What are you reading right now?

[Luis Gonzalez]

Don't forget your charging cable!  Enjoy your break!

Thanks.

[Smokin Joe]

If I do, I think I'll be in deep doodoo.

Just don't go fast with 4 outboards and keep fishing poles where they are easy to see and you should be fine.

Enjoy your trip! I enjoy your articles, so be safe, too!

[Cyber Liberty]

Just don't go fast with 4 outboards and keep fishing poles where they are easy to see and you should be fine.

As they say, if you carry a baseball bat in your car, make sure you have a mitt and a ball....

[roamer_1]

Don't forget your charging cable!

You know, as an aside... I have almost obtained charging cable nirvana... *Just now*... I can charge all my portable gear from one USB type c cord. Not quite...

My laptop will charge via a usb type c port - but it needs a special charger to do it...

My tethered earbuds are mini (b) usb... Nothing for it... but I have a type c to miniB adapter.

My watch needs the Samsung disk charger - but I have a disk that plugs into a usb type c cord, so I dunno if that counts or not.

The phone and the tablet are straight up fast-charge type c.

That's getting pretty close. I can remember when my laptop bag was stuffed full of cords. Type A, miniA, MiniB, and a host of specialty cords.

Now I am down to three. And now I can't go nowhere.
Oh, but the irony stings. 

[DB]

You know, as an aside... I have almost obtained charging cable nirvana... *Just now*... I can charge all my portable gear from one USB type c cord. Not quite...

My laptop will charge via a usb type c port - but it needs a special charger to do it...

My tethered earbuds are mini (b) usb... Nothing for it... but I have a type c to miniB adapter.

My watch needs the Samsung disk charger - but I have a disk that plugs into a usb type c cord, so I dunno if that counts or not.

The phone and the tablet are straight up fast-charge type c.

That's getting pretty close. I can remember when my laptop bag was stuffed full of cords. Type A, miniA, MiniB, and a host of specialty cords.

Now I am down to three. And now I can't go nowhere.
Oh, but the irony stings. 

And Apple finally dumped their proprietary connector for USB-C. There are now tons of battery powered devices/tools of all sorts that use a standard USB-C to charge.

The massive pile of power adapters with different voltages, connectors and AC vs. DC are finally coming to an end.

[DB]

I'll add that I just throw away all my FireWire and RCA component HD cables.

The dust bin of history...

[Polly Ticks]

Just finished Jim Butcher's latest Dresden Files book, Twelve Months.  He says he is already 1/3 of the way done writing Mirror Mirror, so I'm hopeful he may actually finish the series before I die.

Now I'm reading the newest JD Robb book, Stolen in Death.  I'm expecting Mavis and Leonardo's "Number Two" to show up in this one, but we'll see.

[Lando Lincoln]

I’m reading The Gales of November by John U. Bacon.  It is about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Excellent.

[Ghost Bear]

Just finished Jim Butcher's latest Dresden Files book, Twelve Months.  He says he is already 1/3 of the way done writing Mirror Mirror, so I'm hopeful he may actually finish the series before I die.

Now I'm reading the newest JD Robb book, Stolen in Death.  I'm expecting Mavis and Leonardo's "Number Two" to show up in this one, but we'll see.

I bought Twelve Months, but I haven't started reading it yet.  I've been trying to get through Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh, which won a Hugo award in 1981. It's part of my effort to read older books that I didn't read when I was younger. But I'm finding this one to be a slog. Maybe I was right not to read it back then. 

[Polly Ticks]

I bought Twelve Months, but I haven't started reading it yet.  I've been trying to get through Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh, which won a Hugo award in 1981. It's part of my effort to read older books that I didn't read when I was younger. But I'm finding this one to be a slog. Maybe I was right not to read it back then. 

I liked Twelve Months, but I'd be interested in hearing your impressions after you've had a chance to read it.

I read a whole bunch of classic/award-winning literature when I was a senior in high school getting ready to go into college, but Downbelow Station was probably a little bit too fresh way back then to be on that list! Sounds like I can leave it off any future TBR lists, as well. 

[libertybele]

I’m reading The Gales of November by John U. Bacon.  It is about the Edmund Fitzgerald. Excellent.

Thanks for the recommendation. 

[Ghost Bear]

I liked Twelve Months, but I'd be interested in hearing your impressions after you've had a chance to read it.

I read a whole bunch of classic/award-winning literature when I was a senior in high school getting ready to go into college, but Downbelow Station was probably a little bit too fresh way back then to be on that list! Sounds like I can leave it off any future TBR lists, as well.

I still haven't made it to Twelve Months. 

I finished Downbelow Station, and the action picked up midway through the book, and finished well. I think the problem was that this was C. J. Cherryh's first book, and she didn't  quite know yet how to juggle introducing characters and settings while keeping the plot moving steadily. Hence the first half was slow as she introduced all of the players and their motivations, but in the second half the action part of the plot kicked off and that helped pull it all together.

I'm currently reading No Life of their Own and Other Stories, volume five of "The Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak". A nice collection of mostly SF short stories originally published in the 30s through the 60s. Simak had a unique voice in SF, most of his stories had a laid-back country air to them, similar in some ways to Ray Bradbury but without the horror elements that Bradbury stories often had. Pretty good stuff.

[Polly Ticks]

I still haven't made it to Twelve Months. 
[...]
I'm currently reading No Life of their Own and Other Stories, volume five of "The Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D. Simak". A nice collection of mostly SF short stories originally published in the 30s through the 60s. Simak had a unique voice in SF, most of his stories had a laid-back country air to them, similar in some ways to Ray Bradbury but without the horror elements that Bradbury stories often had. Pretty good stuff.

Meh, there's no rush. I think my TBR list will long outlive me, in any case.

Ray Bradbury was one of my brother's favorite authors when we were kids. I took his recommendation and read "S is for Space" when I was about 12-ish.  I think "Chrysalis" was either the first story in the book or maybe just the first story I read, but either way I was horrified by the completely open ending.  WHY WAS THERE NO RESOLUTION TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MAN????  I persevered on in the book and did find an appreciation for Bradbury's style enough to read many more of his books ... but I still prefer a more concrete closing to a story. 


I'm finally reading "A Man Called Ove" via audiobook, about 20% into it.  I'm not sure why I put it off for so long.  It's both delightful and poignant in turns, at least so far.

[libertybele]

I just finished reading 7 Secrets of the Eucharist, by Vinny Flynn. It's a very short and fast read, but interesting and informative.  I will likely read it again to further absorb the 'connections'.

[mountaineer]

I just finished Nelson DeMille's final book, co-authored with his son Alex, "The Tin Men." I didn't think the military/sci-fi theme would hold my interest, but was wrong. The premise is that there's a top-secret Army base in a remote desert setting where Rangers conduct war games with “lethal autonomous weapons” - AI robots. When one of the artificial "tin man" soldiers kills an Army scientist not with a weapon but with its "hands," Army CID agents are called in to investigate what's going on and whether, somehow, the bots have started thinking for themselves.

[Ghost Bear]

Since I'm seeing the movie in a theater tomorrow night, and I've been on a "reading classics" kick lately, I decided to download a Kindle edition of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace. I've never read it before, so I'm curious to see what they might have cut or changed for the movie. The book is in the public domain, and if you do a bit of looking on Amazon you can find a free Kindle version.

[libertybele]

Since I'm seeing the movie in a theater tomorrow night, and I've been on a "reading classics" kick lately, I decided to download a Kindle edition of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace. I've never read it before, so I'm curious to see what they might have cut or changed for the movie. The book is in the public domain, and if you do a bit of looking on Amazon you can find a free Kindle version.

The original 'Ben Hur' movie is one of my favorites.

[berdie]

Since I'm seeing the movie in a theater tomorrow night, and I've been on a "reading classics" kick lately, I decided to download a Kindle edition of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lewis Wallace. I've never read it before, so I'm curious to see what they might have cut or changed for the movie. The book is in the public domain, and if you do a bit of looking on Amazon you can find a free Kindle version.

Please let me know what you think. I won't taint your opinion with mine.

[libertybele]

I'm currently reading "Apostle's Cove", William Kent Krueger.  It started out great, but as the last book I read of his, the middle has reached a dull spot for the past several chapters.  The plot has become too drawn out.  There are two parts to the book and I'm almost to that point.  Hopefully things will pick up in the 2nd half; if not after a couple of chapters -- back to the library it goes.

I'm on the waiting list to read "The Gales of November" - there are 28 people ahead of me, - sigh.

[Ghost Bear]

Please let me know what you think. I won't taint your opinion with mine.

It took me just over a month, but I have finished it. It was an interesting read. I don't think that I have read anything written in the 1800s since middle school, if not earlier, so that took some getting used to. But it was interesting to see how the movie differed from the book. Overall I would say I enjoyed it, but I probably won't be reading it again. But, now I'm curious what your thoughts on the book are?

[Smokin Joe]

The Erased Generation by Darrin Knowles
It's about the fire in the St. Louis GSA records facility that wiped out most Army service records from 1918 to Vietnam. Pretty interesting.

My Dad's service records were among those burned or destroyed by water damage. Thankfully, he had copies, his DD-214, etc.

So many did not. Many veterans were left in the unenviable position of having to prove they served to get benefits.
Other possibilities for the fire origin, including some 'conspiracy theories' are discussed as well.

[Ghost Bear]

I liked Twelve Months, but I'd be interested in hearing your impressions after you've had a chance to read it.

Well... I read it last night, starting at about 5:00pm and finishing just short of 5:00am this morning. Yes, I read it in a single ~12 hour sitting. I tried to stop several times so that I could go to bed, but I just kept picking it back up until I finished it.

Needless to say, I liked it. But it was a bit different from his previous entries in the series. I think it was clear that he was having some trouble keeping his writing going; there are a couple of spots where he introduces a character as if it is a new character, when the character had appeared previously in the book. I feel like he wrote it as a series of strung-together short stories, rather than a single narrative. But that's alright, I think that the story advanced well enough through the book. I'll definitely be reading his next book in the series, I just hope that I don't have to wait another six years for it.

[Fishrrman]

Just finished:
"The Bridge on the Drina" by Ivo Andric.

Just starting:
"The Roosevelt Myth" by John T. Flynn.

[Polly Ticks]

Well... I read it last night, starting at about 5:00pm and finishing just short of 5:00am this morning. Yes, I read it in a single ~12 hour sitting. I tried to stop several times so that I could go to bed, but I just kept picking it back up until I finished it.

Needless to say, I liked it. But it was a bit different from his previous entries in the series. I think it was clear that he was having some trouble keeping his writing going; there are a couple of spots where he introduces a character as if it is a new character, when the character had appeared previously in the book. I feel like he wrote it as a series of strung-together short stories, rather than a single narrative. But that's alright, I think that the story advanced well enough through the book. I'll definitely be reading his next book in the series, I just hope that I don't have to wait another six years for it.

 
Whole-heartedly agree with that wish!

Yes, it was quite a deviation from the usual few days here or there timeline for a book, and I expect that contributed to the choppiness of it. 

As you say, I'll definitely continue to read.

[verga]

I just finished a Spiritual Direction class. This was on the Recommended list
 Dignity In Death: Accepting, Assisting, and Preparing for the End of Life
by Barbara Frandsen

Not to be morbid, but I highly recommend this book well before you need it. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross did a lot to get this movement started with "On Death and Dying", but was very clinical.
This book does a great job of presenting a more human side. She gives a number of suggestions on getting assistance, pre-planning to take the burden off the family.
She devotes and entire chapter with suggestions on what to say and more importantly. what NOT to say.
She presents a chapter on the various options for the body, including burial, Donating body to science, and cremation.

[libertybele]

I just started reading "Shelterwood" by Lisa Wingate.  The book contains two stories with every other chapter telling one part of the story.  It's historical fiction which I love. One story takes place in the early 1900's about two Choctaw girls in a boarding home in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the other story takes place in the 1990's about a park ranger in Oklahoma.  The stories are entertainingly intertwined.  I'm 60 pages into the book, and so far I'm really enjoying it.

[Polly Ticks]

Just finished reading "This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me" by Ilona Andrews.  It is their first foray into writing isekai and my first foray into reading it. I have said before that I will read anything they write, and this book has not changed my opinion at all. The only downfall is being stuck waiting for the next book (it is a planned trilogy) to be published.

[libertybele]

I finally received notification from the library that "The Gales of November" is available.  This is a book that @Lando Lincoln recommended and I'm anxious to read it.  It has over 400 pages which is a lot for me, so I hope I finish it before it's due back.

Speaking of @Lando Lincoln  I haven't seen him post in awhile.  I hope everything is ok???

[Bigun]

I finally received notification from the library that "The Gales of November" is available.  This is a book that @Lando Lincoln recommended and I'm anxious to read it.  It has over 400 pages which is a lot for me, so I hope I finish it before it's due back.

Speaking of @Lando Lincoln  I haven't seen him post in awhile.  I hope everything is ok???

He's fine! Just taking a well deserved break.

[Lando Lincoln]

I finally received notification from the library that "The Gales of November" is available.  This is a book that @Lando Lincoln recommended and I'm anxious to read it.  It has over 400 pages which is a lot for me, so I hope I finish it before it's due back.

Speaking of @Lando Lincoln  I haven't seen him post in awhile.  I hope everything is ok???

Hi @libertybele … I’m fine. Thanks for asking. Hope you enjoyed he book. Living on the Great Lakes, I found it fascinating.

[libertybele]

Hi @libertybele … I’m fine. Thanks for asking. Hope you enjoyed he book. Living on the Great Lakes, I found it fascinating.

I'm just about finished reading it.  I am thoroughly enjoying it and find it fascinating as well.  I grew up in Michigan in the surrounding Detroit area and we were married in the Mariners Church in Detroit by Rev. Ingalls, so the book touches on history that I am very familiar with. 

We also saw Gordon Lightfoot in concert here in FL a few days after our anniversary years ago.  Special memories.

Thank you for the recommendation! 

[libertybele]

I picked up "Choke Point" by Brad Thor from the library today. ..... America's top spy Scot Harvath is called to Bangkok after a wave of bombings kills U.S. citizens. He discovers the bomber is an American traitor and former SEAL teammate, operating as a distraction for a Chinese plot to take control of a critical maritime gateway.........

[Ghost Bear]

After reading "Twelve Months", the most recent Dresden Files book by Jim Butcher back in May, I decided that it had been so long since I have read the earlier books that I should re-read them all. I started with the first book in the series, "Storm Front", and continued until I had read all eighteen of them, including a re-read of "Twelve Months". I didn't have some of them in Kindle format, but I had all of them in hardcover. It was very nostalgic, both to re-read them all and to read some of them in hardcover format.

Since I enjoyed reading them so much I decided to keep reading Jim Butcher, and started re-reading his "Codex Alera" series, which I really like. I'm currently on the second book, "Academ's Fury". I'm deliberately taking my time re-reading this series, so it won't go as fast as the Dresden books did.