What book is on your nightstand? Readers!

[wetmk]

Currently reading "Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls". The author is brilliant. The way he aligns the scrolls with first century Christianity is fascinating. Bergsma is proof positive of that old saying: "He's forgotten more of this subject than I'll ever know."

 

[wetmk]

The Wager and The Count of Monte Cristo

Haven't read 'The Wager' but 'The Count of Monte Cristo' is an exceptional read.

 

[Pkrd]

If you want something a little surreal, a little scarey, but pretty awesome, this (loads of seafaring commentary) [edit: it's looong]: The Terror: A Novel - Kindle edition by Simmons, Dan. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

The TV series was excellent. Season two is a completely different story but good too.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2708480/?ref_=ttep_ep_tt

 

[Miraculix]

Im reading "The words of my perfect teacher" in the German translation, which is not that well translated. I'm going to buy the English version which should be a bit better. Can't wait till I'm able to read the original in Tibetan.

 

[Mr. Vern]

I just finished Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and started the sequel Bring Up the Bodies.
Very good historical fiction covering the English Reformation and Henry VIII

I just plowed through the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett, patiently waiting for the next release in September. I'll check into this one!

Currently on Project Hail Mary, it has been a fun read so far.

 

[estricklin]

For adventure, perhaps Skeletons on the Zaraha. Loved that. Amazon.com: Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival eBook : King, Dean: Kindle Store

I recently read a book about Captain James Cook. It was good. Amazon.com: Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook eBook : Dugard, Martin: Kindle Store

If you want something a little surreal, a little scarey, but pretty awesome, this (loads of seafaring commentary) [edit: it's looong]: The Terror: A Novel - Kindle edition by Simmons, Dan. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Just finished Skeletons on the Zahara, what an amazing story. I'm sure reading Captain Riley's memoir would be good, but I loved the more complete story, and how it was laced with modern scientific facts.

 

[govner1]

The Mirror & the Light. The last of Hilary Mantel’s trio on Cromwell and Henry VIII

 

[Mr. Vern]

Read A Man Called Ove in July, now ready to see Tom Hanks version.. the book was almost ditched but my wife convinced me to get past the first half. I am glad I stuck it out.

I'm on book 7 of the Sword of Truth series and while the abundance of descriptors can be tedious the story keeps moving at a decent pace.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Read A Man Called Ove in July, now ready to see Tom Hanks version..

Have tissues ready.

 

[estricklin]

Read A Man Called Ove in July, now ready to see Tom Hanks version.. the book was almost ditched but my wife convinced me to get past the first half. I am glad I stuck it out.

I'm on book 7 of the Sword of Truth series and while the abundance of descriptors can be tedious the story keeps moving at a decent pace.

Sword of Truth was the first fantasy series I ever read, and I loved it. It does get rough after Chainfire though.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Having finally finished a comparison between the Book of Genesis as presented in the Bible vs a mush older version written in cuneiform by the Assyrians, I'm reading something a little lighter now: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Book by Yuval Noah Harari

Working on Robert Alter's translation of the Hebrew Bible. Very, very different from what we're accustomed to from the King James or JPS. His translation and commentary place the Bible out of the realm of Thee & Thou and into its place of world literary tradition.

 

[passedpawn]

On book 3 of the Wayward Pines trilogy. Very cool and unexpected. I read book 1 in a single day haha (late night!). Not "literature", but the pace and material keeps me happy.

It's post-apocalypse, time travel, and some nasty monsters. I'll just say that. You know if that's your jam.

https://a.co/d/5Ccg5NY

 

[passedpawn]

Finished the Wayward Pines series a few days ago. Very cool. Ended in a satisfying way, which wasn't expected. I'd highly recommend this series of books for those that enjoy the post-apocalyptic style.

 

[passedpawn]

For those that watched Oppenheimer and liked it and want more of that story (A LOT MORE), read the following. I read it many years ago, then re-read it many years ago. I found it captivating, but know that it's all facts and no drama like the movie. Well, there is the drama of the big ker-bang. The copy I had (recycled now) had pics.

An aside: I used to lay on a couch on a lazy Sunday and read all day. ALL DAY. That was Act 1.
Raising 3 kids in myriad sports, building a career/business, working long hours and a commute, etc, Act 2; in this act, the protagonist does not use the couch.
I'm now in Act 3, and it is good. Couch is in play. Learning morse code at the moment, so I've sworn off books, but I'll be back at it shortly.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

Does anyone use morse code still? My dad had to learn it when he was doing military service in the navy and it was considered obsolete even then...

 

[passedpawn]

Does anyone use morse code still? My dad had to learn it when he was doing military service in the navy and it was considered obsolete even then...

Yes, it's very active still. I know, hard to believe, but is this the first time you've been surprised haha. There is a radio advantage to using morse (CW). I won't get into that here.

 

[passedpawn]

To be clear, morse code is still used actively by ham radio operators. I'm one of those.

 

[day_trippr]

I imagine code "travels further" than voice...

Cheers!

 

[huckdavidson]

Finished the Wayward Pines series a few days ago. Very cool. Ended in a satisfying way, which wasn't expected. I'd highly recommend this series of books for those that enjoy the post-apocalyptic style.

Would like to read this series, though based on reviews it seems more dystopian than post-apocalyptic.

 

[passedpawn]

Would like to read this series, though based on reviews it seems more dystopian than post-apocalyptic.

I would say that is not completely accurate. Cormac McCarthy's The Road is dystopian, painting an awful and hopeless future. Nevil Shute's On the Beach is dystopian. For sure, the first book is more like the Truman Show (movie). Without giving anything away, the series does not end with the hopelessness of your typical dystopian novel.

I can't say it's the future you want to be part of, but it's not totally hopeless. I did like the way it ended.

OK, maybe it's 30% dystopian and 50% post-apocalyptic. And 20% action thriller. Third book has a lot of action, for sure.

 

[passedpawn]

I imagine code "travels further" than voice...

Cheers!

Whether you transmit voice or CW (morse code), the RF travels the same distance. But when the signal is weak, CW is far more intelligible than voice. More importantly, when making long-distance (DX) contacts, there is no language barrier. I often have trouble understanding the georgia accent. Imagine trying to understand someone in Fiji (made that contact friday).

 

[Broothru]

I would say that is not completely accurate. Cormac McCarthy's The Road is dystopian, painting an awful and hopeless future. Nevil Shute's On the Beach is dystopian. For sure, the first book is more like the Truman Show (movie). Without giving anything away, the series does not end with the hopelessness of your typical dystopian novel.

I can't say it's the future you want to be part of, but it's not totally hopeless. I did like the way it ended.

OK, maybe it's 30% dystopian and 50% post-apocalyptic. And 20% action thriller. Third book has a lot of action, for sure.

Cormack McCarthy, “All the Pretty Horses.” Read it as an adult and really enjoyed it. Not dystopian. Nevil Chute, “On the Beach.” Read in the 7th grade (1962, height of the Cold War). Can’t get much more dystopian than that.

About the same time read his book “‘Round the Bend.” Made me more tolerant and inclusive. A bit heavy for a pre-teen, but the “bending of the branch” certainly helped form how the ‘tree’ grew.

 

[TheCache]

Ever so slowly working my way through Gaddis' The Recognitions. Sometimes I laugh out loud, sometimes I have no idea what the 'ell is going on...

 

[corkybstewart]

Finished the Wayward Pines series a few days ago. Very cool. Ended in a satisfying way, which wasn't expected. I'd highly recommend this series of books for those that enjoy the post-apocalyptic style.

I enjoyed the series. I read it a couple of years ago.

 

[day_trippr]

Whether you transmit voice or CW (morse code), the RF travels the same distance. But when the signal is weak, CW is far more intelligible than voice.

Hence my use of quotes.

More importantly, when making long-distance (DX) contacts, there is no language barrier. I often have trouble understanding the georgia accent. Imagine trying to understand someone in Fiji (made that contact friday).

How does that work if the two conversants don't share a common language?

 

[passedpawn]

Hence my use of quotes.



How does that work if the two conversants don't share a common language?

Much of ham radio is about just making a contact, not having an extended dialog. The latter, of course, requires a common language. But for the contact alone, all that is required is sharing call signs - language barriers are not a problem - there is a common international method for doing so.

Though - ragchews (term used for two hams talking at length over anything) are very common, both on voice and on morse.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I’m reading Lee Child’s Reacher No Plan B. Read all the others, as I have Michael Connelly’s Bosch and Lincoln Lawyer, Robert Craig’s Elvis Cole, Ian Rankin’s Rebus, Peter James‘s Roy Grace, John Connolly‘s Charlie Parker, James Oswald, Chris Carter, Stuart McBride.
Prior to Reacher I reread Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy having first read them 50 years earlier. I’d forgotten how good they were.

 

[TheCache]

Prior to Reacher I reread Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy having first read them 50 years earlier. I’d forgotten how good they were.

I've just been thinking about doing this. I think Foundation and then the rest of trilogy were among the first substantial books I ever read back in my early teens, so maybe 45 years ago. I think I saved up lawn mowing money to join a scifi book club and they were available as some of the "6 for around a dollar" joining offer. Yes, that is correct, 6 for a dollar ish... and even the regular priced books were in mostly the 3-5 range.

Heheh, just looked up Science Fiction Book Club and if you join now the first two book are only $10 ea and a third for $12. Times have changed. Think I'll go get the set used.

 

[doogster]

Recently finished "The Wager" by David Grann, a bit of harrowing story from the British navy... And alternating among the Reacher books by Lee Child, the Mitch Rapp series by Vince Flynn, and the Memory Man (detective Amos Decker) series from David Baldacci.

 

[user 246304]

Re-reading A Time for Trumpets, by Charles Macdonald. Battle of the Bulge. And for the first time in years.....some brewing and Michael Jackson's beer books.