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  1. #1
    Nikon Samurai #14 DownByFive's Avatar
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    Whatcha Readin'?

    So we've covered games and music...How about books? I tend to read a lot of history and non-fiction (what can I say, I major in both history and political science). I just finished reading "The Main Enemy: the Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB". Wow, that was a sweet book. Here's a quick rundown of some of the best books I've read in the last year or two. I don't feel like giving a long description of each one, so you'll just have to look them up on amazon yourselves

    Modern:
    -From Beirut to Jerusalem (if you are interested in the Middle East, this book is a must) by Thomas Friedman
    -Batavia's Graveyard (one of the most compelling historical accounts I've ever read) by Mike Dash
    -In the Heart of the Sea: the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (true story that inspired Moby Dick) by Nathaniel Philbrick

    Classic:
    -Mutiny on the Bounty (my all time fav) by Charles Nordhoff and James Normal Hall...Also check out the other two parts of the Bounty Trilogy, "Men Against the Sea" and "Pitcairn's Island"
    -Dracula (classic creepiness with Victorian flair) by Bram Stoker
    -The Count of Monte Cristo (over 1000 pages, but I've read it like 3 times) by Alexandre Dumas
    -Crime and Punishment (Russian Lit is an acquired taste, I admit) by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    -Moby Dick (had to throw it on the list, it's actually a great read...) by Herman Melville

    Now get reading!


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  2. #2
    Too square to be hip. almo's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Well I know that this is like soooo lame of me at this point, but I am reading the LOTR trilogy.
    John Cowan
    Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.
    ~Ernest Hemingway~

  3. #3
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I am currently working my way thru "The Singular Mark Twain". It's on hold right now, as I just got a new issue of Outdoor Photographer. I just finished a digital photography field guide also, but I don't remember the exact name.

    Oh, I'm also reading a book called "Skinny Dip". Ok, I'm not really reading it. It's being read to me on public radio.
    Mike

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  4. #4
    Senior Member Lara's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Currently reading....

    One for humor:
    A Walk in the Woods
    Author: Bill Bryson

    One to boggle the mind.
    I picked this up a year ago and just got around to starting it.
    The Da Vinci Code

    Almo reading LOTR isn't lame at any point in time. ;) I treated myself to the complete version/all in one book as well, and pick it up to read every now and then. I read the six books many many moons ago, and never grow tired of reading Tolkien.
    Lara


  5. #5
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I'm reading "The Fountain Head" by Ayn Rand again nothing else to read. Just finished reading "Hating Alyson Ashley" which was better than I thought it was going to be.

    Might read the LOTR again as ti was an interesting read the first time. But you do need to read "The Hobbit" first though.

  6. #6
    is back jar_e's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I've just finished reading "Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" by Chuck Klosterman. What a great group of essays about our culture, very thought provoking.

  7. #7
    has-been... another view's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lara
    One for humor:
    A Walk in the Woods
    Author: Bill Bryson
    I've got a copy of that but forgot about it. Hope it's good, I guess that's next!

    Just finished White Hurricane, a book about a 1913 storm on the Great Lakes. 35' waves, blinding snowstorms, 70+ mph winds - probably not good kayaking weather...

    A good recent read was Ghost Rider, written by Neil Peart who is the drummer for Rush. His wife and daughter died and he went on the ultimate roadtrip throughout North America to deal with the loss.

  8. #8
    Too square to be hip. almo's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lara
    Currently reading....

    One for humor:
    A Walk in the Woods
    Author: Bill Bryson

    One to boggle the mind.
    I picked this up a year ago and just got around to starting it.
    The Da Vinci Code

    Almo reading LOTR isn't lame at any point in time. ;) I treated myself to the complete version/all in one book as well, and pick it up to read every now and then. I read the six books many many moons ago, and never grow tired of reading Tolkien.
    The lame part is that I wrestled with the urge to read LOTR for the better part of a decade before the first movie came out, yet it took the movies to finally get me into it. I am just another Frodo groupie at this point....
    John Cowan
    Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.
    ~Ernest Hemingway~

  9. #9
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I'm reading computer posts, mostly.

    After that, I'm mostly avoiding my assigned reading of a Music Theory textbook.

    I'm about to start reading the script of "Fiddler on the Roof", although my part is all singing, no lines.

    I'm 3/4 of the way through the first draft of a self-help book my friend wrote. It's WONDERFUL! I've also read most of his acting textbook, and keep up on his newsletter faithfully, chronicalling nearly four years of his travels as an actor. (Note to self: I've really got to finish that draft and get him my feedback.)

    I've got an assorted stack of books on my list of "Get To Soon"; most of them either self-help ("French Women Don't Get Fat", "Passing for Thin", "Who's Pulling Your Strings") or historical.

    Lots of magazines too, and some cookbooks.

    I've written a book too, so once in awhile I read that again, then think about the letter I should really compose to an agent soon.

    But mostly I read computer posts.
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  10. #10
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by almo
    Well I know that this is like soooo lame of me at this point, but I am reading the LOTR trilogy.
    Nothing wrong with LOTR!

    Currently:

    Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, Zz Packer

    Design Basics Index

    Terry Jones's War on the War on Terror

    PHP 5

    On the list:

    Photography And The Art Of Seeing

    Macromedia Flash

    The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

    Anatomy of a Typeface


    Oh, I'm exhausted now! I don't have THAT much free time -- most of those are to suppliment the horrid education I am getting at school.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Lara's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by almo
    The lame part is that I wrestled with the urge to read LOTR for the better part of a decade before the first movie came out, yet it took the movies to finally get me into it. I am just another Frodo groupie at this point....
    Well, if the movies peaked your interest, then hooray for Peter Jackson for leading you to the books. I enjoyed the movies too and I hope you stick with the book.

    My only suggestion is, don't try to read the whole thing without taking a break now and then. Read other books, magazines, what ever in between.


    "Frodo Lives!"
    Lara


  12. #12
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Almo, if you ever get a chance to see this guy, DO SO! I saw his show last year at the Orlando Fringe Festival, and it was hilarious, probably even more so if I knew the books better.

    http://www.onemanstarwars.com/index.html
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  13. #13
    has-been... another view's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by tijean
    I highly recommend anything by Freeman Patterson. He comes up with the most interesting photographs just by looking around his house and yard. Great lesson in creativity.

  14. #14
    Too square to be hip. almo's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by kellybean
    Almo, if you ever get a chance to see this guy, DO SO! I saw his show last year at the Orlando Fringe Festival, and it was hilarious, probably even more so if I knew the books better.

    http://www.onemanstarwars.com/index.html
    OMG!!!! That was FUNNY. I watched the clips and it is amazing how lost in them you can get. he does the voices perfectly and the action he produces with his body is great. this guy is WESOME. You all must see this.
    John Cowan
    Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.
    ~Ernest Hemingway~

  15. #15
    is back jar_e's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by almo
    OMG!!!! That was FUNNY. I watched the clips and it is amazing how lost in them you can get. he does the voices perfectly and the action he produces with his body is great. this guy is WESOME. You all must see this.
    Wow that was hilarrrrrrrrious! That guy certainly has some talent. I am quite impressed by that, very interesting. Among my reading pile, also there is "Fast food Nation", "Vinyl Cafe" (about three of them) and my devotional book.

    Great reads in here,

    Jared

  16. #16
    Just a Member Chunk's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I hope your read The Hobbit first. One problem with the current films is that a lot of people read the trilogy first.
    I lost a lot of sleep for a couple weeks back in highschool when I couldn't put the whole works down until I got through it.
    ----------------------------


  17. #17
    Just a Member Chunk's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Right now??
    Scream of Eagles ( about the Navy's Top Gun School)
    The lastest Berrybender book
    Arizona Highways.
    Analog Science Fiction
    Artist's Magazine
    Photoshop for the Digital Photographer (or something like that)
    A basic Photoshop book

    Recently...
    R is for (whatever it was for) - Sue Grafton's - I wait for the paperbacks
    Some Ben Bova.
    Some 'Best of...' Science fiction anthologies from half priced books
    The Brother Cadfael books by Ellis Peters
    The Sister Frevisse novels by Margaret Frazer ***** I really like these.
    ...
    ----------------------------


  18. #18
    Mig
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I just finished Passing For Thin - it was great. I really liked how brutally honest she was about her experience. I wouldn't really call it a self-help book though, it's more of a memoir, although it generally gets listed under self-help/dieting. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

    Danielle
    There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who don't.

  19. #19
    Mig
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    My copy of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere is sitting on my shelf with about 30 other books waiting to be read. How do you like it?

    Just recently read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - great, quick read. It's especially interesting if you know any autistic children, as he really did a wonderful job conveying the behaviors and sensory and societal issues of an autistic child.
    There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who don't.

  20. #20
    Mig
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    I'm currently reading:

    The Stranger - Albert Camus (Matthew Ward translation)

    The Zen of CSS Design : Visual Enlightenment for the Web - Dave Shea, Molly E. Holzschlag

    For classes, I'm reading J2EE 1.4 Essentials and a book on operational models.
    There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who don't.

  21. #21
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Quote Originally Posted by Mig
    My copy of Drinking Coffee Elsewhere is sitting on my shelf with about 30 other books waiting to be read. How do you like it?.
    I absolutely love it. Growing up as a little white girl in rural Alabama, I am pretty fascinated with what goes on on the other side of the color line.

  22. #22
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Workbench magazine, Photographyreview.com and a LOT of stock market research recently!

    Seriously, I have a major problem reading so between semesters here I am reading a Speed Reading Book (oh, the irony - I can't read fast enough to finish it LOL) and I have learned a few good tips. Other than that, I've been reading The Autobiography of a Yogi (thumbs up!) for about 6 months and I'm maybe a third of the way through.

    I miss the days when I could read more easily
    Sigh,
    Rick
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  23. #23
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Here are pictures of the covers of the Romance Novels I'm reading ... (hee hee hee) ... ... (fun with photoshop):

    http://www.worldoflongmire.com/featu...vels/index.htm
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  24. #24
    Viewfinder and Off-Topic Co-Mod walterick's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    Hey! I think I saw "Crack Baby Sale" in Borders the other day and I almost bought it! It was up between that and something by Deepak Chopra, but Deepak is soo smart!

    I also think "Get a Room" looks goooood!

    Very funny Kelly!

    RIck
    Walter Rick Long
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  25. #25
    Member steelerdirtfreak's Avatar
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    Re: Whatcha Readin'?

    How is that book? I have it on my wish list.

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