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 :D

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!

Well I know that this is like soooo lame of me at this point, but I am reading the LOTR trilogy.

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. :)

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.

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by Lara

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

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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.

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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.

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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....:(

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.

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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.

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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.

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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....:(

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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!" :D

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

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Originally Posted by tijean

On the list:

Photography And The Art Of Seeing

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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.

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.
...

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

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.

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.

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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?.

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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.

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

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

http://www.worldoflongmire.com/featu...vels/index.htm

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

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Originally Posted by Mig

I'm currently reading:

....

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

.

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