "rewind",I wouldn't be able to watch tv because I can forget what happened 10 minutes ago if I get distracted by something.

I do semi-ok here because none of the reading is any longer than my attention span.

For the time being,anyway.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 27, 2020, 05:03:54 pm
I have a lot of sleep problems.  When I give up in the night, I like to read.  This projects far less light than even a single reading lamp on the pages of a real book.

This lets me stay in bed rather than go to another room to prevent waking my wife.

I do the same thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 27, 2020, 08:39:38 pm
I have a lot of sleep problems.  When I give up in the night, I like to read.  This projects far less light than even a single reading lamp on the pages of a real book.

This lets me stay in bed rather than go to another room to prevent waking my wife.

Well no, as someone peculiarly sensitive to light, and particularly light emitted by devices, Just because it's black does not mean it isn't light. Every means of artificial light, to include every sort of monitor of every kind is shut off at 11pm around here. Even the TV.  If I need light after that, it is natural light.

If I don't shut em off, I will never get tired.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 30, 2020, 01:54:36 am
Ordered a book with four L'Amour books, and it has Hondo.  For whatever reason, many of the lots on Ebay, etc do not have Hondo, so I thought I would order this book with three of the first four books By L'Amour.

I am also bidding on one of the leatherette lots at a reasonable price for me.  Will know tomorrow if I get it.

Some of these folks want an arm and a leg.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 30, 2020, 03:57:55 am
Ordered a book with four L'Amour books, and it has Hondo.  For whatever reason, many of the lots on Ebay, etc do not have Hondo, so I thought I would order this book with three of the first four books By L'Amour.

I am also bidding on one of the leatherette lots at a reasonable price for me.  Will know tomorrow if I get it.

Some of these folks want an arm and a leg.

@jafo2010

He was a VERY popular author. Several of the books you will read,including Hondo,were made into movies,and The Sacketts were turned into a mini-series on broadcast teebee.

Because he was so popular,there were several "collectors editions" and "collector series" sets of his book for sale new at one time,and lots of people bought them up.

The good news is most of us are more readers than collectors,and there are tons of used paperbacks for sale.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 30, 2020, 04:18:30 am
Sneakypete...like I said, I prefer hardback only because the print is a hair larger and easier to read.  And I prefer books versus electronic reading.

I haven't checked yet, but I would imagine I could download all of L'Amour from    www.bookfi (http://www.bookfi)    for free.  I literally have hundreds of electronic books from there.  I just prefer books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 30, 2020, 06:14:05 am
Quote
Sneakypete...like I said, I prefer hardback only because the print is a hair larger and easier to read.  And I prefer books versus electronic reading.

@jafo2010

Same here,but for years,if I wanted to read,and I did,economics dominated,and it was paperbacks. I have TWO kindles,and only use them when the power is out. They are better and easier to use that books,but they ain't books. I want to feel and smell the paper.

Quote
I haven't checked yet, but I would imagine I could download all of L'Amour from    www.bookfi (http://www.bookfi)    for free.  I literally have hundreds of electronic books from there.


Believe it or not,but that had never even occurred to me.

Quote
I just prefer books.

Yeah!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 30, 2020, 01:27:13 pm
Got my Audible yearly stats, and as it turns out being on STD for a couple of months really increases a gal's listening time.

(https://www.movable-ink-306.com/p/rp/af013fd1f077b915/url?mi_u=amzn1.account.AHLM6XGRVI7ACDD4AQQQPXWJK6TA&mi_ecmp=562498910&nonfiction_hours=6&fiction_hours=904&listening_time=911&mi_cmp=461038e797c5cc84&mi_sc=t)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 30, 2020, 01:45:17 pm
I just ordered the latest book by Marie Benedict from my library.

I have to recommend her. She writes historical fiction. Wrote a book on Andrew Carnegie’s maid which put her on the map.

The other Einstein- 2016

Carnegie’s Maid- 2018

The Only Woman in the Room- 2019

Lady Clementine-2020

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie- 2020 (this week)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 30, 2020, 01:48:16 pm
I'll finish book 81 for the year tonite.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on December 31, 2020, 02:07:39 pm
Before Christmas, I picked up a copy of Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies; The Civil War (https://www.amazon.com/Bill-OReillys-Legends-Lies-Civil/dp/1250109841), a companion book to a FOX historical docudrama of which I was unaware. The actual author is David Fisher. I got it at Ollie's discount store for only $4.25, and figured I had nothing to lose.

This actually is a good book for a Civil War novice, say, a young person never taught actual, true American history in the public schools. It provides a good overview of some of the events leading to the war, e.g., John Brown's activities in Kansas and Harpers Ferry, and profiles of the key battles and military figures, like Lee, Grant, Sherman, Jackson, etc. It explains emancipation and goes through the surrender and Lincoln's assassination. It isn't a book, perhaps, for one who has studied the subject extensively and can recite the precise maneuvers of the 2nd Vermont Brigade on July 2, 1863, or Gen. Hooker's tactics at Fredericksburg, but the narrative and many illustrations might pique the interest of someone who hasn't had that exposure. Recommended.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on December 31, 2020, 03:58:45 pm
...]Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies; The Civil War, a companion book to a FOX historical docudrama of which I was unaware. The actual author is David Fisher....

This actually is a good book for a Civil War novice, say, a young person never taught actual, true American history in the public schools....Recommended.

Thank you!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 31, 2020, 04:48:40 pm
I'll finish book 81 for the year tonite.

Do you track those / keep count manually or do you use Goodreads or something like that? I have no idea how many books I've read; I only know how many I listened to because Audible keeps track for me and sends me an email at the end of the year.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 31, 2020, 05:35:19 pm
Do you track those / keep count manually or do you use Goodreads or something like that? I have no idea how many books I've read; I only know how many I listened to because Audible keeps track for me and sends me an email at the end of the year.

@Polly Ticks

Is Audible a on-line book recording service?

I am thinking about oral books because I have had so much trouble concentrating lately. I think maybe books I hear over a headset might be easier to follow.

Do you have any spoken book URL's?

What do they cost per book,and is there a good selection of older as well as newer books?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 31, 2020, 06:05:52 pm
@Polly Ticks

Is Audible a on-line book recording service?

I am thinking about oral books because I have had so much trouble concentrating lately. I think maybe books I hear over a headset might be easier to follow.

Do you have any spoken book URL's?

What do they cost per book,and is there a good selection of older as well as newer books?

@sneakypete

Audible is an Amazon-owned company for audiobooks.  There are different memberships available, but the gist of it is that your membership gives you one or more credits that can be used to purchase any audiobook they sell -- one credit = one audiobook.  The basic plan is $14.95 for one credit per month. Those books you purchase are yours to keep even if you cancel the membership. They do have a good selection of both older and newer books, yes, although I understand the recording quality sometimes isn't as good on some of the older books. 

They've recently started offering a new benefit with your membership that is called Audible Plus. Audible Plus operates more like Netflix ... you can listen to the book, but you don' t get to keep it and the catalog of titles offered changes from time to time.  (Side note: I just did a quick search of the Audible Plus catalog out of curiosity, and it currently contains 34 of the Louis L'Amour titles.)  If that rental model is more your preference, you are able to purchase a membership that only provides access to the Plus catalog without any credits for $7.95 per month.

They have other membership benefits like a Daily Deal discounted audiobook of the day and they have 2-books-for-1-credit sales fairly frequently, too.  Here's the link if you want more info:
https://www.audible.com/ep/audible-member-benefit?pf_rd_p=8b6553b9-a061-4b02-9d16-7947e3a80b89&pf_rd_r=NR295PZT61HAQWR6SNEZ (https://www.audible.com/ep/audible-member-benefit?pf_rd_p=8b6553b9-a061-4b02-9d16-7947e3a80b89&pf_rd_r=NR295PZT61HAQWR6SNEZ)

As far as other URLs, I'm not really sure what else might be out there.  You'd think there would be something for audiobooks like Gutenberg does for ebooks, but I don't really know. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 31, 2020, 08:26:49 pm
Do you track those / keep count manually or do you use Goodreads or something like that? I have no idea how many books I've read; I only know how many I listened to because Audible keeps track for me and sends me an email at the end of the year.

I go by how many I return with Kindle Unlimited. These are easy read sci fi or fantasy. 275-350 pages each. I am a quarter through 82 now. I can finish it today if I just go do it. Like I said. I don't watch tv.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 31, 2020, 08:55:29 pm
I go by how many I return with Kindle Unlimited. These are easy read sci fi or fantasy. 275-350 pages each. I am a quarter through 82 now. I can finish it today if I just go do it. Like I said. I don't watch tv.

Gotcha.  I did KU for a while at the first of the year when I was off work on short-term disability, and that's where I found Will Wight's Cradle series. Good entertainment!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on December 31, 2020, 09:04:22 pm
Gotcha.  I did KU for a while at the first of the year when I was off work on short-term disability, and that's where I found Will Wight's Cradle series. Good entertainment!

I'll check him out. Always trying new authors. I did reread a compilation of Arthur C Clarke's short stories this year. About 1200 pages worth.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on December 31, 2020, 09:15:34 pm
I'll check him out. Always trying new authors. I did reread a compilation of Arthur C Clarke's short stories this year. About 1200 pages worth.

It's a basic progression fantasy ... each book is a 'level-up' for the protagonist.  (But not Lit-RPG.  I don't really care much for those.)  Let me know what you think if you try it out!

I haven't read short story compilations in a long time.  Maybe I'll try one of those this coming year.
 :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 31, 2020, 10:33:41 pm
@sneakypete

Audible is an Amazon-owned company for audiobooks.  There are different memberships available, but the gist of it is that your membership gives you one or more credits that can be used to purchase any audiobook they sell -- one credit = one audiobook.  The basic plan is $14.95 for one credit per month. Those books you purchase are yours to keep even if you cancel the membership. They do have a good selection of both older and newer books, yes, although I understand the recording quality sometimes isn't as good on some of the older books. 

They've recently started offering a new benefit with your membership that is called Audible Plus. Audible Plus operates more like Netflix ... you can listen to the book, but you don' t get to keep it and the catalog of titles offered changes from time to time.  (Side note: I just did a quick search of the Audible Plus catalog out of curiosity, and it currently contains 34 of the Louis L'Amour titles.)  If that rental model is more your preference, you are able to purchase a membership that only provides access to the Plus catalog without any credits for $7.95 per month.

They have other membership benefits like a Daily Deal discounted audiobook of the day and they have 2-books-for-1-credit sales fairly frequently, too.  Here's the link if you want more info:
https://www.audible.com/ep/audible-member-benefit?pf_rd_p=8b6553b9-a061-4b02-9d16-7947e3a80b89&pf_rd_r=NR295PZT61HAQWR6SNEZ (https://www.audible.com/ep/audible-member-benefit?pf_rd_p=8b6553b9-a061-4b02-9d16-7947e3a80b89&pf_rd_r=NR295PZT61HAQWR6SNEZ)

As far as other URLs, I'm not really sure what else might be out there.  You'd think there would be something for audiobooks like Gutenberg does for ebooks, but I don't really know.

@Polly Ticks

Thank you!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 31, 2020, 11:17:46 pm
Sneakypete asked:
"Is Audible a on-line book recording service?"

Want more audiobooks than you'll ever be able to listen to?
Just open a browser (I recommend the Epic privacy browser) and enter:
"torrent xxxx audiobook"
... with xxxx representing the name of the book, author, etc.

(As Butch said to Sundance after he placed the dynamite)
"That oughta do it..."
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 01, 2021, 12:37:40 am
Audible is an Amazon-owned company for audiobooks.  There are different memberships available, but the gist of it is that your membership gives you one or more credits that can be used to purchase any audiobook they sell -- one credit = one audiobook. 

You know, I have tried like crazy to get into audibles... I just can't. It don't work for me, and I can't tell you why.

It is strange to me, because you are talking to the guy who, back in the day, modified industrial earmuffs to receive speakers harvested from walkman earphones so I could listen to Limbaugh and talk radio all day while I was riding around on a garden tractor and running string trimmers and such when I was in lawn and landscaping.

Maybe it's just because I can't soak it in - It's that way now with yoottoob - There have been vids playing all day long while I was sitting here in Command Central, and I couldn't tell you what any of them were.  :shrug:

Books are an entertainment to me - a distraction - A way to step out of my day to day... But when I am working I am too focused to be entertained. I just don't hear it as anything other than white noise.
Maybe I ought to try it before bed... I don't know.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on January 01, 2021, 12:43:32 am
Sneakypete asked:
"Is Audible a on-line book recording service?"

Want more audiobooks than you'll ever be able to listen to?
Just open a browser (I recommend the Epic privacy browser) and enter:
"torrent xxxx audiobook"
... with xxxx representing the name of the book, author, etc.

(As Butch said to Sundance after he placed the dynamite)
"That oughta do it..."

Oh yeah, I guess that would be another option.

(https://frm-wows-sg.wgcdn.co/wows_forum_sg/monthly_2019_12/1723496568_stevethepirate.gif.551df6803559b93aaf78de9fda427eb7.gif)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 01, 2021, 12:47:21 am
You know, I have tried like crazy to get into audibles... I just can't. It don't work for me, and I can't tell you why.

It is strange to me, because you are talking to the guy who, back in the day, modified industrial earmuffs to receive speakers harvested from walkman earphones so I could listen to Limbaugh and talk radio all day while I was riding around on a garden tractor and running string trimmers and such when I was in lawn and landscaping.

Maybe it's just because I can't soak it in - It's that way now with yoottoob - There have been vids playing all day long while I was sitting here in Command Central, and I couldn't tell you what any of them were.  :shrug:

Books are an entertainment to me - a distraction - A way to step out of my day to day... But when I am working I am too focused to be entertained. I just don't hear it as anything other than white noise.
Maybe I ought to try it before bed... I don't know.

You just like to listen to yourself talk.  :police:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on January 01, 2021, 12:47:34 am
You know, I have tried like crazy to get into audibles... I just can't. It don't work for me, and I can't tell you why.

It is strange to me, because you are talking to the guy who, back in the day, modified industrial earmuffs to receive speakers harvested from walkman earphones so I could listen to Limbaugh and talk radio all day while I was riding around on a garden tractor and running string trimmers and such when I was in lawn and landscaping.

Maybe it's just because I can't soak it in - It's that way now with yoottoob - There have been vids playing all day long while I was sitting here in Command Central, and I couldn't tell you what any of them were.  :shrug:

Books are an entertainment to me - a distraction - A way to step out of my day to day... But when I am working I am too focused to be entertained. I just don't hear it as anything other than white noise.
Maybe I ought to try it before bed... I don't know.

Yeah, I can't do audiobooks when I'm working, either, or doing anything that requires any kind of brain effort.  I mainly listen when I'm working out, doing mindless chores, or some other activity that I do on autopilot like needlepoint and such.  Oh, and sometimes I will listen in the car rather than turning on the radio.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 01, 2021, 01:09:11 am
You just like to listen to yourself talk.  :police:

I used to sing in the shower... But the game wardens would always show up wondering why a bull elk was so close to town...  :shrug: :whistle: :seeya:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 01, 2021, 01:25:15 am
It's a basic progression fantasy ... each book is a 'level-up' for the protagonist.  (But not Lit-RPG.  I don't really care much for those.)  Let me know what you think if you try it out!

I haven't read short story compilations in a long time.  Maybe I'll try one of those this coming year.
 :beer:


I just did a recount. I am on book 92. 

I downloaded book 1 of Wight's Cradle.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 01, 2021, 10:27:05 am
I'll check him out. Always trying new authors. I did reread a compilation of Arthur C Clarke's short stories this year. About 1200 pages worth.
Did you ever read the "Rama" series. Enthralled me in High school and college. I would literally wait at the book store for the last two to come out.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on January 01, 2021, 01:32:00 pm
Did you ever read the "Rama" series. Enthralled me in High school and college. I would literally wait at the book store for the last two to come out.

I only read the first one... :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 01, 2021, 02:43:43 pm
Books Mary Shelley read in 1821:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqnJDX6XIAEqBVD?format=jpg&name=medium) (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqnJDX-XAAAPlwX?format=jpg&name=medium)

source:https://twitter.com/pastnow_/status/1344827035525505026/photo/2
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 01, 2021, 04:58:35 pm
I only read the first one... :shrug:
If you get a chance add the others.The final one "Rama Revealed" was worth the wait. It is one of those stories that is a slow continuous build to the end.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 01, 2021, 05:02:06 pm
If you get a chance add the others.The final one "Rama Revealed" was worth the wait. It is one of those stories that is a slow continuous build to the end.

I had the set.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on January 01, 2021, 05:19:58 pm
I had the set.

I have the set on my Kindle now.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 01, 2021, 05:21:49 pm
I have the set on my Kindle now.

Enjoy.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 02, 2021, 08:34:24 pm
A friend of Mr. M's gave him some books he'd already read, and so I am diving in. Last night I finished "Killing Patton" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. Our friend also gave us "Killing Reagan" and "Killing England."

The Patton book suggests that the general was the victim of a murder plot, that the traffic "accident" that paralyzed him was no accident at all. O'Reilly and Dugard are not the only ones to think so; I've just come upon this 2012 article  (https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2012/11/the_mysterious_death_of_gen_george_s_patton.html)in The American Thinker on the same topic. Interesting.

As an aside, a great-great-grandfather on my father's side served under Patton's grandfather, Col. George Patton, during the Civil War.

The book summarizes the Third Army's activities from late 1944 to the end of the war, e.g., Battle of the Bulge, and Patton's disagreements with Eisenhower, Bradley, et al., in the context of the approach of the Soviets, the liberation of Auschwitz and other events at the end of the war.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on January 03, 2021, 01:06:06 am
A friend of Mr. M's gave him some books he'd already read, and so I am diving in. Last night I finished "Killing Patton" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. Our friend also gave us "Killing Reagan" and "Killing England."

The Patton book suggests that the general was the victim of a murder plot, that the traffic "accident" that paralyzed him was no accident at all. O'Reilly and Dugard are not the only ones to think so; I've just come upon this 2012 article  (https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2012/11/the_mysterious_death_of_gen_george_s_patton.html)in The American Thinker on the same topic. Interesting.

As an aside, a great-great-grandfather on my father's side served under Patton's grandfather, Col. George Patton, during the Civil War.

The book summarizes the Third Army's activities from late 1944 to the end of the war, e.g., Battle of the Bulge, and Patton's disagreements with Eisenhower, Bradley, et al., in the context of the approach of the Soviets, the liberation of Auschwitz and other events at the end of the war.

And I would be among those in the highlighted part.  By 1945 there were already a great number of committed communists entrenched in the United States Department of State and they definitely were not fond of Patton's ideas on how to deal with eh Soviet Union.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on January 03, 2021, 01:11:27 am
Several months ago I purchased a copy of this book:

(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/5127XjiubGL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)

https://www.amazon.com/Judicial-Fortitude-Chance-Administrative-State/dp/1641770082/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AYAT2W1IU4JD&dchild=1&keywords=judicial+fortitude+wallison&qid=1609636063&sprefix=Judicial+For%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1 (https://www.amazon.com/Judicial-Fortitude-Chance-Administrative-State/dp/1641770082/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AYAT2W1IU4JD&dchild=1&keywords=judicial+fortitude+wallison&qid=1609636063&sprefix=Judicial+For%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1)

intending to read it as soon as possible.  By the time it had worked it's way to the top of the list, I was no longer sure I wanted to waste the time necessary to read it as recent events had shown me that what it proposes is never going to happen.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on January 03, 2021, 01:22:53 am
I've just started reading a book about Fort Knox...

but I'm finding it really hard to get into!!..
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 03, 2021, 01:31:12 am
I've just started reading a book about Fort Knox...

but I'm finding it really hard to get into!!..

 ****drummer
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 03, 2021, 02:26:09 am
Waiting for my first lot of L'Amour books to arrive.  I bought a second lot with about 90 books and the seller after I paid reneged and decided not to sell it to me.  So, I am waiting for my near $300 to return from the idiot.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on January 03, 2021, 04:34:15 pm
I just finished re-reading Rendezvous With Rama.  I first read it when it came out in 1973 (around the time I read Childhood's End) when I was in High School.  I picked up some details I had forgotten (but who could forget the last sentence in the book?  The Ramans did everything in threes.).

Rama II came out 15 years later, when I was immersed in things like work and a family.  I had no idea three more books had been published.

Fresh from RWR, I'm digging in to RII....
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on January 03, 2021, 05:16:52 pm
https://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/ (https://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/)

If you have ANY fondness at all for historical fiction,with just a taste of fiction and a hard base of history,you HAVE to read his books about the origins of South Africa. The tale begins with the first white settlers moving into a vast land populated ONLY by a very small tribe of roaming pygmies,and takes it right up to the communist takeover my Mandella and the rest of the posers,whose ancestors were NOT from South Africa.

IIRC,his great-grandfather headed up one of those original settler families.

I don't know what your experience will be with these books because it all depends on your political and historic view of the world,but I had a hard time putting any of them down before finishing them.

BTW,to date I have only read the Courtney series,so naturally these are the ones I recommend you start with,and I recommend you read them in order. Here is the order and everything else you need to know about this series.

Quote
https://www.howtoread.me/the-courtney-series-in-order/
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 03, 2021, 06:37:22 pm
A friend of Mr. M's gave him some books he'd already read, and so I am diving in. Last night I finished "Killing Patton" by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. Our friend also gave us "Killing Reagan" and "Killing England."
Finished "Killing Reagan" this morning. Good background on Ron and Nancy, pre-political years, their strengths and failings, the assassination attempt and on his decline.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 04, 2021, 02:07:42 am
O'Reilly's books are interesting, but they are suspect for the truth!  He still stands by the moronic notion that Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed JFK.  Nothing could be further from the truth!!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on January 04, 2021, 08:15:41 am
BTW,Bernard Cromwell is another author I strongly recommend.

http://www.bernardcornwell.net/series/the-last-kingdom-series/ (http://www.bernardcornwell.net/series/the-last-kingdom-series/)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 04, 2021, 11:45:35 am
O'Reilly's books are interesting, but they are suspect for the truth!  He still stands by the moronic notion that Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed JFK.  Nothing could be further from the truth!!
They're kind of like "history lite," which might inspire the reader to delve deeper.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 04, 2021, 02:03:48 pm
Gotcha.  I did KU for a while at the first of the year when I was off work on short-term disability, and that's where I found Will Wight's Cradle series. Good entertainment!

I have read the first two Cradle books and downloaded three and four.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on January 04, 2021, 03:38:55 pm
I have read the first two Cradle books and downloaded three and four.

I guess that probably means you're enjoying them.   :laugh:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 09, 2021, 10:00:44 pm
It has finally arrived.  I've been waiting for quite awhile for Ted Cruz's new book "One Vote Away How a Single Supreme Court Seat Can Change History".  The book is also signed!  I am thrilled.  His last book "A Time for Truth" was supposed to be signed and it arrived without his John Hancock.

"The book is dedicated to William Hubbs Rehnquist, the sixteenth Chief Justice of the United States and my friend."

I am excited to start reading it; especially since our SCOTUS just failed miserably and didn't do their jobs.

With Ted's involvement in the recent objections to the election, I anticipate that he has ample material for another book.

IMHO he is an excellent writer!! 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on January 10, 2021, 02:17:09 am


IMHO he is an excellent writer!!

@libertybele

And an even better actor when he needs votes.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 13, 2021, 06:53:10 pm
Just started reading Clive Cussler "The Titanic Secret" Set in 1911, it is the follow up to "Raise the Titanic" So far I am not seeing the usual predictable story flow. This is about Isaac Bell who is a detective working for the Van Dorn Security agency. It is the 11th one in the series. I went back and bought 1-3 in the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on January 13, 2021, 07:45:03 pm
Just started:

The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War" by Antonio J. Mendez, Jonna Mendez.

Start reading it for free: https://a.co/fLqr4Qx

Am a little put off by some propaganda about Russian election interference that was in the books forward, but it doesn't appear the rest of the book would touch on that since it's about the cold war.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on January 13, 2021, 08:00:35 pm
I'm reading "Raised On Radio", a history of old-time radio. Enjoyable, if a little biased towards the author's favorite shows.

Also reading "A Tale of Two Cities". Figured I need to work on some of the classics I've never read before they're all banned by the snowflakes.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on January 13, 2021, 08:35:39 pm
This thread is worth bookmarking.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 13, 2021, 08:56:15 pm
Well, I just returned the book I was reading "The Water Dancer" to the library.  I read half of it.  I gave up.  It was historical fiction which I love. The character was a slave born to a rich slaveowner, the plot was good, it kept my interest and then a couple of times, the story went off topic to where the main character (slave) had some kind of powers to see events of the past and future. It was hard to discern at time whether these visions were part of the current plot or just some vision that really didn't tie into the story. 

I am  now beginning to read "Ship of Brides" by Jojo Moyes.  This will be my second book by this author.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 13, 2021, 10:02:34 pm
After reading four Bill O'Reilly books in quick succession, I'm in a bit of a lull (also a little burned out on history). I'm not sure whether the local library is open ('rona, dontchaknow) but if not, I can still go to the website and request a book, which they will deliver at the curb.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 14, 2021, 10:38:40 am
All the talk upthread... in the extended power outtage we just went through, I read half of Lando by Louis L'Amour - Fittingly by the light from lanterns and headlamps.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 15, 2021, 08:35:07 am
I just got my first book by Louis L'Amour, which is actually four novels in one.  Started Hondo.  I like to read chronologically.

As I read the book, not really remembering the plot, but knowing John Wayne played the role of Hondo in the movie, it appears Wayne was perfect for the role.  I can see John Wayne with every move he makes in the book.  It's as if the book was written just for John Wayne to star in the movie.  Interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on January 15, 2021, 06:26:03 pm
I just read "Wildfire (Kelly Turnbull Book 3)" by Kurt Schlichter. Fun book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 15, 2021, 06:59:00 pm
I just read "Wildfire (Kelly Turnbull Book 3)" by Kurt Schlichter. Fun book.
Kurt is one of my favorites on Twitter.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on January 15, 2021, 08:06:33 pm
Kurt is one of my favorites on Twitter.

Same here, although I dumped my Twitter account. I hope to be able to read his posts on Parler if they are able to recover.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 15, 2021, 11:49:28 pm
Book six of will Wight's Cradle series. Gonna try for that 100 books this year. He is a change of pace for me. 8 books in this series. I've been reading and staying away from the MSM.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on January 16, 2021, 01:14:33 am
Book six of will Wight's Cradle series. Gonna try for that 100 books this year. He is a change of pace for me. 8 books in this series. I've been reading and staying away from the MSM.

I hadn't heard of Will Wight before, but the series sounds interesting.

I'm doing the same w.r.t. MSM, and also social media (other than here). It's actually quite nice.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on January 16, 2021, 01:41:25 am
I've been reading and staying away from the MSM.

Always a good decision.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 16, 2021, 01:44:15 am
After reading four Bill O'Reilly books in quick succession, I'm in a bit of a lull (also a little burned out on history). I'm not sure whether the local library is open ('rona, dontchaknow) but if not, I can still go to the website and request a book, which they will deliver at the curb.

Well, obviously you liked them all?  I haven't read any of his books. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 16, 2021, 02:27:45 am
Well, obviously you liked them all?  I haven't read any of his books.

I haven't, either. Don't really care to. I read books for entertainment.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on January 16, 2021, 02:29:43 am
Book six of will Wight's Cradle series. Gonna try for that 100 books this year. He is a change of pace for me. 8 books in this series. I've been reading and staying away from the MSM.

Good plan!

I'm thinking (or maybe just hoping?) the 9th book might be out by late summer or thereabouts.  Wight has been a very prolific writer.  And as a bonus, he generally makes the Kindle versions of his previous books in the series available for free when he does a new release.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 16, 2021, 02:31:53 am
Good plan!

I'm thinking (or maybe just hoping?) the 9th book might be out by late summer or thereabouts.  Wight has been a very prolific writer.  And as a bonus, he generally makes the Kindle versions of his previous books in the series available for free when he does a new release.

Thanks for the tip.

I'm going to try more of his books after this series.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on January 16, 2021, 02:38:15 am
Thanks for the tip.

I'm going to try more of his books after this series.

I'd love to hear your impressions once you do. I haven't read anything of his other than Cradle yet, but I have the Elder Empire books in my queue.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Lando Lincoln on January 16, 2021, 04:18:40 pm
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fVjknDr4L._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)

Just picked this up.  Not sure when I will get to it, tho.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 16, 2021, 05:41:53 pm
I’ve been learning French on the Duolingo app for a little over a year. It’s been kinda slow and steady, the old gray cells aren’t what they use to be.

So I’m now trying to read some beginning children’s books in francais. Tres difficle
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on January 16, 2021, 06:29:41 pm
I’ve been learning French on the Duolingo app for a little over a year. It’s been kinda slow and steady, the old gray cells aren’t what they use to be.

So I’m now trying to read some beginning children’s books in francais. Tres difficle

Way to go, never stop learning.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 16, 2021, 06:40:08 pm
Way to go, never stop learning.

It’s a very good thing to do during quarantine. Keeps you busy. And when I get a lesson right, a cute animated owl shows up.

To be honest,  I was hoping to go to Paris this year, but now, before 2030 will be nice. COVID should be under control by then, I hope.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 16, 2021, 08:27:43 pm
I always liked Bill O'Reilly, but his books are suspect.  He pushes the nonsense that Oswald was the only assassin.  Even the government with a second commission in I believe 1978 admitted there were at least two shooters.

I have a friend that is a professional writer.  Her and her husband met attending the semi-annual conference of the Kennedy assassination.  She has literally every book in print on the assassination.

BTW, to plug her book, Forward to Camelot, by Susan Sloate, a time travel fantasy tied to the Kennedy assassination.  I honestly could not put the book down.  LITERALLY!  I loved her book.  I told her she should rewrite the first 30 pages or so, but once beyond that, I promise you, this is a real page turner.
 :yowsa:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 16, 2021, 09:56:56 pm
Well, obviously you liked them all?  I haven't read any of his books.
Like I said somewhere, they're a good introduction to history. They probably shouldn't be considered the final authority. I do appreciate the way they introduce the characters, though. It was nice to learn more about Gen. Patton, for example, because my great-great-grandfather served under Patton's grandfather in the Civil War.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 17, 2021, 01:53:10 pm
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51fVjknDr4L._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)

Just picked this up.  Not sure when I will get to it, tho.

The premise sounds like a poem.

Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 22, 2021, 01:30:28 am
Finished Hondo by Louis L'Amour.  Simple story, interesting, and a fast read.  On to the next book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on January 22, 2021, 01:36:31 am
Finished Hondo by Louis L'Amour.  Simple story, interesting, and a fast read.  On to the next book.

@jafo2010

His stories are about people. They don't need to be complex.

I wish I could still read. Thanks to chemo brain,I am now stuck with watching videos and movies on my ROKU. I sometimes try to read,but by the time I get to the second page I have already forgotten what happened on the first page.

On a positive note,I am saving a lot of money on books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on January 22, 2021, 01:43:13 am
I took time off from Rama to bone up on Robert's Rules of Order.  :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 22, 2021, 01:57:05 am
Finished Hondo by Louis L'Amour.  Simple story, interesting, and a fast read.  On to the next book.

Expect more of the same. I can get through a L'amour tale in four hours if I am left alone... In our recent power outage I got half way through Lando in two hours time... before the headlamp gave up the ghost. New headlamp nearly on the way btw...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 22, 2021, 04:45:55 pm
Finished up Clive Cussler's "The Titanic secret", ordered the first three in the Series and am in the Middle of Cussler's Arctic Drift.
I want to finish up all of his Dirk Pitt stuff before summer. Should be easy enough, they're not "deep" reads. I was nice to see that his car did not get destroyed in a shoot out car chase this time (So far).
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 22, 2021, 04:51:07 pm
Finished up Clive Cussler's "The Titanic secret", ordered the first three in the Series and am in the Middle of Cussler's Arctic Drift.
I want to finish up all of his Dirk Pitt stuff before summer. Should be easy enough, they're not "deep" reads. I was nice to see that his car did not get destroyed in a shoot out car chase this time (So far).

The thing I have against Cussler is the necessary suspension of disbelief... The first books were outlandish, but a rollicking story made it work... As I went on, the impossibility of the stories began to rub me wrong.  :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on January 22, 2021, 05:10:55 pm
I've moved on to the latest Kurt Schlichter book in the Kelly Turnbull series: "Crises". Loving these books. They're a real pick-me-up in current times because they are merciless in making fun of the leftist woke fools.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on January 23, 2021, 12:30:37 am
The thing I have against Cussler is the necessary suspension of disbelief... The first books were outlandish, but a rollicking story made it work... As I went on, the impossibility of the stories began to rub me wrong.  :shrug:

I think they were good. I think he had someone else writing a lot of later stuff. And I agree with you on the superhero aspect.

On book eight of the Cradle. Need to finish it up and one more for the month. Nine books a month is my goal.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 23, 2021, 12:25:53 pm
I think they were good. I think he had someone else writing a lot of later stuff. And I agree with you on the superhero aspect.

On book eight of the Cradle. Need to finish it up and one more for the month. Nine books a month is my goal.

The only book I’ve ever read with “Cradle” in the title was “Cat’s Cradle”, by Vonnegut. I loved it but I realize that Kurt Vonnegut may not be for everyone. Most of my classmates in an English course when we were reading “Slaughterhouse Five” really disliked it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on January 23, 2021, 01:15:49 pm
The only book I’ve ever read with “Cradle” in the title was “Cat’s Cradle”, by Vonnegut. I loved it but I realize that Kurt Vonnegut may not be for everyone. Most of my classmates in an English course when we were reading “Slaughterhouse Five” really disliked it.

Your classmates would have liked Breakfast of Champions better...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 23, 2021, 01:30:43 pm
Your classmates would have liked Breakfast of Champions better...

Dwayne Hoover the Pontiac salesman, and Kilgore Trout! Hurray!

I do agree @Cyber Liberty . Or Cats Cradle, The Sirens of Titian. Even that book he wrote in 79 about Sacco and Vanzetti was good. “Jailbird”

I used that one for part of a paper for an AP US History class in HS and got an A+ on it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 23, 2021, 07:26:08 pm
The only book I’ve ever read with “Cradle” in the title was “Cat’s Cradle”, by Vonnegut. I loved it but I realize that Kurt Vonnegut may not be for everyone. Most of my classmates in an English course when we were reading “Slaughterhouse Five” really disliked it.
Never read "Cat's Cradle". Loved "Breakfast of Champions" and "Slapstick"
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 25, 2021, 02:05:02 am
Vonnegut, read everything he wrote up to Breakfast of Champions.  I thought it was mediocre.  However, back in my university days, I thought Cat's Cradle was one of my favorite stories.  I also loved Slaughterhouse Five.  It was a difficult book to follow, and I can see why folks might not like it or find it difficult to follow.

Some 30 years after I read Cat's Cradle, I was sick in bed and decided to read it again.  I hate to say this, but I could not remotely understand why I liked the book.  I was not impressed.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on January 25, 2021, 02:09:40 am
Just finished another L'Amour book, Showdown at Yellow Butte.  Again, great characters, easy read.

Bought a lot of 65 of his books today.  Got them for a reasonable rate, about $2 each for the leatherette books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: corbe on January 25, 2021, 02:22:28 am
   Got this today.  I wanted to start it tonight but decided to get drunk and Internet instead.  It's another story about my family's history in founding San Antonio, 1731.

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hdgAAOSw5CZcw7EI/s-l500.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 25, 2021, 02:26:10 am
Vonnegut, read everything he wrote up to Breakfast of Champions.  I thought it was mediocre.  However, back in my university days, I thought Cat's Cradle was one of my favorite stories.  I also loved Slaughterhouse Five.  It was a difficult book to follow, and I can see why folks might not like it or find it difficult to follow.

Some 30 years after I read Cat's Cradle, I was sick in bed and decided to read it again.  I hate to say this, but I could not remotely understand why I liked the book.  I was not impressed.

I understand @jafo2010

When I was in Junior High, 8 discovered Sylvia Plath. I thought she was the best female poet ever.

When I was in my mid to late 20s, about 27, 28, I thought she was a selfish woman, who not only almost took her two children with her suicide, but the person who lived in the flat below.
And this was over Ted Hughes, who may be a good poet in his own right, but how in the heck did he have two wives suicide?

Now, if I want to read a good female poet, I’ll read Emily Dickinson or Elizabeth Browning
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on January 29, 2021, 02:12:13 am
Vonnegut, read everything he wrote up to Breakfast of Champions.  I thought it was mediocre.  However, back in my university days, I thought Cat's Cradle was one of my favorite stories.  I also loved Slaughterhouse Five.  It was a difficult book to follow, and I can see why folks might not like it or find it difficult to follow.

Some 30 years after I read Cat's Cradle, I was sick in bed and decided to read it again.  I hate to say this, but I could not remotely understand why I liked the book.  I was not impressed.
I liked the idea of Ice-9
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on February 05, 2021, 06:08:05 pm
Just cranked through four L'Amour books.  Easy reads.  He is very descriptive with his writing.

Got 69 of his books, and negotiating for another 52 more books which will give me a near complete set of his books.  I hope to read them all this year, in addition to my normal reading.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on February 05, 2021, 07:14:37 pm
I've recently started Stephen W. Sears' "Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam." Very detailed and gives good background info leading up to the battle itself. I find myself having to stop and reread entire paragraphs just to keep everything straight. But it's very good, at least so far, up to page 74.  :laugh:

It occurs to me that I sound like the young man in the Progressive Insurance commercials, where the Parenta-Life coach Dr. Rick asks, "Who else reads books about submarines?" and he replies, "My dad?"

Yes, this baby boomer female actually reads books about Civil War battles.  :silly:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on February 05, 2021, 08:47:15 pm
Just cranked through four L'Amour books.  Easy reads.  He is very descriptive with his writing.

Got 69 of his books, and negotiating for another 52 more books which will give me a near complete set of his books.  I hope to read them all this year, in addition to my normal reading.

@jafo2010

So I guess I'm not going out on a limb when I say you are now a Louis L'Amour fan?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on February 06, 2021, 06:50:00 pm
Yes, I am enjoying his books.  One thing absolutely true about his work, it is all American.  When you read his books, and I have only read a few, it is clearly evident we have much to be thankful for, and much to lose.  Life back in the 19th century was challenging and harsh, to say the least.

I wake up daily, no wood to cut for warmth, I can prepare a meal in a few minutes that will feed us for five days, and stored in a refrigerator to keep it fresh.  Everything is grown for me, and all I need do is buy it and eat it.  And so far, life has been safe for me and my family.  No one threatening us with our life, no wild animals looking to make me dinner, no diseases to contend with, etc. 

Again, life is good.  And the people that settled this country had courage and great determination.  We have lost that as a nation I fear.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on February 12, 2021, 10:07:09 pm
   Got this today.  I wanted to start it tonight but decided to get drunk and Internet instead.  It's another story about my family's history in founding San Antonio, 1731.

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hdgAAOSw5CZcw7EI/s-l500.jpg)

I had no idea of your family's history.  I'll have to give it a read.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on February 12, 2021, 10:13:26 pm
I am reading "Neighbors" one of Danielle Steel's newest books.  It's a light, easy read and I'm enjoying it.  Read almost half of the book last night.

I looked up the L'Amour books, I didn't realize that they were fictional history; my fave.  Anyone have a favorite??
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on February 12, 2021, 10:57:22 pm
I am reading "Neighbors" one of Danielle Steel's newest books.  It's a light, easy read and I'm enjoying it.  Read almost half of the book last night.

I looked up the L'Amour books, I didn't realize that they were fictional history; my fave.  Anyone have a favorite??

ANY of the Sackett books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on February 12, 2021, 11:04:14 pm
I wake up daily, no wood to cut for warmth, I can prepare a meal in a few minutes that will feed us for five days, and stored in a refrigerator to keep it fresh.  Everything is grown for me, and all I need do is buy it and eat it.  And so far, life has been safe for me and my family.  No one threatening us with our life, no wild animals looking to make me dinner, no diseases to contend with, etc. 


Well, really it ain't all that hard otherwise. I have lived by lantern light and heated with wood, having to fetch water and use an outhouse ... You might be surprised how many there are that still do. Same goes for building things with hand tools and blacksmithing. Just takes longer is all. The work is actually better craft.

The big one is refrigeration - And by that I mean freezers. Folks had regular refrigeration sinking stuff down in the well. After that, laundry... The rest ain't bad at all.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on February 12, 2021, 11:41:01 pm
I had no idea of your family's history.  I'll have to give it a read.

My Great, Great, Great Grandfather was PT Barnum. We don't talk about it much....
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on February 12, 2021, 11:44:31 pm
My Great, Great, Great Grandfather was PT Barnum. We don't talk about it much....

The time to talk is long over,  imo.

I am on my 16th book this year.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on February 17, 2021, 11:00:29 pm
Just starting "Kolyma Tales" by Varlam Shalamov, semi-autobiographical short stories about life in the Soviet labor camps of far north-eastern Siberia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolyma_Tales

I had seen these mentioned while reading The Gulag Archipelago, so I hunted it up and downloaded it...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on February 18, 2021, 09:28:24 am
Just starting "Kolyma Tales" by Varlam Shalamov, semi-autobiographical short stories about life in the Soviet labor camps of far north-eastern Siberia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolyma_Tales

I had seen these mentioned while reading The Gulag Archipelago, so I hunted it up and downloaded it...
That sounds interesting. Do you have a link to the download?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on February 18, 2021, 02:50:36 pm
Smokin' Joe wrote:
"That sounds interesting. Do you have a link to the download?"

Can't remember exactly where I found it, but try this:
Open a search engine (I used and recommend the "Epic privacy browser" for this task) and enter:
"epub Kolyma Tales"

That should do it.
The first hit may be all you need.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on February 19, 2021, 09:26:25 am
Smokin' Joe wrote:
"That sounds interesting. Do you have a link to the download?"

Can't remember exactly where I found it, but try this:
Open a search engine (I used and recommend the "Epic privacy browser" for this task) and enter:
"epub Kolyma Tales"

That should do it.
The first hit may be all you need.
Thanks. I wasn't going to sign up for a 50 buck a month thingy, so I just bought a copy...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on February 19, 2021, 01:48:47 pm
As soon as I finish the book on Antietam, I'm planning to reread the Chronicles of Narnia for the first time since 1982. The Second Chapter of Acts album, "The Roar of Love," a musical interpretation of the first volume, "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," has been in my car's CD player for a few weeks now, and I'm inspired.

"Are you going to Narnia? Take me along with you to see the Lion with the golden mane, and stare into His eyes of True..."
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on February 19, 2021, 11:14:34 pm
Joe wrote:
"I wasn't going to sign up for a 50 buck a month thingy, so I just bought a copy..."

Did I say anything about "paying" 50 a month?  (heh)
One has to learn to "scrounge around", for what "pieces" may be found.
(as did the prisoners in the Kolyma Tales...)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on March 06, 2021, 09:15:17 pm
A couple of people in here recommended Louis L'Amour.  So I went to the library;  I selected "The Warrior's Path".  I'm anxious to start reading it.

I just finished reading Danielle Steel's "All that Glitters", one of her newest books.  It was good.  Not one of her best, but good and I would have written a very different ending. Her ending was same ole same ole predictable ending.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on March 09, 2021, 11:12:22 pm
Just finished "Kolyma Tales", by Varlam Shalamov (a collection of stories about life in the frozen lands of the far northeast Soviet gulags).

Will start Phillip Dick's "The Man In The High Castle" tomorrow...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on March 10, 2021, 11:54:29 am

Will start Phillip Dick's "The Man In The High Castle" tomorrow...
Lov3ed the Amazon Prime series.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on March 10, 2021, 01:43:34 pm
I am on book 12 of a 14 book series that mixes MASH, Star Wars, and Apocalypse Now. 23rd book this year.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on March 10, 2021, 02:10:08 pm
Lov3ed the Amazon Prime series.

Haven’t gotten around to see this, but I hear only good things.

Off topic, I really want to see Wandavision, but I don’t have Disney+
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: andy58-in-nh on March 10, 2021, 02:29:36 pm
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xAy4jseHL.jpg)

A great story about my favorite airplane.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on March 10, 2021, 02:30:07 pm
I am on book 12 of a 14 book series that mixes MASH, Star Wars, and Apocalypse Now. 23rd book this year.

@bigheadfred

I have to ask, what is that series?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on March 10, 2021, 04:49:04 pm
Haven’t gotten around to see this, but I hear only good things.

Off topic, I really want to see Wandavision, but I don’t have Disney+
I enjoyed WandaVision, Vergaette was So-so about it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 10, 2021, 05:26:56 pm
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xAy4jseHL.jpg)

A great story about my favorite airplane.

@andy58-in-nh

There will always be a special place in my heart for fighter-bombers with propellers,and their pilots. We preferred the old A1 Skyraider over all other air support because they could fly low and slow,and put the bombs and cannon fire EXACTLY where we needed it when we were in danger of being overrun.

You could hear them coming in with cannons and MG's firing,and then zooming up and away right after they dropped the bombs or the napalm. Look up at them when your heard them hit the power to gain altitude,and half the time you would see the pilot smiling and waving at you because he had the canopy pushed back,and it seemed like they all wore leather helmets with goggles and had brightly colored scarves tied around their necks.

Hell,these guys would come in making gun runs after they were out of ammunition,just to keep the enemy from advancing on us. Usually the NVA would start hauling ass at the first sign of fighter-bombers coming in,even the jets. Anybody that isn't afraid of napalm isn't thinking clearly,and will soon think no more. I don't know about anyone else,but when I was on the radio and things were getting tight,I'd put in a request for Crispy Critters to let them know it was napalm time.

Loved,loved,LOVED me some Skyraiders! I can truthfully say that if it weren't for those guys,I wouldn't be here now to type these words.

I understand there is now and has been for years,a jet that is able to fly low and slow,and haul an insane amount of ordinance while doing so. I read a few years back about the AF wanting to declare it obsolete and to get rid of it,and the army screamed so loud about this even the Pentagram heard it and kept that in active service.

Fast jets are nice because they get there quickly,but when it comes time to drop ordinance or fire cannons at "danger close" range,you want something that can fly low and slow enough to see what they are doing and put it all in the right places.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on March 10, 2021, 06:04:45 pm
@andy58-in-nh
I understand there is now and has been for years,a jet that is able to fly low and slow,and haul an insane amount of ordinance while doing so. I read a few years back about the AF wanting to declare it obsolete and to get rid of it,and the army screamed so loud about this even the Pentagram heard it and kept that in active service.

Yep, the A-10! Fantastic aircraft.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 10, 2021, 06:24:39 pm
Yep, the A-10! Fantastic aircraft.

@BassWrangler

Yeah,that's the one!

I understand it also has an armored "pilot cage" that pretty much protects the pilot for ground small arms fire,too.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: andy58-in-nh on March 10, 2021, 06:40:34 pm
Yep, the A-10! Fantastic aircraft.

@sneakypete
@BassWrangler

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Douglas_A-1_Skyraider_%2819890269769%29.jpg)
A-1 Skyraider


(https://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/full/public/2019-10/a-10-combat-air-patrol-3000.jpg?itok=8XH-08fT)
A-10 Warthog

Both are awesome aircraft, but I was always kinda partial to the A-10 because you really can't not love a close-air support machine with a 30mm Gatling gun in its nose.



Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on March 10, 2021, 08:24:50 pm
@sneakypete
@BassWrangler

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Douglas_A-1_Skyraider_%2819890269769%29.jpg)
A-1 Skyraider


(https://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/full/public/2019-10/a-10-combat-air-patrol-3000.jpg?itok=8XH-08fT)
A-10 Warthog

Both are awesome aircraft, but I was always kinda partial to the A-10 because you really can't not love a close-air support machine with a 30mm Gatling gun in its nose.

@andy58-in-nh

Brrrrrrrrtttttttttt
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 10, 2021, 10:09:16 pm
@sneakypete
@BassWrangler

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Douglas_A-1_Skyraider_%2819890269769%29.jpg)
A-1 Skyraider


(https://images02.military.com/sites/default/files/styles/full/public/2019-10/a-10-combat-air-patrol-3000.jpg?itok=8XH-08fT)
A-10 Warthog

Both are awesome aircraft, but I was always kinda partial to the A-10 because you really can't not love a close-air support machine with a 30mm Gatling gun in its nose.

@andy58-in-nh  @BassWrangler

True,but look at all the beautiful bombs hanging off the wings of the Skyraider. It also makes all the "right" "vroom,vroom" noises. Plus it has a cockpit canopy that slides back so you and the pilot can wave to each other.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on March 10, 2021, 11:49:35 pm
@bigheadfred

I have to ask, what is that series?

Undying Mercenaries Series

by B.V. Larson

I was going to quit before now, but it is like watching tv. At book 12 the read is faster since I can skip the repeated stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on March 11, 2021, 12:11:27 am
The Warthog. Great Weapon.

Official Thread Hijack.

There used to be a video. POISONOUS LEGACY. Can't find it now. Look up depleted uranium.

We fired TONS of uranium shells in several conflicts. That sh*t has some long term effects.

We are using nuclear weapons all the effing time.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 11, 2021, 12:58:17 am
The Warthog. Great Weapon.

Official Thread Hijack.

There used to be a video. POISONOUS LEGACY. Can't find it now. Look up depleted uranium.

We fired TONS of uranium shells in several conflicts. That sh*t has some long term effects.

We are using nuclear weapons all the effing time.

@bigheadfred

I am well be wrong because my memory sucks these days,but I THINK the USAF and USN fighters were firing them in VN?
I THINK they were mostly fired in 20 and 30 mm rounds,and were "tank killers".

BTW,I went to the page about the AI Skyraiders,and damned if there isn't a hour + afteraction review of the Hatchet Force Platoon I was  a member that went into Laos on Operation Tailwind. I got medievaced the day before or the same day they went in,after having visited 3 or 4 different military doctors about the severe rash I had all over my back and shoulders from my previous mission. They were calling it "Tropical Acne" back then,but we know it as "Agent Orange" these days. Probably saved my life because every man that went on that mission was either wounded or killed,and the guy that replaced me was killed in less than 10 minutes into his very first firefight. Didn't know what was going on because firefights can be confusing if you have never been in one,so he stood up to look around,and a  NVA round took the top of his head off.

While all this was going on,I was flying back home.

I will probably post that video after I have watched it all.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on March 11, 2021, 04:44:30 am
@bigheadfred

I am well be wrong because my memory sucks these days,but I THINK the USAF and USN fighters were firing them in VN?
I THINK they were mostly fired in 20 and 30 mm rounds,and were "tank killers".

BTW,I went to the page about the AI Skyraiders,and damned if there isn't a hour + afteraction review of the Hatchet Force Platoon I was  a member that went into Laos on Operation Tailwind. I got medievaced the day before or the same day they went in,after having visited 3 or 4 different military doctors about the severe rash I had all over my back and shoulders from my previous mission. They were calling it "Tropical Acne" back then,but we know it as "Agent Orange" these days. Probably saved my life because every man that went on that mission was either wounded or killed,and the guy that replaced me was killed in less than 10 minutes into his very first firefight. Didn't know what was going on because firefights can be confusing if you have never been in one,so he stood up to look around,and a  NVA round took the top of his head off.

While all this was going on,I was flying back home.

I will probably post that video after I have watched it all.

I did a little research, and it looks to me like The first time we started using depleted uranium in weapons was during the gulf war. Could be wrong, but I found several sources that said that. The US military started looking at it in the 1970s in response to some improvements the Soviets made on the armor on their tanks.

Also interesting: the depleted uranium is about 60% as radioactive as naturally occurring uranium. It's also quite toxic even without the radioactive effects. When it hits a target, it vaporizes. Nearby troops can breath the vapor or the dust it condenses to, leading to long term health problems. Some people think this is the source of "gulf war syndrome" that has been reported by so many GW veterans.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 11, 2021, 05:10:37 am
Some people think this is the source of "gulf war syndrome" that has been reported by so many GW veterans
 
@BassWrangler

I'm with "some people".
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on March 11, 2021, 06:03:00 am
Some people think this is the source of "gulf war syndrome" that has been reported by so many GW veterans
 
@BassWrangler

I'm with "some people".

It would make sense. The only other theory I've heard that seems plausible is exposure to the chemical agents that we know Saddam had at one point.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on March 11, 2021, 08:46:30 am
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51xAy4jseHL.jpg)

A great story about my favorite airplane.
I'll have to check that out. (My favorite, too).
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on March 11, 2021, 08:49:56 am
Some people think this is the source of "gulf war syndrome" that has been reported by so many GW veterans
 
@BassWrangler

I'm with "some people".
Me, too.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on March 11, 2021, 08:50:56 am
It would make sense. The only other theory I've heard that seems plausible is exposure to the chemical agents that we know Saddam had at one point.
Now that you mention those, either or both may be causative. Nasty stuff is nasty stuff, and there are a host of symptoms for the syndrome.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 11, 2021, 11:02:59 am
Now that you mention those, either or both may be causative. Nasty stuff is nasty stuff, and there are a host of symptoms for the syndrome.

@BassWrangler  @Smokin Joe

And I have no doubt whatsoever there are chemical compounds in existence that none of us have even heard rumors about.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on March 11, 2021, 08:45:48 pm
@BassWrangler  @Smokin Joe

And I have no doubt whatsoever there are chemical compounds in existence that none of us have even heard rumors about.

@sneakypete - yes, you got to figure the Soviets and ChiComs have chemical weapons research going on.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on March 11, 2021, 09:14:54 pm
Ice-9.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on March 20, 2021, 04:05:15 am
I have been reading L'Amour books, enjoying them.  His writing gets better with each book.

This will make you laugh.  I am having western dreams.  Like I am Utah Blaine, etc  Vivid dreams.  I woke up one morning exhausted after being chased all night.

BTW, I tested positive for COVID.  I think this is the 2nd time I am having this.  I believe I had it in January, 2020.  Pretty debilitating.  I was so weak yesterday, it took all my energy to stand up out of a chair.  Talk about weak!!!

This is a bio weapon.  No mystery about it, and we have an administrator that is a pawn of China as POTUS.  I say we start a recall of this dumb f*&^!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on March 20, 2021, 05:50:28 am
I have been reading L'Amour books, enjoying them.  His writing gets better with each book.

This will make you laugh.  I am having western dreams.  Like I am Utah Blaine, etc  Vivid dreams.  I woke up one morning exhausted after being chased all night.

BTW, I tested positive for COVID.  I think this is the 2nd time I am having this.  I believe I had it in January, 2020.  Pretty debilitating.  I was so weak yesterday, it took all my energy to stand up out of a chair.  Talk about weak!!!

This is a bio weapon.  No mystery about it, and we have an administrator that is a pawn of China as POTUS.  I say we start a recall of this dumb f*&^!!!!!!!!!

@jafo2010

I couldn't agree more,and given his KNOWN past filled with corruption and selling America down the river to the highest bidder,have a trial to expose ALL his corruption,followed immediately by his execution
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on March 22, 2021, 01:24:44 am
Ice-9.

Wasn’t that “Cat’s Cradle” by Vonnegut?
@Cyber Liberty
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on March 22, 2021, 01:26:14 am
I received a $30 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble this past winter.

I plan on going this week and using it. Yay!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on March 22, 2021, 01:36:30 pm
Wasn’t that “Cat’s Cradle” by Vonnegut?
@Cyber Liberty

Yup!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on March 22, 2021, 09:56:33 pm
I just finished "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip Dick, an alternate-future novel about if Japan and Germany had defeated the USA in World War II. Ultimately, I found it to be a letdown with no clearly-defined ending.

Just started another alternate-future novel entitled "Bring the Jubilee", which supposes the South won the War Between the States instead of the Union...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on March 22, 2021, 11:01:24 pm
I just finished "The Man in the High Castle" by Philip Dick, an alternate-future novel about if Japan and Germany had defeated the USA in World War II. Ultimately, I found it to be a letdown with no clearly-defined ending.

Just started another alternate-future novel entitled "Bring the Jubilee", which supposes the South won the War Between the States instead of the Union...

I haven't read the book, but I did watch the Amazon series, and found it similarly had no ending. But I think maybe they've added another season, so who knows. Started out really interesting, and then went downhill.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: PeteS in CA on March 23, 2021, 02:58:16 pm
Last week I read and finished Neptune's Inferno, which is about the naval fighting during the Guadalcanal campaign. The author didn't "go there", but the USN's unpreparedness and crappy destroyer torpedoes (they ran deep, the magnetic exploder was utterly unreliable, and the contact exploder was approximately as bad ... what's not to love! :sarc: While the Mark XIV submarine torpedo is most infamous, the destroyer and air-launched Marks shared the same defects) were both largely the consequence of FDR's gutting defense to fund his social programs. The author accessed a lot of contemporaneous sources - action reports, crewman interviews/accounts, etc..

One interesting point about the battle of November 13th (US cruisers vs. Hiei and Kirishima) is whether Adm. Callaghan viewed the impending battle (he knew what he would be facing) as so suicidal that plowing into the IJN formation might have been intentional, since USN 8" guns could penetrate Hiei's and Kirishima's battle cruiser grade armor at close ranges. The view of his actions I'd heard before was that he cluelessly blundered into the IJN formation and the consequent melee was totally unintentional. The mental image of USN DDs firing into Hiei's superstructure while so close that Hiei's secondaries could not depress low enough still amazes me.

Next up, hopefully arriving from Amazon in the next day or two, will be Chinese Girl in the Ghetto. The author, Ying Ma, moved from Guangzhou to Oakland when she was 10YO. I'm sure it'll cover much more, but it goes into the anti-Asian racism that has long been common among some blacks.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on March 26, 2021, 11:32:17 pm
I am going to look for the Oera Linda Book.

I believe our true history has been subverted, changed.

They say this book is fantasy. I doubt that.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on March 27, 2021, 06:13:43 pm
I am going to look for the Oera Linda Book.

I believe our true history has been subverted, changed.

They say this book is fantasy. I doubt that.

https://www.amazon.com/Oera-Linda-Book-Manuscript-Thirteenth/dp/1104318024

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/40986/40986-h/40986-h.htm
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on March 27, 2021, 10:00:33 pm
https://www.amazon.com/Oera-Linda-Book-Manuscript-Thirteenth/dp/1104318024

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/40986/40986-h/40986-h.htm

Thanks. Got it from Amazon.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on April 03, 2021, 02:07:14 am
Just finished book 11 of L'Amour.  To Tame a Land, and I could not put it down.  Read it in one sitting.

It has been a long time since I read a book I could not put down, like 15 years.  It was called Forward to Camelot, by Susan Sloate.  A time travel story tied to JFK's assassination.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 03, 2021, 02:25:43 am
Just finished book 11 of L'Amour.  To Tame a Land, and I could not put it down.  Read it in one sitting.

It has been a long time since I read a book I could not put down, like 15 years.  It was called Forward to Camelot, by Susan Sloate.  A time travel story tied to JFK's assassination.

@jafo2010

I have never heard of anyone who read a Louis L'Amour book that didn't like it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on April 03, 2021, 02:29:30 am
Just finished book 11 of L'Amour.  To Tame a Land, and I could not put it down.  Read it in one sitting.

It has been a long time since I read a book I could not put down, like 15 years.  It was called Forward to Camelot, by Susan Sloate.  A time travel story tied to JFK's assassination.

LOL! Glad you like em. To me, that is their shining glory... A nice little 150 pages you can sit down and get lost in for a few hours. Exciting, but expected. Same old story, but always a twist or two to put you on edge and make you commit.   :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on April 03, 2021, 03:46:20 pm
@jafo2010

I have never heard of anyone who read a Louis L'Amour book that didn't like it.
Frankly I am afraid to try his stuff. I have 2 more Clive Cussler "Dirk Pitt" books to finish, 12 of his "Isaac Bell", and 11 or 12 of the "Oregon Files" to catch up on. Right now that is about 6 months of solid reading ahead of me. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 03, 2021, 05:32:18 pm
Frankly I am afraid to try his stuff. I have 2 more Clive Cussler "Dirk Pitt" books to finish, 12 of his "Isaac Bell", and 11 or 12 of the "Oregon Files" to catch up on. Right now that is about 6 months of solid reading ahead of me.

@verga

I have good news for you!

Most of his books can be read in one day,so they could serve as a nice break from the long reads of a Cussler novel. Something entirely different to give you a little break.

Just don't blame me if you end up ordering 20 or more of his other books so you can "catch up". Cussler will still be there when you are done with L'Amour.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on April 03, 2021, 07:38:18 pm
I agree with sneakypete.  One of the nice things of L'Amour is that his books are short, and you can crank them out quickly.  Many of them are less than 100 pages, so depending on how fast you read, they can be easily read in a 2-4 hours.

I have about 70 of them, still shopping for the rest. 

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on April 03, 2021, 07:50:16 pm
Just started reading "A Gilded Lady" by Elizabeth Camden.  It's historical fiction that takes place during the McKinley administration.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on April 03, 2021, 10:38:35 pm
jafo wrote:
"I have about 70 of them, still shopping for the rest."

Have you tried perusing this list:
www.limetorrents.info/Louis-L%20Amour-collection-EPUB-torrent-13028842.html
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on April 05, 2021, 01:11:01 pm
I agree with sneakypete.  One of the nice things of L'Amour is that his books are short, and you can crank them out quickly.  Many of them are less than 100 pages, so depending on how fast you read, they can be easily read in a 2-4 hours.

I have about 70 of them, still shopping for the rest.
/quote]@sneakypete, @jafo2010 you two are a bad influence on me and now you are ganging up on me.  :nono:  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 05, 2021, 03:54:06 pm
I agree with sneakypete.  One of the nice things of L'Amour is that his books are short, and you can crank them out quickly.  Many of them are less than 100 pages, so depending on how fast you read, they can be easily read in a 2-4 hours.

I have about 70 of them, still shopping for the rest.
/quote]@sneakypete, @jafo2010 you two are a bad influence on me and now you are ganging up on me.  :nono:  :beer:

@verga

Suck it up,buttercup!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: PeteS in CA on April 05, 2021, 05:33:00 pm
Chinese Girl in the Ghetto

The book starts with several experiences of the author's early childhood in Guangzhou China. When she was 10 (1984 or 1985) her family moved to the US, specifically to Oakland.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on April 20, 2021, 02:37:37 am
After reading 11 L'Amour books, I am waiting to get a few to continue the chronological read.

I just finished Alex Berenson's The Faithful Spy and started The Ghost War.  I went out and got his first nine books.  They are definitely engaging.  I recommend him.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 20, 2021, 07:19:55 am
Chinese Girl in the Ghetto

The book starts with several experiences of the author's early childhood in Guangzhou China. When she was 10 (1984 or 1985) her family moved to the US, specifically to Oakland.

@PeteS in CA

OUCH!

Talk about "culture shock"!

Frankly,I am surprised they didn't all immediately jump into the Pacific and try to swim back to China.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on April 21, 2021, 12:03:07 am
Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries

https://www.amazon.com/Loonshots-Nurture-Diseases-Transform-Industries-ebook/dp/B07D2BKVQR/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=loonshots&qid=1618963357&s=books&sr=1-1
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Skull on April 23, 2021, 03:51:11 pm
How To Trump SJWs: Using Alinsky's 'Rules for Radicals' Against Liberals by Manon Welles

I only have the 2016 ebook version, not sure if it was ever in print form.  Very good guidance for the activist Right.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on April 23, 2021, 03:53:25 pm
Reading Advise & Consent right now. Not the best written book, but it is a page-turner. I love how it shows the press for the weasels they have always been.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on April 23, 2021, 04:04:33 pm
Reading Advise & Consent right now. Not the best written book, but it is a page-turner. I love how it shows the press for the weasels they have always been.

I still love this.....

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_piXE8lFEABo/TRLipBNPn9I/AAAAAAAAA_c/YhNont82S_I/s1600/cats.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on April 23, 2021, 06:47:05 pm
I still love this.....

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_piXE8lFEABo/TRLipBNPn9I/AAAAAAAAA_c/YhNont82S_I/s1600/cats.jpg[/i[quote author=Cyber Liberty link=topic=423031.msg2418074#msg2418074 date=1619193873]
I still love this.....

[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_piXE8lFEABo/TRLipBNPn9I/AAAAAAAAA_c/YhNont82S_I/s1600/cats.jpg)

Thanks!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on April 25, 2021, 04:38:47 am
I still love this.....

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_piXE8lFEABo/TRLipBNPn9I/AAAAAAAAA_c/YhNont82S_I/s1600/cats.jpg)

LOL, that's hysterical.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on April 30, 2021, 09:21:06 am
Just finished Alex Berenson's The Ghost War.  Enjoyed it.  I think I found another author whose books I will be buying when published.  On to The Silent Man.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on May 20, 2021, 07:15:25 pm
Another Danielle Steele book: "Finding Ashley", from the synopsis on the cover, it should be different then most that she's written.

I guess I'll read that first as I only have a couple of weeks to finish it (borrowed from library).

I haven't read in awhile and I still haven't gotten around to reading "One Vote Away" by Ted Cruz.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on May 21, 2021, 06:42:07 am
Just finished Red Platoon about the assault on COP Keating in Afghanistan.

Reading MIG Pilot at the moment, between dives into Suture Like a Surgeon.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on May 21, 2021, 09:09:37 am
https://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Warrior-Sergeant-Major-Miller/dp/B005KDHD16/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=reflections+of+a+warrior&qid=1621584963&sr=8-3

Reflections of a Warrior,by SGM/RETIRED Franklin D.Miller

Miller spent over 5 years running recon missions into Laos and Cambodia with MACV-SOG during the VN war,and finally ended up being awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during his last mission.

This is not your typical "blood and guts" combat book. Yes,it does have some of that,especially towards the end and his final mission,but it's most about the typical life of the typical guys that ran the SOG missions,who they were,and how they lived,partied,and otherwise conducted themselves both in the bush and when not in the bush.

Lots of funny stuff for people who have some experience with combat units,and it might even be funny to those of you who have never heard or fired a shot in combat. SOG was an all-volunteer unit and you could quit any time you want with no negative consequences to your career. The reason for this is some years,some SOG units had a 100 percent casualty rate. Which meant that everyone that served on a recon team or a Hatchet Force platoon was wounded at least once,which was probably 95 percent of the people assigned to a SOG camp. We had very few support people because those jobs were usually taken by wounded SOG members who had nothing else to do while they healed up. The only exception I can think of off-hand were the mess sgt and the motor sgt.

We also had 2 NCO's and one officer at Kontum whose jobs were to provide food. They would travel around VN trading captured enemy weapons,uniforms,flags,etc,etc,etc for cases of steaks,air-conditioners for our team rooms,the NCO club,the mess hall,and the other buildings. They also traded for the lumber,cement,etc,etc,etc to build and maintain those buildings.

I honestly don't know how we ended up with an actual motor sgt at Kontum because we weren't even authorized any vehicles,and every single truck and jeep we had we got by stealing them from the 4th Infantry Division. The motor sgt took care of repainting them with new unit designations and new numbers as well as any repairs they might need.

The mess sgt obviously supervised the menus,the cooking,and the waitresses in the chow hall and the NCO club.

The supply sgt was a rotating job for the wounded recon and HF guys,and their job was to pretty much give you anything you asked for when you went in there,which they happily did if it was available,and if it wasn't,it was put on the shopping list.

Everybody else was on a team,a member of a platoon,or S-1 ,S-2,or S-3.

As for the teams and platoons,there was always a lot of crossovers as wounded members were replaced by healthy members,and people on one team would volunteer to go out on missions with other teams that had friends as "strap hangers" when their own teams hadn't been assigned a new mission and they had the time. This served a couple of positive purposes. One was you got to see how other teams operated and maybe pick up on some patrol/mission tips that hadn't been obvious to you to use on your own team. Another was it helped to be familiar with how a specific team operated in case they went MIA on a mission,and your team was tasked with going to to find them or what happened to them.

Anyhow,I can honestly say I was never assigned to any other unit where so many people were constantly laughing and joking and having fun. Part of this is because if you were a team leader like Miller,YOU made every decision about your team,including who was on it. If you didn't want someone,they didn't get on your team. If you wanted someone to get the boot,they got the boot. Each team was it's own little kingdom,and troublemakers didn't last long before being sent back to Nha Trang for reassignment.

Before you begin to think being in SOG was like being in a dictatorship,keep in mind that anyone could quit at any time they wanted with no questions and no negative reports in their personnel files. The only exception to this is if your team had already been notified and briefed on an upcoming mission. If that happened,you could still quit,but ONLY after completing THAT mission.

VERY casual duty. Pretty much everybody there called everybody else by their first names. The only obvious exception I can think of is the camp Commander,who was a Lt Colonel. You addressed him by his rank. Then again,our camp commander when I was there was fond of wearing stuff like madras bermuda shorts with Beethoven t-shirts and a old fishing hat around the camp,so you had to know who he was to address him by his rank. We had a standing rule in camp that nobody saluted anybody below the rank of full General,so there wasn't a lot of time wasted saluting people.

If you had just came in from a 5 day (for example) mission,you got 5 days off,and were free to go anywhere in VN you wanted to go. You just told the team leader where you were going so he would know where to call if something came up,and went into the orderly room and typed up your own bogus travel orders. I once left VN for a week and went to Okinawa to ride the motorcycle I had left there and to visit with friends by having orders typed up identifying me as a Top Secret Courier. This even allowed me to fly there and back for free.  I just stopped by Group Headquarters in Nha Trang and told the Group SGM what I was doing,and asked him if he had any "Safe Hands" going to Okinawa that he wanted me to deliver to the 1st Group on Okie. He and I had known each other while stationed on Okinawa,when I was a nothing and nobody E-4 and he was the SGM of B Company.

Try that in a regular unit,and heads would explode. Chances are they would lock you up as an attempted deserter.

Anyhow,all this serves as background for the type of soldiers that populated the various SOG camps,so do NOT expect the typical "blood and guts" war book. DO expect to read a lot of funny stuff,though.

And all of it true. I knew Miller very well and heard about or knew about all the stuff as it happened. He and I were planning a trip to Russia together right after the collapse,when he came down with an infection from a blood transfusion in 1969,and died.

BTW,even after being shot up and losing a lung on his last mission,Miller had to be tricked to get him to leave VN. He thought he was flying to a briefing in Saigon,and someone drugged his drink. When he got his wits about him again,he was already on a jet flying to the US

At one time his children were receiving all the royalties from his book sales,and I suspect this is still true.

The book is also available on Kindle,but I'm not sure if any of the photos are available with the Kindle edition.





Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on May 24, 2021, 05:52:37 pm
Still burning up the pages of Alex Berenson's books.

Read The Silent Man and The Midnight House.  Now reading book five, The Secret Soldier.  Highly recommend reading his books. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on May 24, 2021, 10:50:37 pm
Working through "The Making of the Atomic Bomb" by Richard Rhodes [1988].

Not for the feint-hearted, but I'll keep at it.
900+ page pdf, I can do a chapter a day (30+/- pages).

It's more than you think. His beginning goes back to Ernest Rutherford and the beginnings of atomic theory in the early 1900's...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on May 25, 2021, 02:01:25 am
Working through "The Making of the Atomic Bomb" by Richard Rhodes [1988].

Not for the feint-hearted, but I'll keep at it.
900+ page pdf, I can do a chapter a day (30+/- pages).

It's more than you think. His beginning goes back to Ernest Rutherford and the beginnings of atomic theory in the early 1900's...

A pretty expensive Kindle....
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on May 25, 2021, 02:11:37 pm
Cyber wrote:
"A pretty expensive Kindle...."

No Kindle is involved...   ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on June 06, 2021, 05:29:06 pm
https://www.amazon.com/Reflections-Warrior-Sergeant-Major-Miller/dp/B005KDHD16/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=reflections+of+a+warrior&qid=1621584963&sr=8-3

Reflections of a Warrior,by SGM/RETIRED Franklin D.Miller

Miller spent over 5 years running recon missions into Laos and Cambodia with MACV-SOG during the VN war,and finally ended up being awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during his last mission.

This is not your typical "blood and guts" combat book. Yes,it does have some of that,especially towards the end and his final mission,but it's most about the typical life of the typical guys that ran the SOG missions,who they were,and how they lived,partied,and otherwise conducted themselves both in the bush and when not in the bush.

Lots of funny stuff for people who have some experience with combat units,and it might even be funny to those of you who have never heard or fired a shot in combat. SOG was an all-volunteer unit and you could quit any time you want with no negative consequences to your career. The reason for this is some years,some SOG units had a 100 percent casualty rate. Which meant that everyone that served on a recon team or a Hatchet Force platoon was wounded at least once,which was probably 95 percent of the people assigned to a SOG camp. We had very few support people because those jobs were usually taken by wounded SOG members who had nothing else to do while they healed up. The only exception I can think of off-hand were the mess sgt and the motor sgt.

We also had 2 NCO's and one officer at Kontum whose jobs were to provide food. They would travel around VN trading captured enemy weapons,uniforms,flags,etc,etc,etc for cases of steaks,air-conditioners for our team rooms,the NCO club,the mess hall,and the other buildings. They also traded for the lumber,cement,etc,etc,etc to build and maintain those buildings.

I honestly don't know how we ended up with an actual motor sgt at Kontum because we weren't even authorized any vehicles,and every single truck and jeep we had we got by stealing them from the 4th Infantry Division. The motor sgt took care of repainting them with new unit designations and new numbers as well as any repairs they might need.

The mess sgt obviously supervised the menus,the cooking,and the waitresses in the chow hall and the NCO club.

The supply sgt was a rotating job for the wounded recon and HF guys,and their job was to pretty much give you anything you asked for when you went in there,which they happily did if it was available,and if it wasn't,it was put on the shopping list.

Everybody else was on a team,a member of a platoon,or S-1 ,S-2,or S-3.

As for the teams and platoons,there was always a lot of crossovers as wounded members were replaced by healthy members,and people on one team would volunteer to go out on missions with other teams that had friends as "strap hangers" when their own teams hadn't been assigned a new mission and they had the time. This served a couple of positive purposes. One was you got to see how other teams operated and maybe pick up on some patrol/mission tips that hadn't been obvious to you to use on your own team. Another was it helped to be familiar with how a specific team operated in case they went MIA on a mission,and your team was tasked with going to to find them or what happened to them.

Anyhow,I can honestly say I was never assigned to any other unit where so many people were constantly laughing and joking and having fun. Part of this is because if you were a team leader like Miller,YOU made every decision about your team,including who was on it. If you didn't want someone,they didn't get on your team. If you wanted someone to get the boot,they got the boot. Each team was it's own little kingdom,and troublemakers didn't last long before being sent back to Nha Trang for reassignment.

Before you begin to think being in SOG was like being in a dictatorship,keep in mind that anyone could quit at any time they wanted with no questions and no negative reports in their personnel files. The only exception to this is if your team had already been notified and briefed on an upcoming mission. If that happened,you could still quit,but ONLY after completing THAT mission.

VERY casual duty. Pretty much everybody there called everybody else by their first names. The only obvious exception I can think of is the camp Commander,who was a Lt Colonel. You addressed him by his rank. Then again,our camp commander when I was there was fond of wearing stuff like madras bermuda shorts with Beethoven t-shirts and a old fishing hat around the camp,so you had to know who he was to address him by his rank. We had a standing rule in camp that nobody saluted anybody below the rank of full General,so there wasn't a lot of time wasted saluting people.

If you had just came in from a 5 day (for example) mission,you got 5 days off,and were free to go anywhere in VN you wanted to go. You just told the team leader where you were going so he would know where to call if something came up,and went into the orderly room and typed up your own bogus travel orders. I once left VN for a week and went to Okinawa to ride the motorcycle I had left there and to visit with friends by having orders typed up identifying me as a Top Secret Courier. This even allowed me to fly there and back for free.  I just stopped by Group Headquarters in Nha Trang and told the Group SGM what I was doing,and asked him if he had any "Safe Hands" going to Okinawa that he wanted me to deliver to the 1st Group on Okie. He and I had known each other while stationed on Okinawa,when I was a nothing and nobody E-4 and he was the SGM of B Company.

Try that in a regular unit,and heads would explode. Chances are they would lock you up as an attempted deserter.

Anyhow,all this serves as background for the type of soldiers that populated the various SOG camps,so do NOT expect the typical "blood and guts" war book. DO expect to read a lot of funny stuff,though.

And all of it true. I knew Miller very well and heard about or knew about all the stuff as it happened. He and I were planning a trip to Russia together right after the collapse,when he came down with an infection from a blood transfusion in 1969,and died.

BTW,even after being shot up and losing a lung on his last mission,Miller had to be tricked to get him to leave VN. He thought he was flying to a briefing in Saigon,and someone drugged his drink. When he got his wits about him again,he was already on a jet flying to the US

At one time his children were receiving all the royalties from his book sales,and I suspect this is still true.

The book is also available on Kindle,but I'm not sure if any of the photos are available with the Kindle edition.

Just finished the book @sneakypete and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Looks like he and I missed each other by a few months. We were both in country during 66-67 but he didn't make it to SOG until well after I was gone.  Not sure they make them like that anymore.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on June 06, 2021, 08:55:03 pm
Just finished the book @sneakypete and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Looks like he and I missed each other by a few months. We were both in country during 66-67 but he didn't make it to SOG until well after I was gone.  Not sure they make them like that anymore.

@Bigun

I had no idea anyone else here was in SF,never mind SOG.

PM me anytime you want to compare notes.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on June 07, 2021, 12:48:02 am
I'm reading "Legacy" by Nora Roberts.  First time I've read one of her books.  I'm on chapter 7 and so far, pretty  good.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 08, 2021, 06:39:40 pm
Finished Alex Berenson's The Secret Soldier, and went on to read The Shadow Patrol, The Night Ranger, and The Counterfeit Agent by him.  Great spy books.

Highly recommend him!

Just ordered the next three books of his.  I have four all together to read to be up to date with his writing.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 08, 2021, 06:41:29 pm
Has any one read Daniel Silva?  Curious to your opinion. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 13, 2021, 06:12:21 pm
Target Acquired, by Tom Clancy/Don Bentley just hit the shelves.  He has now published as many books post mortem as he did when he was alive and kicking (fiction that is).

I will crank this out while I wait for the Berenson books to arrive.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: corbe on June 13, 2021, 06:18:29 pm
   I just started it. I'm most the way through Chapter 1.  The Trump Hate hasn't started yet.  If it gets too overwhelming, even for me, I'll put it down or burn it.

(https://img.thriftbooks.com/api/images/i/m/B888C703AF244F26DBDF2D3FE55BCC91C4156789.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on June 18, 2021, 02:03:46 pm
Haven't read it yet, but plan to purchase:
Quote
The Adversaries: A Story of Boston and Bunker Hill Paperback – June 14, 2021
by Ned Ryun (Author)

Boston, September 1774. It is the confrontation that changes the course of history ... for England and for America. The tension between the colonies and Britain has reached a breaking point. The British are determined to tighten their grip on the colonies, but have underestimated the resolve of their subjects in Boston who refuse to bend the knee.

From the salons of London, where English elites plot the crushing of the colonies as coolly as playing a game of chess, to the halls of Philadelphia where firebrands challenge the British resolve, and to the backstreets of Boston where men who once called each other brothers in arms now plot against and fight each other for the Crown or for liberty, this compelling story tells the tale of the nine months that transformed the world.

In The Adversaries the men and women - who packed the powder keg and lit the fuse to the revolution that transformed distant colonies into a beacon of liberty - come to life on the streets of London, Boston, and Charlestown in a compelling and dramatic narrative of tested loyalties and fateful meetings. ...
Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096WJZLHN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1623838744&sr=8-3)

Ned Ryun is the son of former Rep. (and world-class miler) Jim Ryun. He writes for American Greatness and is CEO at American Majority.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on June 18, 2021, 05:46:31 pm
Haven't read it yet, but plan to purchase:Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096WJZLHN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1623838744&sr=8-3)

Ned Ryun is the son of former Rep. (and world-class miler) Jim Ryun. He writes for American Greatness and is CEO at American Majority.

@mountaineer

Please write a review once you read it. I have just not gotten enough memory back to start reading again,and it sounds like something I would want to read once I catch up.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Victoria33 on June 18, 2021, 06:21:00 pm
@sneakypete

My "Reflections of a Warrior," has been delayed until June 26-28.  Be in touch with you then.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on June 19, 2021, 02:14:56 am
@sneakypete

My "Reflections of a Warrior," has been delayed until June 26-28.  Be in touch with you then.

@Victoria33

That's odd. Must be a publishing thing because Amazon pretty much always ships immediately.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 25, 2021, 08:13:04 am
Finished the Tom Clancy novel.  Was a bit extreme the torture Jr experiences and still manages to fight his enemies. 

In any case, interesting story on other books I was waiting for.  Received an email indicating the next three books from Alex Berenson I was waiting for had been delivered to my home.  But no package was delivered.  Next day, I filed a complaint with the USPS.  I was told literally that the person that delivered the package had a GPS read of exactly where the books were delivered.

The good news is that two days later, the package is sitting on my stoop out front.  I checked with both neighbors to see if the package was delivered to their house accidentally and they indicated they did not have my package.   So where it went, I have no idea, but I got it.  So, filing a complaint right off might be critical to getting your packages when they go astray.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 25, 2021, 08:36:30 am
Started reading Twelve Days by Alex Berenson, which is sort of a Part II of the prior novel.  Love his writing.  Got just three more of his books to read to be caught up to date with his writing.

This is the same guy appearing on Tucker Carlson that is writing the pamphlets about COVID, the latest about Vaccines. 

I had my car in today for repair and started talking to a woman in the waiting room.  We landed on the subject of COVID, and she proudly said she and her whole family got the vaccine.  She turned and asked if I got it, I said, 'hell no!  And I'm not, not now, not ever.  Too dangerous."  She replied that 'the vaccines were fully tested and proven safe'.  I said, "nothing could be further from the truth.  The FDA labeled these vaccines as experimental, and they are not tested.  Nine months does not allow for the full testing that other pharma products undergo.  What you said is simply not accurate."

I have heard more than one credible virologist indicate these vaccines are completely untested, and tests to date actually had animals dying or becoming severely ill.  Plus, they are saying it is not the receipt of the shot, it is what they anticipate will happen years 2 through 20.  They are indicating huge numbers of folks will experience an auto immune response with the NEXT VIRUS, and they indicate many will die.  That and the advice from a friend who worked with a general still in the military heading up viral research who made it blatantly clear to avoid these vaccines like the plague, that is all I need to hear.

Back to Alex Berenson, every time I hear him, he is making it very clear with his research that the whole charade with this pandemic is riddled with decisions that are NOT in the best interest of the people of the world. 

And now the news is beginning to touch on the harm of the vaccines to young people's hearts, we have made our population guinea pigs.  I am told the FDA pulls a drug when there are 50 deaths.  We are now approaching near 6,000 deaths from the vaccine and 250,000 with severe responses.  These numbers are not positive results by any stretch.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: rustynail on June 25, 2021, 11:23:06 am
The Gary Larson Facebook page.......https://www.facebook.com/world.of.gary.larson.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on June 25, 2021, 11:50:03 am
I’m reading cookbooks right now. I’ve been trying to learn how to cook this year. I like very simple food so I’m learning more complex dishes.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on July 13, 2021, 05:13:15 pm
Finished Twelve Days, The Wolves, and The Prisoner by Alex Berenson.  All great reads.

Currently reading his last book about John Wells, spy extraordinaire, The Deceivers.

He is the ONLY author(I know) that has his email listed in his books so that one can communicate with him about his books.  He has responded to all but one of my emails. 

Enjoyed his books very much!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: rustynail on July 13, 2021, 05:35:19 pm
Operational Considerations for Community Isolation Centers for COVID-19 in Low-Resource Settings

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/global-covid-19/operational-considerations-isolation-centers.html
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on July 14, 2021, 12:38:39 am
Quote
Operational Considerations for Community Isolation Centers


"Community Isolation Centers"?????

Shades of Stalin!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on July 14, 2021, 12:36:24 pm
I'm on another Dean Koontz binge right now. Haven't gotten around to Ned Ryun's book yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on July 14, 2021, 02:29:58 pm
A W.E.B Griffin book about early post-war Germany,and the OSS versus the KGB. Book is in my truck and I can't remember the name.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on July 19, 2021, 07:45:46 am
Griffin is one of my favorite authors.

The series you are talking about is Clandestine Operations
Book I     Top Secret
Book II    The Assassination Option
Book III   Curtain of Death
Book IV    Death at Nuremberg
Book V     The Enemy of My Enemy

In my humble opinion, this series is the weakest of all his series.  He hasn't published in two years after cranking out two books a year for most years.  Not sure what is going on.  They could use shadow writers like the Clancy dynasty, which has produced some great books.  Command Authority is one of the best book issued in his name since he passed away.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on July 19, 2021, 11:16:34 am
I’m looking for a really good books on The Vikings.

Any suggestions would be appreciated


Also any books on Viking Mythology.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on July 19, 2021, 01:49:51 pm
Griffin is one of my favorite authors.

The series you are talking about is Clandestine Operations
Book I     Top Secret
Book II    The Assassination Option
Book III   Curtain of Death
Book IV    Death at Nuremberg
Book V     The Enemy of My Enemy

In my humble opinion, this series is the weakest of all his series. He hasn't published in two years after cranking out two books a year for most years.  Not sure what is going on.  They could use shadow writers like the Clancy dynasty, which has produced some great books.  Command Authority is one of the best book issued in his name since he passed away.

@jafo2010


Well,he ain't a puppy anymore.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on July 19, 2021, 02:02:31 pm
I’m looking for a really good books on The Vikings.

Any suggestions would be appreciated


Also any books on Viking Mythology.

I assume you've read the books by TWB?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on July 19, 2021, 02:04:30 pm
I'm reading "A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking" by T. Kingfisher.  It's light and delightful, and just what I needed right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on July 19, 2021, 02:11:57 pm
I assume you've read the books by TWB?

Of course! I’m looking for something to help me though, maybe a textbook type history.

I’ll go over to the university library and see if I can locate something one day.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on July 19, 2021, 05:16:34 pm
Pete,

I know WEB is no youngster.  He did have his son helping him write, but then nothing for two+ years.  I am a huge fan, and saddened to see he did not follow Clancy's approach for publishing.  Some of Clancy's best books are since he passed away in 2013.

Plus, I would like to see him write books in other series versus the latest series, particularly the Presidential Series. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: rustynail on July 19, 2021, 05:19:49 pm
The Rise of Political Correctness
Angelo M. Codevilla

https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/the-rise-of-political-correctness/
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on July 19, 2021, 06:10:09 pm
Reading The Nixon Tapes 1973. Amazing how little Nixon knew at the beginning of Watergate, and how quickly he was ready to throw any and everybody overboard to protect himself. I'm also amazed at what a weasel John Dean was.

Also reading Moby Dick. I expected a hard slog, but it's quite breezy and enjoyable so far. Next chapter Ahab comes into the picture, so I expect things will change.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on July 19, 2021, 10:32:32 pm
I'm currently in volume 3 of James Kuntsler's "World Made by Hand" series:
1. World Made By Hand (2008)
2. The Witch of Hebron (2010)
3. A History of the Future (2014)
4. The Harrows of Spring (2016)

The setting is a fictional town of "Union Grove" in Washington County, New York (north of Albany/Troy). I sense that much of his town is taken from the real locale of Greenwich, NY.

The series describes life in a small community after "the oil has run out" and disease has decimated much of the population. But it's not like the typical post-apocalypse movie or books. A touch of the mystical/supernatural is mixed in as well.

Very easy to read (considering I started these after finishing Richard Rhodes' "The Making of the Atomic Bomb"). I find that I have to "limit myself" to about 60-70 "pages" at a time (I read using e-book software on a MacBook Pro) so that I can stretch it out and have more to read each day.

These can be found at amazon, or (cough) "elsewhere" if you know where to look (and I know where to look for anything I need that can come in off the net)...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on July 20, 2021, 12:39:38 am
I am reading "Designing 3D Printers: Essential Knowledge" by Neil Rosenberg. I just started it last night, but was immediately disappointed to see there is a bunch of basic stuffup front I'll need to skip through. Also disappointed to read it doesn't contain any math. But hopefully there is some useful knowledge in there once I get past the intro stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on August 04, 2021, 05:50:03 am
Just finished Daniel Silva's first book, The Unlikely Spy.  First 75 pages jump back and forth in time, which I thought could have been edited better.  But I thought it was a good spy flick.  Well worth reading.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 04, 2021, 10:11:13 am
“Becoming Trader Joe”, by Joe Coulombe

The man who started the grocery store chain Trader Joe’s describes how he did it. I’m liking it because I enjoy shopping at TJ’s, but I’d recommend it for anyone who is in business school as well.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on August 04, 2021, 01:22:54 pm
“Becoming Trader Joe”, by Joe Coulombe

The man who started the grocery store chain Trader Joe’s describes how he did it. I’m liking it because I enjoy shopping at TJ’s, but I’d recommend it for anyone who is in business school as well.

Nearest one to me is a 4-hour drive.   :shrug: 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 04, 2021, 03:50:23 pm
W.E.B Griffin,"The Enemy of My Enemy".

BIG W.E.B Griffin fan.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: thackney on August 04, 2021, 05:18:08 pm
BIG W.E.B Griffin fan.

+1
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Restored on August 04, 2021, 06:19:00 pm
Since I am growing weed this summer
Pot Farm by Matthew Frank      It's about a guy who worked on a farm growing medical marijuana.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 05, 2021, 06:11:44 am
Nearest one to me is a 4-hour drive.   :shrug:
That's close. My nearest is over 600 miles away. I think the ice cream might melt on the way home... :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 05, 2021, 10:19:42 am
That's close. My nearest is over 600 miles away. I think the ice cream might melt on the way home... :shrug:

Their ice cream is the bomb. Up until a few years ago, I’d have to go to another state to shop at TJ’s.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on August 05, 2021, 11:28:04 am
That's close. My nearest is over 600 miles away. I think the ice cream might melt on the way home... :shrug:

Well there's one over in Spokane... Maybe something to check out next time I go over for the hot rod show...  :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 05, 2021, 03:39:22 pm
Working on book #3 of the Isaac Bell series by Clive Cussler. Fast moving and interesting historical fiction.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 05, 2021, 04:47:30 pm
Working on book #3 of the Isaac Bell series by Clive Cussler. Fast moving and interesting historical fiction.

@verga

You can count me in as one of the many,many,Clive Cussler fans.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 05, 2021, 06:03:06 pm
Their ice cream is the bomb. Up until a few years ago, I’d have to go to another state to shop at TJ’s.
Well, the closest is only one state over--in Minnesota. That's still over 600 miles from here.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on August 05, 2021, 06:14:46 pm
I think there's one in Sedona, and we're going there on business at the late August...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on August 06, 2021, 06:58:55 am
TJ's is about 8 miles away for me.  We shop there.

And W.E.B. Griffin, he is a definite favorite.  When his books come out, I am reading them the same day.  Problem is, he hasn't published in two years.  I really enjoyed his characters.  Killer McCoy was a great character, along with the father of his good friend, who owned the shipping line.  I felt cheated when he jumped from 1942 to the Korean War.  He could have wrote several books about the balance of WWII. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 06, 2021, 01:56:27 pm
@verga

You can count me in as one of the many,many,Clive Cussler fans.
@sneakypete His son Dirk haws taken over the reins and is releasing a new on November 2nd.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0593419642/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on August 06, 2021, 02:01:15 pm
W. E. B. Griffin and Clive Cussler are good, but Tom Clancey was the absolute master of this genre IMHO.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 06, 2021, 03:23:00 pm
W. E. B. Griffin and Clive Cussler are good, but Tom Clancey was the absolute master of this genre IMHO.
I view Clancy as Technofiction, and Cussler's Isaac Bell as Historical fiction.
Loved Clancy, some of the people that picked up his characters are better than others. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on August 06, 2021, 04:00:02 pm
I've recently discovered Julia Keller, a WV native whose novels are set in a fictional southern WV town beset with poverty (resulting from the death of the coal industry), drugs and hopelessness. Very, very true to life. Her character development is excellent. The protagonist of her books is a female county prosecutor. Thus far, I've read 4 of what I believe are 8 books. Doesn't look like my library has 2 of them, so I may have to proceed a little out of order.

J.D. Vance's description of Appalachia was very accurate in his book "Appalachian Elegy." Keller's is at least as well done.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 06, 2021, 04:08:25 pm
W. E. B. Griffin and Clive Cussler are good, but Tom Clancey was the absolute master of this genre IMHO.

@Bigun

You obviously haven't read W.E.B Griffins early books,like The Corps,and  The Brotherhood of War. Both start immediately prior to WW-2. Right up there with Louis L'Amour as the best stuff I ever read.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on August 06, 2021, 04:33:26 pm
@Bigun

You obviously haven't read W.E.B Griffins early books,like The Corps,and  The Brotherhood of War. Both start immediately prior to WW-2. Right up there with Louis L'Amour as the best stuff I ever read.

I have read both of those and many other of his works as well and agree that he was one of the best but still stand by my original statement. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on August 09, 2021, 05:21:05 pm
Can't go wrong with Clancy or W.E.B. Griffin.  Both are favorite writers for me.  When a new book comes out, I gobble it up right away.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 10, 2021, 12:50:26 am
"The Founders' Second Amendment Origins of the Right to Bear Arms"   - Stephen Halbrook
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 28, 2021, 05:41:44 pm
I’m reading a very good book about the Theranos company, called “Bad Blood”, by John Carryou.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on August 28, 2021, 07:47:53 pm
I'm not reading anything right now. Instead, I'm sitting her mourning the needless loss of 13 American lives who were sacrificed by the idiot in the WH and the rainbow people surrounding him.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on August 28, 2021, 10:05:25 pm
Currently reading "Afterlight", the sequel to "Last Light", by Alex Scarrow.
These deal with the collapse of humanity in Britain after a catastrosphic end to the "oil economy".
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Light-Alex-Scarrow/dp/0752893270
https://www.amazon.com/Afterlight-Alex-Scarrow/dp/1409103064
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: rustynail on August 30, 2021, 11:22:21 pm
George Klass remembers..ALTERED COUPE/SEDANS & COMPETITION COUPE/SEDANS

http://georgeklass.net/altereds.html
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: BassWrangler on September 05, 2021, 08:23:50 am
"The Split (Kelly Turnbull Book 6)" by Kurt Schlichter.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on September 05, 2021, 09:30:32 am
“The Viking Heart” by Arthur Herman.

Good history book, even though the title makes you think of a book in the Romance genre
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 05, 2021, 02:26:27 pm
Just finished a WEB Griffin Brotherhood of War book that I somehow missed when I read the series about the USMC.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on November 01, 2021, 07:33:09 am
Lee Child just came out with a new book this past week.  I need a good dose of Jack Reacher about now!

Has anyone read any books by Jeff Abbott?  New name for me, but I will most likely begin reading him soon.  If you have read him, do you have preferences in his series?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on November 01, 2021, 01:40:59 pm
Just watched "Dune" going to pick up a couple of copies of the series from Amazon
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on November 01, 2021, 01:41:27 pm
Just finished "Atlas Shrugged." Resting my brain for a few days.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on December 01, 2021, 10:17:57 am
Funny, I haven't picked up a book for a month or so.  Working, tired at the end of the day, etc.  Not like me to go so long without reading, but I just haven't had the energy.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 01, 2021, 12:24:36 pm
Just got James Golden's "Rush on the Radio" yesterday.
I am in the middle of "The Devil's Sea" by Dirk Cussler. He took the series over from his father. So far it is a pretty good read.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: deb on December 01, 2021, 01:03:34 pm
Just starting “The Dying Citizen” by Victor Davis Hanson.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 01, 2021, 10:54:16 pm
Currently reading "Things Will Never Be the Same: A Howard Waldrop Reader".

A collection of science-fiction short stories.
It's ok...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 07, 2021, 04:30:07 am
Any of you ever read/subscribe to "Issac Asimov's Science Fiction and Fact" magazine?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 07, 2021, 12:58:50 pm
Any of you ever read/subscribe to "Issac Asimov's Science Fiction and Fact" magazine?
I read it years (20+) ago. I thought the quality went down a little after he passed.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on December 07, 2021, 03:21:22 pm
I read it years (20+) ago. I thought the quality went down a little after he passed.

@verga

I am embarrassed to admit I subscribed to their digital version,and then never got around to downloading any issues to my Kindle.

Mostly because I never use the Kindle. I am a geezer,and love the smell and feel of actual books/magazines.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on December 07, 2021, 03:49:38 pm
I'm halfway through the first (of 3) volumes of Steven Ambrose's biography of Richard Nixon. Immense amount of detail and very readable even though you can tell Ambrose does not care for Nixon.

Also working through The Federalist Papers In Modern Language. How we have gone astray!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 08, 2021, 12:03:47 am
@verga

I am embarrassed to admit I subscribed to their digital version,and then never got around to downloading any issues to my Kindle.

Mostly because I never use the Kindle. I am a geezer,and love the smell and feel of actual books/magazines.
I agree, there is just something about the feel and smell of a book. The Kindle is nice and portable for a hundred books or so, but you just can't beat a book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 08, 2021, 12:34:37 am
I agree, there is just something about the feel and smell of a book. The Kindle is nice and portable for a hundred books or so, but you just can't beat a book.

I am that way... My Biblical library has all been converted to electronic, and I like it for the searching capability... All I need is to recall a partial phrase and I can search my whole library for instances -  such a convenience, and so good for discovery - I have found things that I never had a chance of finding searching old skool books. And I love that I can adjust font and type - I never have to find my danged ol glasses.

But that is for study. For readings sake, for pleasure, I need the smell and feel... I need to turn the page.  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on December 08, 2021, 12:50:04 am
I'm all for turning pages as well.  I haven't had a chance to read in awhile (that and my neck and shoulders crink up  :crying:)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 08, 2021, 02:07:01 am
Any of you ever read/subscribe to "Issac Asimov's Science Fiction and Fact" magazine?
Not since the 70s.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 08, 2021, 12:15:59 pm
I am that way... My Biblical library has all been converted to electronic, and I like it for the searching capability... All I need is to recall a partial phrase and I can search my whole library for instances -  such a convenience, and so good for discovery - I have found things that I never had a chance of finding searching old skool books. And I love that I can adjust font and type - I never have to find my danged ol glasses.

But that is for study. For readings sake, for pleasure, I need the smell and feel... I need to turn the page.  :beer:
I don't know if you are familiar with "CCEL" Christian Classic Ethereal Library. They have been converting the writings of the great thinkers to digital. They are faithful translations from the original text of some of the greatest theological literature of history.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on December 08, 2021, 03:22:14 pm
I don't know if you are familiar with "CCEL" Christian Classic Ethereal Library. They have been converting the writings of the great thinkers to digital. They are faithful translations from the original text of some of the greatest theological literature of history.

Yes, I am familiar... Albeit that I only know of the online resource... If they have software I am unaware. A good site, nonetheless, and it is in my bookmarks.  :beer:

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 09, 2021, 12:37:40 pm
Yes, I am familiar... Albeit that I only know of the online resource... If they have software I am unaware. A good site, nonetheless, and it is in my bookmarks.  :beer:
I purchased a CD from them years(20+) ago. IO just checked the site, but did not see that it was still available.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Elderberry on December 18, 2021, 05:15:51 pm
For some reason Carlos Castaneda's books popped in my head the other day(must of been a flashback). And I found there's a book of his I haven't read. I'll get a copy tomorrow, "The Wheel Of Time: The Shamans Of Mexico Their Thoughts About Life Death And The Universe"
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 18, 2021, 10:59:57 pm
Currently reading "Survivors: A Novel of the Coming Collapse" by James Wesley Rawles, about people struggling to keep going after a massive economic collapse.

It was published in 2011, but reads like it could be describing events today.

More here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriots_(novel_series)#Survivors:_A_Novel_of_the_Coming_Collapse
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on February 20, 2022, 07:56:17 pm
I just finished "The Escape," by David Baldacci. It's about an Air Force Major, framed and wrongfully convicted of espionage. He escapes from the maximum security prison at Leavenworth when someone sends in an assassin to kill him. Couldn't put it down, but it takes a rather frightening look at all of the gazillion competing intelligence agencies in the U.S. government and just how bloated, redundant and possibly corrupt they are. Pretty scary stuff, but a good book. Now I have to go back and find the two previous books in this 4-book series.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on February 20, 2022, 10:58:24 pm
Currently reading:
Farnham's Freehold by R. Heinlein. It's ok...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on February 20, 2022, 11:39:12 pm
I'm re-reading books I hadn't looked at since High School....1984 and Animal Farm.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on March 03, 2022, 10:53:33 am
Haven't picked up a book in a couple months.  Not like me, but then again, I haven't worked two jobs ever, and now I am.  At 68, I miss my reading. 

I almost do not have any down time.  Eventually, I will need to cut back something.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on March 03, 2022, 11:40:50 am
I'm re-reading books I hadn't looked at since High School....1984 and Animal Farm.

All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

I’ve been reading textbooks and things about Russian history, trying to understand current world events. I had a few world history courses in HS and college, but I’ve forgotten some of it in my old age.

I also am reading a bio on Putin. It’s really good and again is a big help to understand what’s going on.

I’m also reading a book by Nostradamus.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on May 06, 2022, 02:31:06 am
https://dl.babylonbee.com/ebook/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=ebook&utm_content=ad1&fbclid=IwAR19sqd9fOaWDJ8WKerHiSXlEXk7fGpAagwiGR98kqFZwAuvyzbd-M_SJZE (https://dl.babylonbee.com/ebook/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=ebook&utm_content=ad1&fbclid=IwAR19sqd9fOaWDJ8WKerHiSXlEXk7fGpAagwiGR98kqFZwAuvyzbd-M_SJZE)

The Babylon Bee Guide To
Wokeness.
How To Fight Fascism...

Available at the link. (It's satire folks...) :laugh: :shrug: :whistle:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Sighlass on May 06, 2022, 05:23:31 am
Usually, just two things, the news (here and few other places) and the Bible nightly. I am a slow reader.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on May 06, 2022, 12:49:59 pm
Usually, just two things, the news (here and few other places) and the Bible nightly. I am a slow reader.
Right now I am reading the Clive Cussler, Oregon Files. I read Dirk Cussler's Continuation of the Dirk Pitt series, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Slightly different format than Clive used, but still a good read.
I did Pre-order Jack Du Brul's continuation of the Isaac Bell series. That comes out Nov. 8th.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on May 06, 2022, 01:41:01 pm
I'm currently getting through a list of David Baldacci novels (with a little hiccup, when I read "The Catcher in the Rye." Ugh). The one I finished yesterday was "Wish You Well," which was beautifully written. It's about the Appalachian mountains of Virginia and the lives of people in 1940. Very moving.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on May 06, 2022, 02:22:32 pm
Re-reading 1984.  I read slower as well.  I'm on the chapter where Winston is reading "The Book."

It's a package book, Animal Farm is next.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on May 06, 2022, 02:30:31 pm
I'm currently getting through a list of David Baldacci novels ...

@mountaineer

Good stuff!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on May 06, 2022, 02:33:35 pm
Good stuff!
Yes, very good. Once I read a book I like, I tend to read everything the author has written until I've exhausted the library's supply. There's still a large number of unread Baldacci books at our library.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on May 06, 2022, 02:51:11 pm
Yes, very good. Once I read a book I like, I tend to read everything the author has written until I've exhausted the library's supply. There's still a large number of unread Baldacci books at our library.

@mountaineer

I am currently reading a James Patterson novel I picked up at the cancer docs waiting room. I,and others,occasionally make "book drops" there for the patients to read while they are undergoing chemo and other treatments,and I sometimes take one home with me.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on May 06, 2022, 03:23:10 pm
Right now I am reading the Clive Cussler, Oregon Files. I read Dirk Cussler's Continuation of the Dirk Pitt series, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Slightly different format than Clive used, but still a good read.
I did Pre-order Jack Du Brul's continuation of the Isaac Bell series. That comes out Nov. 8th.

I ought to pick Cussler back up... Somewhere right around Sahara I put him down and wandered off... Suspension of belief was becoming an effort.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on May 06, 2022, 03:25:33 pm
I ought to pick Cussler back up... Somewhere right around Sahara I put him down and wandered off... Suspension of belief was becoming an effort.
I think you might like the Isaac Bell stuff. Not a formulaic as the Pitt series and he weaves a good tale in them.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on May 06, 2022, 03:27:44 pm
I think you might like the Isaac Bell stuff. Not a formulaic as the Pitt series and he weaves a good tale in them.

Thank you... I will look into that.  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on May 06, 2022, 06:01:41 pm
Thank you... I will look into that.  :beer:
Just a quick heads up, they mostly go in chronological order, but one of them, I can't remember which is his first case with the agency. There is also a "crossover" with Dirk Pitt.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on May 06, 2022, 10:27:28 pm
Last book:
"Lonesome Melodies", a biography of The Stanley Brothers (of Virginia), Ralph and Carter.

Current book:
"Agenda 21 - Into the Shadows", the second "Agenda 21" novel by Glenn Beck and  Harriet Parke.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on May 06, 2022, 11:27:37 pm
Last book:
"Lonesome Melodies", a biography of The Stanley Brothers (of Virginia), Ralph and Carter.

Current book:
"Agenda 21 - Into the Shadows", the second "Agenda 21" novel by Glenn Beck and  Harriet Parke.

@Fishrrman

You a bluegrass fan?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 01, 2022, 07:32:22 am
Struggling to get back reading.  Have been reading the latest Clancy book.  Hard to stick with it.  I consider it the worst book to date by Clancy. 

Daniel DeSilva is the author I selected to read next.  Read his first book, and have been accumulating the others.  Have about 15 so far.  First one was ok.  WWII spy story.

I thought Cussler had good stories, but I like W.E.B. Griffin more.  Griffin died a few years ago, and it saddens me that his writing has come to an end.  He was top of my list for getting new books out.  I would read them in a day.  Supposedly, there is a ghost writer and they are issuing a new book in his name, or perhaps it has come out already.  I just read where this was happening. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on June 01, 2022, 10:51:44 am
Our library didn't have Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad, so I settled for a collection of his "little-known" short stories and other works - The Hidden Mark Twain - and it's been quite entertaining. There were more than a few laugh out loud moments.

Now I have to remember why I wanted to find The Innocents Abroad.  :pondering:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on June 14, 2022, 01:31:34 am
Finished the Clancy book.  The final quarter of the book made up for the rest being so slow.  The end was great!

Reading the second book by Daniel Silva, and it is well written.  Enjoying every page of The Mark of the Assassin.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on June 22, 2022, 10:08:31 pm
I'm reading a 2008 book by David Baldacci, The Whole Truth, and it's stunning how many parallels there are to what's going on right now, complete with rising worldwide fuel prices because the world is shunning Russia for its perceived aggression.
Quote
Nicolas Creel, a super-rich arms dealer, decides that the best way to boost his business is to start a new cold war - and he won't let anything or anyone get in his way.

As international tensions rise and the superpowers line up against each other, the lives of three very different people will never be the same again.  ...
It's all phony, invented by defense contractor Creel and his PR guy, and spread via social media.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on June 22, 2022, 10:17:23 pm
Right now:
Coming Apart, by Charles Murray.

Before that:
The Hill of the Ravens.
(that's all I'll say about that one, you would almost certainly not approve of it)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 21, 2022, 06:11:38 pm
I've had this book on the shelf for a couple of years and ever got around to reading it.

"Clean House", Tom Fitton, Judicial Watch -- Exposing our government's secrets and lies.

Interesting; he touches upon Voter Fraud and election integrity during the Obama administration.

Looking at what has happened recently the DOJ has gotten worse and still has no interest in truly investigating voter fraud; nor does our SCOTUS!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 22, 2022, 02:23:14 am
Lords of the Sky
Fighter Pilots and Air Combat, from the Red Baron to the F-16

Dan Hampton

On Deck: Yankees and Rebels on the Upper Missouri
Steamboats, Gold, and Peace

by Ken Robison.

My 'escapist' reading is taking me back into the past, any more, as it seems future visions are just too saturated with wokester dreck.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 22, 2022, 12:00:56 pm
Catching up on some Tom Clancy "Power and Empire"
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on August 24, 2022, 06:36:27 am
Reading Sierra Six by Mark Greaney.  He is the ghost writer for some of the Clancy books since he passed away in 2013.  This is the 2nd book by him that I am reading.  First was compelling.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on August 24, 2022, 09:12:59 am
Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clark. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 24, 2022, 11:49:15 am
Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clark.
@Kamaji One of my favorite series.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on August 24, 2022, 09:56:05 pm
Currently reading "Freedom's Sons".
It's not about what you think it is (and you probably wouldn't approve)...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on August 24, 2022, 10:03:51 pm
Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clark.

A good read.  Catch all three!  I did just this year.  I read the first Rama when I was in High School.....
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 25, 2022, 08:39:34 am
Read Clarke in HS, but Bradbury is the author that’s stayed with me most of my adult life.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on August 25, 2022, 09:02:40 am
A good read.  Catch all three!  I did just this year.  I read the first Rama when I was in High School.....

Trying to see if I can find the next one in a “free” pdf form.  I read it years ago, but can’t find my old copy, and paperbacks have become way too expensive to just buy another copy. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 25, 2022, 09:38:58 am
Trying to see if I can find the next one in a “free” pdf form.  I read it years ago, but can’t find my old copy, and paperbacks have become way too expensive to just buy another copy.

@Kamaji

Do you know any used book stores? I’m sure there might be some amazing ones in your neck of the woods. Does The Strand sell used books?

I’ve found some real bargains when I’ve been at used book stores.
Also libraries have a used book section where they sell old books and all profits go back to support the library,
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 25, 2022, 12:42:28 pm
Trying to see if I can find the next one in a “free” pdf form.  I read it years ago, but can’t find my old copy, and paperbacks have become way too expensive to just buy another copy.

@Kamaji

3 words. "Used Book Stores".

Also,don't forget to check your local library. They get used books from estates for free,and after they have been checked out a few times,they go up for sale at dirt cheap prices. If they have any,they will be in a special book shelf dedicated to used books.

I honestly can't remember the last time I bought a new book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 25, 2022, 12:43:44 pm
@Kamaji

Do you know any used book stores? I’m sure there might be some amazing ones in your neck of the woods. Does The Strand sell used books?

I’ve found some real bargains when I’ve been at used book stores.
Also libraries have a used book section where they sell old books and all profits go back to support the library,

@Gefn

Didn't mean to step on your toes. I wrote my pretty much identical reply before I saw yours.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on August 25, 2022, 02:03:57 pm
I honestly can't remember the last time I bought a new book.

@sneakypete

My father was a vociferous reader, as am I... I don't do books much anymore, because I hate using cheaters...

But, suffice it to say that one of my dad's legacies was in the form of an account at a little back alley used book store. That account has funded myself and my sons - Whatever we want in the way of books - We have not paid a dime in the many years since he passed.

Of course, it is a revolving account - Books bought can be returned (sold back) at a discount... So it isn't exactly that it is free. But neither has it cost a single dime in all this time.

Such a benefit to us all, and he did it all unknowingly. And the bookstore owner could have refused to honor the account after Dad's death, nor his son, who took over when the bookstore owner died... But he did, and he did. That account is the very last active piece of my dad's business in this earth, and it will probably be active long after I am gone. It has turned out to be a wonderful gift.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 25, 2022, 02:14:31 pm
 I just finished reading a Stuart Woods novel,and the best I can say about it is that it sucked. I have read many of his books,and this is the first one I can say this about.

I kept reading it because I have enjoyed so many of his books in the past,and I kept hoping it would get better.

It didn't.

It was one of those "alter ego" Barrington Stone  novels. BTW,I got it for free out of the bookshelf at the cancer doc's office,and that is where it will be going the next time I go there,along with a few other books.

I will get the actual name and post it here the next time I go to the car.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 25, 2022, 03:32:10 pm
@Gefn

Didn't mean to step on your toes. I wrote my pretty much identical reply before I saw yours.

No worries @sneakypete
Great minds think alike. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 25, 2022, 03:32:40 pm
I just finished reading a Stuart Woods novel,and the best I can say about it is that it sucked. I have read many of his books,and this is the first one I can say this about.

I kept reading it because I have enjoyed so many of his books in the past,and I kept hoping it would get better.

It didn't.

It was one of those "alter ego" Barrington Stone  novels. BTW,I got it for free out of the bookshelf at the cancer doc's office,and that is where it will be going the next time I go there,along with a few other books.

I will get the actual name and post it here the next time I go to the car.

Chiefs was his best work, imho.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on August 25, 2022, 10:09:55 pm
Looking for an e-book that's hard to find?

Try...
z-lib.org/

If that doesn't work try...
studentsheart.com/z-library/

(I deliberately made these "un-clickable". You know what to do...)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on August 25, 2022, 11:50:20 pm
Vinegar Makers Handbook.

We have alot of apples...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 26, 2022, 01:12:00 am
Chiefs was his best work, imho.

@Gefn

His crime novels are excellent,but this book sucked. Apparently there is a whole series based on this billionaire,and I won't be reading any more of them. Not even if they are free.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 26, 2022, 01:22:35 am
@Gefn

His crime novels are excellent,but this book sucked. Apparently there is a whole series based on this billionaire,and I won't be reading any more of them. Not even if they are free.

@sneakypete

I only read Chiefs. I tried a few other books by him and couldn’t get up into them.

I liked Ed McBain’s police stories.


Same with Walter Moseley’s
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 26, 2022, 06:50:02 am
@Kamaji

3 words. "Used Book Stores".

Also,don't forget to check your local library. They get used books from estates for free,and after they have been checked out a few times,they go up for sale at dirt cheap prices. If they have any,they will be in a special book shelf dedicated to used books.

I honestly can't remember the last time I bought a new book.
Thrift stores, used book stores, even pawn shops...

I broke down and bought one new book in the past year, just because it was a title unlikely to be found used.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 26, 2022, 08:03:28 am
Thrift stores, used book stores, even pawn shops...

I broke down and bought one new book in the past year, just because it was a title unlikely to be found used.

@Smokin Joe

I am such a book junkie that the two tablets I have stay at home unused unless there is a power break,and I need the backlighted option to read. Haven't used either in years,so for all I know the batteries won't take a charge anymore. Truth to tell,I had even forgotten I owned them until I stumbled across them last week while looking for something else.

Tablets are great,but you can't smell or feel the paper.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 26, 2022, 08:40:03 am
@Smokin Joe

I am such a book junkie that the two tablets I have stay at home unused unless there is a power break,and I need the backlighted option to read. Haven't used either in years,so for all I know the batteries won't take a charge anymore. Truth to tell,I had even forgotten I owned them until I stumbled across them last week while looking for something else.

Tablets are great,but you can't smell or feel the paper.
I agree. I have books from back into the mid 1700s, and nothing feels or smells like that old paper but more of it...Every era has its own feel, smell, and sadly, some of those decades are downright fragile because of the acid content in the paper. But I am with you, that sensation is part of the experience. I am both proud of and a little jealous of my niece, who spent her grad school years in Europe translating medieval manuscripts, stuff far older than I will ever get to handle. Still, the experience would have been wasted on me, simply because I lack her gift for languages.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on September 07, 2022, 12:14:35 am
Has anyone seen my toes?


Latest book by Christopher Buckley, in bookstores today
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 07, 2022, 12:33:10 am
Thrift stores, used book stores, even pawn shops...

I broke down and bought one new book in the past year, just because it was a title unlikely to be found used.

All of the parks around here have 'Little Free Libraries' where you take a book and leave a book. It's kind of neat and the selection is limited, so I use the local library much more often.

(https://img.geocaching.com/waymarking/log/display/7897bf68-69d4-4321-b387-ccf86c81e326.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 07, 2022, 12:38:56 am
All of the parks around here have 'Little Free Libraries' where you take a book and leave a book. It's kind of neat and the selection is limited, so I use the local library much more often.

(https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/PpBvoCWbc1cIOE64N9Y9Uw/o.jpg)

@libertybele

The cancer clinic where I get treatment/tests does this. I usually get one and drop off one or two every time I go there.

Which is not as often as it used to be. I went from Stage 4 Terminal to testing negative for Lymphoma after just 3 weeks of starting to take the capsules I wrote about earlier on another thread.

Used to go twice a month for Pet Scans.

Then once a month.

The cancer doc told me today my new schedule is once every 3 months.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 07, 2022, 12:43:26 am
@libertybele

The cancer clinic where I get treatment/tests does this. I usually get one and drop off one or two every time I go there.

Which is not as often as it used to be. I went from Stage 4 Terminal to testing negative for Lymphoma after just 3 weeks of starting to take the capsules I wrote about earlier on another thread.

Used to go twice a month for Pet Scans.

Then once a month.

The cancer doc told me today my new schedule is once every 3 months.

You captured a pic I was trying to readjust (sigh) -- but anyways, I did read about you taking capsules. What a wonderful miracle drug!!

I am very happy for you @sneakypete
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 07, 2022, 12:45:58 am
You captured a pic I was trying to readjust (sigh) -- but anyways, I did read about you taking capsules. What a wonderful miracle drug!!

I am very happy for you @sneakypete

@libertybele

PLEASE feel free to pass that info on to anyone you know or meet that has been  told they have terminal cancer.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 07, 2022, 12:49:52 am
@libertybele

PLEASE feel free to pass that info on to anyone you know or meet that has been  told they have terminal cancer.

Thank you.  I only wish my father was still alive, chemo took his life within 6 mos.  I wonder if it works for rare cysts?? Maybe worth a try.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 07, 2022, 12:51:22 am
Thank you.  I only wish my father was still alive, chemo took his life within 6 mos.  I wonder if it works for rare cysts?? Maybe worth a try.

@libertybele

When you are out of options,anything is worth a try.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 07, 2022, 12:57:38 am
@libertybele

When you are out of options,anything is worth a try.

I could do surgery, but the success rate is not great with a 50% chance of surgery making symptoms worse and the recovery is usually about 18 - 24 mos; long term success rate isn't good either.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 20, 2022, 09:08:46 pm
"The Diamond Eye" by Kate Quinn

 --- It is historical fiction. It is based on a true story that takes place during WWII about one of history's deadliest female snipers.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on September 20, 2022, 09:53:00 pm
Current book:
"Collapse" by Kurt Schlichter. It's one of his fiction series.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: DefiantMassRINO on September 20, 2022, 10:01:04 pm

I'm reading Eclipse v3.6 release notes about SWT errors and incompatibilities with GTK v3.20+ on Linux 8. 

Thrilling.

Nothing as exciting as getting 3rd Party Vendor products built upon outdated software "frameworks" to run on newer operating systems.

- SPOILER ALERT -

The issue was resolved in Eclipse v3.9, but, I can't upgrade to that because it's bundled with a vendor product.

Damn you, open source software and useless vendor support!

(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4ba6863e231f0001e703e7/1576561218507-UZC7XU20R2T4YCDA077Q/wrath-of-khan-watching-recommendation-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg?format=1000w)

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 20, 2022, 10:06:11 pm
I could do surgery, but the success rate is not great with a 50% chance of surgery making symptoms worse and the recovery is usually about 18 - 24 mos; long term success rate isn't good either.

@libertybele

Yeah,I can understand why you want to defer that surgery.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on September 20, 2022, 11:13:22 pm
Current book:
"Collapse" by Kurt Schlichter. It's one of his fiction series.

I just started reading Kurt's People's Republic, the first in the Kelly Turnbull series. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on September 20, 2022, 11:16:36 pm
Thank you.  I only wish my father was still alive, chemo took his life within 6 mos.  I wonder if it works for rare cysts?? Maybe worth a try.

I’d give everything for five more minutes with our friend, it’s still painful and raw from missing him.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 21, 2022, 12:03:12 am
I’d give everything for five more minutes with our friend, it’s still painful and raw from missing him.

Hugs @Gefn   I don't know if things ever get any easier, it's just that you learn to live without a loved one.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on October 14, 2022, 10:59:50 pm
Just started Francis Fukuyama’s “The Origins of Political Order”
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on October 19, 2022, 06:38:47 pm
Just started Francis Fukuyama’s “The Origins of Political Order”


Pretty decent book so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on October 19, 2022, 06:47:41 pm
The Birth of the Modern: World Society, 1815-1830 by Paul Johnson. Previously I have read his books Modern Times & Intellectuals. He's rapidly becoming one of my favorite historians.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on October 19, 2022, 07:07:26 pm
I've been reading a few Nelson DeMille books, including Night Fall, which revolves around the crash of TW800 in 1996 and the possible federal coverup of its true cause. Very good.  (The subject matter appealed to me because I knew a TW flight attendant who was supposed to work that flight, but switched with someone else for that JFK-CDG run).
The author appeared on Jesse Watters' show recently to tout his latest, The Maze.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on October 19, 2022, 09:11:19 pm
I've been reading a few Nelson DeMille books, including Night Fall, which revolves around the crash of TW800 in 1996 and the possible federal coverup of its true cause. Very good.  (The subject matter appealed to me because I knew a TW flight attendant who was supposed to work that flight, but switched with someone else for that JFK-CDG run).
The author appeared on Jesse Watters' show recently to tout his latest, The Maze.

@mountaineer

Excellent author! Never fails to entertain and inform.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on October 19, 2022, 10:07:21 pm
Excellent author! Never fails to entertain and inform.
Yes, between DeMille, Deutermann and Baldacci, I'm learning a lot about the workings of government and the military.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on November 07, 2022, 07:15:57 pm
I'm finally reading "The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women".  I've been meaning to read it for awhile, but I generally read more after baseball season is over. 
Definitely a fascinating book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on November 07, 2022, 07:54:12 pm
India; a History, by John Keay.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Lando Lincoln on November 07, 2022, 08:08:42 pm
I'm finally reading "The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women".  I've been meaning to read it for awhile, but I generally read more after baseball season is over. 
Definitely a fascinating book.

It is a wonderful account of the watch and dial manufacturing industry, much of it in Ottawa, Illinois. I visited some of the sites there including The Radium Girl statue.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on November 07, 2022, 08:32:17 pm
It is a wonderful account of the watch and dial manufacturing industry, much of it in Ottawa, Illinois. I visited some of the sites there including The Radium Girl statue.

I never Read the book but I saw the movie which came out in 2020 based on the book.

Highly recommend.

@Polly Ticks
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on November 07, 2022, 08:54:59 pm
I never Read the book but I saw the movie which came out in 2020 based on the book.

Highly recommend.

@Polly Ticks

I will keep that in mind.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on November 07, 2022, 10:43:06 pm
"The Price We Paid"
The story of the Willie and Martin handcart companies of 1856, Mormon emigrants from Europe who walked across the plains towing handcarts, and who left Nebraska too late in the season and got caught up in early winter storms crossing the Rockies...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on November 15, 2022, 03:56:23 pm
My book club picked this book for this month and I can’t put it down.

“The Measure” by Nikki Erlick.

It’s a book from “Read with Jenna” - I didn’t know she had a book following like Oprah or Reese.

We’re going to discuss it this afternoon.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on November 15, 2022, 06:04:04 pm
My book club picked this book for this month and I can’t put it down.

“The Measure” by Nikki Erlick.

It’s a book from “Read with Jenna” - I didn’t know she had a book following like Oprah or Reese.

We’re going to discuss it this afternoon.

Oh, that sounds like an interesting one.  I might have to check it out.

I finished "The Radium Girls" and stared "Orconomics". 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: rustynail on November 17, 2022, 02:35:23 pm
FORCIBLE ENTRY
REFERENCE GUIDE
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES

https://ia800207.us.archive.org/15/items/FDNYforcibleEntryReferenceGuide/FDNY_Forcible_entry_reference_guide.pdf
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on November 17, 2022, 03:47:09 pm
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51wRsUMw0EL._SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_FMwebp_.jpg)

https://www.amazon.com/Parallel-Election-Blueprint-Deception/dp/1958682292/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1PL5L7FKUS9PT&keywords=the+parallel+election&qid=1668699677&sprefix=%2Caps%2C232&sr=8-1

If you aren't reading it, you should be! I'm about halfway through and find the authors, and what they have done, awesome and truly inspiring. If this book doesn't clear up any questions you may have about how our elections are being manipulated, you clearly need to read it again!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on November 17, 2022, 09:53:25 pm
"Violets Are Blue",by James Patterson,who is quickly becoming my favorite crime author.

Haven't read a single one of his books that I can't recommend to everybody.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on November 17, 2022, 10:59:04 pm
Just finished "The Price We Paid", about the hardships faced by two Mormon "handcart companies" who began their trek from Nebraska to Salt Lake City too late in the season in 1856:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51tP2uoZ18L.jpg)

Just starting "Gone to the Country", the story of the New Lost City Ramblers:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51V+e-czTnL.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 15, 2022, 12:51:13 am
Oh, that sounds like an interesting one.  I might have to check it out.

I finished "The Radium Girls" and stared "Orconomics".


 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on December 15, 2022, 12:52:23 am
My book club’s next read is “The Maid” by Nina Prose.

So far it’s interesting

Goodreads best mystery of 2022
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on December 15, 2022, 07:37:06 am
FORCIBLE ENTRY
REFERENCE GUIDE
TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES

https://ia800207.us.archive.org/15/items/FDNYforcibleEntryReferenceGuide/FDNY_Forcible_entry_reference_guide.pdf
Wow. Pretty serious systems for locking doors in those parts...which says a lot about the neighborhoods.  Thanks for the link!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on December 15, 2022, 12:40:01 pm
Years ago I had an acquaintance that tried to get me into Scientology. I have ben thinking about him recently and picked up some books by ex members . Some pretty sick stuff these people thought up.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 15, 2022, 11:06:51 pm
Currently reading "Voices From the Titanic", subtitled "The epic story of the tragedy from the people who were there" (which pretty much sums it up).
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 24, 2023, 03:11:10 pm
Oh, that sounds like an interesting one.  I might have to check it out.

I finished "The Radium Girls" and stared "Orconomics".

@Polly Ticks

Are you on Goodreads?

I signed up for it a few months ago
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on January 24, 2023, 03:25:58 pm
Finished Lord of the Rings again.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on January 24, 2023, 03:30:37 pm
Finished Lord of the Rings again.

How many times does that make?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on January 24, 2023, 04:09:55 pm
How many times does that make?

I think 3 or 4 over 30 years.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 24, 2023, 04:11:48 pm
Half way through: Blown for Good by Marc Headley. It details his entry and escape from Scientology.
I recently found out that a friend of mine who I lost touch with after he entered the Sea Org, died and I wanted more information about this cult.
I have purchased about 7 books by people that have left.
 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on January 24, 2023, 04:12:23 pm
I think 3 or 4 over 30 years.

It's one of those books (or set of books) that one can just keep re-reading.  I've read it about 8 times through over about 40 years.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on January 24, 2023, 04:18:40 pm
It's one of those books (or set of books) that one can just keep re-reading.  I've read it about 8 times through over about 40 years.

Those and my set of FoxFire books are the most worn in my library.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on January 24, 2023, 04:32:57 pm
It's one of those books (or set of books) that one can just keep re-reading.  I've read it about 8 times through over about 40 years.

Tolkien created such a detailed world that like a good movie you always pick up something new. And he was middle aged when he wrote it, and now being similar in age you pick up alot more things that he was trying to communicate.

In many ways it's a masterful book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: godblessRonaldReagan on January 24, 2023, 04:41:28 pm
Nixon: Ruin & Recovery, the third & final volume of Stephen Ambrose's Nixon biography.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on January 24, 2023, 04:48:29 pm
Tolkien created such a detailed world that like a good movie you always pick up something new. And he was middle aged when he wrote it, and now being similar in age you pick up alot more things that he was trying to communicate.

In many ways it's a masterful book.

Indeed.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: corbe on January 24, 2023, 05:07:00 pm
   Just started this.

(https://images.bwbcovers.com/099/9780992446048.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 24, 2023, 05:27:39 pm
Tolkien created such a detailed world that like a good movie you always pick up something new. And he was middle aged when he wrote it, and now being similar in age you pick up alot more things that he was trying to communicate.

In many ways it's a masterful book.

Another I would rate nearly as high:

Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever by Donaldson.
Six books, I believe.
A little darker - It begins with Thomas Covenant, a leper, believe it or not, whose loneliness, and the strictures with which he must live due to his disease, have him at a considerable disadvantage.

He cannot admit the unreal conditions when he suddenly finds himself to be Barak Halfhand, a hero of the ages in the Land to which he has been transported... Mental instability, which is his bane and an inevitability with his disease, and his first actions taken in the Land leave him unable to accept this reality - and allow him to wield the white gold which is the basis of his extraordinary powers...

The half-hand - a vestige of loss, amputated due to leprosy.
The white gold ring - his wedding ring, which he has stubbornly refused to remove - a vestige of his life before leprosy.

A brilliant mind-f***, extremely well written.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on January 24, 2023, 05:36:30 pm
Another I would rate nearly as high:

Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever by Donaldson.
Six books, I believe.
A little darker - It begins with Thomas Covenant, a leper, believe it or not, whose loneliness, and the strictures with which he must live due to his disease, have him at a considerable disadvantage.

He cannot admit the unreal conditions when he suddenly finds himself to be Barak Halfhand, a hero of the ages in the Land to which he has been transported... Mental instability, which is his bane and an inevitability with his disease, and his first actions taken in the Land leave him unable to accept this reality - and allow him to wield the white gold which is the basis of his extraordinary powers...

The half-hand - a vestige of loss, amputated due to leprosy.
The white gold ring - his wedding ring, which he has stubbornly refused to remove - a vestige of his life before leprosy.

A brilliant mind-f***, extremely well written.

I enjoyed those books as well.  May have to pick them up again and re-read them.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 24, 2023, 05:43:19 pm
Those and my set of FoxFire books are the most worn in my library.
LOve Foxfire. Just grab one and open to any page at random.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 24, 2023, 05:43:53 pm
I enjoyed those books as well.  May have to pick them up again and re-read them.

If you do, say hello to Saltheart Foamfollower for me.  :beer: :seeya:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on January 24, 2023, 05:47:53 pm
Another I would rate nearly as high:

Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever by Donaldson.
Six books, I believe.
A little darker - It begins with Thomas Covenant, a leper, believe it or not, whose loneliness, and the strictures with which he must live due to his disease, have him at a considerable disadvantage.

He cannot admit the unreal conditions when he suddenly finds himself to be Barak Halfhand, a hero of the ages in the Land to which he has been transported... Mental instability, which is his bane and an inevitability with his disease, and his first actions taken in the Land leave him unable to accept this reality - and allow him to wield the white gold which is the basis of his extraordinary powers...

The half-hand - a vestige of loss, amputated due to leprosy.
The white gold ring - his wedding ring, which he has stubbornly refused to remove - a vestige of his life before leprosy.

A brilliant mind-f***, extremely well written.

That's a new one on me. Will check out if that's going to be my new wintertime fiction read.  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on January 24, 2023, 05:50:45 pm
   Just started this.
That looks interesting. I'd love to know the truth of what the heck was going on with Oswald.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 24, 2023, 05:51:52 pm
Another I would rate nearly as high:

Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever by Donaldson.
Six books, I believe.
A little darker - It begins with Thomas Covenant, a leper, believe it or not, whose loneliness, and the strictures with which he must live due to his disease, have him at a considerable disadvantage.

He cannot admit the unreal conditions when he suddenly finds himself to be Barak Halfhand, a hero of the ages in the Land to which he has been transported... Mental instability, which is his bane and an inevitability with his disease, and his first actions taken in the Land leave him unable to accept this reality - and allow him to wield the white gold which is the basis of his extraordinary powers...

The half-hand - a vestige of loss, amputated due to leprosy.
The white gold ring - his wedding ring, which he has stubbornly refused to remove - a vestige of his life before leprosy.

A brilliant mind-f***, extremely well written.
There are 10 altogether. Two Trilogies and then a set of four. The First in the final series deals with Linden Avery and her return to the land. The final one in the series "The Last Dark" I could not put down.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 24, 2023, 06:17:12 pm
That's a new one on me. Will check out if that's going to be my new wintertime fiction read.  :beer:

I doubt you will be disappointed.

Lesser but still very good :

The Pelbar Cycle by Williams - More dystopian than sci-fi-fan But an amazing tale of rediscovery by one man in post-fall USA. Six or so books, though smaller size...

The Dragonriders of Pern by McCaffery - A cult classic of sorts. the first three books for sure. An easy read, and a great (unexpected) tale.

The Belgariad by Eddings - Five books, an easy read, comfortable and expected in the same vein as a L'amour book... Though a sword-and-sorcery book... If you think you know where it is going, you probably do. A nice burner... you won't put it down...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 24, 2023, 06:21:16 pm
There are 10 altogether. Two Trilogies and then a set of four. The First in the final series deals with Linden Avery and her return to the land. The final one in the series "The Last Dark" I could not put down.

The two trilogies is what I know - I thought that was the end of it... Thank you. Guess I have some catching up to do.  :beer:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on January 24, 2023, 06:38:23 pm
@Polly Ticks

Are you on Goodreads?

I signed up for it a few months ago

@Gefn
I am not, no.  Do you like it?
Sometimes I go look there at the reviews, but that's pretty much all I've done with it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on January 24, 2023, 06:39:56 pm
An aside... Having found out about more Donaldson, I called my book dealer - An unpretentious little store front. Yes, he has the whole series for me, in matched editions... Paperback, of course, but matched set. He will have it ready for pickup later this afternoon.

Here's the thing... It will come to me wrapped in brown paper, bound with twine, and sealed with sealing wax... That is such a nostalgic bit of professionalism, that it immediately brings a smell to my mind... a ritual for the hands... scissors and twine...

Y'all should be jealous. It is a neat thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 24, 2023, 06:48:34 pm
@Gefn
I am not, no.  Do you like it?
Sometimes I go look there at the reviews, but that's pretty much all I've done with it.

My extended family- sister and cousins are on it, so we note what everyone is reading
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 24, 2023, 06:52:34 pm
There are 10 altogether. Two Trilogies and then a set of four. The First in the final series deals with Linden Avery and her return to the land. The final one in the series "The Last Dark" I could not put down.

The only books I read by Donaldson were “The Mirror of her dreams” and “A man rides through” back in the 80s.

Highly recommend.

You can’t go wrong with “The Dragonriders of Pern” chronicles
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on January 24, 2023, 07:04:26 pm
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Lhvc5t5yL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)

Triumph Regained: The Vietnam War, 1965–1968 is the long-awaited sequel to the immensely influential Triumph Forsaken: The Vietnam War, 1954–1965. Like its predecessor, this book overturns the conventional wisdom using a treasure trove of new sources, many of them from the North Vietnamese side. Rejecting the standard depiction of U.S. military intervention as a hopeless folly, it shows America’s war to have been a strategic necessity that could have ended victoriously had President Lyndon Johnson heeded the advice of his generals. In light of Johnson’s refusal to use American ground forces beyond South Vietnam, General William Westmoreland employed the best military strategy available. Once the White House loosened the restraints on Operation Rolling Thunder, American bombing inflicted far greater damage on the North Vietnamese supply system than has been previously understood, and it nearly compelled North Vietnam to capitulate...

https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Regained-Vietnam-War-1965-1968/dp/1641772972/ref=sr_1_1?crid=M2YFPAPAW7AD&keywords=triumph+regained+the+vietnam+war%2C+1965-1968&qid=1674586900&sprefix=Triumph+Reg%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-1
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on January 24, 2023, 10:47:35 pm
Just finished:
Amazing grace: the story of Americas most beloved song by Steve Turner

Now reading from:
Microsoft Excel for Dummies (like me!)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: berdie on January 24, 2023, 11:30:52 pm
Finished Lord of the Rings again.



That is one of my go to-s if I can't find anything to read. The first time I read it, in high school, I was amazed at how Tolkien created a whole world. I still like to read it and have numerous times.

My other go-to-s...Gone With The Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Elderberry on February 02, 2023, 12:48:17 am
Finished Lord of the Rings again.

I should do that. I was loaned all but the last book when I was assigned to go to Mayport for aviation firefighting school. I read them all was craving the last book.

Then I read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Solzhenitsyn, the Teachings of Don Juan, and many of Kilgore Trout's books. I would get hooked on an author and read all they had out, until I felt I understood their underlying statements. Then I didn't see any need to read any more of their stories. I started out on Sci-Fi. I was on the book of the month club, but always ordered xtra books. When they came in I'd total immerse and read up to 3 books on the day they came in.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on February 02, 2023, 01:43:21 am
I should do that. I was loaned all but the last book when I was assigned to go to Mayport for aviation firefighting school. I read them all was craving the last book.

Then I read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Solzhenitsyn, the Teachings of Don Juan, and many of Kilgore Trout's books. I would get hooked on an author and read all they had out, until I felt I understood their underlying statements. Then I didn't see any need to read any more of their stories. I started out on Sci-Fi. I was on the book of the month club, but always ordered xtra books. When they came in I'd total immerse and read up to 3 books on the day they came in.

Return of the Kings is really worth it, but I suggest you re-read Fellowship and Towers first.  Tolkien is a good writer.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on February 02, 2023, 02:40:17 am
Return of the Kings is really worth it, but I suggest you re-read Fellowship and Towers first.  Tolkien is a good writer.

Read once that Tolkien was mocked and made fun of by the critics and literary greats of the time for LOTR, Especially the breaking of The Fellowship, following the fortunes of each party, and then bringing them back together, among other plot devices. Claimed the book would be a failure.

Guess they got that wrong. Just the biggest cult following on the planet.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: rustynail on February 09, 2023, 05:57:37 pm
Reading about TOP TIER™ Gasoline

https://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/AAR/files/Fuel-Quality-Full-Report.pdf
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on February 09, 2023, 06:01:37 pm
“Killer Triggers” by Joe Kenda


Saw it in the library and had to borrow it. ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on February 09, 2023, 07:09:46 pm
Rachel Aaron's "The Battle of Medicine Rocks".  It's the follow-up to "The Last Stand of Mary Good Crow".
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Free Vulcan on February 09, 2023, 07:47:47 pm
Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on February 10, 2023, 02:28:59 am
Another I would rate nearly as high:

Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever by Donaldson.
Six books, I believe.
A little darker - It begins with Thomas Covenant, a leper, believe it or not, whose loneliness, and the strictures with which he must live due to his disease, have him at a considerable disadvantage.

He cannot admit the unreal conditions when he suddenly finds himself to be Barak Halfhand, a hero of the ages in the Land to which he has been transported... Mental instability, which is his bane and an inevitability with his disease, and his first actions taken in the Land leave him unable to accept this reality - and allow him to wield the white gold which is the basis of his extraordinary powers...

The half-hand - a vestige of loss, amputated due to leprosy.
The white gold ring - his wedding ring, which he has stubbornly refused to remove - a vestige of his life before leprosy.

A brilliant mind-f***, extremely well written.
I read those years ago, great books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on February 10, 2023, 02:30:33 am
The two trilogies is what I know - I thought that was the end of it... Thank you. Guess I have some catching up to do.  :beer:
Me, too!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on February 10, 2023, 12:40:15 pm
Me, too!
Set a long weekend aside to read the final one, "The Last Dark". Stayed up all night reading the last half or so.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on February 16, 2023, 02:57:22 pm
Trying to complete the John Corey series of novels by Nelson DeMille. If he's even 20% correct, our FBI/CIA/etc. are utter nincompoops and we're doomed.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on March 07, 2023, 10:36:39 pm
Just finished Dean Koontz' latest, "The House at the End of the World." Like so many of his recent novels, this one deals with the US government engaging in secret and very dangerous scientific research gone awry.

I'm also reading "Ordinary Men (https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Men-Reserve-Battalion-Solution/dp/0062303023)," about seemingly normal German men from Hamburg who carried out orders to engage in horrific cruelty against Polish and Russian Jews.
Quote
Ordinary Men is the true story of Reserve Police Battalion 101 of the German Order Police, which was responsible for mass shootings as well as roundups of Jewish people for deportation to Nazi death camps in Poland in 1942. Browning argues that most of the men of RPB 101 were not fanatical Nazis but ordinary middle-aged, working-class men who committed these atrocities out of a mixture of motives, including the group dynamics of conformity, deference to authority, role adaptation, and the altering of moral norms to justify their actions. Very quickly three groups emerged within the battalion: a core of eager killers, a plurality who carried out their duties reliably but without initiative, and a small minority who evaded participation in the acts of killing without diminishing the murderous efficiency of the battalion whatsoever.

While the book discusses a specific reserve unit during World War II, the general argument Browning makes is that most people are susceptible to the pressure of a group setting and committing actions they would never do of their own volition.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on March 07, 2023, 11:28:23 pm
My book club is reading “The Many Daughters of Alfong May” by Jamie Ford.


I’m only on the second chapter but I’m enjoying it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on April 05, 2023, 06:07:42 am
Lessons in Chemistry-by Bonnie Garmus
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on April 05, 2023, 12:07:43 pm
Re-reading an old favorite - Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 05, 2023, 02:38:11 pm
"The Crooked Staircase" by Dean Koontz.

It has a female lead named Jane Hawk.

Really good plot,but I have to admit I am getting tired of his habit of using 17 words when 3 would have done it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on April 05, 2023, 05:24:42 pm
I really enjoyed the Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Ghost Bear on April 05, 2023, 09:08:02 pm
I started re-reading the Harry Potter series recently. I'm currently on Book 3, "The Prisoner of Azkaban".
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 05, 2023, 10:22:39 pm
I really enjoyed the Jane Hawk series by Dean Koontz.

@mountaineer

You don't think it's  kinda "wordy"?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on April 05, 2023, 11:52:06 pm
No, I like his descriptive language.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 06, 2023, 12:37:45 am
No, I like his descriptive language.

@mountaineer

Then you should love "The Crooked Staircase".
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on April 06, 2023, 01:38:58 am
I've read dozens of Koontz books. I wish I'd made a list, in order to know which should be next.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on April 07, 2023, 11:51:27 am
I just got a great book for a holiday present .

“A most Interesting Lady:A Novel”
By Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York


It’s set in Victorian England and so far I’m enjoying it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on April 07, 2023, 03:17:19 pm
I just got a great book for a holiday present .

“A most Interesting Lady:A Novel”
By Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York


It’s set in Victorian England and so far I’m enjoying it.

@Gefn

I had no idea she was an  aspiring author,but am glad to hear she is a good one.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on April 18, 2023, 07:03:13 pm
@Gefn

I had no idea she was an  aspiring author,but am glad to hear she is a good one.


She seems to be, it’s an enjoyable read @sneakypete
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on May 08, 2023, 10:35:19 pm
I went to the library today, hoping to find "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury, which I had read many years ago and really enjoyed. Alas, the only RB book they had was "Death is a Lonely Business." I'm slogging my way through it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on May 08, 2023, 10:37:59 pm
This thread.  :shrug:
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on May 27, 2023, 05:45:06 pm
Just finished The Cotillion Brigade (https://www.amazon.com/Cotillion-Brigade-Militia-American-History-ebook/dp/B08XJ4Z3DM) by Glen Craney, a fictionalized account of the Nancy Hart Rifles, a group of Georgia women who formed a militia to guard their town against the feared Yankee attack. The book also tracks the wartime experiences of Union officer O. Hugh LaGrange, a staunch abolitionist, who ultimately encounters the "Nancy Harts." Very entertaining, well-written, and even-handed.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on May 27, 2023, 10:02:43 pm
Currently reading "In the Heart of the Sea", the story of the Essex, a whaling ship that was attacked and sunk by a rogue whale in November 1820. It was so far into the Pacific that it was months before a handful of survivors were rescued from the ship's whale-chase boats, after resorting to cannibalism to stay alive. Quite a tale!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on May 27, 2023, 10:07:06 pm
This thread.  :shrug:
:tongue2:

(Me, too!)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: deb on May 28, 2023, 02:15:03 am
I just finished up Clarence Thomas’ autobiography, “My Grandfather’s Son”.  It’s an excellent read. Highly recommend it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on July 30, 2023, 12:06:17 am
Reading Lee Child's No Plan B, and I am struggling to get through it.  I am a huge Jack Reacher fan, the character in Lee's books, but this book is cumbersome.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on July 30, 2023, 12:11:22 am
Nelson DeMille's "The Maze," which involves the Gilgo Beach murders of prostitutes but was written and published a year or two before the recent arrest of Rex Heuermann for the murders. It's moderately entertaining so far (I'm probably 1/3 through it).

Update: Finished it the other day. Not one of his best. His protagonist, John Corey, is becoming tiresome. The first 97% of the book was just Corey, constantly wise-cracking, telling us how he was going get the goods on the bad guys and give all the evidence to the feds. Then there's finally some action, everything goes wrong, the evidence burns up and Corey ends up killing most of the bad guys. The end.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on July 30, 2023, 12:46:29 am
Self ping in case I can remember to bring the book I am currently reading into the house tomorrow.

I now have a tendency to keep my books in my car because it gives me an excuse to go to some public place to drink coffee,read books,and maybe communicate with  other humans occasionally.

Self ping in case I can remember to bring the book I am currently reading into the house tomorrow.

I now have a tendency to keep my books in my car because it gives me an excuse to go to some public place to drink coffee,read books,and maybe communicate with  other humans occasionally.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


@Gefn

Ok,maybe my  all-time favorite writer is W.E.B Griffin. I got hooked on him when,by pure chance,I happened to buy the first book in his "Brotherhood of War" series,titled "The Lieutenants". This series starts in pre-WW-2 Korea,and introduces the first of many characters whose military careers are followed in the following series.

It's main character is a lowly USMC Corporal truck driver that seems to  be in charge of running supply convoys to remote outposts,and spying on the Koreans while doing so. He ends up  earning the nick-name "Killer McCoy". I won't mention how or why he got it and what happens with/to him afterwards because I don't want to spoil your fun.

As with all his books,there will be mentions  of actual battles that took place in each  time frame.

Each series of books follows the careers of McCoy and the other main characters as they enter the scene and intermingle,and the series goes right up to war in present times (the 1970's-80's when the books were written)

I will tell you this,when he gets into SF operations,I knew several of the people he was writing about even though  he changed their names. He couldn't have possibly known those details without interviewing them or someone VERY closely involved in those operations.

He tells the stories so well he ended up being made an Honorary Member of the Special Operations Association,and AFAIK,he is the only one ever given that honor.

BUT....,do yourself a huge favor and start with this book,and then read your way forward.

BTW,do NOT expect a lot of blood and guts being flung around in graphic detail. These people are more along the line of historic events being described,than blood and guts being blown around.

https://www.amazon.com/The-Lieutenants-W-E-B-Griffin-audiobook/dp/B006SV7OVS/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1H6DL58NRFWHF&keywords=web+griffin+books&qid=1690678034&sprefix=web+gri%2Caps%2C423&sr=8-6
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on July 31, 2023, 01:02:03 pm
Made a deal with a co worker to give each other a book selection to read over the summer. I gave her "Count of Monte Cristo" she finished it in about a week. She gave me "Anna Karenina" 820 pages of drunk Russians cheating on their spouses. The book is very interesting and well written, but Tolstoy has about 80 characters that appear for about 5 pages and then not again. He will go of on these philosophical tangents, that make you put the book down and reflect.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on July 31, 2023, 06:41:15 pm
Made a deal with a co worker to give each other a book selection to read over the summer. I gave her "Count of Monte Cristo" she finished it in about a week. She gave me "Anna Karenina" 820 pages of drunk Russians cheating on their spouses. The book is very interesting and well written, but Tolstoy has about 80 characters that appear for about 5 pages and then not again. He will go of on these philosophical tangents, that make you put the book down and reflect.

Tolstoy is magnificent. Philosophical teasers, always. That dude was bent.  happy77
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on July 31, 2023, 10:17:30 pm
Currently reading "They Fought Back", an anthology of stores of Jewish resistance against the Germans in WWII.

I had to buy this as a paperback book (from abebooks), couldn't scrounge up a digital version.

After reading digital books almost exclusively for the last few years, I've come to a realization:
E-books and a good laptop computer (or possibly an iPad or Android tablet) make for a far BETTER reading experience.

Some of the advantages of e-reading:
- No more fighting for light (the pages are backlit)
- No fighting to keep the book open (the screen is open in front of you, using a laptop, very relaxing)
- No squinting at small text that you can't change (with an e-book, you make the text however large or small as you wish)
- As easy, or easier, to "keep your place" (bookmarks, etc.)
- Saving an excerpt is as easy and copy and paste (impossible with bound book, just copy and paste with an e-book)
- Illustrations can often be enlarged (try that with a bound book)

If you've got a laptop, you owe it to yourself to try this.
Use the free software called "Calibre" -- it can read "epub" and "mobi" formats (mobi is "Kindle" format).
On the Mac, the "Books" app can also read these, but I find Calibre to be better.

Scrounge up an ebook (in both formats) from anywhere you can find one.
I'd suggest at "the internet archive".
Then give it a try.

I'll read the analog/physical book I have now, because that was the only option available.

But in the future... if it's available in digital format... don't bother me with a bound book. I've found the better way.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on July 31, 2023, 10:31:13 pm
Currently reading "They Fought Back", an anthology of stores of Jewish resistance against the Germans in WWII.

I had to buy this as a paperback book (from abebooks), couldn't scrounge up a digital version.

After reading digital books almost exclusively for the last few years, I've come to a realization:
E-books and a good laptop computer (or possibly an iPad or Android tablet) make for a far BETTER reading experience.

Some of the advantages of e-reading:
- No more fighting for light (the pages are backlit)
- No fighting to keep the book open (the screen is open in front of you, using a laptop, very relaxing)
- No squinting at small text that you can't change (with an e-book, you make the text however large or small as you wish)
- As easy, or easier, to "keep your place" (bookmarks, etc.)
- Saving an excerpt is as easy and copy and paste (impossible with bound book, just copy and paste with an e-book)
- Illustrations can often be enlarged (try that with a bound book)

If you've got a laptop, you owe it to yourself to try this.
Use the free software called "Calibre" -- it can read "epub" and "mobi" formats (mobi is "Kindle" format).

 

@Fishrrman

Ok,the Kindle I bought just came  in today,and  I am going nuts trying to figure out  what my "password for my internet provider/service" is. Tried everything in my saved files about wi-fi connections,and nothing works.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on July 31, 2023, 10:46:34 pm
@Fishrrman

Ok,the Kindle I bought just came  in today,and  I am going nuts trying to figure out  what my "password for my internet provider/service" is. Tried everything in my saved files about wi-fi connections,and nothing works.

Look on your WiFi router. There should be a WiFi security key on the label. @sneakypete
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on July 31, 2023, 11:07:18 pm
@Fishrrman

Ok,the Kindle I bought just came  in today,and  I am going nuts trying to figure out  what my "password for my internet provider/service" is. Tried everything in my saved files about wi-fi connections,and nothing works.

It's just trying to get online and can't find your router, or your router won't recognize it. Should be a password on the bottom of your router...
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on July 31, 2023, 11:07:35 pm
Look on your WiFi router. There should be a WiFi security key on the label. @sneakypete

YEP
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Smokin Joe on August 02, 2023, 04:36:45 am
Currently reading "They Fought Back", an anthology of stores of Jewish resistance against the Germans in WWII.

I had to buy this as a paperback book (from abebooks), couldn't scrounge up a digital version.

After reading digital books almost exclusively for the last few years, I've come to a realization:
E-books and a good laptop computer (or possibly an iPad or Android tablet) make for a far BETTER reading experience.

Some of the advantages of e-reading:
- No more fighting for light (the pages are backlit)
- No fighting to keep the book open (the screen is open in front of you, using a laptop, very relaxing)
- No squinting at small text that you can't change (with an e-book, you make the text however large or small as you wish)
- As easy, or easier, to "keep your place" (bookmarks, etc.)
- Saving an excerpt is as easy and copy and paste (impossible with bound book, just copy and paste with an e-book)
- Illustrations can often be enlarged (try that with a bound book)

If you've got a laptop, you owe it to yourself to try this.
Use the free software called "Calibre" -- it can read "epub" and "mobi" formats (mobi is "Kindle" format).
On the Mac, the "Books" app can also read these, but I find Calibre to be better.

Scrounge up an ebook (in both formats) from anywhere you can find one.
I'd suggest at "the internet archive".
Then give it a try.

I'll read the analog/physical book I have now, because that was the only option available.

But in the future... if it's available in digital format... don't bother me with a bound book. I've found the better way.
I have Calibre and Kindle on the laptop, and an old Kindle Fire I drag around and use from time to time (especially good on a plane).

But, despite the convenience and the ease of reading a backlit screen, there is nothing quite like opening an old volume and turning the pages.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 02, 2023, 06:22:43 am
I have Calibre and Kindle on the laptop, and an old Kindle Fire I drag around and use from time to time (especially good on a plane).

But, despite the convenience and the ease of reading a backlit screen, there is nothing quite like opening an old volume and turning the pages.

@Smokin Joe

Yeah,I'm with ya on that one!

Still,I bought a Kindle from Amazon because it cuts down on the number of books I have laying around all over the house,and I can read books on it during a power outage. Plus,it is easier to carry around in my coveralls than a book.

Providing,of course,that I can figure out how to hook it up with  Amazon. Used to know how,but not anymore.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now? Dean Kootz: Dark Rivers of the Heart
Post by: sneakypete on August 02, 2023, 06:07:38 pm
Ok,the first thing you need to focus on is this book was published in 1994.

It almost seems like Koontz is a prophet that had inside knowledge as to the long-term plans of Our Globalist Masters.

Below is an afterword located in the very back of the book,after the story ends. Any typos are my own.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

AFTERWORD:

No first Deputy attorney General of the United States exists. I created Thomas Summerton's in order not to embarrass any  particular federal appointee.

The high-tech surveillance techniques in this story are real,not fictional. Enhancement of a highly magnified image shot from orbit would take longer than I allow for,but technology is swiftly  catching with fiction in that regard as well.

The technology  exists to create a nuclear-powered laser weapon and to place it in orbit. It is purely speculation,however,that any  world power has developed and deployed anything like Godzilla.

The manipulation of data and the invasions of computer systems depicted in this story  are all possible. For readability,however,I have simplified the technical details.

The asset forfeiture laws under which Harris Descoteaux suffers are real. They are increasingly  used against law-abiding citizens. For purposes of this story,slight liberties were taken in the manner in which the law applied and the pace at which  his disaster unfolded. A recent decision by the Supreme Court,requiring a hearing prior to property  seizure,is inadequate protection protection in a democracy. The hearing  will take place before a judge who,if past practice is an indicator,will favor the government. Worse,there is still no  requirement that proof be provided against the property owner or that he be charged with the commission of a crime.

The Branch Davidion Compound  in Waco,Texas,was a real place. It is fact that David Koresh regularly left the compound and could have been arrested in a conventional manner. Following the federal assault,cult members were found to have been armed,per capita,only half as heavily as the Texas population in general. It is also fact that before the assault,Texas Child Protective Services investigated claims of child abuse in the cult and found them baseless. However,it is speculation that the government hoped to use the Davidians as a test case to apply asset-forfeiture laws to religious  groups.

...


He  goes on to discuss the Randy Weaver case and similar cases.

Yeah,I DO strongly recommend you read the book,both  because it is a VERY enjoyable read,and because in his own  way,he is getting the word out to the general public that our government needs to be closely watched.

I don't know about you,but to ME,it seems both rare and notable that a prominent author is willing to risk his career by writing fictional books based on reality,and then highlighting the fact that is what he did.

People like him who are both famous and prolific authors have a HUGE audience they reach that generally speaking,does NOT have a ingrained political POV about anything. Books like this can help  turn that around.

Did I mention that like all his other books,it is a  VERY good read?

BTW,there was also a movie made based on this book,then it became a tv series about the book. Nothing has happened in the last several years,so it looks like it's not going to happen.

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on August 02, 2023, 08:39:06 pm
I don't have anything against it, per se.  I just have a genetic hearing-loss condition and it's easier to read than to try to watch/understand a show on TV when I miss half the dialogue.  I did binge-watch Downton Abbey a couple of years ago on Netflix (or maybe it was Amazon Prime?) where I could turn on the closed captions without driving anyone else crazy, though.  That was fun.

@Polly Ticks

Two words,"Closed Captions". I would be lost without them. I turn the volume up as high as it will go,and seeing the words helps me to instantly read and comprehend them.

Yeah,I CAN hear the words with the volume turned up all the way,but I can barely hear them well enough to understand them. The captions really help a lot.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 02, 2023, 08:55:14 pm
I'm old fashioned.  I make a trip to the library and it's a free read.  I'm into what I call fiction escape books and right now I'm reading "The Whittiers" by Danielle Steel.  A simple read and usually a predictable ending, but nonetheless, I enjoy her books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: berdie on August 02, 2023, 10:27:27 pm
I'm old fashioned.  I make a trip to the library and it's a free read.  I'm into what I call fiction escape books and right now I'm reading "The Whittiers" by Danielle Steel.  A simple read and usually a predictable ending, but nonetheless, I enjoy her books.



I agree, @libertybele . Reading is an escape. I tend to reread the classics, even though I know how they end. Right now, I'm rereading Gone With The Wind for the umpteenth time. I just finished rereading Wuthering Heights.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on August 02, 2023, 10:40:14 pm
I'm old fashioned.  I make a trip to the library and it's a free read.
I love our local library, even if it doesn't have all the books I seek. We made a provision in our wills for it. They do the best they can in a small town with a limited budget.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 02, 2023, 10:53:00 pm
I love our local library, even if it doesn't have all the books I seek. We made a provision in our wills for it. They do the best they can in a small town with a limited budget.

I've always loved going to the library, especially as a kid.  I used to sit under a tree on a blanket and read during the summer months.  I used to read several books a week, sometimes I'd finish a book in a day.  I still enjoy the library.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 02, 2023, 10:54:09 pm


I agree, @libertybele . Reading is an escape. I tend to reread the classics, even though I know how they end. Right now, I'm rereading Gone With The Wind for the umpteenth time. I just finished rereading Wuthering Heights.

I have a bookshelf full of books and I'm thinking of re-reading some of my favorites.

I've not read Wuthering Heights -- I'll have to check into it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 03, 2023, 09:04:32 am
I have a bookshelf full of books and I'm thinking of re-reading some of my favorites.

I've not read Wuthering Heights -- I'll have to check into it.


Ah, Heathcliff and Catherine on the moors.......❤️❤️❤️
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 03, 2023, 09:09:55 am
Just started a  work of non fiction last week, pretty much can't put it down.

"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot. It's from 2010 but it's pretty timeless. It's about how "immortal" human cells are grown in culture.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: yodaspock on August 03, 2023, 11:11:57 am
Dark Future by Glenn Beck

And the  future is truly black if his prediction come true!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: corbe on August 12, 2023, 03:33:10 pm
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GNEAAOSwZl9kqYUr/s-l500.jpg)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on August 15, 2023, 07:40:24 pm
I just finished the latest by Dean Koontz, "After Death." This passage on page 366 struck me as being particularly timely:
Quote
Because the wicked often have a charisma that the naive view as godliness, rather than demonic suasion, some miscreants for a time raise mass movements in their defense. ... Of the naive who join those crusades, most fall away when the see they have been duped, and only the most self-blinded cling to their faith in their faithless manipulators."
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 15, 2023, 07:56:49 pm
Dark Future by Glenn Beck

And the  future is truly black if his prediction come true!

Well, Beck's predictions are pretty darn accurate.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Weird Tolkienish Figure on August 15, 2023, 08:46:13 pm
This forum?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on August 18, 2023, 08:41:25 pm
I'm clawing my way through "Moby Dick." Anyone else find it difficult? It's such a very strange book.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on August 18, 2023, 08:55:12 pm
I just started reading "Hello Beautiful" by Ann Napolitano.  I'm into Chapter 2 and I'm not quite sure that it's going to hold my interest.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 18, 2023, 09:04:19 pm
I'm clawing my way through "Moby Dick." Anyone else find it difficult? It's such a very strange book.

I could never get through it even with a REALLY good professor who did his PHD on Melville. @mountaineer
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 18, 2023, 09:06:12 pm
I'm reading a book on astronomy/astrophysics by Brian Greene for my Cosmology class

Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: deb on August 18, 2023, 09:09:49 pm
I'm clawing my way through "Moby Dick." Anyone else find it difficult? It's such a very strange book.

Yes, it was brutal.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Weird Tolkienish Figure on August 18, 2023, 09:14:26 pm
I'm clawing my way through "Moby Dick." Anyone else find it difficult? It's such a very strange book.

I actually tried to read that a few years ago. A little dry for my tastes.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on August 18, 2023, 09:46:08 pm
Whew! I thought it was just me. I'm trying to read more classics, but this is one of the strangest I've attempted.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: bigheadfred on August 18, 2023, 09:56:53 pm
If anyone has trouble falling asleep I would highly recommend The Golden Bough: A Study in Comparative Religion by James Frazer.

A few minutes of that and your brain simply shuts off.

I just finished a 15 book series space opera and on the second book of another series. Four or six books. They are like watching a tv series. I try to read 300+ pages a day
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on August 18, 2023, 10:05:55 pm
RE the posts about Moby Dick above...

I never read it. I did watch the movie, though.
But... told you that to tell you this:

If the theme of Moby Dick interests you, you might find it MUCH more enjoyable to read the story of the ship that really was attacked by a whale, and the incredible story of survival by those who sailed away from the wreckage. This was Melville's inspiration behind his novel.

One is called "In The Heart of the Sea - The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex" by Nathaniel Philbrick.

Another is "Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex The Complete Illustrated Edition", which contains excerpts from one of the actual survivors, First Mate Owen Chase.

Both can be found at the "z-lib" site on "the dark net" (you need Tor browser to get there): "zlibrary24tuxziyiyfr7zd46ytefdqbqd2axkmxm4o5374ptpc52fad.onion"
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on August 18, 2023, 11:07:39 pm
I'm still halfway through "Our Friend the Beaver."
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: roamer_1 on August 19, 2023, 01:34:14 am
Whew! I thought it was just me. I'm trying to read more classics, but this is one of the strangest I've attempted.

He's a lot like Tolkien... Big dry spots between action shots... but worth it if you grind on through... There's a reason it is considered a classic.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on August 19, 2023, 02:00:10 am
I'm clawing my way through "Moby Dick." Anyone else find it difficult? It's such a very strange book.

It was a bit of a slog for me, too.  It's been many years, though. 
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Kamaji on August 19, 2023, 04:14:29 pm
Reading some old Isaac Asimov.  I finished the first three Foundation novels, and am reading Caves of Steel right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 19, 2023, 04:24:01 pm
 :thumbsup:
Reading some old Isaac Asimov.  I finished the first three Foundation novels, and am reading Caves of Steel right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 21, 2023, 11:22:45 pm
Finally finished Anna Karenina.Great book, but twice as long as it needed to be.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on August 22, 2023, 03:42:13 am
Finally finished Anna Karenina.Great book, but twice as long as it needed to be.


It's one of the most beautiful books ever written. I learned a lot about writing from that book, from Tolstoy's vivid descriptions and Levin's courting of Kitty.


Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on August 22, 2023, 01:44:21 pm

It's one of the most beautiful books ever written. I learned a lot about writing from that book, from Tolstoy's vivid descriptions and Levin's courting of Kitty.
Levin was the only Character OI had any empathy for. The last 100 or so pages with Anna was a prefect description of a descent into madness.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on September 01, 2023, 05:15:11 pm
Went through a dry spell for a period, not reading much of anything.  We bought a 2nd home, and three times I traveled to the house to have Internet installed.  Nothing to do, I started reading again.  Cranked out two books right off.  Still had time left, so I went to a used bookstore.

Saw a book on the shelf with the name Brad visible and the first letter of the last name, a T showing, and I assumed it was Brad Thor.  It was a title by him I did not read, so I grabbed it and took it home.  Upon getting home, I discovered it was not Brad Thor being the author, but Brad Taylor.  The title was American Traitor.  Read the book like a hot knife through butter, and ordered up his first four books.  Also read One Rough Man, and I equally enjoyed it.  One Rough Man was his first book.

Both books are similar to Clancy books written in recent years, subsequent to his death in 2013.  I intend to read all of Brad Taylor's books in the next few months.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 01, 2023, 06:08:00 pm


Both books are similar to Clancy books written in recent years, subsequent to his death in 2013.  I intend to read all of Brad Taylor's books in the next few months.

@jafo2010

Thanks for the tip. I will be looking  for used versions for sale on the web this afternoon.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on September 01, 2023, 07:02:20 pm
Just finished "The Night Watchman" by Louise Erdich for my bookclub
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on September 01, 2023, 08:09:45 pm
I finished up Ann Nepolitano's  "Beautiful You" it was very good and I can see why it was on the NY Times best seller's list, and I did enjoy it, but for me the ending was weak and disappointing.  None of her other books were available at the library.  So, I am now starting to read "Homestead" by Melinda Moustakis.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on September 01, 2023, 08:59:04 pm
Went through a dry spell for a period, not reading much of anything.  We bought a 2nd home, and three times I traveled to the house to have Internet installed.  Nothing to do, I started reading again.  Cranked out two books right off.  Still had time left, so I went to a used bookstore.

Saw a book on the shelf with the name Brad visible and the first letter of the last name, a T showing, and I assumed it was Brad Thor.  It was a title by him I did not read, so I grabbed it and took it home.  Upon getting home, I discovered it was not Brad Thor being the author, but Brad Taylor.  The title was American Traitor.  Read the book like a hot knife through butter, and ordered up his first four books.  Also read One Rough Man, and I equally enjoyed it.  One Rough Man was his first book.

Both books are similar to Clancy books written in recent years, subsequent to his death in 2013.  I intend to read all of Brad Taylor's books in the next few months.

Just got a copy of One Rough Man on my Kindle. Looks good!  Thanks for the tip! @jafo2010
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on September 01, 2023, 09:44:39 pm
Just finished:
"The Revolt Against Civilization - The Menace of the Under-Man" by Lothrop Stoddard (written in 1921).

Just started:
"Mutiny On The Globe - The Fatal Voyage of Samuel Comstock" by Samuel Heffernan.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on September 27, 2023, 12:53:21 pm
"Until the Final Hours," the memoirs of one of Hitler's personal secretaries, Traude Junge. As noted on the flyleaf, it depicts the utter banality of evil - daily life in the Wolf's Lair, the Berghof and the Berlin bunker. I really couldn't put it down. The footnotes provide so much information about each of the characters, from Goebbels to Hitler's cooks, who made him creamed potatoes and eggs every single day.

It was one of the books on which the movie "Downfall" was based (including the famous "Steiner" scene that's been used for so many parodies and memes).
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: deb on September 27, 2023, 05:58:25 pm
"Until the Final Hours," the memoirs of one of Hitler's personal secretaries, Traude Junge. As noted on the flyleaf, it depicts the utter banality of evil - daily life in the Wolf's Lair, the Berghof and the Berlin bunker. I really couldn't put it down. The footnotes provide so much information about each of the characters, from Goebbels to Hitler's cooks, who made him creamed potatoes and eggs every single day.

It was one of the books on which the movie "Downfall" was based (including the famous "Steiner" scene that's been used for so many parodies and memes).

That sounds interesting. We visited the Wolf’s Lair when we were in Poland. What a contrast - such a beautiful, serene location with such a horrible past.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on September 27, 2023, 06:15:49 pm
Just finished “The Light in Luna Park” for bookclub. It’s about the babies that were put in incubators back in the 1920’s as a side show in Coney Island.

70% of the babies survived- they were a minimum of two pounds when they were born. Small miracles considering it was 100 years ago
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on September 27, 2023, 06:26:13 pm
Just finished “The Light in Luna Park” for bookclub. It’s about the babies that were put in incubators back in the 1920’s as a side show in Coney Island.
 
70% of the babies survived- they were a minimum of two pounds when they were born.
  Small miracles considering it was 100 years ago

@Gefn

I have trouble finding a way to wrap my  mind around that and not want to hurt somebody.

I have no problem with  adults being featured in freak shows,if that is what they want to do,but I have a huge problem with babies in a freak show,and an even bigger problem with  parents who  would sell their babies to a circus freak show.

WTH is wrong with these people?
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on September 27, 2023, 07:25:33 pm
@Gefn

I have trouble finding a way to wrap my  mind around that and not want to hurt somebody.

I have no problem with  adults being featured in freak shows,if that is what they want to do,but I have a huge problem with babies in a freak show,and an even bigger problem with  parents who  would sell their babies to a circus freak show.

WTH is wrong with these people?
@sneakypete

I had issues with it too. But it was during the time between 1903-WWII. And as it was explained in the book, the babies were born at 2 lbs and not expected to live. So the parents actually wanted their babies to live, they did it. The babies left after they got to be 6 lbs or larger. Incubators were new technology, and people wanted to see how they worked.


I guess parents would do anything to save their children.


Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on September 27, 2023, 08:22:22 pm
That sounds interesting. We visited the Wolf’s Lair when we were in Poland. What a contrast - such a beautiful, serene location with such a horrible past.
It really was. Having visited, you'd probably appreciate her detailed description of the area. We've been to Kehlstein Haus near Berchtesgaden, up the mountain from where the Berghof was, so her descriptions of that place were particularly interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on October 01, 2023, 09:20:51 pm
I just started to read "Identity" by Nora Roberts.  First time I've read any of her numerous books. So far, so good. 

I tried to finish "Homestead" but it didn't keep my interest so back to the library it went.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Sighlass on October 02, 2023, 06:21:35 am
Not much of a reader now my eyesight requires glasses.... but reading "John L. Plaster - The Ultimate Sniper_ An Advanced Training Manual for Military and Police Snipers " now... The fellow knows his stuff, you can gather that by leafing the first few pages.

Kinda funny because I will never be anything but an average shooter with limited mobility at best. But I like reading other's insights in things like this (if nothing else to know what you are up against if things get tough).
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on October 02, 2023, 12:44:19 pm
Not much of a reader now my eyesight requires glasses.... but reading "John L. Plaster - The Ultimate Sniper_ An Advanced Training Manual for Military and Police Snipers " now... The fellow knows his stuff, you can gather that by leafing the first few pages.

Kinda funny because I will never be anything but an average shooter with limited mobility at best. But I like reading other's insights in things like this (if nothing else to know what you are up against if things get tough).

@Sighlass

I took Plaster's  place on Recon Team New York in Kontum when I first got there because he went off to the army  sniper school in VN,and the team needed someone to fill in before he got back.

Can't remember when,but at some later date he quit running recon and spent the rest of his tour as a "Covey Rider" that flew around recon teams in trouble,and directed fire support as well as rescue helicopters to them after finding a clearing big enough for a slick to  land in,and directing them to it.

Being a Covey Rider was a pretty complex job and you  would always end up having to keep several "balls juggling in the air at the same time" by dealing with  the team on the ground,the air support flying to their rescue to strafe and drop bombs (some USAF,and some USN) ,as well as any "Bright Light" team activated to come to  their rescue on the ground if they were all wounded.

Sounds like a simple thing,but trust me,it's not.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on October 02, 2023, 05:56:02 pm
Not much of a reader now my eyesight requires glasses.... but reading "John L. Plaster - The Ultimate Sniper_ An Advanced Training Manual for Military and Police Snipers " now... The fellow knows his stuff, you can gather that by leafing the first few pages.

Kinda funny because I will never be anything but an average shooter with limited mobility at best. But I like reading other's insights in things like this (if nothing else to know what you are up against if things get tough).
@Sighlass Anotehr good one is LOng Range shooting by Ryan Clacker. Her ahs some great YouTube videos as well.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Sighlass on October 02, 2023, 06:33:14 pm
@Sighlass Anotehr good one is LOng Range shooting by Ryan Clacker. Her ahs some great YouTube videos as well.

Thanks, found his YT page... short informative videos.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on November 06, 2023, 05:21:44 pm
My bookclub is reading "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver

It's so beautifully written
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: deb on November 06, 2023, 05:28:50 pm
Night - Elie Wiesel.

Just thought it was an appropriate time to read it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on November 27, 2023, 08:11:28 pm
Irish writer Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize with dystopian novel ‘Prophet Song’



Quote

ONDON (AP) — Irish writer Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize for fiction on Sunday with what judges called a “soul-shattering” novel about a woman’s struggle to protect her family as Ireland collapses into totalitarianism and war.

“Prophet Song,” set in a dystopian fictional version of Dublin, was awarded the 50,000-pound ($63,000) literary prize at a ceremony in London. Canadian writer Esi Edugyan, who chaired the judging panel, said the book is “a triumph of emotional storytelling, bracing and brave” in which Lynch “pulls off feats of language that are stunning to witness.”

Lynch, 46, had been the bookies’ favorite to win the prestigious prize, which usually brings a big boost in sales. His book beat five other finalists from Ireland, the U.K., the U.S. and Canada, chosen from 163 novels submitted by publishers.






https://apnews.com/article/booker-prize-fiction-winner-announced-06e46905a3bdac77966cb3ef4b64ed14
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on November 27, 2023, 08:11:47 pm
Irish writer Paul Lynch wins Booker Prize with dystopian novel ‘Prophet Song’




https://apnews.com/article/booker-prize-fiction-winner-announced-06e46905a3bdac77966cb3ef4b64ed14


just reserved this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on November 27, 2023, 10:54:34 pm
Just finished yesterday:
"The Mountain Meadows Massacre", by Juanita Brooks.

Just started today:
"American Crucifixion: The Murder of Joseph Smith and the Fate of the Mormon Church" by Alex Beam.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on November 28, 2023, 11:24:16 pm
My bookclub will be reading "The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post" by Alison Pataki.

I am looking forward to this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on November 28, 2023, 11:32:10 pm
I'm reading John Grisham's "The Rainmaker." After "A Time to Kill," which I thought was pretty darn awful, I swore I'd never read another book by him. However, this one was in the little free library in our town, so what the heck. It's been surprisingly interesting so far, at least from my vantage point as a former lawyer who couldn't wait to leave the profession. Wikipedia says, "The Los Angeles Times called the book 'an indictment of the legal system from law school to the jury’s verdict,'" and maybe that's what appealed (no pun intended) to me.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Polly Ticks on November 29, 2023, 03:50:30 am
"The Outsiders".  My youngest son has been after me for quite some time to finally read it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Bigun on November 29, 2023, 02:49:04 pm
I'm reading John Grisham's "The Rainmaker." After "A Time to Kill," which I thought was pretty darn awful, I swore I'd never read another book by him. However, this one was in the little free library in our town, so what the heck. It's been surprisingly interesting so far, at least from my vantage point as a former lawyer who couldn't wait to leave the profession. Wikipedia says, "The Los Angeles Times called the book 'an indictment of the legal system from law school to the jury’s verdict,'" and maybe that's what appealed (no pun intended) to me.

I read "The Rainmaker" when it first came out and liked it for the exact same reason @mountaineer It has since been made into a movie which I also enjoyed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rainmaker_(1997_film)
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: mountaineer on December 12, 2023, 01:48:23 pm
Just finished The Death of Innocents: A True Story of Murder, Medicine, and High-Stake Science by Richard Firstman and Jamie Talan. It's a very well-researched account of how a New York woman almost got away with killing her five babies by blaming the deaths on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The book goes into all of the medical research of the time and the near-hysteria of the 1980s about SIDS, and how dishonest scientists nearly let a woman get away with murder.
Quote
On July 28, 1971, a two-and-a-half-month-old baby named Noah Hoyt died in his trailer home in a rural hamlet of upstate New York. He was the fifth child of Waneta and Tim Hoyt to die suddenly in the space of seven years. People certainly talked, but Waneta spoke vaguely of "crib death," and over time the talk faded.

Nearly two decades later a district attorney in Syracuse, New York, was alerted to a landmark paper in the literature on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome--SIDS--that had been published in a prestigious medical journal back in 1972. Written by a prominent researcher at a Syracuse medical center, the article described a family in which five children had died suddenly without explanation. The D.A. was convinced that something about this account was very wrong. An intensive quest by a team of investigators came to a climax in the spring of 1995, in a dramatic multiple-murder trial that made headlines nationwide.

But this book is not only a vivid account of infanticide revealed; it is also a riveting medical detective story. That journal article had legitimized the deaths of the last two babies by theorizing a cause for the mystery of SIDS, suggesting it could be predicted and prevented, and fostering the presumption that SIDS runs in families. More than two decades of multimillion-dollar studies have failed to confirm any of these widely accepted premises. How all this happened--could have happened--is a compelling story of high-stakes medical research in action.
Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Death-Innocents-Medicine-High-Stake-Science/dp/0553379771)

Very interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on December 13, 2023, 01:08:20 am
Reading now:
Witness to the Martyrdom John Taylor's Personal Account of the Last Days of the Prophet Joseph Smith by Mark H. Taylor (J. Taylor's great-great grandson)

John Taylor (along with Willard Richards) was in the jail with the Smiths when the mob attacked them on 6.27.1844. Taylor was shot about 5 times, and underwent two surgeries without anesthesia to extract bullets. He went on to serve as president of the Church after Brigham Young's death.

What really surprised me was to find out that Taylor actually wrote his recollections while at a house in Westport, Connecticut, of all places...!
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 06, 2024, 11:02:23 pm
"The Outsiders".  My youngest son has been after me for quite some time to finally read it.

Interesting ... that was one of my son's favorite books. I had to look up the first paragraph to make sure....

"When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home. I was wishing I looked like Paul Newman – he looks tough and I don't – but I guess my own looks aren't so bad. I have light- brown, almost- red hair and greenish- gray eyes."
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 06, 2024, 11:04:12 pm
I just started to read "Fox Creek" by William Kent Krueger.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 06, 2024, 11:07:10 pm
My bookclub is reading "Demon Copperhead" by Barbara Kingsolver

It's so beautifully written

@Gefn -- how did you like it?  I had my hand on it at the library and put it back -- if it's worth the read, I'll reserve it.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on January 06, 2024, 11:53:51 pm
Tom Clancy,"The Bear and the Dragon".

All ,one thousand twenty-eight pages of it.

Really good book,but don't plan on reading it in one setting.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: verga on January 07, 2024, 03:32:48 pm
Tom Clancy,"The Bear and the Dragon".

All ,one thousand twenty-eight pages of it.

Really good book,but don't plan on reading it in one setting.
Loved that book, Actuall loved all of his fiction, never read any of the non-fiction.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Gefn on January 07, 2024, 05:10:43 pm
@Gefn -- how did you like it?  I had my hand on it at the library and put it back -- if it's worth the read, I'll reserve it.


@libertybele

It's one of those books where you either love it or dislike it. It's beautifully written and I enjoyed it but I wasn't head over heels about it. But it was a good read and the author writes beautifully.

If it's a library book you can always put it back if you can't get into it after 50 pages or so.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: libertybele on January 07, 2024, 05:15:12 pm

@libertybele

It's one of those books where you either love it or dislike it. It's beautifully written and I enjoyed it but I wasn't head over heels about it. But it was a good read and the author writes beautifully.

If it's a library book you can always put it back if you can't get into it after 50 pages or so.

Ok, thanks @Gefn Next trip to the library, I'll see if it's available.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: sneakypete on January 07, 2024, 09:26:10 pm
Loved that book, Actuall loved all of his fiction, never read any of the non-fiction.

@verga

I have read a lot of his books over the years,and had no idea he ever wrote any non-fiction books.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on February 22, 2024, 09:59:28 am
Regarding Tom Clancy, I would say my favorite of the books published post his death(Oct 2013) is Command Authority, which I thought was very timely, considering it is about Russia attacking Ukraine.  It came out years before the attack as I recall.  Some of his best post mortem work...LOL.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Fishrrman on February 22, 2024, 10:57:06 pm
Just finished a few days' back, my nomination for best book of 2024:

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/818dvVD8ixL._SL1500_.jpg)

As "appropos as it gets", considering the events of the last six months...

I recommend it to every member of the forum.
Even SneakyPete will be squirming in his seat reading this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: Cyber Liberty on February 23, 2024, 01:01:11 am
I like Kurt's fiction, and I am finishing soon with a nonfiction book, We'll Be Back, the Fall and Rise of America.
Title: Re: What are you reading right now?
Post by: jafo2010 on March 13, 2024, 04:52:34 am
Currently reading Bret Baier's book To Rescue the Republic.  It is a biography about Ulysses S. Grant, and is an excellent read.  I am almost halfway through, and enjoying it very much.

Where are the U.S. Grant's in today's military?  They just don't exist as far as I am concerned.  The POSs in the Obama/Biden military are destroying it with utter nonsense, DEI bullsh*t, CRT crap, transgender insanity, and on and on.  Every time I see that maggot transgender in an admiral's uniform that Wrecking Ball Joe made an Asst Sec of HHS, I want to toss my cookies.  Disgraces the uniform and the corps of people that work hard to have a career.  That idiot was handed three stars without earning a damn thing.  That is why Biden has no business being POTUS.  He is utterly clueless and the single greatest threat to this nation!