What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

VictoriaF · Post by **VictoriaF** » Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:01 pm

The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver.

It's long been on my to-read list. I am happy that I finally got to read it and highly recommend it.

Victoria

Munir · Post by **Munir** » Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:03 pm

A Rage For Order by Robert Worth is a 2016 book discussing the current political conditions in the Middle East by a former N.Y. Times reporter. He describes the conditions that lead to the Arab Spring uprisings and their aftermath. I found him knowledgeable and easy to read.

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:05 pm

The Quiet Warrior: a biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, by Thomas B. Buell.

This is a very interesting and inspiring biography of a World War II naval leader in the Pacific. Although not an aviator he commanded naval carrier forces in the Battles of Midway and the Phillipine Sea. He both planned and commanded numerous island invasions including Kwajalein, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

gouldnm · Post by **gouldnm** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 3:06 pm

I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.

lgs88 · Post by **lgs88** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 4:04 pm

The Lexus and the Olive Tree by Thomas Friedman.

A turn-of-the-century book about the effects of globalization. It's fascinating to see how attitudes have changed. Friedman's book is laudatory of globalization and tremendously optimistic about its potential as a force for justice, enhanced living standards, etc. -- seems things have changed since 9/11 and the 2008 crash.

Geneyus · Post by **Geneyus** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:45 pm

I picked up How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie at my local library. While I get along great with people in and out of work, I'm ashamed to say that I've already been scolded in the first chapter of the book. I've been known to write angry emails to entities that mess up when I do business with them (bad doctor experiences, shopping experiences, etc), and now I'm embarrassed. If the rest of the book is anything like the first chapter, I think this book will bring a lot of positive changes to my life.

wizzard · Post by **wizzard** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:47 pm

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Excellent book, I am sure I will be coming back to it for years to come!

TimDex · Post by **TimDex** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 11:13 pm

Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Joan Druett. Available in kindle format. Very well written history of two ships' crews, wrecked on Auckland Islands, south of New Zealand, in the mid 19th century. Fascinating bit of history, and a heck of a story of how one crew succeeded in surviving, and a second crew, wrecked on the opposite side of the islands, fell apart and died, with only a few remaining. Camadarie and ingenuity count for a lot. A well done story. Tim

Blues · Post by **Blues** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 7:44 am

gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.

You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.

Valuethinker · Post by **Valuethinker** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 11:53 am

gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.

I think those problems got worse as the Vietnam war wore on and meanwhile US society changed. It was the stated policy to withdraw, the war had degenerated into a stalemate, unit moral had declined, and the deleterious impact of the individual replacement system on unit cohesion (with combat units that faced high attrition) had become severe. Officers "ticket punched" with their 6 month tours and everyone else was praying for their 12 months to end.

A related problem was the decline in quality of new arrivals. This probably affected the Marines less, but it was felt throughout COMSUMACV ie the US forces in Vietnam-- you had increasing numbers of soldiers with serious problems, low IQ etc.

When US troops entered the war (1965) the Civil Rights era was culminating in a number of achievements (Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act). However by the 1969-70 period that the book covers, there had been Martin Luther King's assassination, rioting, Black Panthers, Chicago national convention, anti war protests etc.

Generally the view of researchers is that whilst the traditional US problems of race were very present in the rear areas (effective segregation) in combat units they were not, at least not in the early years when unit cohesion and morale were relatively high.

A friend who was in the 101st Airborne at this time said that often the sergeants were black. As he was from the South, this was the first time he had seen white Americans take orders from black Americans.

There were also general breakdowns of discipline such as fraggings towards the latter part of the US intervention, which play a part in the novel.

The main character, a Greek-American, is pretty obviously Marlantes himself, and in his non-fiction book, I think he more or less admits that.

Valuethinker · Post by **Valuethinker** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 11:58 am

Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.
You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.

The further we get from it in time, the harder it is to know how "real" it is. Red Badge of Courage, a classic, was written by someone who was never in the war.

"In Pharoah's Army" by Tobias Wolfe struck me as quite realistic-- his narrative of his time there. So also "Red Flags" by (sp?) Juris Jurvets, an investigative military policeman during the war.

Blues · Post by **Blues** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 12:33 pm

VT, I am simply cautioning him on making a comment about how far we've come if he hasn't reached the end of the book which I assume you are familiar with. It may change his opinion on that matter.

I, like you, also enjoyed the Wolfe book. In fact all three in that series depicting his early to adult life.

gouldnm · Post by **gouldnm** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 2:56 pm

Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.
You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.

Regardless of how the book ends, I DO think we've come a long way. Who would have thought in the late 1960's that within 40 years, we'd have an African American President? The military today struggles with how to integrate women and gays, but I haven't heard anything about the difficulties integrating African Americans recently. We really have come a long way. And, yes, I know we still have a long way to go.

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 2:59 pm

Sea of Glory, by Nathaniel Philbrick.

This is biography of Charles Wilkes and a history of the 6 ship scientific and survey expedition which he led to Antarctica, the South Pacific islands and the Pacific Northwest in 1838-42. Wilkes was a horrible sailor and a miserable leader, the voyage ended in courts martial proceedings against Wilkes and several of his officers, but the expedition was a scientific success in spite of him. The scientific collections from the voyage became part of the initial exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution, and some of the island surveys were used for over 100 years as the only charts of some areas.

During the Civil War Wilkes commanding the USS San Jacinto almost started a war with Great Britain, by attacking a British Mail Ship the Merlin and abducting two Confederate diplomats diplomats from a British packet boat RMS Trent.

Blues · Post by **Blues** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:32 pm

ruralavalon wrote:Sea of Glory, by Nathaniel Philbrick.

This is biography of Charles Wilkes and a history of the 6 ship scientific and survey expedition which he led to Antarctica, the South Pacific islands and the Pacific Northwest in 1838-42. Wilkes was a horrible sailor and a miserable leader, the voyage ended in courts martial proceedings against Wilkes and several of his officers, but the expedition was a scientific success in spite of him. The scientific collections from the voyage became part of the initial exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution, and some of the island surveys were used for over 100 years as the only charts of some areas.

During the Civil War Wilkes commanding the USS San Jacinto almost started a war with Great Britain, by attacking a British Mail Ship the Merlin and abducting two Confederate diplomats diplomats from a British packet boat RMS Trent.

I have truly enjoyed Philbrick's books. That one among them. He definitely has an engaging style.

Blues · Post by **Blues** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:33 pm

gouldnm wrote:
Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.
You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.
Regardless of how the book ends, I DO think we've come a long way. Who would have thought in the late 1960's that within 40 years, we'd have an African American President? The military today struggles with how to integrate women and gays, but I haven't heard anything about the difficulties integrating African Americans recently. We really have come a long way. And, yes, I know we still have a long way to go.

You're right but I feel that we've (unfortunately) regressed somewhat in recent years. Probably a discussion better held elsewhere. I hope you enjoy the rest of Marlantes' book. It's a winner.

gouldnm · Post by **gouldnm** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 5:13 pm

Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:
Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.
You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.
Regardless of how the book ends, I DO think we've come a long way. Who would have thought in the late 1960's that within 40 years, we'd have an African American President? The military today struggles with how to integrate women and gays, but I haven't heard anything about the difficulties integrating African Americans recently. We really have come a long way. And, yes, I know we still have a long way to go.
You're right but I feel that we've (unfortunately) regressed somewhat in recent years. Probably a discussion better held elsewhere. I hope you enjoy the rest of Marlantes' book. It's a winner.

Thanks, Blues. BTW, I couldn't help but notice that you referred to me as a "he". I'm a lady! The person who recommended the book to me was also female. Yes, even we ladies like to read gory Vietnam novels, LOL!

Blues · Post by **Blues** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 5:22 pm

gouldnm wrote:
Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:
Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:I've been reading "Matterhorn", a book about Vietnam. The author, Karl Marlantes, was a marine during the war and based the book on his actual experiences there. It's a great read if you want to get a feel for what the day-to-day life of a soldier in combat during Vietnam was really like. One interesting thing about the book is that he goes into great detail about the difficulty that the military had integrating black and white troops. Imagine the stress these soldiers were under during combat. Then imagine a randomly-selected group of people that consists of an Ivy League educated officer, a racist redneck from the deep South, and some tough black kids from the inner city who all have to work together and learn to trust each other. We still have issues with classism and racism today, but the book really makes you realize just how far we've come.
You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.
Regardless of how the book ends, I DO think we've come a long way. Who would have thought in the late 1960's that within 40 years, we'd have an African American President? The military today struggles with how to integrate women and gays, but I haven't heard anything about the difficulties integrating African Americans recently. We really have come a long way. And, yes, I know we still have a long way to go.
You're right but I feel that we've (unfortunately) regressed somewhat in recent years. Probably a discussion better held elsewhere. I hope you enjoy the rest of Marlantes' book. It's a winner.
Thanks, Blues. BTW, I couldn't help but notice that you referred to me as a "he". I'm a lady! The person who recommended the book to me was also female. Yes, even we ladies like to read gory Vietnam novels, LOL!

My apologies for the oversight. Trust me there was no malice aforethought, simply ignorance on my part.

BTW, one of my all time favorite partners during my career in federal law enforcement, and the owner of the highest body count, (not that that's something to strive for), was a woman who I nicknamed "Honey West" (much to her chagrin). You don't have to convince me regarding what the ladies like. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like us. Well, except for those ones that lay on the bed and try to pull those skinny jeans up.

gouldnm · Post by **gouldnm** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 5:43 pm

Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:
Blues wrote:
gouldnm wrote:
Blues wrote:
You might want to wait until you finish the book before you decide about how far we've come.

That said, it is a great book. Read it a few years ago and thought it was one of the best books of its genre I've read in many a year. A stellar effort, imho.
Regardless of how the book ends, I DO think we've come a long way. Who would have thought in the late 1960's that within 40 years, we'd have an African American President? The military today struggles with how to integrate women and gays, but I haven't heard anything about the difficulties integrating African Americans recently. We really have come a long way. And, yes, I know we still have a long way to go.
You're right but I feel that we've (unfortunately) regressed somewhat in recent years. Probably a discussion better held elsewhere. I hope you enjoy the rest of Marlantes' book. It's a winner.
Thanks, Blues. BTW, I couldn't help but notice that you referred to me as a "he". I'm a lady! The person who recommended the book to me was also female. Yes, even we ladies like to read gory Vietnam novels, LOL!
My apologies for the oversight. Trust me there was no malice aforethought, simply ignorance on my part.

BTW, one of my all time favorite partners during my career in federal law enforcement, and the owner of the highest body count, (not that that's something to strive for), was a woman who I nicknamed "Honey West" (much to her chagrin). You don't have to convince me regarding what the ladies like. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like us. Well, except for those ones that lay on the bed and try to pull those skinny jeans up.

Apology accepted (and no offense taken). I go by the username "pilot" on several other forums, so I'm quite used to it! Have a great weekend!

Retired1809 · Post by **Retired1809** » Fri Jun 17, 2016 9:18 pm

A Random Walk Down Wall Street, 10th Edition. By the great Burton G. Malkiel. A genius cloaked in humility.

Valuethinker · Post by **Valuethinker** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 5:47 am

Blues wrote:VT, I am simply cautioning him on making a comment about how far we've come if he hasn't reached the end of the book which I assume you are familiar with. It may change his opinion on that matter.

I, like you, also enjoyed the Wolfe book. In fact all three in that series depicting his early to adult life.

The ending .... yes.

I wasn't sure how to take the "realism" in Marlantes book. I think it's fairly autobiographical and fairly realistic. He certainly had a lot of mental problems from the war, and this book was part of his chatharsis. His non fiction book about going to war is a stunner, too.

From reading Philip Caputo "A Rumor of War" which is one end of the USMC experience in Vietnam to "Matterhorn" which is the other end, I think one gets a feel for the decline in the quality of troops and the morale over that period.

From my more recent readings, something similar happened in Korea. As the US as a whole lost interest in that war, it became harder and harder to motivate the men on the front line.

Racial stuff is a whole 'nother discussion for a different forum and day, no doubt.

Valuethinker · Post by **Valuethinker** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 5:51 am

My apologies for the oversight. Trust me there was no malice aforethought, simply ignorance on my part.

BTW, one of my all time favorite partners during my career in federal law enforcement, and the owner of the highest body count, (not that that's something to strive for), was a woman who I nicknamed "Honey West" (much to her chagrin). You don't have to convince me regarding what the ladies like. They put their pants on one leg at a time just like us. Well, except for those ones that lay on the bed and try to pull those skinny jeans up.

Not that I know anything about law enforcement but I keep thinking "Out of Sight". Which is an almost ridiculous premise (cons don't look and speak like George Cluny, and Federal Marshalls don't act like J Lopez) but managed to be a very good movie of a good Elmore Leonard book.

Steven Soderbergh can *do* thrillers-- The Limey is one of my all time favourite modern "film noir" movies-- it's up there with Point Blank, say (and in fact has more to say than Point Blank, I thought).

Rotsevni · Post by **Rotsevni** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 6:08 am

The four pillars of investing

This book is legend!!!

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 4:40 pm

Murder In The Mews, by Agatha Christie.

Poirot and Inspector Japp investigate the death of a young woman found dead in her locked apartment. This is a fun book for mystery fans.

I had to look up what a "mews" is.

steve roy · Post by **steve roy** » Sat Jun 18, 2016 5:21 pm

"THIS GULF OF FIRE" by Mark Molesky

An in-depth look at the earthquake, tsunami and fire that destroyed Lisbon, Portugal in 1755.

Lisbon was the wealthiest city in Europe when a huge earthquake leveled wide sections of Portugal's capital and brought about big changes to its government and culture. Devoutly Christian before, the city became far more secular afterward. Molesky has done deep research about the event and what happened in its aftermath. He weaves a lot of different strands -- people, back-stories, economic and social histories -- into a fluent whole.

bertilak · Post by **bertilak** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:42 am

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carre.

Finished the book and then watched the 2011 movie immediately after. See writeup in the movie thread

bertilak · Post by **bertilak** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 8:44 am

I'm just starting Bram Stoker's Dracula.

I was reluctant to get started on it as I was expecting something a bit overblown, the way Mary Shelly's Frankenstein seemed to me.

Happily, I was wrong. After only a few pages I can see that It is extremely well written with just enough foreboding and atmosphere to quickly draw you in.

The descriptive text is very evocative. Example:

In and out amongst these green hills ran the road, losing itself as it swept around the grassy curve, or was shut out by the straggling ends of pine woods, which here and there ran down the hillside like tongues of flame. The road was rugged but we seemed to fly over it with a feverish haste.

There were many things new to me: for instance hay-ricks in the trees, and here and there very beautiful masses of weeping birch, their white stems shining like silver through the delicate green of the leaves.

It has:

A quaint little inn beneath the Carpathian Mountains of eastern Europe
Peasants of various ethnicity, behavior, languages and dress, some with vaguely intimidating wooden farming implements
Superstitions (or are they?) and associated warnings in broken German
High-speed night-time travel in horse-drawn coaches across poorly maintained roads
Fierce wild dogs (Stay in the coach!)
An innocent, naive, (but not self-important nor idiotic) first-person narrator.

Oddly enough, it reminds more of the movie Young Frankenstein than any of the Dracula movies I've seen. Mel Brooks genius really captured this atmosphere!

Blues · Post by **Blues** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 10:26 am

Dracula is very well written and, as you say, quite evocative.

The descriptions of his crawling out the castle window and down the wall is permanently etched in my mind along with some of the orgies of ecstatic "feeding".

Like you, something I was hesitant to read at the time thinking I wouldn't get into it. I was very wrong.

Where I disagree, however, is with any comparison with the Mel Brooks movies. I love Brooks' work but this tale is anything but humorous, imho.

wilson08 · Post by **wilson08** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 1:11 pm

The Whisper of the River
by Ferrol Sams

Set just before World War II Porter Osborne Jr. leaves
his rural Georgia home to start college. Confident he
has been "raised right" he still embarks on outrageous
pranks and meets an odd assortment of memorable
characters.

Blue Rise
by Rebecca Hill

A women returns to her Mississippi childhood home
to sort out her life after a tenure "up North". What
she wants out of life conflicts with the expectations
and traditions(not all reasonable) of her family and
childhood friends.

bertilak · Post by **bertilak** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:24 pm

Blues wrote:Where I disagree, however, is with any comparison with the Mel Brooks movies. I love Brooks' work but this tale is anything but humorous, imho.

Well, I guess I was a little unclear. Any similarity has nothing to do with the humor.

Brooks managed to capture the atmosphere upon which he layered his humor. I am basing this observation solely on the few pages I have read so far, involving a nighttime ride to a remote castle, through a forest, with danger just on the peripheral (circling wolves). YF has the same thing, but with a twist or two. ("Werewolf!" "THERE wolf!") YF also has the other elements I mentioned above. The twists get more outrageous as the movie progresses.

I perhaps shouldn't dwell on this. The book certainly stands on its own.

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Sun Jun 19, 2016 9:06 pm

Ice Station Zebra, by Allistair MacLean.

This is a classic thriller I had not read before. A fire destroys a British meteorological station on the Arctic ice, and a U.S. nuclear submarine is dispatched under the ice to rescue the survivors. A fine novel of Cold War intrigue.

wizzard · Post by **wizzard** » Mon Jun 20, 2016 6:05 pm

Halfway through The Intelligent Asset Allocator by William Bernstein, certainly one of my favorites so far! Highly recommend to anyone on here.

Next will be Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich by Jason Zweig. I am a firm believer that the biggest enemy an investor will have is often likely to be themselves, so this book should shed some light on this phenomenon.

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 7:32 pm

The Third Girl, by Agatha Christie.

A young woman appears at Poirot's flat to consult with him saying that she may have murdered someone, promptly changes her mind and leaves. A fun book.

jdb · Post by **jdb** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 9:00 pm

Just finished How To Write Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen, who is himself an editor and author. Not that I plan to write fiction but fascinating to see how editors have interacted with authors, including famous authors like Dickens, Jane Austen, Hemingway and of course Leo Tolstoy. And to read about the creative writing process from point of view of many successful authors. Highly recommend.

Fallible · Post by **Fallible** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 9:34 pm

jdb wrote:Just finished How To Write Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen, who is himself an editor and author. Not that I plan to write fiction but fascinating to see how editors have interacted with authors, including famous authors like Dickens, Jane Austen, Hemingway and of course Leo Tolstoy. And to read about the creative writing process from point of view of many successful authors. Highly recommend.

For more interaction between editors and authors, you might like Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by A. Scott Berg. Perkins was the editor to Thomas Wolfe, Heminngway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Robconoclast · Post by **Robconoclast** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:59 pm

Falling Short by Charles Ellis, Alicia Munnell, and Andrew Eschtruth. I'm 35 and in my opinion it defanitely is aimed towards the baby boomer generation. I find it repetitive at times (regarding auto enrollment into 40lks and working until 70) and I can't relate with it. Next is Bernstein's Four Pillars of Investing.

alpha423df · Post by **alpha423df** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 11:46 pm

Tap dancing to work by Carol Lumis.

https://www.amazon.com/Tap-Dancing-Work ... 1591846803

I am actually listening to it as I drive. Buffet has some good advice, unfortunately doing 2 things at once is the not the best way to understand difficult concepts. But I can go through a lot of books that way. If I come across a book worth understanding closely, I will probably come back and read it again.

carolinaman · Post by **carolinaman** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 8:06 am

Saving Capitalism by Robert Reich
I rate this book 5 stars and believe it should be a must read for all Americans because it explains how the 1% (Wall Street, corporations, CEOs, hedged funds, private equity, and others) have tilted economic gain in their favor to the detriment of the middle class and poor who are almost powerless to stop it. Large corporations have almost monopolistic control of their markets through a variety of tactics including patents, intellectual property rights, aggressive legal attacks, undue influence of courts and regulatory agencies, campaign contributions, and lobbyists. Normal people and small competitors are at an extreme disadvantage against such a powerful foe, and these tactics stifle innovation and growth of the economy. Laws have been changed to favor corporations and Wall Street, enabling them to grow more powerful and pay little or no taxes. There is a revolving door between government regulatory agencies and congress and the large corporations and Wall Street that they regulate which prevents proper oversight and enforcement by the government of these giant corporations. Reich obviously sees some things through a liberal lens, but I thought this was an accurate and fair portrayal describing the most important economic issue our country has. I am a staunch conservative, so hopefully you can appreciate my objectivity in writing this review.

Reich believes that a countervailing power must be established to provide a fair balance of political and economic power. Reich cites a study conducted by 2 prominent professors who studied 1,799 public policy issues in detail and determined the influence of them by elites, business groups and average citizens. They concluded that the average citizen has near-zero, statistically insignificant impact upon public policy. He believes that a countervailing power of average citizens must be re-instituted if our capitalistic economy is to survive.

Reich provides a variety of solutions that can reverse the playing field. Many are simply restoring certain laws and regulations that were abolished during the last 30 years that lead to many of our problems, including the 2008 mortgage crisis. He does not say much about “how” these changes can take place. I would like to see him or another author write a book about how we can take back our country.

snowshoes · Post by **snowshoes** » Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:14 pm

Spotting Global Value: How to spot Bubbles, Crashes, and value/ etc. by Mebane Faber

market timer · Post by **market timer** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:30 am

Blues wrote:Houellebecq is an interesting writer. I've read "Particles" as well as a few additional titles. Some more engaging than others but always provocative.

I've just finished Particles, and will be thinking about it for a while. It's one of the most depressing books I've ever read.

market timer · Post by **market timer** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 11:42 am

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, by Peter M. Senge.

Amazon blurb:

In The Fifth Discipline, Senge describes how companies can rid themselves of the learning “disabilities” that threaten their productivity and success by adopting the strategies of learning organizations—ones in which new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, collective aspiration is set free, and people are continually learning how to create results they truly desire.

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:02 pm

Away Off Shore, by Nathaniel Philbrick.

I enjoyed this history of Nantucket Island, it's people, religions, politics, institutions, and whaling industry.

I think that I will look for more histories from Philbrick

gkaplan · Post by **gkaplan** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:52 pm

I just finished reading Shakespeare's The Tragedy of King Richard the Second and Twelfth Night, or What You Will. I'm going to see the two plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival next month, so I wanted to read both plays beforehand.

snowshoes · Post by **snowshoes** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 8:49 pm

I'm back to "100 Baggers by Cris Mayer", it was published in 2015.

wizzard · Post by **wizzard** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:03 pm

VictoriaF wrote:The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver.

It's long been on my to-read list. I am happy that I finally got to read it and highly recommend it.

Victoria

I actually have this sitting on my shelf at home. My statistics professor recommended it to me and I have yet to read it, but I will certainly get to it in the next few months. Did you enjoy it??

wizzard · Post by **wizzard** » Mon Jun 27, 2016 3:05 pm

Finished The Intelligent Asset Allocator by William J. Bernstein few days ago. Last night I started 1984 by George Orwell

4nursebee · Post by **4nursebee** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:31 am

I find myself interested in biographies, would like to know what ones others have enjoyed.
My recent favorites
The one on Elon Musk.
The Walter ISsacson one on Steve Jobs.
The authorized one on Warren Buffet.

I have the Issacson one on Einstein to read, also another on Henry Ford.

I would like to know what biographies other enjoyed, perhaps the author also.

Should I start a new thread for this?

FrugalYankee · Post by **FrugalYankee** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:28 am

4nursebee wrote:I find myself interested in biographies, would like to know what ones others have enjoyed.
My recent favorites
The one on Elon Musk.
The Walter ISsacson one on Steve Jobs.
The authorized one on Warren Buffet.

I have the Issacson one on Einstein to read, also another on Henry Ford.

I would like to know what biographies other enjoyed, perhaps the author also.

Should I start a new thread for this?

4nursebee,

Here a some biographies that I have enjoyed:

Titan by Ron Chernow - Great bio of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Morgan: American Financier by Jean Strouse

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson

The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century by Steven Watts

Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw

There are so many more. I have found these interesting not just because of the person who the biography is about, but also the history lessons about the times they lived.

Best regards,
FrugalYankee

bertilak · Post by **bertilak** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:24 am

Great Contemporaries by Winston Churchill

From the cover: Churchill reflects on FDR, Hitler, Kipling, Chaplin, Balfour, and other giants of his age.

I bought this book a while back mostly to read Churchill's account of Rudyard Kipling but it is chock full of Churchill's insights on many subjects, as told via essays on the "giants of [Churchill's] age."

I have only read a few of the essays. I occasionally dip into it when and where fancy strikes. For example, when I decided to make this post, prompted by the numerous biographies mentioned just above, I picked up this book to refresh my memory of it and noticed an essay on Hindenburg. I had recently seen a TV show (History Channel?) about the Hindenburg disaster and the show covered Hindenburg's trip to New Jersey to help with the investigation -- so I read the essay. The disaster went unmentioned in the essay which instead concentrated on Hindenburg's roles in WWI and WWII. The the TV show and Churchill leave you with completely different impressions of Hindenburg. The TV show presented Hindenburg as essentially anti-war, anti-Hitler -- kind of a "world peace through world trade" proponent. Churchill's essay does not leave that impression at all!

ruralavalon · Post by **ruralavalon** » Tue Jun 28, 2016 1:45 pm

4nursebee wrote:I find myself interested in biographies, would like to know what ones others have enjoyed.
My recent favorites
The one on Elon Musk.
The Walter ISsacson one on Steve Jobs.
The authorized one on Warren Buffet.

I have the Issacson one on Einstein to read, also another on Henry Ford.

I would like to know what biographies other enjoyed, perhaps the author also.

Should I start a new thread for this?

In addition to the Walter Isaacson book on Benjamin Franklin, I suggest these.

Boone, by Robert Morgan

A biography of Kit Carson, Blood and Thunder, by Hampton Sides.

A 3 volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Rex, and Colonel Roosevelt, by Edmund Morris.

A 3 volume biography of Ulysses Grant, Captain Sam Grant, by Lloyd Lewis, plus Grant Takes Command and Grant Moves South by Bruce Catton.