What book is on your nightstand? Readers!

[passedpawn]

This one was a page-turner. Fast read. Def not the same quality of story as some of his others, but if you're yearnin for an end of the world book, this will do for a couple of days.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

This one was a page-turner. Fast read. Def not the same quality of story as some of his others, but if you're yearnin for an end of the world book, this will do for a couple of days.

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We need more end of the world entertainment.

 

[Broothru]

“Reagan: His Life and Legend” by Max Boot.

Never was much of a Reagan fan, but this tome by WAPO columnist Max Boot is an engaging, straight down the middle bio of the Gipper from his boyhood days through Hollywood to Sacramento to finally D.C. It is exceptionally well researched and exposes the warts (many), the accomplishments (many I didn’t recall), and the confounding contradictions (so many to try to explain).

Boot is a conservative, though not an ideologue, and not a trumpist. His writing is quite complex for a journalist for whom words are usually chosen for their brevity. It took me a half hour to get through 12 pages of the well written prologue and introduction.

At 839 pages, this one is going to be a slog, but I feel like it’s necessary to hopefully find some answers as to how we started with “sunrise in America” and ended up with ‘nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue.’

 

[passedpawn]

We need more end of the world entertainment.

I do like them. Maybe not for everyone. Some of them have "happy" endings. Some (The Road) do not.

 

[passedpawn]

Well. You will not find a finer written book than this. I read one of hers LONG time ago, possibly her first. This one is just incredible. Prepare for onslaught of ugly.

I bought this over a year ago and started it several times. Seemed so depressing (it is). But it's such a good read, and with its positive moments.

I've said (above) that I enjoy the dystopian novels. This one did not disappoint. Wow.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Just got Geddy Lee's book, My Effin Life.

 

[MaxStout]

Just got Geddy Lee's book, My Effin Life.

Read that last month, neat story. Not your typical rock star tales of excesses.

I then moved to Neil Peart's Ghost Rider. I finished that one today, the autobiographical story of Neil's solo, 4-month motorcycle trip around North America he took after losing his daughter and wife. Not a self-help grief book, but a story of how he coped with the shiatty hand he was dealt.

Now I just cracked open a new one, Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson. Apocalyptic sci-fi. The moon suddenly blows up into 7 pieces, and how humanity has to react to that, as it rains chunks onto Earth. It's ~850 pages, so will keep me occupied a while. I think I'll have to find something upbeat after this one.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Read that last month, neat story. Not your typical rock star tales of excesses.

I then moved to Neil Peart's Ghost Rider. I finished that one today, the autobiographical story of Neil's solo, 4-month motorcycle trip around North America he took after losing his daughter and wife. Not a self-help grief book, but a story of how he coped with the shiatty hand he was dealt.

Now I just cracked open a new one, Seveneves, by Neal Stephenson. Apocalyptic sci-fi. The moon suddenly blows up into 7 pieces, and how humanity has to react to that, as it rains chunks onto Earth. It's ~850 pages, so will keep me occupied a while. I think I'll have to find something upbeat after this one.

I thick I mentioned, I have read Ghost Rider several times. Neil was such a great writer. I have read most of his books and still enjoy rereading them.

Been to busy to start Geddy's book other than reading the last chapter where he talks about Neil. Couldn't help reading his comments.

 

[Dland]

Currently reading "A Most Remarkable Creature" by Jonathan Mieburg. It is mostly about a species South American Cara Cara birds, which are smart and gregarious like crows or even parrots, but more closely related to falcons. Interesting and amusing critters, not sure I'd want a flock hanging out in my yard.

The book is kind rambling in a relaxing way, kind of like one of John McPhee's books, with some history, science, geography and observation.

 

[MaxStout]

Just finished Neal Stephenson's Seveneves, really enjoyed it. If you like hard sci-fi, I highly recommend it. Very dense book--lots of characters, intrigue and plot twists, and...science. There are 3 sections and the 3rd one is very slow going for a while, but don't give up, as it all ties together.

Now I need to find another book or two to hold me until the new Gray Man novel comes out.

 

[passedpawn]

Just finished Neal Stephenson's Seveneves, really enjoyed it. If you like hard sci-fi, I highly recommend it. Very dense book--lots of characters, intrigue and plot twists, and...science. There are 3 sections and the 3rd one is very slow going for a while, but don't give up, as it all ties together.

Now I need to find another book or two to hold me until the new Gray Man novel comes out.

I'm in the middle of it right now. When the spacex crew capsule pieces were raining down on the Caribbean I was having flashbacks from the story I was reading

 

[estricklin]

Currently reading this, I'm enjoying it quite a bit. Love hearing the southern slang and euphemisms in it, such familiar sounding speech, makes me miss my grandpa. I never placed any value on having a southern accent, or getting to hear it, until I moved to OKC. My youngest daughter moved here when she was 4, and she doesn't have a southern accent, kind of heart breaking for me.

 

[lumpher]

Reading this for about the 4th time. I get more out of it every time

 

[MaxStout]

Just started this one, a fictional account of a massive earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. I've finished the prologue, where a 10th Century indigenous city got wiped out. Now onto the present time... This could be a wild ride.

After Neil Peart's Ghost Rider, then Seveneves, now this. I seem to be on a streak of dark stories. Might have to dig out my copy of Brew Like a Monk for a lighter followup.

 

[MaxStout]

Just started this one. The Gray Man series is kind of Bourne on steroids. Lots of edge-of-your-seat adventure and geopolitical intrigue.

 

[passedpawn]

There are some interesting stories in here. Very subtle and readable. 15-30 min per story. The first one was surprising violent in a cormac mcCarthy way, but then others just interesting situations that get your mind thinkin'

https://a.co/d/bBuJO4T

 

[day_trippr]

My 102 year old mom decided all of the males in the extended family should read this book, bought hardcopies for all of us, and had my sister send them out for Christmas. So far I think I'm the only one that's even cracked it open, and I've only gotten through the first 80 pages or so. I've been avoiding the topic of reading for months now and hope she doesn't remember

Cheers!

 

[Jayjay1976]

My 102 year old mom decided all of the males in the extended family should read this book, bought hardcopies for all of us, and had my sister send them out for Christmas. So far I think I'm the only one that's even cracked it open, and I've only gotten through the first 80 pages or so. I've been avoiding the topic of reading for months now and hope she doesn't remember

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Cheers!

Ordered! Looks like a good read.

 

[Airborneguy]

I've been reading Shadow & Claw by Gene Wolfe. It's a masterwork of far-future sci-fi. Amazing.

Odd side note: Gene Wolfe was a member of the team that created the machine to shape Pringles.

 

[firerat]

This has to be one of the strangest books I've ever read. Im about 2/3 of the way through it.

 

[JohnSand]

The Boys in the Boat.
My old partner highly recommended it, he wasn't wrong. It far surpasses the movie.

 

[Snuffy]

"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" - Robert Heinlein

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

"The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" - Robert Heinlein

Good one!

Are you already a Heinlein fan, or is this your first foray?

 

[Snuffy]

Good one!

Are you already a Heinlein fan, or is this your first foray?

I was a voracious sci-fi reader when I was in highschool. I Asimov, Piers Anthony, Ray Bradbury, PK Dick, Walter Tevis, Arthur C Clark.. My son left this one when he was here last. I think it's one of the few of Heinlien's I haven't read. Or if I did, I've forgotten it.

 

[bleme]

Wild Tulare County: Outlaws,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1609495098?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[sdbbp]

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Surreal, but soothing parts.

I read her Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell some years ago and liked it. Nerdy with many footnotes, if I recall.

 

[Rish]

Into Enemy Waters by Andrew Dubbins. I've read a number of books on WWII in the Pacific but don't recall any that gave mention of the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs), the Navy teams that eventually became the SEAL teams. This is a very interesting account of groups of frogmen that went to Japanese held islands to gather recon for the landings that would follow. They sometimes left signs for the Marines coming ashore to let them know the UDTs got there first. Great read.

 

[HighlandTap]

Shortest History of Europe & Louis Armstrong’s Satchmo auto bio of his Storyville era days in Nola. I highly recommend the Europe book, it explains how so many customs and cultural norms in Western society (as far back as Ancient Greece) came into being, and how they effect our lives to this day. So many “ah ha” moments about simple things that never occurred to me to wonder how they came to be.

 

[sdbbp]

This post in this thread reminds me that on my nightstand is a collection of essays by David Foster Wallace including "Authority and American Usage". I'm not done reading that 62-page essay. But being neither a writer nor a linguist, it's a great nerding out on, of all things, dictionaries. Read it just for the heavy footnoted structure.

 

[HBT_Admin]

I will be starting Who Built the Moon by Christopher Knight this evening.

I like conspiracies. They can be fun.