What Are You Reading?

[JohnP]

For the history buffs out there,
I read "freebie" books (we have a book exchange at the E-club on San Clemente Island when I'm out there)
and the last one that really really impressed me was
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. The tactics and equipment are fairly believable on both sides, brings life into the now infamous (Amazon uses the term "epic") battle of Thermopylae, where 300 or less Spartans were pitted against multiple thousands of men of the armies of the Persian empire.
Really good read.
I've read other stuff, but that one deserves to be mentioned.
John P.

 

[rtaylor61]

"Say When" by Elizabeth Berg.

Randy

 

[Bob Dobbs]

"Red" by Ted Dekker

 

[Stauff]

Der Mann ohne Eigenschaften, by Robert Musil. Voted in Germany as the greatest novel ever. I can see why. Brilliant and very funny.

 

[Lynchmeister]

Currently in a three-way between my two favorite authors in two languages...huh...that's weird. Anyway, I'm reading London Fields by Martin Amis, Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh, and Drecksau (literally filthy pig), which is the German translation of Filth (also by Welsh).

 

[TimmyBoston]

I finished a couple audiobooks today. The Forgotten Man by Robert Crais and Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity by John Stossel. I liked both very much.

The Forgotten Man is an Elvis Cole PI novel. It is Crais' most recent Cole novel and shows his increasing depth in character and plot. He delved into Cole's parentage, his crazy mother and unknown father and how it shaped the young man into the intelligent, funny and at times dangerous man he has become. Full of twists and a mystery I wasn't able to solve on my own. One thing I didn't like it Crais increasing alteration of his 1st person novels. The earliest Cole novel were strictly 1st person as he progressed he began to put more and more 3rd person accounts from other character's perspectives. This novel had as much 3rd person as it did 1st. Especially with Private Eye novels I adore 1st person narration, I would have liked to see more. Also there was a little too much character development for me, but still an enjoyable book and I looked forward to hearing more.

A book that I've been listening to as I wrote a few reviews tonight was John Stossel's Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidy. I enjoyed it enough to listen through the entire book in one sitting. I only finished it minutes ago. Stossel is a libretarian. I am a conservative person, but I also have many libretarian views and I have always enjoyed Stossels work, both in print and on television and I enjoyed his last book, Give Me a Break very much as well. Stossel goes through specific myths prepetuated by the media, the polictically correct academians, and politicians. I very much recommend this book for anyone looking for a nice dose of common sense and a chuckle here and there.

 

[180gVinyl]

I have enjoyed all the Elvis Cole novels as well as the other novels by Robert Crais.

Not currently reading anything but have a couple lined up

My favourite authors are in the genre known as "Crime Fiction" in the UK and "Mystery" in the US

James Ellroy
George P Pelecanos
Robert Crais
Michael Connelly
Jim Thompson
Dennis Lehane
James Lee Burke
Daniel Woodrell

 

[Groomer Monkey]

I have so many books on the go; each fuels a different mood or gives me inspiration in different ways (I write myself - a wannabe, yes):

'Don Quixote' - Cervantes
'The Brothers Karamazov' - Dostoyevsky
'Our Man in Havana' - Greene
'Choke' - Palahniuk
'Airfix, Celebrating 50 years of the greatest Plastic Kits in the World'
'The New Penguin History of The World' - Amazing, effin brilliant.
'The Dangerous Book For Boys' - Iggulden Brothers
'For Whom The Bells Toll' - Hemmingway

And yes, most of my inspiration comes from a time when life was simpler (if harder physically) and you knew from which direction the enemy came - so to speak.

 

[norman931]

I forgot, I'm also reading "The Problem of Pain" by Lewis. I really love Lewis's writing, but I find that I can't just read it, I have study it. He is truly one brilliant man.

I agree. Lewis is one of the few authors I keep going back to. My favorites: Mere Christianity, The Abolition of Man, The Screwtape Letters. Out of the Silent Planet is one of the best science fiction novels around; not very technical, but he puts you in another world.Not many writers can pull that off successfully.

 

[Lynchmeister]

When I first posted to this thread I was at work, but now I'm at home looking at my bookshelf. For those of you that like biographies, I will suggest "Memoirs," by David Rockefeller, who was one of John D. Rockefeller's grandchildren, and also "Between You and Me," by Mike Wallace. Both excellent reads written by two fascinating people!

 

[Bob Dobbs]

Now we're on to "White" by Ted Dekker. The final book in the trilogy.

 

[rtaylor61]

Waiting for Your Cat to Bark?: Persuading Customers When They Ignore Marketing by Bryan Eisenberg, Jeffrey Eisenberg, Lisa T. Davis

Randy

 

[Crag]

If mine is a double post I apologize.

I am currently reading Napolen Hill, Think and Grow Rich. I'll be done with it in two days, then it's time for The Secret, and when I'm done with that I'll read 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell.

Of course, I am also reading The Book of Mormon on a regular basis..nightly as a matter of fact.

 

[JBHoren]

I have enjoyed all the Elvis Cole novels as well as the other novels by Robert Crais.

Not currently reading anything but have a couple lined up

My favourite authors are in the genre known as "Crime Fiction" in the UK and "Mystery" in the US

James Ellroy
George P Pelecanos
Robert Crais
Michael Connelly
Jim Thompson
Dennis Lehane
James Lee Burke
Daniel Woodrell

I would add to this listing the name of Joe Gores; especially, his "DKA" series. You'll probably have difficulty finding any-or-all of them in your public library, but they're all available new/used on Amazon, and also on eBay. Excellent reading; and, again, should be read chronologically.

 

[bordeaaj]

Just finished The Terror by Dan Simmons and now am starting World War Z by Max Brooks and Anthony Bourdain's A Cooks Tour.

 

[DMS]

Isaac's Storm, by Erik Larson

A story of the 1900 Galveston hurricane.

 

[tim8557]

I'm going to be starting "Lonesome Dove" this evening based on a recommendation in this thread.

 

[teamacacia]

Not enough time for leisurly reading here. Currently I am reading through Morgan and Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesia to be followed by Jensen's Big Blue Anesthesia Review and then Barasch's Anesthesia Text. After that, hopefully sometime this fall, I will be able to dip into texts more specialized in obstetric and pediatric anesthesia. Only two and a half more years of residency and (hopefully) only three more in-training/board exams.

 

[mjrtoo]

Currently reading The House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski.

Interesting book about a book about a movie about a house, horror related. Pretty complex reading to me.

 

[19george]

Reading The Early Church by Henry Chadwick.

Its a History book about the first 800 years of Christianity. It can be a bit heavy at times, but its a great intro to the topic.