Author Topic: Fave Books / Currently Reading  (Read 947159 times)

bruce

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #375 on: June 11, 2008, 11:02:04 AM »
what do you like bruce?

Mickey Spillane, Ross Macdonald, Richard Stark/Donald Westlake, Harry Whittington, Sean Chercover, John D. MacDonald, Margaret Millar, Hank Janson, Gil Brewer, Warren Murphy, Richard Sapir, Lester Dent, Maxwell Grant, Megan Abbott, Robert E. Howard, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Dashell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Max Brand, George Gillman, Ian Fleming, Donald Hamilton, Edward Bunker, Charles Willeford, Brett Halliday, Derek Raymond, and a few others

Spoony

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #376 on: June 11, 2008, 02:14:03 PM »
You listen to Bruce.! Bruce knows!

Beth

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #377 on: June 11, 2008, 02:23:45 PM »
I just finished reading a fantastic book written by a woman whom I was lucky enough to have as my professor this past term, Annabel Davis-Goff.

The book is called Walled Gardens(she wrote it in 1990), and it's about her childhood in Ireland. She's a great writer, and her tone and style are perfect . I'm not usually sucked into memoirs, because I often find them to be squishy and sentimental, but her book was fantastic and I recommend it to everyone.

Sarah

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #378 on: June 11, 2008, 04:18:04 PM »
I am currently reading Little Brother.  I'm not enjoying it as much as The African Queen, which was the last book I read.

yesno

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #379 on: June 11, 2008, 08:45:21 PM »
"Predictably Irrational"-- just read.  Pretty good book about the consistent errors people make in thinking about money.

"The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb-- pretty amazing.  The author seems like a bit of a dick, but his point is a good one.

I'm considering reading the Dark Tower books by Stephen King.  I haven't read anything of his except for The Stand, in middle school, which I liked a lot (but I like all books about everyone dying).  Otherwise, I'm not too into horror or suspense writing.  But people keep telling me they're really good, and I like to get lost in a story.  Anyone read them?

Vambo

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #380 on: June 11, 2008, 09:12:58 PM »
I've added Jasper Fforde to my list of faves.  I just finished "Something Rotten" and am now following a tangent with Bronte's "Wuthering Heights".
Abstinence, like all things, is best practiced in moderation.

Sarah

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #381 on: June 12, 2008, 12:05:07 AM »
I've read the first three or four of them, yesno.  They're a bit more disciplined than his so-called horror is these days, which is a good thing, but obviously I got tired of them, since I haven't bothered to pick up any of the new ones for years.  If I were you, I'd read The Green Mile, which is one of the best of his later works, I think, because he was forced to rein himself in.

And, Vambo, I agree:  Jasper Fforde is fun.

dave from knoxville

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #382 on: June 12, 2008, 06:00:44 AM »
"Predictably Irrational"-- just read.  Pretty good book about the consistent errors people make in thinking about money.

"The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb-- pretty amazing.  The author seems like a bit of a dick, but his point is a good one.

I'm considering reading the Dark Tower books by Stephen King.  I haven't read anything of his except for The Stand, in middle school, which I liked a lot (but I like all books about everyone dying).  Otherwise, I'm not too into horror or suspense writing.  But people keep telling me they're really good, and I like to get lost in a story.  Anyone read them?

I read the whole series a couple of summers ago. I like parts of it lots, a fun way to kill some time, but there are infuriating parts as well, like, sadly, the last 30 pages. Wolves of the Calla's the best one, according to dfk.

samir

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #383 on: June 12, 2008, 08:23:52 AM »
I'm about to start Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. Heavyweight lineup: Colbert, The Wizard of Oswalt, Odenkirk... Has anyone read this?

"Son, there's a thin line between crazed and rabid"


noise.light

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #384 on: June 12, 2008, 08:29:48 AM »
I'm about to start Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. Heavyweight lineup: Colbert, The Wizard of Oswalt, Odenkirk... Has anyone read this?

I've never seen this before!

I know what book I'll be reading next!  This looks top notch.

masterofsparks

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #385 on: June 12, 2008, 08:31:20 AM »
Currently reading Empire Falls by Richard Russo. This is the fourth of his I've read and he has yet to disappoint.

Just finished the Reign In Blood entry in the 33 1/3 series. Pretty informative, but all in all it seems like the writer tried to take on too much. The book is 150 pages but has the scope of something 3 or 4 times as long. Overall, I'd call it an ambitious failure. Also, not totally his fault, but the book was rife was grammar and punctuation errors. Don't they have a proofreader over there at 33 1/3?
I'll probably go into the wee hours.

dave from knoxville

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #386 on: June 12, 2008, 08:36:39 AM »
I'm about to start Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. Heavyweight lineup: Colbert, The Wizard of Oswalt, Odenkirk... Has anyone read this?



I read it about a month ago after hearing the editor (whose name escapes me) on Jesse Thorn's show. It's entertaining enough, sort of hit or miss, but every once in a while there's a big belly laugh. I read that and Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans the same weekend, so they have run together a little for me (although I liked the latter more than the former.)

You won't hate yourself for reading it, Samir.

jbissell

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #387 on: June 12, 2008, 08:59:26 AM »
I'm about to start Things I've Learned from Women Who've Dumped Me. Heavyweight lineup: Colbert, The Wizard of Oswalt, Odenkirk... Has anyone read this?



I read it about a month ago after hearing the editor (whose name escapes me) on Jesse Thorn's show. It's entertaining enough, sort of hit or miss, but every once in a while there's a big belly laugh.

You won't hate yourself for reading it, Samir.

Yeah, like most anthologies it has its highlights and its lowlights.  I'd say it's worth reading, especially since it's a quick read.

gravy boat

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #388 on: June 12, 2008, 10:17:10 AM »
Currently reading Empire Falls by Richard Russo. This is the fourth of his I've read and he has yet to disappoint.


I've liked everything I've read of his, too.  Haven't gotten to Bridge of Sighs yet.

Shaggy 2 Grote

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Re: Fave Books / Currently Reading
« Reply #389 on: June 12, 2008, 10:41:01 AM »
I'm onto The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor.  They're completely arresting, funny and horrifying, and I seem to have hit a wall around page 300-something and find myself drifting to my back issues of the comic "52."

I now realize where the Coen Bros. stole everything from, though.

Oh, good heavens. I didn’t realize. I send my condolences out to the rest of the O’Connor family.