What Are You Reading?

[ByMyBeard]

My current recommended read from my 12yo is "Sal and Gabi Break the Universe" by Carlos Hernandez. It's a middle grade science fiction book. The 12yo (B) is typically really good at picking out books for me to read, as they are typically quite enjoyable. However, I was taken aback by 2 comments a character made in this book. The first being when he mentioned that someone gave "feero zucks" about an event that occurred. I guess, maybe some 12yo's walk around saying/hearing that level of cursing, but it still surprised me. The second was when the same character mentioned that the 2 protagonists were "Friends with benefits?!". I'm sure both of these flew right over my daughter's head, but was still very surprised they were included in a MG level book.
Short of that, the book is enjoyable.

 

[Four for Luck]

Arrived at the library for me “The House on GaribaldI Street”.

 

[The Knize]

The latest Reacher, Better Off Dead. Loving it, but I generally do the first few chapters! Reviews seem to say that it is a rheash of previous books and not as good as the ones written solely by Lee Child. But I am liking it!

 

[Whilliam]

Finished Robin Cook's "Viral." A real stinker. Avoid like the plague.

Now reading Tucker Carlson's "The Long Slide," a collection of his magazine pieces. So far not a polemic in the bunch. Just delightful.

Also a hundred or so pages into Brad Thor's latest thriller, "Black Ice." Once again, Mitch Rapp must save the world. Great fun.

Next on the pile is Steven Pinker's "Rationality." A reasonable defense of reason, I suppose, and certainly germane to these times.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

As I couldn't use the forum while it was infested with bats, I read through the last two books of Peter May's Ezno Macleod series, Blowback and Cast Iron, over the last few days. I've enjoyed reading that series, and while I wouldn't rate it as anything exemplary, they have been both enjoyable stories, and easy reading too.

 

[ByMyBeard]

Finished Robin Cook's "Viral." A real stinker. Avoid like the plague.

Now reading Tucker Carlson's "The Long Slide," a collection of his magazine pieces. So far not a polemic in the bunch. Just delightful.

Also a hundred or so pages into Brad Thor's latest thriller, "Black Ice." Once again, Mitch Rapp must save the world. Great fun.

Next on the pile is Steven Pinker's "Rationality." A reasonable defense of reason, I suppose, and certainly germane to these times.

Was the first line a pun? I read it as a pun....
I thought Rapp was a Vince Flynn character. I haven't read any political thrillers since Teeth of the Tiger, where I decided I was done with the Ryanverse. Not sure who I want to follow next.

 

[Messygoon]

 

[njpaddy]

I recently finished Intensity by Dean Koontz. It's probably the first book in a LONG time that I considered not completing. At points, I found it incredibly boring. I will say that it picked up in the end, but was still not a huge fan. I may try one of the other novels included in that collection, but not for a while.

Regarding audio books, I agree that my mind tends to wander more with that format. However, I'm also using this as an opportunity to improve my auditory comprehension. I'm currently in the middle of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie via audio book. I'm really enjoying it. I'm greatful for the reader using slightly different voices for the characters, as names are one things I definitely struggle with over audio books. The different tones makes it easier for me to envision who's speaking.

I liked Koontz in the 80s, along with King, McCammon and other horror writers like Guy N. Smith. I can't say that I have read (or liked) much of any of them since then, but I still have boxes of their books in the basement.

 

[emwolf]

Agent 003 1/2, The Adventures of James Bond Junior--not to be confused with the cartoon series, this was a book commissioned by the fine folks at EON back in 1968. Just starting and it seems enjoyable so far.

 

[Whilliam]

Was the first line a pun? I read it as a pun....
I thought Rapp was a Vince Flynn character. I haven't read any political thrillers since Teeth of the Tiger, where I decided I was done with the Ryanverse. Not sure who I want to follow next.

Yeah, that was a pun, but no less true.

Mitch Rapp, Scott Horvath . . . I get 'em both mixed up as they are virtually interchangeable. Too bad Flynn's not with us any longer, though his franchise has done quite well since his death.

I gave up on the Clancy franchise years ago when Ryan became vice president (?) or something. Really? Please.

An interesting franchise is Alex Berenson's John Wells series. You might try it by starting with "The Perfect Spy."

Then there's always John Sanford's tough-as-nails cop, Lucas Davenport. Enough there to keep you turning pages for a year.

 

[njpaddy]

I gave up on the Clancy franchise years ago when Ryan became vice president (?) or something. Really? Please.

I still have a HC Naval edition of Hunt, and a 1st HC of Red. I lost interest in those that followed, and gave those away.

 

[Rushman2112]

When I was in UK last week I picked up Billy Connolly's autobiography "Windswept and Interesting". I've only managed to read the first few pages as I keep getting sidetracked, but good so far.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I still have a HC Naval edition of Hunt, and a 1st HC of Red. I lost interest in those that followed, and gave those away.

Red October or Red Storm Rising?

 

[njpaddy]

Red October or Red Storm Rising?

Rising

 

[The Knize]

View attachment 1355983

So what do you think? I really liked A Gentleman in Moscow.

 

[BlueMaxx]

Follow Me and Die: The Destruction of an American Division in World War II​

Cecil B. Currey


"In November 1944, the 28th Infantry Division, under inept commanders, was ordered to attack the Germans in The Battle of Hürtgen Forest near the Siegfried Line. Resistance was fierce. The American infantrymen, though courageous, were demoralized by cold, hunger, exhaustion, and fear. They broke and ran. Ten percent losses would have been considered unacceptable high, but American casualties climbed to seventy-five percent. Now, from access to recently declassified documents and with first-hand testimony from both German and American survivors, the virtual destruction of an American division in one of World War II's most costly and useless attacks is revealed in detail to the general public for the first time"

 

[Messygoon]

So what do you think? I really liked A Gentleman in Moscow.

This is my first Amor Towles book, so I can’t compare. But it is his highest rated book on Goodreads.

I’m thoroughly enjoying The Lincoln Highway. NPR calls it the “new Great American Road Novel.” It chronicles the cross country adventure of 3 young men and a boy seeking a better life, and stops along the way where decency and kindness offset evil. Apparently it starts on June 12, 1954, and ends on the same date as A Gentleman in Moscow.

This is seriously good storytelling, and if the last 25% is as good as the first 75%, I plan to give it 5-stars.

 

[The Knize]

This is my first Amor Towles book, so I can’t compare. But it is his highest rated book on Goodreads.

I’m thoroughly enjoying The Lincoln Highway. NPR calls it the “new Great American Road Novel.” It chronicles the cross country adventure of 3 young men and a boy seeking a better life, and stops along the way where decency and kindness offset evil. Apparently it starts on June 12, 1954, and ends on the same date as A Gentleman in Moscow.

This is seriously good storytelling, and if the last 25% is as good as the first 75%, I plan to give it 5-stars.

Thanks for the report back. I hope it holds up all the way through. Towles is a seriously talented guy. A first class story teller and master of prose. I like that this book is uplifting. I sure thought Gentleman was in original, non-saccharine ways.

 

[12stones]

Just finished American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. Fantastic read.

 

[Moorhsum]

An interesting take on life around the Great Lakes