Book lovers, please share your readings and favorites

[VickiK]

The Terror, by Dan Simmons, was very good. I read it after watching it.

 

[Jerez]

@mdf You might like The Ambulance Drivers by James McGrath Morris. He is an award winning biographer and this one is about Hemingway's friendship with Dos Passos.

 

[mdf]

This is an interesting short story. Guy kayaked across the Atlantic three times. The last time the North Atlantic at age 70. It might be behind a paywall. They’ve been running $1 for a month recently.
View attachment 101955

Why He Kayaked Across the Atlantic at 70 (for the Third Time) (Published 2018)

For Aleksander Doba, pitting himself against the wide-open sea — storms, sunstroke, monotony, hunger and loneliness — is a way to feel alive in old age.

www.nytimes.com

There must be easier ways to get croissants.

 

[James]

Hey @mdf , did you get this from your blogger? Thinking of getting it.

www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sabine-hossenfelder/lost-in-math/9780465094264/

 

[luliski]

Right now feel like I should reread "The Stand" but haven't read and Stephen King for quite a while.

I also enjoyed Stephen King long ago. Have you read "The Road," by Cormac McCarthy? It's post-apocalyptic, beautiful and haunting. I read it on vacation and could not put it down. I also cried often while reading it.

 

[mdf]

Hey @mdf , did you get this from your blogger? Thinking of getting it.
View attachment 101994
www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sabine-hossenfelder/lost-in-math/9780465094264/

I did. It was thought provoking. I don't agree with everything she says, but when I'm honest with myself and ask myself if I have a reason beyond discomfort with the implications, the answer often is "no".
I did not read her book with an eye to the audience, but without going back and re-reading I think you can appreciate and understand it without a lot of deep backround.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

I placed @Tony S's The Overstory on library hold, very popular book! Added @Bad Bob's "Where The Rivers Run North" to my to-read list.

"On Tyranny" has been on my to-read list. Think I'll try to read Tommy Orange first before tackling Colson Whitehead, saw recent announcement of his impressive second Pulitzer.

Thank you for the reading ideas.

btw, someone should start a new thread on funny mis-heard song lyric because I had food and wine coming out of me when I read what @mdf and @KingGrump wrote.

 

[luliski]

I placed @Tony S's The Overstory on library hold, very popular book! Added @Bad Bob's "Where The Rivers Run North" to my to-read list.

"On Tyranny" has been on my to-read list. Think I'll try to read Tommy Orange first before tackling Colson Whitehead, saw recent announcement of his impressive second Pulitzer.

Thank you for the reading ideas.

btw, someone should start a new thread on funny mis-heard song lyric because I had food and wine coming out of me when I read what @mdf and @KingGrump wrote.

I've been thinking about reading "The Overstory" next. I found a copy of "The Bitch In the House" while rummaging through my daughter's books, so I might check that out first.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I also enjoyed Stephen King long ago. Have you read "The Road," by Cormac McCarthy? It's post-apocalyptic, beautiful and haunting. I read it on vacation and could not put it down. I also cried often while reading it.

Check out "Wool"

 

[luliski]

Check out "Wool"

It didn't sound familiar, but when I looked it up I realized it's the book a friend is reading. It does look good, but I don't know if I can handle any post-apocalyptic or dystopian novels right now.

 

[Jerez]

Overstory is amazing. Almost like poetry in prose warning... I cried like a baby.

The Road would be a tough book to read right now.

 

[luliski]

Overstory is amazing. Almost like poetry in prose warning... I cried like a baby.

The Road would be a tough book to read right now.

I just sobbed at points while reading "The Road." I read it when my daughter was young and dependent, and the parent/child theme got to me.

I think I looked Overstory up when you mentioned it in another thread. I like poetry, should be good.

 

[maverick2]

My reading interests are all over the map, but there are two books I repeat read about every other year for the philosophies they impart: "Blind Your Ponies" by Stanley Gordon West, and "A Salty Piece of Land" by Jimmy Buffett. I thought the "Game of Thrones" series of books was an incredible read (can't wait for the next book) and William Diehl's "Thai Horse" ranks very high for me.

 

[maverick2]

Wilbur Smith. Just about any Wilbur Smith I haven't read. A great story teller.

If you're a Wilbur Smith fan, you'll probably like Tony Park's books based in Africa. Great reads.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

Learning to ski has been a slow and lengthy process. I spent much time this season attending in-house on-the-hill and classroom training sessions, taking/reviewing notes, and reading PSIA manuals. What has been quite surprisingly inspiring, and motivating to me is readings on dispelling the talent myth while focusing on the process of learning/practice, and the importance of good teachers/coaches.

A trainer spoke highly of this book in December:
The Talent Code: Unlocking the Secret of Skill in Sports, Art, Music, Math, and Just About Everything Else by Daniel Coyle in 2009.
What an eye-opening revelation for me, I felt so empowered that I can be a good skier from this book!

Now I'm half way through:
Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson in 2016.
I was quite disappointed to not be able to take my alpine L2 ski exam, scheduled late March and canceled due to the pandemic. But I'm determined to keep thinking about and mentally visualizing skiing. Furthermore, I see lifelong learning in several disciplines so exciting and full of possibilities.

 

[Posaune]

I recently finished the Abury-Maturin Master and Commander series for the second time. The second time was better because there is so much intricate maritime detail that I got lost in it sometimes during the first read, but understood it better on the second. It's 20 short books (don't bother with "21," it's incomplete and only just gets started) but it's like good ice cream; you can't stop consuming it.

I just started A Short History of a Small Place by T.R. Pearson. It's the story of a small town in the south during the 20th century. So far it's quite entertaining, but I can't help but feel strange about how the African American characters are treated like they are wallpaper (which may be on purpose). Since I just started it, I'll give it a chance.

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

The past two months I’ve attempted to read Steven Pinker and Marcel Proust but gave up.

@luliski, instead of Tommy Orange’s There There, I went to the source of “there is no there there,” Gertrude Stein.

Readings of Brene Brown don’t sit well and frustrate me. I need some light fun reading!!!

 

[Jerez]

Readings of Brene Brown don’t sit well and frustrate me. I need some light fun reading!!!

Plus one. I tried to listen to her podcast and couldn't do that either. She is very popular and well regarded. I don't object to any of the things she says, just not my Cuppa I guess.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I recently finished the Abury-Maturin Master and Commander series for the second time. The second time was better because there is so much intricate maritime detail that I got lost in it sometimes during the first read, but understood it better on the second. It's 20 short books (don't bother with "21," it's incomplete and only just gets started) but it's like good ice cream; you can't stop consuming it.

I just started A Short History of a Small Place by T.R. Pearson. It's the story of a small town in the south during the 20th century. So far it's quite entertaining, but I can't help but feel strange about how the African American characters are treated like they are wallpaper (which may be on purpose). Since I just started it, I'll give it a chance.

Those are my favorite. I don't even know how many times I have read them. As the last books were coming out I usually re-read the whole series leading into it's release.

I just threw away my Hornblower books. They were so old and had been read so many times that they pretty much just fell apart from touching them.

 

[markojp]

Overstory is amazing. Almost like poetry in prose warning... I cried like a baby.

The Road would be a tough book to read right now.

On my top 10 list... read it once, can't read it again, couldn't watch the movie, and recommend it (the book) to everyone. I can probably fill 5 or 6 of my top 10 slots with McCarthy books (the border trilogy for sure), with Suttree being my favorite of his. DeLillo a couple more slots (White Noise, Zero K), and Harry Mulisch's 'Discovery of Heaven' maybe.