What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
cholan
Posts: 154
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 10:29 pm
Location: new york

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by cholan »

I recently listened to an unabridged audio book by Robert Harris: An Officer and a Spy, a novel based on the Dreyfus affair a century ago. I have read all his books and like them all. For those of you who have been reading his Cicero trilogy, the last book is just out called the Dictator.

I was listening to an interview with him (London School of Economics Podcasts) and he is writing his next novel about the Papal Conclave.

edited to correct spelling
...leaving not a rack behind.
User avatar
Elsebet
Posts: 1602
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:28 pm
Location: Erie, PA

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Elsebet »

The Big Short - Michael Lewis

Started off interesting but it's become a bit dry in the middle.
"...the man who adapts himself to his slender means and makes himself wealthy on a little sum, is the truly rich man..." ~Seneca
Valuethinker
Posts: 48944
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Valuethinker »

Elsebet wrote:The Big Short - Michael Lewis

Started off interesting but it's become a bit dry in the middle.
I would suggest reading Liar's Poker first-- it really sets the backdrop to TBS, and gives Michael Lewis (who was an eye witness to the events depicted) a stronger narrative voice.

I would also recommend seeing the following films:

- The Big Short (seeing the movie would make the book more interesting. Reading the book makes the movie easier to understand)

- Inside Job - documentary with Matt Damon - yes it has an agenda, but it nicely fills in some of the gaps

- Margin Call - movie with Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons - really brings the world of the fixed income side of one of these investment banks, selling CDOs, alive
Last edited by Valuethinker on Wed Mar 02, 2016 9:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Valuethinker
Posts: 48944
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Valuethinker »

cholan wrote:I recently listened to an unabridged audio book by Robert Harris: An Officer and a Spy, a novel based on the Dreyfus affair a century ago. I have read all his books and like them all. For those of you who have been reading his Cicero trilogy, the last book is just out called the Dictator.

I was listening to an interview with him (London School of Economics Podcasts) and he is writing his next novel about the Papal Conclave.

edited to correct spelling
He really is an amazing writer: Fatherland, Enigma, The Ghost - found them all unputdownable. Haven't read the Cicero trilogy yet.
Valuethinker
Posts: 48944
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Valuethinker »

ruralavalon wrote:Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell.

The book details the science about intuition, snap judgements and first impressions., including when it's best to rely on them and when not. (The necessary items for a quality rapid decision are extensive personal experience and training [e.g. checklists, decision trees, established criteria] or both, plus very limited time available for decision.) The book is very informative, well written, plain and concise. I recommend this book.

www.gladwell.com collects his New Yorker pieces, and I enjoy those more, almost.
User avatar
Earl Lemongrab
Posts: 7270
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2014 1:14 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Earl Lemongrab »

While waiting for the third "Ancillary" book to arrive, I started Swift Justice. Air Force veteran turned PI Charlotte "Charlie" Swift runs a one-investigator outfit on a tight budget. She gets a shock when she finds out that her silent partner has fled the country with his new girlfriend and all his family's money. His wife Gigi is left with not much more than a house, a yellow Hummer, and two kids. And the half-interest in Charlie's agency. Now Gigi wants to become a active partner, to Charlie's dismay. She has to investigate who the father of dead teenager's baby is, while figuring out how to dissuade Gigi from trying to play detective.

Earl
User avatar
inmymind
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2015 9:57 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by inmymind »

I just finished In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. It tells the true story of a Nantucket whale ship, the Essex, that was sunk when a sperm whale rammed the ship multiple times. The account provided by the survivors of the Essex is what inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick.

It was a quick, fun read and I'd recommend it to anyone. I knew a limited amount about whaling and Nantucket before reading. The book does a good job of informing you of the history of whaling and Nantucket, parts of sailing vessel and how whaling took place, and of course the incredible survival story.
Esse quam videri
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26297
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

inmymind wrote:I just finished In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick. It tells the true story of a Nantucket whale ship, the Essex, that was sunk when a sperm whale rammed the ship multiple times. The account provided by the survivors of the Essex is what inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick.

It was a quick, fun read and I'd recommend it to anyone. I knew a limited amount about whaling and Nantucket before reading. The book does a good job of informing you of the history of whaling and Nantucket, parts of sailing vessel and how whaling took place, and of course the incredible survival story.
That is an excellent and very interesting book, I also recommend it.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
Bungo
Posts: 1138
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 11:28 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Bungo »

Just finished Purity by Jonathan Franzen. Very good, not quite as great as The Corrections or Freedom, but still better than many authors' best. Now tackling the rather daunting The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, which is one of the thickest paperbacks I've ever seen...but it's going quickly so far.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

Swiped by Adam Levin.

It's not well written, poorly edited, and repetitive. Nevertheless, I recommend that you check it out from your library and give it a try. The value of the book depends on how much you know about cyber security and what you do about it. If your approach to cyber security is laissez faire, doing what everyone does and assuming that everyone can't be wrong, the book will, hopefully. scare you into action.

If you already know a lot about cyber security, you will be annoyed by simplified regurgitation of familiar concepts. But, still, you may pick up a few tips or reminders on the way. Making just one change towards greater personal cyber security may justify scanning the book. It did for me.

If your cyber security job requires working with customers, you may appreciate recent anecdotes and an extensive glossary of scams.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
quantAndHold
Posts: 10141
Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2015 10:39 pm
Location: West Coast

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by quantAndHold »

Turn Right At Machu Picchu, by Mark Adams. It's written by a guy who, after spending 20 years living a sedentary life as an editor of an adventure travel magazine, decides to go to Peru and follow the path of Hiram Bingham, the explorer who is credited with discovering Machu Picchu 100 years ago. It tells three stories; the history of the Inca people, Hiram Bingham's biography, and the author's travel adventure. All three stories are well told, and the book is both informative and entertaining.

Required reading for anyone actually going to Machu Picchu. A fun read for anyone else.
rakornacki1
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:02 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by rakornacki1 »

The One Page Financial Plan. Writing & modifying a personal, investment plan does not have to be as daunting as one might assume.
MP173
Posts: 2607
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:03 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by MP173 »

Bungo:

I found "Purity" to be one of the finest novels I have ever read. It hit a spot with me.

Just finished "Cause of Death" by Patricia Cornwell....not one of her best Dr. Kay Scarpetta novels.

RIP Pat Conroy. I read 4 of his books..."The Great Santini, "Lords of Discipline", and "My Losing Season", and "South of Broad". All were outstanding..."Losing Season" and "South of Broad" showcased Conroy's ability to look back at events and cast those times in a historical yet emotionally personal manner. My next trip to the library will have his works on my list.

Currently I am reading a fun mystery "Candy Apple Red" by Nancy Bush. Never heard of her, picked up the book on a whim at the library. Her style reminds me of Lawrence Block....if that is the case what a delight. Also reminds me of the Travis McGee series by John McDonald. I am only about 40 pages in.

Ed
User avatar
Blues
Posts: 2500
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:58 am
Location: Blue Ridge Mtns

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Blues »

Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS by Joby Warrick. A compelling read thus far.
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

I just finished Riot Most Uncouth : a Lord Byron Mystery by Daniel Friedman.

The year is 1807, and Byron is living large as a student at Trinity College in Cambridge, England. He has successfully skirted the college's rule against keeping dogs in the dorm by rooming with a rather large bear named “The Professor.” When a young woman is found murdered in a local boarding house, Byron can't pass up the opportunity to prove his immeasurable genius by solving the case. In a time where there are no police investigators, only expensive private eyes, it's up to Byron to bring her killer to justice while finding time for his normal pursuits of excessive drinking, bedding married women, and generally causing trouble. (Summary provided my publisher.)

Friedman is the author of the "Buck Schatz" series. Both books in the series have received praise. Judging from the subtitle of this work, it looks like he's starting a new series.
Gordon
User avatar
LadyGeek
Site Admin
Posts: 95466
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:34 pm
Location: Philadelphia
Contact:

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by LadyGeek »

Earl Lemongrab wrote:Finishing the first of the highly-regarded "Ancillary" SF series by Anne Leckie, Ancillary Justice. Far-future space opera background. The central character is the sole remaining ancillary (One Esk 19) of the troop ship "Justice of Toren". Ancillaries are people that were converted to controlled servants of a ship's central mind. One Esk 19 has an ambitious revenge plot that includes attempting to destroy as much of the ruler of the empire as possible. The leader itself uses ancillaries, and at some point became divided into at least two opposing factions. One of those was responsible for the destruction of JoT.

A bit talky in the beginning, but there was a lot of background information to get through. The action has picked up and I will go right to Ancillary Sword immediately.

Earl
^^^ Posted on Jan 31, 2016. Very different and it really twists your mind. I like it.

The 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy have been purchased (Kindle downloads) and will be next.
Wiki To some, the glass is half full. To others, the glass is half empty. To an engineer, it's twice the size it needs to be.
User avatar
Earl Lemongrab
Posts: 7270
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2014 1:14 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Earl Lemongrab »

LadyGeek wrote:
Earl Lemongrab wrote:Finishing the first of the highly-regarded "Ancillary" SF series by Anne Leckie, Ancillary Justice. Far-future space opera background. The central character is the sole remaining ancillary (One Esk 19) of the troop ship "Justice of Toren". Ancillaries are people that were converted to controlled servants of a ship's central mind. One Esk 19 has an ambitious revenge plot that includes attempting to destroy as much of the ruler of the empire as possible. The leader itself uses ancillaries, and at some point became divided into at least two opposing factions. One of those was responsible for the destruction of JoT.

A bit talky in the beginning, but there was a lot of background information to get through. The action has picked up and I will go right to Ancillary Sword immediately.

Earl
^^^ Posted on Jan 31, 2016. Very different and it really twists your mind. I like it.

The 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy have been purchased (Kindle downloads) and will be next.
Partway into the third book of the trilogy. Breq and her odd group of associates, most with some sort of damage or the other, are positioning for the showdown between two opposing sides. So what is Breq's side? Her own, of course, and it will be interesting to see what that is in the end.

Earl
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26297
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Fallen Tide, by Wayne Stinnett.

A government contractor developing a high-tech ghillie suit for snipers is kidnapped, along with his wife, in the Florida Keys, hidden in the Bahamas, and about to be taken to Cuba. A team of agents based in the Keys rescues them. Standard thriller/adventure fare, not too impressed.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
TerryDMillerMBA
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2011 8:32 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by TerryDMillerMBA »

"Orphan X" by Gregg Hurwitz

It is very engaging. The surface level assessment of the title character registers as all-too-familiar, but Hurwitz achieves some refreshing character development with his main protagonist.
Ricola
Posts: 961
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:38 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Ricola »

Enemies: How America's Foes Steal Our Vital Secrets--and How We Let It Happen, by Bill Gertz
Can be upsetting to see how vulnerable we have been, and a good reminder of Jefferson quote "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance".
Fallible
Posts: 8795
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 3:44 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Fallible »

Finally read David Copperfield, autobiographical fiction by Charles Dickens. There are the usual marvelous Dickens characters - David's aunt, Mr. Dick, and Wilkins Micawber and his wife, and "umble" Uriah Heep in particular - but the ending was a surprise and disappointment.
"Yes, investing is simple. But it is not easy, for it requires discipline, patience, steadfastness, and that most uncommon of all gifts, common sense." ~Jack Bogle
User avatar
black jack
Posts: 806
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:13 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by black jack »

A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914-1918, by G.J. Meyer.

I cued this audiobook up for a long car trip, but the trip - 12 hours each way - only got me about 2/3rds through the book, in which the first shots of the war (other than those of Gavrilo Princip) are not fired until about the 6th hour. I wouldn't say I'm enjoying it, exactly, as I hear about battle after battle resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties each, but it is gripping, and has piercing anecdotes: for example, late on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, in which division after division of British troops were sent walking headlong into German machine gun fire, the German machine gunners stopped shooting and refused to shoot any more, and simply watched as the British began to retrieve their wounded and dead (60,000 dead on that one day).
We cannot absolutely prove [that they are wrong who say] that we have seen our best days. But so said all who came before us, and with just as much apparent reason. | -T. B. Macaulay (1800-1859)
User avatar
FreeAtLast
Posts: 802
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2014 8:08 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by FreeAtLast »

black jack wrote:A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914-1918, by G.J. Meyer.

I cued this audiobook up for a long car trip, but the trip - 12 hours each way - only got me about 2/3rds through the book, in which the first shots of the war (other than those of Gavrilo Princip) are not fired until about the 6th hour. I wouldn't say I'm enjoying it, exactly, as I hear about battle after battle resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties each, but it is gripping, and has piercing anecdotes: for example, late on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, in which division after division of British troops were sent walking headlong into German machine gun fire, the German machine gunners stopped shooting and refused to shoot any more, and simply watched as the British began to retrieve their wounded and dead (60,000 dead on that one day).
The first day of the Somme was absolutely horrible for the Brits, but I believe they suffered 60,000 casualties and 20,000 of those were KIA.
Illegitimi non carborundum.
User avatar
black jack
Posts: 806
Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:13 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by black jack »

FreeAtLast wrote:
black jack wrote:A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914-1918, by G.J. Meyer.

I cued this audiobook up for a long car trip, but the trip - 12 hours each way - only got me about 2/3rds through the book, in which the first shots of the war (other than those of Gavrilo Princip) are not fired until about the 6th hour. I wouldn't say I'm enjoying it, exactly, as I hear about battle after battle resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties each, but it is gripping, and has piercing anecdotes: for example, late on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, in which division after division of British troops were sent walking headlong into German machine gun fire, the German machine gunners stopped shooting and refused to shoot any more, and simply watched as the British began to retrieve their wounded and dead (60,000 dead on that one day).
The first day of the Somme was absolutely horrible for the Brits, but I believe they suffered 60,000 casualties and 20,000 of those were KIA.
You are correct; I conflated casualties and deaths.
We cannot absolutely prove [that they are wrong who say] that we have seen our best days. But so said all who came before us, and with just as much apparent reason. | -T. B. Macaulay (1800-1859)
itstoomuch
Posts: 5343
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:17 am
Location: midValley OR

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by itstoomuch »

Bernard Cornwell, Waterloo.
Rev012718; 4 Incm stream buckets: SS+pension; dfr'd GLWB VA & FI anntys, by time & $$ laddered; Discretionary; Rentals. LTCi. Own, not asset. Tax TBT%. Early SS. FundRatio (FR) >1.1 67/70yo
letsgobobby
Posts: 12073
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2009 1:10 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by letsgobobby »

Niall Ferguson, Civilization: The West and the Rest
Yuval Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Danzinger and Gillingham, 1215: The Year of Magna Carta
Tanelorn
Posts: 2366
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 9:35 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Tanelorn »

User avatar
market timer
Posts: 6535
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:42 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by market timer »

A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara.

Amazon blurb:
When four classmates from a small Massachusetts college move to New York to make their way, they're broke, adrift, and buoyed only by their friendship and ambition. There is kind, handsome Willem, an aspiring actor; JB, a quick-witted, sometimes cruel Brooklyn-born painter seeking entry to the art world; Malcolm, a frustrated architect at a prominent firm; and withdrawn, brilliant, enigmatic Jude, who serves as their center of gravity. Over the decades, their relationships deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, and pride. Yet their greatest challenge, each comes to realize, is Jude himself, by midlife a terrifyingly talented litigator yet an increasingly broken man, his mind and body scarred by an unspeakable childhood, and haunted by what he fears is a degree of trauma that he’ll not only be unable to overcome—but that will define his life forever.

In rich and resplendent prose, Yanagihara has fashioned a tragic and transcendent hymn to brotherly love, a masterful depiction of heartbreak, and a dark examination of the tyranny of memory and the limits of human endurance.
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle. The "code" is three-part:
1. Deep practice
2. Ignition
3. Master coaching

Deep practice is much more than 10,000 hours popularized by Malcolm Gladwell. The practice must be done right: at the edge of one's abilities, always reaching for a better performance, generating some discomfort. Ignition is a spark that helps to release the motivation and energy required for a long and laborious process. Master coaches help others to achieve their potential. The book cites neuroscience research on the role of myelin in the skill formation and has a good mix of theory and stories.

The book can be particularly valuable to parents ambitious on behalf of their children. (And to adults ambitious on their own behalf.)

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26297
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Don't Vote, It Just Encourages the Bast#@!s, by P.J. O'Rourke.

More peculiar humor from P.J. O'Rourke, suitable for the political season. Examples -- "Fifty percent of people are below average intelligence. This explains everything about politics". "Politicians are fine until they stick their noses into things they don't understand, such as most things."
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
User avatar
SeeMoe
Posts: 1106
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2015 11:30 am
Location: Near Philly..

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by SeeMoe »

"LIMA-6" by Colonel retired Dick Camp, USMC INFANTRY. His days as a company commander in Lima company, 26 Marine Regiment 1967-68 on the DMZ where the Third Marine Division fought division and Corps size NVA Army units in vicious, no holds barred battles. Astounding, and unbelievable how those kids held up under 24/7 brutal combat conditions. Many of the unsung heroes only got a thank you by higher ups. By Today's volunteer military standards , every one of them would have a chest full of medals that would make "General Petraus and Lone Survivor "envious,..
SeeMoe.. :sharebeer
"By gnawing through a dike, even a Rat can destroy a nation ." {Edmund Burke}
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26297
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Spider Woman's Daughter, by Anne Hillerman.

Daughter Anne continues the mystery series of father Tony Hillerman, involving Navajo police detectives.

Retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is shot in a restaurant parking lot in broad daylight, witnessed by officer Bernadette Manuelito. How is a ghost from the past involved, or is it simpler than that?

I was somewhat surprised how well Anne Hillerman did in continuing the stories of her father's characters and settings. I'm looking forward to her next book.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
User avatar
zzcooper123
Posts: 539
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2007 5:55 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by zzcooper123 »

"Last Ape Standing: The Seven-Million-Year Story of How and Why We Survived"
by Chip Walter
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

I just finished Choked Up by Janey Mack.

Introduced in Time's Up, meter reader Maisie McGrane wants more than anything to follow in the family footsteps by becoming a Chicago police officer. Unfortunately, her father made sure she flunked out of the police academy. Her boyfriend Hank is a mysterious ex-Army Ranger who is unaccountably rich, living in a high-rise security apartment with Maisie. In her new adventure, Maisie is targeted for a beating by one of her boyfriend's powerful former associates, but she is rescued by a steely Serbian mobster named Stannislav Renko. Maisie's dreams of becoming a cop are fulfilled when she is recruited by the Bureau of Organized Crime's Special Unit to work undercover; the catch: she must continue as a meter maid.

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it strained credibility at times, and it was a tad long, but it was a fun read. Several librarian journals gave star reviews to Time's Up but were somewhat less enthusiastic about Choked Up. I liked Choked Up more, however. Janey Mack's third book, Shoot 'Em Up, is due out in June, and I'll be looking for it.
Gordon
User avatar
abuss368
Posts: 27850
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:33 pm
Location: Where the water is warm, the drinks are cold, and I don't know the names of the players!
Contact:

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by abuss368 »

gkaplan wrote:I just finished Choked Up by Janey Mack.

Introduced in Time's Up, meter reader Maisie McGrane wants more than anything to follow in the family footsteps by becoming a Chicago police officer. Unfortunately, her father made sure she flunked out of the police academy. Her boyfriend Hank is a mysterious ex-Army Ranger who is unaccountably rich, living in a high-rise security apartment with Maisie. In her new adventure, Maisie is targeted for a beating by one of her boyfriend's powerful former associates, but she is rescued by a steely Serbian mobster named Stannislav Renko. Maisie's dreams of becoming a cop are fulfilled when she is recruited by the Bureau of Organized Crime's Special Unit to work undercover; the catch: she must continue as a meter maid.

I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it strained credibility at times, and it was a tad long, but it was a fun read. Several librarian journals gave star reviews to Time's Up but were somewhat less enthusiastic about Choked Up. I liked Choked Up more, however. Janey Mack's third book, Shoot 'Em Up, is due out in June, and I'll be looking for it.
Hi Gordon,

Did you ever finish the Harry Potter series? If so, would you recommend? We are on the fence and are interested in others feedback.

Best.
John C. Bogle: “Simplicity is the master key to financial success."
User avatar
VictoriaF
Posts: 20122
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by VictoriaF »

Cure: A journey into the science of mind over body by Jo Marchant.

Marchant is a science journalist with a PhD in genetics and medical microbiology and work experience at a top London hospital. The book is well written and well edited with extensive and detailed notes.

Marchant had set goals to figure out the role of mind-based treatments in prevention and treatment of disease, and to distinguish legitimate alternative treatments from quackery. She could not possibly provide definitive answers in this fast developing field, but she has done tremendous job of interviewing many kinds of providers around the world, ranging from medical doctors at top hospitals (e.g., Stanford) to at-home reiki healers. The book leaves an uneasy feeling that the situation is, well, not easy.

There is clearly a promise of capitalizing on the mind's capability to communicate with the body and direct bodily functions into healthier performance. But using this capability runs against obstacles on both ends. On the "legitimate" end of the spectrum, conventional healthcare is not set up to provide these treatments. Furthermore, evidence-based medicine requires large controlled random trials, and there are no funds for such trials. Pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers poor money into trials that would boost their business; in contrast, there is no business case for helping people getting well on their own. On the other end of the spectrum, numerous alternative health providers make exaggerated claims and sometimes endanger lives of their customers.

For a lay reader the book is useful for learning about mind-body treatments that are already proven and watching promising ones. Some self-treatments such as mindfulness meditation, positive thinking, and deep breathing can be easily incorporated into one's life. People's stories generously provided throughout the book stimulate the sense of compassion and also of the urgency to hone our own health.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
User avatar
nisiprius
Advisory Board
Posts: 52105
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am
Location: The terrestrial, globular, planetary hunk of matter, flattened at the poles, is my abode.--O. Henry

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by nisiprius »

Bill Bryson, Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. Something to keep me occupied while I'm waiting for my hold on The Road to Little Dribbling to come in.

Lee Child, Gone Tomorrow. I'm completely hooked on the series. I'm reading them too fast and without enough rest in between. It's like the time I discovered Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin novels.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
rakornacki1
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 4:02 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by rakornacki1 »

Just starting 'Get What's Yours' (The Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security) by Kotlikoff, Moeller & Solman.
MP173
Posts: 2607
Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:03 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by MP173 »

Just finished "The Girl in the Spider's Web" by David Lagercrantz.

It seems people either love or hate the replacement writer. Yes, Steig Larson created a great series and Lisbon was a great charactor to battle all that is wrong in the world.

I thought Lagercrantz did a very good job of following in an instant legend and look forward to future books in the series.

Ed
User avatar
ruralavalon
Posts: 26297
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:29 am
Location: Illinois

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by ruralavalon »

Breaking the Backcountry, by Matthew C. Ward.

This is a history of the impact of the French and Indian War and later Pontiac's uprising on Pennsylvania and Virginia, including diplomacy and colonial politics. Inept military leadership at the beginning, and continuing political inability to provide funding and troops kept the frontier counties exposed to devastating Indian attacks for about ten years.
Last edited by ruralavalon on Tue Mar 22, 2016 4:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Everything should be as simple as it is, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein | Wiki article link: Bogleheads® investment philosophy
User avatar
Christine_NM
Posts: 2796
Joined: Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:13 am
Location: New Mexico

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Christine_NM »

I just bought I Hate the Internet by Jared Kobek. Looks like fun but I have to finish Irene Huss series Glass Devil first. So heads up but no review for those who find the title intriguiing.
16% cash 49% stock 35% bond. Retired, w/d rate 2.5%
User avatar
Wildebeest
Posts: 1204
Joined: Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:36 pm

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Wildebeest »

I read The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell. If this was the first book I read of Mankell, I would never read another book. At least it may made realize why I read. I try to figure out how the world works without having to suffer through the trials and tribulations of having to live though it and I want to the main character to be morally incorruptible.

I hated the book. I learned nothing except that Kurt Wallander is a sucker and Mankell holds his readers in low regard. Why would have a Latvian police captain have two colonels as bosses. The plot, if you want to call that, was pathetic.

I give it a 0 stars out of 5. ( It took me 2 weeks to suffer through this book).
The Golden Rule: One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.
User avatar
Kitty Telltales
Posts: 353
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:36 am
Location: Florida and Germany

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Kitty Telltales »

Picked up a copy of Paris, the Novel by Edward Rutherfurd (2014) from my condo library. I just love his books and after the Paris attacks I knew it would give me a better insight about how this wonderful city formed. Really enjoying it. Seeing the Eiffel Tower with new eyes.
User avatar
stratton
Posts: 11085
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:05 pm
Location: Puget Sound

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by stratton »

Wildebeest wrote:I hated the book. I learned nothing except that Kurt Wallander is a sucker and Mankell holds his readers in low regard. Why would have a Latvian police captain have two colonels as bosses. The plot, if you want to call that, was pathetic.

I give it a 0 stars out of 5. ( It took me 2 weeks to suffer through this book).
I would have stopped way before page 50 or 100. Life is too short to read books I don't like.

Sometimes it's not the story. I tried a book by Camilla Lackberg and tossed it after 35 pages because the book formatter hated readers. There was more than a dozen point of view changes in that part of the book and no differentiators when the view changed. No row of "diamonds", extra spacing etc. I'm reading along and suddenly realize it's a new character PoV and go back a few paragraphs to figure this out and read it again. Since they were all looking at the same murder it became very confusing. The reviews on Amazon made the same point.

It took me a while to figure out what was wrong I why I was hating the book.

Paul
...and then Buffy staked Edward. The end.
User avatar
stratton
Posts: 11085
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 4:05 pm
Location: Puget Sound

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by stratton »

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois MacMaster Bujold.

It's a Vorkosigan book from the point of view of Cordelia.

An old character from the first couple of books in the 17 or 18 book series. Love it. So far no head in a shopping bag. :wink:

Paul
...and then Buffy staked Edward. The end.
gkaplan
Posts: 7034
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:34 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by gkaplan »

Deleted
Last edited by gkaplan on Fri Mar 25, 2016 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gordon
Retired1809
Posts: 508
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 3:11 pm
Location: North Carolina, USA

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Retired1809 »

John Grisham's Sycamore Row after finishing Grisham's A Time to Kill. Both in Ford County, MS. Excellent.
Bungo
Posts: 1138
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2011 11:28 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Bungo »

Wildebeest wrote:I read The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell. If this was the first book I read of Mankell, I would never read another book. At least it may made realize why I read. I try to figure out how the world works without having to suffer through the trials and tribulations of having to live though it and I want to the main character to be morally incorruptible.

I hated the book. I learned nothing except that Kurt Wallander is a sucker and Mankell holds his readers in low regard. Why would have a Latvian police captain have two colonels as bosses. The plot, if you want to call that, was pathetic.

I give it a 0 stars out of 5. ( It took me 2 weeks to suffer through this book).
Uh oh, I just bought this, having recently finished the first Wallander book, Faceless Killers. Guess I won't rush it to the top of my to-read pile. :D

Recently finished Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin, the first in the long Inspector Rebus series. I wasn't very impressed; it was OK but not great. But apparently the series gets much better and I prefer to start at the beginning.

Currently reading Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. I don't usually call books delightful, but this one is!
User avatar
nisiprius
Advisory Board
Posts: 52105
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am
Location: The terrestrial, globular, planetary hunk of matter, flattened at the poles, is my abode.--O. Henry

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by nisiprius »

I'm bingeing on the Lee Child "Jack Reacher" novels. Most recently Gone Tomorrow, One Shot, and halfway through Never Go Back. I've probably read about ten of them now, including all of the first six. I'm now at that curious stage where I know the formula, and they no longer seem believable to me, but I love them anyway.

One aspect: for me, anyway, Child does a much better job than the average mystery writer of describing the clues in such a way that you don't understand their significance when they're presented, but you remember them and feel that he has played fair and that Reacher could in fact have made the clever deduction he made from them. I don't think I'm giving too much of a spoiler when I say that in One Shot, he does this brilliantly in a plot point involving assessment of marksmanship skill.

Biggest credibility problem for me is that Reacher's success rate on surmises, guesses, and deductions is just about 100%. Reacher can drive into a city of five million people and guess where the bad guys' hideout is by a successive process of guessing what part of town it would be, what characteristics they'd be looking for, and then driving down a few streets and picking out the place he'd hide if he were them. Child seems quite aware of this and is very clever and making it seem plausible, although in one book he sort of blows it by having Jack Reacher just know that within some ten-by-ten-block area of New York there are exactly two sleazy hotels where the night porter would probably take bribes.

Well, Reacher's fighting ability seems unlikely though I wouldn't know. Again, Child seems aware of it and almost breaks the fourth wall a bit from time to time... in one book he wins a fight, four against one, and then he wins another one, six against one, and then he encounters a situation where another character says something like "You can't do it, Reacher. It's two hundred against one, it's too much."
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
Valuethinker
Posts: 48944
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

Re: What Book Are You Currently Reading? Part VI

Post by Valuethinker »

stratton wrote:Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois MacMaster Bujold.

It's a Vorkosigan book from the point of view of Cordelia.

An old character from the first couple of books in the 17 or 18 book series. Love it. So far no head in a shopping bag. :wink:

Paul
I just blundered into this one on Kindle, this week.

Totally unexpected.

Cordelia Naismith was always my favourite character in the series, she represents the "modern" view on a not-so-modern Barryan society. Plus her resourcefulness and courage-- both physical and moral.

I found it a bit too absorbing to read before bedtime (like an Alan Furst thriller, or a Charlie Stross Labyrinth novel) so will have to carve out daylight time to read it.

Before bedtime I go back to reading my books about tank design ;-).
Post Reply