What are you reading?

[wilson]

I finished The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the recently published Hunger Games prequel, the other day. It was pretty good, not great...some entertaining moments and an interesting telling of President Snow's origin story, but as with the first three books, the prose is just fine, and there's nothing in this new one as compelling as Katniss was in the originals. I'm not mad I read it, but I wouldn't recommend going to great lengths to read it unless you consider yourself a big HG fan.

The next book I've started is The Shadow of the Wind, a mystical, neo-Gothic-ish tale of rare booksellers and a sinister pursuit in post-WWII Barcelona. Absolutely exquisite so far.

[rsvman]

The Shadow of the Wind is a great book. Read it a few years ago.

[MartyClark]

I've been on a minor self improvement kick lately.

I enjoyed "Deep Work" by Cal Newport and am trying to incorporate some of his principles into my small law practice.

[Nepos]

The Shadow of the Wind is a great book. Read it a few years ago.

Great way to prep your brain for a trip to Barcelona

[luburch]

Finished Rhythm of War yesterday evening. The fourth installment in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series.

[DUKIECB]

Currently listening to Obama's A Promised Land on Audible. He is narrating as well which makes it more enjoyable. Refreshing to hear him speak again and neat to hear the behind the curtain details of his run for President and I'm assuming his time in office, I haven't got that far yet. Just listened to his take on Sarah Palin and the whole Joe the plumber saga. Funny to hear him talk about that now and his thoughts on just what a fiasco the whole Palin selection was.

[budwom]

Enjoying Jonathan Lethem's new The Arrest, very enjoyable...recently wrapped up Martin Amis's new Inside Story which was excellent, especially if you like his world view...

[Bob Green]

anyone else into the Cormoran Strike series by you know who? 900 pages, perfect for pandemic reading...

I just finished The Cuckoo’s Calling and found it enjoyable.

[DukeDude]

Finished Rhythm of War yesterday evening. The fourth installment in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series.

I just bought the first book of the series this morning. When I start the last unread book on my Kindle, I like to pick out the next book, and I happened to pick "The Way of Kings".

I managed to read at least 12 books this year (likely a personal best as a working adult) which is one positive from the pandemic.

[mpj96]

Finished Rhythm of War yesterday evening. The fourth installment in Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series.

Just finished it today. Maybe the best in the series so far, imo. Did you enjoy it?

[Bob Green]

I intend to read more books in 2021 starting with “Farewell, My Lovely” by Raymond Chandler.

[Bob Green]

I intend to read more books in 2021 starting with “Farewell, My Lovely” by Raymond Chandler.

I finished the Chandler Philip Marlowe novel, which was entertaining. I’m a big fan of detective stories such as the Harry Bosch (Michael Connelly), Alex Delaware (Jonathan Kellerman) and Lucas Davenport (John Sandford) series so I thought it was a requirement to go back and read Chandler. At some point, Dashiell Hammett will be in the queue.

Currently, I have 90 pages left in “Do You Feel Like I Do?” by Peter Frampton. Interesting narrative but it is a bit choppy at times. Frampton jumps around all over the place while telling his story.

I received a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas so I took a trip to the bookstore this morning and came home with “Citizen Reporters” by Stephanie Gorton. It is about S.S. McClure, Ida Tarbell and McClure’s magazine. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Bully Pulpit” which I read a couple years back, included significant discussion on McClure’s so I’m looking forward to reading more on the subject.

[Tappan Zee Devil]

I received a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas so I took a trip to the bookstore this morning and came home with “Citizen Reporters” by Stephanie Gorton. It is about S.S. McClure, Ida Tarbell and McClure’s magazine. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Bully Pulpit” which I read a couple years back, included significant discussion on McClure’s so I’m looking forward to reading more on the subject.

I read "Bully Pulpit" about a year ago and was fascinated by that group of imvestigative reporters at McClure's. Will certainly look into “Citizen Reporters”.
Thanks, Bob

[devildeac]

Sure looks like a reading list thread.

[roge054]

Thanks to those of you who put me onto the Bernie Gunther novels by Philip Kerr. These are a welcomed departure from my normal reading. Bernie seems so human when dealing with the morality of circumstances he's confronted with. Sharp wit and observations crack me up.

"Washington's Crossing" by David Hackett Fischer was my Christmas reading. It is outstanding. I thought I knew this story. The depth of research is phenomenal.
And in a completely different vein I read "Hitler Downfall 1939-1945 by Volker Ullrich. I read volume 2 first. Again surprised by how much I didn't know on the subject.

[luburch]

Just finished it today. Maybe the best in the series so far, imo. Did you enjoy it?

Just now seeing this, my apologies

I did enjoy it. A bit concerned by the ending and what might have happened with Wit among other things. I'm not sure where it would fall in my rankings of the series so far. Likely need to do a re-read of them all for a fair assessment.




I've managed to finish two books so far this year. Artemis by Andy Weir. The description and author roped me in. A heist book by the author of The Martian. How could I not? The book was entertaining enough I suppose, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed.

Second book was Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson. I loved this one. Sanderson is a thorough world-builder who develops fantastic magical systems.

Currently about 75% of the way through The Three-Body Problem. I'll have more thoughts once I finish.

[rasputin]

I read "Bully Pulpit" about a year ago and was fascinated by that group of imvestigative reporters at McClure's. Will certainly look into “Citizen Reporters”.
Thanks, Bob

I have read, and own a copy of, The Bully Pulpit, and highly recommend it.

[rasputin]

Just started re-reading McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom, which I last read probably 40 years ago. I remembered how informative it was, but hadn't remembered how lyrical and easy to read (although dense, at the same time), it is.

[Phredd3]

Just started re-reading McPherson's Battle Cry of Freedom, which I last read probably 40 years ago. I remembered how informative it was, but hadn't remembered how lyrical and easy to read (although dense, at the same time), it is.

My father was a Civil War historian, and he always swore that McPherson's was the best single-volume work ever published on the topic. He especially liked that McPherson didn't mince words when discussing the origin of the war: McPherson pretty much just came right out and said, "Slavery."

[luburch]

Currently about 75% of the way through The Three-Body Problem. I'll have more thoughts once I finish.

Finished The Three-Body problem a while back. The plot and problems presented were intriguing, but the characters were a bit flat. Not sure I'll finish out the series.

Also knocked out A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. Schwab built a world that I'm interested in learning more of. Hope the next few books answer some of the minor questions posed in the first.


Currently reading: Elantris.