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What are you reading? (July 2013)

M

Mumei

Member
Kahoona said:
I've been reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William L Shirer. If you ever want a comprehensive account of how the Nazis came to power, this 1300 page monster is it. I feel like if I don't pay attention for one sentence I miss a vital detail to the story. It's truly fascinating and horrifying at the same time.
Click to expand...

If you want a soul-crushingly depressing and historically fascinating follow-up, read Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder.
 
Jag

Jag

Member
artJ2Hd.jpg


The 4th book in Bernard Cornwell's Grail series. Historical fiction about an English Archer.

I bought Mount and Blade Warband yesterday on the Amazon sale and played it for a few hours. Picked up this book that night and immediately read about a "warband" (the word he used) of footman and archers attacking another group in the countryside with the leader on horseback. I love when books and games juxtapose like that!
 
F

Fjordson

Member
Jag said:
artJ2Hd.jpg


The 4th book in Bernard Cornwell's Grail series. Historical fiction about an English Archer.

I bought Mount and Blade Warband yesterday on the Amazon sale and played it for a few hours. Picked up this book that night and immediately read about a "warband" (the word he used) of footman and archers attacking another group in the countryside with the leader on horseback. I love when books and games juxtapose like that!
Click to expand...
Haha, that's the best.

I remember reading a bunch noir stories and a few books when L.A. Noire was coming out.
 
T

TetraxShards

Member
9595650.jpg


Liked the first one enough to want to continue. This one has started a bit quicker than Hounded now that the world's established.
 
S

sparky2112

Member
51Lvs7ezDCL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg


WARNING: I'm about to gush. This is easily the best thing I've read in quite a while. There's a reason it was nominated for The National Book Award, etc.

Billy Lynn is the hero in a squad of heroes that's brought back from Iraq for 2 weeks and shipped around the country as a shining example of the excellence of, well, all things the U.S. is doing in Iraq during the height of the war. The entire book takes place as the squad spends Thanksgiving day at a Cowboy's game. The catch, of course, is that they're being shipped back to Iraq right after the game.

Fountain's laser-like juxtaposition of the soldiers vs. the civilians (in a country not at all on a war footing - far from it) is just brutal, yet artful. And his sympathy to both sides is really a feat to behold.

If you thought the Iraq War was a smashingly great idea, don't bother. Otherwise, I'd say this novel is damn near essential.
 
JORMBO

JORMBO

Darkness no more
Someone recommended "Gardens of the Moon" by Steven Erikson to me so I am reading that.
 
T

Tragicomedy

Member
sparky2112 said:
WARNING: I'm about to gush. This is easily the best thing I've read in quite a while. There's a reason it was nominated for The National Book Award, etc.

Billy Lynn is the hero in a squad of heroes that's brought back from Iraq for 2 weeks and shipped around the country as a shining example of the excellence of, well, all things the U.S. is doing in Iraq during the height of the war. The entire book takes place as the squad spends Thanksgiving day at a Cowboy's game. The catch, of course, is that they're being shipped back to Iraq right after the game.

Fountain's laser-like juxtaposition of the soldiers vs. the civilians (in a country not at all on a war footing - far from it) is just brutal, yet artful. And his sympathy to both sides is really a feat to behold.

If you thought the Iraq War was a smashingly great idea, don't bother. Otherwise, I'd says this novel is damn near essential.
Click to expand...

As an Iraq and Afghanistan vet (still in!), I will read this.
 
E

Empty

Member
sparky2112 said:
WARNING: I'm about to gush. This is easily the best thing I've read in quite a while. There's a reason it was nominated for The National Book Award, etc.

....
Click to expand...

this sounds really interesting. thanks for the writeup, i think i'm going to check it out.
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
Super cheap on Kindle too! I been wanting to read it for a while, so thanks for the nidge, Sparks, and thanks for the deal, Kindle!!

$_$
 
O

omgkitty

Member
hard-boiled-wonderland-and-the-end-of-the-world.jpg


I just finished Dance Dance Dance last night and am now moving on to Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. I think it's been at least 2 years now that I've only read a Murakami novel and have yet to read a different author. It doesn't help that I don't read that much, but I simply just cannot stop reading his stuff.
 
N

nakedsushi

Member
I just want to take the day off from work and make my way through this:


Night Film by Marisha Pessl

Super page-turner and I like the screenshots from various news outlets, text messages, articles, etc. And very creepy. This feels like an unpretentious House of Leaves.
 
C

ClassyPenguin

Banned
survivor said:
Still reading The Road. There are a lot of words I have never heard of before so it's really frustrating having to pull the dictionary app every few lines, but hey at least I'm learning something new and challenging myself. The writing style is pretty beautiful though.
Click to expand...

I love that about McCarthy. The first pages of Suttree is insane for obscure words.
 
Y

Yonafunu

Member
cover-paperback-wise-man_277.jpg


After being disappointed by The Name of the Wind a couple of months ago, I decided to go ahead and read it's sequel. It's much better so far. I'm still baffled by the praise the series is getting in some circles, but I'm warming up to it.

EDIT:

survivor said:
Still reading The Road. There are a lot of words I have never heard of before so it's really frustrating having to pull the dictionary app every few lines, but hey at least I'm learning something new and challenging myself. The writing style is pretty beautiful though.
Click to expand...

The Road is beautiful, absolutely. So good.
 
dream

dream

Member
Are you reading an ARC of that book, nakedsushi? Or did the release date get bumped up?

(please tell me it's the latter; I loved Special Topics in Calamity Physics.)
 
V

Ventilaator

Banned
Halfway through A Game of Thrones.

I'm reading it for the sole purpose of getting to the books in the series that everyone keeps saying are terrible. That sure sucks. Stupid show spoiling half the books for me.

Also, I noticed that my entire "To read" list seems to be composed of long series. I also have Wheel of Time #1 to finish, after which I can either continue with those series or start Malazan, Dark Tower, First Law, Mistborn..
 
N

noal

Banned
Halfway through my re-read of The Lost Symbol, then I've got a huge backlog that I really should get started on, but I just seem to keep going back for re-reads.

↑↑↑
+1 for The Dark Tower
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
D

davidcotton

Member
Yonafunu said:
cover-paperback-wise-man_277.jpg


After being disappointed by The Name of the Wind a couple of months ago, I decided to go ahead and read it's sequel. It's much better so far. I'm still baffled by the praise the series is getting in some circles, but I'm warming up to it.
.
Click to expand...

I've just started this myself on kindle paperwhite (kindle makes reading fantasy books sooo much easier, no more knackered wrists from holding the tome). One thing I wish they would do is let you carry on from the end of the sample when you click the "buy it now". Any dates yet for when Book 3 (is there a title?) is out?

Cheers
 
H

HoJu

Member
omgkitty said:
I just finished Dance Dance Dance last night and am now moving on to Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. I think it's been at least 2 years now that I've only read a Murakami novel and have yet to read a different author. It doesn't help that I don't read that much, but I simply just cannot stop reading his stuff.
Click to expand...
did you read A WILD SHEEP CHASE before DANCE DANCE DANCE?
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
noal said:
Halfway through my re-read of The Lost Symbol, then I've got a huge backlog that I really should get started on, but I just seem to keep going back for re-reads.

↑↑↑
+1 for The Dark Tower
Click to expand...

+49 for The Dark Tower

And don't forget Wind in the Keyhole when you do.
 
O

omgkitty

Member
HoJu said:
did you read A WILD SHEEP CHASE before DANCE DANCE DANCE?
Click to expand...

Of course :p I know some people say it's not necessary, but I honestly feel like those people are wrong. I wouldn't have cared about or been as interested had I not know the back story from A Wild Sheep Chase.
 
U

ultron87

Member
I'm reading the Shift Omnibus by Hugh Howey. It is the second part of the Wool series.

51yGh%2BH6loL.jpg


I'm really enjoying one half of it but find
the stories in the non #1 silos kind of meh. Especially the book 3 story with a character who we already know where they will end up.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Shift is soooooooooooooo good.
 
N

nakedsushi

Member
dream said:
Are you reading an ARC of that book, nakedsushi? Or did the release date get bumped up?

(please tell me it's the latter; I loved Special Topics in Calamity Physics.)
Click to expand...

I'm reading an ARC of it. I've never even heard of this author, but if Special Topics is anything like this one, I will definitely pick it up after.
 
M

Mumei

Member
Thorgal said:
An old classic .

158770h8shz.jpg
Click to expand...

Great book. It took me forever to read it, though:

05/14/2012 page 14
05/14/2012 page 59
05/16/2012 page 71
05/16/2012 page 271
05/17/2012 page 471
05/29/2012 page 721
05/30/2012 page 857
06/02/2012 page 1175
06/02/2012 page 1285
06/07/2012 page 1523
06/13/2012 page 1817
08/13/2012 page 2067
08/15/2012 page 2185
08/19/2012 page 2453
09/12/2012 page 2605
09/18/2012 page 2861

Finished 9/21. The page count is so high because half the pages had the Chinese facing the English translation.
 
M

Messofanego

Banned
I just bought some William Burroughs books in anticipation for Tangiers, a game inspired by them.

BOGjyZoCMAAN_q7.jpg:large


Been told the order is Naked Lunch -> Soft Machine -> The Ticket that Exploded. Will start reading from next week as holiday starts. Hopefully, fun times.
 
BossLackey

BossLackey

Gold Member
Just finished Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash". Pretty good, not amazing.

Just started Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Not sure how I feel about the diary/letters format.

Current graphic novel/compendium: V for Vendetta

Comic Pull list:
Batman
Superior Spider-Man
Superior Foes of Spider-Man
Nowhere Men
Prophet
X-Men Legacy
Thor:God of Thunder
Indestructible Hulk
X-Men
 
M

Maklershed

Member
@messofanego - Is that Naked Lunch cover done by Ralph Steadman?


Unrelate: Any recommendations for non-fiction set in the 20s or early 30s in the United States? Maybe something about the Lindbergh kidnapping / prohibition / rise of gangsters? I just rewatched J. Edgar and I'm in the mood for something in that setting.
 
H

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
Maklershed said:
@messofanego - Is that Naked Lunch cover done by Ralph Steadman?


Unrelate: Any recommendations for non-fiction set in the 20s or early 30s in the United States? Maybe something about the Lindbergh kidnapping / prohibition / rise of gangsters? I just rewatched J. Edgar and I'm in the mood for something in that setting.
Click to expand...

Wow, have I got the book for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Poisoner's_Handbook
In 1918, New York City appointed Charles Norris, Bellevue Hospital's chief pathologist, as its first scientifically trained medical examiner. The book, about Norris and Alexander Gettler, the city's first toxicologist, describes Jazz Age's poisoning cases. Before the two began working in the coroner's office, Blum pointed out in her book, poisoners could get away with murder. The book covers the years from 1915 to 1936, which Blum described as a "coming-of-age" for forensic toxicology. "Under (Norris's) direction, the New York City medical examiner's office would become a department that set forensic standards for the rest of the country," Blum wrote.
Click to expand...
 
T

Thorgal

Member
Mumei said:
Great book. It took me forever to read it, though:

05/14/2012 page 14
05/14/2012 page 59
05/16/2012 page 71
05/16/2012 page 271
05/17/2012 page 471
05/29/2012 page 721
05/30/2012 page 857
06/02/2012 page 1175
06/02/2012 page 1285
06/07/2012 page 1523
06/13/2012 page 1817
08/13/2012 page 2067
08/15/2012 page 2185
08/19/2012 page 2453
09/12/2012 page 2605
09/18/2012 page 2861

Finished 9/21. The page count is so high because half the pages had the Chinese facing the English translation.
Click to expand...

Mine came in 4 volumes and was only the English translation .
its easier to carry around when traveling .

20130701_210746wrszo.jpg



Still took me a good 3 months to churn through all 4 .
 
S

SaskBoy

Member
A lot of people reading the Malazan Series here. I'm about 2/3 through Dust of Dreams (book 9? I've lost count haha). Pretty good, but no book in the series has been able to match Deadhouse Gates or Memories of Ice.

Somewhat interesting note, the entire time I was reading Reapers Gale I thought it was called Reapers Gate. HaHa.
 
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