The Conservative Cave
Interests => Hobbies => The Book Club => Topic started by: mamacags on January 06, 2010, 02:21:41 PM
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I hate having to wade through really long threads so I thought we could break it up a little.
I just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and started The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell. I got maybe 50 pages into it and took it back to the library. I am done with her, she does nothing but irritate the living shit out of me now. I don't know what it is about her now but it is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
I am reading Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover and starting Dean Koontz Breathless tonight. I love Dean Koontz!
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I hate having to wade through really long threads so I thought we could break it up a little.
I just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and started The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell. I got maybe 50 pages into it and took it back to the library. I am done with her, she does nothing but irritate the living shit out of me now. I don't know what it is about her now but it is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
I am reading Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover and starting Dean Koontz Breathless tonight. I love Dean Koontz!
Koontz's Odd Thomas series is great reading. Fun and Scary.
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I hate having to wade through really long threads so I thought we could break it up a little.
I just finished The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown and started The Scarpetta Factor by Patricia Cornwell. I got maybe 50 pages into it and took it back to the library. I am done with her, she does nothing but irritate the living shit out of me now. I don't know what it is about her now but it is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
I am reading Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover and starting Dean Koontz Breathless tonight. I love Dean Koontz!
It's the total moonbat in her coming our in her Carpetta novels that's doing it...I had a similar reaction last time I read one of hers.
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I have Scarpetta to read and haven't yet....took me forever to finish Book of the Dead....
I'm reading Lisa Jackson's Chosen to Die....it's a sequel to Malice... this guy is causing women driving alone through the snowy mountain passes in Montana to wreck their cars...rescues them, gets them healthy, then leaves then naked tied to trees in the forest where they freeze to death. That all happened in Malice. Now, in this one....he's captured one of the female detectives investigating the murders....
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It's the total moonbat in her coming our in her Carpetta novels that's doing it...I had a similar reaction last time I read one of hers.
I passed on it as well after reading a review indicating that she spends the first third of the book bashing the Bush administration.......too bad, I used to really enjoy her stuff.......
Stephen King is another one that has gone the same way.......jumped the shark.
doc
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Helter Skelter... I never did read it, and found it on top of a "free" pile while walking the dog. (I can't resist a free book). WOW, I can't believe I went my entire life without reading that book. Insane!
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I have the same feelings about Patricia Cornwell...can't remember the last book of hers I read, but it was boring as I recall.....I am about done with Sarah Palins book now, and parts of it were very interesting, some parts boring....But I feel bad for her, the way she has been treated....Danged MSM.....I have the book "I Alex Cross by James Patterson to read next, that my daughter got me for Christmas.....Love all of his books..
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I feel the same way about Cornwell!!! Her last few books have been off the rails. I seriously think she should have retired the Scarpetta series a long time ago. I've got every single book and was really disappointed at how she treated the charactors not to mention the moonbattyness. I think she lost her marbles after her fact finding mission to reveal who Jack the Ripper was went down in flames. She invested a small personal fortune in looking at the evidence and her resulting book was a dud.
I just finished reading:
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
Cross by James Patterson
Trial by James Patterson
Level 26 Dark Origins by Anthony Zuicker (creator of CSI)
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The problem that I have with James Patterson is that he doesn't really write novels........he writes novellas.......
He cranks out about one a month in league with some other writer (who, I suspect does all the work), and when they are published, they are double-spaced, with chapters that are about a page and a half long. If you take all of the blank paper out of one of his books, you have about a hundred pages, that I can go through in about two hours........I like a 400 page book that is a challenge that I can sink my teeth into.
This is why I usually buy the Patterson books that I read off of the "publisher's overrun" table at Barnes & Noble for $5.75.......they just are not worth paying full (or even discounted) price for, in my opinion......
doc
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yeah he's fast food to me too. Makes it easy to whip through them though.
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Half of Glenn Beck's "Arguing with Idiots"....well....son is reading it but on every other page he's going "Hey Dad, read this".....and while I was drinking coffee at the store after school yesterday he was reading his Glenn Beck book and an older gentleman gave him Bill O'Rielly's "Cultural Warrior"....I guess I'll have to read half of it too.
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Started James Patterson's Sail.....
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Half of Glenn Beck's "Arguing with Idiots"....well....son is reading it but on every other page he's going "Hey Dad, read this".....and while I was drinking coffee at the store after school yesterday he was reading his Glenn Beck book and an older gentleman gave him Bill O'Rielly's "Cultural Warrior"....I guess I'll have to read half of it too.
so I guess Glenn Becks book is worth the read then?? I have looked at it several times, but passed it up.....
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so I guess Glenn Becks book is worth the read then?? I have looked at it several times, but passed it up.....
Awesome book! All of his are though!
My daughter just read James Patterson's Witch and Wizard. The last time I saw her devour a book like this it was Harry Potter. I can't wait to read this one. I am almost finished with Breathless. A great book if you are an animal lover or a Dean Koontz lover.
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Awesome book! All of his are though!
My daughter just read James Patterson's Witch and Wizard. The last time I saw her devour a book like this it was Harry Potter. I can't wait to read this one. I am almost finished with Breathless. A great book if you are an animal lover or a Dean Koontz lover.
Thanks so much for your review of these books...I love James Patterson's books.....I was leery of Becks book, I just am not one of his biggest fans, but, might give it a try...I have never read a Dean Koontz, don't know why...
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I hadn't read it in over 20 years, but I just re-read Gone with the Wind. I came away thinking that if our country could survive that era, we can survive this and take it back. I also found many attributes of Scarlett that I admired very much. I have a craving to see the movie again!
I got Stephen King's "Under the Dome" for Christmas, and am just starting it. No moonbattery yet or anything, it's starting pretty good.
I'd never even heard of that Cornwell woman, I'll be leaving her be.
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Would like to have a general idea what Dean Koontz and Stephen Kings books are like before I buy any....Are they mysteries, sci-fi or what can one expect....
And Karin. The Cornwell lady, used to write really good books, and then, she went bad somewhere along the line, and it isn't an enjoyable read anymore.....
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Read James Patterson's Sail last night and this morning....quick read.....and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was implausible...but had a quirky ending that I didn't figure out.
Getting ready to read Linda Fairstein's new paperback with Alex Cooper....a female DA with the Sex Crimes unit in Manhattan. I like her books. The other half has already read it and he's read the others, but said this one was a disappointment. I'm still going to read it.... :-)
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Read James Patterson's Sail last night and this morning....quick read.....and thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was implausible...but had a quirky ending that I didn't figure out.
Getting ready to read Linda Fairstein's new paperback with Alex Cooper....a female DA with the Sex Crimes unit in Manhattan. I like her books. The other half has already read it and he's read the others, but said this one was a disappointment. I'm still going to read it.... :-)
Yeah the ending of Sail kinda smacked me upside the face too. Another of his books with a great twisted ending is Beach Road.
Softballgramma Dean Koontz writes a lot of different books. He has some scary books and some mystery books. Most of his books are supernatural in theme though. Some of my favorites are The Odd Thomas series (Odd Thomas reminds me so much of our Franksolich for some reason!), Relentless, Intensity, and The Good Guy. I have heard great things about his Frankenstein series too.
Ste
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Stephen King isn't an international best seller for nothing. Until his near death experience of getting run over by a van his books were some of the creepiest, scariest, and down right messed up books I have ever read. After the crash he got kinda moonbatty and lame. The best of the best of his are The Stand, Talisman (with Peter Straub), The Gunslinger/Dark Tower Series, It, and Misery.
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I read all of Dean Koontz up to Murder- something or other....his books were just creeping me out too much. I started the Murder one and couldn't get past the first couple of chapters.
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I think Dean Koontz went from creepy scary to mysterious. His books don't creep me out anymore like they used to.
I am reading Ann Rice's Angel Time now. It is about a hitman who gets recruited to do God's work by his guardian angel. It is as weird as it sounds but the second half of the book is soooooooooooo good! She has written some really great books since her conversion from dark goth vampire life to Christianity! She wrote an amazing book about how she saw Jesus in his childhood years.
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Godless - Ann Coulter
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I read more than 1 book at a time. It's a habit I developed in college. Got Vince Flynn's new book for Christmas but my husband grabbed it first. I'm almost finished with Going Rogue. I'm also reading a book about cold joins for mixed media artists, Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, and As I Lay Dying. I keep one in each bathroom and one in the family room and one in the living room.
Cindie
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I'm about half way through Stephen Coontz's The Desciple......which is about Iran's nuclear weapons ambitions, and its so real that it is truly scary......particularly as it relates to the actions (or lack thereof) of the American president, and congress......
doc
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I am 350 pages into the 1000+ pages of Under The Dome. Mr. King has proven that he cannot write a book anymore without throwing in a bunch of evil conservative cliches, moonbat name calling, and liberals who save the world bullshit. I am going to finish this book because it does have an interesting story line, but I am DONE with Stephen King! If I wanted someone to criticize everything I hold dear then I would just read DU every night for an hour before going to bed. :bird:
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I am 350 pages into the 1000+ pages of Under The Dome. Mr. King has proven that he cannot write a book anymore without throwing in a bunch of evil conservative cliches, moonbat name calling, and liberals who save the world bullshit. I am going to finish this book because it does have an interesting story line, but I am DONE with Stephen King! If I wanted someone to criticize everything I hold dear then I would just read DU every night for an hour before going to bed. :bird:
Yeah.....I mentioned that upthread.....King has jumped the shark.....I read a review of that book, and it mentioned that most of it was consumed with anti-conservative BS, so I passed, as I have on the last two or three of his books. It's a shame really, because I really enjoyed his work in the past......
doc
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Yeah.....I mentioned that upthread.....King has jumped the shark.....I read a review of that book, and it mentioned that most of it was consumed with anti-conservative BS, so I passed, as I have on the last two or three of his books. It's a shame really, because I really enjoyed his work in the past......
doc
This was the first one I have read since finishing the Dark Tower series. I thought I would give him a second chance since he gave me some of my favorite books. I was wrong. We should have a list of moonbat authors on here. King, Cornwell, and Stuart Woods would be on my list. I refuse to ever read another one of their books again.
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"The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History" by Thomas E. Woods Jr.
It's enough to make a libTURDs head 'splode.
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Let me see....Just finished "206 Bones"...sorta like the tv show Bones...not bad. Before that I read WEB Griffen's new book in the OSS series. Can't remeber the exact name but something like "Honor Among Spies"
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I read 206 Bones. I loved that book, then again I love all of her books! I finally finished Under The Dome. I have to finish a Dave Ramsey book but I need a new author too! I have read all of the books by so many but I know there are more out there that I should read. Anyone have any suggestions for me?
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I read 206 Bones. I loved that book, then again I love all of her books! I finally finished Under The Dome. I have to finish a Dave Ramsey book but I need a new author too! I have read all of the books by so many but I know there are more out there that I should read. Anyone have any suggestions for me?
Not sure what you like, but I'm about half way through James Rollins Altar of Eden, and its good.....I've enjoyed all of his books......
doc
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Not sure what you like, but I'm about half way through James Rollins Altar of Eden, and its good.....I've enjoyed all of his books......
doc
WHat kind of books does he write? I am not a huge fan of sci-fi. I love complex murder mysteries, weird ghost stories, Dean Koontz types, and political thrillers (not really military thrillers though). Actually I will read just about anything as long as it isn't filled with demons or Satan. Those creep me the hell out.
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WHat kind of books does he write? I am not a huge fan of sci-fi. I love complex murder mysteries, weird ghost stories, Dean Koontz types, and political thrillers (not really military thrillers though). Actually I will read just about anything as long as it isn't filled with demons or Satan. Those creep me the hell out.
It's not really sci-fi, more action adventure.......it deals with some government conspiracy stuff/genetic mutation biowarfare, etc.........generally well written.
doc
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I read James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge's Worst Case and Saphire's Precious novels this week. Patterson/Ledwidge book is part of a series about a NY detective. LOVED IT! Precious was a very powerful book. It honestly made me want to stab people when I read it. No child ever should have to go through that shit even in a book!
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I've got quite the list at the moment, since I'm writing a paper for school.
Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany and the Winning of the Great War at Sea, by Robert Massie
Warlord: A Life of Winston Churchill at War, by Carlo D'Este
Gallipoli 1915, by Joseph Murray (it's his diary of the Gallipoli campaign where he served as a British soldier)
VCs of the First World War: Gallipoli, by Stephen Snelling
Winston Churchill and the Dardanelles, by Trumbull Higgins
1915: The Death of Innocence, by Lyn MacDonald
Plus the official Australian War History, which I managed to find online.
Still trying to find a diary from an Aussie or Kiwi that was there, since the paper is focusing on the Anzacs during that campaign.
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I love to read about Winston Churchill! He is one of my top 5 heroes!
Read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover last night. I didn't get out of it what I had hoped.
I am trying to read John Irving's Last Night In The Twisted River, but I am just not in the mood for it right now. I will be going to the library when it opens up today and getting some more books.
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Read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover last night. I didn't get out of it what I had hoped.
I have no idea how Ramsey keeps his lucrative time slot (his show is broadcast from Franklin, TN). If you've listened to him for any length of time, his show becomes predictable. I listened to him for a few months... I got it. I have no idea how he fills three hours a day saying the same things day after day. I'd shoot myself.
The local CBS station carries his radio show on one of their digital channels. It's just a TV camera set up in the radio station.
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I've got about 5 books workin' right now:
Cornelius Ryan: The Last Battle (read it as a teen -- now that I know the areas/neighborhood within Berlin, the story has a more profound meaning now)
Cornelius Ryan: A Bridge Too Far
WEB Griffin: A Call to Arms
WEB Griffin: Counterattack
Buck Compton: Call of Duty
(Yeah, I know, I'm a big fan of WEB Griffin. I love his style of writing -- somewhat long, drawn out, fairly tongue-in-cheek in a faux stilted style, but wry and spirited at the same time. Dialogue is first-rate and the pace is rapid, but not breakneck.)
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I had the opportunity to catch up on some reading this past week. I usually avoid fiction because it just doesn't interest me... there's enough history on this planet for a couple of interesting stories without having to make one up.
Thunderstruck (http://www.amazon.com/Thunderstruck-Erik-Larson/dp/1400080673/ref=pd_sim_b_2)
Larson's new suspense-spiked history links Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of wireless telegraphy, with Hawley Crippen, a mild-mannered homeopathic doctor in turn-of-the-century London. While Larson tells their stories side by side, most listeners will struggle to find a reason for connecting the two men other than that both lived around the same time and that Goldwyn's plummy voice narrates their lives. Only on the final disc does the logic behind the intertwining of the stories become apparent and the tale gain speed. At this point, the chief inspector of Scotland Yard sets out after Crippen on a transatlantic chase, spurred by the suspicion that he committed a gruesome murder. Larson's account of the iconoclastic Marconi's quest to prove his new technology is less than engaging and Crippen's life before the manhunt was tame. Without a very compelling cast to entertain during Larson's slow, careful buildup, many listeners may not make it to the breathless final third of the book when it finally come alive.
The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream (http://www.amazon.com/Snakehead-Chinatown-Underworld-American-Dream/dp/0385521308/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268526347&sr=1-3)
In the 1980s, a wave of Chinese from Fujian province began arriving in America. Like other immigrant groups before them, they showed up with little money but with an intense work ethic and an unshakeable belief in the promise of the United States. Many of them lived in a world outside the law, working in a shadow economy overseen by the ruthless gangs that ruled the narrow streets of New York’s Chinatown.
The figure who came to dominate this Chinese underworld was a middle-aged grandmother known as Sister Ping. Her path to the American dream began with an unusual business run out of a tiny noodle store on Hester Street. From her perch above the shop, Sister Ping ran a full-service underground bank for illegal Chinese immigrants. But her real business—a business that earned an estimated $40 million—was smuggling people.
As a “snakehead,†she built a complex—and often vicious—global conglomerate, relying heavily on familial ties, and employing one of Chinatown's most violent gangs to protect her power and profits. Like an underworld CEO, Sister Ping created an intricate smuggling network that stretched from Fujian Province to Hong Kong to Burma to Thailand to Kenya to Guatemala to Mexico. Her ingenuity and drive were awe-inspiring both to the Chinatown community—where she was revered as a homegrown Don Corleone—and to the law enforcement officials who could never quite catch her.
Indeed, Sister Ping’s empire only came to light in 1993 when the Golden Venture, a ship loaded with 300 undocumented immigrants, ran aground off a Queens beach. It took New York’s fabled “Jade Squad†and the FBI nearly ten years to untangle the criminal network and hone in on its unusual mastermind.
The Snakehead is a panoramic tale of international intrigue and a dramatic portrait of the underground economy in which America’s twelve million illegal immigrants live. Based on hundreds of interviews, Patrick Radden Keefe’s sweeping narrative tells the story not only of Sister Ping, but of the gangland gunslingers who worked for her, the immigration and law enforcement officials who pursued her, and the generation of penniless immigrants who risked death and braved a 17,000 mile odyssey so that they could realize their own version of the American dream. The Snakehead offers an intimate tour of life on the mean streets of Chinatown, a vivid blueprint of organized crime in an age of globalization and a masterful exploration of the ways in which illegal immigration affects us all.
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I am reading the BEST first novel I have ever read!!!! It is called The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming. It is about a guy working on the beginnings of the subways of NYC who meets a cultured but raggedy looking woman who claims to have time traveled 7 years forward from a place called The Kingdom of Ohio. I honestly can't begin to tell you how good or interesting I find this book! It has J.P. Morgan, Nikolai Tesla, Edison, and others in it too. I am only about half way done but I can't wait to get to the end and figure out where it is all leading!
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I've got about 5 books workin' right now:
Cornelius Ryan: The Last Battle (read it as a teen -- now that I know the areas/neighborhood within Berlin, the story has a more profound meaning now)
Cornelius Ryan: A Bridge Too Far
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Read both a while back.....I won't give away the endings.
:-)
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For me, currently in the works:
Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler (and his latest ghost writer.)
Tigers in the Mud by Otto Carius
Recently finished:
Mr. Monk and the Dirty Cop by Lee Goldberg
If Democrats Had Any Brains... by Ann Coulter
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God's Fury England's Fire (on the English Civil War) working
An Army at Dawn (on the US Army in WWII Africa and the Med) finished
None Bolder (on the 51st Highland Division (UK)) working
Thousand Sons (SCI-FI) working
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Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler (and his latest ghost writer.)
I just finished Cussler's The Silent Sea, and it is good, he just can't help lobbing a few anecdotal spears at our "gutless" POTUS.....I really like his stuff....
doc
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I just finished Cussler's The Silent Sea, and it is good, he just can't help lobbing a few anecdotal spears at our "gutless" POTUS.....I really like his stuff....
doc
Just saw that one in the bookstore the other day. The SOB writes 'em faster than I can read 'em.
I still have Wrecker in the stack to read, finished Medusa earlier this year. (Cool thing about Medusa, part of it was set in area of Florida where I lived for a while.)
He's the master of the escapist adventure tale that is basically the same plot over and over: "Bad guys do something nasty that cleverly ties in with some historical event/person/artifact and then get their asses handed to them in fine fashion by Dirk Pitt, Dirk Junior and Summer, Kurt Austin or Juan Cabrillo."
Still, I love his work and he's one of maybe three or four authors whose books I will buy in hardback as soon as they come out.
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Reading James Patterson's The 8th Confession.
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Not sure what you like, but I'm about half way through James Rollins Altar of Eden, and its good.....I've enjoyed all of his books......
doc
Just finished Rollins' book The Doomsday Key....oh my gosh!!!
Have not hardly been able to put it down! Read until 3:30 this morning and just spent the last 3 hrs finishing it.
Excellent!!
He had a new hardback coming out this month, might have to break down and buy it...I don't think I want to wait for the paperback!! :-)
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Helter Skelter... I never did read it, and found it on top of a "free" pile while walking the dog. (I can't resist a free book). WOW, I can't believe I went my entire life without reading that book. Insane!
I read that back in HS-- great book! Scared the crap out of myself reading it, but still, it was good.
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Well, I like western fiction and am an avid reader of Louis L'Amour.
But how about Tolstoy's "War and Peace". I loved that book.
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One Second After by William R. Forschen.
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Just finished "The Girl Who Played with Fire"; now reading "I Would Rather Sleep in Texas".
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Thunder on the Danube, the war in 1809. Vol I
Fantastic work on the Franco-Austrian war of 1809.
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Starting Lee Child's One Shot tonight....
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I just finished Raymond Feists "At the Gates of Darkness" , and am starting on the first three books in David Eddings series called "The Dreamers"
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Why You Are Wrong About The Right S.E. Cupp and Brett Joshpe... Awesome!
Deadlocked Iris Johanson.... Good plot marred by poor writing.
Sizzling Sixteen Janet Evanovich... great as usual.
Pride and Predjudice and Zombies Seth Grahame-Smith ehhhhh I tried to like it, I really did, but I sent it back to the library after 100 pages.
The Bride Collector Ted Dekker... awesome!
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Well, I like western fiction and am an avid reader of Louis L'Amour.
But how about Tolstoy's "War and Peace". I loved that book.
Tolstoy is on my to do list. War and Peace, as well as Anna Karenina. Additionally, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment will be added on my tour of the Russian Empire.
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Well, I like western fiction and am an avid reader of Louis L'Amour.
But how about Tolstoy's "War and Peace". I loved that book.
Ardent, I have most everything that Louis L'Amour had written, also Rex Stout --I reread my books every 8-10 years, it is like meeting an old lost friend.
The used book store in my area has an interesting practice, I do not know how the owners make a living but they can afford to have paid their rent for some years now.
Unlike the library that Lends you a book for a time period and places you in the position of getting it back in time and in good condition, this dealer sells you a book for a small price, when you finish reading he will buy the book back or give you a store credit.
Like a library one can call him and have him on the look out for whatever you want.
Don't get me wrong here I love the Library, I have made requests for books that they have had sent from College Library's all over the country. My problem is with a book, I find it hard to return it for fear that I may wish to reread it for some reason on the spur of the moment.
Finally reading the Lost Symbol--- Good old Dan Brown---
Some people hoard silver, gold, cats and empty bottles. I hoard books.
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Ardent, I have most everything that Louis L'Amour had written, also Rex Stout --I reread my books every 8-10 years, it is like meeting an old lost friend.
The used book store in my area has an interesting practice, I do not know how the owners make a living but they can afford to have paid their rent for some years now.
Unlike the library that Lends you a book for a time period and places you in the position of getting it back in time and in good condition, this dealer sells you a book for a small price, when you finish reading he will buy the book back or give you a store credit.
Like a library one can call him and have him on the look out for whatever you want.
Don't get me wrong here I love the Library, I have made requests for books that they have had sent from College Library's all over the country. My problem is with a book, I find it hard to return it for fear that I may wish to reread it for some reason on the spur of the moment.
Finally reading the Lost Symbol--- Good old Dan Brown---
Some people hoard silver, gold, cats and empty bottles. I hoard books.
Me too!
I have to periodically purge though....just recently pulled out about 200 paperbacks and about 20 cookbooks.
My last big purge was when I moved to this house, and eliminated 10-12 "liquor" boxes of hardbacks.
It's really hard for me to give up books. I would love to have a house with one of those old-fashioned libraries....the really high-ceilinged type with solid wall, beautiful wooden bookshelves and a ladder on wheels, the hardwood floors, cozy chairs, fireplace....the one in Biltmore House would be delightful. :lmao:
(http://0.tqn.com/d/gosoutheast/1/0/J/0/-/-/libraryCMYK.jpg)
(The Library in Biltmore House holds approximately 10,000 of Vanderbilt's more than 23,000 volumes.
Copyright 2005 The Biltmore Company - All Rights Reserved)
(picture is from "The Library at Biltmore House, Picture Tour of Biltmore House and Estate Grounds"
By Sheridan Alexander, About.com Guide)
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After reading so many reviews comparing lead characters in book series I've read to Horatio Hornblower, I've finally decided to see how accurate the comparisons are. I pulled all 11 volumes from the library, and have made it through the first 5 already. Not bad so far.
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Picked up a couple new books today.
The Imperial Cruise: A secret history of empire and war (http://www.amazon.com/Imperial-Cruise-Secret-History-Empire/dp/0316008958/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281994408&sr=1-1)
James Bradley's follow-up to Flags Of Our Fathers and Flyboys. This looks interesting but didn't rate very well at Amazon.
The Gangs of New York (http://www.amazon.com/Gangs-New-York-Informal-Underworld/dp/0307388980/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281994427&sr=1-1)
The movie was tolerable. Daniel Day Lewis did a fantastic job, but I could have done without Cameron Diaz and Leonardo di Caprio. I did a little research on the story and the book looks a lot more interesting than the movie.
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World War Z (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z) by Max Brooks. Max is Mel Brooks' son, and has had a geniune fear of the undead ever since high school. World War Z is best described as an oral history of the great World War against zombies.
Yes, it sounds silly, but it is indeed a great, quick read, and is presently in post-production with a tentative release set for summer 2012.
For you morons who don't like to read, you can see the trailer here. (http://teaser-trailer.com/2010/07/world-war-z-movie.html) :lmao:
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Still trying to read Marine One by James W Huston.
I haven't picked it up much, only because it's one of those, that I'm afraid once I get into it 50 more pages, I won't do anything else until I've finished it. :-) I'm due for a mental health book day....hmmm, might have to be tomorrow. :hyper:
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Just got done reading The Sabbath, by Abraham Joshua Heschel. A short, but incredibly dense work on the role of the Sabbath in Jewish life. I'm going to have to read it several more times to get it all.
Now I'm reading Conversations with Rabbi Small, which is a fiction book about a person who wants to convert to Judaism and the conversations she has with the title character about the pros and cons of such a move.
And of course, I've been looking through my surg tech text books. Orientation is tomorrow and school starts in a week. :hyper:
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In the process of reading the Vince Flynn series of books. Total of eleven with number 12 due out sometime this year.
Fiction, political intrigue. Read 6 so far. Unfortunately I started reading some of the last, now am reading the third in the series, "Separation of Power". Normally not a fiction fan, but do like his writing.
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I just finished Laura Bush's book what a classy lady I wish she was still in the White House instead of the one in there now
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Last book I finished was John Adams. Over a thousand pages, but pretty interesting. The author did a very good job on it.
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Last book: The French Blue- about the first 200 years of the Hope Diamond.
Started: The Rock of Anzio- the 45th Infantry (my dad's Division) from Sicily to Dachau. I have my father's photos/tape recordings to go along with the time line. I am awestruck.
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In the process of reading the Vince Flynn series of books. Total of eleven with number 12 due out sometime this year.
Fiction, political intrigue. Read 6 so far. Unfortunately I started reading some of the last, now am reading the third in the series, "Separation of Power". Normally not a fiction fan, but do like his writing.
If you haven't already I would recommend several authors if you like Flynn. Brad Thor, Joseph Finder, Robert Ludlum, and Mike Lawson. I have every book by Flynn and have read them several times, It has been hard finding other authors while I wait for his latest book.
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In the process of reading the Vince Flynn series of books. Total of eleven with number 12 due out sometime this year.
Fiction, political intrigue. Read 6 so far. Unfortunately I started reading some of the last, now am reading the third in the series, "Separation of Power". Normally not a fiction fan, but do like his writing.
Hey, Rusty, good to see you hangin' out.
Just got done reading my first Vince Flynn novel - "Memorial Day." Very much a page-turner!
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In the process of reading the Vince Flynn series of books. Total of eleven with number 12 due out sometime this year.
Fiction, political intrigue. Read 6 so far. Unfortunately I started reading some of the last, now am reading the third in the series, "Separation of Power". Normally not a fiction fan, but do like his writing.
Hi Rusty!!!! :blowkiss:
Hey, Rusty, good to see you hangin' out.
Just got done reading my first Vince Flynn novel - "Memorial Day." Very much a page-turner!
Vince Flynn is excellent!!!
Brad Thor's books are as good too.
Both authors' books really need to be read in order, though. :-)
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Dark Road Rising by PN Elrod.
More than a bit of a let-down. I think it's time to retire Jack Fleming.
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Hello Eupher and DebK - Whats new and exciting
Eupher the list I have;
#1 - Transfer of Power - read was written in 1999 then each one the next year [first in the Mitch Rapp series]
#2 - The Third Option - read
#3 - Separation of Power - reading
#4 - Executive Power - have,not read yet
#5 - Memorial Day - have - not read yet
#6 - Consent to Kill - have, not read yet
#7 - Act of Treason - read
#8 - Protect and Defend - read
#9 - Extreme measures - read
#10 - Pursuit of Honor - read [1st one]
#11 - American Assassin - due out soon
He also wrote a novel - Term Limits - I have it but haven't read yet - was written in 1997 [minus Mitch Rapp]
Before these I mostly read WWII;
The Pacific, by Hugh Ambrose [ Stephen Ambrose's son]
With the Old Breed, by E.B.Sledge
We Are Soldiers Still, by LT. Gen. Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway
Brothers in Battle, by William Guarnere and Edward Heffron
Beyond Band of Brothers, by Major Dick Winters
In Harms Way, by Doug Stanton [about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis]
Halsey's Typhoon, by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
Plus a few mystery [actual case] - History and Political
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Just read John Sanford's Storm Prey, it was good. Reading Interview With The Vampire now. Holy crap is it long and drawn out. The whole book could have been told in like 10 pages if they got rid of the glittery useless prose. I should finish it today and then on to the new Jonathan Kellerman one.
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Just finished Sue Grafton's U is for Undertow good read, not as much action as usual but more of a mystery story about an old murder.
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Just read John Sanford's Storm Prey, it was good. Reading Interview With The Vampire now. Holy crap is it long and drawn out. The whole book could have been told in like 10 pages if they got rid of the glittery useless prose. I should finish it today and then on to the new Jonathan Kellerman one.
Storm Prey was good!
Finally finished Huston's Marine One! Once I got into it, couldn't put it down, but it took a 100 pages or so.
Has anybody seen the new paperback size? It's smaller than a regular paperback. Didn't realize how much smaller, until I picked up one to read last night. Oh my gosh, I either will need stronger "cheaters" or a magnifying glass. I bought 2 that size!! :bawl:
Heading out in a bit to Sam's....going to check out what they have.
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Read Deception, the newest Jonathan Kellerman novel. It was excellent as always. I will be reading the newest Carl Hiassen today. I can't remember the name.
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Now reading Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice.
1100+ pages of textbook goodness. And it's not the longest one I'll have to read this year... :p
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Picked up 'The Collected Jack London'. Great stuff.
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Picked up 'The Collected Jack London'. Great stuff.
Read Jack London when I was a kid, and haven't reread it since. :(
Always liked his books. I think he has a couple of books of short stories too, I seem to remember reading them. They were great "bathroom books". :-)
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This collection is about 500+ pages of tiny print and has about 30-40 stories. For someone who died by the time he was 40, he sure did write a lot.
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The last book I read was Brisingr, by Christopher Paolini. Before I started my classes and had to immerse myself in textbooks, I was also casually reading A Grand Delusion: America's Descent into Vietnam, by Robert Mann. The guy I bought my house from is a long-time friend of Mr. Mann's and left the built-in bookcase full of books in his haste to move. I decided to read this book and also have a copy of The Walls of Jericho: Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Russell and the Struggle for Civil Rights I might read later on. Both are personally autographed, so I will eventually send them to the former homeowner. On a side note, Robert Mann also wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Cold War. So far A Grand Delusion is not slanted in terms of ideology but Mr. Mann served on the staff of Democratic politicians (Katherine Blanco, John Breaux, Russell Long) for years, so I doubt we share very much in terms of politics.
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I just finished a great book! The Ark by Boyd Morrison. It was his first novel and I hope he continues to write more! I couldn't put it down (until hubby yelled to turn off the damn light at 2am).
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Just finished another one in the Vince Flynn series - "Separation of Power". Not that I like his writing, but to keep the full collection going - I have already ordered a copy of his next book, "American Assassin" not even due out until sometime next month.
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I just finished James Lee Burke's "The Neon Rain" and I've started Jefferson Bass's "The Bone Thief". Jefferson Bass is/are? Jon Jefferson and Dr Bill Bass (Knoxville's Body Farm). They've written a series of mysteries based on the Body Farm.
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Imperial Cruise is in my TBR collection, as are the latest Pattersons. Lee Child's Reachers are some of my favorites and I'm a Cussler fan too. I'm also reading Beck's Arguing with Idiots (love it) and his Overton Window is waiting. If you want very enjoyable fun mysteries, check out Spencer Quinn's Chet and Bernie mysteries. Chet is the dog and Bernie is the PI and the books are "narrated" by Chet. They are some of the best Dog mysteries I've every read. Dog On It is the first in the series.
I've got a Kindle so I'm also discovering a ton of indie writers that are good and my TBR collection is growing every day.
FYI, If you like series and like to read them in order, Fantastic Fiction (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/) is one of the best sites I've found. They have pages for authors and list their books by publishing date and in order.
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I just finished James Lee Burke's "The Neon Rain" and I've started Jefferson Bass's "The Bone Thief". Jefferson Bass is/are? Jon Jefferson and Dr Bill Bass (Knoxville's Body Farm). They've written a series of mysteries based on the Body Farm.
I am going to have to read Jefferson Bass then! The body farm is really interesting! I just finished Don't Blink by Patterson and I'm about 3/4 through Private. I am also reading a biography of Simon Wiesental, incredible story!
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I am going to have to read Jefferson Bass then! The body farm is really interesting! I just finished Don't Blink by Patterson and I'm about 3/4 through Private. I am also reading a biography of Simon Wiesental, incredible story!
I've really enjoyed the JB books as well as Dr. Bass's non fiction body farm books. They're amazingly down to earth. Wiesental's bio sounds like an interesting one
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I downloaded a new book the other day on my iPad. Harold Schechter's "Bestial", it's a true crime story of a serial killer. I don't know what made me want to read it. I'm only a few pages into it.
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I downloaded a new book the other day on my iPad. Harold Schechter's "Bestial", it's a true crime story of a serial killer. I don't know what made me want to read it. I'm only a few pages into it.
Careful there BEG, those true crime storeys are not only addicting but
have been known to give people nightmares.
I am reading Black Portsmouth, a recount of the first Blacks to today that live in the area.
All the misconceptions we have about slavery are amazing. Northern slaves and Black freemen and woman as well as the white settlers had it darn hard, but for their working together as a team----strange as it sounds, neither race could have survived on their own as well as they did.
Town records show that it became illegal to harm a slave in any way in the mid 1700 and if a white owner harmed a slave he was subject to the whipping post in town. Slaves could buy and sell land, testify at a trial against or for a white man.
The number of family's where the white woman at the loss of her husband would marry a free slave is interesting reading as their descendants still live in the area.
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Finished "The Bone Thief". It had a couple of interesting twists to it and was as good as I expected it to be. I've started Spencer Quinn's new Chet and Bernie mystery "To Fetch A Thief". I'm enjoying being back in Chet's doggie eye view world. You have to be a real crabbie abbie to not enjoy Chet. :-)
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I picked up the first two Jefferson Bass novels at the library today! I hope they are good!
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Let me know how you like them!
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First one, Carved In Bone was great! I am starting the second one at football practice today. I would love to be a forensic anthropologist. Wonder if the smell would get to me? I wonder if you ever get used to it?
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I wonder the same thing :-) I think it would be fastinating ... then, I have a hankering for archeology too, which reminds me, Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody Mysteries are great fun. Set during the time of Carter's excavations in Egypt and the mysteries are set around the digs etc.
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Finished Patterson's I, Alex Cross yesterday. It was good, but I figured out who the "bad" one was early in the book. :(
Started Baldacci's True Blue on the plane today....will be finishing it tomorrow!! Great read!
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I started re-reading Robert Jordan's "Wheel Of Time" series about a week ago so I can be up to date when the 13th book comes out in a month or so. 9 Books down 3 to go.
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I started re-reading Robert Jordan's "Wheel Of Time" series about a week ago so I can be up to date when the 13th book comes out in a month or so. 9 Books down 3 to go.
I've got the first one to read, but haven't yet ... how are you liking them ? ( .. :thatsright: I guess well enough to read 9 of them .. duh ) but, what are they like?
Right now I'm reading Steve Berry's "The Templar Legacy" I'm enjoying it, it's set in Copenhagen (at least for now)
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I've got the first one to read, but haven't yet ... how are you liking them ? ( .. :thatsright: I guess well enough to read 9 of them .. duh ) but, what are they like?
Right now I'm reading Steve Berry's "The Templar Legacy" I'm enjoying it, it's set in Copenhagen (at least for now)
Well this is my 4th trip through the series as it stands today. The books from 6-9 get kinda slow and Jordan's writing style is ....extremely verbose... so the less determined reader might be inclined to tune out mid way through.
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Currently reading 'Driving from Japan: Japanese Cars In America'. Interesting, but there's a lot of re-hashed information I've seen in other places.
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Storm of Steel, by Ernst Jünger. Autobiographical narrative of a WWI German soldier (commissioned during the War) on the Western Front. Astounding stuff. The guy had balls of steel, was very highly-decorated as well as wounded many, many times, and became a well-known author after the War. He finally died of old age in the 1990s.
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When I was a child, I read as many of the classics as I could lay my hands on. Not sure why; although I sorta understood even the grown up words, with the help of a dictionary, I never did cotton to Shakespeare or Homer.
Since high school, I've fallen back on lowbrow books, but I love them anyhow and don't feel apologetic about reading them at all. I read at least one book a day, unless I'm babysitting my grandson (6 months out of the year, alternating months) in which case I stick to magazines or short stories.
So, I also can't just work on one book at a time. Am finishing up, tonight, three books:
Mercury's War by Lora Leigh
An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Guys won't want to read these. :evillaugh:
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Finger Lickin' Fifteen
I think I rented that movie once. :p
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Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read
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I picked up 'Secrets: A memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers' by Daniel Ellsberg at the library on a spur of the moment decision.
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Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read
My PBS station just ran a show on that. They interviewed Read and a few of the survivors... it was amazing.
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My PBS station just ran a show on that. They interviewed Read and a few of the survivors... it was amazing.
History Channel recently ran a documentary on it called I Am Alive: Surviving The Andes Plane Crash . It prompted me to go the library and check out Read's book. I read once it a long time ago. What you saw on PBS was most likely the same one I saw on History Channel. :cheersmate:
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You're right... it was History. :thatsright:
We get a lot of their stuff, so they're easy to mix up sometimes.
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I think I rented that movie once. :p
Hmm. :lmao:
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I picked up 'Secrets: A memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers' by Daniel Ellsberg at the library on a spur of the moment decision.
I read that some years ago. Ellsberg, while a pompous ass and an egomaniac, had the courage of his convictions. He served as a Marine officer in the late Fifties, got out, but went to Vietnam in the mid-Sixties to see what it was all about.
I remember that he was with the Rand Corporation when he decided to blow the whistle. Just about singlehandedly, he did more to destroy the military than any communist spy did during the same period. Just another example of unintended consequences, but Ellsberg is, without question, a liberal moonbat loon.
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That book is unreadable. I guess I should find an actual copy of 'The Pentagon Papers' because all I'm seeing are accusations with no photographic or documented proof to support any of his claims. Maybe it's there, but I just don't feel like going through the effort of checking footnotes every other page (if there were any in this book -- there aren't.) Either way, I gave up because I kept falling asleep.
I picked up a copy of 'Polk's Folly', a biography of the Polk family as a replacement.
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I'm 90% through Vince Flynn's new book American Assassin.
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I'm 90% through Vince Flynn's new book American Assassin.
Is it good? I've read all his books....I really like them!!
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The Twelfth Imam by Joel Rosenberg.
I'm about halfway through the audio version and so far, so good.
From the reviews, I understand it just ends abruptly but for right now I am hooked.
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Book-frickin-13 of the Wheel of Time series.
Robert Jordan is dead, but Brandon Sanderson has done a good job bringing the series to a foreseeable conclusion. One more book to go!
Oi. I've been with this series for close to 20 years.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-BYKHrT0L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
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Is it good? I've read all his books....I really like them!!
I really liked it but, now I am conflicted.
I don't know whether to hope his next is a follow up to this (the Mitch Rapp origin story) or where Pursuit of Honor left off
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Book-frickin-13 of the Wheel of Time series.
Robert Jordan is dead, but Brandon Sanderson has done a good job bringing the series to a foreseeable conclusion. One more book to go!
Oi. I've been with this series for close to 20 years.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-BYKHrT0L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
Nice. I'll have to amazon me one of them given the truly glacial stocking procedures at the local bookshops.
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Got Vince Flynn last book - American Assassin - but haven't started it yet. Just finishing one of the earlier ones, started with one in the middle 'Act of Treason', then found out about the rest. Finished to #10-then started 1-6 [Consent to Kill is the one I'm finishing]. Next, American Assassin, and that will finish the series - at least until he does the next one.
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Got Vince Flynn last book - American Assassin - but haven't started it yet. Just finishing one of the earlier ones, started with one in the middle 'Act of Treason', then found out about the rest. Finished to #10-then started 1-6 [Consent to Kill is the one I'm finishing]. Next, American Assassin, and that will finish the series - at least until he does the next one.
American Assassin actually, kinda, well, starts the series...
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I zipped through Lee Child's new Reacher novel, "Worth Dying For" (loved it) and I'm re-reading a favorite "cozy" mystery "Death on Demand". After watching Lauer's interview and listening to Limbaugh's interview, I'm wanting to get Bush's "Decision Points".
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I just finished Darkly Dreaming Dexter and started The Bourne Identity.
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Just started The Bone Thief last night. It is so good I should finish it tonight!
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The Overton Window.
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The Overton Window.
I read it am I am still not sure if I liked it or not. It was a good plot but the writing was pretty bad in my opinion.
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Just finished James Patterson's Worst Case. Wow.
Wonder how long it will be before there really is someone like the "bad guy" out there?
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I read it am I am still not sure if I liked it or not. It was a good plot but the writing was pretty bad in my opinion.
You're entitled.
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The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva.
Looking at my book cases I found this book, where it came from is more of a mystery to me then the plot of the book.
Printing history says 2008 when the heck did it come into my home???
I seldom read spy novels, this one however has caught my interest as it has much back history on how the Muslims are fighting to take over the world and each other.
It Chronicles the mistakes western Europe made in allowing themselves to become so liberal they are now becoming overwhelmed by 500+ terror cells.
Reasearch on this story is spot on, I did a search on some of the stuff and found the author was spot on about the going ons in history that I had paid no attention to or was miss reported in the press at the time.
So far the chapter I am on is about the problems Egypt has ---very interesting.
The Hero is an Israeli James Bond kind of guy, this book is a reread in 6 months or so for me.
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Started the new Clive Cussler thriller this afternoon, Crescent Dawn.
I always swear I'm never spending another dime on his books, and then I do. Glad to see he poses with yet another one of his classic automobiles on the back cover. I'm funding his lifestyle. :thatsright: :-)
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Reading John Sandford's Rough Country....it's a Virgil Flowers instead of Lucas Davenport.
M read it when we were on vacation and said it was pretty good....I'm still in the first third of the book.
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I love Virgil Flowers! It is a good book! I just finished a book called The Innocents by Harlan Coben. It was pretty good, I wouldn't buy it though. I need a new author now since I read all of the Jefferson Bass books and I am spoiled.
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Reading 'The Hobbit' again. Always a good backup when there's nothing else available.
(I accidentally dropped the book I was reading into the return slot and have to wait until I can get it back.) ::)
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Starting "Fed Up!" by Rick Perry.
"If you don’t support the death penalty and citizens packing a pistol, don’t come to Texas."
First and foremost, Perry says that ObamaCare must be repealed—“the future of America depends on reversing this law.â€
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Just finished Leon Uris's novel Battle Cry, which is a fictitious account based on his own experiences as a radioman in the Marines during WWII.
The 6th Marines fought in Guadalcanal, Tarawa, and took a terrible beating in Saipan, where the novel basically concludes.
Compelling account from the grunt's perspective.
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Starting "Fed Up!" by Rick Perry.
"If you don’t support the death penalty and citizens packing a pistol, don’t come to Texas."
First and foremost, Perry says that ObamaCare must be repealed—“the future of America depends on reversing this law.â€
Very surprising, since he's a lib of the first order. Maybe he's grown a couple of hairs on his chin since I last read about him. Great author, Pulitzer prize and all, but his politics suck.
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Book-frickin-13 of the Wheel of Time series.
Robert Jordan is dead, but Brandon Sanderson has done a good job bringing the series to a foreseeable conclusion. One more book to go!
Oi. I've been with this series for close to 20 years.
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-BYKHrT0L._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
I just started The Gathering Storm. Sanderson's doing a great job of keeping the "voice" of the story correct.
Oddly, my wife was able to get me "Storm" and "Towers" in first edition hardbound (birthday gifts).
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I just started The Gathering Storm. Sanderson's doing a great job of keeping the "voice" of the story correct.
Oddly, my wife was able to get me "Storm" and "Towers" in first edition hardbound (birthday gifts).
I agreee that Sanderson does a great job.
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Oh Good God. I am still reading Eat, Pray, Love. I didn't buy it, a friend gave it to me, because it is such a book that I should read. :thatsright: I hate it. I am stuck in India, and still have to go to Indonesia, or Bali, or somewhere.
I stopped reading it, and picked up "Why we Suck" by Denis Leary. Someone else gave that to me because it is such a book that I should read. I read it. It was hilarious.
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Oh Good God. I am still reading Eat, Pray, Love. I didn't buy it, a friend gave it to me, because it is such a book that I should read. I hate it. I am stuck in India, and still have to go to Indonesia, or Bali, or somewhere.
Ya, Julia Roberts sucks.
:tongue:
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Ya, Julia Roberts sucks.
:tongue:
I have never really been a fan of hers.
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The movie looked like some sort of stupid hippy shit so I skipped it and the book. I don't need that kind of perversion in my brain.
I am reading the Alchemist series by Michael Scott now. It is a kid's book, but it is soooooo filled with characters from mythology and real life! Both of my kids are really smart and I am not sure they could follow all of the characters and back stories. They did NOT have kid's books like this when I was a kid! Glad I get to read them now.
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Picked up the Lis Wiehl book in paperback when we were at Walmart, tonight. Can't remember the name of it, but it's the one that Bill O'Reilly was sending out with his Pinheads and Patriots book back in early fall.
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More than 2/3 through Vince Flynn's last book, 'American Assassin' - should have been number two in the series, have read all the others.
May take a break, just got G.W. Bush's 'Decision Points' hope it's as interesting as his interviews about the book that I have watched.
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More than 2/3 through Vince Flynn's last book, 'American Assassin' - should have been number two in the series, have read all the others.
May take a break, just got G.W. Bush's 'Decision Points' hope it's as interesting as his interviews about the book that I have watched.
I'll be interested to see your review on that. Thinking about that one myself.
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I'll be interested to see your review on that. Thinking about that one myself.
Yeah, I ordered it through Amazon last week, along with a couple of books of Rochut etudes for trombone. :o And no, I didn't find them in the same section.
:-)
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Finished Vince Flynn's book, series is now finished [until he writes the next one :whistling:] - tomorrow will start Decision Points.
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Finished Vince Flynn's book, series is now finished [until he writes the next one :whistling:] - tomorrow will start Decision Points.
I got my copy in the mail yesterday.
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I just finished reading Heart Of The Assassin by Robert Ferrigno. It's the third book of his Assassin trilogy. I liked it, although I think the first book of the trilogy was the best one.
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I am just about to finish The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton. Great book so far, have wanted to read it since playing Deus Ex.
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Against my better judgement, I bought, and just finished Patricia Cornwell's latest Scarpetta book Port Mortuary.
IMO she "jumped the shark" a while ago, and this tedious tome was a sterling example. The storyline is basically good, and she restrained her political comments to a few antiwar anecdotes, and a judicious slap at the Reagan administration.....but she managed to fill it with so much "fluff" that it's nearly unreadable......over 500 pages, it would have made an excellent book at around 300.
If you are a Scarpetta fan, wait until this one hits the publisher's overrun table for $5.95.
doc
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Just starting Stephen Coonts, The Disciple.
Glad to read your review of Cornwell's new book, Doc...almost bought it the other day, but didn't because I have been so disappointed in her last couple of books. I was hoping that this one was going to be better. :(
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Against my better judgement, I bought, and just finished Patricia Cornwell's latest Scarpetta book Port Mortuary.
IMO she "jumped the shark" a while ago, and this tedious tome was a sterling example. The storyline is basically good, and she restrained her political comments to a few antiwar anecdotes, and a judicious slap at the Reagan administration.....but she managed to fill it with so much "fluff" that it's nearly unreadable......over 500 pages, it would have made an excellent book at around 300.
If you are a Scarpetta fan, wait until this one hits the publisher's overrun table for $5.95.
doc
Yeah a couple of books ago I was like WTF!?!? I gave up midbook and never went back.
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Just started The Bell Witch - An American Haunting by Brent Monahan.
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Finished reading 'Decision Points' by George W. Bush. Overall a good read, with the exception that if you've watched the Hannity or O'Rielly interviews there's not to much left to learn.
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Finished reading 'Decision Points' by George W. Bush. Overall a good read, with the exception that if you've watched the Hannity or O'Rielly interviews there's not to much left to learn.
You're a quick reader, rusty - I'm about halfway through. I like what General Tommy Franks said to GWB when they met.
Bush asked Franks if he was from Midland, TX. Franks responded, "Yes sir, Mr. President. Mrs. Bush and I went to the same high school; I graduated a year ahead of her. But don't worry, Mr. President - we never dated."
:rotf:
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Yep, liked that quote also. The one thing that did come through loud and clear was the fact that 'ole George' is a down to earth common guy and does not worry about what some think of his language, ["damn straight and the tried and true military 'cluster f**k', come to mind]. Nothing terrible, but not what you hear in public from most politicians in higher office. They may talk that way when they think the doors are closed and the mic's are off, but they try to wear the halo when the cameras are running.
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Yep, liked that quote also. The one thing that did come through loud and clear was the fact that 'ole George' is a down to earth common guy and does not worry about what some think of his language, ["damn straight and the tried and true military 'cluster f**k', come to mind]. Nothing terrible, but not what you hear in public from most politicians in higher office. They may talk that way when they think the doors are closed and the mic's are off, but they try to wear the halo when the cameras are running.
I think something like "Damn straight" isn't even cursing - the word "damn" is just emphasizing the action.
Compare that to Joe Biden's on-mic comment, "This is a big ****ing deal" just after Lord Zero signed the HellCare bill and now you're talking about a shitbird who is a complete idiot in public and has been for his entire political career.
What in hell were the good people of Delaware thinking when they elected that dufus? :mental:
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The little lady is giving me Decision Points as a stocking stuffer, so I'm SOL until Christmas morning. :-(
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Just finished book 4 of the Nicholas Flamel Alchemyst series by Michael Scott. It is really interesting because I never had any desire to learn about mythology and these books pack the pages with all kinds of myths and "gods". Lots of real people in them too as immortal humans...Flamel, his wife, Machiavelli, Billy The Kid, Count St. Germain, Joan of Arc, Virginia Dare, Shakespeare... I can't say this too often, I am SO glad that kid's books have stepped up their game. I loved to read when I was a kid but I never had books like these to read!
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Just started the latest Dexter novel: Dexter is Delicious.
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Just finishing up "The Emperor's Tomb" by Steve Berry........the latest in his Cotton Malone series. It's great!!
doc
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Just read where GW's book Decision Points, has now sold 2 million copies. Not bad in about two months. Glad I bought mine early and avoided the rush - cause I know he needed the money ::)
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Just read where GW's book Decision Points, has now sold 2 million copies. Not bad in about two months. Glad I bought mine early and avoided the rush - cause I know he needed the money ::)
I just got my own copy yesterday (Wednesday); I haven't started reading it yet, because I'm still reading a biography of Anne Boleyn. But damn, I'm looking forward to it.
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I just finished Rick Riordan's newest Olympus (http://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Olympus-Book-One-Lost/dp/142311339X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293507208&sr=1-1) book... it was entertaining. The next one won't be published until October. :(
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I am just finishing up Fern Michael's Crown Jewel, then onto her Vegas Trilogy.
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Just read "Beating the Reaper" by Josh Bazell..
It's a cross between "The Godfather," "House," and "Fletch"
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Finished The Hunger Games two days ago and started the next one yesterday. They are so good. I mean not like some sort of epic novel that 500 years from now will be used as a teaching tool but it kept me very interested. I love the premise. Basically some sort of disaster strikes North America and all that is left are 13 colonies and a capitol state. It is a totalitarian government with the colonies working to provide the capitol with everything they need. The hunger games are sadistic survivor games for kids from each district to make them remember the uprising (and the consequences) against the capitol 75 years before.
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Just re-read Cardinal of The Kremlin from Tom Clancy.
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Just finished reading Killer Twins by Michael Benson. It's a true crime story about identical twin brothers who became career criminals while they were still teenagers. Later they both became murderers. One brother went on to kill at least four people. It's an interesting story that raises the old "nature vs. nurture" question. Benson goes into quite a bit of detail about their lives. He also brings to life the city of Rochester, New York, which was the home base for the serial killer twin for many years. I thought it was a pretty compelling read.
The author spoke at my book club a few months ago, and I found him to be a knowledgeable and engaging speaker. I'm a bit of a true crime buff, and I think I will seek out some of his other crime books.
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I'm a bit of a true crime buff, and I think I will seek out some of his other crime books.
RR, if you like true crime stories and haven't read; "Darker Than Night", by Tom Henderson; I highly recommend it. It takes place in the same area of northern Michigan were we had a cabin. I spent a lot of time up there, and one of the witnesses in the book is a 'kid' I ran around with, and we hung out at some of the same places. The 'Sgt., on the Michigan State Police, is now a Lt. in charge of the same police post.
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Just finished Seven Days of Rage about the Craigslist Killer. Definitely not what I usually read, but I was looking for something light and a bit on the tabloid TV side. Plus it was on sale for $7 and change. It actually wasn't half bad.
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I've downloaded so many books to my Kindle, I have everything from Thomas Jefferson's Biography to Women in Islam to Women who are Hasidic Jews to a real life CSI, so what books do I choose to read? I just got done reading Love to Love You Brady which was about the Brady Bunch Variety Hour, and the book I'm starting to read now is called The Other Hollywood which is about the porn industry from it's inception to it's heyday. Comparing it to what you guys are reading? you're the caviar and I'm the deviled ham on a ritz cracker :lmao:
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Interesting choices here. This is my first foray into the book thread.
Unfortunately my most recent read was a fiction called "Go Away, Joe!" A very realistic, and un-PC book about a family's life on the Rocky Boy Res. in north central MT. Very humorous, if one doesn't get their panties in a wad about how some people chose to live and that others chose to write about it.
So old, it didn't come up on a Google search.
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RR, if you like true crime stories and haven't read; "Darker Than Night", by Tom Henderson; I highly recommend it. It takes place in the same area of northern Michigan were we had a cabin. I spent a lot of time up there, and one of the witnesses in the book is a 'kid' I ran around with, and we hung out at some of the same places. The 'Sgt., on the Michigan State Police, is now a Lt. in charge of the same police post.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out.
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I'm reading Clancy's new one, "Dead or Alive" ..... the last one got a little dorky with the "Hey Cuz" bit, but I'm really enjoying this one ..... if for no other reason than the way he is absolutely ripping the current administration to shreds. LOVE IT :yahoo:
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Finished reading -- "The Terrible Hours", by Peter Maas. From the book - "It's about the man behind the greatest submarine rescue in history".
"Swede Momsen" as a Naval Officer invented the "Momsen Lung" and the rescue bell. The brand new 'unsinkable' submarine USS Squalus is on one of it's final sea trials before commissioning into service, on May 23, 1939. The Squalus is one of the first submarines of the type that will see action during World War II.
This is one of those books that WWII history nuts like me couldn't put down.
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I finished Hunger Games (http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023521/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_p?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295967154&sr=1-1) this morning. Holy crap, what a messed-up book.
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I finished Hunger Games (http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Games-Suzanne-Collins/dp/0439023521/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_p?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1295967154&sr=1-1) this morning. Holy crap, what a messed-up book.
I think I am gonna have to get that one now.
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It's definitely worth it. Might as well get the other two while you're at it.
I picked it up at six in the afternoon and didn't put it down until I was finished with it ten hours later.
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Just finished reading Killer Twins by Michael Benson. It's a true crime story about identical twin brothers who became career criminals while they were still teenagers. Later they both became murderers. One brother went on to kill at least four people. It's an interesting story that raises the old "nature vs. nurture" question. Benson goes into quite a bit of detail about their lives. He also brings to life the city of Rochester, New York, which was the home base for the serial killer twin for many years. I thought it was a pretty compelling read.
The author spoke at my book club a few months ago, and I found him to be a knowledgeable and engaging speaker. I'm a bit of a true crime buff, and I think I will seek out some of his other crime books.
That sounds interesting, as I'm also a true crime afficionado. That makes MSNBC good for something, prison reporting. :-)
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Used my Amazon gift card to pick up two oldies on Kindle: War and Remembrance and True Grit.
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I finished a book yesterday entitled Through The Veil by Shiloh Walker. I wouldn't expect any of you guys to ever read it, but the ladies of CC may be interested enough to check it out on Amazon.
Lots of war scenes though along with the love story, but I KNOW men do not deign to read paranormal romances. :-)
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I am on book #3 in the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben. They are good mysteries involving a sport's agent, a preppy serial killer type good guy, and assorted cool characters.
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Let me preface this by stating that I have never read any of this author's previous works, and secondly, I tend to avoid female mystery/thriller writers, because they have a penchant to spend half the book describing how every room is decorated, and what each character is wearing, (which I find boring), but just by chance I bought and just finished:
Bone by Bone, by Carol O'Connell
Picked it up on the bargain table at Barnes & Noble for six bucks, and it was a GREAT read. A murder mystery set in a small northern California town, spanning over twenty years.......you don't find out who the actual killer is until the last ten pages of the book.......it was quite a ride......I was up until after midnight finishing it.
doc
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Just started The Bourne Supremacy.
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Finallllllly finished The Disciple by Stephen Coontz yesterday.
I am embarassed over how long it took me to read it :thatsright: I never ever have taken that long to read a book, not even War and Peace when I was a kid!
I would read 2-4 pages of it and fall asleep...almost 600 pages in the paperback. Once I hit about 375, I finished it in a few hours. The last 150 went really fast. The first 390 pages was nothing but "set up".
It was really different in that it could happen today. The book's premise was that Iran had nukes and they were going to fire them. Ahmendinijad (sp) was the pres of Iran, and the Ayatollah Kohmenni (sp) was the Supreme Leader. There were some very interesting twists....that I could really see actually happening. Which would be terrifyingly catastrophic.
The American President refused to "fire a preemptive strike". What was really scary was how much his attitude - at first - resembled Obama.
I would recommend the book more to someone who has been in the military, has a great deal of nuclear weapon knowledge, or has read a lot of military/spy/etc books. Many of the details would be easier to understand or keep from mixing up, for those with this knowledge. And have nothing else to do, except read for a couple of days.
Starting David Baldacci's Deliver Us from Evil....
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I just finished "The Dragon Mage" by Katherine Kerr.
WHAT a disappointment. I guess I saw this coming. The whole "Silver Wyrm" subset of the Deverry novels (the last and final books) came off repetitive, rushed, and also obviously having been HEAVILY edited--it's clear that the story of Rhodorix and Hwili was left either unfinished or cut out (I suspect the second), and so we have zero idea of why Branna should feel as if she's repaid a debt. Plus, on its own, the first story in all the Deverry novels of pre-Brangwen/Gerraent/Blaen/Galrion incarnations was so damned irritating for being left unfinished.
The by now tired Horsekin invasion threat was trotted out. It was really time for a resurgence of the Dark Dweomer as a threat, but no, we have to go back to the Horsekin. The Horsekin themselves pretty much became orcs, ie, they die in huge numbers without our knowing them at all, as we did know thme in the wonderful "Days of Air and Darkness." Other characters are unceremoniously introduced and then never heard from again. Main characters are just repeating lines and setups from previous Deverry novels. It stank.
The Deverry saga should have ended at "The Fire Dragon," if this crap is what Kerr slept-wrote for us.
I will say I can heartily recommend everything up to "The Fire Dragon." Of them all, "The Dragon Revenant" remains my favorite.
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Just read the newest Alex Cross book. Cross Fire? I can't remember. Anywho... Loved it, the bad guy did something that made me sit up and take notice for a nice change of pace! The back stories kept my attention too. I love those books! I am reading Janet Evanovich's Wicked Appetite right now. I love her Stephanie Plum books but I can never remember where the story left off or the back stories with the Diesel character. I am 3/4 of the way through it. I kinda hope it is a new series. I can't wait until next Christmas to find out more.
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"Next" by Michael Creighton.
Read it in the Atlanta Airport last week during a nine hour delay.
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"Next" by Michael Creighton.
Read it in the Atlanta Airport last week during a nine hour delay.
I never realized Creighton put boobiez in his books?!?! :confused: :-)
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Death Echo by Elizabeth Lowell.
M thought this author was a "chick" writer....and some of her books are, but this series, St Kilda's books, isn't. These have blood, gore, suspense.
Just starting Michael Palmer's The Last Surgeon.
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I just finished book four of the Safehold Saga - A Mighty Fortress - by David Weber. Anxiously waiting for book five - How Firm A Foundation - which doesn't come out until Fall of this year.
Here's how the author's website describes the series:
The Gbaba have left Earth and her colonies smoldering ruins, and the few survivors have fled to distant, Earth-like Safehold, to try to rebuild. But the Gbaba can detect the emissions of an industrial civilization, so the human rulers of Safehold have taken extraordinary measures to keep Safehold society medieval forever. 800 years later, in a hidden chamber on Safehold, an android from the far human past awakens. Via automated recordings, “Nimue” - or, rather, the android with the memories of Lieutenant Commander Nimue Alban - is told her fate: she will emerge into Safeholdian society, suitably disguised, and begin the process of provoking technological progress which the Church of God Awaiting has worked for centuries to prevent. It's going to be a long, long process.
Good Stuff.
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I'm reading Terry Pratchett's latest Discworld book, "Unseen Academicals." Started well; I had hope the Discworld series was recapturing some of that magic after the godawful "Monstrous Regiment", the aptly name unbelievably boring "Thud", and the sad sequel to the fantastic "Going Postal", "Making Money." Monstrous Regiment and Thud were both before Going Postal, so when Going Postal came out I really thought Pratchett had that old sidesplitting, tears-down-the-cheeks humor back and that it would STAY back. Then Making Money came out and I thought, "ok, this'll be good, because it has the same main chartacter from Going Postal. Nope. It was dull, took the interesting storyline of the golems and turned it totally absurd, and took the very interesting character of Adora Belle Dearheart and made her a one-dimensional appurtenance to the main character, Moist von Lipwig, who was no longer funny himself. And his interactions with Vetinari went from sidesplitting to grim.
So when Unseen Academicals came out I thought: "this has got to be funny. NO Discworld book centering around the wizards of Unseen University has failed to be hysterical." And I was right, so far as that description went. But the book has devoted far too little of its length to the interplay between the wizards and far too much to the characters Nutt and Glenda. I'm not quite finished, but all in all I feel I'm on firm ground with just about 30 pages to go when I declare this latest Discworld book both a disappointment and a tease, because, damnit, it STARTED well.
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Just started the 3rd Jason Bourne novel. Ultimatum I think.
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Just started the 3rd Jason Bourne novel. Ultimatum I think.
You're reading it, and don't know the title, sir?
I'm currently perusing an atlas of Russian history.
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Just finished Tom Clancy's Dead or Alive......his first effort in umpteen years. Although famous fiction writers seem to "jump the shark" after several blockbusters, I can say this is is good, if not his best. It's a thousand pages, so not suitable for an afternoon at the beach, but well worth the effort.
Kinda a continuation of Rainbow Six, which was his last book, over a decade ago. It's written in collaboration with one of Clive Cussler's associates.
Although well couched, he leaves the reader with the distinct impression of the destain that he feels for our present "president".....
Good read......
doc
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Finished 'Sleepwalkers' and 'The First Rule'. Can't decide what's next- I have two dozen to choose from. I confess, I'm a bibliophile.
(http://e.deviantart.net/emoticons/l/library.gif)
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Just finished Stephen Hunter's latest "Bob Lee Swagger" novel Dead Zero. For fans of military/political thrillers, his work is very entertaining. Any who have read his work are aware that they are inspired by the life and times of the great USMC Sniper, Carlos Hathcock.
In this latest effort, he makes a point to lay considerable scorn on the extreme leftward drift by the media over the last decade (particularly the New York Times}, as well as pacifist politicians, specifically regarding the war in Afganistan, and the absurd rules of engagement they impose.
All in all, Dead Zero, I think is his best so far.........don't miss it......
doc
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Well I finished all of the Harlan Coben, Myron Bolitar novels. I seriously LOVED those! I started a new author yesterday Phillip Margolin. So far the story line is really good but some of the characters are too soap opera like. It is the first book though, and since he has a ton of books out I am sure they get much better.
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Still in my Hollywood phase, currently reading The Hollywood Book Of Extravagance, next up is Nikki Sixx's The Heroin Diaries.
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Still in my Hollywood phase, currently reading The Hollywood Book Of Extravagance, next up is Nikki Sixx's The Heroin Diaries.
I went to the library yesterday and got like 6 books.(i love to read). I like historical sagas.Reading about women in history.
Bally Girl, I was interested in the Heroin Diaries. Could you send along a synopsis?? I like reading different things. One thing about librarians, though they are well read themselves, they might not read the same material I do, so it makes it hard for them to recommend books to me. I did ask the librarian yesterday about the online library site to automatically recomending books, based on the books one takes out. I did try Marvel(which was recomended by librarian), but unsure how to link the suggestions to my personal online library account as it seems to be a third party.
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I went to the library yesterday and got like 6 books.(i love to read). I like historical sagas.Reading about women in history.
Bally Girl, I was interested in the Heroin Diaries. Could you send along a synopsis?? I like reading different things. One thing about librarians, though they are well read themselves, they might not read the same material I do, so it makes it hard for them to recommend books to me. I did ask the librarian yesterday about the online library site to automatically recomending books, based on the books one takes out. I did try Marvel(which was recomended by librarian), but unsure how to link the suggestions to my personal online library account as it seems to be a third party.
Came across a book with my grandmothers name on the inside---- Tittle , A Few Foolish Ones , Author, Gladys Hasty Carroll. Printed in 1935. From what I can understand this may be a first edition.
Story begins in the 1870's and goes into the 1920's. Fascinating how she took the area I live in and chronicled the lives of the family's in this area. Only other credit I see is for a former book tittled " As the earth turns".
I am off to Google the author, her name is very familiar to me for some reason.
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Came across a book with my grandmothers name on the inside Tittle , A Few Foolish Ones , Author, Gladys Hasty Carroll. Printed in 1935. From what I can understand this may be a first edition.
Story begins in the 1870's and goes into the 1920's. Fascinating how she took the area I live in and chronicled the lives of the family's in this area. Only other credit I see is for a former book tittled " As the earth turns".
I am off to Google the author, her name is very familiar to me for some reason.
http://search.mywebsearch.com/mywebsearch/GGmain.jhtml?st=hp&searchfor=Gladys hasty carrroll&ptnrS=YTxdm004YYus&ptb=J3IVWm9FalPz.q.728pSKQ&n=77dd9956
Oh for crying out loud, now I know why the name is so familiar, she was a part of life in the area for my family for generations.
Her property was bordered by my mothers family and Lord I just have to know what she had to say about them, bootleggers and raskels.
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I went to the library yesterday and got like 6 books.(i love to read). I like historical sagas.Reading about women in history.
Bally Girl, I was interested in the Heroin Diaries. Could you send along a synopsis?? I like reading different things. One thing about librarians, though they are well read themselves, they might not read the same material I do, so it makes it hard for them to recommend books to me. I did ask the librarian yesterday about the online library site to automatically recomending books, based on the books one takes out. I did try Marvel(which was recomended by librarian), but unsure how to link the suggestions to my personal online library account as it seems to be a third party.
I have tons of books on my Kindle, everything from Hollywood to Islam to our Founding Father to the Mafia to the Paranormal to the Classics. I seem to be stuck in the Hollywood phase now because everything is so serious on the news so it gets me away from it. The Heroin Diaries got almost 5 stars with over 300 reviews, here's a synopsis of the book:
In one of the most unique memoirs of addiction ever published, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx shares mesmerizing diary entries from the year he spiraled out of control in a haze of heroin and cocaine, presented alongside riveting commentary from people who were there at the time, and from Nikki himself. When Motley Crue was at the height of its fame, there wasn't any drug Nikki Sixx wouldn't do. He spent days - sometimes alone, sometimes with other addicts, friends, and lovers - in a coke and heroin-fueled daze. The highs were high, and Nikki's journal entries reveal some euphoria and joy. But the lows were lower, often ending with Nikki in his closet, surrounded by drug paraphernalia and wrapped in paranoid delusions. Here, Nikki shares those diary entries - some poetic, some scatterbrained, some bizarre - and reflects on that time. Joining him are Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, Mick Mars, Slash, Rick Nielsen, Bob Rock, and a host of ex-managers, ex-lovers, and more. Brutally honest, utterly riveting, and shockingly moving, The Heroin Diaries follows Nikki during the year he plunged to rock bottom - and his courageous decision to pick himself up and start living again.
and here's a long review by someone who read the book from Amazon:
In 1987 Motley Crue recorded Girls, Girls, Girls, toured with the then unknown Guns 'n Roses, sold out shows around the country (and world) and partied like they always had a day left to live. The previous book to tell the tale of this excess, The Dirt, felt more like a glorification of the excesses of the band, even though it addressed all the drug abuse Nikki Sixx subjected himself to, subsequent overdoses that almost killed him and reemergence towards a cleaner lifestyle. Basically, you take those chapters of The Dirt and make them their own book and you have The Heroin Diaries.
The book is set up like a diary. In fact, it is a diary: the book accounts the year (Christmas 1986 to Christmas 1987) that Nikki spiraled down a deep hole of addiction and depression and kept insanely careful track of it in a notebook. In addition to his entries (cleaned up a bit so we can understand them), Nikki includes commentary from himself as well as those who were close to him at the time (it's clear that a lot of care and work was undertaken to get all of these voices lined up to tell this story).
I'm reminded of one entry where Nikki says in passing that he had a blast at a radio interview the other night, but probably got the DJ fired. The commentary afterwards is the DJ's account of the debauchery that went down that night (and, yes, he did indeed get fired).
Nikki doesn't pull any punches and asked all of his contributors to do the same. They are brutally honest and help paint a magnificent picture of what it is like to find yourself on a speeding train charging forward into a brick wall. If you ever wanted to know what the rock and roll lifestyle was like, or what it feels like to be addicted to drugs, this is the memoir for you.
It's actually amazing to me that there could possibly have been any lucid entries. We assume of course that a number of them were cleaned up by the editor, but there are times when you are stunned at Sixx's foresight into the future of the industry (the eventual downfall of the hair metal genre by the flood of copycat bands), the future of the band (that they'd make their next record a #1 album) and even his own dim foreboding of the consequences of his lifestyle.
He talks to the diary as if it were a person, as if it were his wife and only confidant in the world during that year (and it probably was). He addresses it with things like, "I have to go to the show now, but I'll see you when I get back tonight." When he departs without an entry for several days (sometimes simply because he is sober and sane) he is always apologetic and makes jokes about how he only writes to it when he is on drugs.
The book pages are broken up with scribblings, notes that presumably came out of the original dairy (To Do lists, lost lyric ideas, notes and the like), drug abuse inspired art and photographs of the people and places addressed, as well as song lyrics from a whole career of Sixx's songwriting. There are Motley Crue songs, songs from his 58 solo album, and songs from bands Nikki has adored in his life and reflect his lifestyle then and now.
Each chapter is a month in the year, with an introduction, intermission and afterward included to set us up, take a break to reflect and plow forward into the future. The afterward in particular is interesting, because in it Sixx explains what happened in his life after that year: getting on and off the drugs, his failed marriages, his struggling band, his solo projects; everything (he calls it his Life After Death). It goes up to and beyond everything covered in The Dirt, and answers a number of niggling questions leftover from that book, like what was going on during the Girls Tour, what did some of the people mentioned in that book think about things discussed (Slash talking about his interactions with Nikki back then and his own struggling band and drug addictions), or whatever had become of certain events (like all that drama with Vanity).
I found myself taking the ups (yes, there were good days) and downs along with Nikki on his ride of drug use, paranoia, rage, attempts at detox, thrills and pitfalls of touring, women, joys of songwriting and love of music, falling off the wagon, struggling on, wondering if he was killing himself, hoping for a way out, dying and coming back to life. I found myself reading an entry, wondering a question about it, and having it answered by the commentary. I also found myself wondering if the now clean and sober Vanity, turned Evangelist, is really any less insane than she was back then. Sure the drugs are gone, but the woman seems like she has a few permanent screws loose (there's one entry where she rambles on about the devil, leaving you thinking, "huh?," and then there's Nikki's commentary under hers going "Huh?" as well: fantastic!).
The book has a message and Nikki Sixx has a hope that by writing this, that by laying his weaknesses bare for the world to see, that maybe that message can get through to people: the tunnel is dark but there is a light at the end, and even though it's probably better if you don't get into that tunnel in the first place, just because you are there doesn't mean there is no hope for you.
I'm definitely sold on this book, as I was already sold on the sountrack weeks ago. I highly recommend it to fans of the band, fans of rock and roll, people interested in learning about the dangers of excess and any open-minded and curious individuals in general. It's a good read all around.
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That looks like an interesting read...It's not in my normal genre, but hey it's good to try something different.
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That looks like an interesting read...It's not in my normal genre, but hey it's good to try something different.
I completely agree! Bally, I do believe that's next on my to-buy list. :-) :cheersmate:
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I'm almost done reading Nicholas Pileggi's "Wiseguy". If they had put everything in the movie that's in this book, 'Goodfellas' would have been twice as long.
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I completely agree! Bally, I do believe that's next on my to-buy list. :-) :cheersmate:
Hey! hope you're feeling better.
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I'm almost done reading Nicholas Pileggi's "Wiseguy". If they had put everything in the movie that's in this book, 'Goodfellas' would have been twice as long.
That was a really good book.
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I found a few of Henry Hill's mugshots on the Smoking Gun. He looks more like Phil Specter than Ray Liotta.
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Henry Hill hasn't aged well at all.
Also interesting is how awesome the movie was but also how different a lot of the happenings were from real life. Paul Cicero in the movie is actually Paul Vario who had an affair in real life with Henry's wife Karen, also the Joe Pesci character was actually Tommy DeSimone who was married in real life but was a bachelor in the film and was even more insane in real life, and Robert DeNiro's character Jimmy Conway was in real life Jimmy Burke who was also insane. Go to Wikipedia and read the stories of the real life people, it's an eye opener.
Yes I love mob stories and movies and have seen The Godfather over 300 times LOL.
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I've read a few books over the last 10 days or so.
First was SAT & BAF: Memories of a Tower Rat. It was written by a friend of mine on another forum about his experiences as a young infantryman in Germany guarding a Pershing II nuclear missile site. Kind of cool to read the first person views of a 18-19 year old soldier in a foreign country with all the drinking, carousing, fighting, pranks and boredom. Apparently they hated Engineers...
Next was Bloodstained Sea: The US Coast Guard in the Battle of the Atlantic: 1941-1945. Been wanting to read this for years and finally got it on Kindle since I got myself an IPad. Really nothing new to me since I learned a lot in history classes at boot camp, but still a good read.
Now I'm reading Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia, 1600-1947. Very dense and I'm only up to the religious strife of the early 1700s between Lutherans and Pietists in Brandenburg-Prussia. But it's pretty good so far if you're a history geek.
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I bought "We the Living" (Ayn Rand) today.
Gonna read it tomorrow.
Thoughts or opinions ?
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Just finished Meredith Baxter's Untied, OK book, not the best. I just started reading Nikki's Sixx's Heroin Diaries and it's awesome so far.
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I just finished The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (a Francophone author from Quebec). I've been on a quest lately to find mystery writers from outside the US, and this one is a winner.
Although it is possibly a translation from French, and as a result is somewhat verbose, the plot is tight and well developed, the characters ingenious and eccentric, and the overall presentation is laudable.......
A great read.......
doc
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I just finished The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny (a Francophone author from Quebec). I've been on a quest lately to find mystery writers from outside the US, and this one is a winner.
Although it is possibly a translation from French, and as a result is somewhat verbose, the plot is tight and well developed, the characters ingenious and eccentric, and the overall presentation is laudable.......
A great read.......
doc
Just looked that up on Amazon, it sounds good. Thanks for the tip.
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Just looked that up on Amazon, it sounds good. Thanks for the tip.
You know Bij........when we lived in Chelmsford, I used to literally haunt the little bookstore on the High Street a block up from the Rover dealership..........a musty old place, with narrow aisles and volumes piled everywhere.
There are so many authors Brit and on the continent, that just never make it to American publishers and booksellers......I really miss that.
doc
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You know Bij........when we lived in Chelmsford, I used to literally haunt the little bookstore on the High Street a block up from the Rover dealership..........a musty old place, with narrow aisles and volumes piled everywhere.
There are so many authors Brit and on the continent, that just never make it to American publishers and booksellers......I really miss that.
doc
I love poking round second hand bookshops too. It's not the same but have you ever browsed here: http://www.abebooks.co.uk/ it would be pricey to have lots delivered but it might give you some leads for stuff to look for elsewhere.
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I love poking round second hand bookshops too. It's not the same but have you ever browsed here: http://www.abebooks.co.uk/ it would be pricey to have lots delivered but it might give you some leads for stuff to look for elsewhere.
Thanks! I'll give it a shot.....
doc
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I just read book 11 The Vespers from the 39 Clues series. It is a kid's book too, but I love the series!
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Running through the Ender's Game series by Orson Scott Card. I've read:
- Ender's Game
- Ender's Shadow
- Ender in Exile
- Shadow Puppets; and
- Shadow of the Giant
...and I have yet to read:
- Shadow of the Hegemon
- Speaker for the Dead
- Xenocide
- Children of the Mind; and
- First Meetings
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Yep, I'm still a World War II history nut.
Just finished reading Aces High, by Bill Yenne
the story of Two pilots during WWII that became our countries all time leading fighter pilot aces. {For those not knowing, an aces is someone that shoots down 5 enemy planes that are confirm}.
Richard Bong of the old Army Air Force during the war against Japan in the Pacific became the leading ace by shooting down 40 planes, with at least 4 probables.
Thomas McGuire is the all-time second with 38 confirmed and another 3 probables.
Both flew P-38 'Lightnings', both born the same year 1920 and neither lived past 1945.
Unfortunately McGuire was killed during a dogfight, and Bong died about 6 months later testing the P-80, our first combat jet fighter.
If you're a WWII history buff, their life stories make interesting reading.
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Rereading John Keel's The Mothman Prophecies. A very, very, very interesting book.
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Rereading John Keel's The Mothman Prophecies. A very, very, very interesting book.
Calling B&N today to see if they have Larry Flints ---One Nation Under Sex.
Also- Sky Lights and Screen Doors written by the brother of Pamalia Smarts husband.
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Just finished James Rollins' Altar of Eden.
Couldn't put it down. It gets pretty gory in some places, if that sort of thing bothers you, it's very descriptive.
I have also read his The Doomsday Key which was also quite good.
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Calling B&N today to see if they have Larry Flints ---One Nation Under Sex.
Also- Sky Lights and Screen Doors written by the brother of Pamalia Smarts husband.
Found both books and started on the Larry Flint book first----really reverent with the Weiner scandal in the news today. Written by David Eisenbach PH.D , Contracted by Larry Flint I would guess, 10 pages of bibliography and a 5 page Index---
This is the kind of book a parent with a weird sense of humor would give to an 8 grader to drive their history teacher nuts. :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:
The questioning of a politicians morals in Private life seem to go back to our founding fathers. What is amazing is how many of them used their wives to sexually seduce others in power for their own advantage.
I am only on the third chapter and found Ben Franklin brought over from France an upstanding man well acquainted with battle, a lover of little boys to train our solders at Vally Forge. Franklin cared not about the mans sexual acts, just that he was of great use to Washington. DADT way back when.
Anyone interested in American History and how life was back then will see the parallels before one gets past the first few chapters.
Our press at the time published rumors of all kind of high jinks and these are recounted with the press of France.
Was Dolly Madison a hero or Doxie.-----Fascinating so far and yes I am the kind of person that would have make sure my kids in going through the grades into College used this book for homework had it been available at that time.
Another book," Lies my teachers taught me" is another excellent way to make sure the teachers know their stuff and not just teaching what they were taught.
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I just finished Richard North Patterson latest.. I know he takes Viagra to maintain The %#&*(&%# he has for the right . I will NEVER read him again.. Berkeley born and bred which speaks volumes..
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Just finished reading Appaloosa, by Robert B. Parker.
Saw parts of it on the TV movie with Ed Harris. Movie follows book - good break from history and military reading. Time to get back to those though - starting 'The Nuremberg Trials', by Paul Roland, or maybe 'Rogue Warrior-Echo Platoon', by Richard Marcinko and John Weisman.
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Has anyone read 'Game of Thrones'? My brother mentioned it and I glanced at the plot but keep forgetting to stop at the library and bookstore(s) in the neighborhood.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553386794/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308963662&sr=8-2
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Has anyone read 'Game of Thrones'? My brother mentioned it and I glanced at the plot but keep forgetting to stop at the library and bookstore(s) in the neighborhood.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553386794/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308963662&sr=8-2
No, but I'm avidly following the HBO series. Alas, it's over until next year. :bawl:
Lately I've been reading alot of space opera, or I think that's what it's called. Hubby and I were comparing notes last night. I think we'd like each other's books.
I just finished a book called Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair. Currently deciding which of my books to start next. Probably her next novel in the series. I have a habit of finding an author and wearing them out.
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Has anyone read 'Game of Thrones'? My brother mentioned it and I glanced at the plot but keep forgetting to stop at the library and bookstore(s) in the neighborhood.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553386794/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308963662&sr=8-2
I love this series. Ya gotta love the dwarf! Book 5, A Dance with Dragons is supposed to finally be published next month. Since it's been 6 years since A Feast for Crows, I had to start over.
You might like the Locke Lamora series by Scott Lynch too.
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I picked up 'Game of Thrones' yesterday after my internet crapped out and I couldn't get online. Now I remember why I stopped reading fantasy novels... ridiculous dialouge and silly character names. The story looks promising, though. I will give it a shot.
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Let us know what you think. I was thinking about reading them after seeing the show too. I am reading John Sandford's Bad Blood right now. I also ready his Buried Prey and the newest Sookie Stackhouse book and the new Janet Evanovich book (Smoking Seventeen) this week. Everything is boring lately. I need some new authors!
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I never saw the show and didn't know they had made one. This damn book finally got interesting when someone tried to kill the lord's second-youngest son by shoving him out a window.
The insipid names and ridiculous dialogue are still getting on my nerves, but I can skim over most of that.
Current review: 2 1/2 stars out of 5.
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I'm "reading" The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler. Pretty decent page turner after the first few chapters. Some melodramatic dialog here and there but what do you want from summer fare?
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I'm almost done with the second book in George Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series and picked up books three and four earlier today. I thought I'd hold off on buying book five for now.
http://www.amazon.com/George-R.R.-Martin/e/B000APIGH4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_al1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1PX0ZGA4VV995975CXW1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
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Still in my Hollywood phase, reading Rob Lowe's "Stories I Only Tell My Friends".
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Just finished rereading Radio Free Albemuth by Philip K. Dick. I was surprised at how much the Berkeley of the late 40s-early 50s sounded like Madison of today. Was also surprised by some of the anti-statist messages I didn't noticed when I read the book in my twenties.
Just started Ringworld by Larry Niven for the first time. So far, so interesting.
Next up is something called Into the Looking Glass by John Ringo. Don't really know anything about it. Seems to be some sci-fi version of Lewis Carol.
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I'm almost done with the second book in George Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series and picked up books three and four earlier today. I thought I'd hold off on buying book five for now.
http://www.amazon.com/George-R.R.-Martin/e/B000APIGH4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_al1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1PX0ZGA4VV995975CXW1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846
After the third book, the series goes downhill pretty quickly, IMHO. Too many good characters get killed off, that I just can't get attached to anyone. The writing is pretty good, but I think he's getting lost in plot twists.
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After the third book, the series goes downhill pretty quickly, IMHO. Too many good characters get killed off, that I just can't get attached to anyone. The writing is pretty good, but I think he's getting lost in plot twists.
I didn't want to hear that, but I'm not surprised. Each one of these books is about 900 pages (paperback)... they're not short stories.
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I stumbled upon the Glen Beck show this morning just as he was interviewing Brad Thor about a new book called Full Black. Sounded good and like some veiled references to Soros in the novel so I bought the audio version from Audible and put the other books on hold.
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I stumbled upon the Glen Beck show this morning just as he was interviewing Brad Thor about a new book called Full Black. Sounded good and like some veiled references to Soros in the novel so I bought the audio version from Audible and put the other books on hold.
Just started "Full Black" a few hours ago......
Also I just finished Daniel Silva's "Portrait of a Spy"..........which is his best so far. Silva is a conservative author that doesn't hesitate to lob a few rocks at the Obama administration (fictionally of course) and it's policies and advisors. This book details the continuing exploits of his major character Gabriel Allon, of Israeli Intelligence, chasing down another group of Islamic terrorists. Excellent read.
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I stumbled upon the Glen Beck show this morning just as he was interviewing Brad Thor about a new book called Full Black. Sounded good and like some veiled references to Soros in the novel so I bought the audio version from Audible and put the other books on hold.
The Mystery Book Club sent me a notice about it a few days ago and I ordered it. Thor's going to be at my local B&N next Monday.
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The Mystery Book Club sent me a notice about it a few days ago and I ordered it. Thor's going to be at my local B&N next Monday.
This book is hella-scary. I hope there are real Carlton Groups out there taking down the bad guys.
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The Mystery Book Club sent me a notice about it a few days ago and I ordered it. Thor's going to be at my local B&N next Monday.
I thought you were talking about the guy with the muscles, hammer, and fancy red cape. :thatsright:
Carry on...
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I stumbled upon the Glen Beck show this morning just as he was interviewing Brad Thor about a new book called Full Black. Sounded good and like some veiled references to Soros in the novel so I bought the audio version from Audible and put the other books on hold.
You haven't been reading Thor? Shame on you. His books are great. The references to Soros aren't veiled at all, unless changing his name is veiling...
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I thought you were talking about the guy with the muscles, hammer, and fancy red cape. :thatsright:
Carry on...
We don't need to hear about your fantasy life... :p
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This book is hella-scary. I hope there are real Carlton Groups out there taking down the bad guys.
Frankly, I doubt it......However, I just finished the book last night. It was great!!
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YAY! A new author to read!!!!!!!! :cheersmate: Right now I am reading the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Kid's book again, but I am enjoying them.
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Just read "Robert E. Lee on Leadership" by H.W. Crocker lll.
Read it cover to cover in one day. It was interesting to me at least.
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Just started David Baldacci's Hell's Corner.
Brad Thor is one of my favorite authors. Vince Flynn is another one, who has also been on Glenn Beck, and Flynn is also a conservative who believes in going after the "bad guys".
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Just finished "The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest," the third in the trilogy. I loved the first two, but found the third just a bit dry. There was a lot of bureaucratic descriptive material, which I slogged through waiting for something to happen. Thoroughly enjoyed the ending. I was so afraid he was going to leave a lot of things dangling, in order to have a fourth book (the author has died). He didn't .
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Found this while following links.
http://curtis.library.northwestern.edu/curtis/viewPage.cgi?showp=1&size=2&id=nai.01.book.00000018&volume=1#nav
Plowing very slowly through this and on another forum when survival methods came up what can be better the explorations of a young man to photograph and write about our vanishing American Tribes back in the early 1900.
I have a strange hunch that these story's and research were a kick in the butt to Teddy Roosevelt to get him Gung Ho to save the North West.------In fact he wrote a review about the books and
it would not surprise me if he and the Author became friends.
Simply amazing what the Author found out about the customs of the American Indian tribes. How they lived and some weird history about the tribe that were taken down by a Messiah among them that had our Government just ignored them would have caused Little harm.
The photos show the homes they constructed from Alaska to the deep south west, their tools and how their religions controll each tribe from sun up to sun down.
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Holy crap, he killed Arya Stark. :popcorn:
Damn those Lannisters.
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Three down, four more to go.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire :popcorn:
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Holy crap, he killed Arya Stark. :popcorn:
Damn those Lannisters.
YOU SUCK!!!!! Dumbledore dies! He was dead the whole time! She was a man! The butler did it!
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YOU SUCK!!!!! Dumbledore dies! He was dead the whole time! She was a man! The butler did it!
:whistling:
It gets worse. And no, Arya isn't dead. At least not at the begging of book 4.
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Reading Legends and Lies, Great Mysteries Of The Old West by Dale Walker. Really good book if you are a history buff. Being from Texas the part about Davy Crockett and the Alamo was interesting. But the little nuggets like what happened to Mariwether Lewis and fact that he wanted to adopt Sacajawea's little boy and educate him and how he grew up were really fascinating. And even tho Jessie James was a cold blooded killer his baptist upbringing made him just pious enough not to cuss. Instead he would just say "dingus". In fact he said it so much that is what his brother Frank called him. Lots of tidbits to make a history nerd happy.
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Oh gawd, book 4 ("A Feast for Crows") took forever to finish. Books 1-3... awesome. Book 4? Not so much. From what I've heard, books 4-5 were supposed to be a single volume but Martin broke them up into two separate books and re-wrote it. I wound up skipping whole chapters about the ironmen and their ridiculously over-analyzed religions and inheritance and blah blah blah.
Not quite as thrilled with this one. I think I'm going to hold off on buying book 5 as I mentioned earlier.
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Finished Rob Lowe's book, then had to end up getting Melissa Gilberts book Prairie Tales to spill about all the dirt Rob Lowe refused to spill LOL. Now reading World's Scariest Places and Most Haunted Locations.
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After a diversion and a vacation, I am back to Larry Niven's Ringworld. Great book so far.
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Oh gawd, book 4 ("A Feast for Crows") took forever to finish. Books 1-3... awesome. Book 4? Not so much. From what I've heard, books 4-5 were supposed to be a single volume but Martin broke them up into two separate books and re-wrote it. I wound up skipping whole chapters about the ironmen and their ridiculously over-analyzed religions and inheritance and blah blah blah.
Not quite as thrilled with this one. I think I'm going to hold off on buying book 5 as I mentioned earlier.
Not much happens in 5. Big letdown after waiting so long, too much about too many. Even the Imp was disappointing.
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Finished Ringworld over the weekend and started Through the Looking Glass by John Ringo, spectacular so far.
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Just finished Storm of War, a one-volume history of WWII written by a Brit with lots of rave reviews from various Brit publications.
Mixed feelings about it, one the one hand it is very good at looking at several different possible outcomes at critical points, and well-researched from a literary/historical point of view, for what that's worth. However, it is dogged with a surprising number of glaring technical errors about major weapons and equipment, the odd paragraph reeling off statistical totals that don't actually add anything informative and valuable to the text, and an annoying Anglocentricism that is unable to call out any English mistakes honestly, choosing instead to excuse their most notable debacles as 'all the fault of the Nazis for starting it.'
Good book on balance, though. I did not research the author's bona fides, but I did get the impression that like John Keegan, he is purely a historian who lacks the context of having actually served in a military command, so there is a certain blindness in spots to how and why things actually happen the way they do in a military chain of command, especially in wartime. This is particularly notable in British historians, who seem to place a charmingly child-like faith in the veracity and completeness of official unit diaries, while anyone who has actually ever participated at an operational military headquarters would know that aside from time and place of engagements, these are generally as inaccurate, self-serving, and unreliable as a general's exculpatory memoirs penned 15 years later.
After reading so much history during my life, I have come to the conclusion that professional historians have several notable weak spots in their thinking and analysis. One of the most annoying of these is petty squabbles with other professional historians over trivialities, of course within the limited sphere of academia these squabbles may make or break a career, but they poison works written for the non-academic press when they are allowed to intrude. They also have a particularly irritating tendency to denigrate anyone who has first-hand knowledge that doesn't support their own hypotheses as 'Self-serving' [Rather ironically] while minimizing the same flaw in works upon which they rely. But, the gravest sin they commit is a love for dismissing anything ugly on their own side recounted by veterans as 'Merely anecdotal,' while claiming anything similarly-sourced that agrees with their point of view to be from 'Primary sources.'
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I have had the same Stanley Karnow book on Vietnam sitting on my bookshelf for the last ten years and I still cannot finish it. Every time he starts naming one Vietnamese officer or politician after another, my head starts to swim. I can't keep any of the names straight.
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I just finished book #3 of the Tunnels series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams. http://www.amazon.com/Tunnels-Book-1-Roderick-Gordon/dp/0545078814/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317403544&sr=1-1 It is the story of a boy and his dad who are amateur archaeologist and they find a vast subterranean civilization. They are such great books!! I just ordered book 4 from Amazon since my library didn't have it. They are also making a movie of Tunnels but it won't be out for a while.
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Started "A Cooks Tour". Got it for 2 bucks at a thrift shop, so why not?
So far, pretty damn good. Tony gives some honest behind the scenes opinions about the restaurants. Some of which were NOT good eventhough he had to do the "oh it's so good I'm rolling my eyes!" bullshit for the cameras.
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FInished Book four of the Looking Glass trilogy[sic] and started The Last Centuian. I'm loaded up on John Ringo for a while and am looking to 1974 by David Peace after watching The Red Riding trilogy on Netflix.
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For the Lee Childs fans, I just finished the latest in his "Jack Reacher" series entitled The Affair. For those who enjoy fiction thrillers with a military theme, this one is great.
Those who have followed the Reacher books will finally find out what happened to separate him from the Army. A murder mystery set two decades ago at a rural Army installation in Mississippi,,,,,,,really a stemwinder.
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Book #5 of David Weber's "Safehold" Series, How Firm A Foundation just came in. :rocker: Now all I have to do is find the time to finish re-reading book #4; A Mighty Fortress.
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Just read "Mighty Fitz", the story of the gargantuan great lakes ore carrier Edmund Fitzgerald by Michael Schumacher.
I was pleasantly surprised, a great read really. Very interesting story or rather a series of intertwined stories, those of all the colorful people involved with this legendary ship. I was afraid it may turn out to be a dry treatise on an old bland cargo ship but it proved to be a page turner.
(http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312020005l/4734.jpg)
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4734.Mighty_Fitz
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Against my better judgment, I picked up Bill O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln. It was surprisingly well done! Not exactly a detailed history, but not bad, either. A pretty decent page-turner.
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I just finished The Burn Farm by Michael Benson. It's a true crime story about Sheila LaBarre, a disturbed woman who murdered at least two of her lovers after subjecting them to physical and mental torture and making them play her sick sexual games. She then burned their bodies on her farm. (Remains of a third person were found but not identified as of the book's publication.) Somehow Benson manages to make this intriguing story incredibly dull. About half of the book is devoted to LaBarre's trial and the efforts of her defense attorneys to prove that she was insane at the time of the murders. Benson doesn't leave out a single detail, and after a while the parade of witnesses becomes a blur. He even covers the jury selection, describing the voir dire of countless prospective jurors, but to what end? Okay, we get it: picking jurors in a sensational case is difficult. No need to drive the point into the ground. It seemed as if he was padding the book.
The story of Sheila LaBarre is bizarre and compelling. The portrait that emerges is one of a dangerously disturbed and violent woman who made everyone's life miserable for years. The early part of the book, which details her background, her crimes, and the police investigation is well-written and very interesting. Unfortunately the book gets bogged down in the minutiae of the trial and becomes quite tedious. His more recent book Killer Twins is much better.
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Origins of the Crash by Lowenstein, Game Change, and I just stated Throw Them All Out.
Origins was an interesting read on insider trading and corruption. Game Change was mostly insider stuff about Obama and Hillary with a pretty good bash of McLame and Palin (McLame and Palin fans beware it is not pretty). TTAO (about twenty pages in) is starting to make my blood boil and makes me long for TERM LIMITS, damn it. :bird:
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I just finished The Burn Farm by Michael Benson. It's a true crime story about Sheila LaBarre, a disturbed woman who murdered at least two of her lovers after subjecting them to physical and mental torture and making them play her sick sexual games. She then burned their bodies on her farm. (Remains of a third person were found but not identified as of the book's publication.) Somehow Benson manages to make this intriguing story incredibly dull. About half of the book is devoted to LaBarre's trial and the efforts of her defense attorneys to prove that she was insane at the time of the murders. Benson doesn't leave out a single detail, and after a while the parade of witnesses becomes a blur. He even covers the jury selection, describing the voir dire of countless prospective jurors, but to what end? Okay, we get it: picking jurors in a sensational case is difficult. No need to drive the point into the ground. It seemed as if he was padding the book.
The story of Sheila LaBarre is bizarre and compelling. The portrait that emerges is one of a dangerously disturbed and violent woman who made everyone's life miserable for years. The early part of the book, which details her background, her crimes, and the police investigation is well-written and very interesting. Unfortunately the book gets bogged down in the minutiae of the trial and becomes quite tedious. His more recent book Killer Twins is much better.
Up date, Shelia in jail was SELLING decks of cards with her autograph to the woman in jail to give out for Christmass gifts. This was a few years ago when she was famous in my neck of the woods. Today most of us remember the events but as ever worse things happens, we want to forget her, she was small pickings compaired to the eye brow raisings things that people with high profile have done, been tried for and convicted.
We have our local school teacher Pam Smart, and the owner of a chain of drug stores that took an ax to someone he thought was stealing from him in his barn.
We had a mayor from a local town who had her son arrested for Kidnapping, terrorising and fortunately the victem survived. My son is a good boy she sobbed on the wittness stand. Not reported in the local news but all details came from a news paper way up state.
It is interesting to read about the big time trials in small towns but it is the after math that is perhaps more interesting that comes a couple years later. Shelias farm was auctioned off, no one from the Doctors family
she claimed to be married to ever investigated and or claimed their fathers money or property.
LIFE IS STRANGE.
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Reading The Terhan Initiative now.
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'A Feast for Crows' was sooooo boring. Finally got a copy of 'A Dance with Dragons' (book 5) and I'm a couple hundred pages into it. OMG, is teh best. :drool:
The new Rick Riordan book came out last month. That's next on my list.
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I borrowed like 12 books last week... Just finished "Cold Ridge" by Carla Neggars. Good author...writes alot about small town mysteries and New England..Lives in Quechee, Vermont(beautiful place btw)
Does anybody read the Christine Feehan Series??
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Right now I'm half way through Tony Levin's Beyond the Bass Clef. It really gives some insight to the whole music business.
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Just finished WEB Griffin's Final Justice which is in his "Badge of Honor" series. As it turns out, it ain't Final after all, as he wrote another final book in the series called The Traffickers. I'll start on that one tonight on my Kindle.
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I just finished The Burn Farm by Michael Benson. It's a true crime story about Sheila LaBarre, a disturbed woman who murdered at least two of her lovers after subjecting them to physical and mental torture and making them play her sick sexual games. She then burned their bodies on her farm. (Remains of a third person were found but not identified as of the book's publication.) Somehow Benson manages to make this intriguing story incredibly dull. About half of the book is devoted to LaBarre's trial and the efforts of her defense attorneys to prove that she was insane at the time of the murders. Benson doesn't leave out a single detail, and after a while the parade of witnesses becomes a blur. He even covers the jury selection, describing the voir dire of countless prospective jurors, but to what end? Okay, we get it: picking jurors in a sensational case is difficult. No need to drive the point into the ground. It seemed as if he was padding the book.
The story of Sheila LaBarre is bizarre and compelling. The portrait that emerges is one of a dangerously disturbed and violent woman who made everyone's life miserable for years. The early part of the book, which details her background, her crimes, and the police investigation is well-written and very interesting. Unfortunately the book gets bogged down in the minutiae of the trial and becomes quite tedious. His more recent book Killer Twins is much better.
I am a true crime book afficionado and had picked up Burn Farm at my library; couldn't finish it due to that minutiae of which you speak.
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Whoa. That might be worth checking out.
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Reading The Devil in the White City, about America's first serial killer and lots of history about the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
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Reading The Devil in the White City, about America's first serial killer and lots of history about the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
H. H. Holmes? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._H._Holmes)
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I am a true crime book afficionado and had picked up Burn Farm at my library; couldn't finish it due to that minutiae of which you speak.
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who disliked that aspect of the book. I love a good true crime story, but I can't stand a book that gets too "cluttered."
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Reading The Devil in the White City, about America's first serial killer and lots of history about the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
That looks good, will write down and see if my library carries it...
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'A Feast for Crows' was sooooo boring. Finally got a copy of 'A Dance with Dragons' (book 5) and I'm a couple hundred pages into it. OMG, is teh best. :drool:
I read the first four books in the series, within a months time. I've been on 'A Dance with Dragons' for two months... Sigh...
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I read the first four books in the series, within a months time. I've been on 'A Dance with Dragons' for two months... Sigh...
Same here. I got to read a few more pages while I was doing laundry yesterday, but that was it.
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I borrowed like 12 books last week... Just finished "Cold Ridge" by Carla Neggars. Good author...writes alot about small town mysteries and New England..Lives in Quechee, Vermont(beautiful place btw)
Does anybody read the Christine Feehan Series??
Just saw your post and heck yeah, I love Feehan's Carpathians. I do, however, wait until they come out in paperback. I read an enormous amount of paranormals, including Kenyon, Ione, Frost, Briggs, to name a very few authors.
Book I finished tonight though was After American by Mark Steyn. I always enjoy listening when he hosts Rush Limbaugh's show; he refers to himself as "your undocumented radio host". :-)
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Reading 1974 by David Peace.
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I finally finished 'A Dance of Dragons'. It only took me a month to read it. :thatsright:
Excellent as always... amazing story. Now I have to wait until next year for the next one.
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Finished 1974, great crime novel, very grim and vulgar. The plot didn't always make sense to me but the vulgarity and grim sense of gutterness gave the novel a kind of continuity.
Started 11-22-63. While Stephen King's Candy Land politics is sometimes grating, there is no denying he is a great story teller.
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Just saw your post and heck yeah, I love Feehan's Carpathians. I do, however, wait until they come out in paperback. I read an enormous amount of paranormals, including Kenyon, Ione, Frost, Briggs, to name a very few authors.
Book I finished tonight though was After American by Mark Steyn. I always enjoy listening when he hosts Rush Limbaugh's show; he refers to himself as "your undocumented radio host". :-)
Just finishing reading Feehan's Dark Demon. awesome....
Dark Prince just came out in paperback!!!
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I just finished The Drop by Michael Connelly. I loved it as I have loved all of Connnellys' novels, especially the Harry Bosch series. My father turned me on to Harry Bosch about 6 months ago and i have read them all from 1st to last. I just started on the latest James Lee Burke novel, Feast Day of Fools. I'm liking it a lot so far. I am looking forward to reading the upcoming Robert Crais novel Taken, I have it preordered for my Kindle.
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After finishing 11-22-63 I decided to get It next. I'm thinking of getting Brave New World next even though I have a couple of other books in my library.
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I just finished One Second After. The story was great and provoked a lot of thought. It wasn't the best writing ever but I would read another of his novels. Now I have a companion to my irrational fears of a zombie apocalypse with my new fears of multiple EMP bursts.
I love Stephen King before 2000. After that he kinda got the crazies. Favorites are The Talisman, The Dark Tower series, The Stand, and It.
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Finished Rob Lowe's book, then had to end up getting Melissa Gilberts book Prairie Tales to spill about all the dirt Rob Lowe refused to spill LOL. Now reading World's Scariest Places and Most Haunted Locations.
Did you read Alison Arngrim's Confessions of a Prairie Bitch?
Because, you should, you really really should
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Reading Simon R Green's Deathstalker War. Larry Corriea's Spellbound is on deck
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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
by some Swedish Dude.
very good book. The Swedish movie was good too. Haven't seen the new one.
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The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
by some Swedish Dude.
very good book. The Swedish movie was good too. Haven't seen the new one.
Stieg Larsson.
If you like these books you may like The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler which is a Swedish book attempting to ride the coattails of The Girl Who books. I took the chance and found it a good read.
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Stieg Larsson.
If you like these books you may like The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler which is a Swedish book attempting to ride the coattails of The Girl Who books. I took the chance and found it a good read.
The Girl Who has some Big Damn Issues.
Liked the book, BTW. Nicely written plot. One hopes they didn't $*&@ it up translating into Engrish.
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The Girl Who has some Big Damn Issues.
Liked the book, BTW. Nicely written plot. One hopes they didn't $*&@ it up translating into Engrish.
It is a vastly different book in Swedish, it is about a girl who's sister was bitten by a moose and her attempts to get revenge on that moose. But then, inexplicably, by the third book, it is suddenly about llamas.
The English version is, inarguably, superior.
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Just completed Chuck Pfarrer's book, "SEAL Target Geronimo", which is his account of events in SEAL Team 6's vermin-ridding mission of taking out OBL.
The book is not without controversy. Even Admiral McRaven, the SPECOPS flag officer, had his spokesperson deny the substance of Pfarrer's book in favor of what Barry's administration said.
Pfarrer got a couple of minor details wrong. BFD. Biden announced to the world that ST6 was the outfit that took out OBL.
Nice job, Plugs. You da man. :whatever:
My money's on Pfarrer. Barry and Biden can go **** themselves. With a pineapple, of course.
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Finished Steve Jobs (of whom I was never a fan in the first place).
Now reading Chrissy (rhymes with Sissy) Matthews JFK. My advice? Don't waste money on Sissy's book take it out from the library. Long time Kennedy fans will be horrified at some of the less than flattering things Sissy points out about JFK (I assume he was trying to impress with his insider knowledge). :rotf:
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I finished a 'classic' WWII biography, "Helmet For My Pillow" by Robert Leckie, published in 1950. It was very well written and had it's own humor but lacked the rawness and graphic detail of Eugene Sledge's "With The Old Breed" (still the go-to guy for WWII books). It was still very engrossing. Maybe it's this Kindle format. The pages are much smaller and it feels like it takes longer to read a book than a normal printed volume would. I think it took me three or four days to read this one.
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Just finished reading - "In My Time" by Dick Cheney.
Interesting insite into his years in government, from The House of Representatives through Vice-President. He talks of incidents and people he both agreed and disagreed with and why he either favored or disliked policies. He sure didn't skirt any of the issues. Good read for a biography of a man with few to thank for helping him get to his position, while not afraid to admit his short comings, mostly in his early years. In a phrase from his time - "he is and was comfortable in his own skin".
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I finally finished 'A Dance of Dragons'. It only took me a month to read it. :thatsright:
Excellent as always... amazing story. Now I have to wait until next year for the next one.
I finally finished it as well, and well... I don't think it was as bad as the reviews people gave. I'm still shocked with the final few pages though, both good and bad. I really hope that Snow wasn't killed off. Additionally, the Others better start some serious stuff at the wall, I'm getting tired of it being alluded to for five books now... without anything significant happening. I hope it's not going to be a long wait for the next book.
I just finished One Second After. The story was great and provoked a lot of thought. It wasn't the best writing ever but I would read another of his novels. Now I have a companion to my irrational fears of a zombie apocalypse with my new fears of multiple EMP bursts.
I love Stephen King before 2000. After that he kinda got the crazies. Favorites are The Talisman, The Dark Tower series, The Stand, and It.
I've been meaning to pick up One Second After as well.
Oh, I completely agree about Stephen King. I don't even pick up his books anymore.
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My current books are:
Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things
by Gail Steketee and Randy Frost
It's a pop science expose on the investigations and case studies of hoarders, with some pretty interesting revelations. Quick short read as well.
Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?
by Pasi Sahlberg, Series on School Reform
I heard an interview that really drew me in about a recent educational summit where the guest speaker was truly taken back by the audience. Apparently he was invited to give a seminar on how the Finnish educational model has become a world leader in the quality of education it grants kids. Yet, throughout his entire lecture no one in the audience wanted to hear about what they did that worked, but how they can further political rhetoric causes like school of choice, charter schools, privatization, vouchers, etc. It was ahem, interesting. So I ordered the book on Amazon, just arrived and I can't wait to read for myself.
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I finally finished it as well, and well... I don't think it was as bad as the reviews people gave. I'm still shocked with the final few pages though, both good and bad. I really hope that Snow wasn't killed off. Additionally, the Others better start some serious stuff at the wall, I'm getting tired of it being alluded to for five books now... without anything significant happening. I hope it's not going to be a long wait for the next book.
He's killing off everyone. :o
The Red Wedding was a huge shock, but I like the story line with Bran... it's extremely interesting.
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He's killing off everyone. :o
The Red Wedding was a huge shock, but I like the story line with Bran... it's extremely interesting.
The Bran story is pretty fascinating, I was hoping for a bit more development in that story arc though.
I was as shocked as everyone about the Red Wedding, but now view it as brilliant for story development. Still, Snow has developed much farther and more interesting as a pivotal character to me... I'd hate to see him leave. He's been one of the few characters that I genuinely liked and rooted for. Granted, he could become like his uncle... hopefully not like his step-mom though. I still don't understand what her rebirth was about or where it's going to play in some future story arc.
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I'm about half way through Tom Clancy's Locked On........it's a continuation of the book released about six months ago about a secret private counterterrorism organization operating in the US under a cowardly, inexperienced, leftist Democrat president and his cronies (sound familiar?), complete with a shadowy european billionare financier supporting him covertly (also sound familiar?).
If there is nothing else in this book to love, read it for the well-veiled gratuiotus shots he continually takes at the Obama administration and their actions in the area of US national security.
Althouugh I'm not ready to state that Clancy has "jumped the shark" yet, this book isn't in the same class with The Hunt for Red October, and his other earlier work. Perhaps this is because he is using cowriters now.
It's entertaining, and at over 850 pages is a challenge. Overall, I'd give it a solid "B".
doc
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I've started "Chewing Gum In Holy Water". So far, excellent.
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I checked out Pat Buchanan's latest, Suicide of a Superpower, and as always find myself riveted by his scholarship AND the way he looks at history. I wish he'd been the President elect in 2000; but it's all water under the bridge now. :(
Having finished the book, I'm more pessimistic than ever about the United States my 3-year old grandson is going to inherit. It definitely won't be the same nation I grew up in. :bawl:
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I am reading Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover
I have actually been to the seminar and my sister is a certified instructor of Ramsey's. It really works and is easy to do. I highly recommend it for anyone whether rich or poor.
As far as my most recent books, I am a sucker for autobiographies and am currently reading My Appetite for Destruction by Stephen Adler. He was the original drummer for Guns n Roses. Very good tell all. Dude does not hide anything.
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I just finished The Help. It was a lot better than the movie. I also read Ancient Mysteries written by two guys that I am sure post at DU. They just had to throw political bullshit and their opinions on religion into the book and ruin it. It is nonfiction so of course I wanted facts not their dubious theories.
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"Into Thin Air", by Jon Krakauer. A sobering look at the realities and tragedy of trying to summit Everest. Eight lives were claimed on this ill thought out expedition. Krakauer describes in detail what went wrong.
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On page two someone mentioned picking up Helter Skelter in a free pile. I pride myself on finishing every book I stat, but that was one of the few rare exceptions.
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On page two someone mentioned picking up Helter Skelter in a free pile. I pride myself on finishing every book I stat, but that was one of the few rare exceptions.
I remember trying to read that book, years and years ago.
Even trying to read it as a fiction book, I couldn't do it.
Manson and the rest of them should have gotten the death penalty. No...they never should have made it to the jail in the first place. :censored:
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I remember trying to read that book, years and years ago.
Even trying to read it as a fiction book, I couldn't do it.
Manson and the rest of them should have gotten the death penalty. No...they never should have made it to the jail in the first place. :censored:
Although the perfect interview is Geraldo and Charlie.
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I remember trying to read that book, years and years ago.
Even trying to read it as a fiction book, I couldn't do it.
Manson and the rest of them should have gotten the death penalty. No...they never should have made it to the jail in the first place. :censored:
Not to pick nits, but Manson was convicted and sentenced to death. But the California Supreme Court struck down the death penalty in 1972, and Manson's death penalty was automatically commuted to life.
Since then, California's gone back to gassing/slipping people the needle after the good ol' US Supreme Court reinstated it, but not good ol' Charlie boy.
And in 2006, Commiefornia put in a moratorium against the DP while they "examine" their procedures and rules and such. :whatever:
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I actually liked Helter Skelter. I am reading a young adult book now called The Maze Runner. So far it is holding my attention.
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I really like Lee Child's Reacher novels, as well as Brad Thor's books. BTW...Brad Thor is a conservative, and it comes across in his books. The last one I read was The Apostle.
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Just finished all three of the Hunger Games series in one sitting. (Yeah, I know...)
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Just finished all three of the Hunger Games series in one sitting. (Yeah, I know...)
That's a long sitting.
They're good though.
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That's a long sitting.
They're good though.
All totaled, only took about 6 hours or so.
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I don't remember how long it took me. I think I started re-reading the first book as soon as I got to the end. I was up most of the night. I probably read that damn thing a dozen times (not all at once).
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I actually liked Helter Skelter. I am reading a young adult book now called The Maze Runner. So far it is holding my attention.
The one I tried to read was written by the District Attorney who prosecuted the case, very successfully I might add. Vincent Bugliosi (sp?) It just didn't flow for me. It seemed to jump all around, and I couldn't get past it. Maybe I should try again, and this time finish it.
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I really like Lee Child's Reacher novels, as well as Brad Thor's books. BTW...Brad Thor is a conservative, and it comes across in his books. The last one I read was The Apostle.
I like both of these authors too.
If you haven't read Vince Flynn, try his books too. He is also a conservative.
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I like both of these authors too.
If you haven't read Vince Flynn, try his books too. He is also a conservative.
I'm reading Kill Shot right now........good stuff.
doc
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I like both of these authors too.
If you haven't read Vince Flynn, try his books too. He is also a conservative.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'll look him up!
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Just finished reading The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian. Fascinating novel about a young woman who suffers a brutal attack during her college days. A few years later she is a social worker at a homeless shelter. Her supervisor gives her a collection of photographs from the collection of a recently deceased elderly client, instructing her to try and put them in some kind of order. The client was a professional photographer before mental illness and alcohol wrecked his career, and the supervisor thinks that she can probably put them into some kind of gallery show that will help raise funds for the shelter. The young social worker throws herself into the project, digging into the man's life and trying to figure out who he was. But as she digs deeper she risks uncovering some ugly secrets.
This is a very well-written and engrossing novel. And the final few pages pack one hell of a twist that left me questioning all of my assumptions about the characters. My book club had a very animated discussion about this one. I don't always love the club's selections, but this one was a goodie. I will definitely seek out more of Bohjalian's books.
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I just finished Huxley's Brave New World, which is very interesting. After reading this novel, I have come up with what I think comprises our modern world:
10% self-directed individualist
60% of Huxley's "amusing ourselves to death" dystopia, evidenced by people who believe Jon Stewart and SNL are news sources, among other things
20% Orwellian face-mashing dystopia
10% other
I'm sure people who have read the novel before me have seen the parallels between the novel's Soma and modern day ecstasy.
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I am reading "THe Predator" by Patricia Cornwell. Pretty gory!!Also the Scarletti Curse on the Nook, Christine Feehan
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I'm re-reading Eugene Sledge and picked up a copy of Mark David Ledbetter's books. Very interesting stuff.
From its small government, non-aggressive, republican beginnings, America has become a garrison state devoted to remaking the world in its own image. While Republicans and Democrats quibble over the details of policing the world and running a nanny state, Ledbetter looks at another way, a forgotten way, the way invented during a tiny window of opportunity by the Enlightenment philosophers who wrote the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution. America’s Forgotten History is their story, a story once well-known but now lost to both historians and the general populace in the course of America’s mad rush into the future. Part One, Foundations, examined the Enlightenment underpinnings of the American system, the colonial period, the Revolution and Constitution, and the first generation of presidents. Part Two, Rupture, continues the story up through Lincoln and the Civil War.
Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Forgotten-History-Part-ebook/dp/B003GXEU1S)
I'll be looking for volume 3 later.
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Just started The Odyssey by some guy named Homer.
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Naked people won't help you -Steve Ozer-
To some of you; It's not what you think it is !
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Just finished the latest Jake Reacher novel, The Affair. Pretty good stuff. But then I went to IMDB and learned that a movie is being made of the Reacher novel, One Shot, and that Tom Cruise is cast as Jack Reacher. Jack Reacher is supposed to be 6'5" and 250 lbs of the ultimate can of whupass and sudden violence, yet Tom Cruise is going to portray him? What a joke.
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Just finished the latest Jake Reacher novel, The Affair. Pretty good stuff. But then I went to IMDB and learned that a movie is being made of the Reacher novel, One Shot, and that Tom Cruise is cast as Jack Reacher. Jack Reacher is supposed to be 6'5" and 250 lbs of the ultimate can of whupass and sudden violence, yet Tom Cruise is going to portray him? What a joke.
Cruise is going to be Jake Reacher?!?! :thatsright:
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Cruise is going to be Jake Reacher?!?! :thatsright:
Actually, the whole thing is a spoof and they're using Cruise in a pseudo-role:
Jake Reacharound
(He has to ask only once.)
:-)
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Don't know why I used Jake instead of Jack in my post, my bad.
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Just for the record, I am in fact 6'5" and weigh 245-250, I have also been a consistent gym rat for the last 25 years or so. In my experience as a bouncer/doorman, my size doesn't really prevent fights but encourages them. Guys get all fired up when a big guy gets in their face and they feel the need to challenge them. It never ends well, but they always try.
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Just for the record, I am in fact 6'5" and weigh 245-250, I have also been a consistent gym rat for the last 25 years or so. In my experience as a bouncer/doorman, my size doesn't really prevent fights but encourages them. Guys get all fired up when a big guy gets in their face and they feel the need to challenge them. It never ends well, but they always try.
Best Damn cooler in the business...
There's Always Barber College (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z2p1_road-house-speech_shortfilms)
Be nice, until it's time to...
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Just finished reading Wigs On The Green by Nancy Mitford. It's a satire of British fascism in the 1930's, inspired by the real-life political exploits of Mitford's sisters Diana and Unity, who were both enamored of the movement. Unity actually traveled to Germany and managed to insinuate herself into Hitler's inner circle for a time, while Diana spent most of World War II in a British prison because her involvement with fascism was deemed to be a public danger. The sisters were definitely not amused with Nancy's book, and for many years it remained out of print.
The book is a fun, light read with a lot of farcical elements such as a runaway bride, a ditzy married woman with elaborate romantic fantasies, and a pair of fortune-hunting pals who are determined to marry gorgeous young heiresses. All of these elements come together in a small English town where Eugenia, a rich young heiress, is busy promoting "Social Unionism," a movement aimed at restoring the glory of England by getting rid of foreign influences and crushing pacifism in all its forms. She seems to be the only character who really takes the movement seriously. Everyone else joins up without really giving it a lot of thought. It just seems to be the thing to do (and in the case of the fortune-hunting buddies, they do it just to impress Eugenia). Everything culminates in a disastrous Social Unionist pageant that turns into a bloody fight between the "Union Jackshirts" who represent the movement and a group of local pacifists who resent the disruption they've caused in the town.
The light treatment of fascism can be off-putting, as it seems that Mitford is more interested in having fun with the more absurd aspects of the movement than in dealing with its real dangers. Then again, when she wrote the book in 1934 she had no way of knowing how the movement would turn so ugly. All in all, it was a pretty good book with a few funny bits. I'd like to read more of her books.
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Have been kinda busy lately the last couple months, so not doing much reading. Finished "In My Time" by Dick Cheney, then just finished "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly, when I started "Flags of Our Fathers", by James Bradley. Got a bunch of unreads so haven't gone to book store in a while until this past Tuesday - what a surprise to see ... Vince Flynn is back with "Kill Shot". Needless to say, James Bradley's book is now on hold..partially read, and I am back reading the adventures of Mitch Rapp
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Am currently reading one of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson's Home: A Short History of Private Life.
Bill walks you through all the rooms of his house and explains how they came to be. Don't laugh -- this is hysterical, but also very informative.
Ever wonder how the hallway to your home came to be? Ever wonder why we have the Royal Albert Hall, and the VFW Hall, and the mess hall? Bill walks you through that.
Next stop -- the kitchen.
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/billbryson/
I first read Bill's stuff about 12 years ago. His book A Walk in the Woods, an account of his personally walking a huge chunk of the Appalachian Trail, is hysterically funny.
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I stopped reading The Odyssey by Homer to give Kira Peikoff's first novel, Living Proof a spin.
It was dreadful.
I'm back to Homer and it is so good!
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Finished Vince Flynn's latest book 'Kill Shot'. It's good news - Flynn may be fighting the big "C" but he hasn't lost anything in his writing. If you're a Mitch Rapp fan, do miss this book. Hope Flynn gets his next one written soon.
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What an old fart I am - :thatsright: -"do" should have been "DON'T" :banghead:
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After finishing Homer's Odysseus, I decided to stay in Classics mode and I started Ovid's Metamorphosis. It really is very good too and the audiobook had a very good introduction as to Ovid's life and times.
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Just finished "Twelve Years a Slave" given to me by my southern Democrat boss.
Wow. It's a first hand account of a man born free in New York state, kidnapped at age 30 in Wash., DC, and sold into slavery in Louisiana. Not the typical account, from my experience. It was origanally published in 1853.
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Lisa Jackson's "No Mercy". edge of your seat...
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I'm half way through a book titled VENGEANCE. It's edited by Lee Child (Jack Reacher series) and it's a compilation of short stories by some very renowned writers.
It's 21 stories about !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you guessed it . One of the best I have read in a while. Especially if you're big on getting even... I am.. :whistling:
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That sounds good. Is "Dolan's Cadillac" in there?
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The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown I bought the hard cover deluxe illustrated edition for m/zeit a few years back and it had been in the bookcase. Had to go to a sleep study and they said bring a book.
The illustrations are definitely worth the extra cost of the hardcover. Lots of great Washington pictures that are seldom seen. A typical Dan Brown thriller / page turner.
for those interested a DUmmy link on Dan Brown writing one featuring Mormons:
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/1002644328
:lmao:
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The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown I bought the hard cover deluxe illustrated edition for m/zeit a few years back and it had been in the bookcase. Had to go to a sleep study and they said bring a book.
The illustrations are definitely worth the extra cost of the hardcover. Lots of great Washington pictures that are seldom seen. A typical Dan Brown thriller / page turner.
for those interested a DUmmy link on Dan Brown writing one featuring Mormons:
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/1002644328
:lmao:
One of my biggest disappointments in life was NOT reading The Lost Symbol before going to Washington DC. to vacation for a week 3-4 times in my life.
All we could do was to wander about and wonder at some of the" out of place" stuff we saw on the older buildings.
Every thing from Owls on roof tops to bats in stone under the eves.
One place near DuPont Circle that was a very old stone mansion with iron gates and a discreet sign "Guests only"
fascinated me. We had detailed maps that named the places of interest, ----our B&B was across from the Chinese Embassy for instance but this place was not even on the map.
No way to know if this was a private home, owned by some government, Hubby kind of went with a very high price whore house for wealthy dignitary's. I had to control my curiosity as he forbid me from knocking on the door.
The whole city is so full of ancient symbols right out in sight that people walk right past and pay no attention to.
We have in the next town an old brick building build in the WPA days that had a couple of bats in flight worked into the stone. Few noticed them but one theory was the stone masons that built the building had a reason to put them there. It has been said that there are still plenty of the WPA projects left intact that if one looks closely will find odd things that no one knows about or will tell the significance of.
Right in our own back yard, symbols hidden in plain sight.
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The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown I bought the hard cover deluxe illustrated edition for m/zeit a few years back and it had been in the bookcase. Had to go to a sleep study and they said bring a book.
The illustrations are definitely worth the extra cost of the hardcover. Lots of great Washington pictures that are seldom seen. A typical Dan Brown thriller / page turner.
for those interested a DUmmy link on Dan Brown writing one featuring Mormons:
http://upload.democraticunderground.com/1002644328
:lmao:
The Lost Symbol is set in this building:
(http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/masonicmuseum/images/hot_main_entrance.jpg)
The "House of the Temple" for the Scottish Rite in DC.
Definitely worth a tour if you are in the area......
doc
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"Every thing from Owls on roof tops to bats in stone under the eves. "
Owls on roof tops are to scare pigeons away. They won't roost where they think an owl is.
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I read the first book of the Hunger Games. Awesome :yahoo: onto 2nd book of the trilogy. My son is on his 3rd. It's become something special between us since we never have anything really in common.
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I read the first book of the Hunger Games. Awesome :yahoo: onto 2nd book of the trilogy. My son is on his 3rd. It's become something special between us since we never have anything really in common.
You mean DNA don't count :???:
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You mean DNA don't count :???:
well you know what I mean. He is a tween and momma ain't cool no more
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well you know what I mean. He is a tween and momma ain't cool no more
But we know differnt, ain't dat raht? :naughty:
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I started watching Game of Thrones on HBO, so now I'm reading A Game of Thrones, which is the first book in the series. HBO has done a great job with staying true to the book.
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I started watching Game of Thrones on HBO, so now I'm reading A Game of Thrones, which is the first book in the series. HBO has done a great job with staying true to the book.
Can you give a quick synopsis??
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Can you give a quick synopsis??
Sure Sea!
It's a fantasy based in a land called the Seven Kingdoms. These were all individual kingdoms at one time, but through various battles, they all fall under one king in a land called Westeros. The novel has various story lines involving these lands and the people who live there. These story lines revolve around who currently sits on the Iron Throne, and who wants it, as well as keeping the 'Wildlings' from attacking. Westoros has a northern wall, protected by guards of the Night's Watch. There they watch for attacks from Wildlings (clans of people who aren't under the king), as well as mysterious creatures called The Others. They are some type of other world creatures who kill. They supposedly disappeared thousands of years ago, but recent events make some believe in their continued existence.
The setting mainly has a European medieval feel to it, with knights and castles, lords and manors, etc. The King of Westeros is King Robert Baratheon. The king's wife and in-laws are treacherous and will do anything to retain power. They are the Lannisters. The king previous to Baratheon was killed and his two surviving heirs moved to a hiding place across the narrow sea from Westeros. Part of the storyline deals with one heir's struggle to regain the throne. Her family is from the time of the dragon's and her family line supposedly contains dragon's blood. Her brother sells her as a bride to a Barbarian horse clan leader as a way to join forces to regain the throne. This family's name is Targarian.
The Starks are the last main family in the story. Lord Stark's family controls a northern area called Winterfell. He and King Baratheon are childhood friends. When the Hand of the King dies, Baratheon asks Lord Stark to become the new Hand. He and a few of his children go to King's Landing to serve Baratheon. The rest of his family stays behind in Winterfell to govern that area. The Lannisters are not happy with the king's choice of Lord Stark and work against him in King's Landing.
I hope that makes sense. I've left a lot out because it would give away the plot, plus this plot summary would go on for pages. If you want a better description, here's the wiki link. The plot introduction section gives a good overview without telling too much.
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/A_Game_of_Thrones
Here's the HBO link. You'll get a great overview here as well.
http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/index.html
Hope you enjoy!
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This story sounds like it paralells the story of the Lancasters. Richard and Elizabeth Woodville and her ilk.
The king's wife and in-laws are treacherous and will do anything to retain power. They are the Lannisters. The king previous to Baratheon was killed and his two surviving heirs moved to a hiding place across the narrow sea from Westeros.
This was the tip off right here...
The wars in this story line represent the war of Roses between the Lancaster and and York Houses. Maybe it is coincidental on my part...
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It's So Easy: and other lies by Duff McKagan from Guns N' Roses.
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The Aeneid by Virgil.
Not as good as Homer by a long shot and the imperial propaganda grates on me at times but at other times it is quite interesting.
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This story sounds like it paralells the story of the Lancasters. Richard and Elizabeth Woodville and her ilk.This was the tip off right here...
The wars in this story line represent the war of Roses between the Lancaster and and York Houses. Maybe it is coincidental on my part...
You should read it and/or watch the series. If you do, I'd love to hear about other parallels you notice. Parts of it remind me of Beowulf.
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I will check and see if the series is on Netflix
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More than half way through Hannity's "Deliver Us From Evil".
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Just downloaded The Amateur, I'm fed-up with Politics but this book seems interesting, and also if enough people buy it it might get to #1 on the NYT list, unless the NYT is still putting Conservative Books in the Cooking Section.
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A buddy of mine loaned me 50 Shades of Grey....haven't started it. Yet. :wink:
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Next Wednesday will be the last day of a 34 week course I've been taking. Part of course required reading about 95% of the Bible, then it has been 2-3 hours of open group discussion every Wed. night. What has been very interesting - it has not been a liberal slant to everything. [This is a very strong Conservative area, and in the Bible belt]. I found the comparisons to our own history since the founding of the United States have been eye opening, even after 4 years of researching all of the Presidents. [fortunately I finished that project, before our current A*s-in-charge took office]. No "Bible" thumping here, but to me it sure proves that history does repeat itself, and that we humans haven't learned much from past mistakes.
Rant over, back to my regular history and WWII reading - then next fall, think I'll take the next course to finish the last 5%, provided I can handle another 34 weeks - [I'm to old for this studying thing].
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I feel the same way about Cornwell!!! Her last few books have been off the rails. I seriously think she should have retired the Scarpetta series a long time ago. I've got every single book and was really disappointed at how she treated the charactors not to mention the moonbattyness. I think she lost her marbles after her fact finding mission to reveal who Jack the Ripper was went down in flames. She invested a small personal fortune in looking at the evidence and her resulting book was a dud.
I just finished reading:
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
Cross by James Patterson
Trial by James Patterson
Level 26 Dark Origins by Anthony Zuicker (creator of CSI)
I loved Patricia Cornwell's earlier books, but I stopped liking the characters along the way so I gave her u.
I just finished The Deadliest Bite by Jennifer Rardin, the last in a series about a CIA vampire hunter assassin. It sounds cheesy, but I enjoyed the whole series :-)
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I loved Patricia Cornwell's earlier books, but I stopped liking the characters along the way so I gave her u.
I just finished The Deadliest Bite by Jennifer Rardin, the last in a series about a CIA vampire hunter assassin. It sounds cheesy, but I enjoyed the whole series :-)
I had read almost all of the Scarpetta series up until she retired to Florida. After that the books didn't have the same pace and the characters changed quite a bit.
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Halfway through Breitbart's Righteous Indignation.
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Halfway through Breitbart's Righteous Indignation.
Well, how is it, and what are you going to do with it when you are done ?
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Just bought "50 Shades of Grey" gotta see what the hyps is all about
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Currently reading The President's Club. I highly recommend!!!
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Just finished The Hot Gate, book 3 of John Ringo's Troy Rising series and started I, Claudius by Robert Graves.
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Just bought "50 Shades of Grey" gotta see what the hyps is all about
LOL, I actually enjoyed it :shucks:
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Just downloaded The Amateur, I'm fed-up with Politics but this book seems interesting, and also if enough people buy it it might get to #1 on the NYT list, unless the NYT is still putting Conservative Books in the Cooking Section.
I ordered the hard copy which should be here Friday. Have you started it yet?
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LOL, I actually enjoyed it :shucks:
I am on book 2 right now. :whistling:
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I finished reading Tom Sawyer. Slightly silly and completely enjoyable. I can't believe I've never read it all the way through before.
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John Sandfords Stolen Prey. Good series if you like cops and baddies..
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I love that series Wayne! I think I like the Virgil Flowers series better though.
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I love that series Wayne! I think I like the Virgil Flowers series better though.
Virgil spends way to much time fishing .. I'm jealous.. :-)
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I'm plowing through Larry Correia's books right now. I read fast, I love Science Fiction/Fantasy and I am SICK of the liberal slant in 98% of the genre. My son recommended 'Monster Hunter, International' and I loved it! It ain't deep but it's very satisfying somehow. It's not something I'd have picked up on my own but I just finished the third book.
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I'm almost finished with Lee Child's "The Affair". It gives background on his great character Jack Reacher. I love his Reacher novels.
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Ok my kindle habit is costing a small fortune lol!
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Ok my kindle habit is costing a small fortune lol!
I'm trying to stick with public domain stuff. I've been reading Mark Twain recently.
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Ok my kindle habit is costing a small fortune lol!
I automatically think paperback or hardback when I think book. I need to get into the current decade or so.
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I automatically think paperback or hardback when I think book. I need to get into the current decade or so.
It's nice. I have a bad habit of falling asleep and dropping books on the floor (or my face). I've been lucky and haven't dropped my Kindle yet.
My only complaint is the small screen on the Kindle Fire. I like the internet access and color display, though.
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It's nice. I have a bad habit of falling asleep and dropping books on the floor (or my face). I've been lucky and haven't dropped my Kindle yet.
My only complaint is the small screen on the Kindle Fire. I like the internet access and color display, though.
Yes, I see what you mean, the iPad is bigger, but I'm not in love with it, yet.
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Got Kindle on my iPad, but I don't really like it. There's nothing like the feel of a real book in my hands. Much prefer paper.
Just finished reading Ron Chernow's very large biography on Alexander Hamilton again. Always a good read.
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Got Kindle on my iPad, but I don't really like it. There's nothing like the feel of a real book in my hands. Much prefer paper.
Just finished reading Ron Chernow's very large biography on Alexander Hamilton again. Always a good read.
I'm with you there. I like how the book looks after you finish it and put it on your bookshelf. I like the idea that the book can be passed around as well.
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I automatically think paperback or hardback when I think book. I need to get into the current decade or so.
I looked hard to find a digitized alternative to the book I'm reading now, because I almost fell out of my chair when I saw how expensive it was. Luckily, I was able to get one on loan through the University of Saint Louis:
Sled Driver: Flying the World's Fastest Jet (http://www.amazon.com/Sled-Driver-Flying-Worlds-Fastest/dp/0972268200/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340426850&sr=1-1&keywords=sled+driver)
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I looked hard to find a digitized alternative to the book I'm reading now, because I almost fell out of my chair when I saw how expensive it was. Luckily, I was able to get one on loan through the University of Saint Louis:
Sled Driver: Flying the World's Fastest Jet (http://www.amazon.com/Sled-Driver-Flying-Worlds-Fastest/dp/0972268200/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340426850&sr=1-1&keywords=sled+driver)
Ahah, $2,500.00 for a hard copy 2003 edition (I assume first edition). Maybe it's a collector's item ?
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Just finished Jeffery Deaver's XO. A bit of a disappointment to me . He has always let his liberalism show through a little but he was blatant this time , Needlessly.
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Ahah, $2,500.00 for a hard copy 2003 edition (I assume first edition). Maybe it's a collector's item ?
There weren't any paperbacks published. I looked there, too. :-)
But hey, I can get a used one for $973. :tongue:
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Finished the Robert Graves Claudius novels which were among the best books I've ever read.
Reading The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick now.
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Just finished Brad Thor's "Full Black".
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.
Will scare the crap out of you, it's so possible. :o
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Just finished Brad Thor's "Full Black".
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.
Will scare the crap out of you, it's so possible. :o
I love Brad Thor and that is next on my list. I can't wait to read it.
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I know I mention Mom allot here, but sometimes she is surprising in her literary tastes.
She being Yankee down to her bones visits the Library once a month and checks the cast off bins, free books donated and comes up with some surprises.
Last month she pulled in 4 of her better selections and just dropped them off 3 with me. One went to son about the Civil War about one of the Souths Generals he admires.
First one I got is Afternoons with Emily-----about Emily Dickinson-----Her review is that old Emily was a Strange woman but the book is insightful.
Second, Sons of Camelot, ---Her review is how lucky our family was not born to wealth nor educated at Harvard.
Third is Dawn by Elie Wiesel-------The Anguish and loss of the Moral Jew who has placed himself on the other side of the gun.-------Her review is she is going looking for the other books he has written.
Unfortunately at 90 years old she gets headaches from reading for hours and has decided to give it a rest for the next month or so.
Rats, the family depends on her finds to take us all over the world. Perhaps 10 years from now Mom will still be delivering her child and grand kids books she gets for free and allways a surprise and interesting.
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I can't believe I spent my weekend reading a book (http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Up-Brady-Teenage-Collectors/dp/0967378508) about the Brady Bunch. I hate that show.
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"Oliver Twist" by Chas. Dickens
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I am reading Gideon's Corpse by Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston. Premise is really good but the story line has so many seriously implausable events that I just have to roll my eyes. This is such a letdown after the genius that is their Pendergast series.
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I am reading Gideon's Corpse by Lincoln Child & Douglas Preston. Premise is really good but the story line has so many seriously implausable events that I just have to roll my eyes. This is such a letdown after the genius that is their Pendergast series.
I love the Pendergast series!
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"Little Billy's Letters" its about a guy who poses as an 8 year old boy and writes letters to random famous people. Like Charles Manson or Janet Reno and asks them strange questions. He asked Charles Manson if he should drop out of school and Charles Manson responded with this weird letter. Later he wrote to Janet Reno and asked her what she likes at Mc.Donalds. He also wrote to Dr.Kervokian and asked what it was like being a doctor and if he should be one. Wrote to Larry Flynt asking if there was Hustler for kids. Larry Flynt responded and told him to look to see if his Mother had a Sears catalog.
He plays the part really well too. Like he writes on that paper with the blue line, dotted line, and red line under it that kids use. He makes his hand writing look like a kid's. He'll misspell words on purpose like "Innernet"
A really funny book.
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"Little Billy's Letters" its about a guy who poses as an 8 year old boy and writes letters to random famous people. Like Charles Manson or Janet Reno and asks them strange questions. He asked Charles Manson if he should drop out of school and Charles Manson responded with this weird letter. Later he wrote to Janet Reno and asked her what she likes at Mc.Donalds. He also wrote to Dr.Kervokian and asked what it was like being a doctor and if he should be one. Wrote to Larry Flynt asking if there was Hustler for kids. Larry Flynt responded and told him to look to see if his Mother had a Sears catalog.
He plays the part really well too. Like he writes on that paper with the blue line, dotted line, and red line under it that kids use. He makes his hand writing look like a kid's. He'll misspell words on purpose like "Innernet"
A really funny book.
Maybe that explains why I got a "Little Billy" joke the other day:
Teacher asks the kids in class: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Little Billy: "I wanna be a billionaire, go to the most expensive clubs I can find, buy a Ferrari worth a million bucks, get an apartment in Copacabana, a mansion in Paris , a jet to travel throughout Europe, an unlimited Visa Card and a bitch I can make love to three times a day".
The teacher was shocked, and not knowing what to do with the bad behavior of Little Billy, she decides not to give importance to what he said and so she continues the lesson . . . . "
And you, Nancy?"
"I wanna be Little Billy's bitch!"
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Just finished Vince Flynn's new book -- "The Last Man" If you're a fan of his writing you should read this one - got it the day it came out here, last Tuesday and read the first few pages off and on at work when I could. Then typical Flynn writing, plots start coming together, so since yesterday and this morning I finished the last 3/4 of the book. He has Mitch Rapp getting hurt in a attempt on his life, running all over Pakistan, the middle east, plus Washington. Fingers of the plot hanging everywhere, until the end when he ties them altogether.
Now I have to wait another year for his next book --- :banghead:
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Maybe that explains why I got a "Little Billy" joke the other day:
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Prior to reading Vince Flynn's new book - Have read 4 of the 5 books written by Tom Henderson, now finishing number five [ Afraid of the Dark] that I started before Flynn's book. All of these take place in the area I grew up in Michigan.
Darker than Night - A Deadly Affair - Blood in the Snow - Blood Justice. All are cold case crimes finally solved. The first one took place near where I had a cabin up north. After graduating school, I worked with one of the material witnesses to the families demur, named in the book.
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I just finished 14 by Peter Clines. Great little yarn.
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(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/e8/72/8654228348a04e7db5828110.L.jpg)
An attack on the idiocies of Post-Modernism/Deconstructionism and the education system: I can also recommend Postman's The Disappearance of Childhood and Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk. Although the latter are c. 30 + years old now, they are still quite relevant.
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Just in time for the holidays, I've downloaded from Gutenberg Press a copy of Ben Hur: a Tale of the Christ. Reads a whole lot differently than the movie portrayed it.
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Just in time for the holidays, I've downloaded from Gutenberg Press a copy of Ben Hur: a Tale of the Christ. Reads a whole lot differently than the movie portrayed it.
Yes, e.g. the original goes well beyond the crucifixion. The movie originally had the subplot with the Roman woman, but the movie was already over 3 hours, so the whole section bit the dust. Interestingly, the book published to promote the movie mentions the actress playing the role and the whole subplot.
Ben-Hur was made into a (wildly popular) stage play in the 19th century, and was performed into the 20th century. It would be fascinating to find the script and see how much of the book was preserved in that version.
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I recently finished Delusions in Death by J.D. Robb. I really enjoyed it.
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The Longest Silence, Thomas McGuane.
A bit preachy in spots, but a very good set of short stories on fly fishing.
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"One Last Thing" by Peter Falk. (Actually re-read it after several years). Not high-brow, of course, just a bunch of stories from his life, written like he was sitting on the barstool next to you. Fun.
At the end of his life, he had terrible Alzheimers. He couldn't remember playing Columbo. :bawl:
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"One Last Thing" by Peter Falk. (Actually re-read it after several years). Not high-brow, of course, just a bunch of stories from his life, written like he was sitting on the barstool next to you. Fun.
At the end of his life, he had terrible Alzheimers. He couldn't remember playing Columbo. :bawl:
Not to be morbid, but it kinda fits.......... :(
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Reading Fierce Invalids by Tom Robbins. I'm hooked but I don't know if I like it.
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Just finished "The Life of Pi." It was okay. Interesting idea for a book.
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Reading Dark Demon by Christine Feehan. I love her books!!
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Reading Dark Demon by Christine Feehan. I love her books!!
Yep, me too, she and Sherilyn Kenyon got me hooked on paranormal romances. Do you enjoy any other authors in that genre?
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I got The Joy of Hate by Greg Gutfeld but haven't had time to read more than the introduction.... :(
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Yep, me too, she and Sherilyn Kenyon got me hooked on paranormal romances. Do you enjoy any other authors in that genre?
Yes , i like the paranormal , shape shifter books..., i love mysteries too....
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Yes , i like the paranormal , shape shifter books..., i love mysteries too....
I'm just finishing up another shapeshifter (werewolf) book by Lori Handeland. Do you have a Kindle or other ebook reader? Because, for you or anyone else who does and is not already aware, there's a website you can join at bookbub.com. They will send you a daily list of free/cheap ebooks you can order, specifically tailored to your reading interests. I've managed to acquire quite alot of these books in the short period of time I've been registered at the site.
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I got The Joy of Hate by Greg Gutfeld but haven't had time to read more than the introduction.... :(
That's a very good book. I'm sure once you get around to it you will have many laughs.
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I just finished reading my first Clive Cussler novel, Dark Watch. It definitely won't be the last. I enjoyed it.
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I'm just finishing up another shapeshifter (werewolf) book by Lori Handeland. Do you have a Kindle or other ebook reader? Because, for you or anyone else who does and is not already aware, there's a website you can join at bookbub.com. They will send you a daily list of free/cheap ebooks you can order, specifically tailored to your reading interests. I've managed to acquire quite alot of these books in the short period of time I've been registered at the site.
I have a nook....let me try that!!!
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I'm just finishing up another shapeshifter (werewolf) book by Lori Handeland. Do you have a Kindle or other ebook reader? Because, for you or anyone else who does and is not already aware, there's a website you can join at bookbub.com. They will send you a daily list of free/cheap ebooks you can order, specifically tailored to your reading interests. I've managed to acquire quite alot of these books in the short period of time I've been registered at the site.
I just signed up and already downloaded a free book that sounds interesting. Thank you for the info!
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I have a nook....let me try that!!!
Hope you like the site!
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I just signed up and already downloaded a free book that sounds interesting. Thank you for the info!
You're more than welcome, dixierose!
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Hope you like the site!
Just awitining an answer to a question...How do I send it to my nook?
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Celtic Rose recommended Outlander a couple weeks ago. The first book is excellent. The second book is okay, not really my cup of tea, but I'm looking forward to checking out the third. It's violent, bloody, and filthy. Great stuff.
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Celtic Rose recommended Outlander a couple weeks ago. The first book is excellent. The second book is okay, not really my cup of tea, but I'm looking forward to checking out the third. It's violent, bloody, and filthy. Great stuff.
I would say that the first and the third books are my favorite, though if I remember correctly, the third book starts off slowly. I'm really glad that you are enjoying them.
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Reading Dark Demon by Christine Feehan. I love her books!!
I used to read her a lot, but I started feeling like her Carpathian novels were getting repetitive :(
If you like Christine Feehan, then I highly recommend C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series. It starts with Lord of the Fading Lands.
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I used to read her a lot, but I started feeling like her Carpathian novels were getting repetitive :(
If you like Christine Feehan, then I highly recommend C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series. It starts with Lord of the Fading Lands.
Thankyou, I will check her out!!
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I used to read her a lot, but I started feeling like her Carpathian novels were getting repetitive :(
If you like Christine Feehan, then I highly recommend C.L. Wilson's Tairen Soul series. It starts with Lord of the Fading Lands.
Oh yes, Celtic Rose, the Tairen Soul series was very outstanding! :cheersmate:
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am very excited, was able to send the bubbook straight to my nook....yeeeha!!!! Also bought the first of the sequel by CS wilson....
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I just finished the Wool Omnibus. A good story (or several stories) about life after the earth has been devastated.
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Oh yes, Celtic Rose, the Tairen Soul series was very outstanding! :cheersmate:
I love this book!!! Looking forward to getting the others!!! and I love Ebub...downloaded like 8 already!! all free!!
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I just finished the Wool Omnibus. A good story (or several stories) about life after the earth has been devastated.
Hugh Howey is two books into a trilogy that follows the Wool/Silo series. I'm going to wait, as the author himself suggested at the amazon blurb, to order all three on Kindle when he's finished this spring.
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I'm currently reading the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. I like it. His writing style is very different, it almost matches the KJV Bible sometimes so I can see why some people don't like his writing style. Like he says Hearkened a few times. His characters talk in old English. He explains everything thoroughly though, he was most definitely a passionate writer.
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Just started Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. So far, so excellent.
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I'm currently reading the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. I like it. His writing style is very different, it almost matches the KJV Bible sometimes so I can see why some people don't like his writing style. Like he says Hearkened a few times. His characters talk in old English. He explains everything thoroughly though, he was most definitely a passionate writer.
J.R.R. Tolkien was great at descriptive detail--to the Nth degree. However, he was literally building new places, races, and creatures. Such detail was required to do that.
To be honest, I envy people that can read novels and actually enjoy them. I am so used to reading technical/scientific information requires you to understand every phrase in detail without the remaining text turning into gibberish As a result, my attempts to read novels are laborious and unenjoyable.
Wrt to 'The Hobbit', after reading an entire page (slight exaggeration) describing the texture of the hair on the mole on the nose of the dwarf, I couldn't take it anymore. I understand why he went into such detail but I couldn't continue reading because it was not enjoyable. Which is sad because I actually like the stories.
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J.R.R. Tolkien was great at descriptive detail--to the Nth degree. However, he was literally building new places, races, and creatures. Such detail was required to do that.
To be honest, I envy people that can read novels and actually enjoy them. I am so used to reading technical/scientific information requires you to understand every phrase in detail without the remaining text turning into gibberish As a result, my attempts to read novels are laborious and unenjoyable.
Wrt to 'The Hobbit', after reading an entire page (slight exaggeration) describing the texture of the hair on the mole on the nose of the dwarf, I couldn't take it anymore. I understand why he went into such detail but I couldn't continue reading because it was not enjoyable. Which is sad because I actually like the stories.
One writer that I thought went into excruciating detail to the ridiculous nth degree, needlessly and wantonly, was Alistair MacLean. I read his stuff, but was distracted by the level of detail.
Oddly enough, I'm not having that sort of trouble with Tolkien's "The Hobbit." The pace, for me at least, is brisk enough.
My problem is I can't stay awake when I begin to read. I'm good for a few pages or maybe a short chapter before it's light's out. :censored:
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Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journey by Michael Collins. (http://www.amazon.com/Carrying-Fire-An-Astronauts-Journeys/dp/0374531943) Being a huge project Apollo junkie, I have read the biographies of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldren and now Michael Collins. I find Collins' book to be the most informing and entertaining.
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Agenda 21 and No Easy Day. Both good reads.
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Been busy reading Laura Griffin. I'm so obsessed I've been reading pages while making lasagna. Perfect blend of romance, mystery, thrills and forensic science.
BUT, I have a date after the lasagna goes in the oven, to watch Pandorum with the hubby. I hope it's good.
Since I seldom, if ever, read one book at a time, I am currently also reading Hopeless, \a bookbub freebie. It kinda reminds me of Twilight except the heroine was abused sexually by a relative.
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I just finished "A Memory of Light" by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.
I would love to discuss but would hate to post spoilers since it just came out.
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Just finished Tolkien's "The Hobbit."
I'd started reading the book a couple of days before I saw the current movie. While the movie was fairly true to the book at the beginning, things got VERY different toward the end.
I thought I had read this book as a kid, but in retrospect, I doubt it. I didn't know, for example, that Tolkien wrote "The Hobbit" in 1937, some 15 years before he wrote "Lord of the Rings." LOTR, by the way, isn't a trilogy at all - it's one long book broken up into six sections, plus the appendices in the back.
At any rate, I enjoyed Tolkien's writing. While there's no doubt he's a Brit, he doesn't sound like a stuffed shirt. His characters come alive and jump off the page, and that - to me - is the mark of a great writer.
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I just started Klein's "Fool Me Twice". About Obama's plans for his second term.
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A guy who I used to study martial arts from, Jack Hoban, wrote a book called The Ethical Warrior. This guy is a legend in the martial arts world. He recently helped revise the USMC close combat manual.
His approach to practical ethics and the life value is definitely worth the read. I've been feeling a bit lost since November; the school massacre made it worse. Reading the book helped remind me that the times require me to stand up.
Highly recommended.
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I just read two more Clive Cussler books: "The Chase" and "The Spy". The main character is Isaac Bell; a Van Dorn PI in the early 1900's. Great reads.
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I am on the final book of the Tairen Soul series. Crown of crystal flame. It is tres awesome. The ending to the prequel was so sad. I cried at the end.... :bawl:
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Currently reading the Dwarves Series by Markus Heitz
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Just finished 2 James Patterson's.....
"Private - London". Liked the other "Private" better.
"Kill Alex Cross". Liked it, but then I have liked all the Alex Cross books. It has an almost immediate followup with the next one based on the preview I read in the back of the book.
Reading Stuart Woods, "Unnatural Acts" right now. It's a Stone Barrington one, but if you have read this series, this one is more about Herbie Fisher.
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Just finished C'est La Gar (http://books.google.com/books/about/C_Est_La_Gar.html?id=I1QHsuzq5BcC), a historical novel about B-52 tail gunners during the 1960's and early '70's.
(http://bks6.books.google.com/books?id=I1QHsuzq5BcC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&edge=curl&imgtk=AFLRE72RArpaxbZq39Nwj39tmqEvtn8qGola0zoCijXasP_QlRq8vQwUTV0fe0nOfcNdVUid8Uuwgadw8gM4zpzga2tFV9ATfXEGGWaDsPRY6gDYAogLqCKs8qh_sIHKUd_7pjJK5jrA)
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Success With Small Fruits, by E.P. Roe.
I was surprised by how much good information I actually found in the book. It was also fun to read from a historical perspective, and surprisingly entertaining, most likely due to Roe being a novelist, too. I will be looking for other works of his.
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I just started reading Crescent Dawn by Clive Cussler. Written in 2010, but even he saw the Muslim Brotherhood coming to power in Egypt.
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I read Honor Bound by Helen Rosberg........a story about the illegitamet daughter od King Lous XV and how she and her husband(head of the Royal stables) lived and survived the French Revolution....
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I've been reading mostly foreign mysteries lately. I like Jo Nesbo & Lars Kepler, better than Stig Larsson. And quite a few Italian authors.
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Still working on "A Higher Call", by Adam Makos.
Non-fiction dealing with two pilots, WWII. B-17 guy and a Bf-109 driver.
Very new release.
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I just finished Sebastian Junger's account entitled "War" of his having been embedded with a company of the 173rd Airborne while in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan. Junger and a colleague were responsible for having put together an award-winning documentary called "Restrepo" which was the name of a medic assigned to this company killed in action and the name of an OP in this valley. This book is a follow-on.
Junger talked about many things in this short book, but the key thing he addressed was how young men handle combat - before, during, and after. It's a very illuminating read from that standpoint.
If you haven't seen the documentary, I highly recommend it. Oh, and read the book too.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DjqR6OucBc[/youtube]
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Started Canterbury Tales. Even though it is updated to modern English I do not know if I will finish it. It is pleasant to listen to the verse but my mind isn't all that able to comprehend it.
I am thinking of using it like I used Finnegan's Wake and just read it randomly. Of course, this is an audio book so maybe I will listen enjoying the verse and my brain will train itself to comprehend.
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Working on London by Edward Rutherfurd.
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Working on London by Edward Rutherfurd.
Oooo! That's a good one! I was hooked on him with the first one, Sarum. He's got a new one "Paris" due in April.
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Reading The Wizard Of Oz series for the first time. Very enjoyable!
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Just picked up a copy of Tenth of December (http://io9.com/5981861/george-saunders-new-book-shows-just-how-terrible-first-world-problems-can-be). Looks interesting.
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just read undeniable rogue! yes a smut novel :naughty:
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just read undeniable rogue! yes a smut novel :naughty:
(http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/kayaktn/50shadespic_zps4018a813.jpg)
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Oooo! That's a good one! I was hooked on him with the first one, Sarum. He's got a new one "Paris" due in April.
I truly enjoyed his books set in England, Sarum, London and The Forest, as well as Russka, but for some reason I've never cared much for the Irish series. Thanks for the tip on his new book! :cheersmate:
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(http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff68/kayaktn/50shadespic_zps4018a813.jpg)
Chris, my dear, that's a fairly mild book.
Seahorse, sweetie, if you want I can pm you some really smexy titles that will knock your socks off. :naughty:
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Just sayin' :whistling:
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I just finished the five books by Sharie Kohler in what's called The Moon Chasers series. Waiting on book six to come out. Meanwhile I'm currently devouring book two of Joss Ware's Envy series. Envy is what the post apocalyptic survivors and their descendants call what's left of Las Vegas (North Vegas was spared). So far there's action, romance, some smex but mostly character and relationship development, zombies, beings who may or may not be immortals and/or aliens, most of the world's land mass gone.....for you men who like after the end of the world novels, you may actually enjoy Joss Ware's writing since there is plenty of story there.
Anyone interested in a tamer post apocalyptic book(s) should look up Maia Underwood and Ellen Connor.
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I read alot of historical smut when younger...Bertrice Small is my favorite author in that genre. Her books are STEAMY!!!!! I have been reading mystery and paranormal(shapeshifting) in the last few years...
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I read alot of historical smut when younger...Bertrice Small is my favorite author in that genre. Her books are STEAMY!!!!! I have been reading mystery and paranormal(shapeshifting) in the last few years...
I know Beatrice Small was one of the authors who taught me all about sex!
LOL, my first book ever in that category was The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I think I was 15. It still cracks me up to remember Mom sticking her head in my room and telling me oh good you're reading again!
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I know Beatrice Small was one of the authors who taught me all about sex!
LOL, my first book ever in that category was The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I think I was 15. It still cracks me up to remember Mom sticking her head in my room and telling me oh good you're reading again!
I have read all her books!!!! She is the best!!!
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I have read all her books!!!! She is the best!!!
Aislinn and Wulfgar are one of my favorite couples of all the books I've ever read! What is your favorite Woodiwiss?
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Aislinn and Wulfgar are one of my favorite couples of all the books I've ever read! What is your favorite Woodiwiss?
Oh I was talking about Bertrice Small...sorry for the confusion...
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Oh I was talking about Bertrice Small...sorry for the confusion...
No problem. Lotsa big guys running around half naked in lotsa books out there. A girl can get a wee bit confused. :yahoo:
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No problem. Lotsa big guys running around half naked in lotsa books out there. A girl can get a wee bit confused. :yahoo:
Tell me about it!!!
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Tell me about it!!!
Girl, I gotta go fan myself before I swoon! :rotf:
Actually, I am signing off for tonight. Hubby is watching Gordon Ramsey :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:I GOT HIM HOOKED, but my Joss Ware book is calling my name. Hero and heroine just finished escaping zombies and aliens and are gearing up for somethin', somethin'.
G'nite, all! Sweet dreams.
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Girl, I gotta go fan myself before I swoon! :rotf:
Actually, I am signing off for tonight. Hubby is watching Gordon Ramsey :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:I GOT HIM HOOKED, but my Joss Ware book is calling my name. Hero and heroine just finished escaping zombies and aliens and are gearing up for somethin', somethin'.
G'nite, all! Sweet dreams.
Goodnite lovey!!
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I learned soooo much from Bertrice Small! :shucks:
I read all of her books for years. Just checked her website, and it said this is the 35th anniversary of "The Kadin". I remember reading it when it came out (I was 25!) and it was sooo "racy".
I haven't read any of her books in years. I loved the Skye O'Malley series. I can't remember the last time I read a historical novel, probably been 15 years or more.
According to what I found, she's 75 now and still writing. Website says she's written 5 contempory erotic novels. The historicals weren't erotic? :whistling:
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I learned soooo much from Bertrice Small! :shucks:
I read all of her books for years. Just checked her website, and it said this is the 35th anniversary of "The Kadin". I remember reading it when it came out (I was 25!) and it was sooo "racy".
I haven't read any of her books in years. I loved the Skye O'Malley series. I can't remember the last time I read a historical novel, probably been 15 years or more.
According to what I found, she's 75 now and still writing. Website says she's written 5 contempory erotic novels. The historicals weren't erotic? :whistling:
I should look up her newest novels. I've read other authors whose pages are smokin' hot, so old Beatrice better have used her 75 years on Earth to learn a few tricks. :whistling:
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I learned soooo much from Bertrice Small! :shucks:
I read all of her books for years. Just checked her website, and it said this is the 35th anniversary of "The Kadin". I remember reading it when it came out (I was 25!) and it was sooo "racy".
I haven't read any of her books in years. I loved the Skye O'Malley series. I can't remember the last time I read a historical novel, probably been 15 years or more.
According to what I found, she's 75 now and still writing. Website says she's written 5 contempory erotic novels. The historicals weren't erotic? :whistling:
I love historical romance, but I tried a Bertrice Small book once and I couldn't get into it
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I love historical romance, but I tried a Bertrice Small book once and I couldn't get into it
My daughter, who is about your age, enjoys Stephanie Laurens. Her books don't have sex, just romance, iirc. She writes well. I also really enjoyed all the Georgette Heyer books; she's actually the grande dame of historical romance. I began reading her at age 12 and once in awhile still reread one of her novels. Give her a try; you should find alot of her books in your local library.
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My daughter, who is about your age, enjoys Stephanie Laurens. Her books don't have sex, just romance, iirc. She writes well. I also really enjoyed all the Georgette Heyer books; she's actually the grande dame of historical romance. I began reading her at age 12 and once in awhile still reread one of her novels. Give her a try; you should find alot of her books in your local library.
I'm pretty sure that I've read Stephanie Laurens, and I seem to recall enjoying her. I might have to look for a few more of her books. But, to be clear, I don't mind steamy :naughty: My mom and I listened to a Hannah Howell book on tape on the drive from Nebraska to California. That was awkward :rotf:
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I'm pretty sure that I've read Stephanie Laurens, and I seem to recall enjoying her. I might have to look for a few more of her books. But, to be clear, I don't mind steamy :naughty: My mom and I listened to a Hannah Howell book on tape on the drive from Nebraska to California. That was awkward :rotf:
:rotf: Yeah, I can see that. Just loaning my daughter my erotica novels gets :p knowing what she's gonna be reading, and knowing she knows I read it.
Can't even fanthom my mom doing what I've done. Heck, I had to get my sex ed from books.
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:rotf: Yeah, I can see that. Just loaning my daughter my erotica novels gets :p knowing what she's gonna be reading, and knowing she knows I read it.
Can't even fanthom my mom doing what I've done. Heck, I had to get my sex ed from books.
me too!!
what was so disappointing was that the "partner/husband" never lived up to the hero's "talent". :bawl:
I've been with M for 19 years.... could be why I don't read historicals anymore.... :yahoo:
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me too!!
what was so disappointing was that the "partner/husband" never lived up to the hero's "talent". :bawl:
I've been with M for 19 years.... could be why I don't read historicals anymore.... :yahoo:
Well, deb, while my Devin isn't the hero in a swoonworthy romance, he's all a girl could ever want (as I know is your M). Kind, loving, considerate, protective, and ooops, just walking in the door to bust me at the computer. Damn dogs didn't even manage ONE miserable warning bark for Mommy. See if they get any doggies treats tonight.
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Well, deb, while my Devin isn't the hero in a swoonworthy romance, he's all a girl could ever want (as I know is your M). Kind, loving, considerate, protective, and ooops, just walking in the door to bust me at the computer. Damn dogs didn't even manage ONE miserable warning bark for Mommy. See if they get any doggies treats tonight.
In all likelihood, Devin bribed the dogs with treats to stay silent so he could bust you at the computer. :whistling:
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In all likelihood, Devin bribed the dogs with treats to stay silent so he could bust you at the computer. :whistling:
:rotf:
Most probably, Euph
He just informed me we were walking across the road to Happy Hour at Manda Le tomorrow night; then staggering home. Methinks he, like all you guys, thinks he's gonna get lucky. :naughty:
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Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks...lloking ford to the sequels
Armed and fabulous by Camilla Chaffer,,,,really funny!!!!
Really enjoying the EBUB site....a lot of great free ones!!!
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Reading SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper. The book covers what happened in Mogadishu; including the "Black Hawk Down" incident.
Interesting aside about the author (Howard E. Wasdin)....he lives in Jesup,GA and is my mom's chiropractor. The book I'm reading is autographed to my step-dad. Cool, eh?
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"Act of Terror" by Marc Cameron.
Fiction about somewhat home grown terrorists, who have infiltrated into top clearance government jobs. Scary, in that it could be possible....
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Have spent the last couple weeks re-reading the Wheel of Time series - now finally complete after 20-some years and better than a million words total, with the final book "A Memory of Light" released recently. No spoilers for fans that may have not read it.
Next up - "Blackwater - The rise of the worlds most powerful mercenary army" - by Jeremy Scahill.
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So many of you guys have talked about Brad Thor that I ended up reading his books. I am 3/4 of the way through the series. Man, he realllllly doesn't mince words about his Obama like president in the series does he!? Love it! Scot Harvath is my new fictional go to guy for the zombie apocalypse!
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Reading SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper. The book covers what happened in Mogadishu; including the "Black Hawk Down" incident.
Interesting aside about the author (Howard E. Wasdin)....he lives in Jesup,GA and is my mom's chiropractor. The book I'm reading is autographed to my step-dad. Cool, eh?
Yeah, it is really cool! Now, you need your mom to get YOU an autographed copy of your own! :cheersmate:
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So many of you guys have talked about Brad Thor that I ended up reading his books. I am 3/4 of the way through the series. Man, he realllllly doesn't mince words about his Obama like president in the series does he!? Love it! Scot Harvath is my new fictional go to guy for the zombie apocalypse!
Alas, our real life Scot Harvaths get taken out by murderous Islamists while Obumbles and his shambles of a cabinet sit on their collective asses and rotate.
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Just read the last trilogy of the Cyntha Wright Novels. The Western Trilogy. Ireally enjoyed it, because she writes alot about American History, that is not covered in most history/romance fiction. She wrote about the Lakota Indians, Bear Butte, Deadwood, The California Gold Rush, things I didn't really know alot about...
The more I read about this area, the more I want to go and see it...Add to the Bucket List...sigh...
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After re-reading The Hobbit-Return of the King I read Fight Club for the first time.
And now I am reading the third book in Joel C. Rosenberg's Twelfth Iman series. Sometimes the witnessing is a bit over the top but it is some of the best action/spy stuff I've read.
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I'm reading 'Forrest Gump'. Let's just say the movie is a very rosy, sanitized PG-version of an R-rated novel.
I'm surprised nobody's complained about it, but then the easily-offended (or the offended-on-your-behalf) probably don't read much.
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I'm reading Charlie LeDuff's Detroit: An American Autopsy
Oh. My. God.
I knew Detroit was a stinking, fetid shithole.
But I had NO IDEA of the level of depravity to which this once-proud city has sunk.
If you want to understand how a city -- ANY city -- dies, just get yourself a copy of this book.
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So I'm reading 'Forrest Gump' and this book gets dumber by the page. Groom's caricature of Richard Nixon is bad enough but he sends Gump into space with an orangutan who crash their capsule in some African village with a chess-playing tribe chief that graduated from Yale but supposedly the rest of the tribe still cook and eat random people.
I don't know if I can finish this. It's just too stupid.
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So I'm reading 'Forrest Gump' and this book gets dumber by the page. Groom's caricature of Richard Nixon is bad enough but he sends Gump into space with an orangutan who crash their capsule in some African village with a chess-playing tribe chief that graduated from Yale but supposedly the rest of the tribe still cook and eat random people.
I don't know if I can finish this. It's just too stupid.
Now you know why that stuff wasn't in the movie. :-)
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I'm reading Charlie LeDuff's Detroit: An American Autopsy
Oh. My. God.
I knew Detroit was a stinking, fetid shithole.
But I had NO IDEA of the level of depravity to which this once-proud city has sunk.
If you want to understand how a city -- ANY city -- dies, just get yourself a copy of this book.
Added to my Amazon wish list. Thanks for the recommendation!
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Reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Julie Rose translator.
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Reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Julie Rose translator.
I remember enjoying that book. I'm going to have to read it again. I just finished a couple of classics.."Lady Chatterley's Lover" and "The Good Soldier". I just started Ethan Frome. I'm on a classic kick now.
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Erasing Hell by Francis Chan
Very good read on today's reinterpretation of scripture when faced with elements that don't coincide with the prevailing post modern world view.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnrJVTSYLr8&NR=1&feature=endscreen[/youtube]
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Reading Linda Fairstein's "Night Watch" ... French head of "world economic" organization rapes a hotel maid....
Can we say fiction "ripped from the headlines?" :whistling:
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I just finished up James Rollins "Altar of Eden". Good read, typical Rollins fare.
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I just finished up James Rollins "Altar of Eden". Good read, typical Rollins fare.
I like his books, too.
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I like his books, too.
I got to see him at a meet and greet (Roseville Ca. B&N). There were hardly any people there so there was allot of face time. I got to talk to him about caving (I used to do quite a bit).
He's a really nice guy.
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Over the last 9 to 10 months...
Books in print read while on 1st Tuna Boat Pilot contract Sep '12 to Sep '13
"Being Better Than Your Best" -Danny and Marie Lena- 1st helo standby book
Publisher…Possibility Press
ISBN…0-938716-46-8
"Joseph" A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness -Charles R. Swindoll- hardcover to be left behind or given away. I let Vanji have it because the captain didn't want it.
Publisher…Word publishing Nashville Tn
ISBN... 0-8499-1342-X.
"Your Own Worst Enemy" -Kenneth W. Christian- hardcover
Regan Books publishing N.Y., N.Y.
ISBN 0-06-039392-0
"The Purpose Driven Life" -Rick Warren- hardcover
Publisher…Zondervan www.zondervan.com
ISBN…0-310-20571-9
"Monday Morning Leadership" -David Cottrell- 2nd helo standby book
Publisher…Cornerstone Leadership Institute Dallas Texas
ISBN…0-9719424-3-9
"Press On"… Author -Michael Kerrigan-… 3rd helo standby book
Publisher… Possibility Press: address…PossibilityPress.com
ISBN…9780-0-938716-48-8
"A Kick in the Attitude" -Sam Glenn-
Publisher…EverythingAttitude.com: Address…N/A
ISBN…N/A
"Get In The Game" Author…-Billy Cox- 4th helo standby book
Publisher…Cornerstone Leadership Institute Dallas Texas
ISBN…0-9746403-3-6
And, most recently "I Dare You" by William J. Danforth
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Over the last 9 to 10 months...
"Joseph" A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness -Charles R. Swindoll- hardcover to be left behind or given away. I let Vanji have it because the captain didn't want it.
Publisher…Word publishing Nashville Tn
ISBN... 0-8499-1342-X.
I have read most of Charles Swindoll's Profiles in Character books and loved them.
Elijah: A Man Of Heroism and Humility
David: A Man of Passion and Destiny
Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity
Moses: A Man of Selfless Dedication
and Joseph
Seems like there are a couple more; but I can't recall them right now.
They are great character studies; and I highly recommend them.
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Nearly half-way through John Dies at the End by David Wong. One of the funniest novels I have ever read, especially recently.
It's been in my wish list for a while and suddenly I noticed there was a movie adaptation available on Netflix so I pulled the trigger.
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I'm currently in the middle of John Sanford's "Stolen Prey". M loved it...so far I'm bored, especially since there's a Brad Thor waiting for me!
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Currently reading Rick Wakemans "Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rockstar."
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After finishing and thoroughly enjoying John Dies At the End, I've returned to history with the second volume in Richard Evans' Third Reich trilogy, The Third Reich in Power. Ripped from today's headlines?
I found a PDF version of the book online so I can somewhat easily cut and paste:
Fear of being denounced, overheard or arrested extended even to private conversations, letters and telephone calls. As early as March and April 1933, Victor Klemperer was complaining in his diary: ‘Nobody dares to say anything any more, everyone’s afraid.’ The Reichstag Fire Decree of 28 February 1933 allowed the Gestapo to open people’s letters and tap their telephones, so, reported Klemperer: ‘People don’t dare write letters, people don’t dare to phone each other, they visit each other and calculate their chances.’ (Evans, The Third Reich in Power)
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Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny.
I got it for a buck on Amazon.
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Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny.
I got it for a buck on Amazon.
Where is it now ?
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Where is it now ?
The book? It's on my bookshelf.
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The book? It's on my bookshelf.
If it ever gets lonely for a reader who would be attentive, let me know ! I like Levin, among others.
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If it ever gets lonely for a reader who would be attentive, let me know ! I like Levin, among others.
Amazon has it for sale for $4 (with shipping).
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Hugh Howard's "The Painter's Chair: George Washington and the Making of American Art"
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While on contract in the South Pacific.
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes -Sir Arthur Conan Doyle-
The Art of War -Sun Tzu-
Rob Roy
Ozma of Oz -L. Frank Baum-
Always Know What to Say
A Treatise on the Principles of Human Knowledge
The Bible
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Reading Brad Thor's "Black List".... it's like reading the backstory of what's in today's news... :o
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I am going through an historical romance stage at the moment. I figure if I can't get a man in reality, I might as well use my vivid imagination!! :naughty: :naughty:
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Reading Brad Thor's "Black List".... it's like reading the backstory of what's in today's news... :o
I bought that the other day, but haven't started it yet. I'll admit I only got it since so many people tweeted about it. I hope it's not tied into other books of his in a major way.
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As a high school English teacher, there are two books that I have never read that I should read. The first is Moby Dick. I've tried to start the damn thing a hundred times. I just can't get past the first couple hundred pages of absolute boredom.
The second is James Joyce's Ulysses, which many say is THE great book of the 20th century, the ultimate example of literary modernism. That's another book I've started dozens of times.
Well, I'm fighting through it. I'm on part 6, and it's the farthest I've ever gotten.
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Rereading The Mote in God's Eye, first in the "Motie" series by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. GOt the other ones on Kindle and want to make sure I'm "up" on everything before reading them.
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As a high school English teacher, there are two books that I have never read that I should read. The first is Moby Dick. I've tried to start the damn thing a hundred times. I just can't get past the first couple hundred pages of absolute boredom.
The second is James Joyce's Ulysses, which many say is THE great book of the 20th century, the ultimate example of literary modernism. That's another book I've started dozens of times.
Well, I'm fighting through it. I'm on part 6, and it's the farthest I've ever gotten.
Stick with it. I had some of the same challenges with the Iliad and the Odyssey. Keep plugging away.
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As a high school English teacher, there are two books that I have never read that I should read. The first is Moby Dick. I've tried to start the damn thing a hundred times. I just can't get past the first couple hundred pages of absolute boredom.
The second is James Joyce's Ulysses, which many say is THE great book of the 20th century, the ultimate example of literary modernism. That's another book I've started dozens of times.
Well, I'm fighting through it. I'm on part 6, and it's the farthest I've ever gotten.
:rotf: I have always been an avid reader, even as a yoot. The ONE time I got detention in Junior High, my step-dad made me read Moby Dick as an assignment. I couldn't get started no matter how hard I tried. At the end of my detention I was supposed to provide a report. I scrambled around asking people if they had cliff notes, or simply read it. The only thing I could tell him was "The whale won." I have had a hate-hate relationship with Melville for the rest of my life.
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Just back from vacation and heard one of my favorite authors died - Vince Flynn. His last book, [The Survivor"] had already gone to press and is due out in the fall.
While on vacation read I the book -- "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. About crew members of a crashed B-24 in the Pacific during WWII, and what they went through in the life raft and then captured by the Japanese. True story centered on 1936 Olympic runner Louis Zamperin. If you ever wondered what HELL was like, read this book.
A follow up book I'm reading now is "Finish Forty and Home", by Phil Scearce who was a Radioman and gunner on B-24 Liberators - again true. Both of these books were recommended to me by a friend at church who was a crew member [Navigator] on Liberators during WWII in the Pacific, and knew some of the crews mentioned in this last book.
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Just back from vacation and heard one of my favorite authors died - Vince Flynn. His last book, [The Survivor"] had already gone to press and is due out in the fall.
While on vacation read I the book -- "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. About crew members of a crashed B-24 in the Pacific during WWII, and what they went through in the life raft and then captured by the Japanese. True story centered on 1936 Olympic runner Louis Zamperin. If you ever wondered what HELL was like, read this book.
A follow up book I'm reading now is "Finish Forty and Home", by Phil Scearce who was a Radioman and gunner on B-24 Liberators - again true. Both of these books were recommended to me by a friend at church who was a crew member [Navigator] on Liberators during WWII in the Pacific, and knew some of the crews mentioned in this last book.
hey, Rusty, good to see you again. Yeah, absolutely, Hillenbrand's book about Louis Zamperin is a compelling, spell-binding, and in some parts, horrific book. The sheer brutality of war comes alive in those pages. And the complete resolve of Zamperin to survive the war in that hellish POW camp leaves one awestruck. Cannot recommend that book more.
Louis is still alive and goes around at age 92+ telling his story and giving motivational talks. A fascinating man.
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Correction -- "Finish Forty and Home" was written by Phil Scearce. But he is the son of Radioman and Gunner Herman Scearce that flew the missions during WWII.
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Just back from vacation and heard one of my favorite authors died - Vince Flynn. His last book, [The Survivor"] had already gone to press and is due out in the fall.
Hi Rusty!! How are you doing? Well I hope.
I did not know Vince Flynn had died! I'm so sorry for his family, he was so young. I saw him several times when Glenn Beck was on Fox News. They were great friends. He was a devoted family man.
As a reader and great fan of his books, I'm crushed! Not only for myself, but also for all his other reader/fans. I loved his books and always looked forward to reading each new one. :bawl:
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I bought that the other day, but haven't started it yet. I'll admit I only got it since so many people tweeted about it. I hope it's not tied into other books of his in a major way.
I hope you like it. It's tied to his other books, because his main character, Scott Horvath, is in each book.
Just read "State of Emergency" by Marc Cameron. It follows "National Security" and "Act of Terror". All were quite good. His character is similar to Mitch Rapp or Scott Horvath, in that he are "super Special Forces/Seal type" hero.
Will be finishing up Catherine Coulter's "Back Fire" today. This is another one of her Savitch/Sherlock FBI series. If you haven't read them... I recommend them. Everytime I think I have the "bad guy" figured out, the book takes another turn.
Probably going to start Dick Wolf's "The Intercept" next. M has already read it and liked it. It's Wolf's first novel. (he created "Law and Order" for NBC).
Among others, I have James Patterson's "11th Hour" the 11th (duh!) in the Women's Murder Club series. Fun reads.
My reports have slowed up this week (after doing 50 in June), so instead of catching up on laundry and other boring house stuff, I'm un-frying my brain by catching up on my reading! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
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I just finished Chris Kyle's "American Sniper".
Savage, despicable evil. That's what we were fighting in Iraq. The number is not important to me. I only wish I had killed more.
Now I'm reading his "American Gun."
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I hope you like it. It's tied to his other books, because his main character, Scott Horvath, is in each book. I love Brad Thor.
Just read "State of Emergency" by Marc Cameron. It follows "National Security" and "Act of Terror". All were quite good. His character is similar to Mitch Rapp or Scott Horvath, in that he are "super Special Forces/Seal type" hero. I'll have to check that one out. Thanks for the recommendation
Will be finishing up Catherine Coulter's "Back Fire" today. This is another one of her Savitch/Sherlock FBI series. If you haven't read them... I recommend them. Everytime I think I have the "bad guy" figured out, the book takes another turn. Great reads as well.
Probably going to start Dick Wolf's "The Intercept" next. M has already read it and liked it. It's Wolf's first novel. (he created "Law and Order" for NBC).
Among others, I have James Patterson's "11th Hour" the 11th (duh!) in the Women's Murder Club series. Fun reads. I'm currently reading his Witch and Wizard series. I just started book 1; but I think it's going to be pretty good
My reports have slowed up this week (after doing 50 in June), so instead of catching up on laundry and other boring house stuff, I'm un-frying my brain by catching up on my reading! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
My mom just gave me her old Nook (she upgraded); and I'm enjoying it. I'm going to check out the books/authors you mentioned. It looks like we have the same taste in novels. Thanks!
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My mom just gave me her old Nook (she upgraded); and I'm enjoying it. I'm going to check out the books/authors you mentioned. It looks like we have the same taste in novels. Thanks!
If you ever want to "borrow from me, let me know!!
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If you ever want to "borrow from me, let me know!!
Thanks! I'm not sure exactly how that works, though.
:cheersmate:
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Thanks! I'm not sure exactly how that works, though.
:cheersmate:
I am not what genres that you like?? but pm your email and I take it from there
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What a 4 1/2 hours !!!! In a couple of my last posts I had read two books recommended about B24's from a friend at church. Yesterday he and I sat down and he talked about his time over there in WWII. Mistakenly I said he was a Navigator, he told me no - Flight Engineer, [my old fart memory is really kicking in]. The last book listed here "Finish Forty and Home"; for him became 44 missions. He told me - "luckily we had control of the air by then, but the antiaircraft flack was terrible, especially over about 8 of the drop zones". He said one flight his plane took many flack hits, but they finally got back, but on almost every flight they got some hits, but nobody was seriously hurt. His hairest flight was the time one 500 lb. bomb got hung up in the bomb bay with the final arming wire pulled. Rear hanger had released, but the thing was hanging from the front hook, bouncing around in the air turbulence, he's stand between the bomb racks on the 15" catwalk trying to release the thing before it blows, needless to say it dropped.
I could go on for hours with his stories, but ---
Charles ended by letting me know that he finally returned home 2 days after the Hiroshima bomb was dropped, and now, sadly out of the crew of 10 he served with, he is the last one living.
I am honored to say I spent time, listening to 'one of the greatest generation'.
Date has been set for next Friday - wife and I are taking he and his wife to dinner. Admittedly a very small thank you, for a man that lived through World War II, and wears the Air Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, plus others.
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Conspirata by Robert Harris, a historical novel on the life of Cicero when he was the Consul of the Senate and the revolutionary conspiracy that was meant to assassinate him and then pull an OWS on Rome.
Apparently, Robert Harris has another novel on Cicero detailing his rise to prominence and there is a third one planned.
I tell you, this novel is very exciting, better than any of the Dan Brown books I've read, and is so incredible it is hard to believe it is based on something that actually happened.
I will be reading up on some biographical material on Cicero after in the near future.
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Thanks! I'm not sure exactly how that works, though.
:cheersmate:
Do you like Christine Feehan?
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Conspirata by Robert Harris, a historical novel on the life of Cicero when he was the Consul of the Senate and the revolutionary conspiracy that was meant to assassinate him and then pull an OWS on Rome.
Apparently, Robert Harris has another novel on Cicero detailing his rise to prominence and there is a third one planned.
I tell you, this novel is very exciting, better than any of the Dan Brown books I've read, and is so incredible it is hard to believe it is based on something that actually happened.
I will be reading up on some biographical material on Cicero after in the near future.
I found out that this book is called Lustrum in England. Not sure why they changed it here.
I think the people who did Rome all those years ago should buy the rights to this book and do a prequel.
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Do you like Christine Feehan?
I'm not familiar with her; but a quick "google" tells me that her Carpathian series sounds interesting.
Did you get my PM with my email addy?
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I'm not familiar with her; but a quick "google" tells me that her Carpathian series sounds interesting.
Did you get my PM with my email addy?
Yes I did, will put in now.....sorry!!
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What a 4 1/2 hours !!!! In a couple of my last posts I had read two books recommended about B24's from a friend at church. Yesterday he and I sat down and he talked about his time over there in WWII. Mistakenly I said he was a Navigator, he told me no - Flight Engineer, [my old fart memory is really kicking in]. The last book listed here "Finish Forty and Home"; for him became 44 missions. He told me - "luckily we had control of the air by then, but the antiaircraft flack was terrible, especially over about 8 of the drop zones". He said one flight his plane took many flack hits, but they finally got back, but on almost every flight they got some hits, but nobody was seriously hurt. His hairest flight was the time one 500 lb. bomb got hung up in the bomb bay with the final arming wire pulled. Rear hanger had released, but the thing was hanging from the front hook, bouncing around in the air turbulence, he's stand between the bomb racks on the 15" catwalk trying to release the thing before it blows, needless to say it dropped.
I could go on for hours with his stories, but ---
Charles ended by letting me know that he finally returned home 2 days after the Hiroshima bomb was dropped, and now, sadly out of the crew of 10 he served with, he is the last one living.
I am honored to say I spent time, listening to 'one of the greatest generation'.
Date has been set for next Friday - wife and I are taking he and his wife to dinner. Admittedly a very small thank you, for a man that lived through World War II, and wears the Air Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, plus others.
Very nice, Rusty.
H5!
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Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright. It's a real page turner so far.
It is amazing what Hubbard got away with simply because nobody said "No!" when he turned abusive to his followers.
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Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief by Lawrence Wright. It's a real page turner so far.
It is amazing what Hubbard got away with simply because nobody said "No!" when he turned abusive to his followers.
Stockholm Syndrome.
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Dick Wolf's "The Intercept" was a good read.
Reading Tess Gerritson's "Last to Die" now. It's a Rizzoli and Isles book.... kind of creepy so far....
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Stockholm Syndrome.
Not quite. People join/joined Scientology voluntarily. I think it is more like liberalism.
They believed that Hubbard was some sort of superman and that they could be too and together they would all save the world. They become so vested in their belief that they fabricate evidence that Hubbard was a free thetan, or whatever it was.
At the same time, many of them did quit the cult after Hubbard had them thrown off the boat and into the water as a form of punishment.
And then for those who didn't go into the Sea Org, they found their Scientology connections would help their Hollywood careers and it was made clear they would lose their advantage if they quit the church.
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I am reading the Chronicles of Narnia. Just finished the Magician's Nephew. I am definitely catching all the Christian references in it.
I can see myself when I have a kid of my own one day reading to them a chapter or two at night.
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The Chronicles of Narnia, is a wonderful series!! Enjoy!!
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I discovered Brad Thor a while ago.
I just finished The Last Patriot and just started Foreign Influence.
I mostly like fiction but the last two non fiction I read were the Amateur by Edward Klein and Black Rednecks and White Liberals by Thomas Sowell.
Those were the first non fiction I've read in many many years.
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Currently reading Lisa Jackson's "DeVious"... looks good so far!!
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Just finished Stuart Woods "Collateral Damage", reading Vince Flynn's "The Last Man".
I am so going to miss Mitch Rapp. In the forward of this book, Flynn says "cancer sucks but he's feeling so much better" . :bawl:
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The Dome by Stephen King. Long book but very fast paced. Nothing like the mini series except the character names.
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Finished reading Bill O'Reilly "Killing Jesus". Have now read all three - Killing Lincoln - Killing Kennedy - Killing Jesus.
Killing Lincoln, from other historical reading I have done, is good historically.
Killing Kennedy, I agree with everything except he takes the word of the Warren Commission as fact - to many points I totally disagree with, -- never have and never will.
Killing Jesus, historically accurate, and in my opinion no religious slant, mostly just fact based on historical writings and conjecture based on known times and fact. (He admits, both he and his coauthor have a Roman Catholic slant due to upbringing - my opinion is based on 6 years of studying bible and other works from a Methodist standpoint).
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Finished reading Bill O'Reilly "Killing Jesus". Have now read all three - Killing Lincoln - Killing Kennedy - Killing Jesus.
Killing Lincoln, from other historical reading I have done, is good historically.
Killing Kennedy, I agree with everything except he takes the word of the Warren Commission as fact - to many points I totally disagree with, -- never have and never will.
Killing Jesus, historically accurate, and in my opinion no religious slant, mostly just fact based on historical writings and conjecture based on known times and fact. (He admits, both he and his coauthor have a Roman Catholic slant due to upbringing - my opinion is based on 6 years of studying bible and other works from a Methodist standpoint).
Just a short comment about the Warren Commission -- while I'm not going to argue its conclusions (LHO was the lone gunman, acting on his own, etc.), what I WILL point out is the politics of the commission. LBJ wanted that commission to be done and its conclusions in the bag long before the '64 elections and in his true inimitable style, made damned sure that people were browbeaten to the point that getting LBJ off their backs was far more important than turning over every stone and examining every detail.
Carry on.
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If it ever gets lonely for a reader who would be attentive, let me know ! I like Levin, among others.
Have you read Liberty and Tyranny yet?
I can mail it to you.
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Two new ones just out;
one by Charles Krauthammer; "Things That Matter"
and; "Extortion: How Politicians Extract Your Money, Buy Votes, and Line Their Own Pockets" by Schweizer, Peter
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Have you read Liberty and Tyranny yet?
I can mail it to you.
Send it ! Maybe we can make this the first official book of the Conservative Cave traveling library! If you're serious, pm me !
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I just finished up "Goodwin Granger, The rod man from Denver" by Michael Sinclair.
As a lover of bamboo fly rods, and especially Grangers, this was a fascinating book. Considering when Goodwin began making his own rods (teens) and figuring out the tapers (determines the action of a particular rod) plus me owning 2 fishable Granger rods, it's amazing what he was able to accomplish. From Casting Tournament rods (which won) to "regular" rods they are fantastic fishing tools.
What was sad is he died (cancer) just as his company was hitting it's stride. However, the employees kept the business going and even flourished during the depression. No one lost their job.
The book is worth it's weight in gold, if just for the color plates, which are many.
Great read.
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I started reading Over the Edge of the World a couple weeks ago. It's very well done but not as good as some of the books about James Cook I've read.
Ferdinand Magellan's daring circumnavigation of the globe in the sixteenth century was a three-year odyssey filled with sex, violence, and amazing adventure. Now in Over the Edge of the World, prize-winning biographer and journalist Laurence Bergreen entwines a variety of candid, firsthand accounts, bringing to life this groundbreaking and majestic tale of discovery that changed both the way explorers would henceforth navigate the oceans and history itself.
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I just finished up "Goodwin Granger, The rod man from Denver" by Michael Sinclair.
Any book about bamboo rods by Sinclair is very good!
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If you're into WWII, history, and personal stories, then two books will peak your interest.
1." Unbroken " by Laura Hillenbrand [she also wrote Seabiscuit] - this is about 1936 Berlin Olympian Louis Zamperini, WWII B-24 Liberator bombardier who plane went down in the Pacific then taken prisoner by the Japanese.
2. "Devil at my Heels" by Louis Zamperini and David Rensin - His own telling of the saga, with more details of his release from capture at the end of the war, and tribulations following. [He is still alive at 97 and doing well].
IMO both are very riveting accounts of a true American hero, and hard to put the books down.
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If you're into WWII, history, and personal stories, then two books will peak your interest.
1." Unbroken " by Laura Hillenbrand [she also wrote Seabiscuit] - this is about 1936 Berlin Olympian Louis Zamperini, WWII B-24 Liberator bombardier who plane went down in the Pacific then taken prisoner by the Japanese.
2. "Devil at my Heels" by Louis Zamperini and David Rensin - His own telling of the saga, with more details of his release from capture at the end of the war, and tribulations following. [He is still alive at 97 and doing well].
IMO both are very riveting accounts of a true American hero, and hard to put the books down.
I've read the first one (extremely compelling story!) but not the second. Zamperini struggled with alcohol abuse after his release from Japanese POW camps primarily because he could not let the primary Japanese abuser -- a sick bastard who is burning in hell as we speak -- go. Ultimately, he was able to come to terms with his demons, and he's been an inspiration ever since.
Go Louis, Go!
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Just finished Red Dragon by Thomas Harris last night.
Over vacation I read Blood Will Out by Walter Kirn which was a 50/50 true crime/personal biography revolving around the Clark Rockefeller impersonator and murderer Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter.
And also a bit of science fantasy fluff called Emperor Mollusk Versus the Sinister Brain by A. Lee Martinez about a highly intelligent mollusk from Neptune who conquers the via mind control and then takes on an unnamed giant brain.
Also Secret Societies and Psychological Warfare by Michael A. Hoffman II which was a very insightful conspiracy read about media manipulation.
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Took "1632" by Eric Flint with me on a trip, where I was going to be stuck with some down time. Not the worst, nor the best, SF action-adventure of the 'group of people transplanted in time/space beating the indigenes while upholding proper modern American ideals and the Millennial concept of propriety' sort I've ever read. Worth reading the sequels sooner or later, but not nearly as good as Taylor Anderson's 'Destroyermen' series or S. M. Stirling's 'Emberverse' books.
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Childhood's End Great buildup, disappointing finish.
Stranger In A Strange Land Too weird. Haven't quite finished it yet. Heinlein, like Clarke, falls apart when he tries to write interpersonal relationships and dialogue instead of straight prose.
The Idea Factory. An excellent history of AT&T, Western Electric, and Bell Labs.
Anatomy Of A Dictatorship: Inside The GDR, 1949-1989. Just picked it up. I made it through the first chapter, and this is an excellent book so far.
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I am almost finished with my first taste of steampunk sci-fi. It's different, that's for sure. I'm not quite sold on it yet.
The Court of The Air by Stephen Hunt
After I finish this one, I'll give it another shot. Does anyone have any recommendations?
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Stranger In A Strange Land Too weird. Haven't quite finished it yet. Heinlein, like Clarke, falls apart when he tries to write interpersonal relationships and dialogue instead of straight prose.
How far along are you?
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How far along are you?
About the place where they describe the "Nest" as a 70s swingers party.
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As A Man Thinketh...-James Allen-
Short but concentrated.
An excellent book I would highly recommend.
Currently reading...
Acres Of Diamonds... -Russel Conwell-
edit: add
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The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero and Tim Bissell chronicles the making of Tommy Wiseau's The Room and Greg Sestero's friendship with Tommy Wiseau.
One of the funniest books I have read since John Dies at the End.
Do not miss it. James Franco and Seth Rogan are about to destroy the book with a yet-another-frat-boy adaptation, so read it before then.
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1984 by George Orwell.
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Working my way through the multi-volume biography of Sir Winston Churchill by Randolph Churchill and Martin Gilbert. Up to Volume 4.
Up next (I think) the Worldwar series by Harry Turtledove (if nothing else attracts my attention meanwhile).
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Working my way through the multi-volume biography of Sir Winston Churchill by Randolph Churchill and Martin Gilbert. Up to Volume 4.
Up next (I think) the Worldwar series by Harry Turtledove (if nothing else attracts my attention meanwhile).
I tried reading one of Turtledove's books; and I never finished it. One of the very few books I've never finished in my life. It just did not hold my interest at all. I can't remember the title; but it was about Atlantis.
I'm reading another alternative history book now: "Clash of Eagles". It's actually pretty good. The Roman Empire has never fallen and a legion are trying to find a city of gold in the New World. It's written by Alan Smale.
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Koontz. like above the Odd Thomas series is great. A fair amount of weird, humor, morality, all twisted together. Koontz also has continuing cast and themes in "Fear Nothing" and "Seize the Night". Like Odd, you'll feel acquainted with the characters. And you'll find yourself dreading the approaching end of the book. Slightly darker, the "Frankenstein " books. by him are great.
I like Koontz because his stuff is just outside of reality. I get enough reality by just showing up.
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Babylon Berlin, book 1.
Pre-War Berlin, 1929.
Part crime drama, part historical fiction.
All good.
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Thrawn: Treason - the second book in the latest trilogy by Timothy Zahn set during the Galactic Civil war prior to the Battle of Scariff and Yavin.
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Babylon Berlin, book 1.
Pre-War Berlin, 1929.
Part crime drama, part historical fiction.
All good.
That sounds interesting. Will check it out. Berlin, especially during the Weimar Republic, had to have been almost as ****ed up as D.C. is today.
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Well, this is a slow-moving thread :p
It's almost like Cavers don't read books or something :whistling:
Anyway... Clavell's Asian Saga has been temporarily shelved while I work through the books behind the movie Chaos Walking, for the benefit of some parents of tweens and teens who have Concerns.
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I'm horrible about reading, all the usual excuses about time, concentration, but I did finally finish C.S. Lewis Out of the Silent Planet. Right before that was God Loves You by Dr. David Jeremiah.
Silent Planet is a trip, well worth the read, and upon finally sitting down with it, part of a trilogy which I will have to seek out the other two books of.
God Loves You is a very uplifting book and much needed when I was working on it, early in the school year as we were opening up.