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The Nightmare Years by William Shirer is a fun read. It's an eyewitness account (the guy was the CBS correspondent in Berlin up until 1940) of how Nazi Germany became so fucked up...it's a more personal version of Inside the Third Reich (which he also wrote and many of you have probably read).

It's also only a penny on Amazon. Buy it haha
 
I finished Brian "Head" Welch's autobiography recently. If you like Korn even just a little, are in a band at or just even a bit curious on why he left, read this book. It does get a little preachy at the end when he becomes a born again Christian, but that's expected. Really great read.

Started Storm of Swords....only 250 pages in right now but man it's so good.
 
[quote name='RockinTheRedDog']
Started Storm of Swords....only 250 pages in right now but man it's so good.[/QUOTE]

A little bit more and your pants will be shat.
 
Finished The Hangman's Daughter. It was a good, quick read.

Now going to read some Star Wars books I haven't read in 15 years or so.

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I'm currently reading "The Palace Guards" by Steven Brust. Coincidently, my screen name comes from a book series of his, so if you like a bit of smarzy, well written, quaint fun - then he's an awesome read!
 
11/22/63 by King. About halfway through and this book so far has been one of his best. More thought provoking than horror at this point although there is a little bit of crossover with my favorite book by him It
 
I finished The Road by McCarthy tonight. I am also currently reading The Brothers Karamazov and I am about to begin V. by Pynchon. I will read these concurrently. I think I am going to be disappointed by V. because I recently read Gravity's Rainbow (excellent). We shall see. If you have a chance, pick up The Road. It is awesome.
 
It's been a while since my last post but over the past couple of weeks I've read Team of Rivals and Under the Banner of Heaven. Both were exceptional, especially Team of Rivals.

I'm currently working my way through The Day of Battle by Rick Atkinson (the sequel to the pulitzer winning An Army at Dawn).
 
[quote name='jlarlee']11/22/63 by King. About halfway through and this book so far has been one of his best. More thought provoking than horror at this point although there is a little bit of crossover with my favorite book by him It[/QUOTE]

Wow just finished it was the best book I have read all year. I will have to wait a bit since it's fresh but it may be my new favorite King book.
 
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[quote name='Sethra']I'm currently reading "The Palace Guards" by Steven Brust. Coincidently, my screen name comes from a book series of his, so if you like a bit of smarzy, well written, quaint fun - then he's an awesome read![/QUOTE]

Oh, I read Cowboy Feng and Brokedown Palace, and liked both of them. I'll keep my eyes out for that one.

Finished The Algebraist, by Iain M. Banks. It's a pretty demanding book, as it throws all kinds of unfamiliar names, terminology, aliens, and government structures at you and it's your job to keep up. About 3/4 of the way through, it started to feel like a slog and then all of a sudden, it changed.

Wow. Most of the time, I find the last part of a book unsatisfying. Not this one. The reveals were surprising, yet logical. Everything that happened had been set up and everything got some kind of resolution. Highly impressed and will be seeking out more of this author's work.

Started another library sale book, and it is the worst book I've read in years, possibly the last decade. The Christmas Cookie Club by Ann Pearlman. Paging through it at the sale, it looked like The Joy Luck Club, but with cookies instead of China. Unfortunately, it's also cookies instead of quality.

Even if you hate Amy Tan, this is an abomination by comparison, filled with treacly, inept melodrama, characters that are distinguishable only by their hairstyles and scents (both of which are not exactly helpful in text). I didn't think it was going to be great, but I didn't think it would be so bad that I'd be scared to try the cookie recipes that start every chapter. It does venture into "so bad it's good" territory, though, especially since this book which looks so heartwarming and Christmassy has stripping, prostitution, drug abuse, a dead fetus carried to term, affairs, teenage pregnancy, jail, deaths, cancers, and a guy impaled on rebar who subsequently dies in gory detail. Happy Holidays!
 
just finished The Conqueror Worms by Brian Keene and loved every page.
Moving on to The View From The Seventh Layer by Kevin Brockemeyer which is a short story collection. Quite good so far though I prefer his novels.
 
finished the Killer Angels back on remembrance day, novelization of the battle of Gettysburg that won a Pulitzer prize back in 1975, currently a bit more than 300 pages into the prequels Gods and Generals written by the author of the first books son. Will probably watch the movies(Gettysburg and Gods and Generals.) when I finish it before I start the third book. Quite like the writing style for the most part and wow haven't read much the past month.
 
Finished Fever Dream by Preston and Child:
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Started Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin:
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I'm hoping to finish it before the Blu-Ray releases, but I'm only about 20 pages in so far. I saw a preview somewhere that covers the first two sections I've read.
 
Finished China Mieville's The Scar last weekend. I liked it, the open seas/piracy and fantasy elements were well handled. The only thing I didn't like was the late novel use of multiple realities/dimensions/"possibilities." That's hardly ever handled satisfactorily in any work, and this one was no exception to that rule. Still a fun read, substantial but not weighty.
 
Decided to put down the Marquis de Sade for a little while (philosophical torture porn doesn't seem like good vacation reading). Going to start up A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter Miller. Also bringing A Game Of Thrones with me in case I finish Canticle.
 
[quote name='SneakyPenguin'] Going to start up A Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter Miller.[/QUOTE]


One of my all time favorite books and tops of the post apocalypse genre imo.
 
Finally got Dreamland Japan HC at a low price.
The Pawnee book by Leslie Knope is fun, I mean velvet coverings at the local gentleman's club. And steak! And steak eaten by gentlemen!
And now trying to finish Homicide by David Simon.
 
I have a tough time with Palahniuk. He reads quick, and he's clever in places, but the "disturbing" stuff feels like a lot of bluster. I don't know. The people I know who like him really like him.
 
Killed off The Hunger Games in one day. Starting Catching Fire today. Also squeezed in Ayn Rand's Anthem. Expecting to get a lot of graphic novels for Christmas, including The New DC 52, so I'll be busy for awhile.
 
Been at home for a month. Yet haven't even finished one book. It's far easier to read at work. i've started this at home, and will probably finish it off in one or two days once I go back to work this Friday.

 
I have been wanting to check out "Crimes in Southern Indiana: stories" by Bill Frank but it's been sold out in my area for awhile. Anyone here read it yet?
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Finished the Larry Bird/Magic Johnson book the other day. Good read if you're a basketball fan.

On to:

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[/QUOTE]

Wow, someone just recommended this to me last night...
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']Finished the Larry Bird/Magic Johnson book the other day. Good read if you're a basketball fan.

On to:

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[/QUOTE]

Great, great, great book.
 
[quote name='bigdaddybruce44']Killed off The Hunger Games in one day. Starting Catching Fire today. Also squeezed in Ayn Rand's Anthem. Expecting to get a lot of graphic novels for Christmas, including The New DC 52, so I'll be busy for awhile.[/QUOTE]

Hows Hunger Games? I was thinking about picking it up, then read on Amazon it was adequate for Grades 7-9. After that I just forgot about it since I was kinda iffy on the writing.
 
[quote name='DOMINATOR912']Hows Hunger Games? I was thinking about picking it up, then read on Amazon it was adequate for Grades 7-9. After that I just forgot about it since I was kinda iffy on the writing.[/QUOTE]

I loved it. It's definitely young adult fiction, but to me, it's akin to something like Harry Potter, where adults can definitely enjoy it. It was recommended to me by my friend's wife, who teaches high school English. I already polished off the second book, too.
 
[quote name='DOMINATOR912']Hows Hunger Games? I was thinking about picking it up, then read on Amazon it was adequate for Grades 7-9. After that I just forgot about it since I was kinda iffy on the writing.[/QUOTE]

Loved the first, didn't much care for the other 2 books.
 
[quote name='DOMINATOR912']Hows Hunger Games? I was thinking about picking it up, then read on Amazon it was adequate for Grades 7-9. After that I just forgot about it since I was kinda iffy on the writing.[/QUOTE]
I enjoyed the entire series. Easy reading since they are aimed at a younger audience, but some of the content seemed more adult.
 
Might have to give Hunger Games a look. Hows the Song of Ice and Fire series (as for as complicated reading goes)? Want to get into that too, but I'm scared that it's full of weird ass writing and ye olde English all over the place.
 
[quote name='DOMINATOR912']Might have to give Hunger Games a look. Hows the Song of Ice and Fire series (as for as complicated reading goes)? Want to get into that too, but I'm scared that it's full of weird ass writing and ye olde English all over the place.[/QUOTE]

Song of Ice and Fire is amazing. I got half the folks at my office reading them. The first 3 books are sure fire fantasy classics. Do not be intimidated by their size. They are quite enjoyable.
 
[quote name='DOMINATOR912']Might have to give Hunger Games a look. Hows the Song of Ice and Fire series (as for as complicated reading goes)? Want to get into that too, but I'm scared that it's full of weird ass writing and ye olde English all over the place.[/QUOTE]


Hunger Games is actually not as bad as I expected it to be. Kinda reminded me of a diet version of Margaret Atwood.

A Song of Ice and Fire series is great in every way. I can't recommend it enough. Its not difficult to read either. The only thing thats tough is remembering who is who and and where all the locations are that are being mentioned. But once you have all that committed to memory its an amazing read. I'm thinking about going through all the books again.
 
Working on four books currently.
Batman: The Darknight Returns
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (shut up)
The Book of Basketball
The Scarlet Letter (for school)
 
Just finished Skipped Parts by Tim Sandlin which was enjoyable until about 40% of the way in when it turned really bizarre.

Going to start the Gears of War books today. Never thought I'd read a video game book but I'm curious to see what holes it can fill in.
 
Books I hadn't read by my favorite authors:



Melissa Scott is one of my all-time favorites. Her SF is unique, and her ability to craft worlds and cultures is top notch. I don't read Star Trek books for the most part (exceptions: John Ford, Peter David) and have never read a DS9 book. I've always meant to pick this up, and found it at a local thrift store.

This was a good take based on (I'm guessing) the series bible, since it's season 1 and much more reality-based than the show (in terms of travel, distances, mechanics of space travel). Great work on the characters (though the series' retcons interfere a bit) and nice to read a slightly harder feel on the science part of sci-fi. Would have made a good Season 1 episode, and god knows there weren't many of those.

Finishing up:


Souls in the Great Machine was a fascinating, wonderful read. This is part 2 of 3, and it's...different. Not different bad, but less of a continuation of the thoroughly involving world of the first novel and more of a new story (with tons of air combat) in a related setting. It's a good read, but it's not quite the sequel I was hoping for. Still gonna read Part 3, though. Though it's nothing like a Miyazaki film, I find myself thinking of Nausicca, Castle in the Sky, and Porco Rosso, and not in a bad way.

Up next:


An Exchange of Hostages was a gut-wrenching read. How do you humanize a torturer and yet not turn your novel into torture-porn? Very carefully and skillfully. The original left me breathless in that it was horrifying, yet compelling, and a reminder of how society shapes you and your outlook. Can't wait to start it, though it has a lot to live up to.

Also read:


What if Sherlock Holmes were steampunk and Watson was female? You'd have something not entirely unlike this novel. I figured out this was part of a series (that I haven't read) but it didn't really make me want to go read the others. It's okay, with some great imagery and a fantastic segment where Hobbes (the Watson character) suits up in an exoskeleton and unleashes damage that would make Ripley jealous. I almost think it would make a better movie than a book, as I thought the characterization was too thin (apart from, oddly, Queen Victoria and a clockwork man who never speaks) and the steampunky stuff might as well have been magic -- steam is apparently not very good for suspension of disbelief.
 
Good choices up there. I need to read that sequel to Souls in the great machine as well.

I can't remember if I finished all the books in the "Prisoner of Conscience" series but I remember being very impressed with the first two or three.

So I'm about 1/3 rd of the way in to:


Mostly typical Pratchett stuff. Although perhaps a little more character focused and plot driven than the earlier novels. (Which seemed to be mostly about having zany things happen)
 
I never bother with goals personally. I just read what I can--mainly just reading before sleeping and when stuck waiting somewhere (waiting room, airplane etc.). Last year was probably a new high for me though, as I finished 41 books (mostly fiction, a few non-fiction and 2 graphic novels).

But it's the first year I've tracked at all. I do use Goodreads, but don't pay much attention to it. I track my reading more actively in a monthly book count thread on the Kindleboards forum and just keep a running count at the bottom of each months' post there.
 
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Just finished [url=http://www.amazon.ca/gp/reader/1553659775/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link]Eating Dirt[/url].

I'm always curious about other people who do the same thing as me - how they got in to it, how it varies from region to region, company horror stories, all that shit. Partly a retelling of one spring plant on the island (Christ I'm glad I don't work coastal, even if the money's godly), partly a brief history of forestry, and surprisingly well written throughout.
 
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