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Started By
Message
What have you read recently, and what are you currently reading?
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:08 pm
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:08 pm
So I started a thread last night asking tRant if they would be interested in a permanent book board. It got mixed reviews. Some were all in, some said hell no, some wanted different boards started, some said there are too many boards already.
All of that being said, this is as close to a book board as it's going to get for now. I hope the participation and discussion is good, and maybe this thing takes off and gets a board of its own. If it fails, then the masses have spoken, and respect decision that too.
So here we go. What have you read recently, and what are you currently reading? I recently read The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow which I enjoyed. I actually read The Cartel first last year which was a sequel to The Power of the Dog. Both books are about the Mexican cartels, and the carnage within it. Killing to these guys is like breathing for us. It's done without thought or remorse. It's completely normal, just another day at the office. Sad thing is, although it's fiction, it's pretty much spot-on to how it really is.
I also read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo recently. I thought it was a very slow starter, but once it got going it was good. I liked both protagonists a lot. Mikael and Lisbeth were both great whether they were working alone, or together. All in all, not a bad mystery who-dun-it.
Finally, I just finished Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl. I'm 45, and this is actually the first time I read it. I was completely blown away. How this was written by a 13-15 year old girl is mind-boggling. This girl was so smart and mature beyond her years, it seemed like a 40 year old woman wrote it.
I had already known it was about a Jewish family who went into hiding during WWII. They basically hid and lived in an attic that was a building where spices were made in Amsterdam. They lived in this attic for 2 years before finally being discovered and arrested by the Gestapo. Anne wrote about the experience in her diary, which she affectionately called Kitty.
I took my time reading it, and actually read several entries multiple times. If you were like me and haven't yet read it deep within your years, I highly recommend you do so. It's easily one of the best books I've ever read.
All of that being said, this is as close to a book board as it's going to get for now. I hope the participation and discussion is good, and maybe this thing takes off and gets a board of its own. If it fails, then the masses have spoken, and respect decision that too.
So here we go. What have you read recently, and what are you currently reading? I recently read The Power of the Dog by Don Winslow which I enjoyed. I actually read The Cartel first last year which was a sequel to The Power of the Dog. Both books are about the Mexican cartels, and the carnage within it. Killing to these guys is like breathing for us. It's done without thought or remorse. It's completely normal, just another day at the office. Sad thing is, although it's fiction, it's pretty much spot-on to how it really is.
I also read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo recently. I thought it was a very slow starter, but once it got going it was good. I liked both protagonists a lot. Mikael and Lisbeth were both great whether they were working alone, or together. All in all, not a bad mystery who-dun-it.
Finally, I just finished Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl. I'm 45, and this is actually the first time I read it. I was completely blown away. How this was written by a 13-15 year old girl is mind-boggling. This girl was so smart and mature beyond her years, it seemed like a 40 year old woman wrote it.
I had already known it was about a Jewish family who went into hiding during WWII. They basically hid and lived in an attic that was a building where spices were made in Amsterdam. They lived in this attic for 2 years before finally being discovered and arrested by the Gestapo. Anne wrote about the experience in her diary, which she affectionately called Kitty.
I took my time reading it, and actually read several entries multiple times. If you were like me and haven't yet read it deep within your years, I highly recommend you do so. It's easily one of the best books I've ever read.
This post was edited on 6/6/16 at 10:38 pm
16
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:17 pm to phantom70815
Reading Slapstick by Vonnegut. 2/3 through it and it's been an enjoyable read so far.
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:18 pm to phantom70815
Just finished Raving Fans, just started Purple Cow
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:21 pm to phantom70815
Been reading a bunch John Sandford prey series books lately
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:23 pm to phantom70815
The Greeks and Greek Civilization, a translated version of Jacob Burkhardt's lectures in Basel. After that, I'm planning on reading Gibbons' The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War
I'm a weird dude
I'm a weird dude
This post was edited on 6/6/16 at 7:37 pm
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:24 pm to phantom70815
Ashamed to say I haven't finished a book in 2 years. Just lost touch I guess.
Used to read constantly, need to start again.
Used to read constantly, need to start again.
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:26 pm to phantom70815
I read pretty frequently and focus on classic, canonical works. In the last few weeks I've read
The Catcher in the Rye (Salinger) - About a few days in the life of 16 year old Holden Caulfield after he gets kicked out of his 3rd boarding school. He's pretty socially awkward and hates everything mainstream or "cool." He hates athletes, people who do anything to conform to society, etc. It's extremely easy to read, and it's written like a kid talking to you. I know a lot of people love this book, and I can see how a lot of people would like it at a certain age, especially high schoolers. I think I would've liked it more when I was that age, but I ended up thinking Holden was just a whiny loser by the end of the book.
Disgrace (Coetzee - South African) - About a college professor who sleeps with a student and then gets fired and moves out to live with his daughter in the country, where more bad things happen. It's set during apartheid, so it touches on some racial/poverty issues as well. It's written extremely concisely, but not casually, if that makes sense. I loved the writing. Easy to read, but not as if you were having a conversation with the author.
Portnoy's Complain (Roth) - This book is about Portnoy's conversation with his therapist. Only Portnoy speaks in the entire book. It's basically Portnoy ranting to his therapist about his sexual escapades, relationships with girls, relationships with his Jewish parents (Roth is Jewish and most of his books are about the lives of Jews). His Jewish parents are super Jewish and have oppressed him his entire life by being extremely controlling and Jewish and they are the reasons for his failures. It's extremely graphic, tons of explicit sexual acts, etc. Not necessarily a book you just want to be flashing around in public. It wasn't bad, but I think it probably gets some extra hype for how scandalous it is than it's quality as a novel. Did I mention Portnoy's parents are Jewish?
I'm working on As I Lay Dying (Faulkner) right now, since I only read the spark notes in high school. I think I'm going for Alice in Wonderland next week some time.
I should probably read Anne Frank at some point.
The Catcher in the Rye (Salinger) - About a few days in the life of 16 year old Holden Caulfield after he gets kicked out of his 3rd boarding school. He's pretty socially awkward and hates everything mainstream or "cool." He hates athletes, people who do anything to conform to society, etc. It's extremely easy to read, and it's written like a kid talking to you. I know a lot of people love this book, and I can see how a lot of people would like it at a certain age, especially high schoolers. I think I would've liked it more when I was that age, but I ended up thinking Holden was just a whiny loser by the end of the book.
Disgrace (Coetzee - South African) - About a college professor who sleeps with a student and then gets fired and moves out to live with his daughter in the country, where more bad things happen. It's set during apartheid, so it touches on some racial/poverty issues as well. It's written extremely concisely, but not casually, if that makes sense. I loved the writing. Easy to read, but not as if you were having a conversation with the author.
Portnoy's Complain (Roth) - This book is about Portnoy's conversation with his therapist. Only Portnoy speaks in the entire book. It's basically Portnoy ranting to his therapist about his sexual escapades, relationships with girls, relationships with his Jewish parents (Roth is Jewish and most of his books are about the lives of Jews). His Jewish parents are super Jewish and have oppressed him his entire life by being extremely controlling and Jewish and they are the reasons for his failures. It's extremely graphic, tons of explicit sexual acts, etc. Not necessarily a book you just want to be flashing around in public. It wasn't bad, but I think it probably gets some extra hype for how scandalous it is than it's quality as a novel. Did I mention Portnoy's parents are Jewish?
I'm working on As I Lay Dying (Faulkner) right now, since I only read the spark notes in high school. I think I'm going for Alice in Wonderland next week some time.
I should probably read Anne Frank at some point.
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:32 pm to phantom70815
Just finished the Red Rising series. It was excellent. Now reading the Cinder Spires
Posted on 6/6/16 at 7:48 pm to phantom70815
I pretty much read fiction and mystery/horror so if anyone has recommendations, please let me know. Right now, I'm reading the Resident Evil series by S.D. Perry and they are amazing.
Posted on 6/6/16 at 8:16 pm to phantom70815
Fractal Market Analysis, applying chaos theory to investment & economics by Edgar Peters.
Pretty good stuff if you're into market theory.
Pretty good stuff if you're into market theory.
This post was edited on 6/6/16 at 8:16 pm
Posted on 6/6/16 at 8:26 pm to phantom70815
Njal's Saga
Full of OT-style badasses
Full of OT-style badasses
Posted on 6/6/16 at 8:32 pm to phantom70815
Anyway, recent reads for me:
Rodney Stark- God's Battalions. About the crusades, but he portrays the crusaders in a more positive light and lashes out against cynical theories such as European colonialism or it was a method of ridding Europe of surplus landless sons.
Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series (now a good BBC America show) is phenomenal if you like reading about badass warlords fighting in Danish-occupied England circa 900AD. The protagonist Uhtred is a total warrior, a man of his times, with humor and intelligence and aggressiveness and lacking tiresome concerns about morality.
Rodney Stark- God's Battalions. About the crusades, but he portrays the crusaders in a more positive light and lashes out against cynical theories such as European colonialism or it was a method of ridding Europe of surplus landless sons.
Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series (now a good BBC America show) is phenomenal if you like reading about badass warlords fighting in Danish-occupied England circa 900AD. The protagonist Uhtred is a total warrior, a man of his times, with humor and intelligence and aggressiveness and lacking tiresome concerns about morality.
This post was edited on 5/21/17 at 4:42 pm
Posted on 6/6/16 at 8:39 pm to phantom70815
Recently finished A World Without End. Currently on book 3 of the Saxon Chronicles, per board recommendations.
Utred of Bebbanburg is a bad SOB
Utred of Bebbanburg is a bad SOB
This post was edited on 6/6/16 at 8:54 pm
Posted on 6/6/16 at 9:41 pm to phantom70815
Posted on 6/6/16 at 11:51 pm to phantom70815
The Road Less Traveled by Scott Peck
Posted on 6/6/16 at 11:53 pm to phantom70815
Under the bleachers by IC Butz
Posted on 5/22/17 at 8:16 pm to phantom70815
Finished "When Breath Becomes Air" a few weeks ago. About a Neurosurgery Resident who develops metastatic lung cancer to his spine, and his reflections on his life, and the end of his life. It's amazing.
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