Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 945972 times)

rattkane

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1860 on: February 01, 2013, 11:48:44 AM »
East of Eden!

buffcoat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1861 on: February 05, 2013, 02:07:53 PM »
I read Ratking, the first Aurelio Zen mystery by Michael Dibdin.  Really good stuff if you like clever and literate crime novels.

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Cotton

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1862 on: February 14, 2013, 04:42:05 PM »
  • The Saga of Coe Ridge - This is an anthropological study, as much as anything, of Coe Ridge, which was an all-black settlement in Kentucky that lasted from Reconstruction through the 20s. This might sound familiar to any Justified fans, since it was the basis for Noble's Holler featured in Season 3.
  • I'm also attempting to read every John Le Carre book in order. Currently on A Small Town in Germany. s'good.
  • Still running through Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol run, Mark Waid's Incorruptible and Irredeemable series, oh and I'm expecting my next Trade paperback of Chew (#3) in the mail today.

cavorting with nudists

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1863 on: February 28, 2013, 05:59:55 PM »
I am reading The Kindly Ones, Jonathan Littell's 1,000-page novel narrated by an SS Kommandant, because I am a masochist.  200 pages in, I have learned that of all the things you really should be glad you weren't, you really should be glad you weren't a Jew in Kiev in September 1941.
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wood and iron

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1864 on: March 01, 2013, 01:30:24 PM »
  • The Saga of Coe Ridge - This is an anthropological study, as much as anything, of Coe Ridge, which was an all-black settlement in Kentucky that lasted from Reconstruction through the 20s. This might sound familiar to any Justified fans, since it was the basis for Noble's Holler featured in Season 3.
  • I'm also attempting to read every John Le Carre book in order. Currently on A Small Town in Germany. s'good.
  • Still running through Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol run, Mark Waid's Incorruptible and Irredeemable series, oh and I'm expecting my next Trade paperback of Chew (#3) in the mail today.

I, too, am going through le Carre's works chronologically (although I've skipped The Sentimental Lover). I had previously read Tinker and The Spy Who Came in From the Cold but reading the books in proper order really adds a lot of depth to Smiley as a character, the Circus as a dysfunctional work place, and just the heavy drag that spywork is on these people. I've just re-read The Spy Who and was absolutely blown away by its depth while also being nicely succinct.

How are Mark Waid's creator owned stuff? I love love love most of his big two superhero stuff, especially the current Daredevil series. Also, I want to get into Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol. I havent' read Chew and heard good things but the art is keeping me away to be honest.

yesno

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1865 on: March 11, 2013, 05:37:07 PM »
I may have mentioned these before, but they have just come up again in conversation for me as examples of nonfiction books that explain technical subjects very, very well.

I am rereading "Why Does E=MC^2" by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw.  It is one of the few popular science books that actually explains fundamental things in a way that makes sense to me.  For example, it explains why the speed of light is exactly what it is and not slightly faster or slower.  A lot of science books are lists of facts with some philosophical speculation thrown in and the occasional "This will blow your mind" chapter.  This book is not like that.

Similarly, "What Language Is" by John Mcwhorter actually explains real linguistic concepts and walks you through precisely how it is that, for example, grammar and vocabulary shift in a language over time.  He doesn't just tell you that these things happen but he walks you through specific examples of, for instance, a language acquiring new inflections or shifting some fundamental aspect of its grammar.

Finally, "Why Does the World Exist?" by Jim Holt is an utterly fantastic account of different theories of the metaphysics of existence. Everyone should read it.

gravy boat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1866 on: March 11, 2013, 05:44:31 PM »
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann.  Almost done.  Love it.
Just finished. Loved it too. Now I have to watch the documentary about that crazy fearless tightrope walker.

Big Plastic Head

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1867 on: March 11, 2013, 06:20:30 PM »
[does the chat room ever get used outside of 9p-12a EST on Tuesdays?].].

NO.

I'm reading MOBY DICK. It's a delightful read or something

This is not strictly true. I have talked with people on occasion during off times. Tom even stopped in once; it was a sort of "why are you here", but it was still a nice surprise.

Dave, I am pretty sure I was in there when that happened. Wasn't FoNPR in there too?
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fonpr

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1868 on: March 11, 2013, 07:57:27 PM »
I'm pretty sure.
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dave from knoxville

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1869 on: March 11, 2013, 09:19:15 PM »
[does the chat room ever get used outside of 9p-12a EST on Tuesdays?].].

NO.

I'm reading MOBY DICK. It's a delightful read or something

This is not strictly true. I have talked with people on occasion during off times. Tom even stopped in once; it was a sort of "why are you here", but it was still a nice surprise.

Dave, I am pretty sure I was in there when that happened. Wasn't FoNPR in there too?

I don't remember. There was something about that old chat that the last person couldn't log out of it, I remember that.

nec13

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1870 on: March 11, 2013, 09:28:15 PM »
I just started reading Gravity's Rainbow.

Hoo boy...
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Steve of Bloomington

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1871 on: March 12, 2013, 02:48:21 PM »
I'm reading Lawrence Wright's book about Scientology (Going Clear). I am a fan of sci-fi, a bit of a fan of the non-fiction cult horror genre and have read a couple books about Scientology, but this one sheds even more light on the extent to which young L. Ron Hubbard was an unintentionally hilarious unreliable narrator. I had heard about him deciding to attack a Mexican island while commanding a naval ship, sure, but not about the day he spent blowing things up underwater and drawing the conclusion that he'd sunk a sub when he saw some bubbles. Nor the sea adventure he organized in college that he ran away from in the middle of the night when things went sour. Nor had I heard much about the sex magick. I probably would have been OK with not hearing about that. On the other hand he started a wildly successful global cult when he was a few years younger than I am, so who am I to judge?

methanolcereal

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1872 on: March 12, 2013, 03:22:09 PM »
I currently have friends of the show Dr. Pencil's and Chris Gethard's books from my local library. With baseball season around the corner, i've been reading Big Hair and Plastic Grass

Big Plastic Head

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1873 on: March 13, 2013, 12:43:49 AM »
I just started reading Gravity's Rainbow.

Hoo boy...

I cannot defend that WHOLE book but there are some AMAZING moments in it. Two sections in particular are favorites of mine. But as a whole...?



Eh.
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Big Plastic Head

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #1874 on: March 13, 2013, 12:45:30 AM »
I'm pretty sure.
I knew it! That was kid of a surreal moment really when we were in there and then Tom comes in, "What are you guys doing in here?!"

Hey FONPR...hope you are doing well.
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