Books: What are you reading tonight? - Page 4

jjshabado · #1 08-20-2007, 12:27 AM

I'm half way through Gore's Assault on Reason book. Its reminded me why I don't buy and read books by politicians. Even when I agree with the content/message I want to shoot myself in the face.

I'm also a bit into a book of Speech's from Martin Luther King Jr. Interesting stuff.

jfk · #2 08-20-2007, 01:25 AM

Iris Chang's "Thread of the Silkworm". I've not previously read any Iris Chang and sadly, she won't be putting out any more books. Its a biography of a Chinese rocket scientist who was deported from the U.S. in the 50's following a McCarthy driven purge. He became the leading figure behind the Chinese development of a ballistic missle program and their space program.

Last week I finished "Bones of the Master" by George Crane. Oddly enough I stumbled upon this title while searching the (empty) shelves for Chang's book. It is an unusual book with an unusual subject matter it would appeal many of the readers of this forum (and it is a very fast, engaging read). The story is about a Ch'an (Buddhist) monk who returns to Inner Mongolia after a forty year absence to find and properly honor his teacher's remains.

bonds · #3 08-22-2007, 07:40 PM

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A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson last week and I loved it. It was very funny and I enjoyed the tales of the Appalachian Trail.

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I also read this recently and enjoyed it. I think it may well be his best work - I liked In A Sunburned Country, thought I'm a Stranger Here Myself was meh and considered his African Diary largely a waste of time.

Today's random selection is David Shalleck's Mediterranean Summer: A Season on France's Cote d'Azur and Italy's Costa Bella. Since I've already read the collected works of Peter Mayle, I have to broaden my horizons... [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

I read a lot. Thank goodness for the interlibrary loan system!

cambraceres · #4 08-21-2007, 03:17 AM

I'm currently reading "Justine" by Marquis de Sade, and am also lightly perusing a collection of prose from Robert Lowell. I just finished a short collection of Kafka and "Notes from the Underground" by Dostoevsky.

I didn't realize how much Sade influenced the latter two until looking.

Cam

CaptVimes · #5 08-21-2007, 02:35 PM

Just finished "Cat Among the Pigeons" by Agatha Christie

Currently reading "Moving Pictures" by Terry Pratchett (of course!)

Blarg · #6 08-21-2007, 03:03 PM

Why of course?

CaptVimes · #7 08-21-2007, 04:01 PM

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Why of course?

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Captain Sam Vimes is a character in other Terry Pratchett books. Pratchett, for those who have never heard of him, is a lot like Douglas Adams. Very good at word play and satire and dry Brit Humor.

nick604 · #8 08-21-2007, 04:19 PM

I'll be reading Scarlett Thomas' "The end of Mr Y" this evening. It's probably the prettiest looking book I've ever bought - red and gold gilt cover with black edged pages, but unfortunately that's where the positive stuff ends.

It has props from Philip Pullman and Douglas Coupland on the sleeve, but tbh reviews from Elle/Cosmo would be more appropriate, as (admittedly only 60 pages through), it's reading like a slice of high end chick lit so far.

Also, the characters are ludicrously 2-dimensional. And the novel's theme? Metaphysics and the 4th dimension. Oh, the irony...

SoloAJ · #9 08-21-2007, 07:32 PM

Trying to work my way back into involvement here. Time to reply to threads, duh.

I will be rereading Catcher in the Rye over the next few days. I read it a couple years ago, but have forgotten most details of it. Unfortunately, it was assigned for my Adolescence Lit class, so I will be going through it again.

I definitely need to get into the swing of school with reading more and interneting less (all while Loungeing more)!

EYEWHITES · #10 08-23-2007, 11:27 PM

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How to Cheat Your Friends at Poker -- Penn Jilette

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i read that one, and a couple others about cheating in poker. This one was probably the best one, although they have all seemed alittle unbelievable, this one espically, but its short and i read it in like a day and ahalf.

i just finished no country for old men, it was meh to me. I read the road also and didnt like it, but people spoke so highly about no country on 2+2 so i got it.

right now im reading motherless brooklyn, and the crying of lot 49, but i cant seem which one i want to commit to andfinish first.