What're you reading?

[mtnbkr]

BTW, I finished Cell last week.  It's ok, but it's kinda a rehash of The Stand, with elements of "I Am Legend" thrown in.  Not a bad read, but not his best effort.  Lots of bad gun related writing too, as I pointed out in another thread...

Chris

[roo_ster]

Just Finished:
Intelligence in War: Knowledge of the Enemy from Napoleon to Al-Qaeda by John Keegan
Describes the state of intel in war at several points in world history and the effects (& lack) on the outcome of the conflicts.


Currently Reading:
Human Accomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 B.C. to 1950 by Charles A. Murray
CAM is renowned for his statistical analysis of the human condition.  Even if math & stats give you a headache, the book is well-written enough and chart-filled enough that the math/stat-ignorant can understand waht is going on.  The topic requires CAM to delve into the arts, sciences, and history.


Modern Times: The World from the Twenties to the Nineties by Paul M. Johnson
PMJ is a wonderful author of survey histories.  He has written such on the Jews, Christianity, America & others.  Modern Times focuses on what happened to the world during the 20th century with special emphasis on why Western intellectuals seem to will the demise of Western Civ.

On Deck:
TBD

Fjolnirsson:
Be forwarned that Dune Messiah and Children of Dune are pretty much snoozers.  Unfortunately, they are required to understand the folloing books, which are much better.

[peteinct]

Fjolnirsson, Just stop at Dune. That was the best one and it all went downhill from there. IMO.  Roadmarks was an awesome book. I would love to see a movie of it. Read his "A night in the lonesome october". It is a similiar romp through victorian england with sherlock holmes, the wolfman, dracula, and Jack the ripper who is the hero. Also the narrator is a talking dog.

I just reread the Lord of the Isles series by David Drake. His last one, the Fortress of glass was so so.

pete

[Fjolnirsson]

Just finished Cell two days ago. Good, much better than anything I've read from him in years(with the exception of The Dark Tower stuff), but still kindof weak. Disappointing, because it started off very strong, IMO.
Still working on Dune. It's my bedtime book, so I don't read much at a time.
I finished Roadmarks. Great book. I've got two more Zelazny novels on the back burner. I've got the first Lord of the Isles book at home. Worth picking up the rest, then?

[Balog]

Just finished:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Legacies by L. E. Modesitt

A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. Best fantasy ever. Gunny, you need to put it at the top of your list. A lot like Glen Cook's amazing Black Company series, but with more depth and political complexity.

Perpetually reading Catridges of the World, 3.5 edition D&D Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide, D20 Star Wars Revised core rule book.

Next up:

the rest of Martin's A Song of Fire and Ice.

Then reread The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn.

[glockfan.45]

Have recently read

- Losing America (written by one of the few Democrats worth his skin)

- Micheal Moore is a fat stupid white man (a wonderful insight into all of Moores hypocracy, good material for debating liberal Moore supporters who always quote him).

Currently reading

- Freakonomics (is a very interesting book about the odd relations between seemingly unrelated social events).

will read soon

- Penthouse forums (just as soon as the wife leaves for work  )

[Daniel964]

How to talk to a liberal (if you must)

[Leatherneck]

Just borrowed "COBRA II-the Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq" by Michael Gordon and Bernie Trainor to read over the 4-day weekend. A colonel in the office says every bit of it is true. Should get back disgusted next week...

TC

[280plus]

Still gnawing away at the the Hunchback. We're in the dungeon at the moment. Not sure where we're headed next. Haven't seen Quasimodo for a while but I'm thinking he's due back. Helluva story BTW... 

[El Tejon]

Ghost Wars by Steve Coll.  Won a Pulitzer in '05 but I was unable to fit into my reading list until now.

[zahc]

rereading Snow Crash.

[peteinct]

I like David Drake's writing but he is not to every ones taste. The Lord of the Isles series seems to be repeating itself so he is wrapping it up. If you like the first one you should like the rest. Of his I like best the reaches trilogy which was based on the life and times of Francis Drake. Space pirates ahoy!
Zelazny had some great ones. The first chronicles of amber were great, the second not so much. Doorways in the sand and Creatures of light and darkness were also great.

What I think is interesting  is that I have read or wish to read many of the books people write about here.

I also recommend Jerry Pournelle. His stars at war short story collection were well worth reading along with his there will be war collections. Good stories, essays, and even poetry all in one spot. I first read Kipling's poems in those collections.
pete

[DrAmazon]

The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon  It is probably the best book I have read in a very long time.  I'm reading it very slowly now because I'm almost finished and I don't want it to end.

This review doesn't do justice to the way Moon has conveyed the way an autistic mind might work.  This plotline is truly just a vehicle.  It has me questioning what is "normal" and what isn't and has me looking at some of my "odd" students in a very different light.

"Corporate life in early 21st-century America is even more ruthless than it was at the turn of the millennium. Lou Arrendale, well compensated for his remarkable pattern-recognition skills, enjoys his job and expects never to lose it. But he has a new boss, a man who thinks Lou and the others in his building are a liability. Lou and his coworkers are autistic. And the new boss is going to fire Lou and all his coworkers--unless they agree to undergo an experimental new procedure to "cure" them."

[cordex]

Currently:
Letters on England, Voltaire
The Weapon, Michael Z. Williamson

[grislyatoms]

Re-reading James Clavell's "Shogun".

I read that every 4-5 years or so, it's one of my favorites.

Next up is "On a Wing and a Prayer", by a navigator on a B-17 in the 8th Air Force during WWII. I started reading it some time ago then lost the book, only to find another copy in a used bookstore recently.