What are you reading?
- Thread starter Emma
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Just found the book thread after discovering the "lounge" and enjoying and appreciatimg the write ups everyone jas done....this series peeked my interest a lot so thanks! I read the first 3 game of thrones books about 15 years ago after randomly pulling the first off the local library shelf as a teenager with the title catching my eye. Loved it due to all the death and hardship which i thought made it more real. Looking forward to this trying this series. Havent read fantasy in a long time.
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Two of my favorite stories ive read that hold a special place in my top 5 list is Musashi (great book about a poor kid with veru rough life that finds his own way in a unlikely but inspiring journey into becoming a great samurai warrior)
And my other favorite is Count of Monte Cristo. The book os far far better than the movie.
Currently im reading a history book called The Silk Roads A New History of The World. It shifts the focus of the "center of the world" aroumd to tje different areas of tje world through time that bettet captures the rest of the worls that is always in the shadows of history here in tje West and gives a more accurate picture of power and importance of countrys/cities/regions over time. World makes a lot more sense such as the British Rusaian conflicts and why China or India wasn't taking over Europe
And my other favorite is Count of Monte Cristo. The book os far far better than the movie.
Currently im reading a history book called The Silk Roads A New History of The World. It shifts the focus of the "center of the world" aroumd to tje different areas of tje world through time that bettet captures the rest of the worls that is always in the shadows of history here in tje West and gives a more accurate picture of power and importance of countrys/cities/regions over time. World makes a lot more sense such as the British Rusaian conflicts and why China or India wasn't taking over Europe
Just finished Trevor Noah's (now the host of the daily show) autobiography called "Born a Crime." What a crazy life. He came from "eating worms" poor in aparthied South Africa to what he is now. Amazing life full of some incrediblly difficult hardships. He brings a lot of humour and sharp wit to the carnage he lived through, mixing in some fasinating history and aobering perspectives of South Africa emerging from aparthied.
After reading your posts and Jalfa's posts, i read book 1 of the Malazan series. I thought it was decent but i wasnt sucked in enough that i felt i wanted to commit to another 8 or 9 books...BUT from what you said here is that Gardens of the Moon (the 1st book) is arguably the worst then maybe i should keep going and will be happy i invested more time....oddly for me the biggest issue i had was how the romantic relationships were portrayed. It felt lie made for young teen audience and took away a lot of the feeling of "realness" to me. I found it odd the graphic levels of violence on the one hand and on the other a child like timidity or a shy uncomfortableness with love/passion/intimacy or adult romance on the other hand.
I'm reading The Breakers Series (books 1-3) by Edward W. Robinson. I've been looking for some new authors, and stumbled upon this in the "free" section of books for my Nook. I'm rapidly becoming addicted to eBooks and this series is one of the best I've come across (especially being free 
).
In the Breakers series, humanity faces not one apocalypse, but two: first a lethal pandemic, then a war against those who made the virus. This collection includes the first three books and is over 1000 pages (350,000 words) of post-apocalyptic survival.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-breakers-series-edward-w-robertson/1116251161?type=eBook
). In the Breakers series, humanity faces not one apocalypse, but two: first a lethal pandemic, then a war against those who made the virus. This collection includes the first three books and is over 1000 pages (350,000 words) of post-apocalyptic survival.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-breakers-series-edward-w-robertson/1116251161?type=eBook
It's a heavy lift, but very worthwhile imo to read and study Alan Bloom's translation of Plato's Republic, along with his 100+ page essay in the addendum. Then study Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind - How Higher Education Has Failed Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students. If you really want to take the red pill and go down the rabbit hole, study those two books. It's the beginning of understanding how ideas that propagate through space and time affect our individual beliefs and our culture to a degree you never imagined.
That sounds interesting. I read the Republic back in undergrad and although I consider myself a pretty good student, I think a lot went over my head at the time. I started reading it again and have had a lot more joy reading it than the first time around. I'll have to check out your other suggestion too. Thanks!
Red Rising
Couldn't put the book down and was eagerly waiting for amazon to deliver the next 2 books in the series so i could keep going.
A dystopia society set in the future. The main character is born into the lowest rung of society, a slave clan working the mines of Mars. The book follows his story as he trys to make the dream of his martyr wife come true.
"What do you live for?" She asks him
"You"
"Thats not enough. You must live for something more."
No long dry periods in the book. The author is clever making it hard to figure out his twists even though you know they are coming.
Has a hunger games feel to it in some sense but not teenie bopper like the movies.
Couldn't put the book down and was eagerly waiting for amazon to deliver the next 2 books in the series so i could keep going.
A dystopia society set in the future. The main character is born into the lowest rung of society, a slave clan working the mines of Mars. The book follows his story as he trys to make the dream of his martyr wife come true.
"What do you live for?" She asks him
"You"
"Thats not enough. You must live for something more."
No long dry periods in the book. The author is clever making it hard to figure out his twists even though you know they are coming.
Has a hunger games feel to it in some sense but not teenie bopper like the movies.
It was fun to read but not sure it offers anything to "lightbulb-y"
Its pretty simple supply demand real life examples such as what foes on with the drug trade.
Government outlaws slashing auppply and making price shoot up....this gives big incentives to sell drugs thus gangs form etc etc same as prohibition of alcohol. He does same thing with prostitution and a few other things.
The catchy part of the book is he writes the book from a travel journalist point of view, as he actually visits the gangs and interviews the members to support his assumption (high srug prices assumed to be the motivation)
Its pretty simple supply demand real life examples such as what foes on with the drug trade.
Government outlaws slashing auppply and making price shoot up....this gives big incentives to sell drugs thus gangs form etc etc same as prohibition of alcohol. He does same thing with prostitution and a few other things.
The catchy part of the book is he writes the book from a travel journalist point of view, as he actually visits the gangs and interviews the members to support his assumption (high srug prices assumed to be the motivation)
I'll start off by being (brutally) honest. I hate to read. Reading makes me sleep. I don't know why it does, but it does. It takes me 2 - 3 weeks to get through an entire book because of it.
With that being said......
I used to read a lot when I was growing up, and going to school. Primarily because it was a requirement, but partly also because I did enjoy it a little more back then. A few of my favorites growing up are actually ones I would like to eventually go back and read again.
"The Boxcar Children" .. I loved those books to death when I was young. I'd even go as far as to say that some, if not all, of them were, and still are, my favorites of all time. Since I stopped reading those books (somewhere around middle school-ish (so around 1997-1998), I know there have been additional books in the series. I want to start with the very first Boxcar Children book, and slowly work my way to the end.
"The Giver" .. One of my favorites of all time. I just want to read it again to remind myself why I enjoyed this masterpiece so much.
Eventually, I do want to read the entire "Harry Potter" series. And I will.
"Star Wars" as well.
With that being said......
I used to read a lot when I was growing up, and going to school. Primarily because it was a requirement, but partly also because I did enjoy it a little more back then. A few of my favorites growing up are actually ones I would like to eventually go back and read again.
"The Boxcar Children" .. I loved those books to death when I was young. I'd even go as far as to say that some, if not all, of them were, and still are, my favorites of all time. Since I stopped reading those books (somewhere around middle school-ish (so around 1997-1998), I know there have been additional books in the series. I want to start with the very first Boxcar Children book, and slowly work my way to the end.
"The Giver" .. One of my favorites of all time. I just want to read it again to remind myself why I enjoyed this masterpiece so much.
Eventually, I do want to read the entire "Harry Potter" series. And I will.
"Star Wars" as well.
Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders.
I was a little disappointed in this one in a couple of ways. Overall I enjoyed the book and still recommend it.
The baddie's motivation for doing what he/she's doing was not presented in what I thought was a compelling way. They just explained it in a few sentences and ran with it (later in the book, when they reveal who it is). I expected a bit more, or at least a better written presentation of the motive. Just seemed to come out of the blue. Also, Pendergast seems to be losing his mojo in this one. He says this was the toughest adversary he ever faced, when it seems like when he was facing off against his brother, etc., in previous novels they seemed to be much more worthy and well-rounded foes. Seemed a bit "simplistic" at times. If you read the book (and are familiar with the series at all) you will understand what I am saying (without giving away any spoilers).
The baddie's motivation for doing what he/she's doing was not presented in what I thought was a compelling way. They just explained it in a few sentences and ran with it (later in the book, when they reveal who it is). I expected a bit more, or at least a better written presentation of the motive. Just seemed to come out of the blue. Also, Pendergast seems to be losing his mojo in this one. He says this was the toughest adversary he ever faced, when it seems like when he was facing off against his brother, etc., in previous novels they seemed to be much more worthy and well-rounded foes. Seemed a bit "simplistic" at times. If you read the book (and are familiar with the series at all) you will understand what I am saying (without giving away any spoilers).
Replying to myself, lol because adtwr a few months passes i still love this series. Havent found anything that has pulled me in as much since.
Avout a month ago finished Ready Player One...was a fun read with a lot of references to media and the first video games to come out of the 80s. Think its going to be a movie.
Havent reaf much in awhile with a newborn making me sleep deprived and unable to focus long enough to read lol
Avout a month ago finished Ready Player One...was a fun read with a lot of references to media and the first video games to come out of the 80s. Think its going to be a movie.
Havent reaf much in awhile with a newborn making me sleep deprived and unable to focus long enough to read lol
Entertaining first book - just downloaded the second in the series to start reading. Thanks for the tip, @kingsfan1984!
I was sitting at the local store/cafe waiting for a to-go order and grabbed "A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" from the free library shelf to occupy my mind. I haven't read it in over 30 years. I was immediately sucked in. I may have to revisit some other old favorites again. I'm finding different things than I found the first time.
At some point, when I'm feeling REALLY bored, I want to read all the Dune books in order, including all the prequels and sequels by his son and others. That's a total of about 20 books I have sitting on my shelf that I have read, but with the prequels and sequels coming long after I read the originals, it would be interesting to see how well they all fit with sequential reading.
I did that with Tom Clancy in college when I read one or two books, then, going back and starting at the beginning. This would be a much bigger task though compared to the restart with Clancy!
I do recommend the Orson Scott Card series revolving around Ender as well. If you only read one book, read Ender's Game.
I did that with Tom Clancy in college when I read one or two books, then, going back and starting at the beginning. This would be a much bigger task though compared to the restart with Clancy!
I do recommend the Orson Scott Card series revolving around Ender as well. If you only read one book, read Ender's Game.
I read Ender's Game a couple of years ago because of your recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it.
I'm sitting here looking over at my bookshelf and it appears the entire Dragonrider series is calling my name. However, whispering from the shadows is "Stranger in a Strange Land," my favorite Heinlein book.
Before my cataract surgeries, I had gotten away from reading. I watched movies - TONS of movies - instead. It's pretty easy when your best friend has a video store. Lately, though, so many of the movies are disappointing or just plain dull. I think there are a lot of books (including many of the ones on my bookshelves) I'll be devouring during TDOS.
I'm sitting here looking over at my bookshelf and it appears the entire Dragonrider series is calling my name. However, whispering from the shadows is "Stranger in a Strange Land," my favorite Heinlein book.
Before my cataract surgeries, I had gotten away from reading. I watched movies - TONS of movies - instead. It's pretty easy when your best friend has a video store. Lately, though, so many of the movies are disappointing or just plain dull. I think there are a lot of books (including many of the ones on my bookshelves) I'll be devouring during TDOS.