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.

Here are a few that I have going right now:

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=justifibygrac-20%26link_code=xm2%26camp=2025%26creative=165953%2 6path=http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%253fASIN=1581344589%2526location=/o/ASIN/1581344589%25253FSubscriptionId=08VYKDSFQB33X70X9Z R2" title="View product details at Amazon">Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity</a>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=justifibygrac-20%26link_code=xm2%26camp=2025%26creative=165953%2 6path=http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%253fASIN=0310252172%2526location=/o/ASIN/0310252172%25253FSubscriptionId=08VYKDSFQB33X70X9Z R2" title="View product details at Amazon">RUMORS OF ANOTHER WORLD : What on Earth Are We Missing?</a>

Getting ready for the movie:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=justifibygrac-20%26link_code=xm2%26camp=2025%26creative=165953%2 6path=http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html%253fASIN=0345391802%2526location=/o/ASIN/0345391802%25253FSubscriptionId=08VYKDSFQB33X70X9Z R2" title="View product details at Amazon">The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</a>

And then of course there is my "required" reading:
Dirt Late Model

Area Auto Racing News

Behind The Wheel

National Dirt Digest

(My goal this year is at least one cover shot on any one of those 4 'biggies')

I just finished Black and Blue by Ian Rankin. Mystery is not my usual bill of fare, but Rankin is pretty good. But he is not up to Tony Hillerman or Dorothy Sayer's standard.

Plan to read Heart of Darkness, The Andromeda Strain, Leave It to Psmith (P.G. Wodehouse), and who know what all else.

Also finished a few of the Brian Jaques books a few weeks ago. I know, kiddie stuff. It is well written though, good stories too.

Oh, and The Whimsical Christian by Dorothy L. Sayers.

Dzerzhinski

I'm loving the CSS Zen book even though I haven't gotten past the first chapter (too much school-work and work-work) - but I've been obsessed with the power of CSS since stumbling across the CSS Zen Garden website.

I had actually just re-read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy last year. Looking forward to the movie - especially since they've got such a stellar cast (pun intended - I'm a geek...what do ya want?).

Danielle

Hey I saw Hitchhiker's this weekend and while it didn't do much for me it really did make me want to go back and reread the books again!

Think they'll do a sequel?

Rick

I was wondering if the movie, Hitchhiker, could ever pull of the absurdity and humor of the book without coming off as completely ridiculous. Maybe I'll rent it when it comes out on video ;)

On the stack next to the bed:
Eats, Shoots & Leaves http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...75966?v=glance
Exceopt she misses the point about Shakespeare, it's the meter that sets the sense, not the grammar.
Genome http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...131068-7983662
The Calendar - no I'm not joiking! http://www.harpercollins.com.au/titl...Author=0017508
subtitled "The 5000 year struggle to align the clock and the heavens - and what happened to the missing ten days"
Surely you're Joking, Mr Feynman http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...75966?v=glance
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
- just go buy it and read it NOW
- teachers I know say the book is required reading.

Lord of Light http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...805708-9475966
A Night in the Lonesome October http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
Bring me the Head of Prince Charming http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance
The complete Amber novels in one volume http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance

The Book of Jhereg http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...805708-9475966
The book of Taltos http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...=UTF8&v=glance

Belgarath the Sorcerer http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...805708-9475966
Polgara the Sorceress http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...805708-9475966
(OK, OK, and the rest; the Malloreon, the Belgariad, the Tamul, the Elenium)
The Redemption of Athalus http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

Neverwhere http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...805708-9475966

Attack Of The Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...805708-9475966


Beware Geeks bearing .GIFs

That's some list Paul!

So many people have been talking about reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I have read the first few pages through Amazon. It looks like a very different and interesting book. It keeps calling to me. :)

Ooh! I loved Neverwhere, it's what turned me on to Gaiman. Have you read any of his other books? I've read American Gods, Coraline (children's book, but highly enjoyable - remniscent of Roald Dahl), and Stardust.

I also have Eats, Shoots & Leaves, started reading it, but after I misplaced it I moved on to something else. I eventually found it again, but haven't gotten back to it.

Danielle

Right now I'm reading a worthless piece of German tripe called "Austerlitz" by W.G. Sebald....Freaking German Literature class...But to the class's credit, we have read a couple of decent books, namely "The German Lesson" by Sigfried Lenz, and "The Reader" by Bernhard Schlink. I also had to read a book called "The Sorrow of War" by Bao Ninh, for my "America's Wars in Asia" class. It's pretty interesting (not to mention incredibly depressing) because it was written from the perspective of a North Vietnamese soldier (it's a novel, but the author was in the NVA during the war), and it's quite a change to get the other side's perspective.

I read The Reader a few years ago - great, but disturbing, book.

Danielle

I just picked up "Sahara" the novel which the new movie is based on.

Finished Frank Peretti's Monster

I'll probably read Thre3 by Ted Dekker next, and maybe I'll reread the first Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy and get in an unstoppable reading of the rest of them...again...

Saw the movie the day it was released...and I wanna read the book to see what i've forgotten and what the movie's added/omitted :)

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Originally Posted by Mr Yuck

Finished Frank Peretti's Monster

I'll probably read Thre3 by Ted Dekker next, and maybe I'll reread the first Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy and get in an unstoppable reading of the rest of them...again...

Saw the movie the day it was released...and I wanna read the book to see what i've forgotten and what the movie's added/omitted :)

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My mom and sister are hooked on Ted Dekker. They insist that he's the new and improved Frank Peretti. BTW, Frank Peretti lives about 25 minutes outside of the town I'm from, and he occasionally attends the same church that a bunch of my friends go to.

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Originally Posted by DownByFive

My mom and sister are hooked on Ted Dekker. They insist that he's the new and improved Frank Peretti. BTW, Frank Peretti lives about 25 minutes outside of the town I'm from, and he occasionally attends the same church that a bunch of my friends go to.

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A couple of the college students at our church just rave about Ted Dekker all the time, guess I'm going to have to add him to my 'to read' list.

Pretty cool about Peretti; I need to get his new one, as well.

Die Leidinger Hochzeit was one of the last books my father read before he died.
The trauen affected him very deeply, and somehow it never got returned to the library while he was in hospital, but he wasn't well enough to read when he got home.
I'm not sure I want to take it back :(